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Donovan's Bookshelf

January  2024 Prime Picks

 
The Culinary Corner
Reviewer's Choice
Young Adult / Children
 

The Culinary Corner

Coffee Art Masterclass
Dhan Tamang
Cassell/Octopus Publishing
9781788404648             $14.99
www.octopuspublishingusa.com 

Coffee Art Masterclass: 50 Incredible Coffee Designs for the Home Barista is for coffee lovers who always admired the artistic bent of professional coffee house drink creators, and who wish to create homemade coffee using the same decorative skills. 

Dhan Tamang provides a surprisingly diverse set of creative options, from images based on surrealistic elements and art to seasonal designs, animals and birds from nature, and more. 

The color options will surprise any who associate barista art with one-dimensional shades of brown, making Coffee Art Masterclass of particular interest to coffee fans that would put the time into finishing touches. No special equipment required is an added bonus, here!


 Kitchen Gear: The Ultimate Owner's Manual
Lisa McManus and Hannah Corwley
America's Test Kitchen
9781954210691             $40.00
www.americastestkitchen.com 

Kitchen Gear: The Ultimate Owner's Manual is especially highly recommended for cooks who don't already have their kitchens outfitted with the latest and greatest gadgets. It will save these novices a lot of time in the kitchen as it recommends skillets that produce predictably easy results, ice cream makers that churn out superior blends, coffee makers that excel in high-quality flavor, and more. 

Many may be surprised to learn that the right tool, even in a kitchen environment, will make all the difference not only in ease, but outcomes. 

Kitchen Gear is packed with expert tips on what is and is not useful in a kitchen. It should be the first book consulted when building a kitchen from scratch (once the walls are up). 


Wok for Less
Ching-He Huang
Kyle Books/Octopus Publishing
9781804191590             $29.99
www.octopuspublishingus.com 

So many books about Chinese, Asian, and wok cooking are on the market that one might wonder at the need for yet another, but Wok for Less: Budget-Friendly Asian Meals in 30 Minutes or Less is ideal for the busy cook who always presumed that making Asian food at home was too labor-intensive (or special-ingredient-specific) to be worth the effort. 

Ching-He Huang offers new creative ideas on how to stretch the meat and seafood in Asian dishes to make the most of a budget, organizing dishes into cook-friendly chapters, from Budget Chop Suey to Entertaining, Sharing & Leftover Meals. 

Dishes come with full-color photos to entice all eaters with such fare as Spicy Sweet Oyster Sauce Prawns with Pine Nuts or Roast Hoisin Chicken Wings—all of which can be made in a snap. 

Cooks looking for Chinese cookbooks that are appealing, different, and which put the 'quick and budget-minded' back into the kitchen and on the table will find Wok for Less a winning choice.



Reviewer's Choice 

Barking Up the Right Tree
Dr. Ian Dunbar
New World Library
9781608687718             $29.95
www.newworldlibrary.com

 Barking Up the Right Tree: The Science and Practice of Positive Dog Training joins other books on the subject of canine management systems, but with a difference: it comes from a dog training expert who introduced his SIRIUS Puppy Training in 1982. It was a positive reinforcing approach that, at the time, was considered revolutionary. 

Now that positive reinforcement training is widely accepted, his new book presents yet another diversion to traditional thinking, arguing that the typical "reward/punishment" routines dog trainers adopt too often fail ... and Dr. Dunbar shows why. 

Readers seeking different training choices that embrace not just new routines, but an entirely different way of viewing behavior management in canines, will welcome Barking Up the Right Tree as a lesson in positivity thinking and training alike. 


Notes for Neuro Navigators
Jolene Stockman
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
9781839978685             $13.95
www.jkp.com 

Notes for Neuro Navigators: The Allies' Quick-Start Guide to Championing Neurodivergent Brains celebrates neurodiversity and champions its development in autistic loved ones, offering caregivers, helpers, and friends concrete information on how to support their advocacy and aid intentions. 

From strategies for fostering personal safety and understanding triggers and breaking points to navigating life's challenges and typical family and public challenges, Jolene Stockman considers a host of situations, support systems, and choices. These will prove essential for understanding and aiding neurodivergent individuals in all kinds of situations. 

Libraries catering to readers interested in psychology, neurodivergent issues, and autism in particular will welcome this strategy guide. 


Roadside Geology of Kansas
James S. Aber, Susan E.W. Aber, and Michael J. Everhart
Mountain Press Publishing
9780878427154             $26.00
www.mountain-press.com 

Roadside Geology of Kansas should be on any destination traveler's reading list, to be used as a take-along tote for those planning to explore Kansas, who harbor an appreciation of geology. 

