Wadjda ©2012 by Tobias Kownatzki/Sony Pictures Classics

DVD

Lincoln@Gettysburg. 60 min. Dist. by PBS. 2013, released in 2014. $24.99. ISBN 9781608830299.

Gr 9 Up –Narrated by David Strathairn (the actor who portrayed Secretary of State William H. Seward in Lincoln), this film offers an intriguing look at two familiar topics, the battle at Gettysburg in July 1863 and President Lincoln’s famous address a few months later. The documentary reveals Lincoln’s utilization of the telegraph for communication with his generals in the field, with the use of historical photographs, battle reenactments, and commentary from historians and writers, including Harold Holzer, Eric Foner, Jeff Shaara, and General Colin Powell. In 1863, a crucial year of war, General Robert E. Lee invaded the North, and just before meeting Union forces at Gettysburg, telegraph wires were cut and Lincoln was left waiting for news until the battle’s final day, July 4. The carnage left people stunned. As news spread, there was a call for a national cemetery at Gettysburg, and Lincoln was invited to speak at the dedication. Knowing that newspapers would cover the event and telegraph his message across the nation, Lincoln carefully crafted a 272-word document that sustained democracy and inspired hope for war-weary citizens. He resolutely believed in the words of the Declaration of Independence and in technology, in this case the telegraph, to enhance his powers of control and leadership. History classes studying the Civil War can utilize this outstanding film for a fresh look at a well-worn topic and to contemplate how Lincoln would have used Twitter or other social media.–Patricia Ann Owens, formerly at Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel, IL

Wadjda. 98 min. w/English subtitles. Dist. by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 2012, released in 2014. DVD & Blu-ray, $40.99. ISBN unavail. Rated PG.

Gr 8 Up –Tomboyish Wadjda is the antithesis to everything her Saudi Arabian culture values. Snarky and fearless, she sports sneakers under her black robes and headscarf. Despite her lack of genuine conviction, the 10-year-old enters her school’s Koran recitation competition only because the cash prize will allow her to purchase the bicycle she so yearns for, a symbol of freedom. Meanwhile, she’s all too aware of what life has in store for her, as she witnesses her long-suffering mother’s experiences with a society that smothers women: Wadjda’s loving but often-absent father is considering taking a second wife who can bear him a son. The filmmakers go light on the dialogue, letting the gorgeous, evocative visuals speak for themselves. Evidence of the repressive society around Wadjda is clear, though not heavy handed, and while the film’s tone is somber, Wadjda’s refusal to conform, as well as the tiny rebellions on the part of several other female characters, adds an authentic note of optimism, even levity at times. Writer and director Haifaa al-Mansour’s DVD commentary provides a refreshingly down-to-earth look at the film’s making, describing in particular the challenges of filming in such a closed-off society. Viewers will easily root for this utterly likable, indomitable protagonist, and though inexperienced, actress Waad Mohammed brings a real spark to her role. This nuanced, achingly poignant, and sensitive story of a rebellious girl navigating the difficult terrain of a repressive culture will invite comparisons to Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud’s Persepolis—pairing the two films should make for an interesting jumping off point for discussion.–Mahnaz Dar, School Library Journal

Audio

Jinks, Catherine. How To Catch a Bogle. 7 CDs. 7:13 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $45. ISBN 9780804167789. digital download.

Gr 4-7 –Victorian England is a dangerous place for children. If they venture too near a chimney, a well, or a dark corner they just might disappear; these are places where hungry bogles often lurk. But London is a safer place with bogler Alfred Bunce and his 10-year-old apprentice, Birdie, on the prowl. Birdie serves as bait using her sweet singing to entice voracious, slimy, smelly bogles to appear. Alfred stands ready for the kill with a spear once owned by legendary warrior Finn M’Coul. An unlikely friendship and a change of fortune for Alfred and Birdie begin when a folklorist learns about their work. Miss Edith Eames then accompanies the bogler and his apprentice on jobs, including a particularly dangerous one that infuriates a true villain. Miss Eames learns that monsters live beyond books and myth—some are men—plus she sees huge potential beyond bogling in Birdie’s beautiful singing voice. The action-packed story and likable characters come alive through the well-paced, dramatically voiced narration. Mandy Williams not only assumes the various accents of Victorian England’s upper and working classes, but also uses a sweet, convincing singing voice for the traditional songs Birdie warbles. In addition to heightening the tale’s tension, the music provides an introduction to sometimes saucy, sometimes grisly 19th-century ballads. The open ending is satisfying and is sure to leave listeners wanting the next installment.–Maria Salvadore, formerly of the Washington, DC Public Library

Timberlake, Amy. One Came Home. 6 CDs. 6:45 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $50. ISBN 9780804167000.

