In My Mailbox (Just Received) 5/9/11

Birds Can Fly and So Can I by Noa Nimrodi

Copyright:  2011

Source:  complimentary copy provided by the author in conjunction with Bostick Communications

"A delightful giraffe has a lofty dream - to fly in the sky with the birds.  Will her dream remain a vision, or will it - along with her other undiscovered talents - soar to reality?"

See my review:  here

Shiver of Fear by Roxanne St. Claire

Copyright:  2011

Source:  I won this on Freda's Voice blog.  Provided by Hatchette Book Group.

"The legacy that haunts her...

The mystery she must solve...
A man who threatens to reveal her secrets...

and break her heart."

Thank you Freda and Hatchette Book Group!

****

What arrived in your mailbox this week?  Did you borrow some great reads from the library?  Purchase something new?  Tell me in the comments below and remember to link up with The Story Siren too.

Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark

Book Blogger Hop 5/6/11

The book blogger hops are great ways to meet other book lovers and make new friends! So, join in the fun :).

This week, Crazy For Books asks us: "Which book blogger would you most like to meet in real life?"

There are so many terrifically creative book bloggers out there and I'd like to meet you all.  But, I've been given one choice so I'd choose Sheila from   Book Journey.  I love her chatty posts, morning meanderings, and her book reviews.  She's upbeat and energetic and it comes across in her blog.   Cool note:  she is a writer too!

Which book blogger would you like to meet in real life?

Book Review: Cooking From the Garden edited by Ruth Lively

Cooking From the Garden
Edited by Ruth Lively
Copyright:  2010
Publisher:  Taunton Press, Inc.
Pages:  307
Content:  cookery, fine gardener
Edition:  E-book
Source:  Temporary copy provided by NetGalley in return for an honest and unbiased review




Chapters:
FOB: Table of Contents
Chapter One:  Starters, Snacks and Drinks
Chapter Two:  Breakfast, Brunch and Egg Dishes
Chapter Three:  Sauces, Salsas and Vinaigrettes
Chapter Four:  Salads
Chapter Five:  Breads and Sandwiches
Chapter Six: Soups
Chapter Seven:  Side Dishes
Chapter Eight:  Pasta, Grains, and Breads
Chapter Nine:  Main Dishes
Chapter Ten:  Desserts and Sweets
Chapter Eleven:  Preserving
Seasonal Menus, Equivalency Charts, Recipe Index by Chapter, Index

I received an ebook version of Cooking From the Garden and wish it were a hard cover copy that I can utilize in the kitchen.  The recipes in Cooking From the Garden are a compilation of what is considered the best of those previously published in "Kitchen Gardener" (1996 - 2001).  "It's the fresh ingredients that make any dish a success", says the editor.  Neither the recipes nor the ingredients are speciality items. The ingredients are readily available from the garden and/or the local supermarket.  Nothing fancy, just good wholesome cooking. 

There is so much good in here, with ingredients one usually has on hand, and utilizes produce from the garden in new and exciting ways including ideas for eggplant, squash, parsnips, and more. Some of the recipes I am excited about include:  Sweet Potato Sugar Bread, Leek and Potato Soup, Fall Harvest Soup (I do love a good soup in the fall, when days take on a crisp cool edge, nothing warms you like soup!), Steamed Carrots with Sesame Vinegar, Green Beans Sauteed With Radishes and Rosemary, Roasted Cauliflower (who knew roasting cauliflower brought out a nutty flavour?), Briami (that's a Greek vegetable dish), Tuscan Beans, Berry Trifle, Blackberry Summer Pudding, and I could go on and on.  I'm getting hungry just thinking about the variety of dishes I will be trying this summer!

The one thing I miss, and I must see in a cookbook, is lush photography.  There are no photos of the dishes one can create here.  The cookbook is set out in an organized fashion, with a lot of helpful tips like "sweating your vegetables" and "matching the pasta shape to the sauce", along with tips on harvesting. Each chapter sports its own title page with artistically rendered pictures.  The index is concise and the table of contents breaks the book down by categories as indicated above. There's no problem finding an appropriate recipe, even in the e-book format.  Really, the only complaint I have is the lack of photography. 

If I come across a hard-copy of Cooking From the Garden, I'll be sure to buy it.  I am sold on this cookbook despite the lack of photos!!

