Early Book Review: Can You Believe It? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts by Joyce Grant, Kathleen Marcotte

Can You Believe It? How to Spot Fake News and Find the Facts is a children's book written by Joyce Grant and illustrated by Kathleen Marcotte. It is currently scheduled for release on June 7 2022. This book explores in depth how real journalism is made, what “fake news” is and, most importantly, how to spot the difference. It has practical advice, thought-provoking examples and tons of relevant information on subjects that range from bylines and credible sources to influencers and clickbait. It gives readers context they can use, such as how bias can creep into news reporting, why celebrity posts may not be truthful, and why they should be suspicious of anything that makes them feel super smart. This guide helps readers decide which information they can trust (and which they can't), encouraging readers to approach what they find online with skepticism and to hone their critical thinking skills. to make good choices about what to believe and share. 

Can You Believe It? is a well written and organized book that would fit perfectly into a social studies or library curriculum at the elementary school level. This topic is something we covered when I worked in an elementary school library, in our unit about evaluating sources, and think it only becomes more important as the amount of time spent online continues to increase. I thought the text was simple to follow and understand, explained things well, and did not talk down to the readers. I thought that the text and fun illustrations came together well in a nice balance to keep engagement high. The text is broken down into reasonable chunks, and I found the breakdown of the news examples to be helpful and accessible. All of this combined with the valuable endmatter made this book a must have for school libraries, classrooms, and homeschool families. 

Early Book Review: Knots for Kids by Buck Tilton and Christine Conners

Knots for Kids by Buck Tilton and Christine Conners is currently scheduled for release on June 1 2022. This nonfiction book delivers relevant, curated content perfect for kids. Information on choosing the best knot for the situation, tying different types of common knots and hitches, selecting the best kinds of rope, and much more are covered. With step-by-step instructions (for both righties and lefties!) on tying the most used and useful knots, this is the perfect book to teach children how to tie knots like the experts.

Knots for Kids is a great resource for kids and adults alike. I learned a great deal from this book. It has been more years than I care to admit since my Girl Scout days, and this was both a refresher course for the basics and some new information on terminology and skills that I had either long forgotten or never learned. I thought the photographs and illustrations were extremely helpful, and clarified things more than words alone would have. I thought the instructions were easy to understand, the book well organized, and the information interesting and valuable. I liked that why and how to use each not was included, and the fun facts were a nice bit of extra information. This would be a good addition to a personal library and public and school libraries as well.

Early Book Review: Chimpanzee Memoirs: Stories of Studying and Saving Our Closest Living Relatives by Edited by Stephen Ross and Lydia Hopper

Chimpanzee Memoirs: Stories of Studying and Saving Our Closest Living Relatives was edited by Stephen Ross and Lydia Hopper. It is currently scheduled for release on May 10 2022. Chimpanzees fascinate people for many reasons. Our awareness of our closest living relatives testifies to the efforts of the remarkable people who study these creatures and work to protect them. What motivates someone to dedicate their lives to chimpanzees? How does that reflect on our own species? This book brings together a range of chimpanzee experts who tell powerful personal stories about their lives and careers. It features some of the world’s preeminent primatologists—including Jane Goodall and Frans de Waal—as well as representatives of a new generation from varied backgrounds. The book features anthropologists, biologists, psychologists, veterinarians, conservationists, and the director of a chimpanzee sanctuary. Some grew up in the English countryside, others in villages in Congo; some first encountered chimpanzees in a zoo, others in the forests surrounding their homes. All are united by a common purpose: to study and understand chimpanzees in order to protect them in the wild and care for them in zoos and sanctuaries. Contributors share what inspired them, what shaped their career choices, and what motivates them to strive for solutions to the many challenges that chimpanzees face today.

I thought that Chimpanzee Memoirs is a well organized collection of essays that are accessible and interesting to read. I liked that the experts were from a wide range of backgrounds, fields, and reasons being motivated to work with chimpanzees. The essays are each short, making this a quick read, but full of personal stories and tales of specific champs that stuck a chord with the experts. I liked that while some of the experts included are well known and fully expected to be included, readers also get to learn about people in the field that we most likely have never heard of.  I think this book is an engaging and encouraging read, that also covers the struggles of the researchers and the threats to chimpanzees (past and present), so does not sugar coat the subject matter. This would be a great book for school and public libraries to have in their collection. It could be great inspiration for readers that have interest in studying chimps, or other animals. 

