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

This inspiring book is geared toward middle school readers.  As the title says, it is organized in alphabetical order as a dictionary.  Some of the words included in the book are acceptance, compassion, diversity, forgiveness, gratitude, hope, justice, kindness,peace, understanding and more.  This title has some lovely illustrations; the book opens with one of flowers in a mug that sets the tone. The first entry is a twenty–six line poem with a line for every letter of the alphabet.  Each of the following entry also includes an editorial comment and something to try.  One example from the book: The letter C.

Courage

Sometimes

courage can be

getting up to face life’s

stormy world when you’d rather hide

in bed.

Author Charles than comments and there is a Try It!

This book can be read in order or dipped into.  Hopefully, readers will be encouraged as they pursue the entries in this book.

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

#DictionaryforaBetterWorld #NetGalley

My review:

This is the first book that I have read by Ellery Adams and I truly enjoyed it. The protagonist, Nora, is a bookseller who believes that there is a book that is just right for each customer’s particular emotional state; the notion that one could get meaningful suggestions from a bookseller was lovely in this day of internet sales. I enjoyed the many literary references and the back stories of the protagonists. There are also hints of romance. If you like cozies, I would recommend this book highly.

Part of a long historical mystery series set in Egypt.

I  enjoy this series very much.

An older mystery that was reissued.

I once heard a Math teacher say, never tell your children that you can’t do or don’t like Math.  She went on to say that adults would not say that about reading.  Learning Math and enjoying the process is so important and builds skills for a lifetime.  In this book, the author takes on the challenge of making Math fun and challenging for kids as they learn.

Chapters include Math with Fine Artists including Paul Klee’s Geometric Mosaic and Jasper Johns’s Hidden Number Art; Art with Graphs & Grids, Numbers & Equations which features a Square Numbers Tower and Splash Patterns among others.  There is also Symmetry in Art including for example Mandala Drawing and Rose Window Stained Glass and Cultural Math with Native American Quilt Art and an Ancient Cretan Labyrinth.  Finally, there is Edible Math Art including Pattern Block Cooks, Stained Glass Gelatin Art and more.

The author notes that she did not love Math as a child.  When she began homeschooling her children and heard similar sentiments, she began to move Math away from worksheets to activities.  Using these more fun approaches, the author teaches math concepts including addition, subtraction, algebra, geometry and more.

This book is a terrific adjunct resource for parents and teachers.  Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

From the publisher:

#MathArtandDrawingGamesforKids #NetGalley

This is part of the Elm Creek quilters series.

Jenny Colgan is a good reader of light women’s fiction.  This is part of a series.

  A bargain today and I just, just reviewed this

Dorothy Simpson wrote police procedurals set in England.  I have read and enjoyed many of them.  They are not new but if you like British mysteries, you might want to give this a try.  I always like books by Donna Leon.  Helene Hanff’s book is the sequel to 84 Charing Cross Road, another Anglophile title.  Alice imagines the life of Alice Liddell, think the basis for Alice in Wonderland. I just purchased Summer Hours.  Enjoy.

Cover on the left is for the UK. Cover on the right for the US.

Do you enjoy seasonal romances in which the right people end up together but it takes them a little while to do so? Have you enjoyed books by Shari Low or Josie Silver? If yes, or you would just like to relax with a nice read and a cup of hot chocolate, give this one a try.

The novel is about four friends who share a flat in London and those around them. One of the roommates is Jess who is thrilled to have gotten a job in London. Another is Alex who left a career in law for what he knows is a more meaningful nursing degree. They are surrounded by friends, family and relationships. The story mostly is about them in sections that are told by each. The other housemates include Becky who owns the house and is a lawyer, Emma who is a friend with benefits, and Rob a chef. London also feels like a character in the novel with descriptions of many places and neighborhoods.

This is not a deep novel but it is an easy and satisfying read. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

Editorial Reviews

This book encourages children to think about all of the different kinds of bread. Photographs show everything from French toast to pita and will make you and the child with whom you share this book long for carbs.

This book includes an experiment that shows yeast in action. The process of making bread is illustrated with photos that show the different steps, as for example, kneading or putting bread in the oven. Several simple bread recipes are also included.

The author hopes to make youngsters aware of the foods they eat. She succeeds in this title which is appealing and well organized.

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

#LetsExploreBread #NetGalley

The title says it all.  Step by step instructions allow artists old and young to draw a wide variety of animals.  Just some of the animals included are dogs, cats, moles, hares, otters, frogs, cows, horses, owls and lions.  There are then so many more.  According to the publisher, these step-by-step instructions were created for a children’s paper almost 100 years ago.  They still seem appealing today. The book provides not only instruction, but also room for creating the drawings. So, get out your pencils and see what you can do.

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

#TheDrawAnyAnimalBook #NetGalley

From the publisher:

In this picture book, a very tiny little girl explores in a house.  For example, she is so little that she can ride in a toilet paper tube.  She is having fun until…a big shadow looms.  She is brave, finds out whose shadow it is and makes a friend.

This is a simple, cute book that those who feel small or afraid in their world may enjoy.  The illustrations are a bit muted, fun and go well with the text.

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

#ALittleCourage #NetGalley

From the publisher:

Some very good titles here.  The Help is an excellent read and the basis for the movie.  Richard and Frances Lockridge wrote books with characters kind of like Nick and Nora Charles.  Phyllis Whitney wrote romantic suspense.  Another Reginald Hill, part of a good series.  The Color of Water is a good non-fiction title.  The Giver is a children’s classic.  Grantchester is a series of clerical mysteries.  If you look up James Runcie in my blog, you will see a book that I reviewed by him.  Happy Reading.