Watch what Jane can do: Jane (Sanchez Vegara) #JaneGoodall #NetGalley

Jane Goodall recently met with Prince Harry in England to discuss issues of conservation.  She is someone quite inspirational.  Now, the youngest children can learn about her and her accomplishments in this board book.  Young listeners will find out how much Jane loved animals, observed, named and studied them and fought for their habitats.  This book will encourage young listeners to think about the natural world and its importance to all of us.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.  It is part of a wonderful series.

Sit down, read and relax. Queen Bee (Frank) #QueenBee #NetGalley

Dorothea Benton Frank loves the Carolina Lowcountry. The setting is as much a part of her novels as any of the characters. She encourages readers, wherever they live, to fetch a glass of sweet tea, put their feet up and enjoy a summer read.

This novel is about Holly, her sister Leslie, their mother QB (Queen Bee) and all those with whom they interact. The people in their lives include two adorable boys who live next door and their widowed father, Archie; Leslie’s husband Charles who likes to dress in women’s clothes, the new love of QB’s life and… as you read, you will also find out who is Holly’s true love.

Holly is a beekeeper. As a result there are loads of fascinating facts about honeybees in the novel. They add to the quality of the story. Readers will enjoy watching Holly find her strengths and her voice even as she chats to her bees.

This novel is a most pleasant read and I recommend it.

A couple of my favorite quotes:

If I haven’t learned anything else this whole year, I learned that love comes in every color, shape and size.

That’s what it is to live in the Lowcountry. The colors are a little brighter. The air is a little sweeter.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Other Reviews

“If I could only read one writer from now until the end of my life, it would be Dorothea Benton Frank. Her whip-smart, deliciously wicked novels provide an emotional rollercoaster ride that’s as thrilling the twentieth time as the first.” (Elin Hilderbrand, New York Times bestselling author of Summer of ‘69 and The Perfect Couple)

“Bestseller Frank (By Invitation Only) shows off her formidable storytelling chops and her gift for creating memorable characters…Full of Low Country flavor and brilliantly imagined characters, this laugh-out-loud-hilarious novel with a wistful edge will satisfy anyone who wants to see flawed people getting second chances.” (Publishers Weekly)

“Franks’ fanciful and frothy slice of Lowcountry life is a feel-good, read-in-one-sitting escape. Benton has been delighting readers with tales of her native Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, for 20 years, and her newest will rally fans and all seeking diverting women’s fiction.” (Booklist)

Now Out: The Chelsea Girls (Davis)

The Chelsea GirlsFiona Davis sets her novels in iconic New York City locations. She has told stories set at the Barbizon Hotel for Women, The Dakota, Grand Central Station and now at the Chelsea Hotel. In each of her three prior novels, the narrative took place during two eras; in this book, the author follows two characters in the same time period. They are actress Maxine and would be actress and playwright, Hazel.

The novel opens with Hazel joining a USO troop in Italy during WWII. These scenes were so evocative, both in terms of the war and the emotions raised for the performers. This beginning left me feeling very excited about the rest of the book except…for a while, I then found the narrative less engaging. However, round about chapter 18 there was a twist and I again became very involved in the story and the characters’ lives. It is worth sticking with the book in my opinion.

Much of this book centers on the activities of HUAC, the House Un-Amercian Activities Committee. Who is a Communist? Who is being targeted unfairly? Should we be rooting people out and encouraging them to turn on others? What are the consequences to everyone when a government sponsored witch hunt is going on? You will think about these issues as you read and may also find the subject relevant in our current political climate.

In addition to HUAC, the reader spends time at the Chelsea Hotel, the Tonys, on Broadway and more. There are actors, government workers, names dropped of famous and real Chelsea Hotel denizens and more. Most of all, readers will connect with Hazel and Maxine, their friendship and its challenges.

All in all, this was a good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-galley. All opinions are my own.

Other reviews:

“Featuring vibrant, witty characters who not only weather but thrive in a dark period of American history, Davis’s tale of one friendship’s strength will stun and satisfy readers.”—Publishers Weekly

“This novel in three acts brings to vivid life the McCarthy era and its impact on the entertainment industry in a heartbreaking tale of the friendship of two brave women.”—Library Journal

The memory of friendship remains: A Warm Friendship (DeLange) #AWarmFriendship #NetGalley

This is a short, beautifully illustrated picture book that tells the story of a squirrel and a snowman who become friends during the coldest part of the year. Snowman is cold and squirrel realizes that he wants to help. Soon our snowman is covered in scarves and blankets. Snowman and a variety of animal friends enjoy spending time together. You can probably guess what happens…Spring comes and snowman is no longer there. Squirrel and his friends miss the snowman. The wise owl tells them “Look around and you will see that Snowman is always with you.” This seems to me to make this book one that can be read by children to help them to cope with a death.

I understand the concept of this book and can see where it could be a non-threatening way to talk with children. I do think that some of them may wonder why a snowman would not want to be cold in winter but perhaps that is a small quibble.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this read in exchange for an honest review.

Get out and enjoy nature: Forest Club (Hirschmann) #ForestClub #NetGalley

I loved this book that encourages children and adults to get out and enjoy nature.  As noted in the foreword, “discovering the natural world should be a part of every childhood.”  This cannot be overstated in my opinion.  Now, enjoy the summer, get away from the devices and see all that the world has to offer with this book as your guide.

The book is divided by seasons, starting with summer and ending with spring. In each section, there are ideas of things to observe in nature from trees, to flowers, to critters and more.  There are also lots of suggested activities.  A few examples:

Summer:

Leaf types, What’s in a Leaf?, Leaf rubbings, the Forest at Night

Fall:

Danger! Poison!, Nut Collecting, Fungi and Lichen, Migration

Winter:

Below the Ice, Slowing Down, Winter Treasures

Spring:

Signs of Spring, Sprouting Seeds, Flower Pressing, Rivers, Streams and Creeks.  Also, Twig Racing, Plaster Casting

The text is illustrated in a most appealing way.  The color palette changes with each season.

I highly recommend this book.  Thanks to NetGalley the publisher for this read in return for an honest review.

Five stars *****

From the publisher:

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You need not be an expert to encourage a love of nature in children.

In fact, it’s best to adopt a learner’s mind-set, one of questioning and curiosity, and make time and space for a child’s natural sense of wonder to develop. Carving out unstructured time to observe nature is one of the greatest gifts we can give the children in our lives. May this book inspire many happy hours of doing “not much”—and everything—in nature together!

f6Weather comes and goes; the seasons cycle on. By shifting our thinking, we can nurture a nature connection in a variety of settings and without the help of a formal program. When families come together through a forest club or school, they create a sense of community and routine connected with nature play.

Some e book bargains for July 29, 2019

Here are two classic mysteries, each a part of an excellent series.

On Reginald Hill and his series:

The “master of . . . cerebral puzzle mysteries” sends his Yorkshire detectives back to college to be taught a lesson in murder (The New York Times).

Reginald Hill “raised the classical British mystery to new heights” when he introduced pugnacious Yorkshire Det. Inspector Andrew Dalziel and his partner, the callow Sgt. Peter Pascoe (The New York Times Book Review). Their chafing differences in education, manners, technique, and temperament made them “the most remarkable duo in the annals of crime fiction” (Toronto Star). Adapted into a long-running hit show for the BBC, the Gold Dagger Award–winning series is now available as ebooks.

The Nine TailorsAn Advancement of Learning