Early Book Review: The Flexible Baker: 75 Delicious Recipes with Adaptable Options for Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, and Vegan Bakes by Jo Pratt

The Flexible Baker: 75 Delicious Recipes with Adaptable Options for Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free, and Vegan Bakes by Jo Pratt is currently scheduled for release on April 12 2022. Covering a wide-range of bakes including sweet & savory, cakes & tray bakes, biscuits & cookies, pastries, puddings & deserts, each recipe also includes flexible adaptations that can help cater for a variety of allergies, intolerances and lifestyle choices. The recipes include delights such as: Smoky bacon scones with salted maple butter, Sweet onion and blue cheese swirls, Chicken & chorizo sausage rolls, 'Sourdough' for the impatient, Multi-millionaire's shortbread, Pecan pumpkin pie, and Salted honey & pistachio puddings. Each page also includes a clear dietary index covering everything from gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free cooking and veganism, so the reader can see at a glance which recipe suits their requirements, without compromising flavor or appeal.

The Flexible Baker is a well written and organized cookbook. I liked that both common forms of measurement were included for all recipes, so those clinging to imperial measurements and those use to or switching to metric have equal access to these recipes without having to convert. I loved the variety of bakes included in this cook book, and the amount of information included about the dietary options for substitutions and what will (or wont) work to fit the needs of those you may be cooking for. I like how easy it is to find which recipes are gluten, dairy, nut, or animal product free- and which can easy be adapted further to fit the needed restrictions. I thought the page design, photograph choices, and organization were all very well done. This is the perfect cookbook for those that love to bake while keeping in mind the dietary restrictions of those around you. The instructions, including possible substitutions, are all easy to understand and follow for novice and frequent bakers alike. If you have room on your cookbook self and love to bake then this is a great addition to a personal collection. I think it would be a great addition to library shelves so that everyone can have access to this inclusive cookbook. 

Early Book Review: Weed-Free Gardening: A Comprehensive and Organic Approach to Weed Management by Tasha Greer

Weed-Free Gardening: A Comprehensive and Organic Approach to Weed Management by Tasha Greer is currently scheduled for release on April 12 2022. It offers readers clear and easy-to-undertake methods to get weeds under control without the need for potentially harmful synthetic herbicides. The book helps readers control annual weeds by disrupting their natural lifecycle, learn the whys, hows, and whens of weed-inhibiting mulching techniques, eliminate deep-rooted perennial weeds by eradicating them at their source, meet the best and most effective weeding tools available to homeowners, discover many ways to keep weeds out of the vegetable garden while ensuring healthy and productive soil, and Implement a practical plan to gain long-term control over weeds. There are also resources for weed identification, tips for getting rid of invasive plants, useful ideas for handling areas completely overtaken by weeds, and dozens of “weed hacks” to make life in the garden so much more beautiful.

Weed-Free Gardening is a well written and organized book. I found that it could stand up well to reading cover to cover or by reading the sections you need most or want to study up on. I like that the suggestions and explanations are realistic and understandable. I liked that the author acknowledged that no solution is perfect, because nature is amazing and every yard, region, and gardener is a little different. However, I loved that the history, science, and personal stories are woven in together to give readers the best foundation of information to figure out what they want to try, what is most likely to suit their needs, and how to adjust as they try things. I thought the information was clearly worded, easy to follow and understand, and paired with images that brought it all together. I was just planning this year's garden, and this book has given me some great ideas and helped to shift some of my gardening notions that just might have been part of my weed issues. I look forward to trying out some of the new tips and tricks that are now part of my knowledge base.  I wish I had more room on my gardening bookshelf so I could add it to my collection. I just might splurge on a copy even though I am out of room. 

