This is my monthly roundup of books that came my way in the last month. I also share an update with you on other things going on in my and my family’s life.

Just when you think Spring has arrived, Mother Nature throws you a curveball and it snows on the last day of March. Not funny! We were spoiled with a few gorgeous days and then BAM! it was winter again with cold winds and low temps. I am very much ready for the sun and 60s and 70s. We had a bit of a lull in activities and now that it is Spring, we are getting busy again. I can’t believe there are only seven Mondays left in the school year!

Family and Life Update

Reagan was inducted into the National Honor Society last month. We are proud that all of our kids were members of NHS and live by the values of scholarship, leadership, service and character.

Reagan also finished her dance season with a spring show and her brother was able to come home and support her.

My husband and I celebrated 23 years of marriage on March 27. No, we didn’t celebrate with champagne, but instead with margaritas and we still love to enjoy a margarita today! A couple that has margs together, stays together! 🙂 Here’s until 23 plus more!

Now on to the books! This month the stack of books I’m sharing is large, especially in the children’s area. I still have to pinch myself that I get to share books with you, nearly every day. I posted every weekday in March except for one because I have SO MANY great books to share with you. I’ll be taking a week off this month to meet up with some family for our annual trip. But, after I return, I’ll be back to sharing all kinds of bookish goodness with you.

In March, I read 5 books with 4 of them being physical books off of my own to-read shelf as part of my goal of reading 22 books off of my to-read shelf this year. That puts me at 10 total books I’ve moved off of my shelf. Not bad for the first three months. I hope you find something that interests you in the books I’m sharing below.

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Be sure to follow me on Instagram, HERE to see snippets of what I’m reading or what’s going on in my daily life.

If you have missed any of my recent book reviews, you can see all of them by clicking, HERE.  Or you can stay up to date with my monthly Quick Lit Roundup.

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Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction

THE WELL OF TRUTH

Stories of Spirit

By: Elizabeth A. Gould

Published: June 14, 2022

Publisher: SparkPress

Fiction/Short Stories

Format: Paperback

This came unsolicited for review, but I am intrigued and I typically enjoy short stories.

Incorporating elements of fantasy, mysticism, and lore, The Well of Truth follows a female heroine through poignant moments of her adult life. Through the initiations of marriage, raising children, getting divorced, going through menopause, losing loved ones, and ultimately making an independent life for herself, she gains insight and spiritual wisdom from unexpected places.

These short stories are filled with reflections on feminine resilience, power, and agency.

BREACH

By: Kelly Sokol

Published: May 17, 2022

Publisher: Koehler Books

Fiction

Format: Paperback

This came unsolicited for review and it sounds like compelling fiction.

The boundary between battlefield and home front blurs. Are there wounds love can heal?

Marleigh Mulcahy grew up in a boxing gym, the daughter of hard-drinking parents who didn’t keep a stable roof overhead. In the cinder-block Box-n-Go, amidst the sweat and funk, she meets EOD specialist Jace Holt, a highly and expensively trained bomb diffuser with three successful deployments behind him. With a heady mix of hope, carelessness, and a ridiculous amount of courage, they begin a family. When Jace returns to active duty, a roadside bomb resurrects ghosts from the couple’s past and threatens the life they’ve built.

An unflinching and timely gaze into the marriage of an enlisted special operator and his wife, Breach is the story of betting it all on love, a couple’s determination to change the trajectory of their lives, and one woman’s promises to the man she loves and the children they’re raising.

What choices will a desperate mother make to keep her family whole? 

WE GERMANS

By: Alexander Starritt

Published: September 1, 2020

Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company

Fiction/Historical Fiction

Format: Hardcover

This is my Literati Book Club choice for April. For more information on a Literati Book Club subscription, click HERE. I chose it because it was WWII fiction and a dual timeline story.

In the throes of the Second World War, young Meissner, a college student with dreams of becoming a scientist, is drafted into the German army and sent to the Eastern Front. But soon his regiment collapses in the face of the onslaught of the Red Army, hell-bent on revenge in its race to Berlin. Many decades later, now an old man reckoning with his past, Meissner pens a letter to his grandson explaining his actions, his guilt as a Nazi participator, and the difficulty of life after war.
 