Rated 3.5/5 (for lack of photos)

Book Review: Izzy's Pop Star Plan by Alex Marestaing

Izzy's Pop Star Plan

Author:  Alex Marestaing

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Copyright: 2010

ISBN: 978-1-4003-1654-0

Pages: 229

Genre:  music, YA, middle school

Borders recommends this book for readers age:  9 - 12 years

Grade: 4 - 7

Source:  Provided by the publisher through Book Sneeze (complimentary copy provided for an honest and unbiased review)

Available on Amazon

http://www.izzyspopstarplan.com/

Synopsis: " Izzy Baxter has big plans--pop star plans. Presented like a daily blog, set up like a devotional, and read like a novel, this book will be an instant hit with tween girls. This cutting edge new product will meet girls where they are, and girls will love following Izzy on her incredible adventure.

Izzy Baxter has big plans-popstar plans. 

Ever since she was six, she's dreamed of becoming the world's next singing sensation. Now sixteen, her singing career is on the rise, and she's been selected to compete on the hit TV show International Popstar Challenge. As Izzy performs in far off locations such as Tokyo and Paris, it seems as if her plans are coming off without a hitch. But God has plans of His own, and Izzy will soon discover that living for Him is "way cooler" than megastar fame.

Presented like a daily blog, set up like a devotional, and read like a novel-this book will be an instant hit with tween girls. This cutting edge new product will meet girls where they are, and girls will love following Izzy on her incredible adventure. Plus, they'll get daily spiritual food to equip them on their own incredible adventure with God."

My thoughts:  Izzy's Popstar Plan reads like a novel in a blog format, which I think, will have definite appeal for girls 11-15. Izzy loves music and is a talented songwriter, guitarist and singer. She gets the opportunity to try out for International Pop Star Challenge, a reality show much like American Idol, and she makes it as a contestant. This book follows Izzy's journey around the world as she participates in the various challenges set out for her by the show. But these aren't the only challenges Izzy is faced with and she must make some very important decisions that will not only impact her career and her life, but the lives of others as well.

Izzy's Popstar Plan is Christian fiction for youth. Most blog entries include a verse from the bible and heartfelt comments by Izzy as they pertain to the day, the competition, her personal life and the young woman she is growing to become. To see her growth and the support she has from friends and family through all of this is heart warming. Even when Izzy realizes she is physically alone, she remembers she is never really alone. Her relationship with God helps her to stay strong despite all that she is faced with in the world of a pop star.

I really enjoyed this light read and know this book will find appeal with many girls of the younger generation.  There are good lessons within that Izzy shares as she makes discoveries about herself and her faith but it never comes across as preachy.  The website is well designed and interactive with the book.  You can watch videos online (vlogs) that correspond with entries in the novel.  A definite plus!

Rated 4/5

PS  There is a bit of a cliff hanger at the end of Izzy's Pop Star Plan.  See the second book titled Izzy's Pop Star Plan:  The Album for more of Izzy's pop star adventures (not yet available)

Children's Book Review: Birds Can Fly and So Can I by Noa Nimrodi

Birds Can Fly and So Can I:
A Giraffe Soars From Dream to Reality
Author:  Noa Nimrodi
Copyright:  2011
Publisher:  Grassroots Publishing Group
ISBN 10:  0-9794805-15
ISBN 13:  978-0-9794805-1-5

http://www.noabooks.com/Birds.aspx


(from the back cover) "If You Can Dream It, You Can Achieve It."
"A delightful giraffe has a lofty dream - to fly in the sky with the birds.  Will her dream remain a vision, or will it - along with her other undiscovered talents -  soar to reality?

Your children will ask you to read Birds Can Fly again and again.  Together you will discover the joy of dreaming and the thrill of achieving cherished goals.

This stunningly illustrated story ends with an interactive page where your little dreamers can record their highest hopes and their deepest desires."

My thoughts: 

Birds Can Fly and So Can I is a cute inspirational storybook written in rhyme with a timeless message.  As giraffe dreams of her highest hope, that of flight, the supporting cast of characters, animals and birds alike, cheer her on.  Once awake, giraffe finds and celebrates a hidden talent, something that draws applause from her friends in the animal kingdom.  While it is not her original dream, giraffe learns a valuable lesson about developing your talents to make your dreams happen.

The message is dare to dream and don't give up on that dream, as Noa Nimrodi shares in this example: 

"Living your dreams is tough to do

But Giraffe did it, and so can you

Look to the sky, there is no end

Burst through the clouds as you ascend"

Cute, right?  Books that encourage children to reach for their dreams are a true gift.  There is an interactive page at the end of the book where the child can record their own aspirations and colour the picture.  Just be sure, as you read this story, to remind little ones that human flight can only be obtained with airplanes, helicopters and the like.  Giraffes ability to fly is only in dreamland.