Book Review: Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age by Dennis Duncan

Index, A History of the: A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age by Dennis Duncan is a playful history of the humble index and its outsized effect on our reading lives. Most of us give little thought to the back of the book—it’s just where you go to look things up. But here is the secret world of the index: an unsung but extraordinary everyday tool, with an illustrious but little-known history. Charting its curious path from the monasteries and universities of thirteenth-century Europe to Silicon Valley in the twenty-first, Dennis Duncan reveals how the index has saved heretics from the stake, kept politicians from high office, and made us all into the readers we are today. We follow it through German print shops and Enlightenment coffee houses, novelists’ living rooms and university laboratories, encountering emperors and popes, philosophers and prime ministers, poets, librarians, and—of course—indexers along the way. Duncan reveals the vast role of the index in our evolving literary and intellectual culture, and he shows that in the Age of Search we are all index-rakers at heart.

Index, A History of the: covers a topic that I had given little thought to, aside from how useful a good index can be when I need it. Like all parts of human history, personality, politic, and power all had a role to play in any steps forward made in indexing. I really like that the author made an effort to give a well balanced look at how indexes came about and evolved over the years while including a look at the rivalries, drama, and humor that can be found along the way. I also like that he acknowledged the hard work that goes into creating a proper subject index, in the past and still today, and how many of the people that do the work get little to no credit for the labor intensive process.  I greatly enjoyed the read and learned a great deal. I think those that value indexes, and are interested in bookish history of any kind, will greatly enjoy this book. For those that are interested, there is a very well done audiobook version of this title as well. 

Book Review: Hidden Animal Colors by Jane Park

Hidden Animal Colors by Jane Park is nonfiction picturebook. Why should the bright and flashy animals get all of the attention? If you look closely at some seemingly ordinary animals, you may find a colorful surprise. A lizard is brown. A hippo is gray. But wait! The lizard has a blue tongue to scare predators, and the hippo has pink "sweat" that protects it from the sun! Brilliant photos accompany author Jane Park's rhyming nonfiction text in this playful exploration of animals' hidden colors.

Hidden Animal Colors is a great book for reading alone or together. The page design with photographs of animals and text placement worked very well to capture and keep the attention of readers of all ages. I loved the idea of showing young readers that even the most ordinary creatures could be hiding some interesting features, and that even the less exciting feature do have a purpose that can help animals survive and thrive in the wild. This is a great book for all readers, even if they just want to look at some great pictures and enjoy the book on that level alone. 

Early Book Review: The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals by Matt Sewell, Megan Lee

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals by Matt Sewell and Megan Lee is a children's nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. This informative collection featuring mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, insects, and plants from all continents and nearly all oceans will teach young nature lovers about migration in its many forms. Grade-school children will discover how creatures navigate the planet when they encounter climate change, sun, chemicals, the Earth’s magnetic field, and the changing seasons in this illustrated reference book. Follow flocks of arctic terns on their annual 24,855-mile journey between the Earth’s poles. Join the monarch butterflies on their famous pilgrimage, upwards of 3,000 miles, from Canada to Mexico. Marvel at wildebeests, humpback whales, salmon, dragonflies, and more, as they travel around the globe and battle the Earth’s toughest conditions to survive.

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals is an interesting and accessible read that covers the migration style of over sixty living creatures. I thought the text was easy to follow, written in a conversational tone with some humor and interesting facts to keeps readers engaged. Each of the creature profiles includes one or most watercolor style illustrations of the subject matter. I think I would have preferred photographs, as the quality of those illustrations seemed to vary through out the book with some being near perfect and others feeling a little childish to me. The maps that are included are well done and help give a scope of some of the distances covered, but I do not think there are enough maps to really call this an atlas. I liked the information shared and think the book had great potential and intent, but fell short of what I was expecting from the title.

The Atlas of Migrating Plants and Animals is a well written and interesting read that could be helpful in the classroom. However, it fell short of being a true atlas for me. 

