New Children’s and Young Adult Braille

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Check out the latest additions to our local Braille collection!  These titles are aimed towards children and young adults, but may also be helpful to those learning Braille for the first time.

NURSERY RHYMES
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03774

A collection of nursery rhymes. Suitable for babies or young children,
it features such rhymes as: “Humpty Dumpty”, “Little Bo Peep”, “Baa,
Baa, Black Sheep”, “Jack and Jill” and “Little Miss Muffet”. 2009.
Contracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

LITTLE QUACK LOVES COLORS
Author:   THOMPSON, LAUREN
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03767

Little Quack and Piddle explore the colorful world around them. 2009.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

DUCK AND GOOSE: IT’S TIME FOR CHRISTMAS
Author:   HILLS, TAD
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT   03793

Goose wants to make snow angels and go sledding – but Duck knows
it’s time for Christmas! 2010.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

VERY FIRST ABC
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT   03790

This book is the perfect way to introduce young children to the
letters of the alphabet and simple words. 2012.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

LLAMA LLAMA JINGLE BELLS
Author:   DEWDNEY, ANNA
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT   03791

Join little llama for lots of Christmas fun! 2015.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME
Author:   GIBBY, BAYNE
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03792

A sweet rhyming book expressing a mother’s love for her child.  2013.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

ANIMAL NOISES
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03752

Based on the much-loved Farmyard Tales series, this board book has
been especially devised to introduce very young children to animal
sounds. 2015. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

ROLLING ON THE RAILS
Author:   AWDRY, W.
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03769

When Percy breaks down, Thomas the Tank Engine comes to rescue him.
2011. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

GOOD MORNING, GOOD NIGHT!
Author:   YOUNG, LAURIE
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03771

This touchable book is perfect for bedtime! Feel the soft, fluffy fur
of each animal as you say, “good night!”. 2003.
Contracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

THOMAS AND THE FREIGHT TRAIN
Author:   AWDRY, W
Reading level: Infant – Grade 2
BT  03773

Describes the many different items being carried in the freight cars
Thomas the Tank Engine takes to the junction, as well as well as the
live goods he brings back. 1991. Contracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

THAT’S NOT MY DUCK…
Author:   WATT, FIONA
Reading level: Infant – Grade 3
BT  03768

Simple, repetitive text helps children to associate the adjectives
with the sensation of touching the tactile patches. 2013.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

THAT’S NOT MY PUPPY…
Author:   WATT, FIONA
Reading level: Infant – Grade 3
BT  03770

A touchy-feely board book with simple, repetitive text, tactile
patches and bold illustrations suitable for babies and toddlers.
2000. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

SCAT, CAT!
Author:   CAPUCILLI, ALYSSA SATIN
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 2
BT  03751

Will the small cat find a home? 2010. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

MY NEW BOY
Author:   PHILLIPS, JOAN
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 2
BT  03772

A little black puppy acquires a boy, teaches him some tricks, and
finds him when he is lost. 1986. Contracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

BIG LEAF PILE
Author:   PAGE, JOSEPHINE
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 2
BT  03761

When Clifford the Big Red Dog is left to guard his friend’s leaf
pile, he is very tempted to jump in it! 2000.
Contracted Braille; Print Braille.

FOUNDLING FOX
Author:   KORSCHUNOW, IRINA
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 2
BT  03756

The little orphan fox is frightened, cold, and hungry until he is
found by a kind mother fox, who already has three kits of her own.
For preschool-grade 2. Contracted Braille; Print Braille.

STUART LITTLE: SPOOKY SURPRISE
Author:   EDGAR, AMY
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 3
BT   03796

Join Stuart Little for an adventure that gets a little spooky! 2003.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

JUST A BAD DAY
Author:   MAYER, GINA
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 3
BT  03795

It’s a rainy day and things keep going wrong but Little Critter finds
out that even the worst day can always change for the better. 1995.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

IT’S NOT EASY BEING A BUNNY
Author:   SADLER, MARILYN
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 3
BT  03757

Unhappy at home, P.J. Funnybunny tries living with various other
animals, only to find that he’s homesick. 1983.
Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

MARLEY’S BIG ADVENTURE
Author:   GROGAN, JOHN
Reading level: Preschool – Grade 3
BT   03797

When Marley’s family gets mad at him for making a mess, he runs
away. Will they find him again? 2009. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

KNOTS ON A COUNTING ROPE
Author:   MARTIN, BILL
Reading level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
BT  03760

Boy-Strength-of-Blue-Horses is a young Indian boy who is blind. He
loves to hear his grandfather tell the story of his birth, the
training of his horse Rainbow, and the exciting horse race in which
he participated. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

TENTH GOOD THING ABOUT BARNEY
Author:   VIORST, JUDITH
Reading level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
BT  03759

A small boy quickly remembers nine good things about Barney, his cat
who died. His father helps him think of the tenth good thing about
Barney, which they agree is “a pretty nice job for a cat.” For grades
K-3. 1971. Contracted Braille; Print Braille.

