Ask any greyhound owner to talk about their rescued greyhound and they will all have remarkable stories to share. When you take an athletic racer off the track to live in your home, you might expect that they need a lot of exercise. Not true. These former race dogs would prefer the couch and a couple of walks a day.  Proceed with caution....you'll have to hold on to the leash tight- especially when they see something of interest: moving car, squirrel, bird, plastic bag. I have a fenced 6' pen for those times when the chill in the air turns a midnight walk into a nightmare. 

I do confess they all have coats and pajamas or cozy blankets.  It's not to be cute really, they no fat layer and are all muscle with a very thin skin and short hair. Greyhounds are easily chilled and will overheat quickly in the summer. 

My current pack of three, B's Cowardly Lion (Lion), Red Bud Diablo (Wizard), and Full of Beans (Vincent Van Beans...or just Beans) love to go for walks. Beans,a former foster dog, is a young two year old. He is now officially part of my three-pack.  When I came across this You Tube video of adorable greys sporting fashionable knitted sweaters....I just had to share. 


I hope to knit one or two...oops, I guess now it'll have to be three. 

Check it out!


                                Greyhound Runners Turn Runway Fashion Models




This You Tube video came from a fun and informative website called Greyhounds4me. 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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― Maya Angelou

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ANGELOPOLIS
Danielle Trussoni
Viking Adult-Penguin Group
March 26, 2013
9780670025541
Hardcover, 320 pp






Honestly I loved ANGELOPOLIS.  As a fan of Deborah Harkness, I was intrigued by this series by Danielle Trussoni.  The genre is not in my normal comfort zone.  However, after reading the novels of Harkness and Trussoni,  I am now a huge fan of  this category of historical fantasy and mythological magic.  This shouldn't surprise me, after all I was brought up on fairy tales and Greek Mythology.  Who doesn't love fairies and angels?  Danielle Trussoni 
will ensnare you in her richly imagined suspenseful world of fallen angels. Her writing style is absorbing, rich with imagery and realism.  Enchanting, enveloping and exotic. 

ANGELOPOLIS, is the second novel in this series, but easily stands alone.  For those readers who like this reviewer have not read Angelologist, a New York Times bestseller it is not too late to back track. I guarantee after reading book two, you will crave the next book in the series and should definitely pick up ANGELOLOGIST in the mean time. 

Highly recommended...plot was full of enough twists and turns. Characters were memorable, often chilling and some otherwise endearing. Verlaine is now an elite angel hunter and works for the Society of Angelology in Paris.   It is now ten years since his appearance in ANGELOLOGIST when he first saw the illuminating Evangeline descend from the Brooklyn Bridge.  Verlaine soon learns that Evangeline is still alive, and the discovery leads him to risk all to pursue her. Who knew there were bad angels among the good?  The angel hunters pursue evil, the fallen angels comprise an army of various species with distinct characteristics. 

Historical reference to Rasputin and the the Romanov's, along with a plot that includes the famous Faberge Easter eggs,made for Tsar Alexander III,  add  authenticity and mystery to the plot. Trussoni takes the reader from Paris, to St. Petersberg and finally Siberia-where underneath an off-line nuclear reactor the final showdown takes place.  

Don't miss ANGELOPOLIS...an enticingly tense and ethereal adventure among angels and angelologists where the line between good and evil is a fine line to cross.  




Angelopolis Book Club Kit



Disclosure: Angelopolis was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to : Jane Shin, Publicity Assistant

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RIP Houdini

1995-2013

Houdini-18 Years

I was so so lucky to have an intuitive cat as a sweet fur companion for 18 years. He has been my rock during difficult times. Whether I was in emotional or physical stress he sensed my discomfort and would not leave my side until I was better.   How he always knew when I had vertigo,  is a puzzle to me.  He would lay on top of me to ensure I slowed down, while he purred a soothing and healing mantra.

Luckily, Houdini was a healthy boy until the end. I think he just knew it was time to move on. He refused to eat or drink.  It has been so sad watching him waste away these past few weeks.

