News and Announcements

BARD Express provides NLS patrons with an easy way to browse thousands of audio books and magazines, download them to a Windows-based computer, and transfer them to an NLS cartridge or USB drive. BARD Express simplifies the process by providing a menu-driven interface, reducing the need to memorize a complex set of keyboard commands. 

BARD Express software update released

NLS has released a software update to BARD Express. Version 3.1.2 has been tested with the three latest versions of JAWS and NVDA and includes several improvements:

• Items per page, which is found under the View menu, now has a maximum value of 500 to allow for enhanced background system performance.
• BARD Express now supports more external storage devices.
• The global setting speed in the BARD Express player respects the speed setting of a book that has previously been adjusted.

To download the update, a user who already has BARD Express installed can open the program, open the Help menu, and choose Check for Updates. If, however, BARD Express is not already installed, it can be downloaded from the BARD Express homepage on the NLS website.

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 listing but are subject to change.

Advances in accessible home appliances

Both General Electric (GE) and Samsung have launched recent accessibility initiatives for their home appliances. GE has partnered with American Printing House for the Blind to create pre-printed sheets of braille stickers with eighty of the most common settings for household appliances. Samsung is working with TUAT, the creators of the free accessibility app Sullivan Plus, to incorporate QR codes into its appliances and make them easy to find and use for individuals who are blind or have low vision. For more information on these initiatives, visit the American Printing House website and check out this article from Maeil Business News Korea. 

Hadley podcasts available by phone

Hadley, an educational nonprofit for individuals who are blind or have low vision, now offers several podcasts, including Hadley Presents and Insights & Sound Bites, via phone. To listen to episodes featuring both experts and community members, call 847-558-1317. Braille for Everyday Use, a series of interactive workshops, is also available at 800-323-4238. For more information, visit the Hadley website  or email info@hadleyhelps.org.

Third edition of The Rules of Unified English Braille available

The International Council on English Braille (ICEB) has released a third edition of The Rules of Unified English Braille (UEB), the first update since 2013. This edition introduces a comprehensive index of all rules and incorporates many changes to the UEB code, including new rules for quotation marks and new additions to the Shortforms List. For more information and to download the publication in PDF or BRF, visit the International Council on English Braille (ICEB) website. 

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) has announced the details of its April 2025 That All May eRead Program. This webinar series focuses on the use of the NLS braille eReaders.

The topic for the April That All May eRead online program will be eReader Program Updates. In the remaining time, we will answer any questions you have about the NLS Braille eReader.

The meeting will begin at 7 PM eastern time, Tuesday, April 29, 2025, and will last for one hour. The meeting will be recorded.

If you have any questions about this program, contact the NYS Talking Book and Braille Library.

Since the earliest oral traditions, poetry, which pre-dates literacy, has long been a celebration of form and language, sound and sometimes sight or touch. From the nursery to the grave, poems have expressed protest, worship, history, humor, sorrow, beauty, and, sometimes, the absurdly profound.

"I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything.” Steven Wright.

Animal Friends: A Collection of Poems for Children, BR017027, by Michael Hague

Twenty poems about pets, farm animals, and wild creatures, big and small, by many poets including Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Eileen Spinelli. In "My Puppy" by Aileen Fisher, a child describes a puppy that responds to how the child feels. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 2007.

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons, DBC17275 and BR022657, by Julie Fogliano

Collection of poetry that moves through the seasons, starting and ending with a green and wintry March. For grades K–3. 2016.

Where the Sidewalk Ends, DB035732 and BR002970, by Shel Silverstein

A collection of 127 madcap poems. Subjects include acrobats, Band-Aids, dancing pants, and sleeping sardines. For grades 2-4 and older readers. 1974.

Pug and Other Animal Poems, BR020034, by Valerie Worth

Eighteen poems about different animals and their behavior, from the thunder of powerful bulls and the rejoicing of a noisy flock of geese to the glee of a rat building a throne out of trash. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 2-4. 2013.

