Volume 91, Number 3
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Music scores and instruction
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About Braille Book Review
Braille Book Review, published in braille, large print, and online, is distributed free to people who have a visual or physical disability that makes it difficult to read regular print. It lists braille titles recently added to the NLS collection. The braille edition also lists NLS audiobooks appearing in Talking Book Topics. The entire collection, with hundreds of thousands of titles, is available at www.loc.gov/nls/catalog. Braille Book Review is also available online at www.loc.gov/nls/bbr and in downloadable braille files from BARD.
Library of Congress, Washington, DC
2022
Catalog Card Number 53-31800
ISSN 0006-873X
Contents
In Brief
BBR to cease large-print publication at end of FY22
Due to the worldwide paper shortage and declining subscriber numbers, the last large-print issue of Braille Book Review (BBR) will be September–October 2022. This will not affect production of other accessible versions of BBR. It will remain available in hardcopy braille, ebraille, and HTML.
- To subscribe to BBR in hardcopy braille, contact your cooperating network library. A list of email addresses and phone numbers is available on the final pages of this publication. They may also be found at www.loc.gov/nls/findyourlibrary.
- To subscribe to BBR in ebraille, visit BARD, the Braille and Audio Reading Download service, or BARD Mobile. If you do not already have a BARD account, visit www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/bard-access for instructions on how to sign up.
- On the BARD website, select Braille Book Review (braille) in the drop-down menu Magazines by Title and then select Subscribe to Braille Book Review (braille). Individual issues can also be downloaded.
- On BARD Mobile, select Get Books, then Browse Magazines, then Braille Magazines, then Braille Book Review (braille). If you are using the app visually, tap the + symbol at the top of the screen to subscribe. If you are using Voiceover, this button is labeled Subscribe.
- To view BBR in HTML, visit www.loc.gov/nls/bbr.
The same supply chain issues have also affected Talking Book Topics (TBT), which ceased large-print publication after the January–February 2022 issue. TBT remains available in HTML and PDF at www.loc.gov/nls/tbt and in audio from BARD, BARD Mobile, or via by-mail magazine on cartridge subscription.
BARD Mobile Android now supports braille
Version 1.4 of the BARD Mobile app for Android allows patrons to read contracted braille with supported refreshable braille displays with Google BrailleBack. A list of supported displays may be found on the Google BrailleBack app page at https://bit.ly/3r9T71g. Additional details on how to set up your BARD Mobile Android app for braille reading may be found in the User Manual at www.loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/bard-access/bard-mobile-android.
The braille functionality of version 1.4 for Android is similar to the braille functionality on BARD Mobile for iOS (iPhone and iPad). It offers user-adjustable settings including:
- Braille Reflow adjusts formatting for displays shorter than 40 cells
- Braille Autoscroll allows users to move through braille text automatically based on adjustable time increments
BARD French interface live
The BARD website interface is now available in French, as well as English and Spanish. Patrons who would prefer to use BARD in French or Spanish can do so by selecting their language of choice from the Language Interface Settings drop-down menu on the Account Settings page under the “My BARD” section on the main page.
Popular Science now available in audio
NLS is no longer producing Popular Science in braille. However, it is now available in audio as a locally produced magazine. It may be downloaded or subscribed to via BARD or BARD Mobile, or it can be subscribed to via the magazine on cartridge program.
Newsstand
The following announcements may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. The items mentioned below are not part of the NLS program, and their listings do not imply endorsement or support. Prices and details about listed items were correct at the time of compilation but are subject to change.
COVID tests available by mail
The US government is making free COVID-19 tests available to all US residents via USPS delivery. To order tests, please visit www.covid.gov/tests External or call 800-232-0233. If you have difficulty obtaining or using the tests, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) has assembled a clearinghouse of information on test accessibility at https://nfb.org/covidtests External.
