Brian Selznick, Alton Brown, Peter Sis, and Calista Taylor

Jan 1 book reviews part two: 

Children and Young Adult

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Another wonderful book from author/illustrator Brian Selznick, done in a similar format to his Caldecott-winning masterpiece "The Invention of Hugo Cabret." I have been waiting months to read this book and devoured it in a few hours. 

The book is set in 1977 and follows Ben, a 12 yr old half-deaf boy who recently lost his mother in a car accident and is currently living with his aunt, uncle and cousins. One night, he discovers a book he's never seen about a museum exhibition called Wonderstruck and inside he finds a bookmark with a note from a mysterious man named Daniel. His mother has never talked about him a

nd even more curious, is the locket he discovers the same night with the picture of the mystery man. Could this man be the father he never knew? The only clues he has is an address to a bookshop in New York City. While this written story is going on, we see another illustrated story from the point of view of Rose, a deaf and mute 12 yr old girl from 1927. While Ben is experiencing things like going to the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, so is Rose. Who is Rose and what is her connection with Ben? To figure out this mystery, you must read this amazing story. Recommended for ages 8+, 5 stars. 

Adult

Teach Yourself VISUALLY Crochet by Cecily Keim

Great resource for beginner crocheters or those that want to brush up on their skills. I have never been good at interpreting crochet shorthand, and I've always been a better visual learner, so this book was ideal for me. It gave you basic and advanced stitches, in addition to techniques, stitch variations, combining stitches, how to follow a pattern, stitch patterns, and troubleshooting. It also shows how to make different shapes/flowers/creatures, blocks and motifs, edgings, and patterns for everything from hats, socks, sweaters, coasters, handbacks and belts. I think I might buy this one. Recommended for all ages, 5 stars. 

Good Eats 3: The Later Years by Alton Brown 

I've loved Good Eats since the beginning, even though it is a bit campy (i.e. the Okra episode). Alton Brown is very informational and scientific though, and I love how that continues through the Good Eats cookbooks. I definitely have marked more recipes in this cookbook than in Volume 1, with recipes like Salted Caramel (my current obsession), Cauliflower Cheese, Mincemeat Pie (one of my hubby's favorite Christmas treats), homemade vanilla wafers for Banana Pudding, Beer Bread, and Meat Sauce and Spaghetti, just to name a few. 5 stars. 

The Weekend Crafter: Crochet: 20 Simple and Stylish Designs to Wear by Jane Davis

A short book on projects you can supposedly finish in a weekend (not sure that would work for me as I'm slow in finishing crochet projects). I did not like most of the patterns, but I did like the Classic Cable Scarf and Hat because the Cable pattern can usually only be done with knitting. 2 stars.

Viridis (Book 1 in the Viridis Series) by Calista Taylor

I would consider the book to be more erotica than romance as some of the scenes were pretty graphic, but I guess you could consider it romance since two of the main characters were wooing each other throughout the book. This was my first ebook for the Kindle.

The story is about Phoebe, who during the illness of her now-dead sister, tried to create an herbal cure for her. The end product was Viridis, an herbal elixir that heightens one's senses and has become the hit of London among the elites that come to Phoebe's club to enjoy themselves. She runs the club with her brother Gabriel. She gets an unexpected visit from Seth, an inventor she used to be in love with who left her over a year ago to help the Cause (whose objective is to help the poor of England against the Crown). Meanwhile, there has been the murder of one of Phoebe's clients, Lord Niles Hawthorne. Inspector William, a newly minted detective is on the case and trying to find his connection to the SS (her Majesty's Secret Service). Will William find the killer and why the young lord had been murdered? Will Phoebe ever find true happiness? To find out, read Viridis. Can't wait to read book 2! Five stars.

The Conference of the Birds by Peter Sis

I had never heard of this epic poem before reading this book, but I picked this up because I heard that the author/illustrator was coming out with this illustrated graphic novel version, and it sounded intriguing. The original 4,500 word poem was written in 12th century Persia by Sufi mystic Farid Ud-Din Attar. Peter Sis named his poet in the story Attar after the mystic.