Sixteen roads, including all the state's scenic byways, are covered in a trip that not only points out geologic landmarks that might otherwise be missed, but discusses the history and influences on their making, preservation, and appearance. 

Packed with inviting glossy color photos, route suggestions, and science, Roadside Geology of Kansas is the perfect gift for any Kansas resident and those looking to explore the state's wonders. 



Young Adult/Children

Be More
Caroline Crowe and Carlos V
élez
Floris Books
97811782508328           $17.95
www.florisbooks.co.uk

Be More: A Tail of Happiness tells of a happy dog who can find joy even in bad smells and muddy places. His young owner, however, feels sadness when his father leaves for work. 

Can Sam transmit an invaluable lesson to his young charge about feeling happy even when adversity seems big? 

This lovely picture book story holds inviting lessons about adaptation and joy that read-aloud adults will find perfect for discussions about life views and flexibility. 


Brave Little Bear
Steve Small
Simon and Schuster
9781665951104             $18.99
www.simonandschuster.com 

Brave Little Bear tells of a bear family waking from their long winter nap, starting with Arlo, who is invited to follow his mother and sister on a journey. 

The only problem is: Arlo loves his cozy winter home and doesn't want to leave the cave. 

How can he be brave when all he wants to do is nestle back into the comfort zone he's enjoyed all winter? 

Steve Small gives readers 4-8 a lovely story about comfort, risk-taking, and discovery which will especially serve adults seeking to raise questions about tackling new things in life, no matter how scary they seem. 


Candlewick Press
www.candlewick.com 

Elementary-level readers have a host of fine picture book choices from Candlewick's latest arrivals, which deserve ongoing recommendation and library acquisition. 

Jamie Michalak's Frank and Bean The Stinky Feet Monster (9781536225464, $16.99) is a simple, colorful chapter book of a plan to find the Stinky Feet Monster. Bean has all the new clothes (and a drum) and is ready to embark on the endeavor, even though he doesn't think Frank's mission will uncover a real monster. 

As evidence comes to light, the two make new discoveries. 

Jarvis's Bear and Bird: The Stars and Other Stories (9781536231380, $15.99) tells of best friends who don't necessarily understand each other, but are invested in each other's happiness. 

They are able to fix each other's snafus in the four stories of a chapter book that succeeds in outlining the facets that lend to a good friendship, which include give and take, patience, and kind appreciation. 

Adults seeking examples of these qualities to teach kids will find this an outstanding set of tales. 

Rajani LaRocca's Masala Chai, Fast and Slow (9781536219401, $17.99) is illustrated by Neha Rawat and tells of a fast kid and his slow grandfather who participate in the family ritual of making chai in different ways. 

Thata's inability to make chi one day leads Aarav to make an effort, only to find that chai-making as not as simple as it looks. A warm story of shared experiences and different problem-solving methods comes to light. 

Joseph Coelho and 21 artist friends collaborate in Ten-Word Tiny Tales to Inspire and Unsettle (9781536231359, $18.99), a collection of stories only ten words long, supplemented by pictures that invite young readers to fill in the creative blanks introduced in each story. 

Adults seeking to begin the creative writing process in the very young will appreciate the inspirational and unexpected beginnings these stories provide. 

Michael Rosen's I Am Happy! (9781536231281, $14.99) is illustrated by Robert Starling, who provides large-size and appealing drawings to illustrate a happy dog's joyful experiences in the world. 

Kids are encouraged to identify their own active sources of enjoyment through the eyes of this world-hopping creature. 

Ruth Whiting's Lonely Bird (9781536226188, $18.99) tells of a small, doodled bird that comes to life with the knowledge that she is meant to create. And so she does, crafting tales about objects and experiences to bring a mundane household to life in a new way. 

Oil paintings accompany the inspirational story, encouraging connections between art and seeing the world in a different way. 

Leigh Hodgkinson's The Princess and the (Greedy) Pea (9781536231328, $17.99) tells of a green pea who is so hungry, it swallows a sprout, gobbles down an entire pie, and more. 

As consumption just leads to more hunger, the rollicking rhyme of stolen dinners and fading food makes for a fun read-aloud that parents will especially appreciate for its surprising blend of two classic fairy tales that enjoy new life here. 

David Almond's A Way to the Stars (9781536231250, $18.99) receives vivid illustrations by Gill Smith as it charts an uncommon path to the stars. 

Joe builds a ladder, a tower, and even a rocket in his ongoing desire to reach the stars, with the help of his supportive father. But when none of these efforts succeed, how can father and son achieve their impossible goal together? 

