Page 50 February 2 014 we all just need someone who understands how we feel. I AM AMELIA EARHART By Brad Meltzer I am Amelia Earhart is one of the first non-fiction picture books in the new series Ordinary People Change the World. Three years ago after shopping for his young daughter and seeing nothing but princesses, author Brad Meltzer, decided there were better role models for his child. As host of the History Channel show Decoded, Meltzer knew exactly where to find such inspiration. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulous, each book in the series features creative illustrations of a person who changed the world; with a biography told in a way young readers can understand and appreciate. Also look for I am Abraham Lincoln, the other book in the series launched last month. THOMAS JEFFERSON: LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF EVERYTHING By Maira Kalman Thomas Jefferson may be known for writing the Declaration of Independence, but there was even more that made up the life of our third president. Thomas Jefferson: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything digs in to the life of the man who was known for his varied interests, his enormous flaws and his monumental part in some of histories greatest accomplishments. Told through imaginative and colorful illustrations and an entertaining voice, this is a terrific book. Scouring bookstore shelves pays off with intensity By Amanda Goossen Joy, my friends, is finding a book you absolutely cannot put down. The book that makes you think of the characters and what they might be doing when you’ve reluctantly put it away to cook dinner. Book lovers know what I mean. It’s the book that you love to read and are devastated when it ends, the one you add to the list of the best things you’ve ever read, even though the list is so incredibly long you can’t even remember what’s on it half the time. Yes, those books are pure joy. And I just found one! As a book reviewer, books arrive on my desk on a daily basis. It’s quite the gift to a girl who grew up sitting in the library aisles, fingers gliding along the bindings, searching for something new to discover. But sometimes, as a diehard reader, I still shop the stores and search the libraries in search of the next great book to dive into. And yes, I did say stores and libraries, I don’t prefer Amazon for books, I want to feel it, hold its weight, debate on whether it’s worth reading as I toss it from left hand to right, back and forth. And sometimes, when I shop these stores and I read the back of every book, study the authors three sentence biography and photo and examine the cover image, I find a gift. Sometimes I find something I’m so glad I spent hours to stumble upon. This time it was The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom. Join the Arcadia News Book Club at 7 p.m. on February 27 at the Saguaro Library. We will discuss The Kitchen House as we also chat via speakerphone with the author, Kathleen Grissom. Refreshments will be offered and $5 raffle tickets will be sold for a large gift basket, with all proceeds benefitting the Los Niños Hospital. If you’d like to RSVP or find out further information about our community book club, email Amanda@arcadianews.com. THE KITCHEN HOUSE By Kathleen Grissom Orphaned while on a ship from Ireland, just before the turn of the nineteenth century, young Lavinia is taken in by a wealthy plantation owner and put in the care of Bella, a young black slave and his illegitimate daughter, in the kitchen house. After a difficult transition, Lavinia warms up to her new life and soon finds a place amongst the slaves, most particularly within the kitchen. But years later, the lone white girl within the disgusting and devastating confines of slavery, Lavinia must learn that she doesn’t quite belong with the only family she’s ever known. Accepted in to the big house, she straddles the line between white and black, owner and slave, learning lessons about life, loyalty and love, through painstaking mistakes and irreversible decisions. The Kitchen House, although slow starting because of the long list of characters who have to be sorted out, picks up after a few short chapters and takes off with great speed. Changing back and forth between Lavinia’s point and view and Bella’s, the reader is given a special glimpse into the feelings, motives and activities of the master, his slaves and the girl stuck in between. This novel is beautifully written, tragically sad and still heartwarmingly full of love. I didn’t choose this book with Black History Month in mind but sometimes things happen for a reason. The Kitchen House is an outstanding work of fiction by a debut author. TELL THE WOLVES I’M HOME By Carol Rifka Brunt June Elbus doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. It’s 1987 and she is 14 years old. Life is tough. June’s uncle is the renowned painter, Finn Weiss. He is the only person June feels comfortable with and their quirky relationship suits them both beautifully. But when Finn starts getting sick, June knows her time with her uncle is coming to an end. And then it happens, Finn Weiss dies of AIDS. Not only is June traumatized by the loss of her beloved uncle and friend, but losing him to AIDS in 1987 brings with it an entirely new layer