Attar, a poet, turns into a bird and confers a meeting of all the birds in the world to discuss the problems of the world. He believes that in order to find the answers of how to solve all the world's problems, the birds must take a long journey to find Simorgh, the true king. Thousands of birds set off but only a few make it to the end. What they discover in the end surprises them.

While I didn't understand all of the journey to meet the king, I got the gist of everything. What really made this book was the brilliant illustrations, which more completely explained the parts of the poem that were difficult to understand. I also really loved the thick paper he used too. 4 stars.

The Big Book of Weekend Crochet by Hilary Mackin

I've been looking for a project to do, but everything I've found is out of my talent range or really ugly. Most of the designs in here are okay, but once again, the sizes are small and I'm not skilled enough to enlarge it to my size. Also I don't think you could actually finish this in a weekend unless you were working nonstop. I did like the casual jacket, the kid's fisherman sweater (pictured on front) and the rainbow blanket. 2 stars. 

Mercer Mayer, Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long, Kevin Henkes and more

I have been very busy reading since I last posted my reviews on Dec 17, although I haven't read any Netgalley, so I need to get back in the habit of reading those. I just realized I've read 20 books since Dec 18, so this review list will probably be a bit long and I will divide it into two different posts. For those who have never been to the site before, I rate the books on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and break them down according to age category (children/young adult/adult). 

Children

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People by Monica Brown

This was another book nominated for the Mock Caldecott awards at my local public library. I decided to check this one out because Pablo Neruda is my favorite poet of all time. His poetry on everyday things, as well as his love poems, are so amazing. I was curious how they were going to make his life story into a picture book for children since he was a Communist and exiled from his home country for his viewpoints, but Monica Brown has managed to gloss over those parts and make a beautiful book about the poet that children would want to read. I learned a lot about him that I did not know before, like he originally went by the name Neftali and only took the name Pablo Neruda as a pseudonym after his father disapproved of his poetry, and that he had a house in Spain called the House of Flowers. I thought the book itself was quite good, with a text that was like poetry, and enjoyed the bright colors of the illustrations, although I found the words swirled in among the drawings to distract a lot from the actual book text. Recommended for ages 5-10, 4 stars. 

A Butterfly is Patient by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

This book is part of the Mock Caldecott awards discussion to be held at my local public library. I would just like to say firsthand how much I love all of Dianna Hutts Aston & Sylvia Long's books. They have gorgeous illustrations (which caught the eye of my 5 month old, even though he wasn't really listening to me as I read the book itself - too wordy for him) and informative text, which draws you into the story of whatever is featured in their books (butterflies/seeds/eggs). The secondary end pages feature the caterpillars of various types at the beginning of the book, followed by the grown butterflies at the end of the book. 


This book was about butterflies started from the time they hatch from their eggs as caterpillars through their growing phase, into the chrysalis and turning into butterflies. The book discusses how the butterfly helps to pollinate flowers, protects itself from predators, how it feeds itself, the biggest and smallest butterflies in the world, how they got their name, the difference between a butterfly and a moth, and where they migrate to during the year. Recommended for ages 7+, 5 stars. 


Seven Fathers by Ashley Ramsden
This was another selection for the Mock Caldecott awards from my local library system. I had never heard of the story, which was based off a Norwegian folktale about a young man lost in a snowstorm who finds himself at a house seeking shelter and rest, and has to ask everyone in the house before he can do so. The story just dragged on for awhile and then I didn't really understand parts of the ending. I hesitate to give any Ed Young illustrated book this few stars, but I liked the cut-paper illustrations but not the story. Recommended for ages 7+, 2 stars. 


Square Cat by Elizabeth Schoonmaker

I have been wanting to read this one for awhile as it looked so adorable and got the chance as my local county library system is doing a Mock Caldecott award discussion and this was one of the nominees. I liked that the cat's name was Eula as that was my grandmother's name (who recently passed away), plus the illustrations were simple but fantastic and it held my 5 month old son's attention as well. 


