by Patrick deWitt Patrick deWitt’s Undermajordomo Minor is a strange book. But wait, don’t put it away- it’s the good kind of strange, the type that makes you marvel at deWitt’s imagination while attempting to make sense of the world into which he’s dropped you. The titular undermajordomo (the assistant to the assistant) is Lucy […]
A Man Called Ove by Fredril Backman I’ve been reading way too many sad and woeful books lately, and I wanted to read something funny and light for a change. So I picked up A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, mainly because the back cover promised a “funny, moving, heartwarming tale of love and […]
Stanley’s PartyBy Linda Bailey, illustrated by Bill Slavin Have you ever wondered what dogs do when they’re left alone? Stanley gets bored when his people are out, so he decides to try something new. He’s not allowed on the couch, but what harm could it do, right? The couch is more comfortable than he […]
Stewart, the 13-year old narrator of this tale, is struggling with the death of his mother (and perhaps with his father’s complete acceptance and healing from it). He is socially inept but brilliant in academic ways. He has been in a special school for gifted children where he has excelled, and has a very […]
1001 Recipes You’ve Always Wanted to Cook Collins & Brown; Edited by Heather Brown When I have the time, I love to cook and although I already have hundreds of cookbooks on my shelf at home (no, seriously!) I continue to be attracted to new cookbooks and new recipes to try. Most recently, I had […]
Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight By Alexandra Fuller Written by a British expatriate, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is a memoir of growing up in Africa. Set in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Mozambique and Malawi, this book follows Alexandra Fuller from the age of three as her family builds a life in […]
Leonard By William Shatner As a child I used to watch old re-runs of Star Trek and wish for the time when there was such a crew of great men and women that would keep peace all over the universe. My two favourite characters have to be the stoic and calm Mr. Spock and the […]
365 simple science experimentsBy E. Richard ChurchillHere is a book filled with some fun and educational activities for the whole family to enjoy. I thought these might be interesting to try out over Spring Break. E. Richard Churchill, Louis V. Loeschnig and Muriel Mandell have collected and created experiments that children of all ages can […]
As the jacket description reads, “it took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others.”This book is about a school shooting, but it’s about much more than that, too. Each chapter of the book is told from […]
Sleepover SleuthsBy Carolyn KeeneHere is one from a classic series that many will remember from their youth; Nancy Drew is still at it after 85 years. She is still solving crimes and poking her nose in places that get her into trouble. The Nancy Drew writers continue to revamp and reinvent the classic stories about this […]