Gr 5-8 –In Placid, Wisconsin, in 1871, 13-year-old Georgie’s mother identifies bits of a body belonging to her oldest daughter, Agatha, but Georgie is not convinced. The blue-green dress on the corpse may have belonged to her sister, but what does that really prove? Georgie joins forces with her sibling’s former suitor, Billy McCabe, to retrace her runaway sister’s steps and track down the truth. Along the journey, flashbacks reveal the events leading up to Agatha’s departure and cause Georgie to evaluate her own role in the disappearance. Tara Sands does an excellent job capturing Georgie’s voice with all of its humor, quirks, and tell-it-like-it-is attitude. The secondary characters are also well done as Sands provides each with a recognizable voice. Georgie’s quest, along with the narrator’s perfect pacing, will quickly draw readers in as they will want to know, along with Georgie, what really happened to Agatha. A concluding author’s note provides much appreciated historical context.–Deanna Romriell, Salt Lake City Public Library, UT

Sheinkin, Steve. The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights. 3 CDs. 3:50 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $27. ISBN 9780804167420. digital download.

Gr 7 Up –In a fluid, methodical style, Dominic Hoffman reads this powerful book, which tells the story of brave men who fought the entrenched system of segregation found within the U.S. military during World War II. Sheinkin (Bomb) explains that while African American men had filled the ranks of the armed forces since the beginning of the nation, their advancement and status were limited. In this epic tale, African American sailors at Port Chicago naval base in California were assigned the dangerous task of loading explosives onto cargo ships. The men had had no training and were subjected to brutal work schedules under prejudiced commanders. In July 1944, munitions exploded, killing more than 300 people, most of whom were African American. Afterwards, a group of men, known as the Port Chicago 50, refused to continue the dangerous work. They were charged with mutiny and brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to hard labor. The riveting text draws upon court documents and testimony, allowing listeners to hear the words of the accused as well as the lawyers. The case drew the attention of NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall and officials within the Roosevelt administration who recognized that the real issue was segregation within the military. The brave men known as the Port Chicago 50 were pioneers in what would become the Civil Rights Movement; they led the way for other men who loved their country and wanted equal rights. This is a stupendous account sure to intrigue anyone interested in history or civil rights.–Patricia Ann Owens, formerly with Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Mt. Carmel, Illinois

More in this article (full Review): THE WORLD OF BALLET

DVD

Preschool to Grade 4

Coretta Scott. 6 min. Dist. by Weston Woods. 2013. DVD, $59.95, ISBN 9780545623834; CD, $12.95, ISBN 9780545623841; Tr book w/CD, $29.95, ISBN 9780545623858.

Guess How Much I Love You: Friendship Adventures. 80 min. Dist. by Entertainment One. 2011, released in 2013. $12.98. ISBN 1417241918.

Puppies! Puppies! Puppies! (Martha Speaks! Series). 75 min. Dist. by PBS Kids. 2013. $9.99. ISBN 9781608839919.

Grade 5 up

The Dangers of Sugar and Salt. 20 min. w/resource guide. Dist. by Human Relations Media. 2014. $149.95. ISBN 9781627060295.

Deaf Jam . 70 min. and 53 min. versions. Dist. by New Day Films. 2011, released in 2013. Schools: $150. Libraries: $195. ISBN unavail.

Heroin Rising: Cheap, Addictive and Deadly. 19 min. w/resource guide. Dist. by Human Relations Media. 2014. $149.95. ISBN 9781627060417.

Return Flight: Restoring the Bald Eagle to the Channel Islands. 14 min. and 24 min. Dist. by the Video Project. 2013. $59. ISBN unavail.

Space Voyages. 230 min. Prod. by the Smithsonian Channel. Dist. by Inception Media Group. 2014. $19.98. ISBN unavail.

