Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

Reading Sloane Crosley’s essays titled "I Was Told There’d Be Cake" disrupted my family on more than one evening. After continually disturbing my husband by laughing out loud and for long periods of time, he asked me to read in my office. When I finished the book, he picked it up and now I’ve requested that he read it elsewhere as his guffaws are disturbing my peace and quiet.

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

Tom Bailey’s novel "Cotton Song" is set in Hushpuckashaw County, Mississippi. It’s a raw and visceral view of the relationships between blacks and whites in the south during World War II. Readers are invited into the story just after Letitia Johnson, a black nanny, is lynched, tarred and burned for drowning Dorothy, the infant daughter of her employer, Sissy. The accused had raised Sissy from birth.

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

It’s the 1970s in small town Riggold, Georgia. There’s not much in Riggold, a thousand plus citizens, one traffic light, one Dollar General Store, one losing football team, one diner, one Baptist church, and one Dairy Queen, thankfully.

Reviewed by Rachael Dimond

"No One Heard Her Scream" is the debut book by new author Jordan Dane. A young girl named Danielle Montgomery was abducted and presumed dead after the police were unable to find her body. Now five months later, her older sister, Detective Rebecca Montgomery is dealing with the aftermath and emotions of coming to terms with Danielle’s murder.

Reviewed by Andrea Sisco

Sadie Jones debut novel “The Outcast” haunts me still, days after finishing it. The novel delivers a story of love, loss, and redemption as a result of a series of situations that couldn’t be helped and were no one’s fault really–but irrevocably changed lives.

Reviewed by Wendy Hines

New York Times bestselling author Carla Neggers does it again with another non-stop action, romantic suspense. Bestselling author of “Abandon” and “Cut and Run,” she hits a homerun with her new edge-of-your-seat whodunnit.

How do you elicit poetry from a grade school child? Poet and author Susan Marie Swanson has written poetry with children for many years through COMPAS Writers and Artists in Schools statewide arts education program, and uses lots of creative and fun techniques to bring out the poet in every child.

What books do you like to read? In celebration of February as "I Love to Read" Month, tell Kids ‘N’ Stuff about your "best reads" list and you could win a gift certificate. Send your name, age, address, your favorite books and authors (and why you like them) to: kidsnstuff@swpub.com or to Kids ‘N’ Stuff, P.O. Box 8, 327 Marschall Rd., Shakopee, MN 55379.

Retired Star Tribune columnist Al Sicherman will discuss his new book, "Uncle Al's Geezer Salad" at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at the Waconia Library, 217 S. Vine St. Information at 952-442-4714.

The Hopkins Center for the Arts is one of several suburban locations for the Loft Literary Center. Three winter/spring 2008 classes are currently open for registration: Discovering the Writing World, Inspirational Writing and Publishing Today and Creating Colorful Characters.