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Donovan's Bookshelf

July 2021 Prime Picks

 
Biography & Autobiography
The Culinary Corner
Reviewer's Choice
Science Nature and Technology
Young Adult / Children
 

Biography & Autobiography  

A Cage Full of Monkeys
Richard Souza
Saudade Publications
9781736759707             $14.95
www.thecadencegrp.com 

A Cage Full of Monkeys is a coming-of-age memoir that presents Richard Souza's life in Yuba City, California during the 1940s and 50s. It represents a slice of cultural inspection that will appeal to anyone interested in the moments that influenced Souza's growth and evolution and life during this era. 

More so than most memoirs, Souza's ability to juxtapose a feel of the times and their moral, political, and social challenges with his own evolution and family relationships makes for a captivating inspection. Descriptions are graphic, whether exploring early homosexual encounters or experiences with women. 

The rites of spring and coming of age receive a compelling contrast as Richard Souza matures and interprets the pivot points that led to his adulthood and self-realization. 

Readers unafraid of graphic description will welcome the candid tone and explorations of a boy who navigates his changing world of childhood and accepts new possibilities for his future, as an adult. 


Ever Fallen in Love
Pete Shelley and Louie Shelley
Cassell
9781788402880             $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

Ever Fallen in Love: The Lost Buzzcocks Tapes is a 'must' for any collection strong in punk rock, reviewing newly discovered recordings by an icon who was the lead singer of the punk band Buzzcocks. 

He passed away in 2018, and seemingly his story was lost. But newly discovered recordings of a series of interviews with Pete Shelley have emerged to form the foundation of this song-by-song review and discussion of their inspiration and the Buzzcocks. 

A basic familiarity with punk rock in general and the band in particular is required for a thorough appreciation of this memoir, which captures in detail the recordings, musicians, song themes, and how they came to be written. 


Hemingway and Me
Jeffrey Lyons
Lyons Press
9781493055340             $21.95
www.LyonsPress.com 

Hemingway and Me: Letters, Anecdotes, and Memories of Life-Changing Friendship is recommended for Hemingway readers and anyone more than lightly interested in his works, influences, and life. 

This memoir reflects on a quarter-century-long friendship between Hemingway and Leonard Lyons and his family, giving insights into Hemingway's personality and leisure pursuits, and offering an alternative, favorable inspection of his friendships. 

Having a very different perspective on Hemingway from a journalist and his family who became his friends makes for a set of insights unavailable in the usual Hemingway biographical study. Hemingway and Me is an important book for those who would thoroughly understand the man's different nuances and friendships. 

It's a key addition for any authoritative Hemingway collection that goes beyond most analytical studies to provide a more personal series of insights into the man. 


The Magic Years
Jonathan Taplin
Heyday Books
9781597145251             $28.00
www.heydaybooks.com 

The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-Roll Life comes from a man who was the tour manager for Bob Dylan and the Band in the '60s, a producer of major films in the '70s, a stock executive in the '80s, and more. 

This extensive cultural background and experience lends to a rollicking journey through modern times like no other: a survey of the highlights of music, Hollywood, and media that pairs insights into the big stars he worked with and profiles of the cultural changes of his times. 

Music readers and film aficionados, in particular, will find his observations astute and thought-provoking: "What's so astonishing about the music Dylan and the Hawks made in the eighteen months they were on tour is that it prefigured punk rock." 

Collections strong in music and film history and cultural explorations will find The Magic Years: Scenes from a Rock-and-Roll Life vivid and intriguing. 


The Culinary Corner

The Ayurveda Kitchen
Anne Heigham
Aster/Hachette Book Group
9781783253616             $24.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

The Ayurveda Kitchen offers recipes based on a holistic healing process, and links Ayurveda practices to culinary achievements and home cooking. 

This involves kitchen cleanses, special spice mixtures, vegetarian recipes, and mindfulness exercises that support not just the meal, but the entire process of providing sustenance and healing. 

Readers already familiar with Ayurveda practices will be the best audience for this supportive cookbook, which moves from nurturing edible plants and understanding different taste sensations the body evolves to creating dishes that are sustaining, such as a Savoury Rice Bowl of rice, ginger, greens, and spices; or a Butternut Squash and Noodle Salad. 

Introductions to each recipe discuss the special health purposes of the dish ("it helps to keep the respiratory tract clear by drawing out excess secretions"), making for a powerful synthesis of health and food choices that Ayurveda practitioners will find supportive and insightful. 