Found among his effects after his death, the letter is at once a thrilling story of adventure and a questing rumination on the moral ambiguity of war. In his years spent fighting the Russians and attempting afterward to survive the Gulag, Meissner recounts a life lived in perseverance and atonement. Wracked with shame—both for himself and for Germany—the grandfather explains his dark rationale, exults in the courage of others, and blurs the boundaries of right and wrong.

OUR LITTLE WORLD

By: Karen Winn

Published: May 3, 2022

Publisher: Dutton

Fiction

Format: eBook

This was requested for review and the premise drew me in. Siblings, family drama, and coming-of-age are all stories I typically love.

July 1985. It’s a normal, sweltering New Jersey summer for soon-to-be seventh grader Bee Kocsis. Her thoughts center only on sunny days spent at Deer Chase Lake, on evenings chasing fireflies around her cul-de-sac with the neighborhood kids, and on Max, the boy who just moved in across the street. There’s also the burgeoning worry that she’ll never be as special as her younger sister, Audrina, who seems to effortlessly dazzle wherever she goes. 

But when Max’s little sister, Sally, goes missing at the lake, Bee’s long-held illusion of stability is shattered in an instant. As the families in her close-knit community turn inward, suspicious and protective, things in Bee’s own home become increasingly strained, most of all with Audrina, when a shameful secret surfaces. With everything changed, Bee and Audrina’s already-fraught sisterhood is pushed to the limit as they grow up—and apart—in the wake of an innocence lost too soon. 

MUSTIQUE ISLAND

By: Sarah McCoy

Published: May 10, 2022

Publisher: William Morrow

Fiction

Format: eBook

I was offered this book for review and the synopsis intrigued me. I recognized Sarah McCoy as being the author of one of the stories in GRAND CENTRAL.

From bestselling author Sarah McCoy, a sun-splashed romp with a rich divorcee and her two wayward daughters in 1970s Mustique, the world’s most exclusive private island, where Princess Margaret and Mick Jagger were regulars and scandals stayed hidden from the press.

THE LOST APOTHECARY

By: Sarah Penner

Published: March 2, 2021 – Paperback February 22, 2022

Publisher: Park Row

Fiction

Format: Paperback

This is the Jen Hatmaker Book Club choice for April.

A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them – setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.

Rule #1: The poison must never be used to harm another woman.
Rule #2: The names of the murderer and her victim must be recorded in the apothecary’s register.

One cold February evening in 1791, at the back of a dark London alley in a hidden apothecary shop, Nella awaits her newest customer. Once a respected healer, Nella now uses her knowledge for a darker purpose – selling well-disguised poisons to desperate women who would kill to be free of the men in their lives. But when her new patron turns out to be a precocious twelve-year-old named Eliza Fanning, an unexpected friendship sets in motion a string of events that jeopardizes Nella’s world and threatens to expose the many women whose names are written in her register.

In present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, reeling from the discovery of her husband’s infidelity. When she finds an old apothecary vial near the river Thames, she can’t resist investigating, only to realize she’s found a link to the unsolved “apothecary murders” that haunted London over two centuries ago. As she deepens her search, Caroline’s life collides with Nella’s and Eliza’s in a stunning twist of fate – and not everyone will survive. 

SCARLET CARNATION

By: Laila Ibrahim

Published: April 1, 2022

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Historical Fiction

Format: eBook

This was a free Kindle book during March. I’ve read two other books by Laila Ibrahim and have loved them both.

1915. May and Naomi are extended family, their grandmothers’ lives inseparably entwined on a Virginia plantation in the volatile time leading up to the Civil War. For both women, the twentieth century promises social transformation and equal opportunity.

May, a young white woman, is on the brink of achieving the independent life she’s dreamed of since childhood. Naomi, a nurse, mother, and leader of the NAACP, has fulfilled her own dearest desire: buying a home for her family. But they both are about to learn that dreams can be destroyed in an instant. May’s future is upended, and she is forced to rely once again on her mother. Meanwhile, the white-majority neighborhood into which Naomi has moved is organizing against her while her sons are away fighting for their country.

In the tumult of a changing nation, these two women—whose grandmothers survived the Civil War—support each other’s quest for liberation and dignity. Both find the strength to confront injustice and the faith to thrive on their chosen paths.

TAO CALLIGRAPHY

To Heal and Rejuvenate Your Back

By: Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha

Published: March 7, 2022

Publisher: Waterside Productions

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

This came unsolicited for review. The reviews for this one are good, but I’m unsure about how the process works for healing.