This book is very cute story about a square cat named Eula who doesn't fit in, even though she tries so hard to. Her fellow round cat friends, Patsy and Maude, become square to make her feel welcome. This would be a great book for storytime. Recommended for all ages, 4 stars. 

Brother Sun, Sister Moon by Katherine Paterson

Another selection for the Mock Caldecott, I had never heard of this book before. It is based on Saint Francis's Canticle of the Creatures written in 1224, and was re-created by author Katherine Paterson (author of Bridge to Terabithia). Although I liked the text, I absolutely loved the cut paper illustrations! Scherenschnitte ("scissor cuts") came from Germany and these intricate designs are done from one continuous piece of paper. My favorites are the illustrations from Sister Moon, Sister Death, and the author/illustrator notes in the back of the book. Now this is a book I'd love to own. Recommended for ages 8+, 5 stars. 

Little White Rabbit by Kevin Henkes

A selection for the Mock Caldecott awards, this was a cute book where a little white rabbit uses his imagination to wonder what it would be like to be green, a rock, really tall, and fly. He does know that his mommy loves him. My 5 month old loved the illustrations. Recommended for 5 months+, 3 stars. 

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku by Lee Wardlaw

A selection for the Mock Caldecott award, this book is a cute story about a cat that is adopted, brought home to a family and accepted/loved. It is told in senryu, "a form of Japanese poetry similar to haiku, which typically describes the foibles of human nature--or in this case, cat nature (author's note)." I liked how the cat pretended not to be paying attention, but was well aware of what was going on around him. Recommended for ages 3+, 4 stars. 


My favorite verses were: 


Help! I've been catnapped, 
dressed in frillies, forced to lap
tea with your sister. 


Oops! I mistook these 
for wiggly worms. I didn't 
know they were your toes. 

Just Me and My Puppy by Mercer Mayer

Little Critter trades a baseball mitt for a puppy, but his Mom & Dad say he has to take care of it if he wants to keep it. The book continues with his adventures with his new puppy. My favorite part is when he tries to put on the leash, and the ending. Recommended for ages 5 months+, 4 stars. 

The Wizard Comes to Town by Mercer Mayer

I randomly picked up this book in the Easy Reader section while looking for Little Critter Mercer Mayer books for my 5 month old. I have always loved his books, especially because of the illustrations of monsters, and this book is perfect for that. It is a cute story about Z.P. Alabasium, a traveling wizard who decides to stay at Mrs. Beggs boarding house and creates all kinds of trouble for her and her guests. That is until she decides to take matters into her own hands and get rid of him. My favorite part is when she goes to confront the wizard and finds herself dressed in a ballet tutu on top of a giant tortoise. Recommended for ages 7+, 4 stars. 

All By Myself by Mercer Mayer

A Little Critter book where he describes all the things he can do when he gets older, such as dialing a phone, buying a train ticket to go to his grandparent's house, and getting a paper route. He laments being small and having to do what his parents tell him to do. Recommended for ages 5 months+, 3 stars. 

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee 

I've been wanting to read this book since it won the Caldecott honor a few years ago, but have not managed to get my hands on a copy until now. Overall the book was pretty funny, and the author's biography on the back flap cracked me up too. 


It is a very cute story about two cousins, James and Eamon who spend a week with their grandparents and go to nature camp. The whole time they are there, their grandfather tries to get them interested in Antarctica and its animals, but they are too busy doing everything alike and having fun being together to care. That is, until the last day they are there, when they create a surprise for their grandparents. Recommended for ages 5+, 4 stars. 


Blue Chicken by Deborah Freedman
A selection for the Mock Caldecott for my local library system; I absolutely love the imagination in this book! It is an adorable tale about a painting of a farm that includes a barn, chickens, ducks, a cow and a cat. One of the chickens decides to help by painting the barn blue, but things get out of hand and soon everything is covered in blue. Will she be able to get out of this mess? To find out, give this book a chance. Recommended for ages 5 months+, 5 stars. 