FCC launches Affordable Connectivity Program
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently launched the Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps low income households pay for broadband service and Internet connected devices. For more information on eligibility and the application process, please visit https://acpbenefit.org.
OIB Lessons now available in Spanish
The Older Individuals who are Blind Technical Assistance Center (OIB-TAC), part of the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision at the University of Mississippi, has recently made its free independent living curriculum available in Spanish. Lessons may be found at www.oib-tac.org/direct-service/curriculum/lessons-for-living-en-espanol External. They continue to be available in English at www.oib-tac.org/direct-service/curriculum External.
Braille scanner app available
Patrons who are early braille learners may be interested in Braille Scanner, a new free app for iOS that can convert images of braille documents to text. Voiceover can then read the text aloud. The app runs on iOS versions 14.7 and later. For more information, find Braille Scanner in the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/ke/app/braille-scanner/id1517369095 External.
Books for Adults
The following books were recently produced for the NLS program.
Registered users can immediately download all titles and magazines from BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service, at http://nlsbard.loc.gov. The free BARD Mobile app for reading talking books on your personal smartphone or tablet is available from the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon’s Appstore and can be used to read books with a refreshable braille display. To order books or sign up for BARD service contact your local cooperating library. Regional library telephone numbers and email addresses are listed on the last pages of this magazine.
Books within the headings Adult Fiction and Adult Nonfiction are listed alphabetically by subject category, author last name, and title. For example the title War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy would be listed in Adult Fiction under the Classics subject category and by the last name Tolstoy.
Note: A notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of violence, strong language, or descriptions of sex. The word “some” before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in “some strong language.”
Adult Fiction
Fantasy
Penric’s Demon: A Fantasy Novella in the World of the Five Gods BR23502
by Lois McMaster Bujold
2 volumes
On his way to his betrothal, young Lord Penric comes upon an accident involving an elderly lady. He approaches to help and discovers that the lady is a servant to the god known as the Bastard, and with her dying breath she bequeaths her mysterious powers to Penric. 2015.
When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain BR23814
by Nghi Vo
1 volume
The cleric Chih and their companions face a band of hungry tigers. To survive long enough for the mammoths to rescue them, Chih unwinds the story of the tiger and her scholar lover. Sequel to The Empress of Salt and Fortune (BR23267). Some strong language. 2020.
General
The Midnight Library BR23507
by Matt Haig
3 volumes
After she attempts suicide, Nora wakes up in a mysterious library. The shelves are full of books, each the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with other books for the other lives you could have lived. Strong language. Bestseller. 2020.
Monogamy BR23566
by Sue Miller
4 volumes
Graham and Annie have been married for nearly thirty years. When Graham suddenly dies, Annie is lost. What is the point of going on, she wonders, without him? Then, while she is still mourning him intensely, she discovers that Graham had been unfaithful to her. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2020.
Silent Night BR23562
by Danielle Steel
3 volumes
By the age of nine, Emma was starring on a hit TV show, thanks to her ambitious stage mother. But when tragedy strikes, Emma is sent to live with her aunt Whitney, who will have to help the traumatized girl find a way to start over. Some strong language. 2019.
Historical Fiction
Yellow Wife BR23680
by Sadeqa Johnson
3 volumes
Born on a plantation, Pheby Delores Brown has lived a relatively privileged life. She is promised her freedom, but instead she finds herself thrust into the bowels of the most infamous slave jail in Virginia. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2021.
Holidays
The Noel Letters: From the Noel Collection BR23530
by Richard Paul Evans
3 volumes
Drawn away from life as a divorced, career-focused publisher in NYC, Noel Post returns to her Salt Lake City roots for one last reunion with her estranged, dying father. As she begins healing, she finds a trail of anonymous letters full of faith, redemption, and a Christmas revelation. 2020.
