I know it might be slightly odd to read a Christmas book in September, but it was on my to-read stack and met the "holiday book" objective on my readiI know it might be slightly odd to read a Christmas book in September, but it was on my to-read stack and met the "holiday book" objective on my reading bingo card. ;) And it was the perfect book. I'd just come off of a reread of the entire LOTR trilogy so this lighter book on a completely different subject was a great fit for transition.
Y'all: this was such a good read! Each chapter is a different Christmas song. I learned a lot while reading it and could hear all the songs playing in my head as I read. The oldest songs (the ones out of copyright) were reprinted in full in the book. A lot of our beloved Christmas songs were born out of times of war. And some are nearly as old as Christ Himself. Others were newer... and composed in the middle of summer. Two weren't even written as Christmas songs at all. And you'll have to read the book to learn which song is which! ;)...more
Huge book; short read. It was such fun! Margot Robbie takes the reader on a "tour" of her premier outfits. I loved looking at all the photos of the ouHuge book; short read. It was such fun! Margot Robbie takes the reader on a "tour" of her premier outfits. I loved looking at all the photos of the outfits! I'll even admit to a little jealousy: I would love to get to be dressed up in these fun and also gorgeous frocks! Each of the outfit spreads also included photos of original Barbies in the inspirational outfit and it was so neat to see the compare/contrast/updates to the looks. The only little drawback was that the famous designers' notes on the outfits were included in their original handwriting. While they can all draw detailed sketches and come up with exquisite outfits, their handwriting was often hard to decipher. Recommended to Barbie, Barbie (the movie), and Margot Robbie fans!...more
This was a really neat photographic retrospective of my adopted hometown, Charlotte! I loved poring over the photographs. And I learned some things! LThis was a really neat photographic retrospective of my adopted hometown, Charlotte! I loved poring over the photographs. And I learned some things! Lance, of Lance Snacks, started his business right here. I highly recommend!...more
This picture book biography of Abe Lincoln organized A-Z was FANTASTIC. Each page covered 1-2 letters of the alphabet and had multiple facts related tThis picture book biography of Abe Lincoln organized A-Z was FANTASTIC. Each page covered 1-2 letters of the alphabet and had multiple facts related to the letter plus quotes from Abe Lincoln. Every page! And they were presented atop gorgeous, elaborate, detailed illustrations. You could pore over every page for quite awhile. I found myself reading a lot of the quotes aloud to Nathaniel as I went. And I learned a lot! It was really neat how the author found some important but not terribly well known facts to present to the reader. My parents bought this book for their grandson but I'm so glad they encouraged me to read it too. I 100% recommend....more
Fascinating and delightful! Before I was even halfway through I was already texting multiple friends and family members to recommend it. I learned so Fascinating and delightful! Before I was even halfway through I was already texting multiple friends and family members to recommend it. I learned so much about Costco and every single bit of it only made me love the retail chain more. The book opens with a history of Costco, which was interesting, but not the most fascinating part. After just a couple of pages of history, the book moves into an alphabetically-arranged series of vignettes of Costco fun facts that I found endlessly entertaining. I kept reading paragraphs aloud to my spouse! All the fun facts are arranged in Q&A format with short paragraphs, so you could definitely keep this as a coffee table book to pick up and put down as often as needed. Even the format (black and white paragraph blocks arranged on colorful pages) is pleasing and somehow reminiscent of Costco's graphic designs. I'm glad I finished this on a day off work: I'm off to Costco now!...more
It was ok. It didn't make me laugh out loud, but it didn't fall completely flat either. And it was fun to read the appendix that gave even more actualIt was ok. It didn't make me laugh out loud, but it didn't fall completely flat either. And it was fun to read the appendix that gave even more actual factual background to the terrible animal mothers. The book is illustrated and told in the vein of Dr. Seuss, so my youngest pointed to it at one point and said "for Davy." But definitely not a kids book. ;)...more
I will never not read a book about the horseback librarians and I don't think I'll ever not love the book.I will never not read a book about the horseback librarians and I don't think I'll ever not love the book....more
