Talking Books Talk - Website at State Library of Kansas

You may have heard some books referred to as the classics, but what exactly does that mean? There many different explanations of what a classic book is but perhaps this is a good combination: a classic is a book that has come to hold great meaning and importance to the whole society, even long past the original publication date. Many of these stories have been shared through generations by recommendations, tradition, or historical/cultural significance of the books.

We’ve gathered a listing of some of our classics for both young adults and children. But these books are not just great for patrons in these age groups. Adults will enjoy them also with the memories they bring. Try one of these books today by ordering one through our online catalog at https://kstb.klas.com, calling or emailing our office 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov, or downloading them through BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a free service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled and Kansas Talking Books giving patrons access to most of the digital audio and braille items in our collection.

DB 47260 Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone by J.K. Rowling

Annotation: On Harry Potter's eleventh birthday, he learns that he is more than an unwanted orphan. The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry recruits him because he has inherent magical abilities. As he purchases his school supplies--robes, wand, and messenger owl--Harry looks forward to attending his new boarding school. For grades 4-7. Bestseller.

DB 50083 The complete chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Annotation: Seven complete novels presented in the chronological order in which C. S. Lewis intended them to be read, not the original publication order. The first is The Magician's Nephew (1955) telling how the journeys between the two worlds began and how the wardrobe came to be a doorway leading into Narnia. Six other books follow: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) The Horse and His Boy (1954) Prince Caspian (1951) Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952) The Silver Chair (1953) and The Last Battle (1956). For grades 4-7. 1998.

DB 48972 A wrinkle in time by Madeleine L’Engle

Annotation: Meg Murry, her younger brother Charles Wallace, and her neighbor Calvin are transported to the planet Camazotz as they search for Meg's lost father, a scientist studying time travel. Prequel to A Wind in the Door (DB 41596, BR 7884). Newbery Medal. For grades 5-8.

DB 47444 Holes by Louis Sachar

Annotation: Stanley Yelnats IV finds himself in a detention center for possessing stolen property that he didn't take. While digging holes under the summer Texas sun, he sees a fellow inmate running away--and follows him. Legends, loyalty, and buried treasure are revealed as Stanley learns to survive. For grades 5-8. Newbery Medal.

DB 23638 The secret garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Annotation: After becoming an orphan, ill-tempered and neglected Mary is sent to live on an uncle's huge estate where she meets an equally wretched, invalid cousin. Together they conspire to restore a locked secret garden while her cousin regains his health and his father's affection. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1938.

DB 68384 The hunger games by Suzanne Collins

Annotation: In a future North America, Panem's rulers maintain control through a televised survival competition pitting teens from twelve districts in a fight to the death. Sixteen-year-olds Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark are this year's girl and boy contestants from District Twelve. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2008.

DB 48978 The hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien

Annotation: The wandering wizard Gandalf recruits Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, to be the fourteenth member of an expedition. Hobbits prefer comfort to adventures, but Bilbo joins the quest and encounters many perils, including a dragon. For junior and senior high readers.

DB 22934 Ender’s game by Orson Scott Card

Annotation: In a future Earth engaged in an interstellar war against insectoid aliens, Ender Wiggin is chosen at the age of six to be trained as the military genius who will carry his people to victory. Along with his brother Peter and his sister Valentine, he not only brings the conflict to an end, but also affects the evolution of human society. Strong language.

DB 37689 The giver by Lois Lowry

Annotation: Jonas lives in a utopia: there is no hunger, no disease, no fear; the elderly are tenderly cared for, and every child has attentive parents. The society is uniformly run. Jonas eagerly awaits the Ceremony of Twelve, when twelve-year-olds receive assignments for their lifelong professions. He is selected to be the new Receiver of Memories. As such he learns of misery and pain, but also of joy and love. For grades 6-9 and older readers. Newbery Medal.

DB 74112 The fault in our stars by John Green

Annotation: A miracle drug may have given sixteen-year-old cancer patient Hazel a few more years, but she is still depressed. Then Hazel meets cute Augustus during a support-group meeting and her world shifts in unexpected and inspiring ways. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. Commercial audiobook. 2012.

DB 74950 Charlotte’s web by E. B. White

Annotation: Fern, a young girl with a unique understanding of animals, shares a special friendship with her uncle's pig and Charlotte, a wise spider who weaves encouraging words in her web. Digital restoration of Alexander Scourby's original 1960 analog recording for the American Foundation for the Blind. For grades 3-6. 1952.

