Michelle Waitzman

Light Paperback (1 lb or less)

New York

Exploring various types of incredible animal phenomena and accompanied by anecdotal stories. All of the phenomena are backed up by scientific research on the subject with fascinating facts from trials and experiments. Also features heart-warming stories, legends and customs and taking a look at how different countries view animal stories.

Psychic Animals

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Cynthia Lord

Touch Blue and your wish will come true.
"Why take chances?" says eleven-year-old Tess Brooks. "Especially when it's so easy to let the universe know what you want by touching blue or turning around three times or crossing your fingers."
But Tess is coming to know that it's not always that simple.
The state of Maine plans to shut down her island's schoolhouse, which would force Tess's family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess's wish come true or will her luck run out?
Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord offers a warm-hearted, humorous, and thoughtful look at what it means to belong--and how lucky we feel when we do. Touch Blue, sure as certain, will touch your heart.
Honors for Touch 
2011 Lupine Award, Maine Library Association.
2011 Maine Literary Award, Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance.
2010 Best Books For Children, Christian Science Monitor.
Best Children's Books of 2010, Book Page.
Best Children's Books of the Year (2011), Bank Street College (starred for outstanding merit)Editor's Pick, Adoptive Families magazine.

Nominated 
Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award
Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (Vermont)
Rhode Island Children's Book Award Rhode Island Teen Book Award
Indian Paintbrush Award (Wyoming)
North Carolina Children's Book Award
The Charlotte Award (New York)
Louisiana Young Readers Choice Award
Horn Toad Tales, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Texas

Light Hardcover (1 lb or less)

Arkansas

An exquisite second novel from the Newbery Honor author of RULES! TOUCH BLUE, sure as certain, will touch your heart.

The state of Maine plans to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, which would force Tess’s family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess’s wish come true or will her luck run out?

Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord offers a warm-hearted, humorous, and thoughtful look at what it means to belong--and how lucky we feel when we do. Touch Blue, sure as certain, will touch your heart.


Touch Blue

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Alabama

When his school decides to phase out history from the curriculum, a history teacher abandons his formal lessons to tell his students stories about his native Fen country of East Anglia and its inhabitants

Waterland

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Nevada

A story set during the Spanish Inquisition follows the experiences of silk-grower's daughter, Francisca, whose obsessive love affair with a priest results in a witchcraft charge, and Princess Maria Luisa, who is attacked when she fails to conceive. 35,000 first printing. Tour.

Poison

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Edwin Radford

Mona A. Radford

Hardcover (1 to 2 lbs)

Florida

Containing more that two thousand supersitions of Britain ranging over the past six hundred years, and extending down to the present day,this book demonstrates that superstitions are world-wide and inherent in all peoples of the world in exactly identical forms of fear and avoidance.

The Encyclopedia of Superstitions

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Michael Shermer

Stephen Jay Gould

Rhode Island

Pseudoscience, superstition, and other confusions of our time

"This sparkling book romps over the range of science and anti-science." --Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Germs, and Steel

Revised and Expanded Edition.

In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, "Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things," Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science.

Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.

Why People Beleive Weird Things

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Yangsze Choo

The Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"A sumptuous garden maze of a novel that immerses readers in a complex, vanished world." --Kirkus (starred review)

An utterly transporting novel set in 1930s colonial Malaysia, perfect for fans of Isabel Allende and Min Jin Lee

Quick-witted, ambitious Ji Lin is stuck as an apprentice dressmaker, moonlighting as a dancehall girl to help pay off her mother's Mahjong debts. But when one of her dance partners accidentally leaves behind a gruesome souvenir, Ji Lin may finally get the adventure she has been longing for.

Eleven-year-old houseboy Ren is also on a mission, racing to fulfill his former master's dying wish: that Ren find the man's finger, lost years ago in an accident, and bury it with his body. Ren has 49 days to do so, or his master's soul will wander the earth forever.

As the days tick relentlessly by, a series of unexplained deaths racks the district, along with whispers of men who turn into tigers. Ji Lin and Ren's increasingly dangerous paths crisscross through lush plantations, hospital storage rooms, and ghostly dreamscapes.

