Rating: 5 stars 'Chomp' by Carl Hiaasen is another tale of life in the swamps of Southern Florida, where the alligators and cottonmouth snakes roam. As usual, the range of characters is astounding. There is Wahoo, the protagonist and the son of an "animal wrangler" whose thumb was chewed off by Alice, the alligator (it … Continue reading ‘Chomp’ by Carl Hiaasen brings another Florida masterpiece to life
Month: July 2015
Dog, Inc. by John Woestendiek
Rating: 4 1/2 stars Dog, Inc. (The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend) by John Woestendiek tells the story of cloning from before it was called cloning. He covers the people, the scientists, the countries and the history in a smooth narrative style that is easy to read and understand. Although John truly … Continue reading Dog, Inc. by John Woestendiek
Animals That Changed The World is full of interesting facts for all ages
Rating: 5 stars Animals that Changed The World, by Keltie Thomas, is a study in contrasts. Among the twenty or so animals featured in the nonfiction book are those that have helped mankind and those that (to this date) pose a threat to us (some microbes). From the book: Did you know that goats may … Continue reading Animals That Changed The World is full of interesting facts for all ages
Interview with Spencer Quinn author of the ‘Chet and Bernie’ series
Rating: 5 stars Spencer Quinn, aka Peter Abrahams, is the author of the popular (and New York Times bestselling) "Chet and Bernie" series about a private detective dog-and-human team. Told from Chet's point of view (the dog), the narrative tends to get cleverly interrupted by such things as wonderful aromas, fire hydrants, other dogs, and, … Continue reading Interview with Spencer Quinn author of the ‘Chet and Bernie’ series
Review of ‘The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think’
Rating: 5 stars Dog lovers, rejoice. Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, in their book "The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think," explains that dogs are really just as smart as we (dog lovers) think they are. And what makes them so smart? Their association with us. The book gives a brief history … Continue reading Review of ‘The Genius of Dogs: How Dogs Are Smarter Than You Think’
‘Big Girl Panties’ by Stephanie Evanovich
Rating: 4 stars In "Big Girl Panties," Stephanie Evanovich will endear herself to the millions of women who are not happy with their bodies (and studies show that's 75% of women -- lots of future readers). This story raises an interesting question: Can a man who is a perfect specimen -- handsome, wealthy and confident … Continue reading ‘Big Girl Panties’ by Stephanie Evanovich
Dog On It and Thereby Hangs a Tail are two clever, suspenseful and just fun books to read
Rating: 5 stars "Dog On It," the first book in the series by Spencer Quinn, introduces Bernie, a somewhat down-on-his luck private investigator, whose assistant is the able canine Chet. Chet, who flunked K-9 school (for reasons he alludes to in the book), narrates the tale. A teenager has disappeared, and Bernie suspects the father … Continue reading Dog On It and Thereby Hangs a Tail are two clever, suspenseful and just fun books to read
‘Powerless’ by Matthew Cody is a great middle grade action adventure
Rating: 5 stars "Powerless" by Matthew Cody is an easy book to overlook. Superheroes -- been done before, especially for middle grade readers. But to overlook this little gem would be a mistake. Cody really takes what is not a novel idea and makes it his own. Perhaps what makes the story so compelling to … Continue reading ‘Powerless’ by Matthew Cody is a great middle grade action adventure
‘R is for Rocket: An ABC Book’ by Tad Hills
Rating: 4 stars "R is for Rocket" is an alphabet book by Tad Hills featuring his familiar characters like Rocket the dog, Bella the squirrel and more. It will make for enjoyable reading for everyone from parents to teachers to kids. The illustrations are bright and colorful and the characters, while simply drawn, have emotions … Continue reading ‘R is for Rocket: An ABC Book’ by Tad Hills
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson is a tense YA thriller
Rating: 5 stars (Please note: This is a reprint -- important because this series is still ongoing!) "The Name of the Star" by Maureen Johnson is about a high school girl from Louisiana going to school in London because her parents, college professors, go there to teach for a year. The publisher's information says that Rory, … Continue reading The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson is a tense YA thriller
‘Because of Shoe and Other Dog Stories’: Dog lovers of all ages will enjoy it
Rating: 5 stars "Because of Shoe and Other Dog Stories" edited by Ann M. Martin is a compilation of stories that are all, obviously, about dogs. The forward, appropriately, is by Martin's dog, Sadie. Sadie states, "Between the covers of this book you'll read about funny dogs, adventurous dogs, brave dogs, smart dogs, and dogs … Continue reading ‘Because of Shoe and Other Dog Stories’: Dog lovers of all ages will enjoy it