Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead.

In May before the July which was Gettysburg, Hettie Childs sends her 14 year-old son, Robey, to find his father and bring him home. He travels with a coal black horse that has seen battles and the ways of men. This is a picture of war seen through the eyes of a boy. This is a funeral dirge sung by broken women, wounded men and scarred children. This is a journey from innocence to knowing, the journey we all must make to become who we'll become. Robert Olmstead paints an honest, though not overly brutal picture of war and its effect on a people -- not just their soldiers. Robey decides early in his journey, "If it's war we're fighting, war is surely winning."

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This story set in 1860's Diablo Valley California chronicles a young man's journey to adulthood in a coal-mining "company town".

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Deborah Noyes book "Angel and Apostle" is a powerful sequel to "The Scarlet Letter"

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Robin Dupuis has created a wonderful collection (56 songs) of favorite children's songs. These are indeed "songs kids need you to know".

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Upcoming book events at the Kaleidoscope.

February 23 - Hear the stories of Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese cat that believes he's a Chihuahua. Your kids will love to hear/read these stories again and again.

April 6 - Easter Tea with Edward Tulane. This special Easter Tea will feature a hard cover copy of the book and a commemorative picture of each guest with the china rabbit Edward Tulane.

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Pictures can't do justice to this lovely little book from Aio Publishing. Seven Touches of Music by Serbian author Zoran Zivokovic delights before one even opens the cover.

Music triggers something extraordinary in each of the seven short stories; and the seventh tale, The Violin-Maker ties the other six stories together and creates a unified whole. In The Whisper, an autistic boy is touched by the Divine. In The Waiting Room an old woman has visions. In The Violinist a dieing man remembers a glorious day from his youth. Each touch is gentle, each reverberation endless.

Winner of the World Fantasy Award for its content, and the Award of Excellence from the Chicago Book Clinic for its design, Seven Touches of Music is truly an extraordinary book.

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Read the Movies

Keri highlights several books to entice your movie-loving family, friends, and neighbors away from the glowing blue screen. Curl up in front of the fire with one of these good books.

Charlotte's Web

Pursuit of Happyness

Eragon

Night in the Museum

Stardust

300

All the Kings Men

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Keri interviews Deb Marquart, the author of "The Horizontal World: Growing Up Wild in the Middle of Nowhere"

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Keri reviews the best books of 2006:

My Half of the Sky

Book of Lost Things

Windflower

Letters From the Front Lines

Seven Touches of Music

The Highwayman

I Will Hold You Til You Sleep

Cancer and the Lord's Prayer

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Books for everyone on your gift list.

Keri recommends books for gift giving:

Inkheart

Inkspell

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Mary Poppins

Charlotte's Web

Horns and Wrinkles

Boxcar Children

Buy books for the holidays now at The Kaleidoscope. Shop on-line at OurFocusisYou.com.