6 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

Six more locally produced books are newly available to download on BARD. There are now more than 1,600 Texas titles on BARD!

Award-winning fiction and nonfiction titles, spanning the Panhandle and the Rio Grande Valley, highlight these new arrivals. Sonoran Desert chases, haunted houses in the English countryside, and vigilante Texas justice add a dash of intrigue, while Nolan Ryan brings the heat.

Step up to the plate and add these books to your Bookshelf!

BLESSED ASSURANCE: AT HOME WITH THE BOMB IN AMARILLO, TEXAS by A. G. Mojtabai (DBC 24951)

Pantex, the final assembly plant for all nuclear weapons in the United States, is in Amarillo, Texas. This account of the way fundamentalist Christians and antinuclear activists in Amarillo feel about Pantex, nuclear bombs, and the future of the human race was named a Notable Book in 1986 by the New York Times, and won that year’s Lillian Smith Award for the best nonfiction book on the South.

DETACHMENT FAULT: A FRANKIE MACFARLANE MYSTERY by Susan Cummins (DBC 26434)

After the murderous rigors of her Ph.D. field research, Frankie MacFarlane was happy to be settling down in her native Tucson, house-sitting the family home and teaching geology at Foothills Community College. Little did she imagine that a brief fishing trip to Mexico with her brother Jamie and his girlfriend, Carla, could entangle her in a string of murder, mythology, and international intrigue. Nonetheless, Frankie responds in true form. Noticing every nuance of her surroundings, both natural and manmade, Frankie skids through a heart-stopping and unforgettable chase from the Sea of Cortez to Tucson’s Sabino Canyon. Some violence. 2004.

FIGHTING MARLOWS: MEN WHO WOULDN’T BE LYNCHED by Glenn Shirley (DBC 26272)

This true story significantly documents late 19th century law enforcement in the Southwest. Tried in 1888 for rustling and murder, the Marlow brothers were tried by public opinion and betrayed by the law officials responsible for their safety. Their story is as lurid as any fiction. Violence. For adult readers.  The Marlow brothers were the inspiration for the John Wayne film, ‘The Sons of Katie Elder.”

FOOTSTEPS IN THE DARK by Georgette Heyer (DBC 26433)

Locals claim it is haunted and refuse to put a single toe past the front door, but to siblings Peter, Celia, and Margaret, the Priory is nothing more than a rundown estate inherited from their late uncle and the perfect setting for a much-needed holiday. But when a murder victim is discovered in the Priory halls, the once unconcerned trio begins to fear that the ghostly rumors are true and they are not alone after all. Some violence and some strong language. 1932.

KLAIL CITY: A NOVEL by Rolando Hinojosa (DBC 24989)

Rolando Hinojosa is the best known and most prolific of Hispanic novelists; Klail City in its Spanish version won Latin America’s most prestigious literary award, Casa de las Americas. The pivotal novel in Hinojosa’s continuing saga, Klail City deals with power and race relationships in the lower Rio Grande Valley. Strong language.

MIRACLE MAN: NOLAN RYAN, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Nolan Ryan (DBC 26249)

Texan Nolan Ryan is one of the all-time baseball greats whose career records may not even be matched in his lifetime. Here, Ryan speaks out on controversial issues for the first time, revealing his views on marriage and family, moral values, today’s work ethic, politics, opponents, and teammates. For adult readers.

8 New Titles Now on BARD!

Eight more locally produced books are newly available for download on BARD. There are now more than 1,600 Texas titles on BARD!

These books transport readers from corrals and hard rock mines to bridal boutiques, while spotlighting a bitter South Texas political feud and a passel of legendary, low-down Western scoundrels.

Cowboy up and savor these Lone Star offerings!

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MY MOTHER by Rosellen Brown (DBC 26252)

The strained relationship between a mother and a daughter, related through episodes from their past, culminates in a devastating final scene that marks an emotional turning point for them both. Explicit descriptions of sex. Strong language. Bestseller.

COWBOYS ARE PARTLY HUMAN by John R. Erickson (DBC 26395)

A collection of anecdotes about cowboys by an author who was one. Erickson has a pervasive sense of humor, and his use of colloquial language puts the reader right in the corral and out on the range.