Yangsze Choo's The Night Tiger pulls us into a world of servants and masters, age-old superstition and modern idealism, sibling rivalry and forbidden love. But anchoring this dazzling, propulsive novel is the intimate coming-of-age of a child and a young woman, each searching for their place in a society that would rather they stay invisible.

"A work of incredible beauty... Astoundingly captivating and striking... A transcendent story of courage and connection." --Booklist (starred review)

The Night Tiger

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Massachusetts

A Maggot

Robert L. Park

South Carolina

Belief in the Age of Science

The bestselling author of "Voodoo Science" argues that superstition has become pervasive in contemporary culture. He examines recent controversies--from supernatural beliefs to faith-based medical claims--and concludes that science is the only way to understand the world.

Superstition

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#hardcover #suspense #thriller #fiction #jamesrollins #science #superstition 

Georgia

A Sigma Force Novel

In The Eye of God, a Sigma Force novel, New York Times bestselling author James Rollins delivers an apocalyptic vision of a future predicted by the distant past.

 

In the wilds of Mongolia, a research satellite has crashed, triggering an explosive search for its valuable cargo: a code-black physics project connected to the study of dark energy--and a shocking image of the eastern seaboard of the United States in utter ruin.

 

At the Vatican, a package arrives containing two strange artifacts: a skull scrawled with ancient Aramaic and a tome bound in human skin. DNA evidence reveals that both came from the same body: the long dead Mongol king Genghis Khan.

 

Commander Gray Pierce and Sigma Force set out to discover a truth tied to the fall of the Roman Empire, to a mystery going back to the birth of Christianity, and to a weapon hidden for centuries that holds the fate of humanity.

The Eye of God

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Nathaniel Lachenmeyer

Texas

The Story of the World's Most Popular Superstition

13 brings together forgotten history and unknown facts about unlucky 13 to create the compelling story of the rise of a single belief. It is also a book about superstition in general — why people believe what they believe and why they stop believing when they do. 13 draws on history and the range of contemporary superstitions; in so doing, it touches on the fate of mythmaking in general. 13 answers the following questions, among others: When did the 13 superstition begin, and why? Why is Spain divided over whether Tuesday the 13th or Friday the 13th is the traditional unlucky 13th day? What other number superstitions exist in other cultures? Which is the only major hotel in New York City that has a 13th floor? What are the top three conspiracy theories about unlucky 13? What is the Thirteen Club, and why did it count three U.S. presidents among its members?

The Story of the World’s Most Popular Superstition 

Chloe Rhodes

Like new, excellent condition. Smoke free home. 

A Book of Old-Fashioned Superstitions

This collection investigates the origins of our most intriguing old-fashioned superstitions, many of which we still find ourselves abiding by today. Hundreds of the beliefs passed down through the generations have their foundations in our ancestors' efforts to ward off evil, which they blamed for hardship, illness and injustice in times when life was, as often as not, 'nasty, brutish and short'. Black Cats and Evil Eyes sets these superstitions in their historical and social context, explaining how fear of the Devil, demons, evil spirits and witchcraft drove people to arm themselves with rituals and talismans to repel dark forces and allow them to live long and healthy lives.In examining many of our common superstitions, this book illuminates the customs, beliefs and practices that link us to an ancient, and often darker, human past.

Black Cats and Evil Eyes

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Mary Casanova

Pennsylvania

In sixteenth-century France, ruled by a Church that overtaxes peasants and burns heretics, Marius must postpone his apprenticeship to care for his six-year-old brother, whose birth took their mother's life, and who the villagers, backed by the Church, believe will become a "loup garou"--A werewolf.