Legal Themes
The Law of Innocence BR23492
by Michael Connelly
5 volumes
Defense attorney Mickey Haller is pulled over by police, who find the body of a client in the trunk of his Lincoln. When Haller is charged with murder and can’t make the exorbitant bail slapped on him by a vindictive judge, he must strategize and build his defense from his jail cell. Strong language and some violence. 2020.
Mystery and Detective
Love Lies Bleeding BR23622
by Jane Casey
1 volume
Detective Maeve Kerrigan and partner John Derwent arrive at the richly appointed offices of the solicitors firm of Mitchford Bexley to find it marred by bloody footprints. Partner Diana Bexley has been murdered by someone wearing a motorbike helmet. Kerrigan and Derwent have a wealth of suspects. Violence and strong language. 2017.
Silent Kill BR23557
by Jane Casey
2 volumes
A teenage girl is murdered in broad daylight on a London bus. What should be an easily solved crime frustrates DC Georgia Shaw and her colleagues Maeve Kerrigan and Josh Derwent. Their leads peter out, and the case threatens to go cold. Strong language and some violence. 2020.
Breaking Silence BR23510
by Linda Castillo
4 volumes
Painters Mill, Ohio. Police chief Kate Burkholder investigates after three members of an Amish family are found dead in their manure pit. Signs of foul play suggest that their deaths are not accidental but may be linked to hate crimes. Strong language and some violence. 2011.
Gone Missing BR23559
by Linda Castillo
4 volumes
Because police chief Kate Burkholder was raised Amish, her former lover, criminal investigator John Tomasetti, asks for her help when Amish teens go missing throughout the state. Kate arrives just as another girl disappears. Some violence and some strong language. 2012.
In Dark Company BR23499
by Linda Castillo
1 volume
In this short story, Chief Kate Burkholder is called when a mysterious young woman, battered and terrified, seeks shelter at an Amish farmhouse. She can’t remember her name or where she’s from, but she knows one thing: someone was trying to kill her. Strong language and some violence. 2018.
Only the Lucky BR23501
by Linda Castillo
1 volume
In this short story, it’s Friday the 13th and rumors of an Amish rager—a huge outdoor party rife with underage drinking—puts Chief of Police Kate Burkholder and her small department on edge. At the height of the rager, a teenage Amish girl is attacked and left for dead. Strong language and some violence. 2017.
Jim Hanvey, Detective BR23664
by Octavus Roy Cohen
3 volumes
Seven stories centered around private detective Jim Hanvey, who relies on his geniality and ability to befriend good guys and criminals alike to solve his cases. In “Fish Eyes,” Hanvey is called in to investigate and find money gone missing from a bank. Some violence and some strong language. 1923.
In Her Tracks BR23801
by Robert Dugoni
4 volumes
After an extended leave in her hometown of Cedar Grove, Detective Tracy Crosswhite is reassigned to the Seattle Police Department’s cold case unit. Her first case is that of a five-year-old girl gone missing in the midst of a poisonous divorce case. Her former partner asks for help. Violence and strong language. 2021.
Books Can Be Deceiving BR23787
by Jenn McKinlay
3 volumes
Lindsey is the new director of the Briar Creek Public Library when a New York editor visits the town. Everyone wants to meet the editor, including Lindsey’s friend Beth, who has a children’s book to sell. But Beth’s boyfriend spoils the meeting, and is later found dead. Beth is the prime suspect. 2011.
Never Never BR23470
by James Patterson and Candice Fox
3 volumes
Harry Blue is the top sex crimes investigator in her department, but even she didn’t see this coming—her own brother arrested for the grisly murders of three women. Harry’s now assigned to a new town with a new partner. But is he actually a watchdog? Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2016.
The Silent Bullet: The Adventures of Craig Kennedy, Scientific Detective BR23643
by Arthur B. Reeve
4 volumes
Collection of twelve short stories featuring scientific detective Craig Kennedy and his sidekick, newspaperman Walter Jameson. In “The Seismograph Adventure,” Kennedy is requested to lend his talents to determining if the mysterious death of a young woman is due to natural causes, suicide, or murder. Violence. 1912.