I was so lucky to be with him at the end.  He died in my arms, snuggled under my chin. He has joined his buddies, Mystery and Webster at the rainbow bridge.

I love you Houdini..you will be remembered and deeply missed.  -Mom xo

 

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Penguin Group Blog Tour Presents

THE TURNCOAT
by Donna Thorland

  The Turncoat ....Book Trailer

 

www.donnathorland.com

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher
to submit an unbiased reviewfor this blog tour.  

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013]. 

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WHEN WE ARGUED ALL NIGHT
Alice Mattison
Harper Perennial
Original edition (June 12, 2012) 
PB, 384pp
$14.99
978-0062120373.

Genre: Historical Fiction



 

Along a lake in the the Adirondack Mountains, near a cabin in the woods, Artie Saltzman and Harold Abramowitz friends since the third grade thought they had the place to themselves for a week. In 1936 they were 26 and had no money and no girls, but that was about to change.
Two women arrived claiming to be the daughters of the owner. Although a bit skeptical the two men agreed to share their cabin.  Better yet, the women have money and they leave with the promise to bring back dinner.

Mattison begins her story during The Great Depression, and the novel is a historical field trip through the decades with Artie and Harold two friends, witnesses who lived through it. Their cohesive bond of friendship seems eternal. They experienced World War II, and are shocked and weep when the chairman of the World Jewish Congress confirmed the extermination of approximately two million Jews in Germany. The year is 1942. Roosevelt dies in 1945.  When the Feinberg Law is passed in 1949 teachers are at risk; however, the Red Scare infiltrates the lives of Americans everywhere. It is during this time when Harold and Artie would argue all night.   Harold now a professor and Communist Party Member is at risk, but it is Artie who must face a difficult decision that would alter their friendship forever.  

As the decades pass, the air raid drills of the Fifties and the Civil Rights struggle of the Sixties are further anchors of history that add vivid realism to Mattison’s novel.  Artie and Harold could be anyone, male or female, young or old, who embrace the love of friendship and the power to forgive. Alice Mattison has a magic writing pen. Without a doubt readers will praise When We Argued All Night,  is an irresistible story with universal appeal.



This review appeared in Historical Novels Review November 2012, Issue 62

Disclosure: A print copy of this book was provided by HNR for review.

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A SOUL’S CALLING
Scott Bishop 
Wanderlust Publishing House
January 4, 2013
Print Version: 341 pages
0615695353
List Price $14.95 Paperback





Once in a great while a book lands in my lap that is breathtakingly beautiful and at the same time personally illuminating. Such is the case with A Soul’s Calling by Scott Bishop.  
This is the story of Scott who has the ability to communicate with the Other Side.  It is during his encounter with the Spirit World that he realizes his soul is in jeopardy.  As he grapples with this revelation, he makes a choice to travel to Nepal.  He expects a mythical adventure that will take courage, but his soul beckons him to go. He must face Mount Everest in hopes that the Spirits will help to mend his soul.

Scott is an attorney who is not exactly your typical experienced mountain climber.  He describes himself as conservative, predictable and responsible. Undaunted, he researches the feasibility of the trek and physically trains for the arduous journey.  He gathers a melange of symbolic objects and prayers with obvious personal significance.  He believes he will need these things when he reaches Base Camp.  Along with the requisite guide, (reticent and wary of the American) Scott is eager to begin the climb.  Soon he realizes his preparations have fallen very short of his actual needs and he must adjust.  The challenges begin early on as he must overcome his fear of heights and acclimate to breathing at high altitude.  On the ascent, each stage of the climb gets harder, with seemingly endless stairs and rugged terrain. Each day he feels weaker with increasing doubts and an ominous outlook.

A Soul’s Calling will take you where most will never go. The author builds drama and captures the nuances of the sweeping resplendent landscape.  He allows all senses to experience this man’s pilgrimage, the natural rhythm of his journey unfolds with fluidic imagery. The prose is rich with visual brilliance, words so carefully blended together. Scott Bishop captures the majestic and graceful soul of these virginal peaks.  He unveils the simple serenity and spectacular attraction of the Himalayan Mountains.  A Soul’s Calling is a humbling and reflective novel that will polarize most readers. 



