104. The Villa of Reduced Circumstances by Alexander McCall Smith

In the first story, On Being Light Blue von Igelfeld's birthday wish leads him to a four month stint at Cambridge University where he is nonplussed by the eccentric English academics and their constant infighting. In the second story, The Villa of Reduced Circumstances, von Igelfeld unwittingly becomes embroiled in a military coup in Colombia after being invited there to receive an academic award.

103. The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs by Alexander McCall Smith

Professor von Igelfeld visits Rome to conduct research in the Vatican Library with startling consequences. He later accepts and invitation to give lectures to cruise ship passengers  and finds that his popularity with the passengers, who are mostly divorced and widowed German ladies, overwhelming.

102. Portuguese Irregular Verbs by Alexander McCall Smith

In this first book of the series, we are introduced to Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld and his colleagues at the Institute of Romance Philology in Regensburg, Germany. McCall Smith's quirky characters are memorable and engaging. This satire of academics and the ivory towers they inhabit had me laughing aloud on the subway.

101: The One Minute Teacher by Spencer & Constance Johnson

Using goal setting, self praise and self correction called "recovery", the method outlined in this book teaches self-awareness and motivation. Our students who are "helicopter parented" lack risk-analysis and confidence and this approach can help students with both issues. The framework is simple and doable and I have already set my first goal.

100. The Iguana's Tale by Philip Sherlock

This delightful collection of "Crick Crack" stories from the Caribbean, is beautifully illustrated by Gioia Fiammenghi. Facing drought and starvation in their land, a group of animals make the trek to a lush part of the jungle. Each night they take turns sharing "just-so" stories.

99. The Jumblies by Edward Lear

Probably the best known poem from this collection is "The Owl and the Pussycat." The others seem rather dated, not surprising as they were first published in the 1870s. I wondered if there were deeper meanings, or socio-political messages behind them, but after doing some web research, I think they are simply meant to entertain.

98. Summer at Fairacre by Miss Read

Miss Read, village school teacher, copes with her matchmaking friend Amy, school cleaner Mrs Pringle walking off the job, a film company doing a documentary about a local poet and many other challenges. Who knew living in a small village could be so hectic and stressful?

97: Fishes of Toronto: A guide to their remarkable world

Contributing Authors: Rod Anderton, Pat Viggiani, Erling Holm, Mike Correa, Wil Wegman, Meg St. John, Chris Robinson, Colin Lake, Kelly Snow, Charles Weiss. A very informative, well illustrated and layed-out booklet that is part of the City of Toronto Biodiversity Series. I received a copy, signed by wildlife painter Charles Weiss at the opening of an art exhibit hosted by SONSI (Southern Ontario Nature and Science Illustrators). I would like to read others in the series and acquire them for classroom use.

96.About My Father's Business by Lillian Beckwith

In a second autobiographical book, Lillian Beckwith remembers her father's grocery shop in a Cheshire village in the 1920s. Amusing anecdotes about childhood friends, shop customers and her parents make it a gentle & enjoyable read.

95. The Other British Isles by David W. Moore

A History of Shetland, Orkney, the Hebrides, Isle of Man, Anglesey, Scilly, Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands. With chapters about each of the islands or archipelagos, this book spans early Neolithic settlement; Roman, Norse and Norman occupation; Medieval, Tudor and Stuart eras; to modern political and economic history. This book is well researched and documented, however I found it a difficult to get through sections that I was not particularly interested in.

94. The Old Wives' Tale by Arnold Bennett

This novel is divided into four "books":1 Mrs Baines - relates the childhood and adolescence of sisters Constance and Sophia Baines; 2 Constance - the elder sister  marries the respectable Mr Povey and takes over the family business; 3 Sophia - the younger sister elopes to Paris with a rakish salesman and becomes a hotel proprietor; and 4 What Life Is - the denouement in which the sisters reunite and the story lines are brought to conclusion.

93. Little Women by Louise May Alcott

First published in 1868, Little Women has since been considered a "must read" for girls. The four March sisters are very different in personality and aspirations. Each one learns life's lessons and adjusts her dreams to align with the reality she experiences. Many readers will empathize with the character they feel akin too.

92. Norse Mythology: The Myths and Legends of the Nordic Gods by Arthur Cotterell

Laid out like an encyclopedia, this book gives detailed information about the major gods, goddesses and places of Norse Mythology. The illustrations, which add greatly to the reader's understanding,  come from a variety of sources and periods.

91. The Art Room by Susan Vande Griek & Pascal Milelli

A poetic tale of children who take art lessons from Emily Carr. Richly illustrated - a visual and literary treat.

90.Tales from the Norse Legends by Edward Ferrie

Read by Benjamin Soames. From the Creation of the Universe to Ragnarok - the preordained doom of the Gods - this volume's 12 stories are wonderfully read and accompanied by the music of Mahler, Grieg and Smetana. A great listening experience.

89. Sugar: A Bittersweet History by Elizabeth Abbott

A well researched and well written history of sugar that explains how the taste for sweets literally changed the world. From slavery in the West Indies to indentured labour in Mauritiaus to deforestation and environmental degradation in Brazil and Florida sugar plantations have left their scars.

88. Lady Chatterley's Lover by D. H. Lawerence

When it was first published in 1928, this best known D. H. Lawerence novel was banned as obscene. Its explicit scenes and language and the breaking of social taboos were controversial when it was eventually published in full in 1960. Sir Clifford Chatterley returns from World War One a broken man, paralysed from the waist down. He has returned to his country seat, Wragby and a different world. Lady Constance Chatterley has an affair with their gamekeeper Oliver Mellors who has also been changed by his time abroad in the army.

87. The Bay of Strangers by Lillian Beckwith

This book is a collection of eight short stories set in the Hebrides and told from a variety of different perspectives. Some have happy endings others, not so much. The rugged Scottish Highland landscape and the resilience of its residence figure prominently.

86. Making Life Rich Without Any Money by Phil Callaway

Callaway retells stories from the lives of the famous, infamous and average folk with humour and Christian insight. In these difficult economic times this book first published in 1998, has been re-released with new stories of encouragement and hope to help people find true richness in their relationships and their lives.

85. Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones

Teenage Matilda lives in Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea during a civil war in the 1990s. New Zealander, and sole white on the island, Mr Watts assumes the role of teacher and reads Great Expectations to Matilda and her classmates. Getting lost in Dicken's London and Pip's life experiences helps the youngsters to cope with the violence and depredation going on around them.