Stronger, Tougher, Smarter: Stories of Teen Resilience. 21 min. w/teacher’s guide. Dist. by Human Relations Media. 2014. $149.95. ISBN 9781627060301.

Troubled Waters: A Mississippi River Story. 57 min. Prod. by the University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of Natural History. Dist. by the Video Project. 2013. $89. ISBN unavail.

Unlikely Friends. 62 min. w/discussion guide. Dist. by Chance Films. Chancefilmsinc.com. 2013. $29.95, $14.95 (DVD only). ISBN unavail.

Audio

early elementary

Angleberger, Tom. Crankee Doodle. 1 CD. 15 min. Recorded Books. 2013. $15.75. ISBN 9781490601991.

Grimes, Nikki . Halfway to Perfect. (Dyamonde Daniel Series, Bk. 4). 1 CD. 57 min. Full Cast Audio: OneVoice. 2013. $15. ISBN 9781936223510.

Johnson , Tony . The Cat with Seven Names. 1 CD. 15 min. Recorded Books. 2014. $15.75. ISBN 9781490602479. digital download.

Thong , Roseanne Greenfield. Round Is a Tortilla: A Book of Shapes. 1 CD. 15 min. Recorded Books. 2014. $15.75. ISBN 9781490602509. digital download

middle grade

Grabenstein, Chris. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. 5 CDs. 6:20 hrs. Listening Library. 2013. $49.99. ISBN 9780804168083. digital download.

Krulik, Nancy. Dance Your Pants Off. (George Brown, Class Clown Series, Bk. 9). 2 CDs. 1:15 hrs. Recorded Books. 2014. ISBN 9781470363833. digital download.

Moses, Shelia P. The Sittin’ Up. 5 CDs. 5:32 hrs. Dreamscape Media. 2014. $59.99. ISBN 9781629234052. 1 MP3-CD.

Shurtliff, Liesl. Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin. 7 CDs. 7:52 hrs. Listening Library. 2013. $55. ISBN 9780804168052. digital download.

Soup, Dr. Cuthbert. No Other Story. (Whole Nother Story Series, Bk. 3). 6 CDs. 7:04 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $52.97. ISBN 9781480569225.

WARNER, Sally. EllRay Jakes Is NOT a Chicken! 2 CDs. 1:45 hrs. Recorded Books. 2014. $25.75. ISBN 9781470380489. digital download.

young adult

Almond, David. The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean. 6 CDs. 6:39 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $54.97 ISBN 9781480518575.

Carter, Aimée. The Goddess Inheritance. (Goddess Test Series, Bk. 3). 8 CDs. 10 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $52.97. ISBN 9781480575028.

Ee, Susan. World After. (Penryn & the End of Days Series, Bk. 2). 8 CDs. 9:12 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $49.97. ISBN 9781480552791. 1 MP3-CD.

Finn, Terence T. America at War: Concise Histories of U.S. Military Conflicts from Lexington to Afghanistan. 11 CDs. 13:30 hrs. Tantor Media. 2014. $42.99. ISBN 9781452615981. 2 MP3-CDs.

Frost, Mark. Alliance. (The Paladin Prophecy Series, Bk 2). 9 CDs. 11:17 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $54. ISBN 9780449014899. digital download.

Haus, Jean. Ink My Heart. (Luminescent Juliet Series, Bk. 2). 7 CDs. 8:27 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $49.97. ISBN 9781480544178. 1 MP3-CD.

Lyons, C.J. Broken. 7 CDs. 7:54 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $54.97. ISBN 9781469269948. 1 MP3-CD.

Meyer, Marissa. Cress. (Lunar Chronicles Series, Bk 3). 13 CDs. 16 hrs. Macmillan Audio. 2014. $39.99. ISBN 9781427236272. digital download.

Morrill, Lauren. Being Sloane Jacobs. 8 CDs. 9:23 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $50. ISBN 9780804123914. digital download.

Price, Lissa. Enders. (Starters Series, Bk. 2). 7 CDs. 7:58 hrs. Listening Library. 2014. $44. ISBN 9780307968401. digital download.

Weatherly, L.A. Angel Fever. (Angel Series, Bk. 3). 13 CDs. 15:10 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2013. $59.97. ISBN 9781469274867. 1 MP3-CD.