DB 22906 Where the wild things are by Maurice Sendak

Annotation: After being sent to bed without supper for misbehaving, Max puts on his wolf suit and sails away 'through night and day and in and out of weeks and almost over a year' to where the wild things are. An imaginative fantasy for grades K-3. Caldecott Medal 1964.

DB 50922 Little house on the prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Annotation: The Ingalls family moves westward from Wisconsin in a covered wagon and builds a cabin on the Kansas prairie, only to discover they are located in Indian territory. Sequel to Little House in the Big Woods (DB 50921). For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1935.

DB 56114 Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Annotation: Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm in Canada. There she proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her. Complete and unabridged text. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1908.

DB 23208 Phantom tollbooth by Norton Juster

Annotation: Milo drives his toy car through the Phantom Tollbooth and finds himself in The Lands Beyond. There he becomes involved in the feud between King Azaz the Unabridged of Dictionopolis, city of words, and the Mathemagician who rules Digitopolis, city of numbers. A fantasy for those who enjoy word play. For grades 5-8 and older readers.

DB 44071 The little prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Annotation: The narrator's plane is forced down in the African desert, where he meets the little prince from Asteroid B-612, who freely shares his experiences with the fascinated pilot. For grades 3-6. 1943.

DB 24592 The wind in the willows by Kenneth Grahame

Annotation: The adventures of Mole, Water Rat, Badger, bumptious Mr. Toad, and other animals who live along the river and in the woods. For grades 4-7.

DB 31793 Matilda by Roald Dahl

Annotation: Matilda is an adorable four-year-old genius totally unappreciated by her crass, dishonest, used-car salesman father, and her blowsy, bingo-playing mother. Neither her parents nor her older brother, Michael, can understand why anyone would rather read a book than watch TV! Matilda's life is made bearable by her chance discovery of the public library and dear Mrs. Phelps, the librarian. For grades 3-6.

DB 40424 The diary of a young girl by Anne Frank

Annotation: This notebook kept by a German-born Jewish girl includes material that was omitted from the first edition in 1947. Begun on her thirteenth birthday, the diary is a personal, sometimes humorous, account of years spent with her family in a Dutch attic hiding from the Nazis. After Anne heard a radio appeal about the importance of such papers, she expanded the scope of her entries. For high school and older readers.

DBC07146 Diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney

Annotation: Greg's mom is making him keep a journal (not a diary!) where he records the trials of being an undersize middle-schooler among enormous guys who need to shave twice a day! He struggles to survive and to maintain his friendship with Rowley, who is becoming more popular. For grades 5-8.

DB 107361 Percy Jackson and the lightning thief by Rick Riordan

Annotation: Upstate New York, 2005. Sixth-grader Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon and a mortal mother, attends a summer camp for demigods. After Percy angers Zeus, his friends Grover, a satyr, and Annabeth, daughter of Athena, join him to resolve the problem. Commercial audiobook. For grades 5-8. 2005.

DB 24609 The very hungry caterpillar by Eric Carle

Annotation: A hungry caterpillar eats holes through plums, cheese, sausage, and other food and gets a stomach ache. Then something wonderful happens to the fat caterpillar. For grades K-3. 1981.

DB 24603 Goodnight moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Annotation: A little bunny already tucked into his bed says goodnight to the familiar things in his room as the light dims gently until all is dark. For grades K-3.

DB 45687 The one and only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Annotation: Ivan the gorilla has lived comfortably for years in a down-and-out, circus-themed mall. But when baby elephant Ruby arrives, Ivan decides that he must find her a better life. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2012.

DB 52960 Esperanza rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Annotation: Esperanza and her mother are forced to leave their wealthy and privileged life in Mexico to go work in the southern California agricultural labor camps. They must adapt to the harsh circumstances facing migrant farm workers on the eve of the Great Depression. For grades 6-9. 2000.

DBC05068 Dragons love tacos by Adam Rubin

Annotation: Explores the love dragons have for tacos, and the dangers of feeding them anything with spicy salsa. For preschool-grade 2.