Booze Cruise
Andr
é Darlington
Running Press
9780762497850             $24.00
www.runningpress.com 

Booze Cruise: A Tour of the World's Essential Mixed Drinks comes from a world traveler and drinks writer who offers a dual travelogue and cookbook, pairing recipes for easy drinks with discussions of some forty cocktail travel destinations. 

André Darlington's link between destinations and drinks goes above and beyond most cocktail recipe collections, choosing places and products one might not ordinary associate with the Western image of a cocktail. One such example is Lebanon, where drinks include the Arak Cooler (made from cucumber, mint, and the anisette-flavored arak) and the Za'atar Fix (made with pomegranate juice, za'atar syrup and gin). 

From Shanghai in China to Manilla in the Philippines and San Jose, Costa Rica, the diverse range of cocktail recipes linked with ethnic origins and the bright, colorful photos which support them all is sensational, creating a standout in the usually-staid literature of cocktail production. 


Come On Over!
Elizabeth Heiskell
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
9780358248095             $30.00
www.hmhbooks.com 

Come On Over! Southern Delicious for Every Day & Every Occasion will especially appeal to cooks who want to entertain by serving comfort food with a Southern flare, and offers recipes from a Mississippi caterer, arranged conveniently by type of event. 

From beach and diet days to school and summer or party fare, each section offers a different focus and approach to putting a meal on the table. 

Full-page color photos of finished dishes add attraction to recipes such as Chili-Rubbed Pork Shoulder, Moon Pie Ice Cream Sandwiches, White Peach Sangria, or Pressed Ham Sandwiches for school lunches. 

Readers interested in Southern fare that's spiced and spruced up for both family meals and entertainment will find Come On Over! an appealing collection. 


Sicilia
Ben Tish
Bloomsbury
9781472982759             $35.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Sicilia: A Love Letter to the Food of Sicily not only embodies the basic principles of the Mediterranean diet, but embraces international influences and flavor combinations that Americans will find both intriguingly different and easy to duplicate at home, even if they aren't already familiar with Sicilian flavors. 

Among the recipes that celebrate the inclusion of citrus and spices are a Pork, Orange and Mint Ragu with Fusilli; a vegetable spring Fritella filled with peas, broad beans, artichokes and mint; and a Lamb Tartare with Chilli, Capers, Pine Nuts and Mint. 

Packed with outstanding flavor combinations, easy recipes, full-page color photos, and attractive dishes, Sicilia is a 'must' for any regional Italian cookbook collection and cooks looking for something both different and accessible. 


Summersdale
www.summersdale.com 

Two new cookbooks should be considered essential purchases for any vegan cook, and pair recipes with insights connecting social consciousnesses and planet-friendly diets. 

The Plant-Friendly Kitchen by Karen Edwards (9781787836914, $11.99) melds mindful thinking with advice on how to shop and cook with planetary health in mind. It promotes sustainable thinking and approaches to life as it surveys eco-friendly foods and preparations. 

The book includes over thirty recipes, but its discussions of better choices, environmental awareness, and the link between cooking, food, and planetary preservation are what makes The Plant-Friendly Kitchen especially invaluable; especially cooks new to such culinary awareness and choices. 

Nomaste: The Mindful Plant-Based Kitchen by Miranda Moore (9781787838192, $17.99) is the logical second step for those newly embarking on the vegan journey, and presents a respectful consideration of how to produce nourishing food that supports well-being. 

The principles of yoga, mindfulness, and health are incorporated into culinary choice discussions that include some sixty plant-base recipes. 

Dishes such as a multi-flavored Gazpacho; fresh fruit Smoothies; and light, crispy Rice Paper Rolls With Alfalfa Sprouts and a peanut dipping sauce offer a fine array of flavors and accompanying advice on how to best enjoy them. 

These are recommended for both vegans and newcomers to plant-based cooking. 



Science, Nature & Technology 

The Energy Switch
Peter Kelly-Detwiler
Prometheus Books
9781633886667             $26.95
www.rowman.com 

The Energy Switch will delight readers interested in the possibilities and future of various forms of energy for use in houses, cars, or other power needs. It provides a history of energy development and distribution that builds a foundation for understanding its future. 

Readers might initially think this book a discussion of solar possibilities, but its wider-ranging topics also embrace electric vehicles, wind farms, and other forms of energy. 

