Drag King Dreams

Leslie Feinberg

Publisher's Comments
From award-winning, best-selling author Leslie Feinberg comes Drag King Dreams, the story of Max Rabinowitz, a butch lesbian bartender at an East Village club where drag kings, dykes dressed as men, perform.

A veteran of the women's and gay movement of the past 30 years, Max's mid-life crisis hits in the midst of the post-9/11 world. Max is lonely and uncertain about her future — fearful, in fact, of America's future with its War on Terror and War in Iraq — with only a core group of friends to turn to for reassurance. Max is shaken from her crisis, however, by the news that her friend Vickie, a transvestite, has been found murdered on her way home late one night. As the community of cross-dressers, drag queens, lesbian and gay men, and "genderqueers" of all kinds stand up together in the face of this tragedy, Max taps into the activist spirit she thought had long disappeared and for the first time in years discovers hope for her future.

Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral

Kris Radish (local author!)

Booklist Review
Annie passes away at the youthful age of 56, leaving her high-school friend, Katherine, responsible for organizing her traveling funeral. Katherine receives a UPS package with Annie's favorite pair of red high-top sneakers, which contain her ashes, and instructions to contact four other women who played pivotal roles in her life. All of the women either have met or heard of each other through Annie, and all agree to fulfill her request that they fly across the country together and disperse her ashes at places meaningful to Annie. The women encounter beauty in unlikely places and people who either knew Annie or were somehow touched by her, causing the women to miss Annie all the more and reevaluate themselves and their missed opportunities. The funeral party turns into a true celebration of the deceased and her wonderful life. Once again, Radish celebrates women's inimitable friendships in an ode to sisterhood that will make her many fans rejoice.

Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved.

Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker

Debbie Stoller

Publisher's Comments
Debbie does crochet! Debbie Stoller, the “knitting superstar,” has been leading an entire movement of hip young knitters with her New York Times bestseller Stitch ’n Bitch and its follow-up, Stitch ’n Bitch Nation, together with over 521,000 copies in print. But guess what? For every one knitter in the world there are three crocheters—which translates into millions of hip, crafty, 18- to 35-year-olds ready to be happy hookers with Stitch ’n Bitch attitude, sexiness, ingenuity, and cool.

Written in the author’s cheeky chick style, this heavily illustrated book—featuring four -color photographs and instructional illustrations throughout—is chock-full of instruction, inspiration, and to-die-for designs, from a Fishnet Skullcap to a lacy evening wrap. For knitters and new crafters exploring the hook comes the primer: the advantages of crochet and the ways in which knitters (and nonknitters) benefit by learning this sister craft; a discussion of tools; all the cool yarns available, and what the different gauges mean; plus basic techniques and stitch patterns—including the chain stitch, picot, flowers, filet crochet, changing yarns, and finishing. Then come 40 fabulous, funky projects—the kind that make Stitch ’n Bitch rule—for crocheters: Pom Pom Capelet, Retro Clutch Purse, Anarchy Irony Hat, Ms. Pac Man Change Purses, Doris Daymat, Va-Va-Va Voom Bikini, Animal I-Pod Cozies, Kid’s Sock Monkey Poncho.

No, these aren’t your grandma’s doilies.

Manifest Density

Eddie Kilowatt (local author!)

Publisher's Comments
American poet Eddie Kilowatt comes alive with his first collection of poetry. Told from the eyes and ears of a regular guy, his free verse style is accessible to everyone. His words leave the reader not certain whether to laugh or cry while stepping into a collage of everyday experiences famaliar to most everybody.

Sister Chicas

Lisa Alvarado, Ann Hagman Cardinal, and Jane Alberdeston Coralin

Publisher's Comments
Taina's turning fifteen - and is so dreading her Pepto-pink quinceañera, her Sweet Fifteen. What about her secret Jamaican artist boyfriend? Should she let Mami choose her escort, or follow her heart - and ignite a family riot?

Grachi must choose between being the good Chicana - and grabbing la oportunidad de la vida. Now she needs her Sister Chicas more than ever...

Leni's the rebel - with a punk style and an attitude to go with it. But as she tries to make sense of her roots with her Chicas, her life gets more complicated, especially when her childhood friend turns into a handsome rockero...

And even though Taina, Grachi, and Leni don't always agree on things - like boys, clothes, and music - nothing gets in the way of their friendship.