DB 56569 Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Annotation: Sixteen-year-old Steve Harmon sits in jail accused of being a lookout in a deadly robbery. An aspiring filmmaker, Steve reviews his time in jail as a movie script. He wonders if he has

Recent Posts

Weather and Climate: At Home and Worldwide

Living in Kansas, we are used to a wide range of weather changing with our four distinguishable seasons. Summer is full of hot days, plenty of sun, and occasional rain and storms. Fall sees warm temperatures cooling down with rain, sun, and the occasional snow during the later part of the season. Temperatures become cold in winter with some moderately cool days mixed with other days of extreme wind chills. We might experience rain and sun, but also have the danger of snowstorms, snow showers, ice, sleet, and freezing rain that can wreak havoc. Then comes spring, the season of intense storms bringing the threat of torrential rains, hail, and tornadoes, as well as the temperature roller coaster.Most likely, you've heard stories about the weather in Kansas and how different Kansans react to it, such as the front porch storm watchers when major storms roll in and tornadoes are predicted. Maybe you've heard of a street being split down the middle with rain on one side and no rain and bright sunshine on the other that never ends up getting the rain. There's also the stories from adults of when they were kids occasionally having to go trick-or-treat in snow and a winter coat. Many Kansans will say they've been taught how to recognize storm clouds, wall clouds, and funnel clouds since they were a child. Kansans love their weather stories and to talk about how weather patterns are changing. But talking about the weather and climate isn't only a Kansas pastime. Other people from around the U.S. and in other countries find weather and climate just as fascinating and like to share their own stories. We've found some weather and climate related books in our collection that relay stories of past weather events, anecdotal experiences, meteorological insight, and climate concerns. Make one of these your next read this fall.DB118644 Wait five minutes: weatherlore in the twenty-first century by Shelley Ingram "The weather governs our lives. It fills gaps in conversations, determines our dress, and influences our architecture. No matter how much our lives may have moved indoors, no matter how much we may rely on technology, we still monitor the weather. Wait Five Minutes: Weatherlore in the Twenty-First Century draws from folkloric, literary, and scientific theory to offer up new ways of thinking about this most ancient of phenomena. Weatherlore is a concept that describes the folk beliefs and traditions about the weather that are passed down casually among groups of people. Weatherlore can be predictive, such as the belief that more black than brown fuzz on a woolly bear caterpillar signals a harsh winter. It can be the familiar commentary that eases daily social interactions, such as asking, "Is it hot (or cold) enough for you?" Other times, it is simply ubiquitous: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change." From detailing personal experiences at picnics and suburban lawns to critically analyzing storm stories, novels, and flood legends, contributors offer engaging multidisciplinary perspectives on weatherlore. As we move further into the twenty-first century, an increasing awareness of climate change and its impacts on daily life calls for a folkloristic reckoning with the weather and a rising need to examine vernacular understandings of weather and climate. Weatherlore helps us understand and shape global political conversations about climate change and biopolitics at the same time that it influences individual, group, and regional lives and identities. We use weather, and thus its folklore, to make meaning of ourselves, our groups, and, quite literally, our world." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook.DB130668 Cloud warriors: deadly storms, climate chaos—and the pioneers creating a revolution in weather forecasting by Thomas E. Weber For millennia, humans have tried to understand and predict the weather. The Space Age helped usher in satellites and radar, while computers made it possible to plug all that data into complex equations that anticipated the atmosphere's future behavior. Now a new age of advances in forecasting is unfolding, driven by AI, drones, and satellites. The Internet of Things has turned everything from cellphones to cars into ubiquitous weather sensors. Equally significant are new efforts to understand how people respond to forecasts and warnings. Scientists and government officials are realizing that how people get their weather information, and how they use it, are crucial factors in the outcome of a catastrophic weather event. Employing in-depth reporting on cutting edge science and technology, veteran journalist Thomas E. Weber takes us on a tour of how meteorologists, scientists, and officials track and prepare for major weather events. As climate change is altering our planet and making weather events more extreme, Weber introduces us to those on the front lines of weather preparation and prediction. We travel from coast-to-coast, to space and back, meeting TV meteorologists and storm chasers, city planners, backyard weatherman, and many others. Cloud Warriors will change the way you think about the weather--and the power of being able to see it coming. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DBC05312 How to find a good weather forecast by Tony Pann This engaging and entertaining book takes a humorous, but detailed, look at one of the things we all take for granted every day: The Forecast.DB 82316 Rain: a natural and cultural history by Cynthia Barnett Journalist details the history of rain, from its beginnings approximately four billion years ago during Earth's infancy to its impact on life in the twenty-first century. Describes the geometry of the raindrop, technologies to control and direct rainfall, and rain's influence on the arts. 2015.DB 76324 Global weirdness: severe storms, deadly heat waves, relentless drought, rising seas, and the weather of the future by Climate Central, Inc. Nonprofit science and journalism organization compiles information regarding climate change as of the early twenty-first century. Details research and predictions for future trends, such as fewer but more powerful hurricanes. Provides solutions for limiting the impact of climate change. Commercial audiobook. 2012.DB 31760 The Old Farmer's almanac book of weather lore: the fact and fancy behind weather predictions, superstitions, old-time sayings, and traditions by Edward F. Dolan "Clear moon, frost soon." "Kill a beetle and it will rain." "Lighting never strikes twice in the same place." These statements belong to a centuries-old body of weather lore that ranges from pure superstition to reasonable accuracy. Dolen investigates fact or fallacy behind weather phenomena.DB 72280 The weather of the future: heat waves, extreme storms, and other scenes from a climate-changed planet by Heidi Cullen Climatologist discusses the art and science of long-term climate forecasting. Examines forty-year forecasts for seven locations that are physically vulnerable to climate change. Predicts that unless we actively work to reduce carbon emissions, weather conditions around the world will become unbearable. 2010.DB 73506 Into the storm: violent tornadoes, killer hurricanes, and death-defying adventures in extreme weather by Reed Timmer Meteorology doctoral candidate and star of Discovery Channel's reality TV series Storm Chasers discusses his love of dangerous weather--especially tornadoes; his career as a storm chaser; and the science behind severe conditions. Describes his adventures during such hurricanes as Katrina, Floyd, Ike, and others. 2010.Find more weather-related books using the Kansas Talking Books online catalog at https://kstb.klas.com/. Some possible search terms include:storms nonfictiontornado nonfictionhurricane nonfictionweather nonfictionOr, you can contact the office for help from a readers' advisor to find more weather-related books by calling 1-800-362-0699 or emailing KTB@ks.gov. These books are all available for immediate download using BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled making almost our entire collection available to you at anytime of day with no due dates, no expiration dates, and no waiting. BARD can be accessed on various devices such as smartphone, tablet, the new DA2 digital player, Windows computer, or just using a web browser on a Mac computer. To learn more, visit our BARD Resources webpage. If you would like an account, contact the office to get an account started....