Early Book Review: Gardening for Everyone: Growing Vegetables, Herbs, and More at Home by Julia Watkins

Gardening for Everyone: Growing Vegetables, Herbs, and More at Home by Julia Watkins is currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. It is a guide to creating and growing a backyard garden simply and sustainably—from planning to planting to harvest, with profiles of essential vegetables and herbs, ecological tips, and fun and creative projects.  Growing food in your backyard, porch, or windowsill can be one of the simplest and most rewarding ways to nourish yourself, be self-sufficient, and connect with nature in a hands-on way. Here sustainability expert Julia Watkins shares everything you need to know to grow your own vegetables, fruits, and herbs (as well as wildflowers and other beneficial companion plants). The book covers all the nuts and bolts of creating and caring for your garden—planning, building, planting, tending, and harvesting—followed by a deeper dive into the plants themselves: demystifying annuals vs. perennials, cold-weather vs. warm-weather veggies, and profiles of favorite crops. Throughout, Julia offers tips for creating an eco-friendly and sustainable garden (such as vermicomposting, no-till “lasagna” gardening, and attracting pollinators), plus some fun and unexpected hands-on projects like how to build a bean teepee, make wildflower seed paper, and enjoy refreshing herbal lemonade ice pops.

Gardening for Everyone is a book that has something for everyone that is interested in growing their own food- regardless of the amount of land or time you may have at your disposal. Growing up my parents had a huge garden and most of our produce for the year come from it. I have fond memories of the fresh food, less fond memories of the work involved, and less land and time to invest in the process now than when I was a kid. What I love about the book and the author is that they meet the reader where they are. Information on how to do just about everything in the most sustainable way possible is offered, along with the understanding that not everyone is up for everything. The text is accessible and well written and organized while the included images are well chosen and brighten up the book. I think the reference style of the book offers readers the chance to explore all of the information they are interested in and the chance to explore options they might not have thought available to them, with no judgement about gardening style. For instance, I am a well intentioned gardener- I plant a garden with full intention of a great harvest and doing better than last year every year, but end up sharing the majority of my harvest with bunnies and birds every single year. The fact that the author admitted to having been that type of gardener at one point themselves made me feel much better. I loved that she covered every topic that I might have gone looking for, and included some that I had never considered. The recipes, crafts, and gardening projects included were interesting to me, and I might be trying some oft hem out this year to get the kids more involved. I also liked that some resources for supplies and further information was included at the end of the book.   

Gardening for Everyone is a well written and useful book that I would recommend for public libraries and a spot in personal libraries for those with space for more.

Early Book Review: Sexus Animalis: There Is Nothing Unnatural in Nature by Emmanuelle Pouydebat

Sexus Animalis: There Is Nothing Unnatural in Nature by Emmanuelle Pouydebat is an illustrated guide to the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, from elephants and bonobos to butterflies and bedbugs.It is currently scheduled for release on March 8 2022. 

There may be nothing unnatural in nature, but nature still encompasses much that seems fantastically strange—the amazingly multifarious sex lives of animals, for example. Sexus Animalis tells us everything we never dreamed we wanted to know about the reproductive systems, genital organs, and sexual practices of animals, from elephants (who masturbate with their trunks) to fruit flies (who produce spermatozoa twenty times their size). In the animal kingdom we find heterosexual, lesbian, gay, and bisexual behavior, as well as monogamy, polygamy, and polyandry, not to mention fellatio and many varieties of erections and orgasms. Emmanuelle Pouydebat, a natural history researcher, tells us about gutter penises, double penises, detachable penises, and corkscrew-shaped penises, as well as vaginas built for storage and clitorises with thorns. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, there’s more data about animal penises than animal vaginas and clitorises.) She explains how the ostrich achieves an erection, describes the courtship of pygmy chameleons, and recounts how the female short-beaked echidna chooses a partner. She reports on sexual assault among animals—there’s evidence that half of female mallards are sexually assaulted—and explains how masturbation helps squirrels avoid sexually transmitted diseases. It seems that animals have been composing their own Kama Sutra throughout the ages. Striking color illustrations accompany the text.

Sexus Animalis is a book that offers exactly what is promises, fascinated information that I never knew I wanted to know about the anatomy and mechanisms of sex for a wide variety of animals and how evolution and natural selection could play their part in all of it. I found the writing style to be accessible with some humor and straight forward information that I never thought about exploring previously. I thought the information included was well researched and organized, and pointed out the gaps in our understanding and how much work there is still to do. I thought the frank and honest explanations were peppered with a nice dose of humor and wit to add another level of interest and entertainment to the read without lessening the credibility of the text. I thought that the illustrations were tasteful and very well done, and helped give readers a more informed awareness of the size and particularities of what is being described in text. I was very interested in the implications of how evolution and other factors have made so many variations on the sex lives of creatures of all shapes and sizes. I never thought much about it, and think there are many people that likewise never considered the complexity and sometimes straight up strangeness of the world around us. This read entertained, informed, and got me thinking a little more about the complexities of the world around us. 

