This is a charming and delightful book! The illustrations are adorable and the rhyming text makes for a perfect read-aloud. This is also a counting book which offers even more fun to young listeners. There are children, a dog, adventures and a cold, snowy day. Perfect! Highly recommended!
Out this week: The Dead Ringer by Beaton
M. C. Beaton has written two delightful series; there are the Hamish McBeth and Agatha Raisin mysteries. The Dead Ringer is an entry in the long running Agatha Raisin series. If you like cozy mysteries, you will most likely enjoy spending time with Agatha in the Cotswolds. She often gets in over her head but somehow always survives.
Note that both the Hamish McBeth and the Agatha Raisin books have been made into TV series. Series one of Agatha Raisin is available on Acorn TV.
From the publisher:
New York Times bestseller M. C. Beaton’s cranky, crafty Agatha Raisin—now the star of a hit T.V. show—is back on the case again in The Dead Ringer.
The idyllic Cotswolds village of Thirk Magna is best known for the medieval church of St. Ethelred and its bells, which are the pride and glory of the whole community.
As the bell-ringers get ready for the visit of the dashing Bishop Peter Salver-Hinkley, the whole village is thrown into a frenzy. Meanwhile, Agatha convinces one of the bell-ringers, the charming lawyer Julian Brody, to hire her to investigate the mystery of the Bishop’s ex-fiancée: a local heiress, Jennifer Toynby, who went missing years ago and whose body was never found…
Meanwhile, the bodies in the village just keep on piling up: the corpse of Larry Jensen, a local policeman, is discovered in the crypt. Millicent Dupin, one of a pair of bell-ringing identical twins, is murdered near the church. And Terry Fletcher, a journalist and (briefly) Agatha’s lover, is found dead in her sitting room! Agatha widens her investigation and very soon her main suspect is the handsome Bishop himself. But could he really be behind this series of violent killings, or is it someone who wants to bring him—and his reputation—down?
Thank you, readers!
September was a big month for the blog with the highest number of views ever. Thanks so much for spending time reading, commenting and liking. I have enjoyed sharing what I read with all of you and am looking forward to talking more about books as the months go by. Again, thank you readers.
Toddler’s Books: Sweet or Sassy; One Patch of Blue by Jocelyn and O is for Old School by Tyler
I found this to be a very sweet board book for toddlers. The patch of blue from the child’s jeans is found in a series of colorful and appealing illustrations. For example, it becomes part of a sign, a ferris wheel, a stained glass window etc. This is a charming, wordless picture book.
#OnePatchOfBlue #NetGalley
This is a very hip alphabet book. It will be enjoyed by adults with a sense of humor as the double meaning of the word for each letter of the alphabet is given. Not for the traditional parent but there will be those out there who will find this to be fun. A vocabulary and definition list is provided at the end of the book.
#OisForOldSchool #NetGalley
A great day for Anne
This edition of this wonderful book is being offered for free today!
Anne of Green Gables
by L. M. Montgomery
The beloved classic story from L.M. Montgomery of the orphan who captured readers’ hearts around the world—now includes an excerpt from Sara McCoy’s bestselling forthcoming novel, Marilla of Green Gables (on sale October 23rd)—a bold, heartfelt tale of life at Green Gables … before Anne.
Marilla and Mathew Cuthbert had planned to adopt a boy to help out around Green Gables farm. But waiting for Mathew at the train station is freckle-faced, red-headed Anne Shirley—a talkative eleven-year-old orphan with a heart full of dreams and a desperate longing for a home. From the moment Anne arrives, Green Gables will be transformed forever.
FREE
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Children’s Lit Class Update: Alice in Wonderland
We began talking about Alice this week with the discussion to be continued over a few more classes. The professor began by speaking about the controversy surrounding the author’s life and relationships. Nonetheless, she stated that the book is seminal in the history of children’s literature and should be studied. Alice in Wonderland was a story told to three girls who were on a boat with Dodgson (Carroll’s real name). One of the girls, Alice, begged him to write down the story…eventually it was published. This was the first children’s book to be told with an understanding of a youngster’s point of view. It was written to entertain and did not have a moral, as did all of the fairy tales that we read. The cleverness of the illustrations was noted as well; for example, some of the text takes the shape of a mouse’s tail. This is a story of magic, unreality and fun. Try it if you did not read the novel when you were younger or read it to a child you know.
A fantastic compilation: A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories by McAllister
I give this book five stars, something that I do not do often. This is a wonderful Shakespearean compilation in prose form with bright and engaging illustrations. Included are twelve of the Bard’s best known works, both tragedies and comedies. Each tale starts with a quote and a pictorial depiction of the main characters that quickly engage the reader. The stories are well told and surprisingly comprehensive. Elementary school children could read these on their own while they could be read aloud to younger children, much in the way that fairy tales are shared. As an adult, I also appreciated the clarity in the presentation of these dramas. This book is a keeper! Thank you for this one NetGalley.
#AstageFullOfShakespeareStories #NetGalley
A simple reader: I Like! by Smith
This is a very simple book for a beginning reader. It offers a chance to practice new skills in a format that has a basic vocabulary and many colorful illustrations. This book could comfortably placed in a preschool library.
Fun for all ages: Tongue Twisters by Mullen
This book is delightful. It is a fun, illustrated compilation of tongue twisters. Some of these are well known while others seem a bit more obscure. Children and adults can share this book and have a lot of fun! Enjoy it with a child in your life.
Farewell to Fair Isle and Shetland: Wild Fire by Ann Cleeves
Ann Cleeves, for those who don’t know, has written two mystery series; both have been made into British TV shows and are available for streaming. One series features Vera Stanhope and is set in England; the other features Jimmy Perez and takes place in Shetland. I am very sad to say that Wild Fire brings the Shetland series of eight novels to a close. I will miss each and every regular in the books. The novels do not need to be read in order but I would recommend that you do so for maximum enjoyment.
In this last case, Jimmy, Willow and Sandy try to solve two murders; one, a nanny/mother’s helper and the other a “busybody” of the town. The reader gets to know two families well; each has children and has, consciously or not, made decisions around their parenting. These choices very much influence the course of events. Of course, Jimmy is a father too as is Duncan, another recurring character. How do they make their decisions about their caring for Cassie? Magnie, too, has a mother who was a particular kind of parent. Reading this novel, one realizes that there is subtext on the importance of “good enough” parenting and what can happen when children do not get what they need.
As always, the author writes with a keen sense of place. The reader can feel the flames of the fire, the fog, the sea and the town.
Some loose ends are tied up in this last book. While I wish these fictional friends well, I hope that perhaps Ann Cleeves will change her mind and keep writing about them. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur and to Ann Cleeves.
