50 Folktales and Legends from Around the World

by Angela McAllister

This title will make a welcome addition to any young child’s bookshelf. It is filled with beautifully illustrated short tales from all the continents and many countries of the world. Some of these stories as, for example, The Sword in the Stone were already known to me. There were also so many new reads within these pages. Each story will take just a few minutes to read; they are perfect bite size stories that can be read anytime and with regard for a young one’s attention span.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Trace Elements A Comissario Guido Brunetti Mystery by Donna Leon

Where I live, the weather is currently cold and the days are short. When Trace Elements takes place during a summer in Venice, it is as hot as hot can be. Clothes are sticking, meals need to be light and our detective, Guido Brunetti is mystified by the tourists who want to be in Venice at this miserable time. I could feel the heat and the need to drink mineral water. All of this is to say that Ms. Leon is a master at creating her scenes and characters. When Brunetti was eating his cheese and salad, I salivated. When I followed this essentially good man throughout the story, I wanted to know him and his colleagues as real people. When Brunetti was with his wife, Paola, I wanted a marriage like theirs. All of this adds verisimilitude to a novel that, in parts, is deeply tragic.

Tue story begins when Brunetti and a female colleague go to visit Benedetta, a women in hospice care, who is dying a miserable death from cancer. Readers will feel great sympathy for this character’s suffering. Before she dies, Benedetta presents Brunetti and Claudia Griffoni with something to investigate. They learn that Benedetta’s daughters are about to become orphans as Benedetta’s husband recently died in a crash. Was his death an accident? If it was murder how, if at all, does it relate to his job?

In Trace Elements (an apt title), the crime as it relates to Venice feels all too plausible. Ms. Leon has done her research and written a believable and sad tale of human corruption and its consequences. Wrong actions happen but the reasons for them differ.

This title is the latest entry in Donna Leon’s long running series about Guido Brunetti. It is a most excellent novel and I recommend it highly.

This novel has received a good deal of attention, including being selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club.  It is the story of Laurie and Jack, their friends and families.  It is a story of a romance that may or may not go to a happy ending.  It is definitely one in which the course of true love “never did  run smooth.”  If you enjoy light, romantic fiction you might want to join the many who have read this title.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley.  The opinions are my own.#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Reese Witherspoon x Hello Sunshine Book Club Pick “Get ready to be swept up in a whirlwind romance. It absolutely charmed me.” —Reese Witherspoon

“Josie Silver writes with a warmth so palpable her characters sneak their way into your heart and stay for a long time.”—Jill Santopolo, New York Times-bestselling author of The Light We Lost #OneDayInDecember #NetGalley

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Readers of my blog know that I regularly recommend each entry in this series. Now, there is (finally) a compilation of these excellent biographies for young children.

There are fifty stories here. Each is inspiring and interesting. The entries are organized by time period. There are so many names to choose from among the many. I will just include one from each section here: Lucy Maud Montgomery, Josephine Baker, Anne Frank, Stephen Hawking and Mindy Kaling. No matter where you dip into this book, you will find a good bio. Each short entry has a portrait and quote and is followed by a detailed time line with story pages that, I think, are from the original books.

The book opens with a brief note from Ms. Sanchez Vegara. She notes that learning about people is a strong interest of hers and that she most definitely likes telling stories that will encourage children to dream. She has done just that with this title. Buy it for a child you know. It could make a perfect holiday gift.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Ms. Cochrun has written a fun book that will, I think, be enjoyed by many. Readers follow Dev and Charlie, all the while wondering if there will be a “happy ever after” for them and if so, with whom? You may think you know and you may even be right and yet, this is still a book that is easy to spend time with.

I enjoyed the notion of setting a book on the set of a reality tv show. I don’t watch shows like The Bachelor but this may seem familiar to fans of such series. I liked the behind the scenes story. I also enjoyed the character sketches and the over the top way that the contest was portrayed.

Gay relationships are a part of this story. Readers early learn that Dev has been hurt by another man who works on the show. Will he move forward and find love? Will Charlie who is supposedly brilliant in business but lacking in how to deal with others find what he is looking for? Read the book to find out.

By the way, spend a minute to think of what the title of the book does or may mean. I had a few thoughts on this.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

A Sesame Street ® Guide to Caring for Your Dog

by Marie-Therese Miller

This is the perfect book for a young child who is about to add a dog to the family. Sesame Street characters and photos partner with a helpful, age-appropriate text. The characters teach something that cleverly pairs with one of their own traits. For example, Oscar talks about pets needing some alone time. There is also good information about puppy care, including everything from supplies, to going to the vet, to baths and more.

I highly recommend this adorable book for its intended audience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.