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Gladys Hunt on Enjoying Picture Books–at Any Age
Editor’s Note: I hope everyone enjoyed a happy Thanksgiving with family and good food. Everybody knows what happens next: Christmas! And, as it’s still Picture Book month, we’re sharing thoughts from Gladys Hunt on picture books to give and to keep. Some are actually better appreciated by adults than by kids. Read on . . . Picture books for adults? Originally published on the Tumblon website October 25, 2009 Picture books for adults? Yes, these are the books grown-ups keep on the coffee table or bring out to show at dinner parties. One of my friends charmed all her dinner guests by reading Kevin Henke’s Chrysanthemum, a story about the…
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The Viaduct Killings by Wes Markin
Cracking Crime Novel The Viaduct Killings by Wes Markin is a gripping contemporary crime novel that had me glued from the start. It is the first book in The Yorkshire Murders series and I cannot wait for the subsequent novels. This is a fast paced crime thriller that gives the reader a roller coaster ride […]
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The Automobile Assassination by M.J. Porter
Glimpses Back In Time The Automobile Assassination by M.J. Porter is a marvelous historical, cosy crime novel. It is the second book in the Erdington Mysteries but can be read as a stand-alone. The reader is transported back to 1944 in Birmingham. The war is in its final few months but there are still black […]
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Yvonne Child Of The Somme by Sara Rowell
Fascinating Yvonne Child Of The Somme by Sara Rowell is a fascinating glimpse into a bygone era. The reader becomes immersed into French life during the early part of the twentieth century. The author drops in on mother Marie’s life as a domestic servant in 1900 before following Yvonne’s life from 1901. Life for women […]
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*This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore
There aren’t many picture books about Thanksgiving; This is the Feast is one of the best. This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore, illustrated by Megan Lloyd. HarperCollins, 2008. 32 pages. Reading Level: Picture books, Ages 4-8 Recommended For: Ages 4-8, Ages 8-10 This is the Feast describes the trials of the pilgrims from the Mayflower through the first winter, the friendship of the Native Americans (especially Squanto), and the bountiful harvest that led to feasting and celebration. Using the meter of “The House that Jack Built,” Shore skillfully weaves her narrative in rhyme. The illustrations are engaging and vividly reflect the text. There aren’t many picture books about…
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The Way of Birds: Duet and Feathers Together
Duet and Feathers Together present two notable bird species: the northern mockingbird and the white stork. Duet: Our Journey in Song with the Northern Mockingbird by Phillip Hoose. Farrar Strauss Giroux, 2022, 125 pages plus notes and index. Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12 Recommended for: Ages 8-15 If you’ve ever heard a northern mockingbird sing, you might have thought it was a collection of birds on one branch. No other bird has the song repertoire of this one, owing to the unique construction of its larynx and throat. The bird’s relationship with humans is unique, too: as its natural habitat of fields and forest has shrunk, it has adapted…
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Sinister Stranger At St Brides by Debbie Young
Working Together Sinister Stranger At St Brides by Debbie Young is the second book in the Gemma Lamb Cosy Mystery series which is highly entertaining. Once more St Brides is at the heart of another mystery to solve after a stranger arrives on the doorstep. If manners maketh the man, then this is certainly no […]
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A Sister’s Promise by Caroline Finnerty
A Beautiful Love A Sister’s Promise by Caroline Finnerty is the most beautiful contemporary novel. It is a love story – but it is not an ordinary love story. This is a beautiful love story. It is a love story about a love that will not die – not even death can separate this love. […]
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The Judas Tree by Amanda Jennings
Lasting A Lifetime The Judas Tree by Amanda Jennings is a gripping contemporary psychological thriller that seeps into your very core. It is tragic. It is heartbreaking. It is a powerful tale showing the affects of a traumatic childhood on adulthood. An event, so awful, it never leaves you. The timescale of a life is […]
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Flicker’s Garden Rescue by Jodie Parachini
Working Together Flicker’s Garden Rescue by Jodie Parachini is a beautiful book for the under fives. We see the importance of working together to help those in need. If we all function as one, we can get the job done. There is no room for a selfish attitude. We witness the bugs working together as […]
