My Favorite American, an inspiring biography by Dennis McCloskey is the dramatic story of a young woman who cheated death many times only to emerge as a ray of light to everyone she meets. Valen Elizabeth Cover survived Polycystic Kidney Disease, had a successful kidney transplant in 2002, and has worked to create awareness of this disease while holding down a full time job. McCloskey, who developed a  telephone and online friendship before finally meeting Cover, says, "Once or twice in a lifetime you might meet a person with such an indomitable spirit, supreme strength, and unimaginable courage that you wonder how you got so lucky as to cross paths with her."  Bobbi's blurb for the back of the book reads: This compelling story of remarkable courage is told with tenderness and candor in an engaging style that draws the reader into the circle that envelops both the author and his subject.  www.dennismccloskey.com]

This article discusses several book by Steve Pitt, including:

Rain Tonight - a Tale of Hurricane Hazel. They predicted a few centimetres of rain. What they got was a three-meter high wall of rushing water. In this true tale of horror and heroism, nine-year-old Penny Doucette and her family are trapped in a flash flood and their lives depend on the death defying courage of strangers. Non-fiction.Ages 8 to 12.

Guyness: Deal with it body and soul. Tradition tells boys they have to be tough but society now tells boys it is okay to be gentle and sensitive. Using cartoons and quizzes, this book explores the changing perception of what it means to be male. Non-fiction. Ages 7 to 10.

Teasing: Deal with it before the joke's on you! Everyone likes a good laugh but there is a fine line between being a hit and being a twit. Using humour, cartoons and quizzes, this book helps young readers understand why some things are funny and others are not. Non-fiction. Ages 7 to 10.

To Stand and Fight Together: Richard Pierpoint and the Coloured Corps of Upper Canada. In 1812, Black Loyalist Richard Pierpoint helped form an all-Black military unit that fought bravely for Canada during the War of 1812. This book explores nearly 200 years of Blacks in the Canadian military. Non-fiction. Ages 8 and up.

Day of the Flying Fox. Spitfire pilot Charley Fox was already carving out an impressive career as a ground attack pilot during World War Two. By an ironic twist of fate, German General Erwin Rommel, the famous Desert Fox, crossed paths with Charley and the General's famous uck rank out. Non fiction. Ages 8 and up.

Faster than Wind. In 1907, young Bertie McCross takes up ice boat racing partly to win prize money, partly to impress a beautiful girl and partly to stay out of the clutches of the Kellys, a Toronto street gang who want to hurt him very much. Based on real events, this novel is a humorous look at the underbelly of Edwardian Toronto. Fiction, ages 10 and up.

Terzo Recommends:  Purr More, Hiss Less, Heavenly Lessons I Learned from my Cat
                                     (Health Communications Inc., Deerfield Beach, Florida, 2008; available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Finally, a book for all cats to share with their humans! Every cat knows that there would be no problems in the world if humans acted more like cats. Certainly there would be no wars if world leaders remembered that “Fighting takes away from the time you could be chasing butterflies,” and there were be fewer small conflicts if everyone agreed that “If you must walk all over people, do it quickly.” Imagine a world where the business mantra was “Resist the urge to claw your way to the top,” or if youngsters followed “Do not worship idols.” Big purrs to Allia Zobel Nolan for these wise words, and to Erika Oller, whose precious cats come in all sizes and colors.