Audiobook Review: Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life by Pamela Gail Johnson

Practical Happiness: Four Principles to Improve Your Life was written and narrated by Pamela Gail Johnson.  People think happiness is a singular feeling, but it isn't. The real way to feel happier is to expand your definition of happiness and manage your Happiness Zappers.  Pamela Gail Johnson, founder of the Society of Happy People, identified the four practical happiness principles that have helped thousands of people shift their mindsets so they naturally notice more happiness, whether it feels sparse, abundant, or somewhere in between. Pamela shares real stories from real people who put the four practical happiness principles into action. With thought-provoking workbook-style questions, you can immediately apply these principles to your life. You'll discover how happiness is unique to you and your circumstances; how to manage common experiences that zap your happiness; how happiness changes; and thirty-one types of happiness.

Practical Happiness is a well organized book with information and tools for finding and recognizing happiness that could be very helpful to readers. I recognized much of what was written as being true and useful, but mostly things I have heard before in other context and in some cases have been doing for years. Since I am not someone that normally seeks out or reads self help books I found it odd that most of what I was hearing n the audiobook were things that were familiar. However, I did find the descriptions of different types of happiness and it's zappers interesting and mostly new to me. I think many people will find the book helpful, and for me it was a good reminder to be more present and acknowledge the little moments and to allow myself to work through the happiness zappers rather than trying to simply ignore them until they are a bigger issue.  I think that Johnson did a decent job of narrating her book. I find that authors reading their own work do a good job, as they know where they want the emphasis on and what the flow of the text should be. That was true here, but sometimes the pauses were a bit too long- and I feel like she must be a great in person speaker but that does not always translate to a great audiobook reader. Sadly, the pauses and the very natural mouth noises made through out the book often distracted me and made me want to offer her a glass of water. Others might not notice it, but it is one of my irks in life so I found it hard to ignore. 

Practical Happiness is a good book for those looking to learn more about finding and appreciating happiness more. 

Audiobook Review: A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks by Chad Orzel, Narrated by Mike Lenz

A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks was written by Chad Orzel and narrated by Mike Lenz. Predating written language and marching on through human history, the desire for ever-better timekeeping has spurred technological innovation and sparked theories that radically reshaped our understanding of the universe and our place in it. Chad Orzel, a physicist and bestselling author, continues his tradition of demystifying thorny scientific concepts by using the clocks and calendars central to our everyday activities as a jumping-off point to explore the science underlying the ways we keep track of our time. Ancient solstice markers depend on the basic astrophysics of our solar system; mechanical clocks owe their development to Newtonian physics; and the ultra-precise atomic timekeeping that enables GPS hinges on the predictable oddities of quantum mechanics. Along the way, Orzel visits the delicate negotiations involved in Gregorian calendar reform, the intricate and entirely unique system employed by the Maya, and how the problem of synchronizing clocks at different locations ultimately required us to abandon the idea of time as an absolute and universal quantity. Sharp and engaging, A Brief History of Timekeeping is a story not just about the science of sundials, sandglasses, and mechanical clocks, but also the politics of calendars and time zones, the philosophy of measurement, and the nature of space and time itself.

A Brief History of Timekeeping is a thorough and fascinating description about how people throughout history have calculated, marked, and understood time. I thought that the history of calendars, clocks, and all the theories and math that surround them was well explained and that the information about the people involved, and the day to day aspects, made it more accessible. I will admit that there were moments deep into the numbers of physics that I felt a bit over my head, I think that if I had the print version of the book to look at the charts and calculations rather than listening to the numbers being read off it might have felt slightly easier to follow. I think the narrator did a great job of conveying the information with good tone and inflection, as I do not think I could have made it through the more complicated bits if the narrator had been less skilled. I liked the honesty and humor that came into play on occasion- acknowledging that many of the calendar and time decisions were based on politics as much as math and practicality. I also liked that the author disclosed any connection to certain figures in the history, to avoid any potential claims of favor. I thought the book as a whole was interesting, well balanced, and informative. I even gained a new favorite word- perturbation. 