Horror in October: Haunted American Tour

Welcome back to our 5th year of the annual Horror in October blog series, where we bring you selections of horrific, spooky, or terrifying reads perfect for this time of year.We're kicking this year off with a haunted tour of America. Stories abound from all across the country about spectral figures, spooky noises, and mysterious happenings from hauntings in those areas. This is not something unusual as ghost stories, tales of spirits returned from the dead, have existed since ancient times in many cultures around the world. Visit haunted places in America with the following list of books about different states and cities in the U.S. We'll start with Kansas. Thank you to our own Kansas Talking Books (KTB) Director, Michael Lang, who narrated this book as a volunteer before he started working for KTB.DBC05123 Haunted Kansas: ghost stories and other eerie tales by Lisa Hefner Heitz Collects oral histories, eye-witness accounts, and local legends about ghosts, poltergeists, spook lights, and other restless spirits. Some violence and some strong language.DBC24338 Haunted Missouri: a ghostly guide to the Show-Me State's most spirited spots by Jason Offutt A serious but witty look at Missouri's place in the ghostly realm, this book brings together history, folklore, and just enough mystery to intrigue the sceptics and delight the believers. Adult. Some strong language.DBC18962 Haunted Oklahoma: ghosts and strange phenomena of the Sooner State by Jeff Provine Oklahoma's Ghostly Legends are as varied as its history and culture. The state boasts hauntings by ancient Native Americans, Spanish miners, soldiers, outlaws, ranchers, performers, students, repairmen, and many more. Oklahoma's stately mansions, theaters, and old hotels still have previous residents dwelling in a spectral form. One phenomenon that may be surprising is Oklahoma's uncanny number of headless ghosts. Haunted Oklahoma explores King Tutt's Tomb on the Arkansas, Mr. Apple's Mausoleum, and the Spooksville Triangle, to name just a few. Eerie occurrences, spooky events, unsolved mysteries, and terrifying specters make for a scary journey through Oklahoma's Haunted past. Adult. Some violence. Unrated.DBC17908 Haunted Texas: famous phantoms, sinister sites, and lingering legends by Scott Allen Williams Texas history buffs and travelers have an eerie need for this book, which offers an unusual twist to seeing the sights in the Lone Star state. Organized by region--Gulf Coast, Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, Central Texas, North Texas, and West Texas--this book is the complete guide for both hardcore ghost hunters and more earthly tourists seeking to add some spirited fun to their travels.DBC13065 Ghost stories of the Rocky Mountains by Barbara Smith This collection of paranormal tales from the Rocky Mountain states of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico recounts more than three dozen stories, including a ghost seen cleaning up the site of the 1903 Frank Slide; Idaho's phantom white stallion that rescues people lost in the high country; a ghostly bookworm in Colorado who haunts a used bookstore; and more. 2003.DBC25817 The haunted heart of Denver by Kevin Pharris The Gates of Hell are rumored to lie below a hotel near Denver's capitol building, and there are tales of restless spirits of those buried in Cheesman Park. Above the subterranean darkness, the city streets are haunted by the murderous poltergeist of the Capitol Hill Thug. Even the stately mansions of Millionaires' Row hide their own secrets, a sad Victorian lady begs for help before vanishing in the Sheedy Mansion, and an eerie face appears on the facade of the Cresswell House. Join tour guide and reluctant ghost hunter Kevin Pharris as he takes a chilling journey through The Haunted Heart of Denver. Some violence. Adult.DBC10267 Haunted highways: the ghost towns of new Mexico by Ralph Looney No description.DBC13353 Haunted Nevada by Janice Oberding Nevada maybe one of the most haunted states in the United States, according to this book. Some of the Silver State's most bizarre and creepy stories of paranormal activity include Las Vegas's Flamingo Hotel, the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City, the haunted Goldfield Hotel, the Mizpah hotel in Tonopah, and apparitions of Marilyn Monroe at Cal Neva Resort in Lake Tahoe. 