Joyce's mystery and fiction book reviews with some non-fiction too!

This is another charming entry in the board book version of the Little People, Big Dreams series. It tells the story of Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who programmed an early computer-like invention. The story is simply told with appealing illustrations. Young children can find Ada’s white cat throughout the story.

This series received kudos from me. It inspires children to explore, be curious and know that a world of discovery awaits them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto publishing for another entry in a favorite series.

#AdaLovelace #NetGalley

This book contains a series of short comic strips, each of which ends with the phrase “Oh No.”  Who knew that there were so many things that one could say “Oh No” to.  Some strips are about the personal while others poke at corporations.  A few examples (minus the illustrations)

They say to write from real experience.  (Picture  of diary with days saying “Did nothing.”)  Oh no.

Parent:

I have made an offspring.  I will do my best to raise them well.

Later: You messed me up (from child) Oh no.

If wry humor appeals to you, give this collection a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.  The opinions are my own.

#OhNo #NetGalley

This book is a wonderful resource for anyone (and it should be just about all of us) who cares about women’s voices and what women have to say. It was masterfully put together by Anna Russell and includes speeches (although often not the full speech) by women beginning with Elizabeth the First and going historically up through Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher among others. Below are the names of just some of the women in this book; the range is enormous and you will find words of those you know and those whom you are hearing for the first time.

Sojourner Truth, Sarah Winnemucca, Ida B. Wells, Emmeline Pankhurst, Emma Goldman, Nancy Astor, Virginia Woolf, Margaret Sanger, Marie Curie, Helen Keller, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Eva Peron, Helen Keller, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Namomi Wolf, Wilma Mankiller, J.K. Rowling, Julia Gillard, Michelle Obama and Maya Lin.

The book opens with an excellent introduction which talks about the author’s process in finding and selecting the entries. Along the way, she gives the reader an understanding of the importance of women’s written words.

Each entry features biographical information, the speech, a full page quote and biographical illustrations of the orators. This book can be read in any order. It is a wonderful resource and would make an excellent addition to any young to older woman’s bookshelf…to say nothing of men and boys’ shelves too.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Quarto publishing for this excellent read. It is is not often that I go on to buy a book that I have been able to review as a galley but this time I will. I want to be able to spend more time with this formidable collection of women’s wisdom.

#SoHereIam #NetGalley

A new novel from this author is always most welcome! What I love about this series is not so much the mysteries, although those are well constructed, but the relationships among the characters and the ways in which the city of Venice is brought to life. Guido and Paola seem so real and affectionate with one another; they have a marriage that many would envy. Watching Guido and Paola with their children is a treat as is reading about their latest family dinner. Guido’s relationships with his extended family and work colleagues are also brought vividly to life.

In this book, a friend of the family who is elderly wants to adopt an adult male to be his heir. Will you as the reader feel empathy for this lonely man? All around wonder if this adoption is a good plan but he is determined and undeterred. Is this what leads to his and one other’s death? What are the reasons for what is happening? How are families constructed? They are not all like Guido’s.

For fans of Donna Leon, the chance to spend time with her will be a delight. New readers will also enjoy the book and will probably then look to read others in the series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this good read. The opinions are mine alone.

I have absolutely adored Elly Griffiths’ Ruth Galloway mystery series and hope that she will continue to write many more book about Ruth, her family, colleagues and friends. Ms. Griffiths has also penned the post-war Max Mephisto series. Now, she has written her first standalone novel. I will start by saying that this atmospheric, character driven story does not disappoint.

Plot: Clare is a teacher at the school where her daughter, Georgia, is a student. Harbinder is a Detective Sergeant whose alma mater is this school. When Clare’s colleagues begin to die, Harbinder is assigned the investigation. The school also has close ties to the author of a very scary story. These threads intertwine to produce a suspenseful, somewhat Gothic tale.

Most interesting to me in the book were the many characters and their interrelationships. There are Clare and her ex-husband, Clare and her daughter, Clare and her colleagues, Clare and Harbinder. Then there are Georgie and her parents, Georgie and her teachers, Georgie and her boyfriend, Georgie and her writing group, etc.