A Brief History of Timekeeping is an informative and engaging look at the history of how people have looked at time. 

Book Review: Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser is updated with new research, insights, and voices in order to teach readers how to create a healthy, balanced, and diverse garden capable of supporting a hard-working crew of beneficial pest-eating insects and eliminate the need for synthetic chemical pesticides. After an introduction to the predator and prey cycle and its importance to both wild ecosystems and home gardens, you'll meet dozens of pest-munching beneficial insects (the predators) that feast on garden pests (their prey). From ladybugs and lacewings to parasitic wasps and syrphid flies, these good guys of the bug world keep the natural system of checks and balances in prime working order. They help limit pest damage and also serve a valuable role in the garden's food web. With a hearty population of beneficial insects present in your garden, you'll say goodbye to common garden pests like aphids, cabbage worms, bean beetles, leafhoppers, and hornworms, without reaching for a spray can. To encourage these good guys to stick around and do their important work, you'll learn how to create a welcoming habitat and fill your garden with the best plants to support them.

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden is a valuable resource for gardeners that would prefer to avoid using chemicals on their lawn, garden, or landscape in general. I like that the author includes personal experience as well as the science and benefits of this approach.I like that interviews with entomologists and detailed information on the lives of  some of the specific insects and plants talked about are included. I found the tips on creating a space that encourages beneficial insects to call home to be valuable and interesting. Information on companion planting, and how various plants and insects interact was thoroughly explained and I definitely learned a great deal from this book. I found the content to be well organized, which makes it good for reading straight through of focusing on a specific topic of interest when you need it. I thought it could be a valuable resource for new and experienced gardeners. The information is accessible, but still provides a great depth of information. I also liked that there is a usable index and recommended resources included at the end of the book. This always makes me happy. Perhaps, with this newfound knowledge, I can manage to solve the issues I have with a particular corner of my yard. 

Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden would be a valuable addition to a gardener's personal library as well as in public libraries. 

Book Review: Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts by Dorothy Kern

Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts by Dorothy Kern offers readers tested-to-perfection recipes are easy to make and full of creative new flavor ideas. In these pages, she serves up more than 85 recipes, each with its own color photo. Detailed instructions will demonstrate how to make cookies in batches big or small and offer expert tips on how to store them so they stay fresh for a long time. What’s more, she guides you in taking your cookie skills in new directions, into the delectable world of brownies (lots of different kinds of brownies!), blondies, shortbreads, shortcakes, cookie cakes, and more. Her book includes recipes that range from traditional favorites to all-new concepts: Seriously the Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Trail Mix Oatmeal Cookies, Raspberry Almond Spirals, Nana’s Drop Sugar Cookies, Orange Dream Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Potato Chip Cookies, Brown Butter Pecan Blondies, Apple Shortbread Bars, Caramel Crunch Bars, Bacon and Caramel Brownies, Vanilla Lovers’ White Chocolate Brownies, Fruit Tart Cookie Cups, Birthday Cookie Cake, and more. 

Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars is a great collection of recipes. I found the instructions, tips and ticks, and the recipes to be well written and easy to understand and follow. I like that the recipes include empirical and weight measurements, so everyone can follow recipes without extra math. I also thought to substitution and customization suggestions were well chosen and helpful to those bakers  less comfortable with making those changes on their own. I think the recipes chosen are well balanced, with both basic and much more challenging.  I know I saw more than one recipe that I have never seen before, and some ideas that I want to play with next time I get to baking. I know some of those stuffed cookies are on my agenda.I got to smile at the fact that she even included cookies for our furry friends. I am not sure that my bookshelves can stand another cookbook- especially another one focused on baking- but I just might be willing to try. If you have the shelf space for a good cookie and brownie cookbook, I think this would be a great addition. It should definitely be added to public libraries so those without the ability to bring another book home to stay can still enjoy this. 