Armpit of Doom: Funny Poems for Kids, DB083187, by Kenn Nesbitt

Collection of seventy poems by the Poetry Foundation Children's Poet Laureate (2013-2015). In "My Parents Sent Me to the Store," a child rejects his parents' shopping list and instead comes home with a gaggle of new pets. For grades 2-4. 2012.

Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship, DB090762 and BR022240, by Irene Latham and Charles Waters

Irene Latham, who is white, and Charles Waters, who is black, present paired poems about topics that include hair, sports, dinner conversations, and more. They insert themselves in a fictional setting where they, as kids, are reluctantly paired together in class for a writing assignment. For grades 3–6. 2018.

The Poets Corner: the One-and-Only Poetry book for the Whole Family, DB078553, compiled by John Lithgow

Tony Award winner Lithgow shares some of his favorite poems for families. Includes "Jabberwocky" by Lewis Carroll, "How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways (Sonnet 43)" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks, and "The Emperor of Ice Cream" by Wallace Stevens. 2007.

Cast Away: Poems for Our Time, DB098613 and BR023778, by Naomi Shihab Nye

Poetry Foundation's Young People's Poet Laureate shines a spotlight on the things we cast away, from plastic water bottles to refugees. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2020.

The Hill We Climb:  An Inaugural Poem for the Country, DB102763 and DB 105083 (Spanish), by Amanda Gorman, with foreword by Oprah Winfrey

National Youth Poet Laureate delivers an empowering and hopeful poem for the nation. Originally read on January 20, 2021, at the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

Treasured Poems that Touch the Heart: Cherished Poems and Favorite Poets, DB057537 and BR014886, compiled by Mary Sanford Laurence

Anthology of familiar poems grouped by themes such as youth, life, romance, friendship, character, prayer, nature, sorrow, growing old, and reflections. Includes writings by the Brownings, Donne, Frost, Shakespeare, and Wordsworth. 1996.

Collected Poems of Bob Kaufman, DB097788 and BR022949, by Bob Kaufman

Collection of previously published work of beat and surrealist poet Bob Kaufman (1925–1986) known for his jazz-influenced rhythms. Included are his books Solitudes Crowed with Loneliness originally published in 1965, Golden Sardine published in 1967, and The Ancient Rain: Poems 1956–1978 published in 1981. Some strong language. 2019.

How to Communicate: Poems, BR024891 and DB113879, by John Lee Clark

Winner of the 2023 Minnesota Book Award for Poetry. A stunning debut from an award-winning DeafBlind poet. Formally restless and relentlessly instructive, How to Communicate is a dynamic journey through language, community, and the unfolding of an identity. Clark pivots from inventive forms inspired by the braille slate to sensuous prose poems to pathbreaking translations from ASL and Protactile, a language built on touch. Amid the astonishing task of constructing a new canon, Clark reveals a radically commonplace life—the vagaries of family, grief, and small delights: visiting a museum, knitting, and, once, encountering a ghost in a gas station. 2022.

The complete collected poems of Maya Angelou, DB042918, by Maya Angelou

In this collection of more than 150 poems, Angelou celebrates the lives of Black people, though many of her poems are universal in their appeal. She uses speech patterns of southern blacks and of the streetwise hip, the currents of blues and jazz, and the rhythm of rap. The collection includes "Still I Rise" and "On the Pulse of Morning." 1994.

The Penguin Book of Limericks, DB024294, compiled and edited by E.O. Parrott

Collection of more than eight hundred limericks features exemplars of scholarly wit, barracks humor, wordplay, and political satire. Some of the poets included are Algernon Swinburne, Lewis Carroll, Ogden Nash, James Joyce, Dylan Thomas, and John Betjeman. 2012.

Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems, DB105310 and BR023936, by Rita Dove

Seventy-three poems by the author of Mother Love (DB041331). Poems range from exploring the experience of the first Jewish ghetto in sixteenth-century Venice to the efforts of Black Lives Matter, and themes scope between the individual and the global. Some strong language. 2021.