The Art of Theft BR23527
by Sherry Thomas
4 volumes
Charlotte Holmes has solved murders and found missing individuals. But she has never stolen a priceless artwork—or rather, made away with the secrets hidden behind a much-coveted canvas. But when Mrs. Watson is desperate to help her old friend recover those secrets, Charlotte finds herself attempting just that. 2019.
The Metropolitan Opera Murders BR23982
by Helen Traubel
3 volumes
When the prompter at the Metropolitan Opera falls dead during the second act of a matinee performance, everyone is shocked. Especially when it comes to light that he was poisoned. Lieutenant Quentin is assigned to investigate, and he soon discovers the soprano was the intended victim. Some violence and some strong language. 1951.
Last Seen Wearing BR23639
by Hillary Waugh
3 volumes
Based on a true story, this novel is considered to be one of the first police procedurals. Lowell Mitchell disappears in the middle of the day from her dorm room at a Massachusetts women’s college. When she fails to return, the police begin a thorough investigation of the baffling case. 1952.
Occult and Horror
Bitter Blood: The Morganville Vampires, Book 13 BR23528
by Rachel Caine
5 volumes
Claire struggles to remain neutral in the growing conflict between the vampires and humans of Morganville, which is further complicated by the arrival of a ghost-seeking television production crew. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2012.
Black Dawn: The Morganville Vampires, Book 12 BR23525
by Rachel Caine
4 volumes
Struggling with the turmoil of the vampire-hunting draug’s ongoing dominance in Morganville, Claire and her friends search for a cure for town founder Amelie, who has been infected by the master draug’s bite. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2012.
Feast of Fools: The Morganville Vampires, Book 4 BR23478
by Rachel Caine
3 volumes
When Mr. Bishop arrives in town, Claire suspects that his intentions are sinister. But it is only at a formal ball—attended by vampires and their human dates—that Claire realizes the evil trap Mr. Bishop has set for Morganville. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2008.
Ghost Town: The Morganville Vampires, Book 9 BR23523
by Rachel Caine
4 volumes
While developing a new system to maintain defenses in Morganville, Texas, Claire discovers a way to amplify vampire mental powers which has an unexpected side effect of causing residents, both human and vampire, to forget who they are. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2010.
Last Breath: The Morganville Vampires, Book 11 BR23524
by Rachel Caine
4 volumes
When Claire learns that three of the vampires in Morganville have disappeared without a trace, she begins to suspect that Magnus, a mysterious new resident, is not a fellow-human. Strong language, descriptions of sex, and some violence. For senior high and older readers. 2011.
Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Tales of Horror BR23504
edited by Lincoln Michel and Nadxieli Nieto
2 volumes
This collection features forty-two short stories of 1,500 words or less by a mix of literary and horror writers, including Brian Evenson, Samantha Hunt, Stephen Graham Jones, Hilary Leichter, Kevin Brockmeier, and more. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2020.
Romance
Love Lettering BR23647
by Kate Clayborn
4 volumes
Meg’s hand-lettering skills have made her designed planners a hot item in New York. She’s suffering from a creative block, however, and an unlikely encounter with disgruntled former client, Reid, might give her the inspiration she needs. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.
Science Fiction
A Song for a New Day BR23410
by Sarah Pinsker
5 volumes
After the government prohibits large public gatherings, Luce Cannon’s career is threatened, so she performs illegal concerts to a small community of music lovers. Meanwhile, Rosemary Laws must attend in-person illegal concerts to find musicians to bring into the limelight of virtual reality concerts. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2019.
The Mother Code BR23526
by Carole Stivers
4 volumes
After a biowarfare agent spreads out of control, scientists scramble to ensure humanity’s survival. As a last resort, genetically engineered children are placed inside robots designed to incubate, birth, and raise them. Strong language. 2020.