Discussions of protecting energy sources, transformation processes that embrace economic, political, and social change, and how businesses and individuals can understand how power purchase agreements work and what makes energy 'clean' will find these topics and more in The Energy Switch. 

This book should be required reading for anyone who would better understand the past, present, and future of energy usage, sources, production, and distribution. 


Falcons of North America, 2nd Edition
Kate Davis
Mountain Press
9780878427017             $28.00
www.mountain-press.com 

This second updated edition of Falcons of North America should be in the collection of anyone interested in raptors and bird identification and natural history, and comes from a raptor advocate whose photographs compliment visual contributions by Nick Dunlop and Rob Palmer. 

The first edition of this book appeared over a decade ago, but many new studies and advancements in theory, discovery, and technique have evolved, since then. 

Thus, this edition's new classifications (based on the latest DNA studies), new details of falcon conservation efforts, and discussions about their environment and activities represent major updates that will require any older editions be replaced with this authoritative new survey. 


Keeping a Nature Journal, 3rd Edition
Clare Walker Leslie
Storey Publishing
9781635862287             $24.95
www.storey.com 

The third updated edition of Keeping a Nature Journal: Deepen Your Connection With the Natural World All Around You is an inspirational admonition for artists and writers to hone their nature journaling skills, and has been fully revised to feature more techniques for capturing this world. 

Leslie's journal pages, sketches, and watercolors supplement examples from her students as she provides a step-by-step coverage for newcomers to journaling and nature, as well as those who want to refine their techniques and scientific approaches. 

From how to develop observational skills and translate them to drawings and note-taking to lessons in capturing animals, plants, and nature in all its facets, Keeping a Nature Journal promotes regular and effective journaling techniques that will reach all ages—anyone with an interest in observing and capturing nature. 


Lizards of the World
Mark O'Shea
Princeton University Press
9780691198699             $29.95
www.press.princeton.edu 

Lizards of the World: A Guide to Every Family is a top recommendation for any library interested in reptiles and herpetology, and comes from a professor of herpetology at the University of Wolverhampton who has produced numerous TV shows on snakes. 

Mark O'Shea's in-depth natural history offers insights into the anatomy and lives of lizards, includes profiles of species from every family, and is packed with some 200 color photos that compliment the science. 

Over 80 lizard families and subfamilies are considered in a biological review that will attract not just students, but leisure browsers who will find the colorful photos a draw and the conservation discussions enlightening and packed with depth and detail. 

Lizards of the World is a 'must' for any definitive science library and many a general-interest collection. 


Reviewer's Choice 

The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook
D
éborah Ducasse, MD and Vérnonique Brand-Arpon, MA
Johns Hopkins University Press
9781421440323             $22.95
www.press.jhu.edu 

The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook: Understanding Your Emotions, Managing Your Moods, and Forming Healthy Relationships is an informative, clear coverage directed to readers with borderline personality disorders and those who would better understand them. It uses an interactive workbook format to explore a therapeutic approach to managing borderline personality relationships and their particular brand of intensity that is part of daily living. 

This step-by-step program creates the foundation of a collaborative effort between reader and authors, presenting strategies that promote techniques which are key to better handle distressing feelings and situations. 

A fictional character, Candace, navigates her own responses as an example of the basic keys to success in resolving everyday problems common to borderline personality sufferers. Her examples link real-world situations to the types of responses and management tactics promoted in this workbook. 

The result is a top pick for borderline personality readers who would become more proactive and effective in their self-help and interaction approaches. 


The Digital Darkroom for Photoshop & Affinity Photo
James Abbott
Ilex/Octopus Publishing
9781781578087             $29.99
www.octopusbooks.com 

The Digital Darkroom for Photoshop & Affinity Photo is a definitive review of photo editing, especially recommended for photographers who shoot in RAW, and provides newcomers to photo manipulation with all the basics essential for learning how to mimic darkroom professional results using these two programs. 

Readers receive a guide to the software's capabilities through a series of instructions that serve as building blocks to absorbing the fundamentals of image manipulation. 

The attention to using all the tools and effects to best advantage, and the focus on handling RAW files to produce the best digital results, is packed with color visuals throughout that leave nothing to wonder about the before-and-after possibilities of each tool and application. 