Appropriate for ages 3 and up, Birds Can Fly and So Can I is illustrated by award-winning artist, Tamir Lichtenberg.  Young children will enjoy following along with the pictures as you read the story.  Birds Can Fly and So Can I is translated to English from Hebrew thanks to the skills of Jeremy Rome.

Rated 3.5/5


A message from the author (taken from the author's website): 
"Hi kids, and all potential dreamers,

Publishing Birds Can Fly was a dream I'm happy to say I have now fulfilled. The journey wasn’t easy, though! The rejection letters I received were discouraging, but I didn't want to give up on my dream.

In Birds Can Fly, Giraffe has a dream as well. She falls asleep, and actually dreams that she can fly through the air like a bird. As she dares to dream the impossible, she realizes that – guess what? – a new, truly possible dream for her is within reach.

So go to sleep, and dream. Dare to dream what you think is impossible, and wake up thinking – guess what? – perhaps there’s an interesting way to make your dream come true.

Dare to fly as high as you can, but land carefully, and turn your dream into something possible and fulfilling."

Book Review: M.C. Higgins, the Great by Virginia Hamilton

M.C. Higgins, the Great
Author:  Virgina Hamilton
Original Copyright:  1974
Publisher:  Open Road (this edition)
This edition was published 2/15/2011
ISBN: 9781453213889

Genre: Children's, Literature & Fiction, Outdoors & Nature, Parenting & Families, Teens & YA
Edition:  ebook
Source:  NetGalley provided a temporary use e-copy for review purposes.

Synopsis:  "Hamilton’s classic coming-of-age tale: The National Book Award– and Newbery Award–winning novel about a young man who must choose between supporting his tight-knit family and pursuing his own dreams

Mayo Cornelius Higgins sits on his gleaming, forty-foot steel pole, towering over his home on Sarah's Mountain. Stretched before him are rolling hills and shady valleys. But behind him lie the wounds of strip mining, including a mountain of rubble that may one day fall and bury his home.

M.C. dreams of escape for himself and his family. And, one day, atop his pole, he thinks he sees it -- two strangers are making their way toward Sarah's Mountain. One has the ability to make M.C.'s mother famous. And the other has the kind of freedom that M.C. has never even considered."

My Review:  I had never heard of this novel before requesting a copy with NetGalley.  The synopsis intrigued me.  This is the story of a boy, aged 13, who dreams of leaving his home on the mountain, who hopes his mother's incredible voice is the answer that will take him and his family far away.  He has fears.  Fears of the mountain sliding down, burying all in its path, including his home.  It is a coming of age story too, as M.C. Higgins struggles with the inner turmoil that sits in the young, a turmoil that pulls between respect and love for his father and his desire to be his own person.  Both his parents work hard to care for their family and M.C. is often left to tend the children. He is pulled by duty and personal desire.   High above them all, he loves to sit upon his pole, watching his piece of the world and dreaming of what lies beyond. 

There is a good lesson of acceptance in M.C.Higgins, particularly within the last few chapters. To look beyond the colour of one's skin and hair, beyond physical differences and to see the individual for who he/she is, is the message the author portrays.  To form one's own opinion, rather than letting others' opinions sway your own, is what every one of us must learn to do.  Some of us just learn this lesson sooner than others.

Knowing this book won a Newberry Award, I felt sure I would enjoy reading this children's book.  It is considered suitable for grades 3-7 but I wonder if it would hold their attention.  I struggled to stay on task with this book.  I found the story tended to wander, the plot felt somewhat weak, and I grew weary of it.  I did complete it and had to wonder, did I expect too much?  Perhaps today's readers expect more action, more mystery, more depth in character.  This one just wasn't for me.  Judge for yourself, though.  If you do read it, please let me know how you felt about it.  Did you like M.C.Higgins, the Great?

Rated 2/5

About the Author:  Virginia Hamilton (1934–2002) was the author of over forty books for children, young adults, and their older allies. Throughout a career that spanned four decades, Hamilton earned numerous accolades for her work, includingnearly every major award available to writers of youth literature. In 1974, M.C. Higgins, the Great earned Hamilton the National Book Award, the Newbery Medal (which she was the first African-American author to receive), and the BostonGlobe–Horn BookAward, three of the field’s most prestigious awards. She received the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition bestowed on a writer of books for young readers, in 1992, and in 1995 became the first children’s book author to receive a MacArthur Fellowship, or “Genius Award.” She was also the recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award.

Note:  This review was prepared and provided without compensation of any form.