Short Stories
Likes BR23573
by Sarah Shun-lien Bynum
3 volumes
In this collection of short stories, the author explores the intersection of the modern and the mythic through unexpected visitors, school fairs, aging film stars, social media, and more. Strong language. 2020.
The Office of Historical Corrections: A Novella and Stories BR23665
by Danielle Evans
3 volumes
Short stories that explore themes of race, grief, apology, and American history. In the titular novella, a black scholar is drawn into a complex historical mystery that spans generations. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. 2020.
Every Body Shines: Sixteen Stories about Living Fabulously Fat BR23799
edited by Cassandra Newbould
4 volumes
Sixteen stories celebrating fat teens with bodies of many shapes and from many communities, cultures, races, genders, and orientations. Includes works by Alex Gino, Nafiza Azad, Jennifer Yen, Rebecca Sky, Renée Watson, and more. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours: Stories BR23506
by Helen Oyeyemi
3 volumes
Themes of keys and locks abound in this collection of nine loosely linked short stories. In “Books and Roses,” a baby is left at a monastery with a golden key around her neck. Some strong language. 2016.
Night at the Fiestas: Stories BR23508
by Kirstin Valdez Quade
3 volumes
Short stories focused on the troubled hearts of characters torn between their desires to escape the past and to explore it thoroughly. The stories chart the passions and obligations of family life, exploring race, class, and coming-of-age. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2015.
I Hold a Wolf by the Ears: Stories BR23561
by Laura van den Berg
2 volumes
Short stories about women on the fringes of life who are grieving, searching, unhinged, and hyperaware. A man drugs his anxious wife’s drinks. A woman poses as her more successful sister on vacation. A woman faces hard truths about her violent brother in the aftermath of an earthquake. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2020.
Spies and Espionage
The Janson Option BR23676
by Paul Garrison
4 volumes
When an executive at American Synergy Corporation begs Janson to rescue his wife from Somali pirates, Janson and Kincaid seize the opportunity to infiltrate ASC and disrupt their corrupt schemes. Sequel to The Janson Command (BR23694). Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2014.
Suspense
Here Be Dragons: A Mark Joesbury/Lacey Flint Short Story BR23638
by Sharon Bolton
1 volume
Mark Joesbury of Scotland Yard’s Covert Operations Unit is working undercover in a terrorist gang. As the gang builds to an attack on London’s most iconic landmarks, Mark realizes they’ve got the woman he loves—Detective Constable Lacey Flint. Violence and strong language. 2016.
The Sentinel: A Jack Reacher Novel BR23437
by Lee Child and Andrew Child
4 volumes
One morning Reacher ends up in a town near Pleasantville, Tennessee. But there’s nothing pleasant about it. Spotting a hapless soul walking into an ambush, Reacher intervenes. The man he saves is Rusty Rutherford—an unassuming IT manager—recently fired after a cyberattack locked up the town’s data, records, information, and secrets. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2020.
Blacktop Wasteland BR23786
by S.A. Cosby
4 volumes
Bug Montage is an honest mechanic, a loving husband, and a hard-working dad. But Bug used to be the best wheelman on the East Coast. He finds himself drawn inexorably back into a world of blood and bullets when his life falls apart. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.
Adult Nonfiction
Biography
Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness BR23570
by Catherine Cho
3 volumes
Author recounts her experience being separated from her newborn son and husband when she is involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward in New Jersey after a harrowing bout of postpartum psychosis. Strong language. 2020.
Blindness and Physical Disabilities
The Disability Experience: Working toward Belonging BR23806
by Hannalora Leavitt
2 volumes
The author, who is blind, provides a brief history of disability, and examines the different types, the culture, and communities. Highlights advocacy groups promoting change, and profiles celebrities, athletes, artists, and other people with disabilities. For junior and senior high readers. 2021.
