Month: October 2022

‘Mr. Perfect on Paper’ by Jean Meltzer is an insightful novel that explores Jewish life and matchmaking

/ Pamela Kramer

In her second novel, Jean Meltzer continues writing about something she’s rather an expert on: Jewish life. “Mr. Perfect on Paper” is a charming tale of finding love where you least expect it, and while it’s a romance, it’s also a glimpse into the lives of people who are struggling, but keep their struggles private. Her delightful main character, Dara Rabinowitz, is ridden with self-doubt, suffers from GAD, general anxiety disorder, and is very candid about it. Because of her disorder, Dara prefers to live life close to her bubbe, Miriam, spending time with her and otherwise working from home while running her extremely successful and lucrative business, a Jewish dating app called J-Mate. Her mother died, and Dara is also close to her sometimes-pushy sister.

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A Calamigos Ranch cottage – an incredibly expensive disappointment

/ Pamela Kramer

Usually I review books or write about animals and shelters. But I just had an experience that left me feeling taken advantage of and I want to share that so others might be warned. So this is about Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, California. We stayed there for one unforgettable night. Unforgettable because of how incredibly overpriced—and disappointing—our room was. Details below.

Let me say from the start that the rooms at the Calamigos Ranch are waaay out of my price range. Normally, I would never consider spending over $1400 for a one-night hotel stay. Ever.

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‘Odder’ by Katherine Applegate is a poignant and thoughtful story filled with joy

/ Pamela Kramer
Odder by Katherine Applegate

In her newest novel, “Odder,” we see why children’s writer Katherine Applegate is a Newbery medalist and New York Times bestselling author—it’s because her writing touches readers’ hearts, fills us with emotion, and often shows us a new way of observing the world around us. In “Odder,” we meet a sea otter whose antics fill us with happiness as she dances and twirls and dives joyfully in her ocean environment. At the same time, we glimpse the danger that otters face, and the greater danger that imperiled them in the past—humans. Now, aside from terrible storms, their greatest foes are hungry sharks.

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‘The Girl from Guernica’ by Karen Robards is a stunning and powerful historical fiction

/ Pamela Kramer / 1 Comment
The Girl from Guernica by Karen Robards

Guernica is the small Basque town in Spain that was made famous by Pablo Picasso in his huge painting of the devastation that town endured during the Spanish Civil War. The Germans destroyed the town and slaughtered men, women, children, and animals at the behest of the rebel forces led by the military. At the start of “The Girl from Guernica,” author Karen Robards takes us to this small town the night before the horror that is a central part of the novel, to see the violence and wanton cruelty through the eyes of the main character, Sibi.

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National Geographic Kids has some engaging and informative 2022 books kids will love

/ Pamela Kramer

National Geographic Kids creates the kind of nonfiction books that kids of all ages (and adults, too) love to read. They are filled with facts, photographs, maps, charts, and lists, in addition to the nonfiction text features that elementary school students learn about — like table of contents, indexes, glossaries, and pages with more information. In short, they are the perfect vehicle for teaching about nonfiction reading because kids love the content. And as every teacher knows, when the content is engaging and interesting to the reader, kids are able to read higher level material. As an aside, when my six-year-old grandson saw these books, his eyes lit up. “I’m taking these home,” he declared. Music to my ears. From dinosaurs to animals and space, these sturdy, beautifully edited books will have you covered.

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