Book 239: May Finds a Way

May Finds a Way:  Peril in Paris, by K.C.  Frantzen, Rushjoy Press 2012.

This book is the second in the K9 Spy series, and this book is even stronger than the first.

It took me a chapter or two to fall in with "dog-speak", but I am pretty fluent in "cat-speak", even if the cat is a "Chat Parisien".  Once I caught on, though, the story was very enjoyable.

In this book, May hits the ground running, and then she leaves the ground, and then she's off running again.  I wouldn't be giving anything away if I told you that May ends up in Paris, since "Peril in Paris" is part of the title.  Paris is probably my favorite city; I even love the seedy, dark underbelly, but I have not seen all the sights that May saw in this book.

Along the way, May helps, and is helped, and makes friends.  Most of the friendships I thoroughly approved; one seemed a little odd and forced, but maybe that's how it is between dogs and insects.

The near-conclusion of this book struck a wrong chord for me.  There is a pivotal scene where I would have expected more remorse and sympathy from a sweet and intelligent dog like May.  I'm also not sure how much of this book the targeted audience (Middle Grade) would fully understand.  My preferred genre is Thrillers/Mysteries, and some of espionage and intrigue lost me for a while.  Even so, this book was flat-out fun.

Book 238: Bedtime Stories

Bedtime Stories, illustrated by Gustaf Tenggren, Little Golden Books, 1942.

Recently I've been on a Little Golden Books kick and a Gustaf Tenggren kick -- it is really great when my kicks coincide.

There are three "Once upon a time" tales in Bedtime Stories:  Little Red Riding Hood, The Gingerbread Man, and Chicken Little.  Interestingly, the villains are a wolf and two foxes -- poor canines, always get a bad rap.  These classics are all wrapped in the one of the best children's book covers ever.

The stories are competently told, and interspersed with the delectable artwork by Tenggren; artwork that is almost as luscious as the front cover.

Book 237: Country Tied

Country Tied, by Robyn Buttars, Country Stories, 2008.  Young Adult.  Christian. 

I didn’t actually buy this book; I was given this book in exchange for a fair review.

I had a really hard time getting into this book at first.  My brain kept chanting the mantra "Show, don't tell.  Show, don't tell".  But then, about halfway through this book, something wonderful happened -- and I don't just mean the birth of the calf, although that was wonderful -- a spark of life entered this book.  Suddenly, some of the characters seemed so much more fleshed out.  Suddenly, the story became interesting.  Suddenly, I was engaged and actually cared about what happened to some of the characters in this book.

It took me about four hours to read the first of the book, because I had to keep re-reading passages to understand what was happening.  Major event only merited a sentence or a very brief paragraph.  And then two months or more were gone.  The characters and the events kept blurring together. 

It only took me two hours to finish the book after the calf-birthing scene.  And I actually cared about the protagonist and her decisions.  There were still some flawed passages in the second half, but the difference was remarkable and quite staggering. 

There is an entire cast of characters from the first half that are left hanging like limp marionettes at the end of the story.  I would have either cut those strings, or reanimated them by bringing them back in the concluding chapters.

I once read that you should always begin your book on the third chapter.  Whether that is literal or figurative, that seems like very good advice. 

Book 236: Oh My, Pumpkin Pie!

Oh My, Pumpkin Pie!, written by Charles Ghigna, illustrated by Kenneth Spengler, Random House 2005.  Preschool to Early Elementary.

It is always a delight to read a poem by Charles Ghigna, no matter what the context.  But a poem in Easy Reader form, about pumpkins, and read in mid-October?  That is enchanting.

This poem is about pumpkins, so, as expected, Hallowe'en makes an appearance, but this is not a poem about Hallowe'en.  It is perfect for reading now, almost three weeks before Hallowe'en, and it will be perfect for reading well into November.  Unlike most Easy Reader books, Ghigna wrote a poem suited for young readers; he did not write an Easy Reader book in forced verse.  There is a difference:  one is poetry, the other is doggerel.

Kenneth Spengler's illustrations are perfectly suited for the text.  They convey so much joy and delight that they make me want to make a pumpkin pie, or pumpkin bread, or pumpkin cookies.

Book 235: Season of Joy

Season of Joy, by Virginia Carmichael, October 2012.

I am not really a romantic fiction kind of woman; I'm more of a mystery/classics/non-fiction kind of woman.  And the genre title "Christian Romantic Fiction" usually sends me running in the opposite direction.

This book, however, hooked me.  It was well-researched and well-written and packed with charming details.  It was a lovely diversion, and a perfect antidote to the hustle of the holiday season.

Don't skip the open letter at the end of this book -- it, like this book, is well worth your time.

Book 234: Mr. Tiger Goes Wild

Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, by Peter Brown, published by Little, Brown & Company, 2013.  Toddler, Preschool, Early Elementary.

I had heard so much buzz about Mr. Tiger Goes Wild that I had to find out what all the excitement was about.  Now that I've read the book and seen the artwork, I completely understand the buzz, the excitement and the Caldecott-worthy talk.

My little boy, who is almost five, is wild about Mr. Tiger.  I, who am a good deal older than five, am also wild about Mr. Tiger.  First of all, there is a story.  A straight-forward, progressive, easy-to-follow story.  And there is a twist, as there is in all good stories.  And a most satisfying conclusion.  And even, not so much a moral, but advice at the end.  The text is well-chosen to define the characters and to propel the story forward.

The artwork is magnificent.  My son, who can only read a few words on his own, including the "ROAR", could still tell me the story from the illustrations.  The grey, contained city looks nothing like the lush, green wilderness.  At least at first.  By the end of the story, everyone is happy and that shows very clearly in the final illustrations.

My little boy read this book from cover to cover, including the end-papers and the jacket flap.  He thinks Peter Brown is Mr. Tiger in disguise.

Mr. Thomas going wild for Mr. Tiger.

Book 233: Me and My Dragon, Scared of Halloween

Me and My Dragon:  Scared of Halloween, by David Biedrzycki, Charlesbridge 2013.


I adore David Biedrzycki's Dragon books, in part, because of the brilliant and hilarious artwork (more about that later), but mostly because they are absolutely perfect reading for an almost-five-year-old boy.  I just so happen to have an almost-five-year-old boy.

The text is funny, entertaining and not at all overwhelming, and the conclusion of the story is highly satisfactory and very relatable.  In short, it's perfect.

The artwork IS brilliant and hilarious.  The facial expressions of the dragon are priceless.  Every page made my son giggle.  In short, it's perfect.