Oblivion Banjo: The Poetry of Charles Wright, DB102171, by Charles Wright

Poetry selected from sixteen previously published books spanning in time from 1973 to 2014 by a winner of the Pulitzer Prize, the National Book Award, the Bollingen Prize, and more. Themes explored include the use of language, idea of God, and ways we describe the world and its reality. Some strong language. 2019.

Scribbled In the Dark: Poems, DB089595, by Charles Simic

The Pulitzer Prize-winning former poet laureate's poems imagine rich landscapes and examine society, all while toying with the end of the world. 2017.

Space Struck: Poems, DBC29693, by Paige Lewis

Paige Lewis's debut explores nature, science, and religion with sharp insight and humor. It features poems linked to the animal world, filled with emotions and self-awareness. Silky and gruesome, reflecting both the brutality and beauty of life, these poems pulse like starlight. Unrated. 2019.

When the Light of the World was Subdued, Our Songs Came Through: a Norton Anthology of Native Nations Poetry, DB100387 and BR023324, by Jennifer Elise Foerster, Joy Harjo and LeAnne Howe

Collection of poetry by native nations authors, edited by the United States Poet Laureate and author of Crazy Brave (DB097592 and BR022807). Categorized by geographic regions of the United States, authors represent time periods from the seventeenth century to the twenty-first. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.

Obit, DB099260 and BR023147, by Victoria Chang

Collection of poetic obituaries and reflections on loss written after the death of the author’s mother. Topics explored include the loss of language after a stroke, of an expected child, of memories, and of the life you will no longer be able to live. Some strong language. 2020.

Spoon River Anthology, DB 18045, by Edgar Lee Masters, with a new introduction by May Swenson

From their graves the dead speak of the true secrets and motivations of their former lives in a small midwestern town. The epitaphs are presented as free verse monologues aimed at tearing the veil of respectability from small town life. First published in 1915. 2009.

April is Arab American Heritage Month in the United States, a time to celebrate the rich culture, history, and contributions of Arab Americans. To honor this heritage, we offer you a selection of notable titles to appeal to all ages.

Ten Ways to Hear Snow, DBC19995 and BR023901, by Cathy Camper and Kenard Pak

Walking to her grandmother's home to help make warak enab [stuffed grape leaves], Lina discovers many ways to hear snow, from the scrape of a shovel on a sidewalk to the quiet pats of snowman-building. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 2020.

Big Red Lollipop, DBC00462 and BRC01834, by Rukhsana Khan

Rubina has been invited to her first birthday party, a new cultural experience for her. But her mother insists that she bring her sister along. At the party, the sister is pesky and then steals Rubina's party favor -- a big red lollipop. Sisterly relationships and sibling rivalry come into play when the youngest girl in the family wants her chance to tag along too -- it's only fair! For grades K-3. 2010.

Other Words for Home, DB 96396, by Jasmine Warga

When her Syrian hometown is overshadowed by violence, Jude is sent with her mother to the safety of a relative's home in America. She worries for the family members who were left behind and adjusts to a new life filled with surprises. Newbery Honor award winner. For grades 4-7. 2019.

The Arab Americans, DB040296, by Alixa Naff

The Arabs comprise several different populations who live in the Middle East and North Africa and share a common background. Most practice Islam. There are an estimated two million Arab Americans. Most are descendants of people who came to the United States between 1880 and 1940 and after World War II. Discusses the Arab world; factors leading to emigration; and Arab Americans as an ethnic group. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2005.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, DB055344 and BRG01678, by Naomi Shihab Nye

Over four dozen of her own poems about the Middle East and about being an Arab American living in the United States. Nye’s graceful imagery and loving portrayal of Arabic traditions, places and people is a memorable testament to the importance of cross-cultural understanding. 2002. For grades 6-9. 2002.