NATE THE GREAT AND THE STICKY CASE
Author:   SHARMAT, MARJORIE WEINMAN
Reading level: Kindergarten – Grade 3
BT  03758

A stegosaurus stamp is missing and the indomitable Nate the Great
is on the case! 1978. Contracted Braille; Print Braille.

ARTHUR AND THE LOST DIARY
Author:   KRENSKY, STEPHEN
Reading level: Kindergarten – Grade 4
BT  03762

Sue Ellen loses her diary. Did she write about Arthur? Who will find
it, and will they return it to her unread? 1998. Contracted Braille.

HORSE NAMED SEABISCUIT
Author:   DUBOWSKI, CATHY EAST
Reading level: Grades 2 – 4
BT   03794

Seabiscuit didn’t start out as a winner, but he beat the odds and
became a champion racehorse. 2003. Uncontracted Braille; Print Braille; UEB.

MYSTERY AT SNOWFLAKE INN
Author:   WARNER, GERTRUDE CHANDLER
Reading level: Grades 3 – 6
BT  03763

The Boxcar Children are on a special holiday trip to an
old-fashioned New England inn when mysterious things start to happen.
1994. Contracted Braille.

PILGRIM VILLAGE MYSTERY
Author:   WARNER, GERTRUDE CHANDLER
Reading level: Grades 3 – 6
BT  03754

It seems like someone is trying to ruin the colonial Pilgrim
village. But why?  The children are going to find out! 1995.
Contracted Braille.

MYSTERY IN THE COMPUTER GAME
Author:   WARNER, GERTRUDE CHANDLER
Reading level: Grades 3 – 6
BT  03755

The clues in a computer game seem to be about real people and places.
Is someone trying to use the game to send them a message? 2000.
Contracted Braille.

WHO WAS STEVE JOBS?
Author:   POLLACK, PAMELA
Reading level: Grades 3 – 6
BT  03753

Steve Jobs not only co-founded Apple, he changed the world.  2015.
Contracted Braille.

TRUE STORIES OF D-DAY
Author:   BROOK, HENRY
Reading level: Grades 3 – 6
BT  03766

From tank commanders to paratroopers to French Resistance fighters,
they all have D-Day stories to tell. 2006. Contracted Braille.

PEELED
Author:   BAUER, JOAN
Reading level: Young Adult
BT  03764

Eerie occurrences at a house in the apple-growing community of
Banesville, New York, have the local newspaper printing sensational
articles about ghostly activities. But high school reporter Hildy
Biddle is determined to find out the truth–including possible
connections between the paper and a theme-park developer. For senior
high readers. 2008. Contracted Braille.

To request a title please call us at 1-800-252-9605 (toll-free in Texas) or send an email to: tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov.

Register to Vote by October 11th

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The deadline for registering to vote in the November 8th general election is October 11th.

Here is the web site for information on registering to vote in Texas:
http://www.votetexas.gov/register-to-vote/you-must-register-by/

Use this link to determine if you are already registered to vote:
https://teamrv-mvp.sos.texas.gov/MVP/mvp.do

Here is a link to the voter registration application:
https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrapp/index.asp

You may also register in person at your county Voter Registrar’s Office, which is usually the County Tax Assessor – Collector’s Office. Here is a link to the offices by county:
http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/votregduties.shtml

In addition, most public libraries, government offices, and high schools have voter registration applications.

You may fill out this online form to request that a postage-paid voter registration application be mailed to you:
https://webservices.sos.state.tx.us/vrrequest/index.asp
Mail the completed application to the county Voter Registrar’s Office.

You must be at least 17 years and 10 months old when you apply, and you need to have a Driver’s License, ID card, or Social Security card.

Future blog posts will have more information about the upcoming election. Please contact the Disability Information & Referral Center at 800-252-9605 if you have any questions.

