Book Review: Betsy-Tacy and Tib

You may remember I read the first book in the Betsy-Tacy series last year. As these books are essentially the author's memories growing up that turned into bedtimes stories she told her children, there's a narrative difference from what you might encounter with a fully original story.

Betsy-Tacy and Tib (Maud Hart Lovelace) is the second in the series; the first book ends with Betsy and Tacy meeting Tib, a new girl who moved to the neighborhood; this book fleshes out adventures the three friends share together.

There were two particular chapters that especially charmed me.

One was "The Mirror Palace," where the girls hold mirrors and walk around one of their homes with the ceiling reflected back to them. They navigate through the rooms by only looking at the ceiling's reflected image, imagining they are in a magical world. I still remember when I was young and my mom showing me this same technique; I don't know how many times I played this game, but in my memory it was a good long while. It can be perilous to walk if there are obstacles for your feet since you're only seeing the ceiling, but I remember navigating around doorway arches and light fixtures, having the best time dreaming that I was walking on the ceiling.

The other favorite chapter of mind was "Everything Pudding," where they are convinced they are master bakers when let loose in the kitchen; they throw various ingredients together to make what they're sure will be delicious, whereas readers will feel stomachs turn as they cringe at the thought of eating a concoction involving bacon grease, milk, coffee, cornstarch, spices, coconut, chocolate, rice, lemon, and so on.

Is it the highest literary work? No, but I enjoyed this book more than the first and I know I will continue to visit this series in the coming years. I'm sure my older daughter would particularly get enjoyment from these books.

(I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.) 

Book Review: If All the World Were...

If All the World Were... is a beautiful picture book focusing on the close relationship a granddaughter has with her grandfather. Through the change of seasons, we witness the special times they shared, as well as wishes the granddaughter has ("If all the world were springtime, I would replant my grandad's birthdays so that he would never get old").

As the year passes, there is a growing sense of nostalgia; we learn grandad's health is failing, and at the close of the book, he has passed away and the granddaughter is adjusting to life without her grandfather. However, through treasures she finds in his room and a final gift she has assurance that his moments with her were meaningful and among his favorites, and she memorializes him by writing down the stories of his life in India as well as the adventures they shared.

The illustrations are captivating and will draw in children and adults alike. The subject matter may seem sobering, but this can be a concrete yet gentle way to help prepare a child to the realities of an aging family member as well as offer ideas for adjusting to the absence of a loved one without forgetting them.

(I was provided a digital advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

Book Review: Something Happened in Our Town

Something Happened in Our Town is a timely book aimed at children between 4 and 8 years of age. Immediately we learn of a police officer who has shot and killed a black man, wrongly suspecting that the victim was holding a weapon.

A young white girl comes home from school, having picked up some of the shooting details, and she processes the news with her parents. They share some of the history of discrimination and prejudice that people of color have faced in our country as well as demonstrating empathy and natural next steps.

Then the attention shifts to a young black boy having similar conversations with his parents, whose emotions are understandably raw and frustrated ("'I'm mad that we're still treated poorly sometimes, but I can use my anger to make things better,' said his father. 'Black people have a lot of power if we work together to make changes.'")

Both young children return to school with new knowledge of how to change the status quo. When a new student begins at their school from the Middle East with only a limited grasp of the English language, other students keep their distance but Josh and Emma are given an opportunity to reach out and both make him feel welcome. We end the story with hope that with knowledge and intentional actions, there can be continued progress in the future.

At the close of the book there is a note for parents/adults that offers additional advice and resources. This extended section will be especially valuable to parents and teachers having these conversations for the first time. The sample questions and answers are well thought out and researched and the dialogues explain gently but clearly how to model these conversations well.


(I was provided a digital advanced readers copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)

Book Review: Lincoln in the Bardo

This was my first read by George Saunders (The Tenth of December has been on my reading list but just hasn't made it to the top yet).

Lincoln in the Bardo won the Man Booker Prize last year. When a friend in my book club lent it to me, I knew only the most cursory information when I began; the premise is that Abraham Lincoln's son has died. We read the events leading up to his death, and the cast of characters include several dead individuals in the graveyard.

The structure is innovative, with excerpts from news accounts and private correspondence inserted to carry the story, as well as frequent interruptions from the large cast of characters in the cemetery. It's an imaginative undertaking, although it's not for everyone. I enjoyed it, but I had another friend who abandoned it partway because she couldn't appreciate the format. It's a clever way to reflect on how the death of Lincoln's son may have impacted Lincoln's decisions in the war. Additionally, there is plenty to reflect on when it comes to our own ability to be in denial to the realities around us or the ways in which fear or grief can dictate our actions.

I have heard the audiobook narration is well done, with a cast of over 150 and I'm interested to listen to it down the road.

The included Amazon links are affiliate links; should you be inclined to complete a purchase, these links only mean Amazon will give me a small percentage of the cost, at no additional expense to you.

Book Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

I've really been enjoying revisiting the Harry Potter series through the audiobooks. The previous four titles were pleasant, but it was truly in this book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (JK Rowling), that I began to anticipate all that was to come and have my heartstrings start to tug as I remembered what was about to transpire.

I've suggested in conversations that Neville is one of my favorite characters, and it is in this book that he secured that honor. The visit he takes to St Mungo's reveals a part of his character that switches him from his previous status of convenient source of amusement at his expense to a maturing student who feels deeply.

My husband did the lions-share of reading the books aloud to our oldest daughter, but periodically I stepped in when he was busy. I happened to be able to read aloud the chapter at St Mungo's, and I admit I couldn't do it without my throat tightening and some tears trying to emerge. I spoke at length with my daughter why this has such an emotional reaction for me, as his complicated relationship with his parents resonates with me as I see it through my lens of my interactions with my own mother who struggles with mental illness. Neville's graciousness and genuine love for his mother chokes me up every time.

Many complain about how whiny Harry Potter is in this book, and while that's true, I will always have a fondness for it because this is where we see Neville as a more rounded, sympathetic character.

(I've used Amazon Affiliate links here; should you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)