The poetic proverbs known to nuevomexicanos as dichos are particular to their places of origin. In these reflections on the dichos of the Chimayó Valley in northern New Mexico native son Don J. Usner has written a memoir that is also a valuable source of information on the rich language and culture of the region. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs that Usner, who is also known for his photographic work, took of the people and places that he writes about, this book is a one-of-a-kind introduction to the real New Mexico. Usner has known Chimayó since he was a boy visiting his grandmother and the other village elders, who taught him genealogies going back to family origins in Spain. The Spanish he learned there was embedded in dichos and cuentos. This book is the result of Usner’s research into these memorable sayings, and it preserves a language and a culture on the verge on dissolution. It is a gateway into a uniquely New Mexican way of life.

Guardians of Ga'Hoole is a classic hero mythology about the fight between good and evil. This series is filled with adventure, suspense, and heart. When Soren, a young owlet, mysteriously falls from his nest one evening, he's plucked up and taken to the sinister St. Aegolius Academy for Orphaned Owls. Once there, he must use his wits and bravery to escape his captors.The first three books in the Ga'Hoole series follow Soren, Gylfie, Twilight, and Digger, four orphaned owls that must fight their way through many dangers to take refuge with a group of brave owls thought only to be a legend - the Guardians of Ga'Hoole!

An “absorbing . . . beautifully written” debut about the trials of growing up unique in a restrictive environment (The New York Times Book Review). In 1968, in a remote part of Canada, a child is born—a baby who appears to be neither fully boy nor girl, but both at once. Only three people share the secret: the baby’s parents and a trusted neighbor. Together, the adults make the difficult choice of deciding the gender for themselves, and raise the child as a boy named Wayne. But as Wayne grows up, his shadow-self, a girl he thinks of as “Annabel,” is never entirely extinguished, and indeed is secretly nurtured by the women in his life. As Wayne approaches adulthood, and its emotional and physical demands, the woman inside him begins to cry out. The changes that follow are momentous not just for him, but for the three adults who have guarded his secret. Shortlisted for the Orange Prize in Fiction, this “enchanting” literary gem explores the courage to unveil one’s true self in a culture that shuns contradiction (The New Yorker).

Bill Babcock has a painful injury which he can tell no one about. The reader feels at once sympathetic and tickled. With the promise of a treat from a friend, Bejingles, rain foils the whole pleasure. The poignant story of Bill and his pet, an infant owl. Bill Babcock is stunned and thunderstruck by information given to him by a lady he admires. Bill's experiences in Sunday School are good in extracurricular activities and terrible in attendance. Jake, Bill's brother, seen at his aggravating best. A fishing trip is almost fatal for Bill Babcock. Bill is what is called "air-minded" and the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy make an unexpected appearance. Bill and Jake are quarantined and live elsewhere and get in the worst trouble of their lives. Not fully understanding the trolley system, Bill has to walk ten miles to get home and becomes lost. The most poignant chapter as Bill and friends encounter a pair of cruel teenagers.