Early Book Review: Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus by Paige Towler
Audiobook Review: Feel-Good Productivity: How to Do More of What Matters to You by Ali Abdaal
Early Book Review: Crocheting Reversible Amigurumi Projects: Adorable 2-Way Furry Animals with Cuddly Detailing by Jessie Van
Book Review: The Vegetable Garden Planner: A Crop-by-Crop Guide for Planning and Tracking Your Garden Bounty Each Year, from Seed Starting to Harvest by Lynn Byczynski
Early Book Review: Famous Finds and Finders: Searching for the Past by Tom Velcovsky; Stepanka Sekaninova; Adam Wolf
Famous Finds and Finders: Searching for the Past, written by Tom Velcovsky and Stepanka Sekaninova, illustrated by Adam Wolf, is currently scheduled for release on November 28 2023. In this book young readers are taken on an journey back through time as they learn about the field of archeology and its role in uncovering the secrets of our past. Emphasizing the importance of preserving and recording moments in history, it encourages children to consider their own place in the ongoing story of humanity. Readers can also learn about the tools and techniques (from crude to state-of-the-art) that archeologists and paleontologists use, as well as about the challenges they face in uncovering fragments of the past buried in the ground or under the ocean. This book highlights some of the most significant archeological discoveries of all time, introducing young readers to some of the key figures in the field. It provides a fun and engaging way for children to learn about historical discoveries and the people who made them, and will inspire them to continue exploring the world with a sense of wonder and curiosity.
Famous Finds and Finders is an informative read, with a great deal of well organized information. I wish I had found this book when I was a young reader, as I would have loved getting a real look at the discoveries made, tools used, and maps detailing pertinent information. I do think that this is best suited for readers that already have some interest in the subject matter, as it is a great deal of information on each page. Those that are not already curious might be discouraged by that and not be fully engaged. As someone that has always been interested in archeology, I found the flow of text, images, maps, and other things to be engaging and kept me turning pages.
Early Book Review: Growing an Edible Landscape: How to Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Food Garden by Gary Pilarchik; Chiara D'Amore
Growing an Edible Landscape: How to Transform Your Outdoor Space into a Food Garden by Gary Pilarchik; Chiara D'Amore is currently scheduled for release on November 28 2023. Out with the lawn and in with the food! That’s the battle cry of millions of modern gardeners who are not only looking to reduce the amount of time and energy they have to spend tending a lawn, but they’re also looking to improve the lives of their family, friends, and neighbors by supplying them with fresh, homegrown food. Converting unused areas of the landscape into food gardens helps mitigate the effects of climate change, reduces food miles, improves food security, and allows us to be a better steward of our little slice of the planet. But how do you get started? Which plants do you choose? Is there a series of best practices to follow to successfully convert your yard into an edible oasis so that it’s not just high-yielding, but it’s also attractive? Growing an Edible Landscape is here to help answer all of these questions and many more.
Early Book Review: Oversize Fashion Crochet: 6 Cozy Cardigans, Pullovers & Wraps Designed with Maximum Style and Ease by Salena Baca
Book Review: Words from Hell: Unearthing the Darkest Secrets of English Etymology by Jess Zafarris
Words from Hell is a book crafted for readers that love learning about words, and take joy in discovering the dirty, unexpected, and unusual path some words have taken to get to their current connotation, and dictionary definition. I was glad that the author took the time to point out how much of the English language has been stolen from other languages, and how many cultures, languages, and people were destroyed via colonization over the years. Not to mention the classism, racisms, and xenophobic tendencies that seem to pepper themselves trough out the way the language has developed. I thought the book was well organized, and offered a sardonic tone, with facts and humor balancing nicely. I think word nerds will enjoy the read.
Book Review: Shipwrecked! Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor by Martin W. Sandler
Early Book Review: Picturing Joy: Stories of Connection by George Lange
Early Book Review: Anatomical Oddities: The Otherworldly Realms Hidden within Our Bodies by Alice Roberts
Book Review: Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust
Early Book Review: Shitty Craft Club: A Club for Gluing Beads to Trash, Talking about Our Feelings, and Making Silly Things by Sam Reece
Early Book Review: The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget by Hermine Dossou
The Thrifty Baker: Shop, Bake & Eat on a Budget is a well written and informative cookbook. I loved the honest and real tone of the book, and the focus on not just cost but reducing waste. I thought the introduction with instructions on how to make things like your own muffin liners and piping bags was great, and the information on tools and ingredients are things that I might have known but those just starting out on their own are not likely to even think about in advance. I also appreciated that each recipe included all measurement systems- so everyone can use this book without having to do conversions. As someone that is always looking to do my baking in the most efficient way, both cost and time wise, I found all the information about the best use of the baking time and multitasking to limit waste of ingredients and energy to be helpful. I really loved that while there is a wide variety of recipes, most are ones that appeal to me and my family and normal life. Yes there are fancy items, but there are also hot dog pretzels and mug cakes- which my teenagers would love and can help make. I think this is a great book for bakers that are looking to learn, are looking to conserve, and just want to eat well with limited funds and waste.
Early Book Review: Cute & Cuddly Crochet: Learn to Make Huggable Amigurumi Animals by Lauren Bergstrom
Early Book Review: Mysterious Glowing Mammals: An Unexpected Discovery Sparks a Scientific Investigation by Maria Parrott-Ryan
Early Book Review: The Upside-Down Book of Sloths by Elizabeth Shreeve, Illustrated by Isabella Grott
Early Book Review: The League of Lady Poisoners: Illustrated True Stories of Dangerous Women by Lisa Perrin
Early Book Review: The Gender Book: Girls, Boys, Non-binary, and Beyond by Cassandra Jules Corrigan
Audiobook Review: How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending: Productivity, Burnout, and Why Everyone Needs to Relax More Except You by Reductress, Narrated by Mara Wilson and Jay Aaseng
How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending: Productivity, Burnout, and Why Everyone Needs to Relax More Except You is a humor and satire collection from Reductress. The audiobook is narrated by Mara Wilson and Jay Aaseng. This humor collection is about the cult of productivity and the feeling of impending doom that comes with it. Juggling careers, maintaining relationships, managing side gigs, and sustaining an engaging social media presence is hard––and we're expected to do it all while battling the ever-present feeling of existential dread against the backdrop of climate catastrophe, an ongoing pandemic, and social isolation.
How to Stay Productive When the World Is Ending is a funny, and sadly too relatable, collection of short pieces that had me nodding, laughing, and thinking as I listened along. There were bits that were more fun and relate to me than others, but that is to be expected. There is something in this collection for everyone that has ever worked. The readers did a great job of capturing the needed tome in each segment and I really enjoyed the book on several levels.