Even more importantly, The Digital Darkroom for Photoshop & Affinity Photo assumes no prior knowledge of either photo manipulation or either of the programs. The focus on achieving the best results from these tools translates to a superior 'best practices' guide for handling digital images that can apply throughout a photographer's lifetime no matter what camera, subject, or editing program they use. 


The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
Becky Chambers
Harper Voyageur
9780062935042             $16.99
www.harpercollins.com 

Space opera and sci-fi fans will relish the action presented in The Galaxy, and the Ground Within, a vivid tale of three intergalactic strangers thrown together when a technological snafu strands them at the Five-Hop One-Stop, run by a hospitable alien whose purpose is to make strangers feel at home. 

Book 4 of the Wayfarer's Series is especially recommended for prior fans. Billed as a 'novel', this romp through space and different worlds is character-centered, which means that the psychology of interactions between different species, genders, and realities is especially well-detailed. 

The usual trappings of action and division are set aside for a satisfying focus on interpersonal revelations and transformations. This approach will especially please sci-fi and novel readers looking for more than one-dimensional action. 


Hungry Hill
Eileen Patricia Curran
Kinsale Press
9781736075203             $26.99
www.kinsdalepress.com 

Hungry Hill is a story about newly widowed Grace Cavanaugh, whose world comes to a sudden halt when her husband dies during a romantic dinner celebration. 

She abandons their home and her social connections to live alone in a small apartment with their three dogs and is in the processing of removing herself from the world when an elderly great aunt taps her to be a caretaker. 

The trip home brings her full circle as Grace begins to feel a newfound purpose by helping Maggie, even as that milieu once again threatens to come to an end. 

Eileen Patricia Curran excels at painting a portrait of a woman forced to re-envision herself and her choices in the face of devastating tragedy. 

Hers is a compelling story of loss, recovery, and newfound connections and life purpose which will especially appeal to women facing their own transformations. 


Moomin' It
Harriet Shearsmith
Kyle Books
9780857839527             $16.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

Moomin' It is designed to be more appealing than your usual guide to parenting and life. It comes from a parenting blogger of Toby and Roo who provides not just tips, but experiences and 'hacks' for modern motherhood. 

Presented in a much more chatty, lively manner than most parenting guides, Moomin' It addresses the ironies and realities of parenting in a readable format that considers how families interact (for better or for worse) and how to apply different strategies to streamline, simplify, or support a family's lifestyle and experiences. 

From 'Playroom Hacks' (that tell how to create a better playroom that is easier to maintain and for parents to use to interact with children) to getting the most out of traveling with kids under various conditions and creating an active life that embraces "me, you, and a child, too," this modern take on parenting assumes a much more active, wider-ranging role than books about motherhood usually achieve. 

Lively illustrations and an active attention to exploring family life in a more inclusive, vibrant manner than the usual parenting guide sets Moomin' It apart from the crowd, making it much more readable and fun for modern parents and parents-to-be. 


Overtourism
Martha Honey & Kelsey Frenkiel, Editors
Island Press
9781642830767             $37.00
www.islandpress.org 

Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future should be in any social issues or travel holding as an astute discussion of sustainable tourism issues, and comes from the former executive director and a program manager at the Center for Responsible Travel. 

Overtourism was becoming a major issue, pre-Covid. Then travel shut down. Its slow emergence offers an unprecedented opportunity for changes in travel approaches, outlined here in a practical title that considers the needs of environment, people, and businesses alike. 

The intersection of travel industry special interests and promotions with the bigger pictures of sustainability and impact make Overtourism: Lessons for a Better Future a concrete assessment that should be on the reading lists and in discussion groups of a wide audience, from students to those actively participating in the travel industry. 


The Rock Cycle
Kevin Honold
University of New Mexico Press
9780826362438             $19.95
www.unmpress.com 

The Rock Cycle: Essays earned the River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Prize and is highly recommended not just for literary collections, but those strong in American history and philosophy. 

Kevin Honold focuses on the deserts of the American Southwest and adds inspections of historical events, literature, philosophy, and spirituality to blend memoir and travelogue. 

As Honold examines the history and rich themes embedded in this region, he brings to life the landscapes and inspiration they offer to those who consider the region's atmosphere and past: "We entered a causeway that crossed a vast and stony lake bed compassed by mountains. As we drove, I found no landmarks near enough to confirm that I was, in fact, a body in motion. The truck stormed over the level earth like a wooden ship beating against contrary winds. Corroded obelisks of stone, wasp-waisted megaliths, and twisted stone pillars sprouted in the middle distances." 

