Month: October 2019

Will they soar? Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela

Bird Summons tells the story of three Muslim women who go on a vacation/pilgrimage to visit the grave of a Scottish woman who converted to Islam. Each of these friends has a full life and issues with which to cope. They form the basis of the novel.

Salma was born in Egypt. She was a physician there but is not able to practice her profession in the U.K. Instead, she is a massage therapist. Salma is married to David, who had converted to Islam before they met. Salma has only self-imposed restrictions in her life. She has recently heard from an old love who is still in Egypt. What decisions will she make?

Moni has a traditional marriage although it is a stressed one. Moni has a son with profound developmental issues who is the focus of her life. Will she move to be with her husband back in the Middle East? What would this mean to her son and her?

Imam, the youngest of these friends, has lived her life on the basis of her beauty. She thinks that she has found a relationship that will sustain her but, unfortunately, her partner does not seem willing to face the lack of acceptance of the relationship from his family. Will she come into her own?

The story centers on these characters both as individuals and in their interactions with each other. The novel is a mix of straightforward narrative and strange tales told by a symbolic bird. What do these bird summons mean to the characters? Read the book to find out.

This novel is a good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in return for my honest review.

#BirdSummons #NetGalley

Editorial Reviews

Review

Praise for Bird Summons

“Tender, but unsentimental. . . rooted in everyday experience without forsaking the spiritual, told in effortlessly enjoyable style.”―Daily Mail

“She’s so good with women’s interiority, and Muslim women’s subjectivity… She gets beyond any cliché or type of the Muslim women.”―BBC Radio

Now out: Mama Bird Lost an Egg by Evelyne Fournier, illustrated by Chloloula

The illustrations in this short book are beautiful and full of the wonder of nature. They form the background to a story that is about a mother bird who loses an egg. Clearly, this is an anthropomorphized story about miscarriage. The listener sees how the mama bird’s living child tries to cheer her up as the two go on a flight that shows the beauty of their world. When they return home, Mama Bird feels better.

This book fills a niche as there are few stories that explain miscarriage to young children. For this reason, it is a valuable resource. The book is sweet but may leave young ones feeling not only that they make their parents happy but also feeling that it is up to them to make things better. Parents should reassure children that this is not their responsibility but that family love does make things better. This book can open up a tough subject for young children and their parents.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s Go: Cities Around the World A Global Search and Find Book by Lucy Menzies

In Cities Around the World, children will search for famous landmarks as well as the small things that symbolize a city. Hot dogs in Manhattan anyone? The cities include New York, London,Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona,Rome, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Sydney and Toronto. The iconic sites are noted as for example, the River Seine and Musee D’Orsay in Paris or Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Statue of Liberty in New York. In addition, there are travelers to find and other sights to hunt for in addition to the landmarks.

The detailed illustrations are in muted tones. The details are intriguing and I especially enjoyed looking at the people. Children will enjoy searching each city and will learn about places to visit along the way. Of note, the puzzles are of medium difficulty.

Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for this fun trip in exchange for an honest review.

#CitiesAroundTheWorld #NetGalley

From the publisher:

For your inner artist: Inspired Artist: Draw Every Little Thing Learn to draw more than 100 everyday items, from food to fashion by Flora Waycott

This is an appealing book that will teach budding artists, including adults, how to draw more than 100 every day items. The author has a natural, chatty style as she describes the projects and how she became interested in each.

The book begins with general directions, a list of tools and materials, etc.  It is then divided into chapters including Around the House, Get Outside!, Everyday Life and Around Town.  There is also a final section on Crafting Projects. Each section has multiple ideas. For example, the section Around Town has two Creative Prompts:  one on Bicycles and one on Mailboxes.  There are then exercises that involve drawing a house, a cafe and a neighborhood map.  Each of the other chapters is similar in organization.  For all, there are detailed illustrated directions for drawing.

The book has a mix of color and black and white artwork.  The finished projects look lovely and, at times, whimsical.  Throughout, the book is inspiring and helpful.  Readers will see that, even if  not born an artist, you can learn to draw and enjoy creating your own works.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for htis read in exchange for an honest review.