Curse of the Winter Moon

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Bruce M. Hood

Why We Believe in the Unbelievable

The majority of the world's population is religious or believes in supernatural phenomena. In the United States, nine out of every ten adults believe in God, and a recent Gallup poll found that about three out of four Americans believe in some form of telepathy, déjà vu, ghosts, or past lives. Where does such supernatural thinking come from? Are we indoctrinated by our parents, churches, and media, or do such beliefs originate somewhere else? In SuperSense, award-winning cognitive scientist Bruce M. Hood reveals the science behind our beliefs in the supernatural. Superstitions are common. Many of us cross our fingers, knock on wood, step around black cats, and avoid walking under ladders. John McEnroe refused to step on the white lines of a tennis court between points. Wade Boggs insisted on eating a chicken dinner before every Boston Red Sox game. President Barack Obama played a game of basketball the morning of his victory in the Iowa primary and continued the tradition on every subsequent election day. Supernatural thinking includes loftier beliefs as well, such as the sentimental value we place on photos of loved ones, wedding rings, and teddy bears. It also includes spiritual beliefs and the hope for an afterlife. But in this modern, scientific age, why do we hold on to these behaviors and beliefs? It turns out that belief in things beyond what is rational or natural is common to humans and appears very early in childhood. In fact, according to Hood, this "super sense" is something we're born with to develop and is essential to the way we learn to understand the world. We couldn't live without it! Our minds are designed from the very start to think there are unseen patterns, forces, and essences inhabiting the world, and it is unlikely that any effort to get rid of supernatural beliefs, or the superstitious behaviors that accompany them, will be successful. These common beliefs and sacred values are essential in binding us together as a society because they help us to see ourselves connected to each other at a deeper level.

SuperSense

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Vanitha Sankaran

Book lovers take note —- this stunning debut novel takes place in the early 1300s, when reading and writing blossomed. 

Cover is worn around the edges and the outer pages have discoloration, but the inside pages are in excellent condition.

Maryland

A Novel of the Middle Ages

"Watermark is a powerful novel about the destructive forces unleashed by ignorance and superstition.  Readers will care deeply for the courageous Auda."

--New York Times bestselling author Sharon Kay Penman

 

Watermark is a magnificent debut by Vanitha Sankaran--an atmospheric and compelling novel about the search for identity, the power of self-expression, and value of the written word, set during the dark days of the Inquisition in Medieval France. Readers who were captivated by The Illuminator by Brenda Rickman Vantrease or Geraldine Brooks's People of the Book will be enthralled by this thrilling journey to a colorful and dangerous past.

Watermark

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Kiran Millwood Hargrave

Minnesota

A Novel

"If some prose sings, Kiran Millwood Hargrave's truly dances. Although set in the early sixteenth century, The Dance Tree addresses issues of the utmost importance today--the subjection of women, class inequality, the dangers of religious fundamentalism. Ultimately, however, the book's wisdom, compassion, and beauty transcend historical boundaries: this is a timeless novel."--Hernan Diaz, author of In the Distance and Trust "An intriguing, haunting novel pulsing with raw, beautiful emotion. Kiran Millwood-Hargrave effortlessly intertwines the stories of women tenderly and sympathetically, creating a novel in which female courage and resilience shines brightly against a brilliantly evoked backdrop of claustrophobic horror."--Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne In this gripping historical novel, the internationally bestselling author of The Mercies weaves a spellbinding tale of fear, transformation, courage, and love in sixteenth-century France. Strasbourg, 1518. In the midst of a blisteringly hot summer, a lone woman begins to dance in the city square. She dances for days without pause or rest, and when hundreds of other women join her, the men running the city declare a state of emergency and hire musicians to play the Devil out of the mob. Outside the city, pregnant Lisbet lives with her husband and mother-in-law, tending the bees that are the family's livelihood. Though Lisbet is removed from the frenzy of the dancing plague afflicting the city's women, her own quiet life is upended by the arrival of her sister-in-law. Nethe has been away for seven years, serving a penance in the mountains for a crime no one will name. It is a secret Lisbet is determined to uncover. As the city buckles under the beat of a thousand feet, Lisbet becomes caught in a dangerous web of deceit and clandestine passion. Like the women of Strasbourg, she too, is dancing to a dangerous tune. . . . Set in an era of superstition, hysteria, and extraordinary change, and inspired by true events, The Dance Tree is an impassioned story of family secrets, forbidden love, and women pushed to the edge.

The Dance Tree

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Paperback (1 to 2 lbs)

New Jersey

The Origin of Our Curious Customs and Superstitions

How Did It Begin?

