Month: May 2020

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This book is one of several Search and Find titles by the authors.  These books are packed with information and also have the added fun of looking for specific animals in each of the spreads.  There is an answer section at the back of the book if needed and also a glossary.

The book is divided into a number of sections.  Among these are African Safari, Wild Australia, Tropical Asia, Snow Forest, Life on the Farm and many more.  This nicely illustrated title taught me about animals from pygmy hippos to fossas and many more.

I highly recommend this book for elementary school aged children.  They will learn a lot and have fun looking for the objects in the book.  Besides, it is good to have fun activities that are not screen based.

Many thanks to the publisher, Callisto, for this title in exchange for an honest review

This is on listening to some mysteries.

I read and reviewed this book which I found it to be very interesting.

This is a very sweet book.  With colorful and emotive illustrations it rhymingly follows a kitten over the course of its day.  There is lots of fun and a setback.  The message is that your parent will be there to pick you up.  This is an engaging book with word play that young children should very much enjoy hearing.

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

Pub Date 09 Jun 2020

This is a beautiful, sad but wonderful book. I think that it would be best to read it aloud or together with a child.  This title honestly and movingly conveys what it means to lose a cherished family member.  The story is about the loss of a young boy’s grandfather.  It is clear that this grandfather will be deeply missed and the boy is given plenty of opportunity to reminisce and hear stories about his family.  In addition, the book explains why a child could not visit a relative with Covid and allows for different beliefs about what happens when someone dies.  The boy is assured that his grandfather will be honored and remembered. The boy, himself,  is reassured that he will live for many years.

Of course it is deeply sad to need a book like this.  I think though that it will be a welcome resource for families who don’t know what to say or how to explain death to young children.

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

Each year when a new novel by Erica James is published, I cannot wait to read it.  Ms. James develops wonderful characters and places them in settings where I enjoy spending time.  I knew even before reading the description that I wanted to read Letters From the Past.  Until the book arrived, I did not know that it is a sequel to her earlier novel, Coming Home to Island House (see review below).  If you decide to read both novels you will be kept busy as I think that in total you will have 800 pages or more…but if you want escape, go for it.

Letters From the Past features many of the characters from Coming Home to Island House about twenty years after the events of the earlier novel.  Readers will learn more of their backstories including their experiences during WWII and in the 60s.  The younger generation also takes a more prominent role in this book.  For all characters relationships are explored both romantically and as family and friends.

Around the immersive stories of the characters, there is trouble in the village.  Someone is sending poison pen letters.  Who?  Why?  How will they change lives and engender mistrust?

I liked just about everything about this novel and was sad to come to the end.  My only criticism is that Arthur, the villain, is portrayed in a way that feels too one dimensional to me.

Come to Island House indeed.  Then find out what the Letters From the Past are.  If you enjoy women’s fiction, I suggest making these titles a priority.

For American readers, I think these titles are available through Abebooks.com or a UK store.

My review of Coming Home to Island House

Erica James has written many novels. In each, the reader becomes absorbed with the characters, settings and actions of the people who come to life. In Coming Home to Island House, the time is 1939 and the outbreak of WWII. Independent and a writer, Romily has finally become invested in a relationship. Older than Romily, Jack Devereux, respects her and does not want her to change. No real spoiler, because this happens early in the novel, but Jack dies leaving Romily to live in the beautiful Island House. Also coming to Island House are Jack’s children, including a niece whom he adopted. Arthur is self-centered and not very likeable, while his brother Kit seems very much his opposite. Hope has been widowed and is the guardian of her baby niece, who was smuggled out of Germany because of being part Jewish. Last, there is Allegra who began life in an Italian orphanage, only to begin living with her uncle Jack. Each of these main characters has hopes, dreams and relationships that the reader follows in the book. There are also some below stairs folk, people in the village and a young British evacuee, among others.

Ms. James moves among the characters, giving readers the chance to get to know them well. If you enjoy a family story and like to immerse yourself in a long novel, consider this one. It was published in Britain but can be ordered through sites such as abebooks.com.

So many good choices today.  My favorites of these are the Attica Locke, Mythos and the titles by Elly Griffiths and Mary Kay Andrews.  Also, there are two good choices for kids.

This is a very short but cute and effective book. Toddlers will enjoy seeing the animals playing instruments as, for example, penguin plays the piano. They can then press a button to hear the sound that the instrument makes. This simply but cheerfully illustrated book is certain to be a hit with its young audience.

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

I have read and enjoyed other books by this author so was very excited to receive this e galley.  The book fully lived up to my expectations.

As seems popular in historical novels, there is a dual timeline.  In the present day, one of the relatives of a character from the past travels to England to learn more about her grandmother.  Samantha’s grandmother was Marie who along with Hazel and Nora are the protagonists of this novel.

Each of these three women is well portrayed and given a clear story line, social class and backstory.  Marie, who was born in Germany, has lived in England for many years. Her life changes immeasurably when Britain goes to war.  Hazel, who is in an unhappy marriage, works for a marriage bureau while Nora works for the government.  Each has connections to what is happening as Britain goes to war.

Marie is fearful of internment.  (I found this fascinating as, though I have read many novels set in WWII, this topic had never arisen).  She worked for a German professor who is deemed suspect.  No spoilers but readers will enjoy learning what Hazel has been doing at the marriage bureau while Nora is aware of much war work.

What will happen to these friends?  Will their close friendship survive the vagaries and tragedies of war?  Read the book to find out.

I highly recommend this novel.  I found that I kept wanting to have the time to go back and read more and what better recommendation is there than that?

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

See my blog for a review of The Light Over London by this author.

 

 

I really like this series of chapter book biographies for young readers.  They all follow a similar format with special sections that extend the reading experience for children; these include a timeline, questions to think about and even a quiz to test retention.  In addition there are a glossary and a section on how the world has changed because of Ms. Goodall.

Jane Goodall’s story is an inspiring one.  It is well told in this book.  The illustrations are lovely, add interest and will keep readers turning the pages.

Readers will be drawn into Jane’s story right away when they learn that, at age one and a half, young Jane took earthworms to bed with her.  From this early love of living creatures, she went on in later years to champion the chimps.  Her love for them began with her stuffed animal, Jubilee, that she has to this day. However, it was Dr. Leakey who assigned Jane to studying them.

I highly recommend this title.

Many thanks to the publisher, Callisto, for this title in exchange for an honest review.  I give this title five *****.

From the publisher: