by Julie Falatko illustrated by Tim Miller “Snappsy the alligator wasn’t feeling like himself. His feet felt draggy. His skin felt baggy. His talk wouldn’t swish this way and that. And, worst of all, his big jaw wouldn’t SNAP.” Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book!) is a new picture book […]
If you have not yet bought yourself an adult coloring book, do it now. Stop waiting. They are wonderful. I’ve actually had many kids’ coloring books over the years to use myself, but recently bought this one. These books have been bestsellers for quite some time now, so I’m sure you’ve heard about them or […]
by Ed Catmull, with Amy Wallace “Failure isn’t a necessary evil. In fact, it isn’t evil at all. It is a necessary consequence of doing something new.” In Creativity, Inc., Ed Catmull, President of Pixar Animation and Disney Animation, recounts the founding and development of the animation studio that changed the film industry. Part nonfiction […]
My TBR (to-be-read) pile is getting ridiculously large, not just the ones I save on Goodreads but also the piles of books I own/have been gifted/have been sent that are starting to teeter and overwhelm me. That being said, there are still dozens of books I’m looking forward to reading that are coming out in […]
Written by Kobi Yamada, Illustrated by Mae Besom “One day, I had an idea. ‘Where did it come from? Why is it here?’ I wondered, ‘What do you do with an idea?’ At first, I didn’t think much of it. It seemed kind of strange and fragile. I didn’t know what to do with it. […]
Continuing my series, here is another book for which I’ve written a chapter. Thanks for checking it out! Edited by Miglena Sternadori and Carrie Prentice Genres: Academic, Gender, History, Women’s Literature Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing Length: 279 pages Published: May 1, 2016 Purchase Links: Amazon, Cambridge Scholars My Goodreads Rating: 5 out of 5 […]
Cheaper, Better, Faster: Over 2,000 Tricks to Help You Save Time and Money Every Day by Mary Hunt In this book, Mary Hunt provides a large collection of tips for running a household and a budget more effectively. It’s a helpful resource if you’re looking for suggestions in a certain area of everyday life. Hunt […]
by Fredrik Backman translated by Neil Smith Genres: Contemporary Fiction Publisher: Atria Books Length: 448 pages Published: June 5, 2018 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Official Book Summary: “After everything that the citizens of Beartown have gone through, they are struck yet another blow when they hear that their beloved local hockey team will […]
This week I’m pleased to feature a three-part interview with my friends Chadd VanZanten and Russ Beck, authors of On Fly-Fishing the Northern Rockies: Essays and Dubious Advice (The History Press, 2015). Chadd is a professional editor in Logan, Utah. His essays appear in the online journal Eat Sleep Fish, the anthology Utah Reflections, and […]
Last Witnesses: An Oral History of the Children of World War II by Svetlana Alexievich translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky Genres: Nonfiction, History, World War II, Russia, Autobiography, Memoir, War Publisher: Random House Length: 320 pages Published: July 2, 2019 (first published in 1985) Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble My Goodreads Rating: […]
It’s only a few days until Valentine’s Day, but don’t worry: each of these gifts for your beloved bookworm is under $20 and most can be ordered for speedy delivery. Don’t resort to getting your significant other just flowers or chocolate, get them something special related to their favorite hobby (but get them the flowers […]
by Julie Barton Genre: Memoir Publisher: Penguin Books Length: 222 pages Published: November 10, 2015 Purchase Links: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Thank you to Penguin Books for sending me a copy of Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself! Julie Barton is a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts’ MFA program and […]
*Sort-of in order It’s all fun and games until someone raises the dead. A 3D stop-motion film about eleven-year-old Norman Babcock who can speak to the dead. Random Highlight: Great stop-motion animation. Rated PG 30. Hocus Pocus It’s just a bunch of Hocus Pocus! The reawakening of the three witch Sanderson sisters. Random Highlight: Bette […]
Jactionary: Book Review – Duchess of Death: The Unauthorized Biography of Agatha Christie by Richard Hack
by Richard Hack “Defeated, Agatha returned home and sat alone that night at the dinner table. The scene of that morning’s confrontation replayed itself in an endless loop, always ending with the same bitter threat. Desperate, yet hardly without resources or the determination to save her marriage, she began to craft a plan worthy of […]