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Ruth Gilligan

Michigan

Every year, Úna prepares for her father to leave her. He will wave goodbye early one morning, then disappear with seven other men to traverse the Irish countryside. Together, these men form The Butchers, a group that roams from farm to farm, enacting ancient methods of cattle slaughter. The Butchers' Blessing moves between the events of 19996 and the present, offering a simmering glimpse into the modern tensions that surround these eight fabled men. For Úna, being a Butcher's daughter means a life of tangled ambition and incredible loneliness. For her mother Grá, it's a life of faith and longing, of performing a promise that she may or may not be able to keep. For non-believer Fionn, The Butchers represent a dated and complicated reality, though for his son Davey, they represent an entirely new world--and potentially new love. For photographer Ronan, The Butchers are ideal subjects: representatives of an older, more folkloric Ireland whose survival is now being tested. As he moves through the countryside, Ronan captures this world image by image--a lake, a cottage, and his most striking photo: a single butcher, hung upside-down in a pose of unspeakable violence.

The Butchers' Blessing

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Stuart A. Vyse

The Psychology of Superstition

An intriguing discussion--with a little watered-down theory thrown in--which explores the personality traits that make individuals receptive to superstition, as well as the ways superstitious beliefs can determine actions. No mind-numbing conclusions are drawn-- apparently actors, athletes, gamblers, miners, sailers, and college exam takers are most superstitious (who knew?). The most valuable aspect of the work is its accessible, non-judgemental argument/plea for rational thinking and a critical reassessment of the paranormal. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Believing in Magic

084245e1-f63d-4a95-aa78-41ad0d9b0063-0

Heavy Paperback (2 to 4 lbs)

Indiana

Superstition is a Dangerous Thing

The Prophecy of Bees

#superstition #folklore #truth #knowledge #culture #legend #story #academics 

South Dakota

The Saga of Our Heroes and Heroines, Our Braggers, Boosters and Bad Men, Our Beliefs and Superstitions

American Folklore and Legend

Louisiana

Karen Robards

A story on a grisly series of fifteen-year-old unsolved crimes and a television show featuring a renowned psychic draw beautiful reporter Nicole Sullivan and police chief Joe Franconi into a perilous search for a murderer when the killer returns, intent on claiming three more lives, including that of Nicole.

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Some pages have annotations. ￼#thriller #Suspense #Superstition #halloween  #PuertoRicoLegend #Legend #scary ##puertorico
##Myth#Murder #MurderMystery #Fear


California

Ann Dávila Cardinal's Five Midnights is a “wickedly thrilling” (William Alexander) and “flat-out unputdownable” (Paul Tremblay) young adult novel based on the el Cuco myth set against the backdrop of modern day Puerto Rico. 2019 Digital Book World Award Winner for best Suspense/Horror Book Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución. If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there—murderer, or monster? “A frightening, fast-paced thriller.” —Julianna Baggott, Alex Award-winning author of Pure

Browse by categories

Save this search

Michelle Waitzman

Psychic Animals

Cynthia Lord

Touch Blue

Graham Swift

Waterland

Kathryn Harrison

Poison

Edwin Radford; Mona A. Radford

The Encyclopedia of Superstitions

Michael Shermer; Stephen Jay Gould

Why People Beleive Weird Things

Yangsze Choo

The Night Tiger

John Fowles

A Maggot

Robert L. Park

Superstition

James Rollins

The Eye of God

Nathaniel Lachenmeyer

The Story of the World’s Most Popular Superstition

Chloe Rhodes

Black Cats and Evil Eyes

Mary Casanova

Curse of the Winter Moon

Bruce M. Hood

SuperSense

Vanitha Sankaran

Watermark

Kiran Millwood Hargrave

The Dance Tree

R. Brasch; L. Brasch

How Did It Begin?

Ruth Gilligan

The Butchers' Blessing

Stuart A. Vyse

Believing in Magic

RS Pateman

The Prophecy of Bees

Reader's' Digest

American Folklore and Legend

Chloe Rhodes

Black Cats and Evil Eyes

Karen Robards

Superstition

Ann Dávila Cardinal

Five Midnights