W...W...W...Wednesdays 5/4/11

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?  Currently I am reading Izzy's Pop Star Plan by Alex Marestaing.  I know the intended audience is middle grade but I'm enjoying it too!  A little more than half-way through, look for my review soon.  Here's a synopsis from the back cover:

"Ever since she was six, she's dreamed of becoming the world's next singing sensation.  Now sixteen, Izzy's singing career is on the rise, and she's been selected to compete on the hit TV show International Pop Star Challenge.  As Izzy performs in far off locations such as Tokyo and Paris, it seems as if her plans are coming off without a hitch.  But God has plans of His own, and Izzy will soon discover that living for Him is "way cooler" than megastar fame.

Now you can follow Izzy on her crazy, global adventures in Izzy's Pop Star Plan, the devotional that reads like a novel.  As you read Izzy's daily blog entries, you'll enjoy discovering your own incredible adventures and learn to experience the life God has for you!"

I am also reading, from NetGalley, the following ebooks:  Cooking From the Garden by Ruth Lively.  This is a wonderful cookbook with new, exciting recipes for using what you grow.   M.C. Higgins the Great by Virgina Hamilton.  This has been a slower read that I just can't seem to get into.  I have 13 days left to review it so I best hurry up with it.

What did you recently finish reading?

I just finished what may be my favourite book this year!!  Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda is a moving tribute to mothers, a touching story of lives across the world that intersect through the adoption of a baby girl, and an introduction to the culture of India. So well written that the reader comes to know the characters within and feels a loss when the book is done.  I love, love, love this book!!  If you are looking for that special Mother's Day gift, this definitely is worth considering.  See my review here.

I also read a newly released children's book,  Oscar's Adventures in the Woods by Pam Stone.  It's a cute story about the adventures of a pet turtle who goes on an adventure while his aquarium is being cleaned.  Children will love the beautiful images, vivid colour and glossy cover and will be sure to read this one again and again.  Read my review here.

Another children's book that I just finished is Birds Can Fly and So Can I by Noa Nimrodi.  It's a cute little story about a giraffe who dreams he can fly.  This story encourages children to pursue their dreams.  Review coming soon.






What do you think you'll read next?
Next up on my reading list is:
The Hounds of the Baskervilles for the Vintage Mystery Challenge.
The DoppleGanger Chronicles:  The Secret of Indigo Moon by G.P. Taylor

Also on my reading list from NetGalley:
Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark
Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest by Amos Oz
In Earshot of Water

I need to duplicate myself in order to finish all these ebooks before the time is up on them.  What was I thinking?

What's in your WWW Wednesdays?  Please comment below, because I love to know I am not alone with a growing TBR list.  Happy reading!!  Remember to link with Should Be Reading too!

Harry Potter's Conclusion Has Us On the Edge of Our Seats

Have you seen this trailer yet?  Sheila at Book Journey posted it last week and it was the first time I'd seen the trailer!  I cannot tell you how excited I am to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2!

Our Potter mania began some 10 years ago when I ordered Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone from the Scholastic book forms that came around to all the elementary school children.  I had not yet heard about Harry Potter but purchased on the basis of the cover alone. Harry Potter did not disappoint.  In fact, it tantalized.  Young minds everywhere, mine included, turned to books for the love of the young wizard and his misadventures.  The trial of good vs evil captured the imaginations of young readers and non-readers, spreading enchantments for books world-wide!  J.K. Rowling, thank you!!

My children hadn't been huge on reading, which I cannot figure out since we frequented the library often, participating in their summer reading programs and visiting the travelling Books on Wheels (a school bus designed to bring books into the neighborhoods all over the city).  Could it be that I instituted an evening reading time for everyone?   Or the time my three year old didn't get off the elevator in the library when her brothers and I did and rode alone to the top (third) floor.  We did quickly retrieve her and she was fine.  Do you think that could that have minimized the joy of reading (especially associated with a library)?  We kept going, riding the elevator with a mindful eye on the little princess and she was fine with it, even looked forward to it, so likely not.

For years though, I was the only one enthralled by books.  But, introduce the world of wizardry and witchcraft and voila!  Magic is born and she is an avid reader!!  The boys never did catch the Potter bug, but she and I did.  She, who is now an adult, has read each novel in the series a few times, so have I, and the mania continues.  We're even discussing attending the midnight premiere in July!!  Crazy?  Maybe a little but who can resist?  I just hope I don't fall asleep, given the hour, and start snoring!!  Oh, the horrors that'd be heard in the theatre, and I am not referring to the movie.  I'd never live it down!