Tao is the Ultimate Source. Calligraphy is art. Tao Calligraphy is Source art that carries positive information, energy, and matter, which can transform negative information ,energy, and matter. Welcome you to put this calligraphy on your back for healing and rejuvenation.

ASPIRE HIGHER

How to Find the Love, Positivity, and Purpose to Elevate Your Life and the World!

By: Ken Lindner

Published: November 16, 2021

Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

This came unsolicited for review. If you are struggling after the pandemic to find a new normal or recover from the loss of a job, a family member or friend, or the normalcy of life, this might be a good book for you.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wrought global devastation. Unbridled violence, vitriol, racism, distrust, and anger are pervasive. The world is in serious need of love, repair, and healing. And so are all of us as individuals. There has never been a better time than right now to seize the life you truly crave, be your greatest self, and share that positivity with others in order to make the world a more loving and positive place.

Most of us want love and peace in our hearts and in the world, but in Aspire Higher, Ken Lindner, author, renowned celebrity career coach, and founder of Positive Life Choice PsychologyTM, shows you how to actually achieve that goal through clear, actionable steps and strategies.

THIS IS THE STORY OF A HAPPY MARRIAGE

By: Ann Patchett

Published: November 5, 2013

Publisher: Harper

Non-Fiction/Essays

Format: Paperback

I’ve had this one on my to-read list for quite a while. I found it in the Clearance section at Half-Price books for $3 and felt it was meant for me.

This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage takes us into the very real world of Ann Patchett’s life. Stretching from her childhood to the present day, from a disastrous early marriage to a later happy one, it covers a multitude of topics, including relationships with family and friends, and charts the hard work and joy of writing, and the unexpected thrill of opening a bookstore.

As she shares stories of the people, places, ideals, and art to which she has remained indelibly committed, Ann Patchett brings into focus the large experiences and small moments that have shaped her as a daughter, wife, and writer. 

SNACKING CAKES

By: Yossy Arefí

Published: October 27, 2020

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

Non-Fiction/Cookbook

Format: Hardcover

I heard about this cookbook in February (can’t remember where) and ordered it right away, but it took several weeks to get to me due to backorder. Soon it will be just Pat and me around here and when I want something sweet I don’t want to bake a whole cake or batch of brownies. I can’t wait to try some of these recipes.

In Snacking Cakes, the indulgent, treat-yourself concept of cake becomes an anytime, easy-to-make treat. Expert baker Yossy Arefi’s collection of no-fuss recipes is perfect for anyone who craves near-instant cake satisfaction.

With little time and effort, these single-layered cakes are made using only one bowl (no electric mixers needed) and utilize ingredients likely sitting in your cupboard. They’re baked in the basic pans you already own and shine with only the most modest adornments: a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle of glaze, a dollop of whipped cream. From Nectarine and Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake and Gingery Sweet Potato Cake to Salty Caramel Peanut Butter Cake and Milk Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cake, these humble, comforting treats couldn’t be simpler to create. Yossy’s rustic, elegant style combines accessible, diverse flavors in intriguing ways that make them easy for kids to join in on the baking, but special enough to serve company or bring to potlucks.

Whether enjoyed in a quiet moment alone with a cup of morning coffee or with friends hungrily gathered around the pan, these ever-pleasing, undemanding cakes will become part of your daily ritual. 

ME, MYSELF, AND PIE

More than 100 Simple and Delicious Amish Recipes

By: Sherry Gore

Published: October 7, 2014

Publisher: Zondervan

Non-Fiction/Cookbook

Format: Hardcover

I grew up near an Amish community and we frequently would go there for baked goods. This book has been on my to-read list for a long time and when I spotted the book in a small shop near a Mennonite community that I love to visit, I felt like it was serendipity to get it. I want to be better at pie baking, but I am also here for the stories.

Filled with classic pie recipes such as apple and pecan, yet bolstered with modern pie innovations like pie pops, Thanksgiving Pie, and pies-in-a-jar, this is a collection of simple, straightforward recipes and stories of Amish life that will help bakers bring their families together around the table. Brimming with full-color photography of more than 100 recipes full of simple, wholesome ingredients and easy tried-and-true techniques that are sure to please any palate, this distinctive cookbook will help you bake the perfect Amish pie, whether you are a pie novice or a filled-pastry aficionado. Recipes include sweet and savory fillings, basic crusts, fruit pies, cream pies, meringues, scrumptious toppings, and so much more. Sprinkled throughout are Sherry Gore’s personal stories of Amish life and culture that are best enjoyed over—what else?—a slice of homemade pie!