2001. Adult. Some violence.DBC19021 Haunted Everett, Washington by Deborah Coyle Everett, Washington has its share of hauntings. Ships, the YMCA, a theater, and the cemetery are all said to have resident ghosts. Adult. Unrated.DBC27324 Ghostly tales of Wisconsin by Ryan Jacobson A place so haunted it was featured on national television, the spirits of long-dead gangsters and serial killers, and perhaps the most famous werewolf story in US history--Wisconsin has long been regarded as one of the most haunted states in America. This collection of ghost stories presents the creepiest, most surprising of them all. Horror fans and history buffs will delight in these 28 chilling tales about haunted locations. They're based on reportedly true accounts, proving that Wisconsin is the setting for some of the most compelling ghostly tales ever told. The short stories are ideal for quick reading, and they're sure to captivate anyone who enjoys a good scare. Share them with friends around a campfire, or try them alone-if you dare! -- Back cover. Adult. Violence.DBC13575 Haunted tales from the region: ghosts of Indiana's south shore by Dorothy Salvo Davis South Shore lights blaze through the night, warding off restless spirits that slink among shadows. Join paranormal researcher and author Dorothy Salvo Davis as she reveals the legends and ghouls that haunt this generally peaceful area. Cut the lights at your own peril, because the ghouls of the South Shore won't soon find solace.DBC08179 Haunted islands in the Gulf of Maine by Marcus A. LiBrizzi 18 scary stories of Maine coastal hauntings. Unrated.DBC04401 Haunted New England: classic tales of the strange and supernatural by Martin Harry Greenberg A collection of tales of the supernatural, some based on ancient legends, set in New England. The outstanding ghost/horror fiction authors represented here include Sarah Orne Jewett, John W. Vandercook, H.P. Lovecraft, Conrad Aiken, and Edith Wharton.DBC12527 Haunted Ocean City and Berlin by Mindie Byrgoyne A chilling journey through the haunted history and lore of Ocean City and Berlin, Maryland. A ghostly sea captain, an ill-fated lover and jazz musicians who go on playing long after their last songs --- these are just some of the spirits who make their presence known from Ocean City's Boardwalk to the picturesque town square of Berlin. The phantom scent of a woman's perfume floats from Trimper's carousel while the Ocean City Life-Saving Station is haunted by the ghost of a drowned sailor. In Berlin, some guests never check out of the Atlantic Hotel, and strange happenings have been reported at the Rackliffe House, where legend has it that a cruel plantation owner was murdered by his slaves.DBC17629 Haunted houses and family ghosts of Kentucky by William Lynwood Montell Folklorist discusses Kentucky's rich legacy of ghost stories and spectral visitations.Thank you to our KTB staff, other talking book network libraries, and all of the volunteers that helped record and produce these books and for making them available on BARD. Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD), a download service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, allows patrons access to almost all its collection, including other locally produced books and many horror books. BARD is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for you to access with no due dates, no expiration dates, and no holds so there is no waiting on a book because someone else is reading it. If you would like to learn more, visit https://library.ks.gov/talking-books/bard or call 1-800-362-0699 or email KTB@ks.gov. These titles are also available to be added to a cartridge and mailed to you. Just contact our office if you would like to order any of these books by calling 1-800-362-0699 or emailing KTB@ks.gov....

