Wednesday, December 7, 2016

The Book Review Club (December 2016)



Welcome to the December edition of The Book Review Club. I can't believe it's our last get-together of 2016! It's a great time of year to read reviews and get ideas for books to buys as gifts. Even as gifts for yourself! I highly recommend the book I reviewed this month. Please scroll down for the links to everyone's reviews. You'll be glad you did.


THE JOLLY CHRISTMAS POSTMAN

by Janet and Allan Ahlberg

As part of the decorations at Halloween and Christmas, I set out the books I used to read to my children back in the day. They inevitably pick them up and thumb through the pages, making comments like "I remember when this was my favorite book" or "I can't believe you still have this, Mom." It's a little trip down memory lane for them. For me, too.

THE JOLLY CHRISTMAS POSTMAN (the sequel to the wonderful The Jolly Postman) is a particularly special picture book. It's the story of a postman cycling around Banbury Cross (so clever!) to deliver Christmas letters, cards, games and other gifts to various fairy tale characters like the Gingerbread Man and Humpty Dumpty and even The Big Bad Wolf (a stop he doesn't want to make). Janet Ahlberg's illustrations are delightful. Allan Ahlberg's rhyme is really entertaining. Even for adults. :)  This is an interactive book, and the envelopes inside hold the cards, etc. Below is the "hazardous board game," Get Out of the Woods (more cleverness!) sent from the Wolf to Little Red Riding Hood (ever more cleverness!).  You remove it from the envelope and unfold it to play. I have won at this game!


The British authors married and created many children's books together over a twenty-year period. Probably their most well-known book is Each Peach Pear Plum. Sadly, Janet died of breast cancer at age 50 in 1994. According to Wikipedia, Allan said after her death that that they "made an absolute fortune" but "never really had holidays." So, there's a little gem of wisdom for you. And here's a link to an interesting and very recent Telegraph article about Allan who remarried (to his editor) and has created a couple of books with his daughter. Among other things, he talks about his writing routine (he writes daily in his shed) and the vagaries of the publishing industry. It's quite an intimate article. I think you'll like it.

(Dear FCC: Happy Holidays!)

And now....onto the rest of our reviews. Please click through. You won't want to miss a single one!

MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Ellen Booraem: GOODBYE, STRANGER by Rebecca Stead (MG, contemp)

Stacy Nyikos: THE GREENGLASS HOUSE by Kate Milford (MG, mystery)

Sarah Laurence: YOU KNOW ME WELL by Nina LaCour & David Leviathan (YA, contemp)


ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: TIMESHIFT by Kris Trudeau (futuristic techno-thriller)

Linda McLaughlin: LORD PERFECT by Loretta Chase (regency romance, audio)

Patti Abbott:  MISS JANE by Brad Watson

Ray Potthoff: DARK EAGLE by John Ensor Harr (historical)

Stacy of the Cat's Meow: THE MOTHERS by Brit Bennett (literary)


Note to Reviewers: Any errors (broken link, missed review, etc), just shoot me an email or leave a comment. Thank you so much for your reviews!