West of the Jordan: a novel, DB057565, by Laila Halaby

Four Palestine-born female cousins experience individual problems growing up. Mawal stays in the Middle East following a traditional lifestyle. Soraya and Khadija, emigrés in California, are torn between cultures. Hala lives in Arizona but falls in love in Jordan. Strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2003.

All-American Muslim girl, DB103530, by Nadine Jolie Courtney

Sixteen-year-old Allie, who has grown up knowing that her family was different and feared, now struggles to claim her Muslim and Arabic heritage while finding her place as an American teenager. Unrated. For senior high and older readers. 2019.

Huda F, are you? DB122838, by Huda Fahmy

Huda F. is starting high school in a new town and needs to figure out where she fits. For senior high and older readers. 2024.

The Arab Americans: A History, DB065313, by Gregory Orfalea

Syrian American author of Before the Flames (DB034162) chronicles three waves of Arab immigration to America from the late-nineteenth to the twenty-first century, using interviews, profiles, and his memoirs. Describes Arab American organizations and the impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks on this ethnic community. 2006.

Kahlil Gibran, Man and Poet: A New Biography, DB050020, by Suheil Bushrui and Joe Jenkins; foreword by Kathleen Raine

Biography of the poet, artist, and mystic. Describes his relatively short life--he was born in a Lebanese village in 1883 and died in New York in 1931. Discusses his writings and artistic temperament. Analyzes his fame in the Arab-speaking world and his popularity in the West. 1998.

Dinarzad's Children: An Anthology of Contemporary Arab American Fiction, DB061785, by Pauline Kaldas and Khaled Mattawa

Two dozen short stories about cultural and generational issues by Arab Americans including Christians, Muslims, immigrants, and assimilated Americans. In "The New World" a Palestinian woman moves to Philadelphia and uncovers her new husband's secret. In "Arabic Lessons" two teens study with their cousin, a Lebanese nun. Strong language. 2004.

Exile's return: the making of a Palestinian American, DB042389, by Fawaz Turki

The author of Soul in Exile (DB030375) returns to Israel some forty years after his family's 1948 expulsion. He interweaves his impressions of his homeland with memoirs of his intervening odyssey: Beirut, the Australian outback, Katmandu, and the United States. Despite his roots, he is critical of Palestinian mores and the PLO. 2017.

Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life, DB056048, by Queen Noor

Born in 1951 as Lisa Halaby, daughter of an Arab-American family, Queen Noor of Jordan relates King Hussein's courtship; their 1978 marriage; her role as wife, queen, and mother; her work in improving the life of Jordanian women; and Hussein's role in the Middle East, including his frustrations with international diplomacy. Bestseller. 2003.

You Exist Too Much, DB100111, by Zaina Arafat

A woman slowly uncovers the ways her experiences as a child growing up--including an incident in Bethlehem at the age of twelve when she was declared forbidden--affect her as an adult. She explores her various identities--Palestinian-American, queer woman, writer, Brooklynite--through memories. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2020.

The Inheritance of Exile: stories from South Philly, by Susan Muaddi Darraj

Susan Muaddi Darraj expertly weaves a tapestry of the events and struggles in the lives of four Arab-American women. Hanan, Nadia, Reema, and Aliyah search for a meaningful sense of home, caught in the cultural gap that exists between the Middle East and the United States. Some strong language and some violence. 2019.

My enemy, my self, DB029776, by Yoram Binur

In 1986 Binur, a journalist for a Jerusalem newspaper, spent six months living in Israel dressed as an Arab laborer. During that time, he lived in a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, held a number of jobs, worked as a volunteer on a kibbutz, and had a relationship with a Jewish woman. He concluded that Israel's continued military presence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will continue to make the country unlivable. 2017.

Falastin: a cookbook, BR024322, by Sami Tamimi

A soulful tour of Palestinian cooking today from the Ottolenghi restaurants’ executive chef and partner—120 recipes shaped by his personal story as well as the history of Palestine. 2023.

