Smithy and Me by Darcy Day Zoells
The illustrations are fun and colorful in Smithy and Me by Darcy Day Zoells. And while they are not overly detailed they are not lacking either. They set the tone, give the story the push along to make you wonder “what is next?” and keep the reader engaged. The story is “50/50” (you will or won’t like it). I might not have been the exact reader for it, but it is going to be a big hit and I see awards in the future. The […]
Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses by Stephanie Gibeault and Bambi Edlund
Dogs taste water. Yes, water. And in Dogs vs. Humans: A Showdown of the Senses by Stephanie Gibeault and Bambi Edlund you will learn not only this fact (well, see it again) you will see if humans can taste water, too. And if they can see the same as dogs, and if dogs smell the same as humans, and if dogs really can detect earthquakes. Plus, why do dogs line up the way they do for taking their morning, noon, and night relief walk. In […]
Ruff Day (Sixth-Grade Shape-Shifter) by Steven Scott
Ruff Day (Sixth-Grade Shape-Shifter) by Steven Scott and illustrated by Lavinia Brandizi is due in August 2025. And in fact, perhaps the whole series is. It is possible then that when reading my online reader copy I was not starting with book one. This would make sense as there are several pieces of information that are missing and are only “filled in” as almost sidebars and/or to explain to someone when they find out the secret of our main character. The premise is that our […]
You Can Never Die: A Graphic Memoir by Harry Bliss
I learned early on in my journey of reading Harry Bliss that there are two styles when it comes to his artwork. One is kid friendly and the other adult friendly. However, via an online reader copy of You Can Never Die: A Graphic Memoir, I learned there is a third type to Bliss: the really adult Bliss. This memoir takes slices of life and puts them on the page of a journal. These journal entries, illustrations and more come out in the book. He […]
Hazel the Handful by Jamie Michalak and Matt Myers
Where Are You, Brontë? by Tomie dePaola and Barbara McClintock
Are you a dog person? Are you looking for two new books to read about dogs? Well the first book below has a theme of dog and sibling rivalry. And the second, well it is a bit more sad. It is about the loss of a beloved pet named Bronte by one of my all time favorite authors. Hazel the Handful by Jamie Michalak and illustrated by Matt Myers (due early April 2025; read via an online reader is a cute story about sibling rivalry […]
Cluny Brown by Margery Sharp
This is a used book that I picked up at some library sale eons ago, because I recognized the title. It had been made into a 1940s “woman’s” flick that starred Jennifer Jones, and that was about all I remembered. I was curious as to how closely the movie might have followed the book, but decided to read it first. Judging that our introduction to Cluny is that she is an orphan in her late teens, taken in by a rather sour uncle who is […]