Visit Scott Bishop's Homepage


Note:
Amazon Current Promotion
Currently $9.54 @ Amazon
Kindle $6.95,
Note: Prime Members may borrow Kindle Version at no cost.

Disclosure: The author provided a free digital copy of his book.  This review is submitted without bias.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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Lenin's Harem

William Burton McCormick
Knox Robinson Publishing
(2012) Edition: Reprint
Hardcover,  400 pages
190848344X
Historical Fiction



McCormick’s battleground scenes prove to be a gruesome lesson in man’s inhumanity to man. As Wiktor walks through the aftermath of destruction, the skillful, sobering imagery is equal to the best of any horror show. His observations of chemical warfare are detailed with grim precision: lifeless, stiff corpses, with gas seeking to hide in every crevice. Lenin’s Harem is an important historical fiction work that offers clarity to a complex and tumultuous time in Russian history. A prodigious and gripping read.

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SONS OF PROVIDENCE, The Brown Brothers,  The Slave Trade, and The American Revolution 
Charles Rappleye,
Simon and Schuster
Hardcover, 416 pages
0743266870.






John and Moses Brown, two incongruous brothers were loyal to Britain. Yet, when a series of revenue raising taxes descended on the colonies, the Browns saw it as economic servitude to England. Charles Rappleye presents a history of Rhode Island and the Slave Trade through his research of primary documents and through letters of correspondence between the Brown brothers. Most people would be surprised to read about the significance of the Browns, and the relationship Newport and Providence and all Rhode Island had in the slave trade.

John and Moses Brown were originally were collaborators in the slave trade, but their legacies would diverge and history would remember their roles differently. Where John was an avid proponent of slavery and compulsive capitalist. Moses turned Quaker and was equally an unshakable abolitionist and social reformer. They polar opposites in values and appearance and they were stubborn in their ideals of liberty.

The Gaspee incident in Narragansett Bay, was a significant event led by John Brown that would establish Rhode Island equal to Boston as a rebellious colony. Also, throughout New England, slavery was most widespread in Rhode Island and the slave trade would remain entrenched in their harbors for many years.

John and Moses Brown were prominent business leaders in many areas. John was an investor in real estate, Moses was credited with establishing one of America’s first banks and introducing textile technology that allowed New England to compete with England as the Industrial Revolution moved forward. They both collaborated to establish Brown University where it is today.

Rhode Island is a familiar setting to me and this history provided a valuable addition to my existing schema. Charles Rappleye humanizes this history lesson from two opposing viewpoints and the insight of first hand witnesses. Sons of Providence clarifies many misconceptions in history and furnishes a glimpse into the tenets of the time period. Highly recommended.


 Disclosure: This book was a self-purchase.

Awards: 

George Washington Book Prize 2007

 
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].




 Wisteria Leigh February 14, 2013

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SMUGGLER NATION: How Illicit Trade Made America
Peter Andreas
Oxford University Press
February 14, 2013
472 Pages
Hardcover
$29.95
978-0-19-974688-0






Really? America was made through smuggling and other illicit trades? Peter Andreas presents a fascinating view of history in his book SMUGGLER NATION. His purpose is to tell how smuggling and the endless quest to police it have made and continued to remake America through our present day. Perhaps a shocker to many Americans, this compelling narrative is backed up with extensive research and the writer’s skillful logical well planned chronology of events. From the early days of our nascent nation smuggling was inherent in its growth. Beginning with the infamous triangular trade routes to the recent history of drug smuggling, arms smuggling and human smuggling, the evidence is certainly convincing. The author puzzles together the history of America which unfolds with captivating high adventure drama. Andreas pens a historical narrative of violence, crime, war, greed, corruption and that is a storyboard for an action big screen movie. For example, he documents the stories of smuggling guns and supplies for the American Revolution, smuggling and busting through blockades during the American Civil War and the smuggling of industrial technology from Europe. Astor, Brown, Hancock names of some of the first successful and often multi-millionaire merchants were smugglers or relied on illicit trade to gain advantage. The author notes the irony. “that a country made of smuggling has now become the world’s leading anti-smuggling crusader.” SMUGGLER NATION is a remarkably candid history, naked in fact without cover-up, that will undoubtedly stimulate discussion and reflection. Peter Andreas excites his readers with an unexpected and atypical history.


Disclosure: A kindle version of this book was provided by Net Galley and the publisher at no cost.
My review is submitted without bias. 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].


 Wisteria Leigh February 14, 2013

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RACE BAITER:
HOW THE MEDIA WIELDS DANGEROUS WORDS TO DIVIDE A NATION

by Eric Deggans

Palgrave Macmillan(2012), Hardcover
288 pages, 0230341829.




Eric Deggans' social commentary is a worthy and important book for all. As an educator in the field of media literacy,  it is a valuable book with current analysis of what the author calls "media ecology". He defines media ecology as "the constellation of websites, social media spaces, radio and TV outlets, print publication, and even music platform that each person regularly consults each day. What I found interesting is how he points out that if as a media entity, your news, your delivery happens outside of any person's media ecology, it doesn't exist to them.

The author's purpose “is an attempt to decode the ways media outlets profit by segmenting Americans.”  He shows how the reporting of journalists can influence, persuade its audience to the left or right. His focus through most of the book is on racial bias and the consistency of managing the news with untruths and misleading reporting. Is there anyone who really believes that television and all media in our purview is not biased?  Deggan outlines his argument with countless examples of the ways media alters dialog, images and general news gathering to suit a specific audience or slant the news left or right. in reporting. He shows the irony of the term "Reality Shows" and how they are chiseled to each a specific audience.  

He offers solutions to breaking down the race-baiting of our modern media and how we must work to break down segregation that still exists. A phrase that tells so much...Deggan says, "we have to learn to sit together." This may sound preachy...but he is not.

In his view,  racial equality is looked at differently by whites and African Americans. Here is an example, in Eric Deggans' words:

“Whenever someone tells me in a well meaning voice, that they don't see color, I always respond, What's wrong with seeing my color?" The key is that when you see my skin color, you don't think it's a bad thing."

As I witnessed this personally in an interracial marriage, his observation is accurate. There is "the look", an experience that is repeated often when you are in public. Anyone who has been given "the look" understands what I mean. It's better to talk about racial difference than to pretend it doesn't exist.

Race Baiter is a candid and necessary book that should provoke a deeper awareness of the powerful messages that try to perpetuate fear or confirmation of your beliefs through any media possible.  

 Disclosure: Library Thing sent me a copy of Race-Baiter to review for the Early Reviewer program.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2012].

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS: LIFE, DEATH, AND HOPE IN A MUMBAI UNDERCITY

Katherine Boo

Random House,
February 12, 2012
$28.00, Hardcover
288 pp, 978-1400067558
Genre: Non-fiction




Sixteen year old Abdul is a collector of garbage, an astute teenager who makes a success of his trade. He deals and competes for small economic gains in the Annadawi slum. Located just beyond the financial capital of Mumbai, it is owned by the Airports Authority of India, yet travelers heading toward the international terminal are greeted by a concrete wall of sunny yellow. A corporate slogan weaves along the wall, “Beautiful Forever Beautiful Forever Beautiful Forever, yet the irony is what is just on the other side. 

Abdul’s younger brother Mirchi says it best: 

“Everything around us is roses, and we’re the shit in between.” 

Katherine Boo reports the uncomfortable truth that several families must endure in the Undercity. The three thousand residents belong to all castes and sub-castes, Muslims, Hindus and the untouchables. They live in 335 huts that sit atop a landscape of slushy waste, toxic debris, unimaginable combinations of obnoxious odors, offal and filth laden with disease. Despite the pervasive dangers and keen competition, Abdul has acquired more than most, and his family’s future appears to be on the rise, but will this trend continue?

Survival is key with the hope that one day life will be better. Abdul has a theory for prosperity that speaks more to the randomness of his fate.