Accessible Parking Survey Available Through October 5th

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The Texas Governor’s Committee for People with Disabilities is requesting individuals to complete a survey about accessible parking. The survey takes about fifteen minutes and may be filled out by persons with disabilities, family members and caregivers, veterans with disabilities, and professionals in the field of disability. The survey will help the Governor’s Committee make recommendations to the state legislature about accessible parking.

To participate, please click here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W2J6D23
The survey is anonymous. If you have any questions or need assistance, you may contact the Governor’s Committee at gcpd@gov.texas.gov. The survey will be available until Wednesday, October 5th.

In Honor of Native American Day 2016

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Native American Day is a Federal holiday observed on the fourth Friday in September ( September 23, 2016) in the state of California and on the second Monday in October (October 10, 2016) in South Dakota, United States.

It is a day dedicated to honoring and celebrating Native Americans, the Native American culture and the contributions that Native Americans have made in the past and continue to make. Here are some great books to read in honor of Native American Day.

Title: NATIVE AMERICAN LIBRARY: APACHE HISTORY AND CULTURE, CHEYENNE HISTORY AND CULTURE, MOHAWK HISTORY AND CULTURE, NAVAJO HISTORY AND CULTURE, NEZ PERCE HISTORY AND CULTURE, SIOUX HISTORY AND CULTURE
Author: DWYER, HELEN, 2012
DB 75654
Annotation: Six books in a series. Overview of the Apache, Cheyenne, Mohawk,   Navajo, Nez Perce, and Sioux tribes. Covers their successes and  struggles in the past and present. Includes timelines, glossaries, and resources. For grades 4-7 and older readers.

Title: BUILDINGS, CLOTHING, AND ART: AMERICAN INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD
Author: KEOKE, EMORY DEAN, 2005
DB 71158
Annotation: Discusses the influences of climate and local materials on American Indian houses, clothes, and artwork. Covers igloos, wigwams, and adobe pueblos; tanned hide moccasins, fur-lined parkas, and woven cloth; and decorations, wall paintings, and sculpture. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Title: FOOD, FARMING, AND HUNTING: AMERICAN INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD
Author: KEOKE, EMORY DEAN, 2005
BR 16678, DB 71159
Explains geographic variations on hunting and fishing techniques and weapons; on gathering fruits and nuts; and on domesticating plants such as corn, chilies, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, peanuts, and     tomatoes–crops now raised throughout the world. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Title: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: AMERICAN INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD
Author: KEOKE, EMORY DEAN, 2005
BR 16453, DB 71161
Annotation: Explains that American Indian knowledge of natural processes led to inventing tools and ways to adapt the environment to their needs. Inventions included spear points, tobacco pipes, musical instruments, copper smithery, rubber, the base-twenty math system, and calendars.  For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Title: MEDICINE AND HEALTH: AMERICAN INDIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD
Author: KEOKE, EMORY DEAN, 2005
BR 16237, DB 71160
Annotation: Topics include personal hygiene, medicinal plants, food values,   surgery, wound treatment, dentistry, and the mind/body connection as  evidenced throughout the Americas before Columbus. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

Title: COMANCHE CODE TALKERS OF WORLD WAR II (DX   59031)
Author: MEADOWS, WILLIAM C., 2003
Annotation: Chronicle of the Comanche Code Talkers’ European military service.   Follows the group through recruitment, training, active duty, and  postwar lives. Compares it with such other code-talking programs as those of the Navajo in WWII and the Oklahoma Choctaw in WWI. Discusses  cultural factors and American military attitudes.

 

New from the TBP Recording Studio September 2016

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Check out these titles fresh from the TBP Recording Studio.  They are available for loan on digital cartridge or for download via BARD.

Welcome to Utopia: Notes From a Small Town by Karen Valby (DT 07302)
The author profiles the small town of Utopia, Texas, which has a population of fewer than three hundred people. It follows the struggles and lifestyles of four of its residents and examines themes of class, culture, and the influence of media. Strong language. Subjects: Social Sciences; U.S. History. Available for download as DBC07227.

Dead Men Running by Joel Lee (DT 07303)
The year is 1989, and the Cedar Mountain Six have just pulled off the impossible–a mass Death Row prison escape. Now they are on the run, and Officer Jack Spencer is the first responder. Jack is stuck in a dead-end life and contemplating suicide, and the Six’s escape is exactly what he needs–a real chance to finally be the hero he always thought he would become. Some strong language. Subjects: Suspense Fiction; Mystery and Detective Stories. Available for download as DBC07226.

