Rebel Girls Powerful Pairs

25 Tales of Mothers and Daughters

by Rebel Girls

The Rebel Girls series offers up the life stories of women who are accomplished in many different fields. An example of an earlier title is Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World. These are books that are designed to inspire girls and to remind them that there is no limit to what they can try and do.

This latest entry in the series looks at mother daughter pairs and this may make it a great title for adult and child to look at together. Just some of the duos featured here include Beyonce and Ivy Blue; Emmeline Pankhurst and daughters Sylvia and Christabel; Sarah and Sally Kettle; and Laurie Strand and Adriana. There are hikers, biotech people, authors, scientists and more.

There are additional suggested activities included at the end of the book. These include write your story, draw your portrait and more dun together. As an additional bonus there is also information about an app where longer stories can be heard.

The book is beautifully illustrated with art and story complementing each other. There are a number of illustrators, each of whom shares their vision.

I highly recommend this latest entry in the series. It is a fun, inspiring look at some mother-daughter pairs who represent many interests, backgrounds and ethnicities.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

From the Publisher

by Katie Fforde

Katie Fforde has a genuine talent for writing “nice” books that have likeable protagonists, good story lines and pretty happy endings. This novel is no exception. And, believe me, there are times when that is just what the literary doctor has ordered, a nice escape from the rigors of all that which is overwhelming us.

This story is mostly about mom, Gilly, and her daughter Helena. They live in what sounds like a very nice part of the English countryside. Gilly, victim of a bad marriage, runs a B and B that I so wish was real. I would dash right over for Gilly’s homey atmosphere and delicious food. Daughter Helena is a weaver who specializes in large scale projects. Each is moving ahead in life and it looks as if both will find romance and love by story’s end.

In a plot that reminded me a bit of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, Gilly’s rather greedy son and daughter-in-law want her to sell her property in order to fund a new home for them. They ever so kindly (sarcasm intended) will give Gilly a granny flat and allow her to babysit for her granddaughter. Will Gilly be able to resist their blandishments?

Gilly has two potential love interests. There is Leo who is attractive but…and William, Gilly’s accountant. Who will she choose and what will it take for her to recognize what she wants? Will she listen to Helen’s opinions, especially as Helena, a super recognizer, knows something about one of these men?

Helena becomes a very good friend of Jago, a property developer with heart. Will their relationship become the real thing?

This is an easy to read book that goes perfectly with a cup of tea and a few minutes of quiet time. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on 08 Mar 2022.

150 Yoga Moves to Enjoy Together

by Alice Lageat; Béatrice Raphalen

Yoga with your child is a comprehensive introduction to a number of yoga and meditation practices. It is geared to an adult and their child buddy, one who is at least four years old; together adult and child are encouraged to learn some yoga. The authors note that it is good for a child to see an adult learning something new and for adult and child to be beginners together. I very much agree with this.

The book begins with helpful information on everything from what yoga is to breathing to meditation and more. There are then many exercises/poses to practice. Learning about OM, relaxation after yoga, mindfulness and other parts of the yoga experience are also discussed.

For each pose, there are clear instructions and illustrations. The sessions start more simply and become increasingly complex. I think that the adult may want to have read a bit so as to be ready to demonstrate for the child, even if they are to learn as a pair.

Those wanting to explore yoga will find this title to be a most helpful resource. It may lead both the adult and child to begin a new and healthy practice. An adult can, of course, also make use of this book on their own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on 29 Mar 2022.

This is the second mystery by Ms. Bartow, following on Husband in Hiding. I have not read that first in the series but may well go back to do so.

In this title, Minka Avery becomes involved in the troubled situation of her brother. Although she thought that she would be focusing on her domestic life, including a toddler and husband, Minka feels that she has to help. Minka’s investigation is unofficial but complex. What will happen to her brother and how deeply will Minka need to go to try to right things? Will she have to turn her brother in?

One interesting characteristic of Minka’s is that she is deaf. Aside from reading Inspector Morse’s “The World of Nicholas Quinn” by Colin Dexter, I have not read a mystery with a detective who is deaf. How does this impact Minka and those around her? Read this title to find out. (Hint: Minka is pretty capable!)

Many thanks to the author for a gifted copy of this title. All opinions are my own.

A Board Book

by Natalie Nelson

I loved this sweet board book about a cat who is getting to know his first baby. The illustrations and text work together perfectly. Baby and cat are both the same…and different. Will cat come to like baby? Take a look to find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This title will be published on 01 Mar 2022.

by Ruth Wielockx

This bright and sweetly illustrated book introduces kids to Luke and Lotty and their first garden. Children will visit a garden center where they will watch Luke and Lottie choose what they will grow. Kids will learn how to plant seeds and, perhaps most important, they will learn that it takes time and patience to grow a garden.

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

This title will be published on 29 Mar 2022.

AND BELOW SOME FROM THIS WEEK’S SHORT LIST: RECENT BOOKS AT REDUCED PRICES

The American History of an Idea

by Lillian Faderman

The title of this excellent book tells a reader just what to expect. This is an academic title that will talk about the concept and history of women over the course of 400 years of American history.

This title explores women’s experiences and the ways in which expectations for them could often be defined by others. Readers will also discover when and how women began to define their lives and experiences for themselves.

The author is a professor and she knows her subject well. She is also able to engage the reader and does so, right from the introduction, when she talks about her JHS, her sexual identity, and her having been raised by an unmarried mother. Professor Faderman notes the disconnect between her experience and the 1950s woman as portrayed on TV in the personage of a June Cleaver or a Donna Reed.

When Professor Faderman made her way into a PhD program, she chose to study women in America. One result of that decision is this book. Professor Faderman examines the ways in which women have been defined by both men and women and notes that, while some women wanted more (the vote, for example), others did not.

This is an engaging, interesting and absorbing study that moves from the seventeenth century to the present day. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

This book will be published on 15 Mar 2022.