DREAM DRESS by Janice A. Thompson (DBC 18376)

A lowly seamstress at a swanky bridal boutique, Gabi Delgado dreams of doing more than ripping out seams and fitting dresses to doe-eyed brides. She wants to see her own original dress designs gracing the young women of Texas. But when Jordan Singer, reporter for ‘Texas Bride’ magazine, visits the shop to do a feature, Gabi is humbled in his influential—and unnervingly handsome—presence.

HARDROCK STIFF: A KURT MULLER MYSTERY by Thomas Zigal (DBC 26268)

Ned Carr is an old hard rock miner who has stubbornly held on to his acres of what has become prime real estate in the heart of Aspen’s popular ski slopes. He has made plenty of enemies over the years from the militant environmental activists called the Green Briars to the even more dangerous property-rights group known as the Free West Rebellion. When a mine explosion blows old Ned to bits, Sheriff Kurt Muller finds a long list of motives for murder. Some violence and some strong language.

HISTORIA DE LA REVOLUCION MEXICANA by Jose Mancisidor (DBC 26409)

Written in Spanish by renowned Mexican historian, professor and writer Jose Mancisidor, Historia de la Revolucion Mexicana (History of the Mexican Revolution) has fifteen chapters from the pre-revolutionary period to the post-revolutionary, roughly from the 1860’s to the 1930’s.

THERE WAS A TIME by Taylor Caldwell (DBC 26235)

Character study of an early twentieth-century English writer as she struggles for success and happiness in America.

WARM WEATHER & BAD WHISKEY: THE 1886 LAREDO ELECTION RIOT by Jerry D. Thompson (DBC 26234

This engaging account of political corruption fills a gap in the history of South Texas and U.S.-Mexico border politics. According to the author, “The feud was not sheepmen against cattlemen, homesteaders against ranchers, the unscrupulous against the righteous, or the powerful against the weak. It was a feud between several closely related and powerful families over domination of Laredo and border politics.”

WILD, WILD WEST: FOR THE DISCRIMINATING READER: A CHILLING ILLUSTRATED HISTORY PRESENTING THE FACTS ABOUT A PASSEL OF LOW-DOWN MISCHIEVOUS PERSONAGES INCLUDING JOAQUÍN MURIETA, WILD BILL HICKOK, JESSE JAMES, BAT MASTERSON, WYATT EARP & BILLY THE KID by Peter Lyon (DBC 26274)

An exposé of several 19th century Western heroes, depicted as worthless drifters, robbers and killers. Includes stories of Wild Bill Hickok, Jesse James and Wyatt Earp.

12 New Texas Titles Now on BARD!

The Texas Talking Book Program is pleased to announce 12 more locally-produced titles that are newly available on BARD. There are now 1,598 Texas titles on BARD!

You can learn more about TBP’s stellar Volunteer Recording Studio here: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/tbp/vrs.html.

This installment of Texas titles is a vibrant mixture of biography, romance, history, and folklore. Travelling from Manhattan speakeasys to savage wilderness, we meet admirable heroes Lorenzo de Zavala and Chester Nimitz, while cuttin’ beddin’ with infamous outlaw Henry Starr.

Read, on, Texas. Read on!

ALY’S HOUSE by Leila Meacham (DBC 18834)

Aly Kingston has only ever loved one man: Marshall Wayne. But she put all of those childish dreams behind her ages ago when the Waynes left town. Her father’s victory at foreclosing on the Wayne family farm, the betrayal written all over Marshall’s face—it all still lingers in her mind and in her heart. But now, years later, when he comes back home to Claiborne, Aly realizes so much has changed since Marshall’s been away…and so much remains the same. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook.

CHESTER W. NIMITZ, ADMIRAL OF THE HILLS by Frank A. Driskill (DBC 26275)

From his boyhood days in the Hill Country of Central Texas to the apogee of his career as Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific, Chester W. Nimitz reflected the best qualities of his German-European heritage and the frontier society of his native land.

CUTTIN’ BEDDIN’: MORE PECOS TALES by Paul Patterson (DBC 26226)

Cuttin’ beddin’ in old cowboy terms means sharing a bunk or bedroll. These anecdotes by cowboy poet Paul Patterson describe a wide variety of ways in which cuttin’ beddin’ can make for strange bedfellows.

DEATH IN THE SILENT PLACES by Peter Hathaway Capstick (DBC 26236)

Adventure writer Capstick, author of the thrilling classic DEATH IN THE LONG GRASS (DB 12610), turns from his own exploits to those of some of the greatest hunters of the past. Karamojo Bell, the elephant hunter, Colonel Jim Corbett and Sasha Siemel, who tracked killer jaguars in the Mata Grosso armed only with a spear are included.

HELLO, SUCKER!: THE STORY OF TEXAS GUINAN by Glenn Shirley (DBC 26238)

True life story of the outrageous Prohibition-era actress, showgirl, and night club owner Mary Louise Cecilia Guinan, better known as “Texas” Guinan.

LAST ADVENTURE OF CONSTANCE VERITY by A. Lee Martinez (DBC 18840)

Granted a wish at birth, Constance Verity has become one of the world’s great adventurers. A master of exotic martial arts and a keen detective, she is in possession of a collection of strange artifacts, which are mostly kept in unlabeled boxes in her apartment. Constance has spent the past twenty years saving the world, and she’s sick of it. She wants an office job and a boyfriend who isn’t going to get killed by who knows what, and she’s figured out the way to get them: she’s going to kill her fairy godmother—Grandmother Willow—who granted the wish and reset her life. The problem is, saving the world is Constance’s destiny. She’s really good at it, and there are forces at work to make sure she stays in the job. Then again, it’s also her destiny to have a glorious death. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. Book #1 of the “Constance Verity” series.

NORTH TO THE RIO GRANDE: LORENZO DE ZAVALA, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS by Fay Venable (DBC 26233)

Biography of Lorenzo de Zavala, who was a supporter of the revolution, signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and the first vice-president of Texas. For grades 4-7.

PECOS TALES, II by Paul Patterson (DBC 26227)

This collection of humorous musings by cowboy poet Paul Patterson is a pleasant blend of folklore and history. Some strong language.

THE SEARCH by Grace Livingston Hill (DBC 26365)

In the midst of a desperate world war, spirited Ruth Macdonald helps a lonely soldier find the love he longs for. Commercial audiobook.

TEXAS SPLENDOR by Lorraine Heath (DBC 18726)

Five years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit–that’s how long Austin Leigh has waited to clear his name, and to be reunited with his beloved Becky. But when he is finally released, Becky is married to another. Now Austin is determined to find the killer who destroyed his life and ruined his one chance for love. He is searching for justice—and for revenge. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. Book #3 of the “Leigh Brothers” Texas trilogy.

THRILLING EVENTS: THE LIFE OF HENRY STARR by Henry Starr (DBC 26247)

This small history was written by the noted Cherokee Indian outlaw, Henry Starr, while he was serving a sentence in the Colorado penitentiary. It reviews his exploits as one of the boldest of bank robbers, a career he managed to pursue for almost 30 years. Starr was killed during his last attempt, in 1921. Violence and strong language. Notes: Originally published: 1914.

XIT RANCH OF TEXAS AND THE EARLY DAYS OF THE LLANO ESTACADO by J. Evetts (James Evetts) Haley (DBC 26229)

Formed in the eighteen-eighties, the XIT ranch became the largest single operation in the cow country of the Old West and covered more than three million acres, all fenced. The state of Texas granted the land to the Capitol Freehold Land and Investment Company of Chicago in exchange for funds to erect the state capitol building in Austin. This is the story of the ranch and its role in the history of Texas.

10 MORE TEXAS TITLES NOW ON BARD!

Ten locally produced books are newly available for download on BARD. Registered BARD users throughout the United States can now access these titles.

As wide and diverse as Texas itself, they are sure to satisfy fans of both HANK THE COWDOG and HENRY DAVID THOREAU. Saddle up with the cowboys of the XIT Ranch and help Sheriff Dan Rhodes wrangle ghosts. Texas Ranger Cody Hart is ensnared by the Yellow Rose, while magical dressmaker Harlow Jane Cassidy sews up a murder case by not minding her beeswax.

Get the Big Picture and check ’em out!