 “It seemed to him fortunes derived not just from what people did, or how well they did it, but from the accidents and catastrophes they dodged. A decent life was the train that hadn’t hit you, the slumlord you hadn’t offended, the malaria you hadn’t caught.” 


Katherine Boo details everyday life, the repulsiveness, squirmy truth and the desperation of those who live in the Mumbai Undercity.  She shares what she has witnessed in her book as she follows the lives of several families.   Imagine living in this environment, let alone having to pay rent to a slumlord who oversees the residents small space carved out amid the detritus. The author manages to show the sorrowful sadness that divides the squalor of slum against the economic gains India has acquired as part of our borderless global community.  She is sensitive and frank with objectivity, although I imagine her subjectivity was hard to curtail. Without hiding behind the airport wall of shining yellow, Katherine Boo reveals the inhumanity and suffering that the people endure and despite the odds, somehow survive. Katherine Boo has received meritorious praise and notable awards, which as readers will discover, are well deserved Thanks to the author for writing an unforgettable book. BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS,  is a reflective book with global appeal, heartfelt and insightful with a promise to linger long after the end. 




DISCLOSURE: I PURCHASED THE KINDLE EDITION OF THIS BOOK.

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2012].

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FREEDOM'S CAP: THE UNITED STATES CAPITAL AND THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR

Guy Gugliotta
Hill and Wang
Hardcover, $35.00
February 28, 2012
978-0809046812






FREEDOM'S CAP is a remarkable historical narrative about the building of the nation’s capitol with a simultaneous counterpoint to the tearing down of the Union. Gugliotta outlines the political parties and their platforms with clear prose. As 1850 unfolds, the divisions that exist among the North and South are complex, yet Gugliotta crafts a unique package of history and intrigue that shows this writer’s artistry.
Personalities step out and breathe as he captures the political battles in Congress. The subterfuge among the three key men responsible for the magnificent building would make an ideal movie. Montgomery Meigs and Thomas Walter battled for credit and control. Until Jefferson Davis left Washington to lead the Confederacy, he was the most steadfast supporter of the project. It was an ongoing battle of wills and wit that encompassed many years. My one complaint is that readers may be misled by its title.  FREEDOM'S CAP is a page-turner, despite its lackluster title. Gugliotta has blown the dust off American Civil War history shelves to make room for his exceptional addition.


January 22, 2013
Wisteria Leigh



Disclosure:
The copy of this book was provided by HNR for review and publication. The review is submitted without bias. 



As it appeared in Historical Novels Review:August 2012 Issue 61 available at  
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/freedoms-cap-the-united-states-capital-and-the-coming-of-the-civil-war/


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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CASCADE

Maryanne O'Hara
Viking 2012
ISBN 9780670026029
Hardback,  378 pages
$26.95






It is 1935, the country is in the chokehold of the Great Depression, and Desdemona Hart would do just about anything to help her father. William Hart, actor and owner of the Cascade Shakespeare Theater, is in failing health and close to bankruptcy. With her tuition unpaid, she must return home to Cascade, Massachusetts, leaving her budding career as an artist behind. She marries Asa Spaulding in order to provide stability and shelter for her father.

Desdemona appears to settle for a less-than-perfect marriage. She honestly cares for Asa, but his desire to start a family immediately makes her shudder, and so she secretly tracks her fertile ovulation days each morning. Even though William Hart adores his daughter, he reveals that he changed his will to make Asa the beneficiary of his theater. To make matters worse, legislation may pass to allow Cascade to be flooded to create a reservoir. Dez then meets Jacob Solomon, a talented artist who sparks an instantaneous allure that is almost too great to ignore.

Dez is a conflicted character who faces life-changing decisions. Her situation is complex, and her choices are anything but straightforward. Jacob Solomon is Jewish, and the reader becomes a witness to the hostile prejudice that often impinges on innocent lives. The author also deftly looks at the social norms of this time period. Women’s rights and expectations regarding marriage, divorce, children, birth control and property rights were vastly different 80 years ago. CASCADE  is an insightful, sensitive, and important novel of our social history which reads with clarity and authenticity. Maryanne O’Hara shares the difficult, limited freedom and choices that women were raised to accept but which they frequently challenged. 