THE MIDWEST SURVIVAL GUIDE

How We Talk, Love, Work, Drink and Eat…Everything with Ranch

By: Charlie Berens

Published: November 16, 2021

Publisher: William Morrow

Non-Fiction

Format: eBook

I am new to Charlie Berens but he is hilarious and pretty spot on with Midwest comedy. I got this eBook for free with my Kindle credits for delaying Amazon orders when it was on Kindle Deal.

Have you ever had a goodbye lasting more than four hours? Do you lack the emotional capacity to say “I love you” so you just tell your loved ones to “watch out for deer”? Have you apologized to a stranger because she stepped on your foot? If you answered yes to any of these questions, there’s a good chance you’re a Midwesterner—or a Midwesterner at heart.

Even if you answered no, you probably know someone who held the door for you from two football fields away. He likely waved at you and said, “Hey there,” like you organized the church bar crawl together. That was a Midwesterner in the wild. We understand that your interaction was strange—but it’s likely to get stranger. Don’t wait until they stick their head in your second-floor window to invite you over for a perch fry because they climbed on your roof to clean your gutters. There’s no need to pull the pepper spray; this species is helpful by nature. And the relationship could be very symbiotic—but only if you let it happen. And that’s where this book comes into play.

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Children’s Fiction and Nonfiction

DONUT: THE UNICORN WHO WANTS TO FLY

By: Laura Gehl

Illustrated by: Andrea Zuill

Published: April 12, 2022

Publisher: Random House Kids

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

National Unicorn Day is Saturday, April 9. Celebrate by reading this book!

When Donut, a fluffy, scruffy unicorn with a colorful horn spots a bird in the air, she thinks, why can’t I be up there, too? And so she jumps! off of a log and and even a trampoline. But thump! she falls down to the ground. After many attempts at flight (including wings fashioned out of sticks), Donut schemes with the other animals in the field, and finally comes up with an ingenious and imaginative solution. Finally, her perseverance pays off– and Donut flies!

With a simple text and expressive art, here is a character-driven story from a popular author-illustrator duo that’s laugh-out-loud funny, ingenious, and sure to appeal to all those unicorn fans out there–especially those who like their unicorns a little on the imperfect side.

TOO MANY PIGS IN THE POOL

By: Wendy Hinote Lanier

Illustrated by: Iris Amaya

Published: April 15, 2022

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

A fun counting book!

On Sunday, Mr. Jenkins welcomes one pig into his pool (as a guest of his neighbor Ms. Peal, who’s brought along her famous seven layer dip as well). Really, how much trouble could one little pig be? But one pig becomes two and two become four… And by Saturday there are just TOO MANY PIGS IN THE POOL! This funny math-based story will have readers laughing along with pigs Percy and Wanda while learning about multiplication and the doubling sequence.

I AM ABLE TO SHINE

By: Korey Watari

Illustrated by: Mike Wu

Published: May 1, 2022

Publisher: Two Lions

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

The illustrations in this one are amazing plus it has such a good message.

An affirmative, empowering story about embracing your identity and finding your voice, inspired in part by debut author Korey Watari’s experiences growing up Asian American, and illustrated by her husband, Mike Wu, Pixar artist and creator of the Ellie series.

I am beautiful.

I belong here.

What I do matters.

I am able to shine.

Each night Keiko whispers to her crane, “I wish to change the world.” She is kind, and she has big dreams. But at times she feels invisible; she knows some people misjudge her. Keiko is also loved, so she perseveres and stands strong. Over time, her confidence grows, she shares more of herself, and she helps lift up others—and eventually lead them. She understands that no matter what, she can shine.

ALL AROUND BUSTLETOWN: NIGHTTIME

By: Rotraut Susanne Berner

Published: April 12, 2022

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Fiction

Format: Oversized Board Book

I love the Bustletown series! This is the fifth and you can see the others, HERE.

Bustletown’s many fans will delight in this nocturnal return trip, which finds the village’s beloved people, animals, and streetscapes as fun and busy as ever.