Book Review: Disability and the Tudors: All the King's Fools by Phillipa Vincent Connolly

Disability and the Tudors: All the King's Fools by Phillipa Vincent Connolly is a nonfiction book. Throughout history, how society treated its disabled and infirm can tell us a great deal about the period. Challenged with any impairment, disease or frailty was often a matter of life and death before the advent of modern medicine, so how did a society support the disabled among them? For centuries, disabled people and their history have been overlooked - hidden in plain sight. Very little on the infirm and mentally ill was written down during the renaissance period. The Tudor period is no exception and presents a complex, unparalleled story. The sixteenth century was far from exemplary in the treatment of its infirm, but a multifaceted and ambiguous story emerges, where society’s ‘natural fools’ were elevated as much as they were belittled.Meet characters like William Somer, Henry VIII’s fool at court, whom the king depended upon, and learn of how the dissolution of the monasteries contributed to forming an army of ‘sturdy beggars’ who roamed Tudor England without charitable support. From the nobility to the lowest of society, Phillipa Vincent-Connolly casts a light on the lives of disabled people in Tudor England and guides us through the social, religious, cultural, and ruling classes’ response to disability as it was then perceived.

Disability and the Tudors is a fascinating look at what we know of how disabled individuals were treated in the past, and how society has changed (or not) in that regard. I found the writing style to be engaging and the acknowledgement of how money and power effects everything past and present. I think that readers that enjoy history, and want to learn more about what did not make it into history lessons will find this read interesting. While many of us know large chunks of history have been forgotten (deliberately or not) to highlight the parts that make those in power look good- I often find the information we have to look harder for much more interesting. As a bonus- the author took the time to properly and thoroughly cite sources (with endnotes and all) which seems to be less common in nonfiction books than it should be these days. When this is done correctly it makes me extra happy with a book. 

Early Book Review: Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals: 15 Adorable Crochet Patterns by Kristi Simpson

Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals: 15 Adorable Crochet Patterns by Kristi Simpson is currently scheduled for release on January 19 2022. With some simple stitches and a little stuffing, amigurumi is a charming style of crochet that’s great for beginners. A project guide for any crafter of any skill level, this book offers readers 15 crochet patterns, including a hippo, panda, unicorn, hedgehog, giraffe, and so many more. Opening with an introduction on the basics, each project that follows features easy-to-follow instructions, how-to crochet illustrations, photo step-outs for detail work, and other helpful tips and tricks. Also included are detailed sections on how to read an amigurumi pattern, as well as stitch guides. Have fun making the most charming plush toys, all while you fall in love with crochet!

Anyone Can Crochet Amigurumi Animals is a well written guide to crafters that are new to crochet, or just getting started in projects that require more small work than the scarf and blankets that most of us found our confidence and rhythm for crochet with. The instructions are clear and well written, and the tips and trick included will be helpful to many novice and beginner crocheters. I did not find the patterns to be terribly unique, but they did offer a good set of basic skills that will be useful as newcomers attempt more complex problems in the future. There was one formatting issue- that I have full faith with be rectified before final printing- that honestly made me smile as I read. All of the images in my electronic galley were upside down or sideways. Like I said, I am sure the final version will not be like this, but it made my read through just a bit more interesting and has no consideration in my review or number of stars granted to the book.

Early Book Review: Incubators: A Graphic History by Paige V. Polinsky, Josep Rural

Incubators: A Graphic History, written by Paige V. Polinsky and illustrated by Josep Rural, is currently scheduled for release on January 1 2022. When babies are born early, they often have trouble surviving. But special containers called incubators help babies grow by keeping them warm and protected. At first, people in the medical world were skeptical about incubators. But some trailblazing doctors believed in the technology—and put it on display across Europe and the United States. "Incubator exhibits" showed the public how incubators saved lives. The controversial displays led people to accept this medical innovation. Meet the doctors who invented the incubator, and follow the incubator's fascinating rise with this graphic history.

 

Incubators is a well written and illustrated history of incubators. I have know several families that have benefited from the science of preemie care and incubators, so it was good to get an overview of the different doctors and scientists that have  worked so hard to develop and innovate incubators in order to save the lives of premature infants and other ill or recovering infants that have needed the extra help. The book felt short to me, mainly because I know there must have been so much involved in the initial builds for prototypes and  getting everything right. Some of the trail and error is covered in the book, but I felt like this was a well done overview of important people and moments in the history of incubators. I think the book offers readers a great start on the topic, and explains everything very well. The illustrations are extremely well done, with a good page lay out to balance the text. I really liked that the author included source notes, suggestions for further reading, a glossary, and an index. Sadly these are things often overlooked. 

