Oshkosh Public Library

 Classic Toys of the National Toy Hall of Fame; a celebration of the greatest toys of all time! by Scott G. Eberle

Inside this book are the stories of the toys that have been inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame.  Most of the toys are ones that we have grown up with and still are popular today.  Each toy's history is explored - who invented them, how they were made, what made them popular and how they have changed over the years.  Hula hoop, Easy-Bake oven, Lincoln Logs, GI Joe, Jack in the Box are some of the toys chosen.  Many color pictures are included in the book.  A trip down memory lane for adults.  I had a chuckle when coming upon two classic toys - a box and a stick.  ~ SS
 

That Crumpled Paper was Due Last Week : helping disorganized and distracted boys succeed in school and life by Ana Homayoun
Just in time for back-to-school, this book will help parents give their boys guidance on achieving in the classroom.  Ana Homayoun provides some great ideas on where to study (dining room is the best), how long to study (two hour blocks), and what technology to allow while studying (none - till they need it to do their homework).  She offers organizational suggestions - binders not expandables and other tools that will help your child.  A chapter on quizzes, projects and tests emphasizes flash cards, review sheets and lots of highlighting.  While reading this book, I had my own notebook and was taking notes.  She also stressed that a parent should present these new ideas gradually and don't overwhelm the child.  These ideas could easily be used with any student, boy or girl. --ss

Pulled by the Heart : a woman’s real-life story of living and escaping the Middle East by Nancy T. Wall, 2009.

Nancy T. Wall grew up in Neenah so it’s natural that we would be especially curious about her story. She leaves Wisconsin for Beirut Lebanon to begin married life with Maher, a Syrian who attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Nancy has a lot to adjust to – a new lifestyle, new foods, cultural traditions, her husband’s family, the language and, oh yes, a Civil War in Lebanon. Nancy writes about her children and the various locations in the Middle East that she lives in or visits – it’s an insider’s account – more personal and descriptive of everyday life than a travelogue. It’s interesting to learn about the foods she eats, shopping, her homes, raising children and what it is really like to live with extreme heat, sandstorms and a monster rainstorm. As a member of a well-to-do family she also travels to Europe and visits her Wisconsin family. Suddenly, her story changes dramatically! She is in danger! At this point in the book, I began reading the pages as quickly as possible and stayed up late to finish the book!

When I met Nancy I asked her the question she said audience members at many of her author talks had also asked: “Have you been on Oprah?” And with the recent Academy Awards, I might ask Nancy when she comes to the Oshkosh Public Library on April 14 at 7:00 pm – do you think Sandra Bullock should play you in a movie version?--JD
 

Origins of the Specious: myths and misconceptions of the English language by Patricia O’Conner and Stewart Kellerman

For those who love wordplay and etymology, Pat O’Conner is always a treat. Here she tackles the history of the uses (and mis-understandings about the uses) of ain’t, hopefully and an assortment of phrase and Anglo-Saxon four-letter words not suitable for the library’s website.--MM