Prepping for the Award Ceremony

The William Allen White (WAW) Children's Book Award is being presented to the winning authors on October 4, 2025, at Emporia State University. This award is given to books and their authors that are voted for by children across the state of Kansas. There are two age groups for titles and voting: grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The award was established in 1952 by Ruth Garver Gagliardo who had worked with William Allen White at the Emporia Gazette where they became friends. She named it in his honor. For more information about the award, visit the William Allen White Children's Book Award website. 2025 WinnersGrades 3-5: DB 110420 Odder by Katherine Applegate "Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she's known. She's a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself--and about the humans who hope to save her." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7.Grades 6-8: DB 109640 The fort by Gordon Korman"Five middle schoolers find a fully stocked bomb shelter constructed decades ago in the local woods by an eccentric tycoon and lost until a hurricane exposes the entrance. So, how to keep the hideout secret from interfering grown-ups--and, more particularly, from scary teen psychopath, Jaeger Devlin." -- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For grades 6-9.Kansas Talking Books (KTB) records and produces audiobooks for the talking books program, focusing on Kansas interest materials: books about Kansas, books by Kansas authors, and children's and young adult books, in particular books that were nominated for or were awarded the William Allen White Children's Book Award. The following titles are just some of the WAW Children's Book Award nominees and winners provided in preparation for the award ceremony in October. You can find more titles by browsing the list of the titles in our online catalog. Grades 3-5DB 103410 Stella by McCall Hoyle As a puppy, Stella was trained to use her powerful beagle nose to sniff out dangerous chemicals. But after a terrible accident, she goes to live on a small family farm to recover from her fear of loud noises. For grades 3-6. 2021.DB 100929 The Silver Arrow by Lev Grossman (Also available in braille: BR 23707.) Kate's humdrum life is transformed when her eccentric Uncle Herbert brings her a colossal locomotive train, the Silver Arrow, as her eleventh birthday gift, leading her and her younger brother on a mysterious quest. Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2020.DB 113090 Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd "When twelve-year-old Olive, who suffers from brittle bone disease and has been homeschooled all her life, finally attends school in person she soon discovers fitting in is not that easy, but if she can find the magical wish-granting hummingbird that supposedly lives nearby, and prove herself worthy, maybe her deepest wish will be granted." -- Provided by publisher. -- Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7.Grades 6-8DB 94721 The remarkable journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart Twelve-year-old Coyote and her father rush to Poplin Springs, Washington, in their old school bus to save a memory box that is buried in a park that will soon be demolished. Commercial audiobook. For grades 3-6. 2019.DB 104863 Ground zero: a novel of 9/11 by Alan Gratz Brandon is visiting his dad on the 107th floor of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, when the attack comes; Reshmina is a girl in Afghanistan who has grown up in the aftermath of that attack but dreams of peace. Both are changed by the events of 9/11. Commercial audiobook. For grades 4-7. 2021.DB 105729 The last cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera (Also available in braille: BR 23967.) Petra Peña's world is ending, and only the chosen few will journey to a new planet. Hundreds of years later, Petra wakes to discover that she alone remembers Earth. A sinister Collective has taken over the ship during its journey, bent on erasing the sins of humanity's past. Commercial audiobook. For grades 5-8. 2021.If you don't want to wait on the mail, these books (and others from our online catalog) can be found on BARD, Braille and Audio Reading Download, a service provided by the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled that makes these books available at all times to all patrons. Find more information on BARD at the KTB BARD Resources webpage or contact Kansas Talking Books at 1-800-362-0699 or KTB@ks.gov....

