August 2024 Prime Picks
Reviewer's Choice
Reviewer's Choice
Coffee
Creations
Celeste Wong
Mitchell Beazley
9781784729615
$22.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Coffee Creations serves up an appealing
formula for brewing the
best cuppa joe. It comes from a top barista and coffee expert who
provides some
90 recipes for both hot and cold beverages.
From advice
on
special equipment and how to choose beans and roasting styles to
creating seasonal
favorites, the recipes include many specialties from traditional
barista brews,
from latte and macchiato to coffee cocktails.
The result
is a
‘must’ for any avid coffee drinker and drink mixer.
The Complete
Guide to
Family Tree DNA
Roberta Estes
Genealogical
Publishing Co.
9780806321288
$37.50
www.genealogical.com
The Complete Guide to Family Tree DNA
comes from the first company
to offer three kinds of DNA testing for genealogy. This book explores
each test
and how to use its results in a genealogical study, reviewing the
science
behind DNA testing, what matches and markers mean, and how to use
FamilyTreeDNA
to create a DNA Pedigree Chart, among other efforts.
Serious
genealogical
researchers will find The Complete Guide
to Family Tree DNA essential to not just understanding, but
employing the
basics of genetic genealogy to their research efforts.
Jessica
Kingsley
www.jkp.com
Deborah
Winking,
PhD’s Raising Capable Kids: The 12 Habits
Every Parent Needs Regardless of their Child’s Label or Challenge
(9781805011095, $19.95) lives up to its heady promise of relevance by
providing
an assessment of how “different” kids can move beyond limiting
definitions by
parents, educators, and all types of professionals to achieve their
maximum
abilities.
This doesn’t
happen
automatically, as Deborah Winking points out. Adjustments in attitudes,
habits,
and definitions of capability need to come into play to reset
expectations and
methods of challenging a special child to help them grow their
strengths and
abilities.
Stories that
illustrate such new habits provide strong foundations for new
approaches to
encouraging every child to be all that they can be, making Raising Capable Kids: The 12 Habits Every Parent
Needs Regardless of
their Child’s Label or Challenge a ‘must’ acquisition for any
library
appealing to parents who would adjust their childrearing concepts to
make the
most of their child’s gifts.
Ruth Ridler
and Diane
Gould’s Navigating PDA in America: A
Framework to Support Anxious, Demand-Avoidant Autistic Children, Teens,
and
Young Adults (9781839972744, $19.95) considers an autistic
profile which
has been long accepted in the UK, but is still relatively new to
Americans.
Its concept,
applications, and foundations can help parents incorporate PDA’s
insights into
parenting techniques to promote autistic kids’ well-being, fostering
better
adult interventions and interactions via a neurodiversity-affirming
framework.
Teachers and
other
adults who interact with autistic kids will also benefit from the tips
and
insights covered in Navigating PDA in
America, which offers different and better approaches to
understanding and
interacting with autistic children.
Kyle Books
www.octopusbooksusa.com
These new
publications from Kyle are highly recommended picks for libraries
seeking
lasting, inviting acquisitions.
Kitchen Sanctuary Quick & Easy: Delicious
30-Minute Dinners by Nicky
Corbishley (9781804191002, $26.99) pairs slimming recipes that involve
swapping
everyday ingredients with a focus on family-friendly fare that can be
produced
with a minimum of time and effort.
This belays
any
thought that producing slimming, attractive homemade dinners is either
time-consuming or confusing.
As for the
dishes
themselves, each come with a facing page color photo that induces
mouth-watering reactions and interest in cooks looking at such recipes
as BBQ
Chicken Pasta, Penne Arrabbiata with Mozzarella & Chorizo, or a
Chicken
& Chilli sauce Trayback.
The
attractive
multi-use of this cookbook (quick, slimming, and family-friendly) makes
it a
winning acquisition libraries and busy cooks will want to select.
Also
inviting is Seji
Hong’s Korean Made Easy: Simple Recipes
to Make from Morning to Midnight, which comes from the
founder of Bombom.
From a
simple Fluffy
Steamed Egg made with fish sauce, sesame oil, beaten eggs and spring
onion to
an unusual Spam/ground beef/sausage Spicy ‘Army Base’ Stew, these
dishes arrive
with facing pages of colorful, inviting photos and an unexpected ease
that
packs flavorful surprises into fusion recipes not to be found elsewhere.