A fine story of combined strengths evolves. 

Bob Graham's The Concrete Garden (9781536233803, $18.99) tells of the end of winter and the efforts of urban children to build a garden feel in their concrete world via pavement and chalk. 

As a temporary masterpiece evolves, the kids find their interests and efforts results in unexpected community ties and participation in this engaging story of shared experiences. 

All are fine picture books, highly recommended for discriminating libraries and readers. 


Dance
Unde Ian Aurora
Flowerpot Press
9781486727759             $18.99
www.flowerpotpress.com 

Dance is the inviting story of Uncle Ian and friends, who travel around the world learning about dances of different cultures. 

Adults who anticipate that the journey will mirror other books about dance will find, here, a cross-cultural focus and examination that offers a lesson in contrasts, complete with colorful and active illustrations by Natalia Moore. 

From Brazilian samba to Ukraine Hopak dancing, these movements translate surprisingly well into colorful, exuberant illustrations that bring different dances to life, making for an informative, inviting survey. 


Have You Seen Dinosaur?
David Barrow
Gecko Press
9781776575138             $18.99
www.geckopress.com 

Have You Seen Dinosaur? excels in amusement, fun, and whimsy as it invites young picture book readers to join an elephant and a boy on their contemporary urban search for dinosaurs in the big city. 

Surely, they would reside in a museum. Or, maybe they have gone underground. 

The city and its possibilities come to life in a delightful way in this engaging story of discovery and possibility that libraries and read-aloud adults will find inviting. 


Heavy Metal Badger
Duncan Beedie
Tiger Tales
9781664300262             $18.99
www.tigertalesbooks.com

 Heavy Metal Badger tells of Badger, who loves loud music and letting the "music inside him" out in a raucous manner. Unfortunately, his animal audience neighbors don't appreciate his passion, so Badger begins seeking a quieter instrument to express his musical motives. Perhaps a recorder, or a cowbell? 

Unfortunately, the different instruments offer their own challenges to both learning and expression. 

How can Badger satisfy his heavy metal music inclinations when the rest of the world is less passionate about noise? 

Duncan Beedie's whimsical, fun saga will appeal to any aspiring young musician searching for the perfect form of expression. 


If You See a Bluebird
Bahram Rahman and Gabrielle Grimard
Pajama Press
9781772782844             $18.95
www.pajamapress.com 

If You See a Bluebird tells of young Ali, who finds safety in America, but still misses his native (less safe) Afghanistan. 

As he contrasts facets of his old home with his new life, Ali discovers that there are differences and novel enjoyments to be found in this strange new world. 

When Ali and his Nana spot a bluebird and he makes a wish to go home, he discovers it fulfilled in an unexpected manner. 

This lovely picture book is a top recommendation for a wide audience of young readers and listeners who would absorb a different message about what makes for a home. 


The Mellons Build an Eco House
Robin Jacobs
Cicada Books Ltd.
9781800660355                     $16.99
www.cicadabooks.co.uk 

The Mellons Build an Eco House receives inviting illustrations by Nick Neves as it surveys the process of designing and building a home that both meets the Mellon family needs and supports the environment. 

Kids learn many building terms, from heat pumps to solar panels, as they absorb the lessons of designing a home and the many options and considerations involved. 

Adults will find The Mellons Build an Eco House a fine example of introducing ecological thinking and decision-making to the very young, who normally don't receive such messages this early in their lives. 


A New Day for Umwell the Gray
Nathaniel Jenks
Tilbury House Publishers
9780884489443             $18.95
www.tilburyhouse.com 

A New Day for Umwell the Gray is a picture book following young William, whose moods, clothing, and world are gray. 

Rebecca Evans provides inviting illustrations that capture William's moping world and what happens to transform it when a purple-raincoated stranger enters his life to introduce new prospects for different thinking. 

Adults seeking to install basic ideas of positivity in the young will welcome A New Day for Umwell the Gray's encouraging nature and tone of colorful discovery as William takes steps towards alleviating his 'boring' view of life's similarities and begins to observe the differences in it, which change him. 


Tibbles the Cat
Michal
Šanda and David Dolenský
Albatros
9788000070056             $14.95
www.albatrosbooks.com 

Tibbles the Cat follows a cat's move to the other side of the world, from his London home to his guardian's new job as a lighthouse keeper. 

As he explores Stephens Island in New Zealand and discovers its diverse plants and animals, so young followers of the cat's adventures receive an inviting natural history of the country which is delightful in its presentation and solid in its real information about the country. 

Young feline fans thus will enjoy a lesson couched in a travelogue adventure.