Claire Cook, author of the popular "Must Love Dogs" series of delightful novels, once again displays her trademark humor and superb plot and character development in her latest entry in the equally entertaining "Wildwater Walking Club" series, "Step by Step." For the uninitiated, we should explain that the Club is comprised of three women who … Continue reading Wildwater Walking: Step By Step For Sure
Month: September 2020
Balthazar The Great
"Where Bone?", a kids' picture book written and illustrated by Kitty Moss, is a hilarious account of a hilarious dog named Balthazar, who has lost his beloved bone. Balthazar is my emotional doppelganger and my personal guru; his plight and his behavior speak to me because I, too, go a bit (or very very) crazy … Continue reading Balthazar The Great
Those amazing and unpredictable unicorns: five magical picture books
Consider the eternal and eternally wonderful unicorn -- the favorite animal of thousands of children and quite a few adults I personally know. And best of all, because those lovely creatures are purely imaginary, they can be almost anything we want them to be -- any shape, any size, any color (any pigment of … Continue reading Those amazing and unpredictable unicorns: five magical picture books
‘The Invisible Alphabet’ by Joshua David Stein and Ron Barrett is a clever and thought-provoking picture book
With "The Invisible Alphabet," author and illustrator Joshua David Stein and Ron Barrett have created a really unusual and thoughtful picture book that is perfect for engaging children's creativity and thinking-outside-the box skills. Even the cover, with the word "invisible" barely seen because it's white-on-white but in shiny print gives a clue to the brilliant … Continue reading ‘The Invisible Alphabet’ by Joshua David Stein and Ron Barrett is a clever and thought-provoking picture book
‘Anxious People’ by Fredrik Backman is a brilliant mystery and an insightful view of the human condition
"Anxious People" by Fredrik Backman is about us. It's about every person who has ever doubted themselves, worried about not being able to do something, fretted about making a mistake, or looked at others with either awe or disdain. It's a book in which all readers will be able to find themselves - for better … Continue reading ‘Anxious People’ by Fredrik Backman is a brilliant mystery and an insightful view of the human condition
“Fallout” — the Horror and the Cover-up
"Fallout," Lesley M.M. Blume's non-fiction description of John Hersey and his essay, "Hiroshima," is an all-too-vivid and, I'm quite sure, all-too-accurate account of how "Hiroshima" was created; of the dangers Hersey courageously faced because he dared to write and then publish the essay; of the roadblocks Hersey and his editors and publisher encountered because of … Continue reading “Fallout” — the Horror and the Cover-up
‘Until I Find You’ by Rea Frey is a dark novel of love and loss and a mother’s determination to save her baby
"Until I Find You" by Rea Frey is a story filled with darkness and loss. There's a lot of loss going on from main character Rebecca Gray's point of view. In fact, one of the losses is her sight. She has a degenerative disease and can only see shadows, and she knows her sight will … Continue reading ‘Until I Find You’ by Rea Frey is a dark novel of love and loss and a mother’s determination to save her baby
Three wonderful nonfiction picture books about dogs and cats and shelter animals
With COVID-19, many families have adopted needy shelter pets. But there are still many, many animals in shelters across the country who are in need of a loving home. These three picture books will not only share why it's rewarding to rescue a pet but also share how to train your new dog or cat, … Continue reading Three wonderful nonfiction picture books about dogs and cats and shelter animals
‘Death Rattle’ by Alex Gilly is a mystery that dives into detention centers, murder, and corruption
In "Death Rattle," Alex Gilly takes us to Southern California. It's not Hollywood and stars, though. It's undocumented immigrants and a suspicious murder at a detention center that causes Nick Finn and his wife Mona, a human-rights lawyer, to investigate. When Mona gets threats, she knows she's on the right track. People around the investigation … Continue reading ‘Death Rattle’ by Alex Gilly is a mystery that dives into detention centers, murder, and corruption