July, 2012
Wisteria Leigh





Disclosure:
I was sent a free copy of this book from HNR for review and publication. The review is submitted without bias. 

This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Society Issue 61, August 2012. 
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/cascade/

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THIS SCARLET CORD: THE LOVE STORY OF RAHAB
JoanWolf
Thomas Nelson
July 2012
$15.99
pb, 320pp 
9781595548771







History is often controversial whether sacred or secular. THIS SCARLET CORD will generate debates as well.  It is biblical Ffiction and Wolf adheres close to the history of what is gleaned from the Old Testament and research of ancient manuscripts found written in Canaanite. She uses five paragraphs from the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament to cleverly create a memorable adventurous historical novel.
Rahab arrives in Jericho with her father. Alluringly beautiful and she captures the eye of the degenerate old king, who lusts to make her his ritual bride during the annual pagan New Year festivities.  Rahab, being female, has no rights and must acquiesce to the offensive king’s will. Sala, a young Israelite accompanied by his father is a spy for Joshua’s army. He is in love with Rahab. Rahab is portrayed as a devoted daughter, self-determined heroine who embraces the One True God theory. With brave confidence yet high risk of death she aids Sala and Joshua in their mission to destroy Jericho.
Readers will discover a beautiful love story and learn about Rahab, a brave woman heroine who will inspire all.

June 20, 2012
Wisteria Leigh

Disclosure: I was sent a free copy of this book from HNR for review and publication. The review is submitted without bias. This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Society Issue 61, August 2012. http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/this-scarlet-cord/

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THE SECRET LIFE OF FRIDA KAHLO
F.G. Haghenbeck 
Atria Books (2012)
Paperback, 368 pages
978-1451632835
$16.00







Frida Kahlo’s (1907-1954) life is immortalized in her prismatic self-portraits. F.G. Haghenbeck embraces her often outlandish and spirited personality in The THE SECRET LIFE OF FRIDA KAHLO a novel from Frida’s point of view told in an anecdotal diary format,  Based on the discovery of notebooks at her home in Mexico, The Hierba Santa Book (The Sacred Herbs Book) was never found.
Regardless of whether you have read about Kahlo, Haghenbeck has created a worthy portrayal of Frida, the artist, in this three-dimensionally tangible novel. Kahlo is an iconic figure who refused to give up on life. As a child, she recovered from life-threatening polio that left her with a withered spindly leg. She survived a near-fatal and self-described near-death experience after a horrific accident, when metal impaled her body. Kahlo believed she died that day, and Haghenbeck describes her life as haunted by two things: The Messenger (of death) and her spindly leg. She suffered unimaginable pain. To compensate, she learned to paint on her back with a mirror. She was cruelly taunted for her deformity and suffered the inability to have children.
Haghenbeck depicts the artist’s indomitable zest for life through her numerous friendships with O’Keeffe, Trotsky, Hemingway, Rockefeller, Dali, Dos Passos and Henry Miller. Frida’s legendary recipes appear at the end of each chapter, a tasty culinary bonus. Above all, her tempestuous relationship with Diego Rivera would provide a lifelong challenge of emotional complexity, a man she would always love.
Anyone who is familiar with Frida Kahlo will agree that Haghenbeck has nailed her persona. THE SECRET LIFE OF FRIDA KAHLO is a novel as alluring and mystifying as the artist herself. A highly recommended accompaniment to the existing biographical works available.