In My Mailbox (Just Received) 5/2/11

In my mailbox is a weekly bookish meme hosted by the Story Siren.  Check out what I received this week and be sure to link up with the story siren too.  Don't forget to comment below with a link to your IMM or tell me what you received, bought. or borrowed this week.

I am working at the election polls Monday so this post has been pre-scheduled.  Here's what I'm excited about:

I won The Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead at Geeky Bloggers Book Blog.  Thank you Felicia!

Synopsis:  It All Comes Down to Now.  Murder. Love. Jealousy. And the ultimate sacrifice.

The Queen is dead and the Moroi world will never be the same.  Now, with Rose awaiting wrongful execution and Lissa in a deadly struggle for the royal throne, the girls find themselves forced to rely upon enemies and to question those they thought they could trust...

But what if true freedom means sacrificing the most important thing of all?

Each other.

From James Beverly, the author, and Bostick Communications, I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Synopsis:  From the Publisher:  As James Beverly’s publisher, it may seem somewhat impossible for me to be objective. However, the Seamus … stories …touch the heart, open the mind, and tickle the funny-bone of children and adults alike…The reader steps into a safe world, where things turn out well for the “good guys” and not so well for the “bad guys.” These stories weave tales filled with clear common sense and make everyone laugh while doing so. Refreshing in every way, healthy values and good-natured whimsy bring home the intended lesson to children without being preachy. Fun, poignant and filled with wisdom, all the Seamus books, including this newest one, SEAMUS TO THE RESCUE!, will be handed down from generation to generation.

-Valerie Connelly, Publisher, Nightengale Press

I received this book from Tyndale Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Synopsis:  From New  York Times bestselling author G.P. Taylor comes the highly anticipated second volume in The Dopple Ganger Chronicles.

Erik Morrissey Ganger, famed explorer and detective (well, in his dreams), and his mischief-making sidekicks, twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple, didn't go looking for a secret tunnel beneath the school.  They never intended to make the acquaintance of a shifty private eye with a nose for trouble.  It wasn't part of the plan to come face-to-face with an old enemy-one with an agenda of his own that could destroy them all.  And unraveling the secret of the mysterious "indigo moon" was the furthest thing from their minds.

At Isambard Dunstan's School for Wayward Children, theses things just seem to happen.  In this second installment of The Dopple Ganger Chronicles, confirmed troublemakers Erik, Sadie and Saskia plunge headlong into a new and perilous mystery-one that challenges everything they thought they knew about their lives, themselves, and who it's safe to trust.

I received a complimentary copy of Buddy's Tale by K. Anne Russelll from the author in conjuction with Bostick Communications. 

Synopsis:  Buddy Boutonniere, a big-hearted Standard Poodle, subsists in the bare backyard of a tract home in the desert city of Yucca Dunes. MacKenzie, a Border Collie, and Javier, a Chihuahua, provide Buddy with companionship and bring him food scraps when his neglectful owners forget to provide for him. 

When Buddy's owners decide to move, Buddy meets a wonderful lady who visits his house with prospective buyers. The poodle's humans try to sell their dog and Buddy goes through a series of unsuitable living situations. The final family returns Buddy to the tract home not realizing the owners are out of town. His only lifeline, MacKenzie, is killed by an evil Hummer driver while bringing him food. Tiny Javier tries to support Buddy with the aid of Dumb Derek, a Rottweiler whose brain is damaged from years of guarding a chemical dump. The two are unable to help the poodle.

Buddy dies, but is brought back to life by Sonny, the Good Shepherd. Sonny grants Buddy's wish to go live with the wonderful lady, in return for his promise to go with Sonny when he comes back for him. Buddy has a happy life with the lady and her dog, Skootch. Together they rescue abandoned Leroy and abused Roxanne. Years later, during Skootch's fifteenth birthday party, Sonny comes for Buddy. True to his word, he goes without complaint.

Sonny takes Buddy to Haven, the canine paradise, where he is reunited with MacKenzie. Sonny explains the rules in Haven; dogs acquire free will and give up their role of caring for humans. Their only responsibility is to help guide other dogs to Haven. Buddy excels at guiding, but on a mission to bring back a bomb dog from Afghanistan, Buddy breaks the rule and helps a human, the dog's Marine partner.

The residents of Haven are furious with the poodle and he is exiled to the perimeter of paradise. There he meets a young girl who has died of cancer and befriends her, another infraction of the rules. He is dragged before the communal tribunal, where MacKenzie defends him. With the help of the marine and the girl, MacKenzie convinces the judges that Buddy is not an offender, but a hero.

What's in your mailbox?  Be sure to leave a comment here and to link with The Story Siren too.