No matter what time of year, the inhabitants of Bustletown are busy working, walking, playing, eating, making music, exercising, and shopping. Now, even though it’s nighttime, the fun hasn’t stopped. Just as Berner’s previous explorations of the town have brilliantly evoked the sights and colors of the seasons, here she bathes the town in shimmering darkness that throws evening activities into fascinating relief. Seven colorful and incredibly detailed spreads take readers inside a multi-generational house, a farm, a railway station, a community center, a marketplace, a department store, and a park with a lake. Readers will return again and again to these pages to discover everything that takes place in Bustletown during the late hours: a burglar tries to break into the dental office, the bookshop features “books for a good night,” fireworks explode above the lake, and a slumber party is raging in the library. And as they search on each page for their favorite returning characters, they’ll create their own stories about all the things you can do after the sun sets.

ONLY ONE

By: Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrated by: Chuck Groenink

Published: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Anne Schwartz Books

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

What is one small thing you can do? I can’t wait to share this one with you!

Join one girl as she leads her friends to a tree-planting ceremony. Along the way, she explains in simple language the value of the universe and Planet Earth. Readers will see the Big Bang, the Milky Way, all the planets in the solar system, as well as Earth’s atmosphere, and the life within it: its oceans, trees, bugs, and seven billion human beings. Finally, the girl and her friends plant a tree–doing one small thing to help their one special planet.

Both informative and inspiring, here is a beautifully written and gorgeously illustrated science picture book about our universe that will encourage young readers and listeners to protect and preserve the environment. 

ALICE ATE AN APPLE

The World of Letters

By: Anne-Marie Labrecque

Illustrated by: Mathieu Dionne St-Arneault

Published: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Twirl

Fiction

Format: Oversized Board Book

A fun take on learning the alphabet!

The perfect next-step book for young children who have learned their ABCs.Alice Ate an Apple is a fun, colorful romp through the world of uppercase, lowercase, and even cursive letters—from apples to zebras! Each spread highlights a letter and has a sentence that includes the featured letter in its various forms. Readers can also play a game by counting how many times that letter appears in the sentence. Handy hints and an answer key in the back offer extra help.

MUSHROOM RAIN

By: Laura K. Zimmerman

Illustrated by: Jamie Green

Published: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

The cover is frame-worthy! I grew up hunting for mushrooms in the spring on our farm and in the woods around our acreage. I can’t wait to check this one out!

What can smell like bubble gum, glow neon green at night, be poisonous and yet still eaten by humans, and even help create rain? The answer is mushrooms! From their hidden networks underground to the fruiting body above, mushrooms can do incredible things. But don’t call them plants–mushrooms are fungi. They’re more closely related to animals like you! Through lyrical text and colorful, detailed artwork, the wonderful, mysterious, and sometimes bizarre world of mushrooms is explored. Back matter includes a glossary, additional mushroom facts, and a science activity. 

ONE BOY WATCHING

By: Grant Snider

Published: June 28, 2022

Publisher: Chronicle Kids

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I was a child who had a very long bus ride to school every day. This was LONG before any devices, so all we had to do was look out the window! The cover is gorgeous!

Climb aboard Bus Number Four as it travels along country roads and city streets, past train tracks and farm fields. Through the window, countless details rush by, just waiting to be noticed. What will you see today?

In this lyrical tribute to long rides and curious minds, author Grant Snider celebrates the extraordinary found within the ordinary, the fascinating hiding within the familiar, and the world of discovery awaiting all those who watch and wonder.

BEFORE THE WORLD WAKES

By: Estelle Laure

Illustrated by: Paola Zakimi

Published: April 1, 2022

Publisher: Two Lions

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

A brother and sister celebrate the beauty of nature in the quiet moments!

When everything is still gentle and quiet-ish and the stars say good morning at the same time they say good night, a brother and sister venture outside. They marvel at the dance of the snails and the birdsong that surrounds them. And then they join in, reveling in the early morning—and their time together before the rest of the world wakes.

With lyrical language and beautiful art, this book captures the magic of daybreak, the importance of small moments, and the special bond between siblings.

WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT

By: Judith Kerr

Published: 1971 – 50th Anniversary Edition published July 1, 2008

Publisher: The Putnam & Grosset Group – Harper Collins Children’s Books

Fiction/Middle-Grade

Format: Paperback

This is based on the author’s own experiences as a child who had to flee Berlin just before Hitler comes into power. This book was on a list of recommended middle-grade Holocaust titles and since I had never heard of it, decided to see if I could get a copy from Thrift Books. The title grabbed my attention as well. This is the first in a series of three books.