Happy New Year!

Greetings all! I hope everyone had a good New Year's Eve celebration and is recuperating nicely today. My hubby and I made an early night of it since we had been out for 6 hours that morning/afternoon. A bit fuddy-duddy I know, but we were exhausted. Today has been very laid-back and nice. I've been writing reviews on Goodreads (to be posted here soon) and reading a new cookbook that I put on hold at the library Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. The author knows just the kinds of desserts I like, so there is already 7 recipes bookmarked and not even halfway done with it! 

I have some job updates. I had an interview the week before Christmas for the Diocesan House (the administrative offices of the Diocese of Arizona) as an 18-hour per week secretary/greeter. I think it would be a great place to work. I'm hoping to hear from them this week as they want to fill the position by Jan 10. I have another in-person interview scheduled for Tues Jan 3 with the Library Development Dept. of the Arizona State Library and Archives, for a 24 hr per wk (occasionally more depending on special events) paid internship position. I am very excited about this one as I'm hoping this will help me get my foot in the door with Arizona libraries as it will be paid experience in the state. I may also have a phone interview for a 24 hr per wk position with Corinthian College (local community college) for the circulation desk. I'll fill ya'll in with more info as it becomes available. Fingers crossed on these interviews; this momma needs a new paying job!

Michael Bedard and Nancy Farmer

I've been rather busy with the onset of Christmas in less than 10 days, and so have not been able to read as much as I would like. I did finally finish these two books tonight, which is excellent given that I finally got my copy of Wonderstruck, Brian Selznick's new book, from the library. Ooh and I was given my mother's Kindle so I've been downloading free books like crazy onto it! I think I managed to get nearly all of L. Frank Baum's Oz books, as well as many other fantasy/steampunk titles, and I saved some of the classics that were left on there from when my mom had it. After seeing the new Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows film that was released yesterday in the theaters, I am interested again in reading Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's series. 

Young Adult

The Green Man by Michael Bedard

This was an ARC from Netgalley.
I did not know much about the Green Man mythology, although I had seen his image before in art. However, the story sounded interesting, so I figured I would give it a try. The book did not disappoint. It had a very intriguing storyline that grabbed my interest early on and did not let it go until the book's conclusion.

The story is about O, a teenage girl who goes to spend the summer with her reclusive Aunt Emily. Her aunt is a poet who owns the Green Man bookstore, which has seen better days. It is through O's presence that the story is revitalized and to an extent her aunt as well. However, a dark figure haunts Emily in a re-occuring dream and seems to spell out danger for the both of them. Who is the mysterious new boy who has come to town? Does he mean them harm or good?

I liked that the store was occupied by dead poets and the author's use of poetry throughout the book to better describe situations. While this wasn't a scary book, there was a touch of horror in it, just enough to make it interesting. Recommended for ages 10+, 4 stars.

House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Ok I must admit that I read this book because I had seen it before in the library and also because it was a 3-time award winner. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that it will be good, as the Caldecott-winning book "The Hello,Goodbye Window" can attest to. Anyways, I enjoyed the story although I will say that I think they should've ended it after the funeral. I also am very glad that they had a family tree and introduction to the characters in the front of the book because there are so many early on, it is hard to keep track of everyone.

Matt lives in a small shack with Celia, a cook at the Alacran's main house. He lives a simple life and is content. That is until one day, he discovers some children playing outside his house and his world is turned upside down. He learns that he is a clone of El Patron, the 140+ yr old drug warlord of Opium, a small empire in Aztlan (formerly known as Mexico). The Alacran family members and all of the staff shun him once his existence is known. El Patron gives him a bodyguard named Tam Lin, who eventually becomes his family figure. What will happen to Matt? Will he survive past 14, an age when most clones die? What will happen to the Alacran family? Will they ever be punished for their evil ways? Recommended for ages 12+, 3 1/2 stars.

Dan Jolley and Rick Riordan

Only two books to report today. Found a Teach Yourself Visually Crochet book to help me learn new styles of stitches as I have a hard time understanding the written abbreviated instructions. Hoping to get a scarf or two done for friends. 

Children and Young Adult

The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan

I have been waiting for months to get my hands on this book, and I finally got this past weekend. I had no idea it was a book about Percy Jackson, though the title should've given me a clue. It was a very quick read, as the story was so interesting, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. 

In this second book in the Heroes of Olympus series, Percy wakes up after being asleep for 8 months and has amnesia. He is discovered by the wolf-goddess Lupus and sent along to the Roman demigod camp, Camp Jupiter. It is here that we meet our other two heroes, Hazel and Frank. I liked that these two were multicultural, African-American and Asian respectively. Percy, Hazel and Frank all end up going on a quest to free Death (called Thanatos, 2nd in charge of the Underworld after Pluto) from the clutches of an evil giant resurrected by his mother Gaea. Will Percy remember who he is and what he has done? Will he be able to save Hazel and Frank? Will they be able to free Death in time to save Camp Jupiter? To find out, check out this action packed adventure by Rick Riordan. Recommended for ages 10+, 5 stars. 

The Girl Who Owned a City: The Graphic Novel by Dan Jolley

This book was originally written by O.T. Nelson in 1975, and this version was retold by Dan Jolley. This is an ARC from Netgalley. I would've given it more stars, but I didn't like the ending. 

A virus has wiped out the entire population over the age of 12, and the story is about Lisa and her younger brother Todd surviving with the help of the neighborhood kids. Everyone bands together by moving into the local school and creating their own self-sufficient city named Glenbard, where they can protect everyone with a militia. That is, until one day, the Chidester Gang manages to break through their defenses. Will Lisa and the kids of Glenbard be able to take back the city? To find out, read this graphic novel. Recommended for ages 10+, 3 stars. 

Brenda Novak

I have been keeping pretty busy reading Netgalley, but needed to take a break after I finished this latest book as I had read about 600 something pages in 3 days on the computer, which was killing my eyes. I'm currently reading this random book I picked up called Jamrach's Menagerie, but haven't quite decided if I like it yet or not. Might go straight to the book I've had on hold forever and finally got, Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2). 

Adult

The Bastard by Brenda Novak 

Ok I must admit that I haven't read a romance novel since I was in middle school, but I saw this on Netgalley as an ARC and decided to give it a chance. It was better than I thought it would be, though a bit predictable at times. I liked that the heroine was feisty and could take care of herself, despite being an aristocrat, and that hero was not the bastard (literally and figuratively) that I thought he was.  

Jeannette, a young French girl, and her family have escaped the French Revolution and traveled to England where she is about to marry Lord St. Ives, a rich old man. She doesn't love him, but is trying to protect her family and provide for them. On her wedding night, she discovers that her husband is impotent and willing to use his friends to impregnate her, so she escapes and ends up on a Navy ship. It is there that she meets 2nd Lt. Treynor, who she ends up falling in love with. Will they get together in the end? Read the book to find out. 4 star. 

George O'Connor, Ashley Koff, Laurent de Brunhoff, Mercer Mayer and Christina Tosi

I've been reading quite a bit lately, and totally forgot to write this post after I finished watching my new show tonight, Whitechapel, a cop show on BBC America. So I popped back on to post these reviews before bed. 

Children

Babar's Mystery by Laurent de Brunhoff

This book was a cute story about Babar and his family going to the sea, the Old Lady wanting to write a novel and a mystery about a stolen piano, Babar's car and statue. I got it for Liam, but will save it for him when he gets a bit older. Recommended for ages 5+, 3 stars. 

Just Me and My Mom by Mercer Mayer

I loved Mercer Mayer books when I was a kid and I love being able to share them with my son. This book was a cute story about Little Critter going to town with his mom and having some crazy adventures, but ultimately having a great time together. Recommended for kids ages 0-5, 4 stars. 