Community Read 2024 signature title. FANTASTIC. Probably the best Community Read pick ever. I LOVED every page of this one! It's hard to classify. I pCommunity Read 2024 signature title. FANTASTIC. Probably the best Community Read pick ever. I LOVED every page of this one! It's hard to classify. I put it on like 500 shelves here. It's part biography, part travelogue, part cultural exploration, part cookbook, part history. Each chapter covers a different trip that that author takes to explore a specific cuisine. Some of it is expected, such as Appalachian food in Appalachia and Cajun food in New Orleans. Some of it is a delightful surprise, such as Middle Eastern food in Dearborn, Michigan. Edward Lee is an excellent writer. He is able to make not only the food but also the atmosphere come to life in your mind. There were many places where I literally got hungry reading the descriptions. And each chapter ends with 2-3 recipes to try! He explains that he purposefully leaves out photos in sharing recipes so that everyone will feel willing to try them, without fear that their attempt won't turn out like the professional's. The only very tiny drawback is that the recipes often call for ingredients that are hard to find or expensive, or for techniques/tools that the average Jane might not possess. Nevertheless, I would absolutely love to let Mr. Lee cook for me anytime! I am going to maybe attempt one or two of the recipes he provides. I am so excited for this book and have been telling everyone to read it. You won't be disappointed....more
EpicFest 2023 author. Delightful graphic novel read! Main characters are brother-sister twins who are entering their teen years and struggling to get EpicFest 2023 author. Delightful graphic novel read! Main characters are brother-sister twins who are entering their teen years and struggling to get along. After bickering on the way to the airport, their parents take their cell phones for the duration of a vacation. Slight spoiler alert: Sunshine is the name of a loggerhead turtle. You'll have to see how the turtle plays into the blossoming brother-sister friendship. ;)...more
EpicFest 2023 author. Fascinating! Kinda gross in places, but still fascinating. I do believe older elementary/middle school kids would eat this up. TEpicFest 2023 author. Fascinating! Kinda gross in places, but still fascinating. I do believe older elementary/middle school kids would eat this up. The whole book is sprinkled through with drawn illustrations of the many microbes covered. Plus tons of fun facts... like people with pet dogs have a microbe present on them that might help them stay leaner. And scientists use the term "gluteous crease" for "butt crack." And you (and I) have microbes crawling on our foreheads right now. I also appreciated how the author never "talked down" to the reader. Rice gives the full scientific names for all these microbes, along with phonetic pronunciations. It was incredibly readable and also incredibly insightful. I've never known so much about the fungus among us....more
I thought this book was going to be a quick read of a coffee table book but it was so very much more! I won on this one. Not only did I get to see tonI thought this book was going to be a quick read of a coffee table book but it was so very much more! I won on this one. Not only did I get to see tons of photos of children in childhood throughout the ages, but I also got a deep dive into the history of and psychology of the concept of childhood. This book contained so much of the joy and hope of childhood. I read every page....more
This is such a fun board book! It's got cut-outs on each page, so as you move through the book, more of the inner workings of the digger are exposed. This is such a fun board book! It's got cut-outs on each page, so as you move through the book, more of the inner workings of the digger are exposed. The amount of text is also just perfect for the youngest readers. Not too much, not too little. We got this one from the library and Davy loves it so much he's been literally sleeping with it....more
If you liked Schitt's Creek even a little bit, you'll love this book. It's written by Dan and Eugene Levy themselves, and Dan was the creator/producerIf you liked Schitt's Creek even a little bit, you'll love this book. It's written by Dan and Eugene Levy themselves, and Dan was the creator/producer of the show so you really get the inside scoop. It's organized season by season, so you kind of relive the show as you read through it. But I loved how you got a different angle or different inside info in each chapter so I was never bored. There were no repeats of info. It was packed full of photos and other mementos. By the end of the book it was like I was coming to the end of the series again, except this time I knew the actors even better and was more torn up! I highly recommend this one to any viewer of the show....more
Fantastic! I loved this one! I "found" it when I received a postcard advertising it at work. A librarian perk! ;) Each two-page spread features a spinFantastic! I loved this one! I "found" it when I received a postcard advertising it at work. A librarian perk! ;) Each two-page spread features a spine poem on one side and three to five book quotes and/or fun facts on the other side. A highly visual book, my little description here doesn't do it justice. But I will say that I took the time to read every page... I found each one delightful and clever. I also think this could be a good gift for a bibliophile....more