Partly autobiographical, this is first of the internationally acclaimed trilogy by Judith Kerr telling the unforgettable story of a Jewish family fleeing from Germany at the start of the Second World War

Suppose your country began to change. Suppose that without your noticing, it became dangerous for some people to live in Germany any longer. Suppose you found, to your complete surprise, that your own father was one of those people.

That is what happened to Anna in 1933. She was nine years old when it began, too busy with her schoolwork and toboganning to take much notice of political posters, but out of them glared the face of Adolf Hitler, the man who would soon change the whole of Europe – starting with her own small life.

Anna suddenly found things moving too fast for her to understand. One day, her father was unaccountably missing. Then she herself and her brother Max were being rushed by their mother, in alarming secrecy, away from everything they knew – home and schoolmates and well-loved toys – right out of Germany.

THE BUTTON BOX

By: Bridget Hodder

Illustrated by: Fawzia Gilani-Williams and Harshad Marathe

Published: April 1, 2022

Publisher: Kar-Ben Publishing

Fiction

Format: eBook

I’ve already started reading this story of a friendship between two kids from different backgrounds. It isn’t something I would usually read, but the story intrigued me.

After Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim cousin Nadeem are called hateful names at school, Granny Buena rummages in her closet and pulls out a glittering crystal button box. It’s packed with buttons that generations of their Sephardic ancestors have cherished. With the help of Granny’s mysterious cat Sheba, Ava and Nadeem discover that a button from the Button Box will whisk them back in time. Suddenly, they find themselves in ancient Morocco, where Nadeem’s ancestor, Prince Abdur Rahman, is running for his life. Can Ava and Nadeem help the prince escape to Spain and fulfill his destiny, creating a legendary Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians?

JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA

By: Debbie Rovin Murphy

Illustrated by: Jen Bricking

Published: March 15, 2022

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Non-Fiction/Biography

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I love sharing biographies written for children and especially ones about the First Ladies.

Jackie Kennedy loved the arts. And America loved Jackie Kennedy. The first lady knew she had the country’s attention–what would she do with it? Encourage Americans to appreciate art, of course! She turned the White House into a historical site filled with some of America’s most treasured artifacts and pieces of art. She brought Shakespearean theater to the White House and ballerinas to the South Lawn. And most epically, she brought the Mona Lisa to the states (much to the chagrin of many Parisians) to encourage Americans to visit museums–and it worked! An inspiring story about one of the nation’s most influential first ladies.

LITTLE KIDS FIRST BIG BOOK OF BABY ANIMALS

By: Maya Myers

Published: March 22, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

This one is so adorable and this series is such a great one for kids!

This may be the cutest Little Kids First Big Book ever! From panda cubs and prairie dog
pups to beluga calves and fuzzy flamingo chicks, this book is packed with fascinating information about adorable and aww-some baby animals.

Meet more than 40 animal babies from every corner of the globe, from ocean depths to
mountaintops, grassy plains to polar lands.

LITTLE KIDS FIRST BOARD BOOK: BIRDS

By: Ruth Musgrave

Published: March 1, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Children’s Books

Non-Fiction

Format: Board Book

You know I love birds so I’m all about this one!

Designed to be the stepping stone to the best-selling National Geographic Little Kids First Big
Book series, the Little Kids First Board Book series takes similar big subjects and distills them
down to the simplest nonfiction concepts for the youngest audience. Not only will readers learn
about a variety of birds, they can also find recurring shapes and patterns in the art, while adults
can keep their eyes open for occasional funny commentary from the animals. Sidebar text offers
additional learning for older siblings or those ready for more complex information.

SO COOL! DINOS

By: Crispin Boyer

Published: February 1, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book – smaller sized

This is a fun series and perfect for the dinosaur fan!

Dinos ruled Earth millions of years ago, and they came in all shapes and sizes. Some even had feathers! From the mighty T. rex to teeny-tiny microraptors, this book is jam-packed with dino-mite info about your favorite dinosaurs. Blending awesome dinosaur art with silly quips, it is sure to delight young readers and prehistoric creature enthusiasts alike.

SO CUTE! PUPPIES

By: Crispin Boyer

Published: February 1, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book – smaller sized

How cute are the puppies featured on the pages in this book???? Great for families that are getting a new puppy.

