Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

An entry in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series of historical mysteries…

Understanding culture and a Reese Witherspoon book club pick and…

Women’s fiction/romance by the author of many books in this field.

Hope you enjoy!

Another in the STEAM series, this one focuses on “M,” math.  Simple concepts are taught in this book which has charming and appealing illustrations throughout.

What a way to start the day:

“Three, two, one,

it’s time for fun,

a maths picnic awaits…

your first clue is waiting on the gates.

From

Miss Add-It-Up”

Just like that an adventure begins…

Concepts explored in this story include addition and subtraction, shapes and names and multiplication and division. Children can solve the problems along the way and will quickly gain confidence as budding mathematicians.  They will also see that Math has many practical applications in daily life, as for example, figuring out how many sandwiches a person gets to eat!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for another good entry in a good series.

If Miss Add-It-Up divides her pie into 10 slices, how many slices will each person receive? If Miss Add-It-Up shares 15 sandwiches equally, how many will everyone have?

Can you name these four shapes?

Your turn: Can you find examples of these shapes in your home? What other shapes can you find and name?

In this picture book, Charlie the caterpillar, imagines all of the jobs that he could do.  Does he want to be a doctor?  a rock star? a rent collector? the one who mixes the cement?  The possibilities are endless and cross a wide variety of skill and education levels.

What I liked in this book:  The sense of possibility.  The brightly colored illustrations and print pages that are colorful as well.

What could have used improvement:  The story is told in rhyme but the verses feel a bit awkward and “clunky” to me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-book which encourages young children to dream big.  The opinions are my own.

This STEAM series entry is for the “A” in STEAM, art. The book will appeal to four to seven year olds.

Max and Suzy have baked cookies and would like to sell them but, alas, they have no customers. With the help of their art teacher, the two learn that they have to make their stall more visible and appealing. They discover that art will help them to do this.
Max and Suzy decorate with fine results. Along the way, they learn about primary colors and how to make secondary colors. They also find out that art doesn’t have to be neat to be something to enjoy and take pride in.
There is an added learning section in the back of the book. It also includes some suggested websites.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for another book in an excellent series. The opinions are mine.

#SteamStoriesTheCookieStallArt #NetGalley

From Publishers Weekly an “absolutely terrific thriller, so pulse-pounding, so ingenious in its plotting, and so frighteningly realistic that you simply cannot stop reading.” Eye of the Needle won the 1979 Edgar Award and was adapted into a 1981 movie of the same name starring Donald Sutherland.

I read this novel when it first came out many years ago and literally could NOT put it down.  If you have not read it, I highly recommend this one for those of you who like WWII spy stories.  It was riveting.

I wanted to read this novel from the moment that I heard about it.  It turns out that it was a very good, but not absolutely amazing, read.

The Gown in question is the one that Queen (then Princess) Elizabeth wore for her wedding.  However, the Royals are not the ones that this story is about; rather, the novel is a fictional account of two women who embroidered this most important dress and the granddaughter of one of them.  The book moves back and forth between the 1940s and the present day.

An important setting in the book is the studio of Norman Hartnell whose atelier designed and made Princess Elizabeth’s wedding dress.  Mr. Hartnell comes across as a nice man who hired nice people.  He and Miss Duley, who manages the embroiderers, were real people.  The author did her research and was fortunate enough to meet one of the seamstresses from the time. This gives the studio scenes a welcome authenticity.

The three protagonists are Ann, Miriam and Heather.  Ann has been impacted by the war and its post-war austerity.  No spoilers so I won’t say what happens to her.  She is a good friend to Miriam, a Jewish woman, who emigrated to London after suffering many losses during the war.  Heather is Ann’s granddaughter.  The book is told in alternating narratives of the three.

At the end of the book there is a section on sources, a reader’s guide and an interview with Betty, the seamstress whom the author interviewed.

If you enjoy historical novels, I recommend this.  I cared about the characters and found the setting to be quite interesting.  If you have watched The Crown, this novel gives background from the time of the first series.

I would give this one three plus stars, just shy of four.  Let me know what you think if you read it.

This is another entry in the series of children’s books that is published in conjunction with the American Psychological Association. Each title gently teaches young children how to manage their world.

In this picture book, Blue is upset when Red and Yellow fly off without him. In his upset, Blue starts a rumor that is spread by birds of many colors. (A side benefit of the book is that children can show off their ability to identify the colors.) Eventually all is resolved. Blue apologizes for his lie while Red and Yellow acknowledge that they should have invited Red to come along. The birds of every color are together in harmony.

At the conclusion of the story, there is a section for caregivers on how to help children to deal with similar situations. This adds extra value to the book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book that belongs on nursery and day care bookshelves.

#ThreeLittleBirds #NetGalley

This is an appealing and funny way to help young children learn the importance of good manners. In this humorously illustrated story, Dot and Duck have a visit. The two are going to have tea together but Duck is never satisfied and behaves quite poorly. Dot’s refrain throughout is “How rude!” Things get worse and worse, the mess gets messier, the phrase how rude is printed larger and larger… and so it goes. Finally Dot has her own moment. By the end of the book all comes together and both Dot and Duck have shown their better selves. The story resolves in a way that will entertain young children.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this likeable read. The opinions expressed are my own.

#HowRude #NetGalley

I am featuring mysteries here.  What a way to start the year.  So, so many books.  Some are priced as low as $1.20 and there are multiple books in some series, for example Janet Evanovich, Ellis Peters, Phil Rickman and Dorothy Sayers.  There is also a book by Ausma Khan.  I just blogged on her soon to be published novel which was excellent.

and other dorothy sayers

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley. The opinions are my own.

This book will provide a lot of entertainment for elementary school aged children while simultaneously teaching them about their world. Divided by geographical region, young students can examine the atlas and learn about cultural highlights as well as the flora and fauna of each area. What makes this book special is that three viewing lenses are provided. Each lens is to be used in order to highlight the hidden objects in the maps. Of course my copy of the book is virtual so I had no lenses but I really wished that I did!

I think that kids will enjoy this easy and entertaining way to experience and learn more about their world.

****Four stars

#Illuminatlas #NetGalley