6,000 MILES OF FENCE: LIFE ON THE XIT RANCH OF TEXAS by Cordia Sloan Duke (DBC 26228)

This is the story of the cowboys who worked on the XIT Ranch of Texas. It is also the story of cowboys, in general, since it includes many tales from the times before they started working for the ranch.

BETWEEN THE LIVING AND THE DEAD by Bill Crider (DBC 18335)

When Sheriff Dan Rhodes is called in the middle of the night to investigate gunshots at a haunted house, he finds the body of meth dealer Neil Foshee. Recently released from jail, Foshee has his fair share of potential murderers, including former girlfriend Vicki, her new boyfriend, the nephew of Clearview’s mayor, and Foshee’s criminal cousins Earl and Louie. Complicating matters is Seepy Benton, the community college math professor who has a new summer job. He is founded Clearview Paranormal Investigations and wants to solve the murder by communing with Foshee’s ghost. But when Benton connects with something else instead and a second body is found, Rhodes is left with more questions than ever. Who is the dead person? How long has the body been hidden? Is Benton really able to communicate with ghosts? And, most important, what, if anything, does the body have to do with Neil Foshee’s death? Some violence and some strong language.

BIG PICTURE: A KATIE PARKER PRODUCTION (ACT III) by Jenny B Jones (DBC 18685)

Dumped by her possible boyfriend at a drive-in theater, Katie returns home to find that her mother, a former convict and current addict, wants to take her away from her foster family, friends, and church, and Katie must make important decisions as she considers what family and home really mean. For senior high readers.

CHEIRO’S LANGUAGE OF THE HAND: A COMPLETE AND PRACTICAL WORK ON THE SCIENCES OF CHIROGNOMY AND CHEIROMANCY CONTAINING THE SYSTEM AND EXPERIENCE OF CHEIRO by Cheiro (DBC 26230)

A complete practical work on the science of palmistry.

GHOST FEVER = MAL DE FANTASMA by Joe Hayes(DBC 26198)

In the 1950s, fourteen-year-old Elena Padilla and her father move into a haunted house in Duston, Arizona, where only Elena can see and help the ghost of the young girl who died there. Bilingual: English and Spanish. Bluebonnet Award Winner, 2007.

HANK THE COWDOG 71: CASE OF THE MONSTER FIRE by John R. Erickson (DBC 18817)

After his many years as a typical bachelor cowboy, Slim Chance is convinced—against his will—that he needs to build his own herd of cattle and invest in the future. So, he takes the plunge, takes out a loan, and takes his newly bought heifers to a pasture on Viola’s father’s ranch. But, just about the time his new herd is calved-out and his investment is beginning to look promising, the dry and windy weather conditions put the entire county on High Alert for fire-danger. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2018.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU; A CRITICAL STUDY by Mark Van Doren (DBC 26293)

The personality of the hermit of Walden Pond, the plain-spoken representative of transcendental New England, is here examined objectively based on his Journal. The result is a true evaluation of his philosophy.

LOST TRIBES AND PROMISED LANDS: THE ORIGINS OF AMERICAN RACISM by Ronald Sanders (DBC 26250)

The author traces the roots of American racism back to the Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French colonial movements of the Age of Discovery.

MANO A MANO: CODY’S LAW BOOK 5 by Matthew S. Hart (DBC 18400)

She is known as the Yellow Rose, a singer with the voice of an angel and the beauty of a goddess. But her sensual powers conceal a secret and dangerous past—one which draws Cody into a deadly contest beyond the Texas frontier. Violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex.

SEAMLESS MURDER by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez (DBC 18368)

Any garment Harlow stitches together has the power to grant the deepest desire of whomever wears it. When she is asked to sew aprons for a local women’s group, Harlow must get to know each member. First up is Delta Lee Mobley, who does not care much for Harlow’s family—or anyone else in Bliss, for that matter. Granting Delta’s wish could only lead to trouble. But trouble finds Delta all the same. The day after Harlow delivers her apron, Delta’s body is discovered in the cemetery. It seems one of the townsfolk harbored ill will toward one of their own. Harlow’s sleuthing skills are a cut above the rest, and with a few magical tricks up her sleeve, she is determined to cuff this killer once and for all.

11 New Texas Titles Available on BARD!

As summer approaches and temperatures creep steadily upward, beat the heat by dipping into these cool Texas titles recently added to BARD.

From Panhandle longhorns and Lone Star swimmin’ holes to “The Last Picture Show,” these Texas titles are an oasis from the heat and humidity.

Jump in, the reading’s fine!

FAR GONE by Laura Griffin (DBC 18373)

Andrea Finch is a rising star in the Austin police department until a split-second decision derailed her career. On leave from her job, she gets an urgent call from her younger brother. Andrea’s search for answers takes her to a dusty Texas border town where nothing is quite what it seems. FBI agent, Jon North, is working undercover in west Texas investigating an unsolved murder that may be linked to a broader plot. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.

JAKE by J.J. Pickle (DBC 18761)

Jake Pickle tells his own story of a lifetime of public service, most notably his thirty-one years in the U.S. Congress representing Texas’ Tenth District. A born raconteur, he begins with his youth in Big Spring, Texas, then his lean (in every sense) student years at the University of Texas during the Depression, followed by U.S. Navy service in World War II. The heart of the book is former Representative Pickle’s stories of political life—in Washington, D.C. and on the campaign trail back home in Austin, Texas.

JEFF MILTON, A GOOD MAN WITH A GUN by J. Evetts Haley (DBC 26248)

Jeff Milton was a cowboy, Texas Ranger, adventurer, and Arizona Border Patrolman. For seventy years he was known as a western gunman of great ability who followed a rigid code of honor.

LAST CAVALIER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOHN A. LOMAX, 1867-1948 by Nolan Porterfield (DBC 26307)

John Avery Lomax considered himself a Texan even though was born in Mississippi. His belief in betterment through education led him to enroll at the newly established University of Texas in 1895. He is best known as a pioneering American folklorist although his colorful life included stints in academia and business. He is credited with collecting and preserving cowboy songs and African American folk songs that would otherwise have become a lost part of the rural culture of this nation.

For more information about Lomax, visit the Texas Center for the Book’s John A. Lomax Literary Landmark page: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/literarylandmark/Lomax.

ORILLA OSCURA by Jose Maria Merino (DBC 18765)

A Spanish professor who lives in the United States travels to Central America on sabbatical. During a visit to a museum, he discovers a portrait of a man who looks remarkably like his late father, a discovery that causes the professor to re-examine his youth and the events of his past. The “dark edge” of the novel’s title refers to the fine line between past and present, fantasy and reality, dreaming and waking.

Variant title: Title in English: DARK EDGE

REVOLUCION ES UN SUENO ETERNO by Andres Rivera (DBC 18766)

Winner of Argentina’s Premio Nacional de la Literatura in 1992, this novel re-imagines the life of a true military hero of Argentina’s Revolutionary War against Spain in 1810. In real life, Juan Jose Castelli died in poverty and disgrace but fate is kinder in fiction.

Variant Title: Title in English: Revolution is an eternal dream.

SAM HOUSTON WITH THE CHEROKEES by Jack Gregory (DBC 26254)

This tale covers Houston’s exile among the Cherokees after his resignation of the governorship of Tennessee. Includes many previously undiscovered pieces of information.

SHORT GRASS & LONGHORNS by Laura V. Hamner (DBC 26231)

Stories of the Panhandle area of Texas in the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s. Strong language.

STRANGE FRUIT by Lillian Eugenia Smith (DBC 26267)

Regional novel of the deep South. It is the story of the love of an educated black girl for a white man, and the tragedies of murder and lynching which are the fruit of that love. Strong language. Explicit descriptions of sex.

SWIMMING HOLES OF TEXAS by Julie Wernersbach (DBC 18378)

Nothing beats a natural swimming hole for cooling off on a scorching summer day in Texas. Cold, clear spring water, big old shade trees, and a quiet stretch of beach or lawn offer the perfect excuse to pack a cooler and head out with family and friends to the nearest natural oasis. Whether you’re looking for a quick getaway or an unforgettable summer vacation, let The Swimming Holes of Texas be your guide.

WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JACY FARROW? by Ceil Cleveland (DBC 18762)

Daughter of pioneer Texas ranchers, Ceil Cleveland grew up in Larry McMurtry’s hometown of Archer City, fictionalized in his novel “The Last Picture Show.” Among the locals, Cleveland has long been assumed to be the model for the novel’s beautiful, bitchy character Jacy Farrow who was portrayed in the film version by Cybill Shepherd. In this memoir, Cleveland recalls a girl’s life in small-town Texas during the same era described by McMurtry from a boy’s point of view.

March 2022 Book Club Title Announced!

MARCH 2022 BOOK CLUB TITLE ANNOUNCED!

Please join us on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. (CST) for our Book Club discussion of FINDING CHIKA: A LITTLE GIRL, AN EARTHQUAKE, AND THE MAKING OF A FAMILY, by Mitch Albom. (DB 97729 and LB 12661)

We host our Book Club meetings via toll free phone-in. All you need to participate is a telephone.

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605; or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

FINDING CHIKA is available by mail as a digital cartridge. It is also available to download on BARD.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you the digital cartridge, or if you will download it from BARD.

We ask that everyone remember the following:

  • Be courteous and respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.
  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.

FINDING CHIKA: A LITTLE GIRL, AN EARTHQUAKE, AND THE MAKING OF A FAMILY

 By Mitch Albom

An inspirational biography of Chika Jeune, a Haitian orphan born just three days before the earthquake that decimated Haiti in 2010. Describes her life at an orphanage, her mysterious medical struggles, and the author’s fight to find a cure for her after taking her into his household. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2019. (DB 97729 and LB 12661)

We look forward to having you join us on March 22!

NOVEMBER 2021 BOOK CLUB TITLE ANNOUNCED!

Please join us on Tuesday, November 16 at 7:00 p.m. (Central Time) for our Book Club discussion of HOPE OF THE CROW: TALES OF OCCUPYING AGING, by Katherine Schneider, PhD.

We host our Book Club meetings via toll free conference call. All you need to participate is a telephone!

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605; or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

Dr. Schneider will be joining our discussion. Because author discussions are so popular, we are inviting participants so submit questions beforehand. The deadline for submitting questions is Friday, November 5.

What questions would you like to ask Dr. Schneider? Please send your questions to tpb.ral@tsl.texas.gov, or call the Talking Book Program at 800-252-9605; 512-463-5458 in Austin.

HOPE OF THE CROW: TALES OF OCCUPYING AGING is available by mail as a digital cartridge.  It is also available to download on BARD.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you the digital cartridge, or if you will download it from BARD.

We ask that everyone remember the following:

  • Be courteous and respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.
  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.

HOPE OF THE CROW: TALES OF OCCUPYING AGING

Katherine Schneider, PhD

The author reflects on life with disabilities and aging through seven years of vignettes of her life. She describes her work as a grass-roots activist, her personal life, and her beliefs.  2020. DB 101220; BR 23482

We look forward to having you join us on November 16!

Beverly Cleary Passes Away at Age 104

Celebrated author Beverly Cleary passed away on March 25 at age 104. The author of more than 40 books for children, Cleary was declared a “Living Legend” by the Library of Congress in 2000.

Bevely Cleary author

Born on April 12, 1916, in rural Oregon, her family moved to Portland when Cleary was in grade school.  She was placed in the school’s “low reading circle,” an experience which fostered a lifelong affinity for children who had trouble reading.

Cleary grew to love reading, and after graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, became a Children’s Librarian. However, she didn’t begin writing until she was in her early thirties. Cleary said she was motivated to become an author by a boy at her library who asked why nobody writes books about kids like him.

Beginning with her first book, Henry Huggins, Cleary wrote books about “kids like him.”  Characters like Ramona Quimby, Ellen Tebbits, and Henry Huggins—not to mention Ralph S. Mouse, Socks the cat, and Henry’s dog, Ribsy—helped generations of children navigate their own often incomprehensible worlds.

Before becoming an author herself, Judy Blume delighted in reading Beverly Cleary books with her children because they were so much fun. However, Cleary didn’t wrap her characters in a cocoon of sugar-coated protective wrapping. The family of her most endearing character, Ramona Quimby, weathers years of financial difficulties. Leigh Botts, the protagonist of Dear Mr. Henshaw, struggles with his parents’ divorce and bullying at school.