The whole
book is
perfect for newcomers to Korean food who don’t want to stock a pantry
with all
kinds of specialty items in order to appreciate the country’s cuisine.
The Monday Pasta Club by Ed Barrow
(9781804191989, $26.99)
originated with a club’s weekly posting of new recipes for its
followers. These
dishes were designed to creatively expand a cook’s perception of pasta
dishes,
and so offer many unusual twists, from Balsamic Roasted Tomato
Spaghetti to A
Salmon, Tenderstem Broccoli and Chilli Orzo Traybake.
Readers
anticipating
a traditional pasta recipe collection should look elsewhere. The Monday Pasta Club’s exceptional
gathering
of pasta-redefining dishes is a delight for cooks already well versed
in the basics,
who seek novel approaches to pasta flavors and presentation.
All are
exceptional,
highly recommended picks for discriminating libraries looking for
cookbooks
that are winners.
The Slimming
Foodie:
Easy Meals Every Day
Pip Payne
Hamlyn
9781783255658
$26.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
The Slimming Foodie: Easy Meals Every Day, Healthy
Dinners for the
Whole Family provides some 100 recipes that use familiar
ingredients and
streamline processes to make meal planning and preparation a snap.
Chapters
cover each
day of the week, provide weekly meal plans and shopping lists, and
include
color photos to reinforce the family-friendly appeal of each dish.
International
influences are present, but are based on ingredients easily available
in modern
American markets. Cooks will be attracted to such fare as a Simple Red
Lentil
Dal, an easy version of Sweet & Sour Pork, or a hearty yet
basic Black
Bean, Kale & Sweet Potato Curry.
Readers
interested in
slimming, attractive, easily-produced-at-home fare will find plenty to
choose
from in The Slimming Foodie: Easy Meals
Every Day.
Stronger
David Vaux
Short Books
9781780726090
$19.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Stronger: How to Build Strength: The Secret to a
Longer Healthier Life
comes from an osteopath who has advised patients on healthy aging and
building
strength to encourage better outcomes long-term.
More than an
idealistic survey, David Vaux reviews the latest scientific research on
strength training in midlife to point out tested and confirmed ways
readers can
employ such training to transform, reinforce, and enhance their muscles
and
bones.
Steps for
success are
presented in a 10-step strength program that is easy to do, translates
the
basics of strength training into digestible programs, and offers
solutions that
lend to creating lifetime habits rather than short-term exercise
programs.
The result
is
clearer, more inviting, and easier to translate to daily effort than
most
exercise and health guides, making Stronger:
How to Build Strength: The Secret to a Longer Healthier Life
a top pick for
discriminating libraries and readers looking for tried-and-tested
routines that
are easy to understand and incorporate into any kind of lifestyle.
Summersdale
Publishers
www.summersdale.com
Two
excellent animal
story collections are top picks for libraries seeking uplifting short
stories.
Dog lovers
will
appreciate Ben Holt’s Dog Tales
(9781837992843, $11.99), which captures incredible dogs and puppies
that have
enhanced their owners’ lives in different ways.
Themes of
loyalty and
love run through tales such as ‘Jade: The Keen-Eared Hero’, which
follows a
nine-year-old German Shepard’s discovery of an abandoned newborn baby
in a
park; or ‘Fleur: the 1 Percent Collie,’ whose story of hope moves from
Romania
to England.
These
succinct pieces
(most about a page and a half) are especially attractive to animal
lovers short
on time or attention, but satisfied by vignettes of canine courage.
Ashley
Morgan
achieves the same for feline fans in Cat
Tales (9781837992829, $11.99). Here, cats serve as loyal and
uplifting
companions in many different ways.
From ‘Luigi:
The Long
Journey Home’ in which a Scottish Fold kitten helps a couple
re-evaluate their
lives to ‘Henry IX: Title Fit for a King’ in which a palace cat becomes
a fine
companion to the royal, these diverse tales are whimsical, delightful,
heart-warming, and fun.
Both books
are top
picks for either gifting or libraries seeking uplifting animal stories.