Career and Job Training
The Proximity Principle: The Proven Strategy That Will Lead to the Career You Love BR23503
by Ken Coleman
2 volumes
Radio show host presents a guide to and his theories on landing your dream career. Posits that the core action is aligning yourself with five key types of people in places to grow, learn, practice, and perform as you develop practices that will ready you for your ideal role. 2019.
Government and Politics
Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For BR23225
by Susan Rice
9 volumes
US ambassador to the United Nations and former national security advisor to President Obama recounts pivotal moments from her career in American diplomacy and foreign policy as well as her early life in Washington, DC. 2019.
LGBT Issues
The Deviant’s War: The Homosexual Vs. The United States of America BR23396
by Eric Cervini
11 volumes
Recounts the subsequent court case after Frank Kameny, a federal employee, was fired in 1957 for being homosexual. Follows Kameny’s work to put together his case against the government’s classification of gay men and women as “sexual perverts,” drawing on firsthand accounts, FBI records, and personal documents. Some strong language. 2020.
Literature
Make Me Rain: Poems & Prose BR23500
by Nikki Giovanni
1 volume
Seventy-four poetry and prose works by the author of Chasing Utopia (BR20382) and On My Journey Now (BR17356) explore themes of living in America while Black. In “Lemonade Grows from Soil, Too,” she reflects on poetry in black culture. Violence and some strong language. 2020.
Science and Technology
The Knowledge Machine: How Irrationality Created Modern Science BR23558
by Michael Strevens
5 volumes
A leading philosopher’s perspective on the meaning and origin of science. Weaves an evolutionary history of the scientific method, beginning with free-thinkers like Isaac Newton in the seventeenth-century Scientific Revolution, up to the compartmentalized, dehumanized, efficient science that’s responsible for fast-tracking recent progress. 2020.
Social Sciences
The Hidden Half: The Unseen Forces That Influence Everything BR23560
by Michael Blastland
4 volumes
Examines variables which influence the outcomes of our lives and our comprehension of the world, drawing on examples from the fields of economics, genetics, business, and science. Blastland discusses the reasons why solutions in one field may not work in another. 2019.
Just Us: An American Conversation BR23565
by Claudia Rankine
3 volumes
The author of Citizen: An American Lyric (BR20748) explores how to open pathways through the divisiveness and violence in early twenty-first century America through essays, poems, and more. Addresses how to breach silence, guilt, and violence and disrupt the comfort of privilege and performed neutrality. Strong language. 2020.
Books for Children
The following books were recently produced for the NLS program.
Registered users can immediately download all titles and magazines from BARD, the NLS Braille and Audio Reading Download service, at http://nlsbard.loc.gov. The free BARD Mobile app for reading talking books on your personal smartphone or tablet is available from the App Store, Google Play, and Amazon’s Appstore and can be used to read books with a refreshable braille display. To order books or sign up for BARD service contact your local cooperating library. Regional library telephone numbers and email addresses are listed on the last pages of this magazine.
These books are listed alphabetically within the headings Children’s Fiction and Children’s Nonfiction by subject category, author last name, and title. For example, the title Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown would be listed in Children’s Fiction under the Classics subject category and by the last name Brown.
Children’s Fiction
Adventure
Max Einstein: Rebels with a Cause BR23669 (contracted), BR23670 (uncontracted)
by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
2 volumes contracted, 3 volumes uncontracted
Max and her Change Makers Institute friends attempt to use their smarts to find solutions to a water crisis, while a greedy corporation with an eye on capturing Max seems to know their every move. Sequel to Max Einstein (BR23673) [contracted], BR23674 [uncontracted]. For grades 3–6 and older readers. 2019.
Max Einstein: Saves the Future BR23671 (contracted), BR23672 (uncontracted)
by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
2 volumes contracted, 3 volumes uncontracted
Max gets into an adventure with time travel, bad guys, killer drones, and a shocking mystery about her past. Who were her parents and why did they abandon her? Sequel to Max Einstein: Rebels with a Cause (BR23669) [contracted], BR23670 [uncontracted]. For grades 3–6 and older readers. 2020.
