She saw the world in a flower

by Gabrielle Balkan

#TheMetGeorgiaOKeeffe #NetGalley

Pub date: 24 August 2021

This book provides a wonderful introduction to Georgia O’Keeffe. It is gorgeously and vibrantly illustrated and filled with details of Georgia’s life, the people that she knew, the places that were important to her and her evolution as an artist. It is geared toward elementary school age children.

This title also a timeline, glossary and a section titled “Try This Yourself.” Throughout, the author invites children to engage. She encourages them to observe their world and to paint or draw within it. Hopefully, some young readers creativity will be sparked.

I think that this book is very well done. Young artists should enjoy learning more about this woman who learned, grew and did things her way.

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

The Women’s March

A Novel of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession

by Jennifer Chiaverini

#TheWomensMarch #NetGalley

I must confess that I did not know nearly as much as I thought I did about the movement that led to the (eventual) right for women to vote in the United States. I was aware of those who started the movement both the U.S. and England but I was familiar with only one of the three women featured in this novel.

The three are Alice Paul, Ida Wells and Maud Malone. Each has her life story told against the vivid backdrop of the politics of the day and their individual histories.

Alice Paul was raised as a Quaker; Ida Wells knew much about slavery, and Maud Malone was an Irish American librarian. What led each of these women to fight so hard for something that many now take for granted? Jennifer Chiaverini helps readers to understand why they worked persistently for what they believed in.

These three are not the only ones who appear in the book. To name just two others, there are Jane Addams and Ava Vanderbilt.

The history that Alice, Ida and Maud lived through comes to life in this novel. I was especially struck by all that Ida Wells endured including the impact of yellow fever on her life, the lynchings of people that she knew and much more.

Around these women are the men, many of whom wanted to thwart votes for women. They included President Wilson. Will the women succeed in organizing a massive march for the day before his inaugural? Read this one to find out.

I found The Women’s March to be among my very favorite books by this author. I learned a lot but did not feel that I was being lectured to.

This historical fiction should be on reading lists for high school students and up. It would make a superb book club selection.

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

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

#MindyKaling #NetGalley

Here is a new entry in a series that will inspire young kids and encourage them to realize their dreams. That is surely what happened for Mindy Kaling. As the author shows, from a young age, Mindy was interested in making people laugh. But…that was not enough. She also wanted to see people who looked like her reflected in the tv shows that they watched.

Readers will enjoy following Ms. Kaling as she achieves her goals. As is always the case with this series, there are some photos and a timeline at the back of the book. There are also suggestions for further research.

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

by Jamise Harper and Jane Mount

Pub Date 19 Oct 2021

One year I purchased the Bibliophile desk calendar and absolutely adored it. I also own Bibliophile. Both are truly designed for people who love books. This title is too. The illustrations are so engaging and the book titles just call out to readers to investigate. As the title suggests, this time Jane Mount hopes to encourage readers to broaden their literary experiences.

There is so much within these pages. There are sections on classics and several on legends including, for example, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Isabel Allende and others. There are also sections one everything from contemporary fiction to family sagas to speculative fiction to mysteries and horror. There are also mentions of influential book people, little free diverse libraries, writing rooms and more. In addition, there are titles for children and middle grade readers and just way too much else to list here.

A note about the illustrations. I love the piles of books whose spines I can easily read in the pictures. They are just full of titles to add to TBR lists.

I love this book. I hope that you will too.

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

From the publisher:

Follow Your Dreams One Step at a Time

by Carey Jones, Illustrated by Bodil Jane

#Thriving #NetGalley

Pub Date 05 Oct 2021

This vibrantly illustrated book would make a wonderful gift for a new grad or someone who is embarking on a new phase in their lives or someone who wants some succinct inspiration. The words are not necessarily new but that does not mean that they are less true or helpful because of that. The text is enhanced by the absolutely gorgeous illustrations and borders throughout this title. A great pick for the right person…or maybe yourself.

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

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