This was such a fun book! If you know my mom, don't tell her I recommend this book - I'm 100% going to buy it for her for Christmas. This was such a fThis was such a fun book! If you know my mom, don't tell her I recommend this book - I'm 100% going to buy it for her for Christmas. This was such a fun romp through the nation's best parks! I checked this out of the library thinking it would be fairly funny... I did not expect to be so very entertained and educated simultaneously. I definitely laughed at some of the reviews people left of the parks but I also learned so much history and geography of those same parks. My "to-visit" list grew as I read. I definitely recommend this fun way of looking at our nation's parks....more
This one was hard to rate! Five stars for screen shots, quotes, and memories. Two stars for recipes. There just weren't many unique dishes, only aboutThis one was hard to rate! Five stars for screen shots, quotes, and memories. Two stars for recipes. There just weren't many unique dishes, only about 2/3 were photographed, and several called for unusual ingredients you might not keep on hand. (Example: Fezzik's Stew. It was just regular stew, with Fezzik's name inserted. Or Screaming Eels, which included a note that you'd need to check your local Asian grocery store for the ingredients.) But I did enjoy my time flipping through it and reading quotes and seeing screen shots. It made me want to re-watch the movie! And as I flipped through I kept thinking that since most recipes weren't overtly tied to the movie, it might instead be fun to make several items and have them out at a themed party or movie night with little signs sharing their name and connection to the movie. And then the last chapter did just that for you! It gave menu ideas for occasions such as "Buttercup's Picnic." Nice! Nothing jumped out at me to try, but I don't at all regret the time spent reading....more
Absolutely delightful. And I read large portions aloud to Joey and he loved it too. Wonderful standalone chapters about the very many and varied wild Absolutely delightful. And I read large portions aloud to Joey and he loved it too. Wonderful standalone chapters about the very many and varied wild animal pets Jean Craighead George and her kids had over the years. We learned a lot and laughed some too. Very endearing family....more
The subtitle sums things up so well: this book is a visual biography of the world's most famous crayon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! Yeah, I alrThe subtitle sums things up so well: this book is a visual biography of the world's most famous crayon. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this! Yeah, I already knew some of the story, like many people do. (Everyone in my generation saw the Mr. Roger's episode where he goes to the Crayola factory, right?) Even still, I learned a lot more. And it made me really want to go get some Crayola crayons and a coloring book! With loads of pictures, the biography is engaging. Fun!...more
Christopher Skaife has a really engaging way of writing about his life as the Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. I'm not a "bird person" at all, and Christopher Skaife has a really engaging way of writing about his life as the Ravenmaster at the Tower of London. I'm not a "bird person" at all, and I learned a lot about the Tower and the ravens and his work and was kept entertained the whole time. What I'd love next is a documentary so that I can see him in action and better picture the Tower and the ravens!...more
FANTASTIC! Even as I read this I started to tell everyone and anyone that they should read it too. I read sections aloud to my spouse and retold info FANTASTIC! Even as I read this I started to tell everyone and anyone that they should read it too. I read sections aloud to my spouse and retold info from the book to coworkers. I got warm fuzzies with every chapter and section heading, because so many were exact quotes from my own parents. And I recognized myself in so many of them too! I was pretty pleased to see some of the ones I've said proven true. And pretty surprised at some of the ones that were proven false! Ken Jennings covers 124 of these sayings. Here are just a few to tease you: "I'll bring you some chicken soup, you'll feel better" (my mom will be ecstatic to know that science has proven this one!) • "You need hydrogen peroxide on that!" (false!) • "It's ok, just pick it up and eat it. Five-second rule!" (you'll have to read the book to find out!) • "You need eight glasses of water every day!" (very false) • "Give your teeth a good hard brushing!" • "Don't cross your eyes or they'll stay like that!" • "Don't pick up that dirty feather!" (mostly false. Feathers are practically unlikely to have any disease on them, but it is technically illegal to pick up feathers.) • "Sit up straight, it's good for your back!" (mostly false, shockingly).... and so many more. Ken explains it all with real science and research and also a good dose of humor and snark. I LOVED this book and highly recommend it....more
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