September 2025 Staff Picks

September is the time for the Kansas Talking Books staff to reread old favorites and try something new. Find out what the staff has been reading this month.Michael Lang, DirectorDB 104524 Once there were wolves by Charlotte McConaghy Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland with her twin sister, Aggie, to lead a team of biologists reintroducing fourteen gray wolves into the remote Highlands. She hopes to heal not only the dying landscape, but also Aggie, who is traumatized by the secrets that drove them out of Alaska. Violence and strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2021.Maggie Witte, Outreach LibrarianDB 100535 The big door prize by M. O. Walsh The residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, are intrigued when the mysterious DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, some violence. Commercial audiobook. 2020.DB 128356 Custodians of wonder: ancient customs, profound traditions, and the last people keeping them alive by Eliot Stein "A vivid look at the ten key people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions. Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our rarest cultural rites. In Custodians of Wonder: Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive, Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. And in India, he discovers a family rumored to make a mysterious metal mirror believed to reveal your truest self. From shadowing Scandinavia's last night watchman to meeting a 27th-generation West African griot to seeking out Cuba's last official cigar factory "readers" more than a century after they spearheaded the fight for Cuban independence, Stein uncovers an almost lost world. Climbing through Peru's southern highlands, he encounters the last Inca bridge master who rebuilds a grass-woven bridge from the fabled Inca Road System. He befriends a British beekeeper who maintains a touching custom of "telling the bees" important news of the day and crunches through a German forest to find the official mailman of the only tree in the world with its own address--to which countless people all over the world have written in hopes of finding love. These are just some of the last people on Earth still in touch with quickly vanishing rites. Let Eliot Stein introduce you to all of them."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook.DB 72629 A discovery of witches: All Souls trilogy, book 1 by Deborah Harkness After scholar and witch Diana Bishop requests an alchemical manuscript from the depths of Oxford's Bodleian Library, she finds the magical power within the leather cover disturbing and hastily sends it back. But the book's reemergence causes a chain reaction through the paranormal community. Descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2011.DB 75214 Shadow of night: All Souls trilogy, book 2 by Deborah Harkness Diana and Matthew, from A Discovery of Witches (DB 72629), find themselves in Elizabethan England. Court intrigues demand their attention as they search for the enchanted Ashmole manuscript and Diana struggles to understand her powers. Descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2012.DB 79442 The book of life: All Souls trilogy, book 3 by Deborah Harkness After the events of Shadow of Night (DB 75214), Diana and Matthew return to modern-day Sept-Tours. The Congregation hunts them to demand answers regarding Diana's change in powers. They race against time to find the final pages of the Book of Life. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. Bestseller. 2014.Nataly Renfro, Machine ClerkDB 125873 Blood of the Earth: Soulwood, book 1 by Faith Hunter "When Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she was almost alone in the world, exiled by both choice and fear from the cult she was raised in, defending herself with the magic she drew from her deep connection to the forest that surrounds her. Now, Jane has referred Nell to PsyLED, a Homeland Security agency policing paranormals, and agent Rick LaFleur has shown up at Nell's doorstep. His appearance forces her out of her isolated life into an investigation that leads to the vampire Blood Master of Nashville. Nell has a team, and a mission. But to find the Master's kidnapped vassal, Nell and the PsyLED team will be forced to go deep into the heart of the very cult Nell fears, infiltrating the cult and a humans-only terrorist group before time runs out."-- From publisher. -- Some violence and some strong language.DB 125696 Curse on the land: Soulwood, book 2 by Faith Hunter "Set in the same world as Faith Hunter's New York Times bestselling Jane Yellowrock novels, the second Soulwood novel tells the story of a woman whose power comes from deep within the earth... Before Nell Ingram met skinwalker Jane Yellowrock, she had no one to rely on, finding strength only in her arcane connection to the dark woods around her. But now she has friends in the newly formed PsyLED team to keep her grounded--even if being part of the agency responsible for policing paranormals comes with dangers of its own... After training at the PsyLED academy, Nell returns home to her woods to find the land feeling sick and restless. And that sickness is spreading. With the help of her team, under the leadership of agent Rick LaFleur, Nell tries to determine the cause. But nothing can prepare them for the evil that awaits: an entity that feeds on death itself. And it wants more..."