DISCLOSURE: I was sent a free copy of this book from HNR to review for their publication. The review submitted above is my unbiased honest evaluation. This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Society periodical Issue 62, November 2012. 
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-secret-book-of-frida-kahlo/

 

For additional information here are a few internet sites. 
PBS   http://www.pbs.org/weta/fridakahlo/
NPR  http://www.npr.org/blogs/pictureshow/2012/03/20/148763199/frida-kahlos-private-stash-of-pictures 

Frida Kahlo Museum Link 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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T


HEART OF A SAMURAI
Margi Preus
Amulet Books,  
August 27, 2012
HC, 304 pp, $15.95
978-0-810989818










HEART OF A SAMURAI  is as close to a Perfect Storm adventure for the YA audience as you can get. The Newbery Honor novel is based on the life of Manjiro, a shipwrecked and stranded fourteen year old boy who lived in Japan in the 19th century. In the story, Manjiro and four companions are stranded on an island off the coast of Japan. Desperate, scared and faced with a vague and tenuous fate, the serendipitous passing of the whaling ship, the John Howland renders their rescue possible. There is no chance that the ship will take them back home. In 1841 Japan is a closed country, the borders are sealed to all coming and going. No foreigners were allowed to enter, and returning countrymen could face harsh repercussions, imprisonment and possibly death. The boys fear the sailors are barbarians as they have never encountered western people and their behavior often shocks them. Ironically, the Americans view the Japanese boys with equal mistrust and fear. Fortunately for Manjiro, he is befriended by the captain. When Captain Whitfield witnesses the boy’s keen, savvy and quick response to an emergency, he decides to teach him the whaling trade. Upon their return to Massachusetts, he is adopted by the captain and his future looks bright. He embraces the dangerous life whaling as he journeys the high seas, but his dream of becoming a samurai appears beyond his reach. How could a fisherman’s son ever hope to be one of the chosen samurai? HEART OF A SAMURAI is full of adventure, mystery, historical facts and page turning drama. The character’s personalities are genuine, warm with a few crusty edged sailors thrown in. Preus provides historical facts, glossary and extensive bibliography for further reading. The reader becomes witness to whaling scenes including the Nantucket Sleighride guaranteed to be memorable and heart stopping. Manjiro told his story in four books that were published in 1852, a valuable resource for Margi Preus when writing her book. HEART OF A SAMURAI is a whopping whale of a tale, wrapped around the history of Japanese and American world trade and cultural relations. Suitable for upper elementary, middle school and above.


Wisteria Leigh
January 6, 2013

DISCLOSURE: THE COPY OF HEART OF A SAMURAI WAS PURCHASED BY WISTERIA. THE REVIEW IS THE REVIEWERS CANDID OPINION.


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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 Those of you on Facebook may have already seen this page. The link is here

http://www.facebook.com/events/528473403829415/ 

I hope you will join me and the thousands already who have accepted to participate in this memorial for the victims and families of Sandy Hook, Newtown, CT.   Peace and Love, Wisteria



 
© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012].

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My Sandy Hook Christmas Eve Candle is Glowing! 

I hope you will join me and the thousands already who have accepted to participate in this memorial for the victims and families of Sandy Hook, Newtown, CT.    Peace and Love, Wisteria http://www.facebook.com/events/528473403829415/

© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2012]. 

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THIS IS NOT MY HAT
by Jon Klassen
Candlewick Press, 
October 9, 2012
978-0763655990
40 pages, Age: 4+




 





Another winner from Jon Klassen has delighted my classes.  THIS IS NOT MY HAT, is a eye catching picture book about a little fish takes a perfectly sized hat for his own head from a rather larger sleeping fish.   Swimming around as he tries to escape,  the little fish believes he has the perfect solution to hide from the big fish.  Does he keep his little hat? Readers will be on edge trying to figure out what happens at the end. The story provides a perfect opportunity to ponder a moral question. 


Jon Klassen won a Geisel Honor Award from the ALA in 2012, and the E.B. White Read-Aloud Award for I WANT MY HAT BACK.  Even before Klassen's awards were announced my students wanted to share I WANT MY HAT BACK over and over. They were enchanted by bear, little rabbit and friends in this story.  

I was therefore, overjoyed to receive a copy of THIS IS NOT MY HAT by the publisher.  I knew immediately it would be well received. At storytime, my students lit up when they saw the cover, with obvious recall to his first book.  You will find that children want to read these two books over and over. They act it out and are able to recall details with little prompting. 

