Neesie is Janell's imaginary friend. Neesie makes Janell laugh and keeps her company. When Janell starts school Neesie says goodbye. A warm and touching story of family and the wonderful imagination of a child. First published in 1975, this newly illustrated thirtieth anniversary edition is a Reading Rainbow book.

What We Eat is a 13-episode series that aired on public television in 2002. It explains how and why certain foods have become staples of our national diet. Along with the historical perspective, the show includes video and analysis of how these items are produced by both large and small American companies today. Hosted by Burt Wolf, the 4-DVD set contains one disc devoted to Old World Influence, African Influence, Native American Influence, and Spanish Influence.

Kevin Boyle, the 2004 winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction, can be seen on local Community Television Network Channel 17 next week, speaking on his book Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age. A professor of history at Ohio State University, Boyle’s book is a probing, riveting account of the murder trial of Dr. Ossian Sweet, one of the significant chapters in the early Civil Rights movement and race relations in Detroit. Professor Boyle spoke at one of the library’s 'Sunday Edition' programs earlier this year. The program can be seen on September 20 (3:30 p.m.),September 22 (1:30 p.m.), September 23 (5:00 p.m.) and September 24 (1:30 p.m.) The National Books Award Foundation lauded 'Arc of Justice' as ‘a history that is at once an intense courtroom drama, a moving biography and an engrossing look at race in America in the early 20th Century.’ A DVD of the program is also available from the library.

From cult horror (Curse of the Cat People, 1944) to science fiction (The Day the Earth Stood Still, 1951 and The Andromeda Strain, 1971) to the classic American musical (West Side Story, 1961), director Robert Wise, who died September 14 at the age of 91, had a diverse and successful career. A college drop-out, Wise landed work in a movie studio where he held a series of odd jobs until finally becoming an editor, contributing his skills to what many consider the best American film of all time, Casablanca. But Wise is perhaps best known for the movie film critic Pauline Kael famously called the "sugar-coated lie that people seemed to like to eat", 1965's The Sound of Music.

Reviewers unanimously agree: Terry McMillan is back to form with The Interruption of Everything, a book filled with people you'll recognize, experiences you'll relate to and plenty of McMillan's wise humor. Desiree Taylor's dead-on narration makes this mid-life journey all the more memorable.

The Internet Movie Database is reporting that beautiful and talented Emma Watson has been tapped to play Kate De Vries in the movie version of Kenneth Oppel's book Airborn.

The Leaky Cauldron cautions fans that this may be premature, but all I'm thinking about now is whether Liam Aiken of Lemony Snicket fame is really the right guy to play Matt Cruse..

Lisa See’s latest novel Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is a departure from her Edgar Award mystery series featuring an American FBI agent and a female Chinese investigator: Flower net, (a New York Times Notable Book of 1997); The Interior,(1999); and Dragon Bones, (2003).

In Snow Flower, See delved into the inner lives of two women in 19th century China who shared a secret written language called nu shu that existed for centuries in a remote part of Hunan province.

An Entertainment Weekly Editor's Choice.

Did you know you can teach your dog sign language or that you could have a secret conversation with your friends in sign? Aside from being able to communicate with deaf friends and family, these are a few good reasons to learn signing. A new book, Sign Language for Kids: A Fun and Easy Guide to American Sign Language by Lora Heller with excellent photographs and easy instructions, will have you signing in one day. Give it a try.

Today 9/12/05 on Fresh Air with Terry Gross.

Writer, professor and Fresh Air book critic Maureen Corrigan is one of those lucky people in life who has been able to combine her passion with her profession. She discusses her new memoir, Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading. What a great title. Funny! I can almost hear my wife saying these same words when I mistakenly ask her a question when she's holding a book.

Calling all Bonnie Raitt fans: Time to put a hold on her new CD, "Souls Alike," which is coming out this week. Soon it will be available at the library. Can't wait to hear songs including "I Will Not Be Broken," "God Was In the Water," and "The Bed I Made." I've been a Raitt fan since 1972, when her first album, "Give it Up" came out.