-- From publisher. -- Violence and some strong language.DB 125697 Flame in the dark: Soulwood, book 3 by Faith Hunter "Nell Ingram has always known she was different. Since she was a child, she's been able to feel and channel ancient powers from deep within the earth. When she met Jane Yellowrock, her entire life changed, and she was recruited into PsyLED--the Homeland Security division that polices paranormals. But now her newly formed unit is about to take on its toughest case yet. A powerful senator barely survives an assassination attempt that leaves many others dead--and the house he was visiting burns to the ground. Invisible to security cameras, the assassin literally disappears, and Nell's team is called in. As they track a killer they know is more--or less--than human, they unravel a web of dark intrigue and malevolent motives that tests them to their limits and beyond."-- Provided by publisher. -- Violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.DB 125698 Circle of the moon: Soulwood, book 4 by Faith Hunter "Nell can draw magic from the land around her, and lately she's been using it to help the Psy-Law Enforcement Division, which solves paranormal crimes. PsyLED head agent Rick LaFleur shifts into a panther when the moon calls him, but this time, something has gone wrong. He calls Nell from a riverbank--he's naked, with no memory of how he came to be there, beside a black cat killed by black magic. Then more animals turn up dead--a blood-witch is out to kill. But when it seems as if their leader is involved in the crime, the bonds that hold the team together could shatter at any moment."-- From publisher. -- Violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.DB 125699 Spells for the dead: Soulwood, book 5 by Faith Hunter "Nell Ingram is a rookie PsyLed agent, using the powers she can channel from deep within the earth to solve paranormal crimes. Together with her team, she's taken on the darkest magic and the direst foes. But she'll need to tap into every ounce of power she has for her newest case. Nell is called to the Tennessee mansion of a country music star and finds a disturbing scene--dead bodies rapidly decaying before everyone's eyes. The witch on her team, T. Laine, knows this can only be one thing: death magic, a rare type of craft used to steal life forces. PsyLed needs to find this lethal killer fast. But when a paranormal-hating FBI agent tries to derail the investigation, they find themselves under attack from all sides."-- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.DB 125700 Rift in the soul: Soulwood, book 6 by Faith Hunter "Nell Ingram draws her powers from deep in the earth, and uses them to help Psy-LED, the Psychometric Law Enforcement Division, which solves paranormal crimes. When a local vampire calls to report a dead body on her compound, Nell knows she and her team have to be ready for anything. But the dead body is just the beginning of a mystery that involves supernaturals of all kinds, including some of the most powerful vampires in the country. As Nell gets closer to the truth, she begins to understand that the perpetrator is tracking her too and that there is something personal about this crime. Something with roots that go almost as deep as those in Soulwood."-- Provided by publisher. -- Some violence, some strong language and some descriptions of sex.Dylan Calhoon, Patron Services ManagerDB 35894 Along came a spider: Alex Cross, book 1 by James Patterson At 5 a.m. Deputy Chief Alex Cross, detective and psychologist, is investigating a brutal triple murder in southeast Washington. Later that day, Washington Day School teacher Gary Soneji kidnaps two students. Secret Service agent Jezzie Flanagan is called in to work with Cross. They realize the killer of more than 200 people may be a psychopath with a split personality. Strong language, violence, and descriptions of sex. Bestseller.DB 81077 Deathworld by Harry Harrison On the planet Pyrrus all the beasts, plants, and other natural elements were designed for one specific purpose--to destroy humans. The settlers there were supermen, twice as strong as regular men. It's up to Jason dinAlt, interplanetary gambler, to discover why Pyrrus had become so hostile. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 1983.Troy Arndt, Circulation ClerkDB 61197 A man without a country by Kurt Vonnegut Eighty-two-year-old writer comments on life, art, politics, America's soul, war, music, and the destruction of the planet, among other topics. Reminisces about personal experiences. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2005.Sarah Bruemmer, Library AssistantDB 130031 Immaculate conception by Ling Ling Huang "Mathilde is a dizzyingly talented yet tortured artist whose star is on the rise-and Enka, struggling to make art that feels original, is immediately drawn to her. The two strike up a close friendship that soon turns codependent. But when Mathilde's fame reaches new heights, Enka becomes desperate to keep her best friend close-no matter the cost. Enka quickly falls in love with and marries a billionaire whose family's company is funding a cutting-edge technology purported to enhance empathy, and which could allow someone else to inhabit Mathilde's mind and absorb the trauma from her brain. Soon, the boundaries between Mathilde and Enka begin to blur even further, setting in motion a haunting series of events that forever change their lives."-- Provided by publisher. -- Unrated. Commercial audiobook....

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