 

Incubators is a well written and drawn history of incubators. It is accessible and engaging for a wide ranging audience. 

Book Review: Embroidery for Everyone: Easy to Learn Techniques with 50 Patterns! by Kelly Fletcher

Embroidery for Everyone: Easy to Learn Techniques with 50 Patterns! by Kelly Fletcher guides readers through an array of stitching techniques and decoration ideas. The patterns offer a wide variety of subjects to choose from like cute animal patterns, Boho chic borders and motifs, winter snowflakes and snowmen, Thanksgiving turkey, and springtime bunnies and flowers. You will learn to embellish clothing, create beautiful needlecraft art with nature and folk images, and make handmade heirloom seasonal decorations.

Embroidery for Everyone offers readers exactly what the title promises. There is a well done stitch guide, basic instructions and information, and more before readers are shown the first design. The designs are neat and clean, getting slightly harder and more complex as the book goes on but never getting too hard for beginners. As a crafter that is just getting back into needle work this year, after mostly working with tarn for the last decade, this book offers some good reminders and practice designs for me. The instructions are well written and I think the book works well as encouragement and instruction for those new to embroidery and for those looking to refresh or enhance their skill set.  

Early Book Review: Silk, the Thread that Tied the World by Anthony Burton

Silk, the Thread that Tied the World by Anthony Burton is a nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on November 30 2021. Over a thousand years ago the Chinese discovered that the slender filaments that formed the cocoon of the silk moth, could be woven into beautiful shimmering fabrics. For centuries they were able to keep the process a secret, but eventually started to trade the valuable cloth with the west, along the silk road. Silk was a luxury item that bestowed prestige, so it was inevitable that the wealthy wanted there silks to be as elaborate as possible, beautiful designs were produced in the Islamic world and gradually a European industry developed. In the 19th century mechanization of the time consuming hand weaving process, had resulted in products being produced using the Jacquard loom, which used punched cards to create a pattern. Silk remains the most beautiful woven material in the world, moving from its origins in ancient China to help transform the whole world.

Silk, the Thread that Tied the World is a well researched and written book that taught me quite a bot about a topic I have never thought to explore before. I thought the history of the industry was interesting to read, and the descriptions and chosen images were nicely matched. I thought the writing was accessible and generally easy to follow. I will admit to getting bogged down in some of the more technical explanations, such as the innovations and functionality of the looms. I might have also liked to see a more extensive bibliography or suggestions for further reading on this topic and related subjects, as I enjoy follow done the rabbit whole in researching subjects once my interest in piqued on a topic.  However, as a whole I enjoyed the read and learned quite a bit. I think those interested in the subject will not want to miss this read, and other will learn a great deal and enjoy the read as well.

Early Book Review: Bat's Moonlight Feast by Gordon McMillan, Carly Allen-Fletcher

Bat's Moonlight Feast is a nonfiction picturebook written by Gordon McMillan and illustrated by Carly Allen-Fletcher. It is currently scheduled for release on November 1 2021. The tube-lipped nectar bat is the pollinator of a pale, bell-shaped flower found in the Ecuadorian cloud forests. First discovered in 2005, the bat is the only known pollinator of a pale, bell shaped flower called Centropogon nigricans . Due to the length of the bloom, no other animal can reach the nectar which rests at the flower’s base. This is the story of one such bat and her nocturnal search for this rare flower whose nectar sustains her.

Bat's Moonlight Feast is an absolutely beautiful book. I thought the artwork was extremely well done and did a great job of showing the details of the subject matter. The backgrounds were just as beautiful as the work done on the bats and flowers. I looked through the images several times simply to enjoy them. I also thought the text was well done, and easy to understand without being dumbed down. I liked the additional text that gave more information on the newly discovered bat and what we have learned about it. I think young readers will love this book, and animal and nature enthusiasts of all ages will as well.