THIS IS NOT MY HAT is adorable and children love how the little fish boldly takes what doesn't belong to him, even though it appears to be an ideal fit.  His seemingly careless attitude will end with a comical chuckle.  THIS IS NOT MY HAT stole the hearts of my listeners and the reader as well.  Don't miss it!!

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With All My Best Wishes For An Amazingly  Happy New Year!!!   Thank you all for visiting my blog, reading, commenting and your continued blogger friendship and support.  All my best to the phenomenal authors who write books that inspire me. Happy New Year to all the publishers who send me so many wonderful books to feed my passion.       With gratitude and thanks.....I am truly blessed!   © [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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Bookworms Dinner will participate this year in.......

War Through the Generations 2013 Reading Challenge

hosted by Anna and Serena

 

 

This year the challenge theme is the American Revolution.  What a fascinating period of history. I can't wait to share some of the books I read throughout the year. I plan on covering a range of genre and my reviews will be listed here and posted on War Through the Generations as well. Here is a recommended reading list for anyone who may want to pick out an interesting read. 

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THE BLOODLETTER'S DAUGHTER : A NOVEL OF OLD BOHEMIA
by Linday Lafferty
Amazon PublishingAmazon Publishing
978161218465
512 pages-pp. 
September 4, 2012
$14.95

 




Born to King Rudolf’s mistress, young Giuglio believes his mother a whore. If he had been born to the queen, he would one day inherit the Hapsburg Empire. In deep contemplation at Prazsky Hrad, the royal castle in Prague, he tries to decipher the Coded Book of Wonder. It is a miserably cold day in February of 1599, but his gaze on the bare-breasted bathmaids offers warmth, for he knows they hold the secret to many mysteries and quiet the voices in his head. The king would do anything for his son. It soon becomes evident that Giuglio, called Don Julius, is mentally disturbed, frightfully so. When his father learns of his son’s continued sexually deviant and violent behavior, he is exiled to a part of Bohemia in order to protect the Hapsburg Empire from public gossip and secure his son’s safety.
Rudolf II sends for the bloodletter to treat his son. The bloodletter’s daughter, Marketa, accompanies her father, as it is her wish to become a surgeon. Her presence calms Don Julius, who refuses to allow anyone else to apply the blood-sucking leeches to his skin. Marketa’s life is in serious jeopardy when she fails to see the danger of his erratic lunacy.
Linda Lafferty writes as if she were creating a movie screenplay. She captures the essence of Don Julius’ demonic sociopathic behavior with precision and detail. He is a disturbing character; the reader will shudder while experiencing his depravity. Marketa, on the other hand, trusting and virginally pure, is the polar opposite. Based on the life of Don Julius, this debut novel by Linda Lafferty will offer readers suspenseful drama.  Highly recommended-five star rating.

DISCLOSURE: I was sent a free copy of this book from HNR to review for their publication. The review submitted above is my unbiased honest evaluation. This review originally appeared in Historical Novels Society periodical Issue 62, November 2012. 
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-bloodletters-daughter-a-novel-of-old-bohemia/
 


© [Wisteria Leigh] and [Bookworm's Dinner], [2008-2013].

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OWL BABIES
Written by Martin Waddell
Illustrated by Patrick Benson
Candlewick Press
2002
Picture Book: Age 2-8, Pre K-Grade 3
9780763617103

Themes: family, caring, feelings



Owl Babies is one of my favorite children's books to read aloud.  I teach special needs students and ELL students who have responded with enthusiasm when they hear this story.  As a media specialist I teach technology skills and information literacy skills and often use technology with the students after they have listened to a story. With Owl Babies, students have created their own Pixie slides as they recall a favorite part of the story.  Where the author uses speech bubbles, the students are able to relate the visual to the text dialogue.  I was so thrilled to discover this video slideshow that will have an even greater impact on their comprehension.  The illustrations by Patrick Benson are so vivid, they capture the adorable expressions of the three babies, most especially Little Percy.  This will be a real treat for my students. Take a look.....



Disclosure:  I own a copy of this book that I purchased.

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