THURSDAY: It's a Boy

It's a Boy walks readers through the developmental stages for boys from birth to 18. It looks at different areas of development - physical, emotional, mental, and social. It works in 3 year increments (like from 5 to 7 or from 11 to 13) and talks about what is "normal" boy behavior and some of why boys do what they do. As an only child who did not grow up with brothers, this book was very helpful to me to learn more about boy behavior. It was helpful to know what sorts of things to expect in the next stage.It also helps me cherish the things that my son does and to see those things as part of his development into a responsible, well-adjusted, and personable adult. This is a book I highly recommend to parents of boys!

WEDNESDAY: The Will of Wisteria

Four adult children of a wealthy man wait to hear about their inheritance after his death. None of them expects to hear about it after being abducted by thugs with bags thrown over their heads. And none of them are happy with the terms of the will. Each of the self-absorbed children is challenged to give up their professional lives (or personal agendas) and do pro-bono work for a year, helping others.

Two take the challenge in order to out-do the other, each hiring a private detective to find out who is behind the whole scheme (not-so-secretly hoping it is the other sibling). One takes it at the urging of her husband so that when the year is over they can return to their lives of leisure, living off Daddy's money. And one is so certain it is all a prank that he does nothing but continue his descent into an alcohol-induced haze.

The evolution of the characters (or, in some cases, lack of evolution) is truly engaging. I especially liked that everything didn't get neatly tied up for everyone in the end, but enough was tied together to keep the reader satisfied.

TUESDAY: Spy X

Evie and Andrew are 12 year old twins. Their mother disappeared on their 11th birthday and they've moved to a new town with their father who is in the military. But something strange is going on in their new town. First is the mysterious package that arrives for them. Then there is their unusual neighbor who shreds documents in the middle of the night and tosses burglars from her house but never calls the police. All of the pieces start to come together, but will any of them help the children find their mother? [for ages 9 to 12]

The first two books in this series were terrific. The mystery is well planned and each book ends with a scene that makes the reader want to find the next book immediately. Unfortunately, I haven't found the third and fourth books yet. I am hoping to track them down through inter-library loan. The author is currently writing the popular series, The 39 Clues.

MONDAY: Wild About Books

A librarian mistakenly drives the bookmobile into the zoo. The animals learn to enjoy and take care of the books. Before long they are writing their own volumes and building their own branch of the library. The book is written in a Seuss-like rhythm that makes it a lot of fun to read aloud.

As a book-crazy mom, this is an all-time favorite!

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FRIDAY: Love Mercy

Love Johnson has recently lost her husband. She lost her only son soon after the birth of his third daughter who would now be a teenager, and Love is estranged from her daughter-in-law. So as far as family is concerned, Love only has her inlaws in her life. But she has surrounded herself with good friends who are like family and who help her adjust to life without her precious husband. Then one day, unexpectedly, her middle granddaughter, Rett, shows up in town. Why has she traveled across the country to see a grandmother she barely knows? What is she looking for? What is she hiding from?

Among other books, Fowler writes the Benni Harper mystery series that takes place in the 1990s. Love Mercy takes place in 2008 in the same community with Benni and her family as fringe characters. It was fun to see Benni and other familiar characters in Love's story, which was very good all by itself. Fowler hopes to tell more stories about Love and her friends and family in the future and I look forward to reading them.

THURSDAY: Getting to Know the US Presidents

My history students (2nd and 3rd grade) recently worked on biography reports. We used this series of books to prepare our reports on the presidents, and I found them fascinating. They are written in a very easy to understand fashion, and include pictures as well as cartoons that really appealed to the students (and got a chuckle out of me). If your school or local library doesn't have these, I would highly recommend them. As a parent, if my son were doing research on a president, I wouldn't bother with any other books but these [and Don't Know Much About the Presidents by Kenneth Davis.]

WEDNESDAY: Never Give Up

Yep, another Joyce Meyer book. This is her newest release. It is an inspiring book about not giving up on your dreams or goals. She talks about the things that typically derail people like failure, criticism and fear. She has also done considerable research about eagles. If you have listened to any of her TV programs this year, you may have heard her speaking on this topic. Considering the well-known scriptures about eagles, I though the eagle references were interesting. She encourages people to stop acting like chickens (or other birds, like the cuckoo that steals from other birds, and scavenger birds) and start acting like eagles. Eagles enter into romantic pursuits with single-minded devotion, even to death. Talk about commitment to your goals! They mate for life. When they start to get old and slow down, they go to a high place, and pluck out their feathers one by one and beat their beaks against rocks to knock off calcifications. They sit there for 40 days soaking in the refreshing sun and renewing themselves.... The implications for us are obvious.

Whether you are needing some encouragement for your efforts at becoming healthy or keeping your New Year's resolutions, or in your every day walk with God, this book could be the inspiration and encouragement you need to keep moving forward.