Beyond Summer by Lisa Wingate (DT 07214)
When soon-to-be college student Tam Lambert learns that her family’s finances are collapsing, the privileged life she’s known is forever changed. Tam and her family must move to a tiny house owned by her father’s company, Householders, in the Dallas neighborhood of Blue Sky Hill. Shasta Reid-Williams and her husband have just purchased their first home in Blue Sky Hill, and it’s the perfect place to raise her children. Even better is having a great neighbor like Tam, who lives across the street. When news of a corrupt mortgage scheme breaks, and Blue Sky Hill neighbors realize they could soon lose their homes, new friendships and old loyalties are tested, and two young women discover the strength and maturity to do the impossible. Subjects: Inspirational; Religious Fiction; Family. Available for download as DBC07225.

Murder on the Rocks: A Gray Whale Inn Mystery by Karen MacInerney (DT 06924)Trading Texas heat for Maine’s tangy salt air, Natalie Barnes has risked it all to buy the Gray Whale Inn, a quaint bed and breakfast on Cranberry Island. She adores whipping up wicked blueberry coffee cake and to-die-for fudgy frosted brownies for her visitors. But when one of her guests turns up dead, the police–and most of the islanders–think Natalie has added murder to the mix. Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories. Available for download as DBC07205.

A Little Time in Texas by Joan Johnston (DT 05523) Past meets present when Angel Taylor, fearing for her life from a rogue bunch of 1864 cowboys, is pulled into a cave by a stranger–and into present-day Texas. Travelling alone in 19th century Texas had prepared Angel for almost anything–except maybe short dresses and modern dating etiquette. Stranded in an unknown world, Angel finds friendship and romance with Texas Ranger Dallas Masterson. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. Subjects: Romance. Available for download as DBC07218.

Black Plumes by Margery Allingham (DT 00783)
A murder mystery with emphasis on characterization, centering about the death of a noted art dealer. Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories. Available for download as DBC07219.

Life on the King Ranch by Frank Goodwyn (DT 05653)
In the author’s words, “This is the story of me and my ranch friends, of the heritage that was ours, the way we worked, the tales we told, and the fun we had on America’s largest, most progressive cattle ranch.” Subjects: The West. Available for download as DBC07220.

Nights of the Red Moon by Milton T. Burton (DT 07291)
His small-town work thrown into chaos by the murder of a minister’s wife, Texas sheriff Bo Handel learns that the victim was addicted to prescription drugs and running with one of the roughest men in town. Some violence and strong language. Subjects: Mystery and Detective Stories. Available for download ad DBC07223.

Bluebonnet at Dinosaur Valley State Park by Mary Brooke Casad (DT 07313)Bluebonnet the armadillo visits Dinosaur Valley State Park and has adventures with a glyptodon, an armadillo ancestor. For grades K-3. Subjects: Animals and Wildlife. Available for download as DBC07224.

 

Staff Pick – Laura Jean– GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M. R. Carey, DB 80678

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The recent theatrical release of the movie The Girl With All the Gifts, featuring Glenn Close, brings to life the 2014 post-apocalyptic novel, GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M. R. Carey (DB 80678). Nominated for multiple science fiction and horror awards, this story, set twenty years after the event known as The Breakdown, follows a group of survivors as they travel to military headquarters.

The_Girl_with_All_the_Gifts

Intricately plotted, with an atmospheric and creepy tone, this horror novel is written in a compelling manner that inextricably draws the reader into the dystopian landscape of post-apocalyptic England. The point of view shifts between characters, offering the reader a glimpse at the motivations behind their actions and a view into their inner turmoil.

NLS Annotation for GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M. R. Carey (DB 80678): A pandemic has turned countless people into zombies known as “hungries.” The administrators of a military camp studying these hungries must flee when a group of anarchists breach their security. They bring Melanie, a 10-year-old second-generation hungry with incredible strength and intellect, debating the status of her humanity all the while. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. Commercial audiobook. 2014.

If you’ve already read this book and enjoy post-apocalyptic novels featuring zombies and young protagonists, you may try PASSAGE by Justin Cronin (DB 71422) or if you’d prefer a zombie horror novel that feels more like a political thriller with science fiction elements, try FEED by Mira Grant (DB 77374).

TBP Call Center Closed In the Morning on 9/13/16

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TBP Reader Services staff will be attending an important training session off-site on the morning of Tuesday, September 13th, 2016. The call center will be closed until 12:30 that day.

