In these essays, dancers and scholars from around the world carefully consider the transformation of an improvised folk form from North Africa and the Middle East into a popular global dance practice. They explore the differences between the solo improvisational forms of North Africa and the Middle East, often referred to as raqs sharki, which are part of family celebrations, and the numerous globalized versions of this dance form, belly dance, derived from the movement vocabulary of North Africa and the Middle East but with a variety of performance styles distinct from its site of origin. Local versions of belly dance have grown and changed along with the role that dance plays in the community. The global evolution of belly dance is an inspiring example of the interplay of imagination, the internet and the social forces of local communities. All royalties are being donated to Women for Women International, an organization dedicated to supporting women survivors of war through economic, health, and social education programs. The contributors are proud to provide continuing sponsorship to such a worthwhile and necessary cause.

Hidden among her belongings are clues that Lori feels certain Miss Beacham wished to be discovered after her death. Watch out for Nancy Atherton's latest, Aunt Dimity and the King's Ransom, coming in July 2018 from Viking! Feeling a touch world-weary, Lori Shepherd decides to become a volunteer at the Radcliffe Infirmary, where she meets Elizabeth Beacham, a kind, retired legal secretary. But after only one visit, Miss Beacham passes away, leaving behind no family except a brother who has mysteriously disappeared. Armed with the generous help of a handsome neighbor and, as always, Aunt Dimity's supernatural skills, Lori begins to unearth Miss Beacham's secrets--including the surprising truth about her next of kin. Full of delightfully surprising twists and turns, Aunt Dimity and the Next of Kin is another page-turning installment in the mystery series that has won the hearts of cozy mystery fans everywhere.

Lulu and her cousin Rocky are visiting the city of Milwaukee. There are so many fun things to see and do, like canoeing, visiting a lighthouse, riding surrey-bikes, going to a fish fry, and even gearing up and burning rubber at the Harley-Davidson Museum! Written by Barbara Joosse and illustrated by Renée Graef, this first book in the Our City Adventures series explores the city of Milwaukee, visiting well-known sites and attractions as well as unexpected gems.

Katherine Taggert—nicknamed "Rusty" for her curly red hair—shines like a ray of sunshine at her aunt and uncle's orphanage. Unaccustomed to traveling alone in the pioneer West, Rusty is accompanied on her first orphanage placement trip by the kind but reserved widower Chase McCandles. When Chase offers Rusty a position in his stately home as a companion for his young son, Quintin, Rusty accepts. But when she realized how little time Chase spends with Quintin, Rusty's heart is torn. How can she convince Chase that his son desperately needs a father? And can Chase learn to trust God to help him demonstrate his love and affection for Quintin—and for Rusty? A heartwarming story of love, trust, and family.

An irresistible introduction to everyone's favorite bestselling cozy mystery series. Watch out for Nancy Atherton's latest, Aunt Dimity and the King's Ransom, coming in July 2018 from Viking! Over the course of her New York Times bestselling series, Nancy Atherton's Aunt Dimity has become enormously popular. Now, with the first two mysteries in one volume, Introducing Aunt Dimity, Paranormal Detective makes it easy to get a taste of the ghostly sleuth's delightful debut. In Aunt Dimity's Death, Aunt Dimity's American niece, Lori Shepherd, had long thought her mother's childhood tales of Aunt Dimity were merely comforting bedtime stories. But when a pair of lawyers informs her that her mysterious aunt has just died and made the down-on-her-luck Lori a rich woman, she finds a reason to believe. Aunt Dimity and the Duke finds the benevolent spirit helping Emma Porter--forty, fat, and frumpy--tame a Duke's overgrown garden and discover romance along the way. These two tales continue to enchant Atherton's devoted fans and, packaged together, are sure to attract even more new readers to the series.

Told in their separate voices, sixteen-year-old Prince Oliver, who wants to break free of his fairy-tale existence, and fifteen-year-old Delilah, a loner obsessed with Prince Oliver and the book in which he exists, work together to seek his freedom.

The New York Times bestselling author of the Tradd Street novels delivers a tale that spans two generations of sisters and secrets, set in the stunning South Carolina Lowcountry. Eleanor Murray will always remember her childhood on Edisto Island, where her late father, a local shrimper, shared her passion for music. Now her memories of him are all that tempers the guilt she feels over the accident that put her sister in a wheelchair—and the feelings she harbors for her sister’s husband. To help support her sister, Eleanor works at a Charleston investment firm during the day, but she escapes into her music, playing piano at a neighborhood bar. Until the night her enigmatic boss walks in and offers her a part-time job caring for his elderly aunt, Helena, back on Edisto. For Eleanor, it’s a chance to revisit the place where she was her happiest—and to share her love of music with grieving Helena, whose sister recently died under mysterious circumstances. An island lush with sweetgrass and salt marshes, Edisto has been a peaceful refuge for Helena, who escaped with her sister from war-torn Hungary in 1944. The sisters were well-known on the island, where they volunteered in their church and community. But now Eleanor will finally learn the truth about their past: secrets that will help heal her relationship with her own sister—and set Eleanor free....

For fans of A Man Called Ove and the novels of Adriana Trigiani: a charming, delightfully sexy, and bighearted novel starring Auntie Poldi, Sicily's newest amateur sleuth

Imagine having a team of belly dance mentors willing to coach you through your belly dance journey. You might want their help and advice on selecting music, venues, costume or props. Perhaps you would like to hear about the pit-falls and problems of dancing at each different type of events, or the correct etiquette for classes and workshops. Maybe you would like their thoughts on your costuming, or some tips on putting together a web site, or managing your social networking. All of this and more is covered in Becoming a Belly Dancer, from stage fright to retirement, ATS to Zar. Becoming a Belly Dancer is a stagecraft handbook that provides valuable information, learned-in-the-trenches tips, and guidance for belly dancers who are ready to take the step from student to performer, or from performer to professional. Sara Shrapnell, author of "Teaching Belly Dance" and Dawn Devine, author of "Cloth of Egypt" and 13 other belly dance and costuming books, including the bestselling "Embellished Bras" and the now classic "Costuming from the Hip", have collaborated to produce "Becoming a Belly Dancer". Between them, they have more than 50 years of combined experience as performers, teachers, dancers and costume designers. Alisha Westerfeld explored the established and upcoming talent of the Bay Area to bring her beautiful photography to every page of this project. International belly dance celebrity and costume designer Poppy Maya adds her own special brand of "Additional Awesomeness" to the book, and the input of a young dancer, currently making her living through belly dance. The authors hope to bring the warmth, support, and humor of a teacher in absence, a true friend and a trusted advisor who has only one main goal: you. They want to focus on helping you be the best prepared physically and mentally for the challenges of performing for friends, family, the dance community, and the greater society, both in person at public venues, and via media available on the internet. The book covers improving your dance skills, good practice habits, preparing physically and emotionally, critiquing, picking your music and venues and dancer etiquette. In addition, the book includes extensive sections on costume design and selection, sewing and no sewing costumes, accessorizing, hair and makeup and presenting to the world the very best belly dancer that you can be."Becoming a Belly Dancer: From Student to Stage" is a useful and inspiring tool that will help belly dancers to be ready for the big day, so they can dazzle, impress and wow with talent and style.