BOOKS AND MEDIA: Briefly Noted

NONFICTION

_Mark Twain: Banned, Challenged and Censored_. By Michelle M. Houle.
Enslow Publishers, 2008. Pp. 160. Library binding. $34.60. 6 1/2 x 9
1/4 inches. ISBN-13: 978-0-7660-2689-6. Part of the series of "Authors
of Banned Books" for readers in grade levels 9–12. This series
typically includes biographical details, literary criticism, history,
arguments of those opposed to books and arguments of the books’
supporters. Author Michelle M. Houle discusses Twain's life and times
and analyzes two of his best known books. She also explores the history
of book censorship, outlining why it occurs and possible ways to
address it. She helps young readers make up their own minds about
whether the books should be banned. Grade levels 9-12.

The amazon link for this book is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0766026892/twainwebmarktwaiA/

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FICTION

_The Invention of Everything Else_. By Samantha Hunt. Houghton Mifflin,
2008. Pp. 272. Hardcover. $24.00. 9.1 x 5.9 x 1.2 inches. ISBN-13:
978-0618801121. Set in New York in the 1940s, the ghost of Mark Twain
makes an appearance in this story about the aging inventor Nikola
Tesla.

The amazon link for this book is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/061880112X/twainwebmarktwaiA/

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DVD: Children's entertainment (for the very young)

_Veggie Tales: Tomato Sawyer and Huckleberry Larry's Big River Rescue_.
Big Idea, 2008. 45 minutes. DVD. $14.95. ASIN: B0016MJ6L0. Described as
a "Lesson in Helping Others." One of a series of children's cartoons on
DVD featuring vegetables as the leading characters. Tom and Huck live
along the banks of the Mississippi River. When they meet a stranger who
needs their help, they must make some hard decisions. The story
features a Twain-like narrator "Clark Wain."

The amazon link for this DVD is:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0016MJ6L0/twainwebmarktwaiA/