TUESDAY: Hidden Talents

Martin and a group of misfits are stuck at Edgeview Alternative School. They spend their days dodging bullies and trying to stay under the radar of the administration. As Martin gets to know his new friends, he starts to notice that their problem behaviors aren't really all they seem to be. Can he convince them they have "hidden talents?" And can they learn to use their talents for good? [for ages 10 and up]

This is a great premise and the story is very well crafted. The pieces fall together at a great pace and I enjoyed the characters. When I finished the book, all I could think was, "Excellent! Fantastic!" I am looking forward to reading the sequel, True Talents.

MONDAY: The Retired Kid

Eight-year old Brian is worn out by the daily grind and decides he is going to retire. He moves to a Florida retirement community to enjoy the freedom of retirement, except it doesn't turn out to be all he expects. When he starts to remember "the good old days," he realizes there are things from his busy life that he enjoyed and misses.

This book was a lot of fun to read, bringing snorts and giggles to the whole family.

FRIDAY: A Body to Die For

The makings of a good mystery: a missing husband, a secret twin, gambling debts, blackmail and an abandoned car with signs of foul play!

Savannah Reid is the take-no-guff heroine of this series that, even after 14 volumes, has not lost any of its quality. This time she is trying to discover what happened to the husband of the health and fitness queen who is a pretty nasty piece of work. At times I had to wonder why she wasn't the victim. As usual, one of Savannah's annoying siblings has to fly out to California and muck things up. I am not sure what purpose it served in this particular story. I prefer the series regulars to the family members (except for Savannah's grandmother, who is always a hoot!). I enjoyed spending a couple hours with some favorite characters in this series.

The first book in the series is Just Desserts [For more sensitive readers, there is some foul language in the book and two members of the crime solving team are a gay couple.]

THURSDAY: The Triple Bind

The "triple bind" for today's female teens and tweens is the pressure to be (1) pretty and sweet while also being (2) athletic and competitive and also be (3) perfect in every way and make it all look effortless. They can get this pressure from the culture, from family expectations, and from their own ideas of who they have to be.

This was pretty good. Since I read a lot of books like this, I skimmed some parts that were familiar from other reading I have done. But there were some research results that were fascinating. The one study that sticks out in my mind was one where boys and girls were told to try on swim suits and then, in the suits, to complete a math test. They were compared to a control group that took the test wearing normal clothes. The girls in swim suits performed worse than the other girls. The theory is that trying on the swim suits made them feel self-conscious, and in some cases even to feel badly about their self-image, which eroded their confidence.

WEDNESDAY: The Blue Bottle Club

When an old building is torn down, a reporter stumbles on a human-interest story that will change her life. She finds an old bottle with four slips of paper inside. On the papers four girls wrote their dreams for their lives - in 1929. Now that it is 1994, can she find the women and discover if their dreams came true?

This is just the sort of book I love! You have the individual stories of the four girls, plus the reporter, all weaving together in a way that changes each person in the story. This is one of my favorite Christian fiction books, one of three by this author that sits on my "To read over and over again" shelf!

TUESDAY: Hatching Pete

Pete is invisible. A teacher doesn't recognize him as a student at the school... and he is in her class! His best friend, Cletus, is the school mascot, one of a long line of family members to wear the chicken suit. Unfortunately, he is also allergic to the suit. What Cletus needs is a best friend who could fill in as the Chicken... But what happens when invisible Pete becomes the most popular Chicken the school has ever had and everyone thinks it is Cletus?

Hatching Pete is the next Disney Channel original movie, slated to debut on Friday the 24th of April. The book is for ages 9 to 12. The story is pretty simple to follow. Both boys have crushes on girls, and there is some bullying and put downs. Typical high school story lines. I think kids who love all things Disney will enjoy Hatching Pete.

MONDAY: Ace Lacewing: Bug Dective

Ace is on the case, looking for the missing Queenie Bee. Bug jokes abound in this book for kids between 4 and 8. Watch the illustrations for other bug-related jokes. All of the bug-iness will keep kids and the adults who read to them in giggles and groans until Queenie Bee is rescued.

FRIDAY: Bookmarked for Death

Tricia has put last year's disasters behind her. She is even warming up to the idea of her sister living - and working - next door. What she isn't ready for is holding a book signing in her store where the author's assistant is a rude brat and the author ends up murdered in the store bathroom!

Things aren't always what they seem in this second volume in the Booktown Mystery series. Another great story! The third in the series, Bookplate Special, comes out around November 3, 2009 and it is already on my wish list!

THURSDAY: Between the Covers

Between the Covers is a book of book recommendations for women at various stages of life and reading interests. They set various categories and then picked their top 10 for each, fiction and non-fiction. It was fun to find a few recommendations for new titles and some reminders of old favorites. It made me want to read the old favorites again!