Another feature of the novel is the offering of different points of view. The reader sees events through the eyes of Clare, Georgie and Harbinder.

As in all good mysteries there are some twists. This is a novel that I definitely recommend. My favorite novels by this author are still the Ruth novels but this is worth a read for suspense lovers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read by one of my favorite authors!

This is another inspiring entry in the Little People, Big Dreams series. This time the story is about young Maria who was intelligent but found school to be boring when she was young; as a result, she made up games to make her education more fun.

Maria grew up and became the first Italian woman to go to medical school. She combined her medical and educational backgrounds to help some neglected children in the hospital to learn. We adults know that her child centered methods were subsequently embraced the world over.

Young readers who are just starting school will get a sense of how important good teaching is and how it leads to good learning. Hopefully this will encourage them to love their school experience.

As always, the illustrations enhance the story. There are additional facts, photos and resources at the end of the book. (note: they did not come out on the galley)

I would give this an A plus. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. The opinions are my own.

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.

The title of this book comes from one of the poems inside, called Here are Girls Like Lions by Elisabeth Hewer. A quote:

Here are girls like lions,

here are girls like howling wolves…

Here are girls who can’t breathe air, only fire.

Here are girls who carry kindness…

You’ve got to help them rise.

This anthology of poems about and for women includes authors that I both know and those who are new to me. A partial list includes Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Sandra Cisneros, Sappho and Mary Oliver whom I know and Mary Jo Bang, Naomi Shihab Nye and Jean Valentine whom I did not. If you are looking for an interesting, thoughtful anthology with an excellent introduction by Cole Swenson, I recomment this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-galley which I was given in exchange for an honest review.

Robert Munsch has a uniquely entertaining style. It is shown to good effect in this counting book. While your child counts to twelve, s/he can search the illustration for the object that is being represented. A fun addition to the genre.

This is a simply told, factual book about Rosa Parks for young listeners.  Children will learn a bit about Rosa’s growing up, what she stood for, what she did and how she brought about change.  Her story makes for an inspiring read. The illustrations beautifully enhance the story.

All in all, another excellent addition to an excellent series. Note:  this is a My First series board book, part of the Little People, Big Dreams series.

Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto publishing for this e-galley in return for an unbiased review.  All opinions are mine.

#LittlePeopleBigDreams #NetGalley

For young students with inquiring minds…learn about some of the world’s most famous scientists in this easy to read (or browse through) resource. It deserves a spot on school library shelves and the home shelves of students who will be fascinated by these interesting thinkers.

The book is arranged in two page spreads and is organized historically. We start with Thales while the final entry is on Neil Degrasse Tyson. There are men, women and those from many different countries represented and acknowledged.

For each scientist there are short entries including topics such as biography, amazing, famous for, etc. Accomplishments of each are acknowledged.

One of the things that I enjoy about reviewing children’s books is that my horizons are broadened as well. There were many scientists that I knew in this book but also some with whom I just had a first encounter, like Thales. The time that I spent with this excellent resource was well spent.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for helping me to learn more. You will too!

Some examples:

#SuperScientists #NetGalley

A re-post:

I have watched the first two seasons of Queen Sugar and am in the middle of the third.  The show tells the story of three African-American siblings and those around them.  The story takes place in Louisiana where Queen Sugar is sugar cane.  The show has taken on some tough issues, including police treatment of Black men and the difficulties of being a woman running a cane business, and has done so well.  I was curious to read the book after seeing the series although usually I have read first and watched second.  The book is different from the TV series in some ways.  For example, Charley is a widow, not married/divorced from a professional basketball player and Micah is a girl, not a boy, and not a teen, while Ralph-Angel’s wife died unlike in the TV series where Blue’s mother faces substance abuse issues.  Still, there is a story to tell and Natalie Bazile does it well.

From Booklist

So…we have three stories of women and Paris.  There is also one about infertility that was well received when it was published.