Terrible
Humans
Patrick Alley
Monoray
9781800961982
$19.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com
Terrible Humans: The World’s Most Corrupt
Super-Villains – and the
Fight to Bring Them Down is a study in psychopaths, justice,
and power
plays that profiles selected super-villains of corruption, war, and
greed.
Some of the
world’s
worst are presented here; but to mitigate the impact of their power,
there are
also surveys of those who track the money, expose behind-the-scenes
deal-making, and work hard to keep the super-powerful and wealthy in
check.
The
biographical
sketches and insights are absolutely fascinating (and
frightening)—perfect for
book club discussion groups, classrooms looking for biographical
sketches of
wealthy megalomaniacs, or history courses considering the regulation of
wealth
and activities stemming from it.
Young Adult/Children
Candlewick
Press
www.candlewickpress.com
These new
books from
Candlewick offer variety and novel stories that picture book readers
will find
engrossing and libraries will consider worthy of acquisition.
Sarah
Nelson’s Birth of the Bicycle
(9781536213928,
$18.99) receives lovely illustrations by Lacopo Bruno, an acclaimed
graphic
illustrator whose drawings bring to life the evolution of the bicycle.
Young
readers embark
on a vivid ride through history as various bicycles are reviewed, from
the
pedal-less velocipede to the invention of a two-wheeled pedal drive
machine in
France.
The vivid,
appealing
illustrations create a memorable, thoroughly engrossing history.
Allan
Ahlberg and
Bruce Ingman’s Under the Table
(9781536231519, $18.99) tells of a day which begins as ordinary, until
a big
gray elephant under the table challenges youngsters Banjo, Elsie, and
their
family to find novel applications for their new visitor.
As more
creatures
make their appearance, the family is challenged to make the most of
their new
residents.
Anthony
Browne’s A Boy, His Dog, and the Sea
(9781536234138, $18.99) tells of Danny, who considers the beach to be a
boring
environment. But because his dog Scuff so loves the beach, the two head
for the
shore powered by a wise mother’s invitation to keep an eye open for the
unexpected.
Danny’s
observations
lead to adventure and insights he never could have imagined as new
discoveries
emerge to transform a “boring beach day.”
Dream Submarine by Charlotte Gunnufson
(9781536224795, $17.99)
receives bright illustration by Cleonique Hilsaca as it surveys the
world’s
oceans through an underwater Dream Submarine.
Creatures,
ocean
environments, and yawning eels encourage young listeners to move
towards their
own bedtimes when read-aloud adults employ Dream
Submarine to explore sleepiness, ocean wonders, and
underwater encounters.
Chris
Butterworth’s Clever Crow
(9781536235425, $18.99)
receives artistic and colorful illustration by Olivia Lomenech Gill as
it
surveys the natural history of the crow and considers its cleverness
and
playful ways.
Picture book
readers
will relish the lively descriptions of the crow’s abilities and antics
in a
celebration of its life and winning ways.
All are
highly
recommended picks that stand out from the crowd of picture book new
arrivals.
Misty Mole
Gets New
Glasses
Dr. Yasmin E-Rouby
Neem Tree Press
9781915584182
www.neemtreepress.com
Misty Mole Gets New Glasses receives
lively, fun illustration by
Ishy Walters as it explores the revelation that Misty Mole can’t see
clearly,
and needs help.
Experiences
that end
with the question ‘Can Misty Mole see clearly?’ encourage kids to
realize the
impact of poor eyesight, covering a visit to the eye doctor and a
solution that
helps the little mole feel “confident and strong.”
This
uplifting story
of intervention is a thought-provoking, especially useful tool for
adults that
suspect a child may need a helpful boost to their eyesight.
Simon
& Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
Simon and
Schuster’s children’s
publishing division has been busy putting out exceptional stories that
libraries and readers will find standouts.
Poppy
Green’s The Adventures of Sophie Mouse:
Lightning
Bug Light Show (9781665953061, $17.99) pairs black and white
illustrations
by Jennifer A. Bell with an engaging chapter book for ages 5-9.
Sophie’s new
lightning bug friend Rory arrives with a problem that may prevent him
from
performing in the lightning bug show. How can Sophie help her new
friend? Her
insights and answers will intrigue young readers with a vivid story of
friendship and problem-solving.