Ready to get your paws on the most playful puppies in town? Well then you’ve come to the right place! Try to contain your squeals of delight as you flip through pages of the fluffy fur balls.

Informational fact boxes about a puppy’s life stages, behavior, common dog breeds, and more
Supercute puppy photos with imagined inner dialogue that will have the whole family laughing
Little kids getting acquainted with a new pup at home or kids who love animals in general will love this playful and eye-catching book.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: BLING!

100 Fun Facts About Rocks and Gems

By: Emma Carlson Berne

Published: January 4, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

New Level 3 readers for kids that want some nonfiction reading in their level.

In this Level 3 reader, discover fascinating facts about the incredible rocks and minerals under our feet and deep in Earth’s crust. Budding geologists will love reading about how rocks form, learning the names and features of the coolest rocks and minerals, and exploring rare and beautiful gemstones.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: MYTHICAL BEASTS

100 Fun Facts about Real Animals and the Myths They Inspire

By: Stephanie Warren Drimmer

Published: January 4, 2022

Publisher: National Geographic Kids

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

Packed with weird-but-true facts and tons of info, this Level 3 reader explores animals that are mistaken for mythical creatures, critters that are almost too weird for reality, and other creatures with incredible abilities. Learn all about these amazing, unbelievable, and downright fantastical beasts!

WHAT’S COOKING IN FLOWERVILLE?

Recipes from Balconies, Rooftops, and Gardens

By: Felicita Sala

Published: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction/Cookbook

Format: Oversized Hardcover Picture Book

Prestel always does an amazing job with books like this. I can’t wait until Farmer’s Markets are open here for all the fresh produce!

Young cooks will learn about the edible gifts that each season brings in this warm and inviting collection of recipes from the author of What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street. In lush double-page spreads featuring Sala’s gorgeous watercolor illustrations, we visit the yards, balconies, and rooftops where the citizens of Flowerville grow their vegetables. Each month features a different member of the town, and a delicious recipe inspired by a fruit or vegetable.

OLAF HAJEK’S FANTASTIC FRUITS

By: Annette Roeder

Published: April 5, 2022

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Oversized Hardcover Picture Book

This is the third Olaf Hajek book I’ve shared with you. They are amazing! Check the others out, HERE.

As in his previous books, Flower Power and Veggie Power, Hajek’s whimsical, imaginative paintings—inspired by a variety of artistic traditions—situate each fruit in a fascinating cultural context. Each “portrait” features delightful pictorial clues about how the fruits are grown and consumed. Opposite the illustrations, Annette Roeder’s engaging texts offer illuminating and often surprising facts from throughout history and contemporary life. As mouthwatering as a summer peach, and as surprising as a pomegranate’s seeds, this book serves up page after page of delicious, nutritious, but most of all fun portions of fruity knowledge from all over the world.

THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF WATER

By: Anne-Sophie Baumann & Arnaud Lemaistre

Illustrated by: Vanessa Robidou

Published: April 26, 2022

Publisher: Twirl

Non-Fiction

Format: Oversized Interactive Book

This book is huge with some very neat interactive features. Check out another book in this series, THE ULTIMATE BOOK OF ANIMALS.

Discover the fascinating world of water! From a tiny drop to an enormous ocean, one of Earth’s most important natural resources flows over land and underground, forms icebergs, and is even found in the air. This interactive book provides a comprehensive overview, exploring where water comes from and how it provides for all living things, and more! Readers can find out about the water cycle, dive into the ocean with marine animals, trace how water gets from a lake to our homes and explore ways in which water energy is used in our daily lives.

DO YOU KNOW? EARTH AND NATURE

By: Cécile Benoist

Published: April 19, 2022

Publisher: Twirl

Non-Fiction

Format: Board Book

This is another great series for in-depth learning in a fun format. Check out DO YOU KNOW? VEHICLES.