First held on April 22, 1970, Earth Day has become a time to reflect on humanity’s relationship with our planet and to take actions to protect the only home we have. 

“We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children." - Native American Proverb  

Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years, DB104934, by Stacy McAnulty

The author presents key moments in the planet's life, from its formation more than four billion years ago to the present, including the Earth's position in the solar system, its layers, and when plants and animals began to inhabit the planet. For grades K-3. 2017.

The EARTH Book, DB079690, by Todd Parr

Illustrates how children can help protect the Earth and make it a better place. For grades K-3. 2010.

Our Planet! There's No Place Like Earth, DB107562 and BR 24408, by Stacy McAnulty

Earth is home to all the plants and animals in the solar system, including eight billion people. Humans have accidentally moved Earth's climate change into the fast lane, and Earth describes how people can help put on the brakes. For grades K-3. 2022.

Gaylord Nelson: a day for the earth, BR09440, by Jeffrey Shulman and Teresa Rogers

Gaylord Nelson devoted his career to speaking out about the need to preserve natural resources, the dangers of pollution, and the plight of endangered species. As a U.S. senator he promoted the idea of a national day to teach people about the environment--an Earth Day. The first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, may have been the largest demonstration in U.S. history. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 1994.

Hey There, Earth Dweller! Dive into this World We Call Earth, DB098267, by Marc Ter Horst and Laura Watkinson

A quick overview about how our planet was formed, its composition, and how it continues to evolve. Includes discussion on climate change and Earth dwellers. Translated from the 2014 Dutch edition. For grades 4-7. 2014.

Protecting the Planet: Environmental Activism, BR019060, by Pamela Dell

Discusses effects of climate change and describes what governments are doing to protect the earth and its inhabitants--both people and animals. Explains actions individuals can take to conserve resources. Uncontracted braille. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2010.

Taking on the plastics crisis, DB127203, by Hannah Testa

In this personal, moving essay, youth activist Hannah Testa shares with readers how she led a grassroots political campaign to successfully pass state legislation limiting single-use plastics and how she influenced global businesses to adopt more sustainable practices. Through her personal journey, readers can learn how they, too, can follow in Hannah's footsteps and lower their carbon footprint by simply refusing single-use plastics. Unrated. For junior and senior high readers. 2025.

No one is too Small to make a Difference, DB097476, by Greta Thunberg

Collection of speeches made by Swedish teenager and environmental activist, Greta Thunberg. Speeches made in 2018 and 2019 at the United Nations, the United States Capitol, and at street protests call for urgently addressing and fighting climate change. 2019.

Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet, DBC02907 and BR019363, by Tim F. Flannery

Biography of our species and the evolution of the planet. Examines the Medea hypothesis, which proposes species left unchecked will destroy their ecosystems, and the Gaia hypothesis, which asserts the Earth is a self-regulating system. Argues that humans can prevent environmental exploitation through cooperative, sustainable behavior. 2010.

American earth: Environmental Writing since Thoreau, DB080262, edited by Bill McKibben; foreword by Al Gore

Anthology of the most significant American environmental writings of the last two centuries, including works by Thoreau, Muir, Burroughs, Carson, and more. Covers topics such as overpopulation, consumerism, energy policy, and endangered habitats. Provides a detailed chronology of American environmental history and the environmental movement. 2008.

Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis, BR018812 and DB070703, by Al Gore

In this follow-up to An Inconvenient Truth (BR17455 & DB67444), the former vice president evaluates alternative energy sources--solar, wind, geothermal, nuclear--and offers suggestions for conserving power and reducing humans' impact on the earth. 2009.