#InspiredArtistDrawEveryLittleThing #NetGalley

The Simply Kosher Cookbook 100+ Recipes for Quick Weeknight Meals and Easy Holiday Favorites by Nina Safar

This is an excellent cookbook for both the Kosher and non-Kosher cook. Everything is laid out in a clear, concise way, including the ingredients, the steps in the recipe and the time that it will take to prepare the food. Categories include No-Cook with Strawberry Feta Salad and Strawberry Basis recipes for example; 30 Minutes including Pumpkin Pie Pancakes and Barbecue Pastrami-Wrapped Asparagus as well as Perfectly Creamy Mac and Cheese, among others. There are also chapters on 5 Ingredient Meals such as Sausage Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Lazy Meatballs, among with others and then sections on One Pot Meals and Slow Cooker & Pressure Cooker meals, again with each chapter including many recipes. Further, there are chapters on Bakery items, Staples, Holiday Menus and more. There are over 100 recipes in all. Beginning cooks will feel success with the recipes and experienced cooks will also enjoy their ease. The book is nicely illustrated throughout. I feel inspired to get in the kitchen!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheSimplyKosherCookbook #NetGalley

From the publisher:

kosher cookbooks, kosher cookbooks, kosher cookbooks, kosher cookbooks, kosher cookbooksClassic Hummus

Pareve, Easy Prep, Grain-Free, Vegan

Hummus is super simple to make from scratch, and the homemade version always tastes better than any store-bought container. You can easily create your own flavor variations, too. I love this creamy, rich hummus slathered on crunchy toasted bread, or as a dip with sliced carrot or roasted cauliflower—but my favorite way to eat it is on a fresh pita, one big bite at a time.

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini, garlic cloves, lemon juice, water, olive oil, sea salt, and ground cumin; process until smooth.

2. Add the chickpeas and purée until they are completely broken down and the hummus reaches your desired consistency.

3. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with the za’atar and sesame seeds.

Variation Tip

You can easily create flavored hummus by adding ingredients to the hummus base—try chopped roasted beets, roasted red peppers, extra garlic cloves, or hot sauce. For spinach-artichoke hummus, add ¼ cup baby spinach leaves and ¼ cup jarred marinated artichokes. Additionally, you can top hummus with savory toppings such as spiced ground beef, thinly sliced grilled chicken, or even Shakshuka.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • Juice of 1 lemon and 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (plus additional for serving)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  • 1 teaspoon za’atar spice blend, for serving
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, for serving

Fall in love: Baby by Phillipa Rice

I love this book!  If you are pregnant or know someone who is, this would make a great gift, for yourself of them.  This is a comic/graphic novel that shows a heterosexual couple falling in love, establishing a life together, experiencing a pregnancy and becoming parents with all of the ups and downs that this entails.  The illustrations are sooo adorable and emotive.  This is a sweet yet honest look at an important stage in life.  Highly recommended!  I give it five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and AndrewsMcMeel publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

#Baby #NetGalley

Now out: Seeking Slow Reclaim Moments of Calm in Your Day by Melanie Barnes

Ironically, I started to read this book when I had ten minutes free before rushing off to do something. I came back again later and began to make the time to read this book and think about its messages and suggestions.

We all know that life is hectic, that many only feel okay while being productive and that it is hard to slow down. This book will help readers to think about what is important about slow living, as it helps you to understand why slow living is important. It is well worth your time to find out.

The book is divided into many chapters and is illustrated throughout with beautiful photographs. Readers can read straight through or look first at what makes most sense for them. There are sections on everything from creating rituals to explanations of what mindfulness and meditation are, to learning to listen to your body, pay and more. Hopefully, readers will take away the intended message and will begin to slowly enjoy life more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this helpful read. All opinions are my own.

 

Working together: The Perfect Project A Book about Autism by Tracy Packiam Alloway

It’s’ time for a science fair. Charlie, who has autism, is on a team with several other students. They choose to do their project on trains, a topic that Charlie knows well. How will their team fare ?

The story illustrates some of the ways in which autism is seen by others. For example, Charlie is literal, he can’t cope with loud noise, he knows a lot (!) about trains. These parts of the story do not receive undue attention but are presented in a matter of fact way. Charlie’s classmates do not tease him or give him a hard time. I am not sure that this is the experience of other children with autism but it definitely could be something to talk about.

This book is part of a series about children who have special education needs. The book includes suggestions for discussion, notes for parents and teachers and a section of tips for coping with autism,

This book was informative and it could be used to help children understand the needs of others. It might also be appealing to a child with autism as it normalizes the school experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.

#ThePerfectProject #NetGalley