British Red Phone Booth Library

Love it! Residents of the British village of Westbury-sub-Mendip are on record with the smallest, functioning library in the UK. This converted British Telecom red phone booth is now a library - complete with children's books! Actually, this library stocks about 100 books. According to Daily Mail, the library is open 24 hours and is lit. Additionally, the phone company, "BT has received 770 applications for communities to 'adopt a kiosk' and so far 350 old boxes have been handed to parish councils." Enjoy!

Willesden Bookshop - London

London is one of my favorite cities! Next time I'm in town, I'm going to visit Willesden Bookshop at Willesden Green Library Centre, 95 High Road, London NW10 4QU, Tel: 020-8421-7000. This book store positions itself as specializing in multicultural children's books. One can find dozens of Cinderella stories, Anansi stories, and even quilt stories. I'm very bias as this store does stock, Martha Ann's Quilt for Queen Victoria! Enjoy!

UGLY by Constance Briscoe

A few weeks ago I was in Hong Kong. There was a mall connected to the hotel. I stopped in the mall's bookstore and was surprised to see Barack Obama's book as well as The Other Mozart: The Life of the Chevalier Saint-George by Hugh Brewster.

Are you familiar with Constance Briscoe? According to her website, she "was called to the bar in 1983 and practices as a barrister. In 1996 Constance became a part time judge - one of the first black women to sit as a judge in the UK." In the book section of a Sdyney, Australia department store, I saw "UGLY" an autobiography by Judge Briscoe. Here's what I read on the back cover:

"I handed my school photograph to my mother. She stared from the photograph to me. 'Lord, sweet Lord how come she so ugly. Ugly. Ugly' These cruel words are just the beginning. Constance's mother systematically abused her daughter, both physically and emotionally, throughout her childhood. Regularly beaten and starved, the child was so desperate she took herself off to Social Services and tried to get taken into care. When Constance was thirteen, her mother simply moved out, leaving her daughter to fend for herself: there was no gas, no electricity and no food....."

I bought the book. Have a look on Amazon UK - there's over 80 comments about it! And, a sequel coming out next year. This book is near the top of my reading stack. Have you heard of UGLY?