The Book Review Club (June 2022)

Welcome to the June 2022 edition of the Book Review Club. We have reviews and recommendations for both kids and adults. Perfect timing for summer reading plans. Under my post are links to terrific reviews by terrific reviewers. Enjoy.

SAME HERE! (picture book, contemporary)

By Susan Hughes

Illustrated by Sophie Casson

SAME HERE! THE DIFFERENCES WE SHARE isn't my typical  read. But it was the perfect book for last week. After the horrific Texas school shooting, I needed something uplifting, something feel good about children happily going about childhood. SAME HERE! more than fit the bill. 

This well-researched 64-page picture book is about children from around the world sharing details of their lives. The reader learns ways in which these children differ from each. Depending on where they live, they speak different languages, live in different kinds of dwellings, eat different foods, etc. 

BUT THE BIG TAKEAWAY is that children from across the map share the same needs. Such as: the need to communicate, the need to feel loved and protected, the need for shelter, etc. Altogether, the author explores nine needs.

A few of my favorite shares: Somchai from Thailand who describes his house on stilts as "a big sun umbrella...always shady and cool underneath." Also, the stilts keep the house above water during the rainy season. (We all need shelter.) And Erica from the US whose first word was "dah woozy" ("strawberry" in Navajo. (We all need to communicate.) And Salma from Bangladesh whose school is on a boat because of the low land and all the rain. (We all need to learn.) And the child from the Bahamas whose favorite food is gooey macaroni pie. (We all need to eat.) And the girl from Nigeria who wants to be a teacher or a doctor. (We all need to dream.) You can see how SAME HERE! isn't just interesting. It's endearing.

I would be remiss not to mention the illustrations that draw you in (no pun intended :) ) and amplify the text. They are delightful with just the right amount of detail. As per the publisher, Owlkids Books, SAME HERE! is written at a third-grade reading level. I can add that this book would be a terrific read-aloud for the younger crowd, too. And, obviously, since it spoke to me, it works for the older crowd. Ha!

There's a reading list at the back of the book. Here's a link to the discussion guide written by the author. 

SAME HERE! THE DIFFERENCES WE SHARE is highly recommended for libraries, classrooms and your kid's/grandkid's/nephew's/niece's/neighbor's bookshelf. This book is a terrific jumping-off point for some important discussions with kids.

(Dear FCC: library)

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

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION BOOK REVIEW

Linda McLaughlin: JOHNNY TREMAIN by Esther Hoskins Forbes (MG, historical)

ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Jenn Jilks: THE LAST ISLAND by Zülfü Livaneli (political allegory)

Lucy Sartain: ALL HER SECRETS by Wanda M. Morris (thriller)

Margy Lutz: THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson     (historical)

Patti Abbott: MONTANA 1948 by Larry Watson (literary)                                                                                                                                                                   

Ray Potthoff: NORTHWEST ANGLE by William Kent Kruger (mystery)

POETRY BOOK REVIEW

Sarah Laurence: DEAD BURYING THE DEAD UNDER A QUAKING ASPEN by David Cranmer

NONFICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Jenn Jilks: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF PLANTS by Stefano Mancuso

Phyllis Wheeler: AMY CONEY BARRETT: A JUSTICE & A MOTHER by Joyce Claiborne-West          (picture book, biography)

 



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!

The Book Review Club (December 2020)

BOOKS MAKE GREAT GIFTS! Now that I've shouted that loud and clear, welcome to the final edition of 2020 of The Book Review Club! We've written reviews for books we really enjoyed in the hopes of adding to your to-be-read pile and giving you gift ideas. So... (in chrono order): Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, and whatever else you may celebrate! Enjoy our reviews!

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SAVING MOKA (PB, nonfiction, contemp)

by Georgeanne Irvine 

SAVING MOKA is part of San Diego Zoo's "Hope and Inspiration" children's book series. We're talking heartwarming true stories of San Diego Zoo and Safari Park animals who overcome challenges. Stories that can jumpstart conversations with kids about caring, friendship, determination and more. The writing is delightful and the photographs are divine!

The most recent book in the series is SAVING MOKA, the True Tale of a Rescued Tiger Cub. 

In a Nutshell: A few years ago, a Calif teen was caught trying to smuggle a male tiger cub (5-6 weeks old, about 6 pounds) into San Diego from Mexico. The US Fish and Wildlife Service transported him in a dog crate to the Safari Park where he was checked out by vets and deemed healthy and friendly and very hungry. But...he was also very young, so was moved to the Park's Animal Care Center. Moka ("chance" in Hindi) loved playing with the keepers and chewing on stuffed animals. He settled down for his nap to rhythm and blues and tunes from Frozen. The problem? Moka didn't know how to be a tiger. Enter Rakan ("friend" in Malay), a Sumatran tiger cub whose mom wasn't interested in being a mom anymore.  Rakan flew on Southwest from the Smithsonian National Zoo in DC to San Diego. Within 30 minutes of meeting, the two cubs were fast friends. And guess what? Rakan had been with his mom long enough to know how to act like a tiger. He taught Moka stalking, ambushing, roughhousing, etc. You know, regular old tiger stuff.

Summing Up: SAVING MOKA is about family and friendship. It provides an opportunity to talk about wildlife smuggling. The book is full of incredible photos and fun facts. And there's lots more to the story...Moka gets sick. There's a surgery. But enough with the spoilers. :)

I will tell you that Rakan is still at the Safari Park. Moka is now living at a local sanctuary. The Zoo had agreed to keep him till he was healthy and on his paws, so to speak. He's currently hanging out with a certain female tiger named Nola. Perhaps a tiger romance is in the offing? 

I'd recommend this book for anywhere you find children (schools, libraries, hospitals, home).

Here's a link to the San Diego Zoo. Lots to check out. We're back in lockdown, so the Zoo and Safari Park are closed. But you can watch the live cams (I'm partial to the polar bears). And you can order from the store. There's a two-for-one sale on the "Hope & Inspiration" books. Here's the link to the online store. All purchases support the zoo's wildlife conservation efforts. A noble cause. :)

(Dear FCC: I rec'd a copy of SAVING MOKA from the SD Zoo. I was pretty sure I'd want to review and recommend because I'd already read two other books in the series. And I did.) 

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

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Phyllis Wheeler: ECHO MOUNTAIN by Lauren Wolk (historical)

Jody Feldman: FINDING LANGSTON by Lesa Cline-Ransome  (historical)

ADULT FICTION BOOK REVIEWS

Lucy Sartain: TWENTIES GIRL by Sophie Kinsella (women's)

Linda McLaughlin: THE ACT OF INHERITING SECRETS by Barbara O'Neal (women's)

Margy Lutz: CHRISTMAS IN NEWFOUNDLAND by Mike Martin (mystery & memories)  

Patti Abbott: MY DARK VANESSA by Kate Elizabeth Russell (literary)

Sarah Laurence: WE WERE THE LUCKY ONES by Georgia Hunter (historical)

NONFICTION REVIEWS

Jenn Jilks of Cottage Country: A PROMISED LAND by Barak Obama (memoir)

Ray Potthoff: D-DAY JUNE 6, 1944 by Stephen Ambrose (history)

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!