of grief. Her mother’s refusal to discuss it, coupled with her intense hatred for the man she swears ‘killed her brother,” brings confusion and turmoil to an already lost 14 year old girl. But when a strange man delivers a gift to the her front door, which turns out to be the teapot from which Finn and June drank their Sunday tea, June begins to realize that there is someone else in the world who misses her uncle as much as she does. And he might be the one person she’s been brainwashed to hate. A stunning story about love, loss and self-discovery, this truly remarkable novel digs in to what it means to feel completely misunderstood and breaks it open, raw for everyone to see. With her story, author Carol Rifka Brunt shows that sometimes Now Enrolling For 2014 School Year e Full and Half Day Preschool; Mon-Fri – 7am to 7pm e Before and After School Care e Infant, Toddler and Preschool Programs for Ages 0-6 S.E.E.K. Early Learning Center 1848 N. 52nd St. | Phoenix | 85008 www.SEEKEarlyLearning.org 2 Weeks FREE with Registration! Call to enroll or tour: 480-902-0771 ARCADIA MODERN DENTIS Grand Ope Your search fo

Page 51 February 2 0 14 Step out for diverse lineup of music playing in February By Craig Goossen A variety of cool acts are making their way through Phoenix in February and this month’s music mix highlights a few I’m excited to see. Other notable acts playing the valley this month include Shearwater, Mayer Hawthorne, White Denim, Panic At The Disco, Dr. Dog and Miley Cyrus. Whoever says there’s nothing to do in this town is presumably a person that never goes out when the sun goes down. PIXIES Gauge Away (1989) Start your week off right with a gig featuring the iconic 90s band. It’ll set a proper tone for the remainder of your week, plus it’s an all ages event and you can bond as a family on a school night. The Pixies perform on Monday, February 24 at Comerica Theater, 400 West Washington Street in Downtown Phoenix. Tickets start at $47 and the show is all ages. JON RAUHOUSE Old School (2013) I’m not familiar with the venue, nor am I positive of all the particulars. What I do know is that Jon Rauhouse is a state treasure and when he plays in any capacity I’m putting it on my list of things to do. Jon Rauhouse performs on Tuesday, February 11 at Professional Musicians of Arizona Hall, 1202 East Oak Street in Phoenix. CROOKS ON TAPE The Regoments (2013) Featuring members of the great band Brainiac and the band that followed upon the death of singer Tim Taylor, Enon. Proper words to describe this bands’ sound fail me, but pull this track up and it’ll give you insight to what’s luring me to Pub Rock on a Saturday night. Crooks on Tape perform on Saturday, February 8 at Pub Rock, 805 East Roosevelt Street in Scottsdale. Tickets are $10 in advance and the show is 21 and over. YUCK Somewhere (2013) This English rock band created quite the stir with their killer debut back in 2011 but then they lost a key member and caught some heat with the release of the follow up, 2013’s Glow & Behold. The mixed reviews of their sophomore release tends to gripe on the clean new sound, lacking the crunch of the debut, but this juicy track illustrates a band’s evolution that will have the Crescent swaying. Yuck performs on Monday, February 3 at the Crescent Ballroom, 308 North 2nd Avenue in Downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $12 and the show is 16 and older. THE DEVIL MAKES THREE Hand Back Down (2013) This California band plays what some call Americana, others Country and many Bluegrass and everything in between. If any of these adjectives describing musical genres is in your wheelhouse, make it over to the Crescent and dig on these folks. The Devil Makes Three performs on Sunday, February 16 at the Crescent Ballroom, 308 North 2nd Avenue in Downtown Phoenix. Tickets are $20 and the show is 16 and older. *Not valid on previous or ongoing treatment. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Coupon must be presented at appointment. Limit 1 per patient. Excludes cleaning, exam, Digital X-rays and periodontal maintenance. AZ Delta Dental patients: valid toward cosmetic dentistry only. Subject to insurance restrictions. Cannot be applied to insurance co-payment. † Upon completion of cleaning, exam and Digital X-rays. May require exam to confirm patient is a candidate for whitening procedure. Subject to insurance restrictions. Age restrictions may apply. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Coupon must be presented at appointment. Limit 1 per patient. 4310 E Indian School Rd Phoenix, AZ 85018 ArcadiaModernDentistry.com 602 381-2000 ARCADIA MODERN DENTISTRY Grand Opening! Your search for a new dentist in Arcadia is over. Specialties: • Cosmetic Dentistry • Implants • Sedation Dentistry Awards & Distinctions: • One of 25 dentists in the country chosen to be on the 3M Council for Innovative Dentistry • Featured on Phoenix Business Journal as one of 2008’s “Best Dentists” • Received Healthcare Hero of the Year award from Phoenix Business Journal • Worked in Ethiopia and Mexico to provide free dental work for people in need $ 100 off Any Dentistry with $50 donated to charity: water* FREE Professional Take-Home Teeth Whitening† Donate today! my.charitywater.org/smilegeneration MEET YOUR NEW DENTIST: Dr. Paul Gebhart