Cora, a slave on a plantation in Georgia, seeks her freedom on a demimythical version of the underground railroad. The railroad is portrayed quite literally, and -Cora's journey encapsulates the struggle for emancipation and civil rights and against Jim Crow and segregation, all of which is symbolized by the societies of the various states in which her train stops. As she travels, Cora's identity evolves from outcast to object to secret sin to prisoner and, finally, to a member of a community. She is pursued by slave catcher Ridgeway as one by one her allies and friends are taken from her in violence and blood. Whitehead's characters bridge the symbolism the story demands and the realism of complicated people. Narrator Bahni Turpin is able to differentiate among the many characters and lends a flowing cadence to the dark and savage tale. A powerful story both of a woman and of a people. CPL's Lunch and a Book Group gave this title 4 stars out of 5. This kit contains 10 copies of the title.

First published on December 19th, 1843, A Christmas Carol was an instant classic upon its publication as Londoners thronged to hear Dickens read it in person and bought out the first printing in days. Its reception was so ecstatic it was credited with helping to re-interest the Victorians in Christmas traditions. The classic tale tells the story of hard hearted money lender Scrooge, who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve, encouraging him to change his ways and embrace Christmas before it is too late. CPL's Lunch and a Book Group gave this title 4 stars out of 5. This kit contains 10 copies of the title.

When it came to her elderly mother and father, Roz practiced denial, avoidance, and distraction. But after her elderly mother's encounter with a ladder, the tools that had served Roz well through her parents' seventies, eighties, and into their early nineties could no longer be deployed. The themes here are universal: adult children accepting a parental role; aging and unstable parents leaving a family home for an institution; dealing with uncomfortable physical intimacies; managing logistics; and hiring strangers to provide the most personal care.