Aimee Lucido
and
Mavisu Demirag’s Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta
(9781534473638, $18.99) gives young pasta fans a fun picture book
exploration
of different kinds of pasta and recipes that come from a host of
characters who
contribute their own beloved recipes to a pasta celebration.
Rich,
appealing
illustrations support the insights into pasta enjoyment and diversity.
Megan
Woodward’s This Book is Definitely Not Cursed
(9781665927987, $18.99) will intrigue picture book readers ages 4-8
with a fun
story of how curses work, how they can be reversed, and why this book definitely is not cursed.
Bright,
colorful
pages packed with zany interactive questions and answers about curses,
long
hair, and characters with intriguing names such as Clustercrump
McTootyboots
lend to a delightful read-aloud experience by adults, as well.
Drew
Beckmeyer’s The First Week of School
(9781665940429,
$18.99) goes beyond the usual ‘first day’ explorations in surveying a
series of
unexpected events that addresses kids’ insecurities in a novel manner.
Zany
descriptions (“Nothing to see here. Nobody is
being
beamed down outside.”) accompany a survey of surprising new
school
experiences that stand out from the usual school exploration by adding
a touch
of whimsical impossibilities to the matter.
Kids ages
4-8 will
find a fine contrast between scary legends and Hector’s observation of
something quite different (cute quacking ducks). What could possibly be
a threat?
A peck of
problems
emerges from feeding the ducks against all rules, which releases The
Quacken.
The
whimsical fun is
simply delightful—unexpected and engrossing.
Joanne
Settel, PhD’s Fish Farts and Other Amazing
Ways Animals
Adapt (9781665918831, $18.99) receives engaging illustration
by Natasha
Donovan as it surveys different ways animals adapt to their
environments.
From the
Komodo
dragon to capuchin monkeys and Darwin’s frogs, delightfully engrossing
(and
sometimes gross) animal facts lure young readers with unexpected
insights and
animal natural history that many kids ages 4-8 won’t anticipate.
The title
alone will
attract attention.
These are
absorbing
books that libraries will want to acquire.
All are
exceptional, original,
highly recommended acquisitions for libraries and parents seeking
something
different.
Sleeping
Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com
These new
arrivals
from Sleeping Bear Press represent excellent, diverse picture books
that
libraries and adults looking for read-aloud material will find
attractive,
original works.
Philip
Hoelzel’s Samba! The Heartbeat of a
Community: Ailton
Nunes’s Musical Journey (9781534112957, $18.99) will appeal
to ages 6-10
with its vibrant biographical sketch of Ailton Nunes, who was drawn to
samba
music in his Brazilian neighborhood at a very early age.
Samba united
Brazil,
and the samba school in his neighborhood led to dreams of growing up to
participate in samba’s vibrant festivals and community connections.
Lovely
illustrations
by André
Ceolin magnify the action and attraction of this musical
journey.
Helen
Kampion and
Reneé
Crictcher Lyons’s Rollin’
On Down the Line: Lady Bird Johnson’s 1964 Whistle-Stop Tour for Civil
Rights (9781534113015,
$18.99) receives inviting illustrations by Erin McGuire as it surveys
the
turbulent times of the 1960s, revealing how First Lady “Lady Bird”
Johnson
toured the South to explain the new Civil Rights Act law that her
husband had
signed.
Young
readers receive
a fine survey of her Whistle-Stop Tour, which involved some fifty stops
through
eight Southern states in four days, learning how she overcame personal
fears to
bring information to the public.
As a
biographical
sketch and historical survey, Rollin’ On
Down the Line is lively and informative.
Full Circle: Creation, Migration, and Coming Home
by Elisa Boxer
(9781534112810, $18.99) explores a couple experiencing pregnancy,
birth, and
the growth of their child to adulthood. While it begins with a human
couple,
the subject soon moves to other animals and how homes are perceived,
embraced,
and utilized.
Vivian
Mineker’s
colorful illustrations enhance the survey of natal homing and creature
contrasts which evolve in a story whose pages move “several
years and thousands of miles away…”
All are
exceptional
choices for discriminating library collections seeking lasting lending
material.