Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!
Great reads for adults and children!
So many good choices here. I really like Dervla McTiernan’s books (The Scholar is here). Also highly recommend The Little Prince (though it is ostensibly a kid’s book) and Brideshead Revisited. I read part of The Canterbury Tales in college. They are a cultural icon.
The publisher notes that this book is part of a series of books on friendships. It is an interesting lens through which to view the Beatles. In this brightly illustrated book, readers see John and Paul meet. Following on this is the gradual evolution of the group as George and Ringo are added. The four are shown as working hard and having a bit of stage fright but, of course, the music they played changed the world.
Adults who like the Beatles will enjoy this book along with the children in their lives. It is a reminder that even the most famous among us were once young and finding their way.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub date: January 5, 2020
The Moon and Sixpence, a fictionalized story about Gauguin is free. The Christmas stories is a true bargain at over 600 pages so I am including it for a second time.
This title is bright, colorful and packed with celebrations. It is organized by seasons. To give a few examples, spring occasions include St. Patrick’s Day, Hanami, Easter and Earth Day among others, while summer has entries on International Children’s Day, Barunga and Palio di Siena, for example. Autumn holidays include Diwali, Thanksgiving and The Pearly Kings and Queens Harvest Festival among others and a few of the winter times include Bodhi Day, Chinese New Year and The Festival of the Dancing Masks.
Young readers can find out more about holidays they know while also broadening their knowledge of world culture and holidays. All in all, this is a very nice and inclusive title and a good one for home or school libraries.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.
pub date: January 5, 2021
This is a book that will teach the littlest listeners and lookers that they can aspire to do anything and everything. A child can grow up to “spread joy like Stevie Wonder” or to “reach for the stars” like Mae Jemison and so much more. A number of highly accomplished Blacks from many fields are here in this title including the Obamas, the Williams sisters and others. The illustrations are bright, colorful and represent their subjects well.
I recommend this title for all kids. It is a book that shows how full of amazing achievements people are.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.
Pub Date 05 Jan 2021
The Unlocking Season is the nineteenth title in the popular Canadian series featuring Joanne Kilbourne. I have read some, but not all, of the books. My impression is that the more familiar readers are with Joanne and those around her, the more they will enjoy this book. It can be read as a first introduction as well but it is quite possible that a reader would then want to return to older stories in order to fully understand this title’s complexities.
In this entry, there is a lot about Joanne’s family history. She was raised by a father who was not her birth father and a documentary is being made about them both. Readers also spend some time with Joanne’s half sister. The family, like many, has a tangled past.
When something happens to the friend and colleague of Joanne’s who is helping with the script, Joanne wants to know what happened. What did? Why? Read the book to find out and to deepen your relationship with the characters.
I toggled back and forth between the book and the audio for this one. I enjoyed both.
Many thanks to NetGalley for this title. All opinions are my own.