Children and Young Adult

Athena: Grey Eyed Goddess (Olympians #2) by George O'Connor

Once again, another brilliant graphic novel by author/illustrator George O'Connor. This second volume in the series focuses on Athena, goddess of Wisdom, War, Strategy, Crafts and Cities. She was always my favorite Greek diety, and I even named a stuffed owl I got Buboe after her owl in the movie "Clash of the Titans". 

I'm glad he included a genealogy in the front of the book as it gets very confusing at times to remember which child is from which mother. I knew how Athena had been born (sprung out the head of Zeus fully formed and grown up), but I never knew that Zeus had eaten her mother Metis to avoid a prophecy, and she had been born/grew up inside his head. I found the story of how she got the name Pallas interesting as well as how she got the Aegis and added to it. As with his "Hades" graphic novel, the "Greek Notes" in the back of the book are so fascinating and give more depth to the story (ex. how Hephaestus came to be born). Recommended for ages 10+, 5 stars. 

Hera: The Goddess and Her Glory (Olympians #3) by George O'Connor

I really enjoyed this version of Hera's story as it showed her not like she is traditionally portrayed, as the jealous and vengeful woman, but as a loving wife who knows what she wants and goes and gets it. I liked how the author described her as "the one person that Zeus well and truly fears (pg 68)." I didn't know until I read the previous volume on Athena that Hera was Zeus's second wife, but I find it interesting that knowing Zeus's wondering eye, she demanded he properly marry her and make her his wife and equal. Yes, she caught her husband cheating many times and punished his mistresses and their offspring, the best example being Heracles, whose name coincidentally means "The Glory of Hera". The story of the creation of the Milky Way was probably one of the most interesting ones in the graphic novel, as was the women's tale of Hera's renewal ceremony at the end of the book. Recommended for ages 10+, 5 stars. 

Adult

Mom Energy: A Simple Plan to Live Fully Charged by Ashley Koff R.D. and Kathy Kaehler

This was an advanced copy I got from Netgalley. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book, especially the Reorganizing and Rehabilitation sections. The purpose of this book is to give busy moms more energy with a three-step strategy: Reorganizing your priorities and eating habits, Rehabilitating your body by taking better care of your digestive system, detoxing and supplementing it with vitamins, and Recharge your body by exercising, getting enough sleep and remembering to fit in some playtime. It discusses how energy is related to metabolism, lack of a balanced diet/sleep, hormones, and health conditions. There is a quiz to judge your current energy levels (3 groups of scores) and one to tell you what is stealing your energy and how to tailor your energy makeover (5 profiles). The back of the book features exercises you can do at home. 3 stars. 

Momofuku Milk Bar by Christina Tosi

This was an ARC from Netgalley. 

I loved the Momofuku (which means "lucky peach") cookbook and the story of how chef David Chang created and developed the Momofuku Restaurant Group, which included the Noodle and Ssam Bars, Ko, and Ma Peche. I even loved the website (momofukufor2.com) where two fans created recipes out of the cookbook and blogged about it. I've never been to these restaurants but I know I would love the Noodle & Milk Bars. So I was very excited to see this cookbook. I like the way they make the cookbook personal by telling the chef's story at the beginning before they start in on the recipes, then like all good cookbooks, they follow with ingredient, equipment and techniques lists. Each recipe had serving suggestions, i.e. other recipes in the book that either used the recipe in it or with it. Most the of the recipes I wasn't a particular fan of because of their long format and multiple-parts, like restaurant cookbooks tend to have. I was fascinated with some of the recipes for their crazy combinations, like the Candy Bar Pie (I mean who wouldn't like a pie with pretzels, salted caramel, peanut butter nougat, and chocolate), the Cinnamon Roll with the liquid Cheesecake instead of Cream Cheese frosting and the Thai Tea Parfait with Lemon Marscapone and Thai Tea Crunch. 3 1/2 stars.