Cleary won numerous awards, including the National Book Award for Ramona and Her MotherDear Mr. Henshaw won the Newbery Medal, while Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 were both Newbery Honor Books.

In addition to children’s novels, Cleary wrote two autobiographies, including A Girl from Yamhill, which offers a touching portrait of life in the Pacific Northwest during the Roaring Twenties and Great Depression.

Sample some of these favorites and discover why Beverly Cleary was a “Living Legend.”

A GIRL FROM YAMHILL: A MEMOIR

The popular children’s author has written an account of her own early years. Beverly was transplanted to city life in Portland, Oregon, when the family farm failed. There, her father, who loved the outdoors, spent years as a bank guard while her demanding and difficult mother devoted herself to Beverly.

DB 29704; BR 09166

DEAR MR. HENSHAW

Leigh, a sixth grade boy, writes letters to Mr. Henshaw, who has been his favorite author since second grade. Leigh begins writing the letters because of a school assignment, then he discovers that he likes writing, especially when Mr. Henshaw writes back. And Mr. Henshaw’s surprising answers to Leigh’s questions change the boy’s life. For grades 4-7.  Newbery Medal Winner.  1983.

DB 21309; BR 15447

HENRY HUGGINS

A tonsillectomy and a broken arm are the most exciting things in Henry Huggins’ life until a hungry old mutt begs for Henry’s ice cream cone and a home.

DB 35642; DB 58985 (Spanish); BT 02469; LB 04239

MOUSE AND THE MOTORCYCLE

A young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy and discovers the joys of motorcycling.

DB 24692; BT 03505; LB 04206

RAMONA AND HER MOTHER

Ramona feels that seven and a half is an awkward age–too young to be home alone but too big to play with pesky little Willa Jean at the sitter’s house. And yet Ramona would like to still be her mother’s “little rabbit.” For grades 2-4.  1979.

DB 24836; BR 09251

RAMONA COLLECTION.  VOL 1

Four previously published books, written between 1955 and 1977, featuring the adventures of young Ramona Quimby. In Beezus and Ramona, Ramona provokes her family when she invites fifteen children to a party unannounced. Includes Ramona the Pest, Ramona the Brave, and Ramona and Her Father. For grades 2-4.  2013.

DB 90198

March 2021 TBP Book Club Title Announced!

Please join us on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. Central for our Book Club discussion of THE BODY: A GUIDE FOR OCCUPANTS, by Bill Bryson.

We host our Book Club meetings via toll free conference call.  All you need to participate is a telephone!

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605; or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

THE BODY: A GUIDE FOR OCCUPANTS is available by mail as a digital cartridge and in large print. It is also available to download on BARD.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital or large print copy of the book, or if you will download it from BARD.

We ask that everyone remember the following:

  • Be courteous and respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.
  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.

THE BODY: A GUIDE FOR OCCUPANTS

Bill Bryson

Guides readers through the human body—how it functions, its remarkable ability to heal itself, and the ways it can fail.  Using facts—your body made a million red blood cells since you started reading this—and anecdotes, creates a deeper understanding of the miracle that is you.  Unrated.  Commercial audiobook.  Bestseller.  2019.  DB 96770; LB 12649

We look forward to having you join us on March 23!

NOVEMBER 2020 BOOK CLUB TITLE ANNOUNCED!

Please join us on Tuesday, November 10 at 7 pm (Central Time) for our Book Club discussion of THE WOMAN’S HOUR: THE GREAT FIGHT TO WIN THE VOTE, by Elaine F. Weiss.

We host our Book Club meetings via toll free conference call.  All you need to participate is a telephone!

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605 or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

THE WOMAN’S HOUR is available by mail on digital cartridge.  It is also available to download on BARD.

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THE WOMAN’S HOUR: THE GREAT FIGHT TO WIN THE VOTE

Elaine F. Weiss

An account of the battle to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment when, in 1920, Tennessee was the last state whose assent was needed.  Discusses the women fighting for ratification and the opposing forces, including politicians, liquor companies, and railroad magnates.  Some strong language.  Commercial audiobook.  2018.  DB 90697; LB 09425

We look forward to having you join us on November 10!
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