Max Einstein: The Genius Experiment BR23674
by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
3 volumes
Max Einstein is recruited by a group of international geniuses that use their creativity and curiosity to help solve some of the world’s toughest problems with science. But that’s only if a sinister organization doesn’t get to her first. Uncontracted braille. For grades 3–6 and older readers. 2018.
Family
Across the Bay BR23183
by Carlos Aponte
1 volume
Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool–grade 2. 2019.
Efrén Divided BR23564
by Ernesto Cisneros
2 volumes
While his father works two jobs, seventh-grader Efrén Nava must take care of his twin siblings, kindergartners Max and Mía, after their mother is deported to Mexico. Pura Belpré Award. For grades 3–6. 2020.
Milo Imagines the World BR23726
by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson
1 volume
While Milo and his sister travel to a detention center to visit their incarcerated mother, he observes strangers on the subway and draws what he imagines their lives to be. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2021.
Fantasy
A Tale of Witchcraft... BR23683
by Chris Colfer
3 volumes
Fourteen-year-old Brystal Evergreen has secured worldwide acceptance for the magical community, but new threats arise. Brystal must stop the centuries-old Righteous Brotherhood that intends to exterminate all magical life. Sequel to A Tale of Magic...(BR23368). For grades 5–8. 2020.
Raya and the Last Dragon: The Deluxe Junior Novelization BR23797
by Tenny Nellson
1 volume
Raya, a lone warrior from the kingdom of Kumandra, teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the last dragon and bring light and unity back to their world. Adaptation of the Walt Disney Animation Studios’ film. For grades 3–6. 2021.
Folktales
Federico and the Wolf BR23184
by Rebecca J. Gomez and Elisa Chavarri
1 volume
In this retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood,” Federico rides his bicycle to the market for Abuelo’s groceries, then stands up to a hungry wolf. Includes a recipe for pico de gallo and glossary of Spanish terms. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2020.
Friendship
Nessie Quest BR23563
by Melissa Savage
4 volumes
Twelve-year-old Adelaide Ru Fitzhugh reluctantly joins her parents in Scotland for the summer, where she and new friends Dax and Hammy Bean search for the Loch Ness Monster. For grades 3–6. 2020.
General
Outside, Inside BR23724
by LeUyen Pham
1 volume
On an ordinary day, a little girl and her cat look at how the world changed overnight. They watch as people celebrate essential workers and how the community comes together to face the challenges of the global COVID-19 pandemic. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool–grade 2. 2021.
Outside In BR23728
by Deborah Underwood and Cindy Derby
1 volume
Nature beckons a little girl to see how it affects her every day, from providing food and clothing to showing her when to go to bed. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2020.
Growing Up
Sofia Valdez, Future Prez BR23180
by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts
1 volume
When her abuelo is injured by a pile of trash, Sofia gets community support to transform the dangerous Mount Trashmore into a park—and takes on City Hall in the process. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2019.
Historical Fiction
Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It BR23682
by Andrea Davis Pinkney
2 volumes
Loretta, Roly, and Aggie B. Little relate their Mississippi family’s struggles and triumphs from 1927 to 1968 while struggling as sharecroppers, living under Jim Crow, and fighting for Civil Rights. For grades 5–8. 2020.
Gone Crazy in Alabama BR23481
by Rita Williams-Garcia
3 volumes
1969. Delphine, Vonetta, and Fern travel to Alabama to spend their summer on Big Ma’s farm. But they discover life is a bit different in the South, and the trio tries to keep the peace between Big Ma and her half sister, Miss Trotter. Sequel to P.S. Be Eleven (BR23471). Coretta Scott King Award. For grades 4–7. 2015.