What is Earth’s surface made of? Which natural resources are renewable? Why isn’t it the same time everywhere? The Do You Know?™ series provides in-depth looks at a wide range of popular subjects. Appealing to children who want to know everything, each thought-provoking book features
• 96 pages of engaging and educational answers to many popular questions
• Hundreds of labeled full-color illustrations
• An index to key terms

DO YOU KNOW? ANIMALS OF LAND, SEA, AND AIR

By: Stéphanie Babin

Published: April 19, 2022

Publisher: Twirl

Non-Fiction

Format: Board Book

Which animals are found in the savanna? How do animals take care of their young? What is metamorphosis? The Do You Know?™ series provides in-depth looks at a wide range of popular subjects. Appealing to children who want to know everything, each thought-provoking book features
• 92 pages of engaging and educational answers to many popular questions
• Hundreds of labeled full-color illustrations
• An index to key terms

THE PROMISE

The True Story of a Family in the Holocaust

By: Eva Schloss and Barbara Powers

Published: April 6, 2006

Publisher: Puffin Books – Penguin UK

Non-Fiction/Memoir

Format: Paperback

I saw this book listed in a series of Holocaust books for middle-grade readers and I hadn’t heard of it. I checked Thrift Books to see if copies were available and were delighted to see I could get a copy. Surprisingly, once I looked through the book, I noticed it was an autographed copy, autographed by Eva Schloss. At less than 150 pages, this will be a quick, but I’m sure a powerful read. Photos of the family are included in the book as well.

This is the remarkable true story of a young Jewish girl and her brother growing up during World War II, caught in a world turned upside down by the Nazis. Written specially for children, Eva describes her happy early childhood in Vienna with her kind and loving parents and her older brother Heinz, whom she adored. But when the Nazis marched into Austria everything changed. Eva’s family fled to Belgium, then to Amsterdam where, with the help of the Dutch Resistance, they spent the next two years in hiding—Eva and her mother in one house, and her father and brother in another. Finally, though, they were all betrayed and deported to Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. Despite the horrors of the camp, Eva’s positive attitude and stubborn personality (which had often got her into trouble) saw her through one of the most tragic events in history, and she and her mother eventually returned to Amsterdam. Sadly her father and brother perished just weeks before the liberation. Eva and her mother went back to the house where Heinz and his father had hidden, for Eva had remembered that Heinz had told her he had hidden his paintings beneath the floorboards there. Sure enough, there were over 30 beautiful paintings. Heinz hadn’t wasted any of his talents during his captivity. For Eva, here was a tangible, everlasting memory of her brother, and a reminder of her father’s promise that all the good things you accomplish will make a difference to someone, and your achievements will be carried on. Heinz’s paintings have been on display in exhibitions in the USA and are now a part of a permanent exhibition in Amsterdam’s war museum. Told simply and clearly for younger readers, The Promise is an unforgettable story, written by Eva Schloss, the step-daughter of Otto Frank and Barbara Powers, Eva’s very close friend.

DEAR GOD, HAVE YOU EVER GONE HUNGRY?

By: Joseph Bau

Published: October 3, 2000

Publisher: Arcade Publishing

Non-Fiction/Memoir

Format: Paperback

This is was another title in a list of middle-grade Holocaust books that I had never heard of. Thankfully, I found a copy on Thrift Books. This is the memoir of Joseph and his wife, Rebecca, the couple that secretly married in a concentration camp, whose marriage is depicted in a scene in the film “Schindler’s List”.

A Polish Jew, Holocaust survivor, and artist who was portrayed in the film Schindler’s List recounts his life during the war and his marriage to a fellow concentration camp inmate, in an illustrated memoir. 

IDEA MAKERS

15 Fearless Female Entrepreneurs

By: Lowey Bundy Sichol

Published: March 1, 2022

Publisher: Chicago Review Press

Non-Fiction

Format: eBook

I’ve read other books by Lowey Bundy Sichol including FROM AN IDEA TO NIKE and FROM AN IDEA TO DISNEY. I thought they were great books for middle-grade readers to read and learn about companies they are likely interested in. I’m excited to check out her newest book!

Idea Makers shares the incredible stories of 15 women who changed the world through their entrepreneurship. Author Lowey Bundy Sichol presents five industries that women are leading in recent years: food, fashion and clothing, health and beauty, science and technology, and education.
 
Jenn Hyman brought couture fashion to everyday women with her idea to Rent the Runway. Morgan DeBaun supports Black journalists through Blavity. And Sandra Oh Lin is inspiring kids everywhere with KiwiCo activity boxes.
 
Readers learn about how the women featured risked their early careers, gave up their salaries, and sometimes even went against the approval of their families to follow their passions and start their own businesses. Today, these women are modern leaders worth billions of dollars and employing tens of thousands of individuals.

Which one (or two or three) of these books will you be adding to your list?

To see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves, click HERE.

So many books, so little time!