Living on Earth: forests, corals, consciousness, and the making of the world, DB124034, by Peter Godfrey-Smith

The author takes us on a grand tour of the history of life on earth. He visits Rwandan gorillas and Australian bowerbirds, returns to coral reefs and octopus dens, considers the impact of language and writing, and weighs the responsibilities our unique powers bring with them, as they relate to factory farming, habitat preservation, climate change, and the use of animals in experiments. Ranging from the seas to the forests, and from animate matter’s first appearance to its future extinction, Godfrey-Smith offers a novel picture of the course of life on Earth and how we might meet the challenges of our time, the Anthropocene. 2024.

Fen, bog & swamp: a short history of peatland destruction and its role in the climate crisis, DB118358, by Annie Proulx

A lifelong acolyte of the natural world, Annie Proulx brings her witness and research to the subject of wetlands and the vitally important role they play in preserving the environment-by storing the carbon emissions that accelerate climate change. Fens, bogs, swamps, and marine estuaries are crucial to the earth's survival, and in four illuminating parts, Proulx documents their systemic destruction in pursuit of profit. 2022.

Mycelium running: how mushrooms can help save the world, DB117322, by Paul Stamets

A manual for the mycological rescue of the planet. That's right: growing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and in this groundbreaking text you’ll find chapters detailing each of the four exciting branches of what Stamets has coined “mycorestoration,” as well as chapters on the medicinal and nutritional properties of mushrooms, inoculation methods, log and stump culture, and species selection for various environmental purposes. Heavily referenced and beautifully illustrated, this book is destined to be a classic reference for bemushroomed generations to come. 2024.

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) April program, Smart Speaking to the Smart Speaker, will be held on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The topic of this month's program will be smart speaker system controls and My Talking Book skill controls—when to keep them separate and when to interchange them. The program will start with a presentation and demonstration.  After the presentation, we will answer questions about book navigation or anything else relating to use of the My Talking Books skill on Alexa-enabled smart speakers.

The program will begin at 7:00 PM eastern time and last for one hour. NLS will record this program.

Find more information on joining this program on the NLS Smart Speaking to the Smart Speaker webpage.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact the Talking Book and Braille Library (TBBL).

Purple Up! on April 15 and show your support for children of members of the military by wearing purple. April is the Month of the Military Child, and a time to recognize the sacrifices, challenges, and experiences of the children of our Armed Forces personnel.

At the Mountains Base, DB101604 and BR022865, by Traci Sorrell

A Cherokee family waits for the return of a loved one, who is a pilot serving in the military. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 2019.

While You are away, BR015048, by Eileen Spinelli

Three children from different families remember and miss their parents who are away on military duty. All have happy reunions when the soldiers return safely home. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 2004.

The Wall, BR008959, by Eve Bunting and Ronald Himler

A young boy and his father come from far away to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. and find the name of the boy's grandfather who was killed in the war. A group of girls in school uniforms comes by. "Is this wall for the dead soldiers...?" one of them asks. "The names are the names of the dead. But the wall is for all of us," the teacher answers. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1993.

Stars above us, DBC05717, by Geoffrey Norman

Amanda's father is a soldier, but before he leaves for war, he teaches her not to be afraid of the things that live in the dark--which includes fireflies and crickets--and about the stars. For grades K-3. 2011.

Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops, DB075883, by Jill Biden

Jill Biden based this children's story on her own granddaughter's experience. Young Natalie misses her father, who is away fighting a war, and keeps him in her heart and prayers as she tries to be brave. Includes resources for support. For grades K-3. 2012.

A Life of Service: The story of Senator Tammy Duckworth, DB110769, by Christina Soontornvat

Senator Tammy Duckworth has logged a long list of "firsts" during her tenure as the first Thai American woman elected to Congress, including being the first woman with a disability to serve in the House and Senate. But while she dreamed of serving her country from a young age, Tammy's path was not without its challenges. From her childhood fight to keep her family from homelessness to her service in the US Army, to her recovery from grievous injuries sustained in the line of duty, Tammy never lost her determination to keep going against staggering odds. For grades K-3. 2023.

