Author: joycesmysteryandfictionbookreviews

I love to read, recommend books and open the world of reading to others. I tutor to ensure that the next generation of readers will know the joys of a good book because their reading skills have improved. I am an avid reader, especially of mysteries and fiction. I believe that two of the world's greatest inventions were the public library and eyeglasses!

Now out: How to Make a Better World For Every Kid Who Wants to Make a Difference by Keilly Swift

As adults, we are very aware of the many issues in the world. From politics to climate change, from bullying to plastics, there are so many areas that stress us. That stress can easily be passed on to kids.

How to Make a Better World offers an optimistic alternative for children by empowering them to make a difference. There are so many suggestions and roadmaps for what can be done in this book. Divided into sections on You, Community, Environment and more, the book helps children to look at what they might like to achieve. The author starts with one’s self stressing the need for good care, mindfulness, sleep, etc. Then the author moves out to things to do in the world from how to be a good friend to writing to elected officials and to going on a protest march, to name just a few. Brightly illustrated with inclusive art, the pages of the book are quite appealing. All in all, this is an inspiring book for elementary school aged children.

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

Let’s get to work: Let’s Fix Up the Yard by Robert Pizzo

This is a cute book for young children about what is involved in cleaning the yard and making a garden.  There are pictures of the tools that are involved and pictures of them being used.  The book ends in a cute way with the yard workers needing a rest.  The only thing that I did not like about this well illustrated book was the use of the circle heads with no features at all.  I think that young children might be happier seeing a simple face.

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

#LetsFixUptheYard #NetGalley

You will enjoy visiting here: A Year at Brandywine Cottage Six Seasons of Beauty, Bounty, and Blooms by David L. Culp

We have now made it to March, so spring is not too far away.  Still, where I live, it is rainy and gray today.  What a perfect day to spend time in the gardens of Brandywine Cottage.

The photographs throughout the book are just gorgeous!  The text is very informative as well but I think that I spent more time admiring the photos as I read and browsed.  There are recipes, practical tips, information about plants and much more to read.

The gardens are organized by six, not four, seasons.  After reading what the author has to say, this made sense.

I dreamed about gardens in all seasons after reading this delightful volume. Many thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to spend time at the cottage.  All opinions are my own.

AYearatBrandywineCottage #NetGalley

Now out: Read To Your Toddler Every Day 20 folktales to read aloud

Sharing a story with a toddler can be one of life’s sweetest experiences. There is the joy of sitting close together and the knowledge that helping a young child to love books is giving them a gift that will last throughout their whole life.

In this book, the author has compiled a group of short tales that are diverse. To name a few, there are stories from Scandinavia, ancient Rome, Mali, Russia and more, twenty beautifully illustrated stories in all. These entries are sometimes based in folklore or may have come from Aesop. They are tales that do not talk down to children and are not too simplistic.

All in all, this title offers a nice collection of stories. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read in exchange for an honest review.

So much owed to this man: The Splendid and the Vile A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz by Erik Larson

Erik Larson has a true talent for bringing history to life.  In prior books he has written about an American family in Hitler’s Germany (In the Garden of Beasts) and, in the Dead Wake about the crossing of the Lusitania, among others.  He is clearly well credentialed for writing about history and WWII.   As an added bonus, Larson’s books are not only informative, they are very readable.

I was quite excited to receive this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  As can be seen from the title, this one is about Churchill and his circle during the time immediately after he became Prime Minister.

I have read several books on Clementine Churchill, both fiction and biography so was very interested in this book.  It did not disappoint.  It was wonderful to spend time with this man who was truly the right man for England’s difficult blitz years.  The book reads easily and tells the story of the country and also Winston and those who surrounded him, including his wife and children.  Readers also get to spend time in iconic locations, including Chequers.

This book is highly recommended for those interested in England, WWII abd a human and steadfast leader to whom we all owe much.

Again, many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#TheSplendidandtheVile #NetGalley

Who do you want to lead? Votes of Confidence, 2nd Edition A Young Person’s Guide to American Elections by Jeff Fleischer

Talk about a timely book release as this title is published right in the middle of a Presidential election year.  Votes of Confidence is a thorough guide to the election process.  It is written to give students in high school a sense of what the election process and their government are about.  It could also be a great resource for adults who need a refresher for themselves or so that they can talk with the children in their lives about the United States democracy.

There are chapters on American government, how voting works, political parties and ways to get involved in the political system.   There is also an important chapter titled Voting with Confidence.

The book is factual but I do note that the author has a point of view.  Clearly noted in the introduction are Trump’s use of false information and conspiracy theories, along with mention of Russian interference in the election process.

This book looks like a valuable resource.  It is jam packed with information and much food for thought. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

#VotesofConfidence2ndEdition #NetGalley

Editorial review:

“The first edition of this book was published in the midst of the 2016 election. In the introduction of this second edition, Fleischer states that it was in the aftermath of that election, amid the current climate of fake news and misinformation, that he felt it was vital to update the book so that young people are more informed about how the government works. The census bureau predicts that ‘the post-1980s generation will be 36.5 percent of eligible voters by 2020.’ Fleischer clearly and understandably explains how the American government came to be and how it’s supposed to work. He describes the three branches, how a bill becomes a law, reasons for and against the Electoral College, primaries, and national, state, and local general elections. Political parties, campaigns, debates, financing, gerrymandering, voter suppression, and ballot initiatives are covered. The text emphasizes what young people need to know to vote, where to get accurate political information, and how to become more involved in politics. Back matter includes source notes, additional resources, index, sidebars, charts, illustrations, and photographs. Fleischer avoids making the topic dry or boring by using conversational language (stinks, BS) and includes surprising facts that make this a very readable, engaging, and entertaining history of American elections and politics for young people. Highly recommended.“―starred, Booklist