My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich BR23511
by Ibi Zoboi
3 volumes
In the summer of 1984, twelve-year-old Ebony-Grace of Huntsville, Alabama, visits her father in Harlem, where her fascination with outer space and science fiction interfere with her finding acceptance. For grades 5–8. 2019.
Humor
You Loves Ewe! BR23182
by Cece Bell
1 volume
Homonyms cause great confusion as an increasingly cranky yam tries to make introductions and provide explanations to a newly-arrived and rather silly donkey. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2019.
Scary Stories
Scary Stories for Young Foxes BR23509
by Christian McKay Heidicker
3 volumes
Eight connected terrifying tales follow a group of fox kits as they fight to survive in an unforgiving wilderness. For grades 4–7. 2019.
Diary of a Dummy: Goosebumps SlappyWorld BR23681
by R.L. Stine
1 volume
When siblings find Slappy’s diary and clues that could lead to gold, they’ll need to locate Slappy’s second diary while evading the evil dummy and other terrors. For grades 3–6. 2020.
Monster Blood Is Back: Goosebumps SlappyWorld BR23792
by R.L. Stine
1 volume
Cooking fanatics and best friends Sascha and Nicole enter a televised food competition at school. When they buy a mysterious can called Monster Blood, they think they’ve found the perfect ingredient. Unfortunately, it grows out of control. For grades 3–6. 2021.
Sports Stories
Up for Air BR23505
by Laurie Morrison
2 volumes
School is difficult for Annabelle, but the summer after seventh grade swimming with the high school team is fantastic—until she ends up over her head. For grades 5–8. 2019.
Children’s Nonfiction
Biography
Kamala Harris: Rooted in Justice BR23713
by Nikki Grimes
1 volume
Award-winning poet and author chronicles the formative moments of Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants who would grow up to be the first woman, first Black person, and first South Asian American ever elected Vice President of the United States. For grades K–3. 2020.
Superheroes Are Everywhere BR23714
by Kamala Harris
1 volume
California senator recounts how she looked for superheroes in her everyday life as a child, finding them in her parents, her teachers, and her friends. For grades K–3. 2019.
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read BR23181
by Rita Lorraine Hubbard and Oge Mora
2 volume
Born into slavery where literacy is forbidden, Mary Walker, the nation’s oldest student, learned to read at the age of 116. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K–3. 2020.
Government and Politics
Whose Right Is It? The Second Amendment and the Fight over Guns BR23473
by Hana Bajramovic
4 volumes
Lawyer discusses the Second Amendment, the rise of the NRA, and how money, power, and race have long dictated our ability to own guns. For grades 6–9 and older readers. 2020.
Braille Magazines
The following is a list of braille magazines in the Library of Congress program. Readers may obtain free personal subscriptions to these magazines. For information on the availability of specific magazines, consult the library that sends you braille materials.
Braille Book Review (NLS publication)
Braille Chess Magazine (British publication)
Braille Music Magazine (British publication)
Catster
Conundrum (British publication)
Cook’s Illustrated
Cricket: The Realm of Imagination (for children and teens)
Dell Sunday Crosswords
Dogster
Harper’s (literary)
Health Newsletters (includes Harvard Health Letter, Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and University of California Berkeley Wellness Letter)
Interweave (knitting)
Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Magazine
Martha Stewart Living (home and entertaining)
Muse (for children)
Musical Mainstream (NLS publication)
National Geographic
National Geographic Kids
News (NLS publication)
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Large Print Weekly
Parents
PC World
Poetry
Popular Mechanics
Popular Music Lead Sheets
Reader’s Digest
Rolling Stone (popular culture)
Science News
Scout Life (for children and teens)
Short Stories (British publication)
Spider: The Magazine for Children
Sports Illustrated Kids
Stone Soup: The Magazine by Young Writers and Artists (children’s writings)
Schedules for the following sports leagues are also available:
Major League Baseball
National Basketball Association
National Football League
National Hockey League
Women’s National Basketball Association