Each tiny spark, DB096399, by Pablo Cartaya

Emilia Torres is dealing with a lot in sixth grade: her ADHD, a controlling abuela, her mother's work commitments, her father's distance after returning from deployment, evolving friendships, and a conflict over school redistricting. Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2019.

Off To War: Voices of Soldiers' Children, DB068158, by Deborah Ellis

Children between the ages of seven and seventeen describe their feelings and reactions to having military parents who are posted in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. The kids discuss their fears and the changes in their parents' behavior towards them. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 2008.

Humor in Uniform: Funny True Stories about Life in the Military, DB076640 and BR020073, by Reader's Digest Association

Hundreds of quips previously published in Reader's Digest magazine that poke fun at military life. Compiled from anecdotes written by men and women of the United States armed forces and their families. 2008.

Home Front, DB074311, by Kristin Hannah

2005. Forty-one-year-old Jolene, a Washington state National Guard helicopter pilot, is deployed to Iraq. She leaves behind a troubled marriage, a difficult preteen daughter, and a preschooler. While Jolene experiences the horrors of war, her husband Michael raises their children alone. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2012.

Military Brats: Legacies of Childhood Inside the Fortress, DB038480, by Mary Edwards Wertsch

Inspired by Pat Conroy's novel The Great Santini (DB 30051), about growing up in the military, journalist, and former military brat Wertsch examines the "fortress" subculture that had such a powerful shaping influence on herself and others. She analyzes the stories of grown children of military men to reveal aspects of their collective experience. Strong language and some violence. 2014.

Anchor & Flares: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hope, and Service, DB099135, by Kate Braestrup

Memoir reflecting on the grief that followed the author's husband's death as well as the fear she feels regarding her son's decision to enlist in the Marines. Discusses her journey to reconcile her wish to protect him with a family legacy of military service through her work as a chaplain. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2015.

Brats, DB031319, by Mary R. Truscott

Speaking from her own experience as a second-generation military dependent and from interviews with others, the author recounts the joys and difficulties of life as a military "brat." She discusses the effects of frequent moves, a parent's long absences (usually the father's), the daily routines of a military base, and living "everywhere" but being from no particular place. 2016

Special Needs Families in the Military: A Resource Guide, DB072224, by Janelle Hill

The authors of The Wounded Warrior Handbook (DB 68275) provide advice for military families dealing with special-needs children and adults. They discuss benefits and treatment options and highlight the importance of acting as an advocate for one's child. Includes resources section that lists support groups. 2011.

A Star for Mrs. Blake, DB078882, by April Smith

In the l930s, five American women travel to France to visit the graves of their WWI soldier sons--a pilgrimage that will change their lives in unforeseeable and indelible ways and link them forever. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2014.
 

April 10 is National Siblings Day. Between calls with your favorite siblings (or instead of a call with your least favorite sibling) enjoy these books about siblings who get along, and some who do not, and be thankful your siblings are not cannibalistic black widow spiderlings!

The New Baby, DBC19099, by Christine A. Platt

Ana & Andrew are expecting a sibling! The family is very excited. Mama's family arrives from Trinidad, and everyone helps to get ready. When the baby arrives, Ana & Andrew learn from Granny that in African American culture, a baby's name often tells an important story. For preschool to grade 2. 2023.

Thump and Plunk, DBC29214, by Janice May Udry

Two little ducks enjoy nothing more than thumping and plunking one another in this amusing tale of sibling rivalry for beginning readers. For preschool to grade 2. 2024.

Becky the Brave: A Story About Epilepsy, DB055592, by Laurie Lears

Sarah depends on her brave older sister Becky to walk her to school. But after Becky has an epileptic seizure in front of her classmates, she refuses to go to school. Sarah finds the courage to go alone and a way to help her sibling. For grades K-3. 2003.

Cameron and Me, BRG00060 and BRA18966, by Dorothy Joan Harris

A new baby arrives in the family, and his older brother finds himself out of the spotlight. Grades K-3. 2000.