While no one will be available to take your calls until 12:30, as always, you may leave a voice mail message at 1-800-252-9605 or contact us by email at tbp.services@tsl.texas.gov. We will respond to your messages promptly.

Thank you for your patience while we train to serve you better.

Golf Benefit for Deaf-Blind Camp of Texas to be held on Saturday, September 10, 2016

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The Deaf-Blind Camp of Texas (DBCT), a non-profit group that provides a yearly camp experience for deaf-blind adults, is hosting a golf benefit on Saturday, September 10th, 2016, at the Stonetree Golf Club, 1600 Stonetree Drive, in Killeen. The cost is $80 per person, or $300 for a group of four. All forms are due by Monday, September 5th.

For more information, please visit http://www.dbctx.org/golf-benefit/

Banned Books Week: 25 Banned and Challenged Classics

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BBW-logo122h

Celebrate your freedom to read during Banned Books Week: September 25th through October 1st, 2016!

The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom records all challenges or attempts to ban books. According to the Office for Intellectual Freedom, at least 46 of the Radcliffe Publishing Course Top 100 Novels of the 20th Century have been the target of ban attempts.

The titles below represent 25 of the banned or challenged books on that list in the Talking Book Program’s collection. For more information on why these books were challenged, visit challenged classics and the Banned Books Week web site.

Title: GREAT GATSBY
Author: FITZGERALD, F. SCOTT
BR 00089, BR 11057, DB 16147, LB 00377

Title: CATCHER IN THE RYE
Author: SALINGER, J.D.
BR 01617, BR 11909, DB 47480, LB 00182

Title: GRAPES OF WRATH
Author: STEINBECK, JOHN, 1902-1968
BR 01621, BR 09954, DB 68308, LB 00233, LB 06026

Title: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Author: LEE, HARPER
BR 12850, DB 36414, DB 77672, LB 04882

Title: COLOR PURPLE
Author: WALKER, ALICE
BR 07222, BR 12265, DB 58842

Title: ULYSSES
Author: JOYCE, JAMES
BR 10287, DB 19994

Title: BELOVED
Author: MORRISON, TONI
BR 16707, DB 26026

Title: LORD OF THE FLIES
Author: GOLDING, WILLIAM
BR 01595, BR 09480, DB 48388

Title: NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR
Author: ORWELL, GEORGE
BR 10312, DB 73474, LB 02843

Title: LOLITA
Author: NABOKOV, VLADIMIR VLADIMIROVICH
BR 13157, DB 67388

Title: OF MICE AND MEN
Author: STEINBECK, JOHN
BT 03345, DB 48515, LB 04513

Title: CATCH-22
Author: HELLER, JOSEPH
BR 11980, DB 48063, LB 01027

Title: BRAVE NEW WORLD
Author: HUXLEY, ALDOUS
BR 01601, BR 11922, DB 47108, LB 02990

Title: SUN ALSO RISES
Author: HEMINGWAY, ERNEST
BR 03615, BR 16853, DB 34114, LB 04118

Title: AS I LAY DYING
Author: FAULKNER, WILLIAM
BR 12386, BT 00963, DB 49008

Title: FAREWELL TO ARMS
Author: HEMINGWAY, ERNEST
BR 12510, DB 49506, LB 00380, LB 04736, LB 06068

Title: THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD
Author: HURSTON, ZORA NEALE
BR 16074, DB 35745

Title: INVISIBLE MAN
Author: ELLISON, RALPH
BR 08550, BR 14988, DB 56346

Title: SONG OF SOLOMON
Author: MORRISON, TONI
BR 09632, DB 38330

Title: GONE WITH THE WIND
Author: MITCHELL, MARGARET
BR 01609, BR 08519, BR 11427, DB 33082

Title: ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
Author: KESEY, KEN
BR 12698, DB 56351

Title: SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE; OR, THE CHILDREN’S CRUSADE: A DUTY-DANCE WITH DEATH
Author: VONNEGUT, KURT
BR 17373, DB 64540

Title: FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS
Author: HEMINGWAY, ERNEST
BR 00484, BR 12455, DB 49108, LB 03367

Title: CALL OF THE WILD
Author: LONDON, JACK
BR 09833, BR 12582, DB 49486, LB 04818

Title: SEPARATE PEACE
Author: KNOWLES, JOHN
BR 10776, DB 24697, LB 01155