WEDNESDAY: Death by Church

A commentary on what the church has become compared to what we are called to be. The author talks at length about the kingdom of God and how we should approach a life of faith in light of the kingdom. The general point I took from the book is that the church is not the kingdom, but it points toward it - the church is not an end in itself. I would have liked some more information about how his church is trying to live these principles out, but that would have gone against the whole point of the book. The point is to discern where God is at work and join Him there. So what God is doing in the author's community may be different from what He is doing in mine.

Two other things stick out in my mind from the book.
(1) He writes letters of apology to groups that have historically had issue with the church - the gay community and those who perform or have had an abortion. He also writes to those who have been abused in some way by the church or individuals in the church. I appreciate how hard he works to not back down from Scriptural principles while apologizing for the things that the church (well, individuals or groups who align themselves with Christianity) has said or done that are not in line with how Christ treated people.
(2) He cites two questions another church asks people who want to be in leadership in their congregation: Where is your limp? (based on Genesis 32 when Jacob wrestled with God and 2 Corinthians 12 when Paul talks about the thorn in his side - the idea being your areas of struggle become the place where you can reach out and care for others) and what's in your hand (based on the passage in Exodus where Moses is saying he has nothing to offer God and God asks what is in his hand and uses the staff Moses has to work His will). I would have loved to read even more about these questions and their implication on a congregation.

TUESDAY: Roscoe Riley

What child doesn't love noise? Roscoe even has a collection of noisy stuff! When his friend Emma brings shoes with "built in noise" to school, Roscoe thinks they are brilliant. But once he starts taking tap lessons and agrees to be in the talent show, he starts to wonder if tap dancing is just for girls.... (Roscoe Riley Rules #5: Don't Tap Dance on your Teacher)

We LOVE Roscoe. We love his innocence. We love his honesty and his wonder - and his best intentions, no matter how they go awry. Each story starts with Roscoe in time out for breaking a rule, like "Never glue your friends to chairs." The illustrations are great and really add to the story. Roscoe's stories are for kids 4 to 8 years old.

#6 - Never Walk in Shoes that Talk will be released on June 23
#7 - Never Race a Runaway Pumpkin will be released on August 25

MONDAY: Baby Brains

Mr. and Mrs. Brains used all the techniques. While Mrs. Brains was pregnant they read to the baby and played classical music and watched the news extra loud so the baby could hear it. Everything they could think of to give their child a head start. And it worked! Baby Brains was brilliant! On his first day home from the hospital he was reading the newspaper and soon was a doctor at the local hospital. But how does a brilliant baby cope with a trip to space?

My son giggled when we read this book... and so did I. It's a fun, silly little look at the life and pressures of a brainy-baby. There are three books in the series so far. In Baby Brains and RoboMom, Baby Brains invents a robot to help his parents with their responsibilities, but something goes wrong. Then, in Baby Brains Superstar, Baby Brains uses his musical talent to try a lot of different instruments and has the chance to be a rock star. These books are a lot of fun!

FRIDAY: Murder is Binding

Tricia Miles has a nice life going for her. She survived her divorce. She has the mystery bookstore she always wanted. She has reliable help for the store. She has a new romantic relationship developing. There are only a few wrinkles keeping her life from perfection - nudist flyers that keep showing up in her books... her sister's sudden and suspicious arrival in town... oh, and the fact that the sheriff thinks she murdered her neighbor.

This was a good mystery with many layers to keep you guessing until the end. The first of a series.

Next week I will review the sequel, Bookmarked for Death.

THURSDAY: Pep Talks, Warnings and Screeds

I love when I come across a new writing book. And this one was a surprising gem. I picked it up on a whim and couldn't put it down.

A long time writing teacher (and author) complied short analogies and stories to illustrate general principles for writers, many about dealing with rejection and not giving up. Or maybe those are just the ones that stuck out to me!

My favorite parts were the items the author keeps on his desk to remind him of writing principles - like keeping a wrench to help you remember to "tighten up sentences and strengthen verbs." If only my desk were big enough to hold everything he recommends!

WEDNESDAY: Reduce Me to Love

I am a Joyce Meyer fan as I believe I have mentioned before. I try to catch her show every morning to kick my day off in the right direction. I am very skeptical of most of the other programs on the channel, but I have found Joyce to be sincere and reliable over the years.

Several of her messages this year have been about accepting God's love and realizing that He loves you without condition. I am good at talking that talk but as a recovering perfectionist, I don't always internalize that message well. I have really enjoyed this book. Not only does it address God's love for me, but it also challenges me to love others well.

I found one part particularly interesting - how we think about others. I was prepared for the passages about how to show love, but Joyce challenges readers to consider how we THINK about love and about those to whom we should show love. The way I think and the way I truly am in my heart will come out in my conversation and my behavior. If there is a difficult person in my life, I am challenged not only to show that personal love as described in Scripture, but I also have to examine how I think about that person. I have to choose to stop negative thoughts (like "I can't stand how negative that person is" or "She is just never going to change") and replace them with positive and loving thoughts.

Do you really want to love like God loves? Check out Reduce Me to Love.