Big Boss! Little Boss! BR004654, by Barbara Bottner

Humorous, true-to-life stories about sisters whose sibling warfare ends in victory for both. For grades K-3. 1981.

Sisters And Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World, BR018027, by Robin Page and Steve Jenkins

Facts about various mammals, birds, fish, insects, and reptiles focus on relationships between young animals born to the same mother. Discusses bat twins, armadillo quadruplets, cannibalistic black widow spiders, wild turkey brothers, cichlid and cuckoo catfish stepchildren, and whiptail lizard sisters, among others. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 2-4. 2011.

Frenemies in the Family: Famous Brothers and Sisters who Butted Heads and had Each Other's Backs, DB090584, by Kathleen Krull

Glimpses into the lives of famous brothers and sisters who have not always gotten along, but whose important bonds have shaped their accomplishments. Includes such celebrity siblings as singer Demi Lovato and her sister, tennis superstars Serena and Venus Williams, the Jacksons, and more. For grades 3-6. 2018.

The Saturdays, DB122345, by Elizabeth Enright

The four Melendy siblings decide to pool their resources so that each of them can take a Saturday to do something special with the combined allowances. For grades 3-6. 2024.

From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, DB022914 and BR009549, by E.L. Konigsburg

Claudia, feeling misunderstood at home, takes her younger brother and runs away to New York City where she sets up housekeeping in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For grades 4-6. Newbery Medal. 2009.

The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks, DB105872, by Mackenzi Lee

Desperate to escape his father's high expectations and his own grief in the aftermath of his mother's passing, sole heir Adrian Montague embarks on a search for his disowned siblings after discovering that he is not an only child. For senior high and older readers. 2022.

Siblings Without Rivalry: How to Help Your Children Live Together so you Can Live too, DB026613, by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Offers simple, yet effective, ways of dealing with antagonism between siblings. Includes guidelines on such topics as freeing children to change, the perils of comparison, and helping children to resolve conflicts. 2014.

My Sister's Keeper, DB058402 and BR024839, by Jodi Picoult

Anna is not sick, but her life is heavily impacted by her sister Kate's leukemia. Conceived to be a bone marrow match for Kate, Anna has endured many medical procedures for her sister. Now, as a teenager, she starts questioning her identity and makes a decision that will tear her family apart and have perhaps fatal consequences for the sister she loves. Strong language. 2005.

"Mom, Jason's Breathing on Me!" The Solution to Sibling Bickering, DB057857, by Anthony E. Wolf

Clinical child psychologist outlines steps to reduce the problem of fighting among children in the family, using anecdotes from his practice and experience. It offers additional parenting suggestions, explains the nature of sibling relationships, and gives suggestions for moral growth. Some strong language. 2012.

The Sibling Effect: Brothers, Sisters, and the Bonds That Define Us, DB075261, by Jeffrey Kluger

Science writer and Time Magazine editor Kluger explores the psychology of siblings using his own family as an example. Discusses genetics, birth order, gender, favoritism, divorce, twins, and blended families to explain the lifelong influence and benefits of brothers and sisters. 2013.

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters: and Seymour - An Introduction, BR019576 and DB012334, by J.D. Salinger

Two episodes from the life of the Glass family narrated by Buddy, the middle son. In Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters Buddy recounts his brother Seymour's wedding day in 1942. In the stream-of-consciousness Seymour: An Introduction Buddy describes his sibling's love of poetry and sports. Some strong language. 1955.

The Identicals: A Novel, DB088175 and BRG04083, by Elin Hilderbrand

Nantucket is only two and a half hours away from Martha's Vineyard by ferry. But the two islands might as well be worlds apart for a set of identical twin sisters who have been at odds for years. When a family crisis forces them to band together--or at least appear to--the twins slowly come to realize that the special bond that they share is more important than the sibling rivalry that's driven them apart for the better part of their lives. Bestseller. 2017.