The Rock Cycle: Essays is a literary, geological, and historical achievement that should not be missed. 


Sentence.
Geraldine Woods
W.W. Norton
9780393714814             $29.95
www.wwnorton.com 

Sentence. A Period-to-Period Guide to Building Better Readers and Writers belongs in any reference collection strong in grammar and punctuation. It provides a lively discourse on better approaches to usage that will appeal to students and teachers alike. 

Hundreds of sample sentences, arranged in categories for thematic unit teaching, accompany ideas for classroom applications and analysis that will help teachers connect with students. 

Examples taken from works of literature are accompanied by insights into usage, rhetoric, structure, and details on writing and rewriting that lend especially well to English teaching and creative writing, as well as literary analysis. 

Activities and assignments that emerge from the examples of what makes for a well-constructed sentence reinforce student understanding with a lively, important primer that will reach high school to college grades as well as adult seeking accessible refresher courses in grammar and usage. 



Young Adult/Children

Candlewick Press
www.candlewick.com 

Two picture book readers are standouts recommended for home and lending libraries alike. 

Shirley Parenteau's Bears at the Beach (9781536208582, $16.99) enjoys colorful drawings by David Walker as it explores the special challenges a family of bears faces when trying to build a sand castle on the beach. 

A rollicking rhyme follows Big Brown Bear and the four little ones as they face their greatest challenging making their sand castle a reality against all environmental odds. 

The colorful bear drawings capture action and fun. 

Juana Martinez-Neal's Zonia's Rain Forest (9781536208450, $17.99) tells of Zonia's home just outside the rain forest. 

Every morning, the forest calls to her and provides new wonders...but one morning, the forest's message is disturbingly different. 

The forest's diverse friends help Zonia see the world in new ways. Can she, in turn, help the wider world see what she loves about the forest? 

A fine story emerges with an important, tender message for young picture book readers. 


Disney Press
www.disneybooks.com 

These picture books will attract leisure reader attention with evocative messages and fun tales. 

Ryan T. Higgins' The Bruce Swap (9781368028561, $17.99) tells of Bruce the bear, who does not like fun. Bruce faces a special challenge when his fun-loving cousin Kevin comes to visit, thwarting Bruce's grumpy view of the world with a special version of pleasure that comes to 13 Go Away Lane. 

Bruce's mouse friends hope that Kevin will save the day, but before that can happen, there is a lot to overcome. 

Even though Kevin's worldview is certainly more appealing, can there be such a thing as too much fun? 

Some big words and thoughts blend into this story (existential questions and doppelgangers), so parents may wish to assist the very young not only with vocabulary, but the delightful bigger-picture thinking which this book embraces. 

Disney's Minnie Mouse celebrates moving in Minnie's Fixer-Upper (9781368055895, $7.99), a board book for the very young which explores Minnie's first house buy. 

Despite Minnie's enthusiasm and goal, Daisy and Cuckoo-Loca are opposed to moving from their apartment. The secret is out, but it's not a good one. How can Minnie convince them that the new house is a good move? 

Parents who read this story aloud will find its bright illustrations compelling and fun for the very young. 


Not Yeti
Kelly DiPucchio
Viking Penguin
9780593114070             $17.99
www.penguin.com/kids 

Not Yeti is a picture book story about monsters, rudeness, and one very different beast, Yeti, who belays the usual image of a monster. 

Yeti is monsterious, but he's also polite, loving, and talented. And yet, he's still alone, his reputation hiding his loving nature. How can Yeti overcome the stigma of his race to find special friends? 

Ages 4-8 will appreciate a lovely story that is made even more compelling by Claire Keane's colorful drawings. 


The Pepperstorm
Rafael Ord
óñez and Marisa Morea
NubeOcho
9788417673802             $15.95
www.nubeocho.com 

The Pepperstorm paints a different picture of the elephant who's afraid of a mouse as it tells of a history which begins with mice being afraid of elephants. 

The pepperstorm changed this scenario, and is the subject of a whimsical fable that paints a very different picture of oblivious elephants and resourceful mice determined to conquer their (literally) biggest fear. 

The solution that emerges is unpredictably amusing in a story young picture book readers and read-aloud parents alike will relish, especially with its intriguing embellishments. 


Random House
www.randomhouse.com/kids 

Three picture book stories are entertaining reads that will provide lasting value to parents and lending collections alike. 

Bea Birdsong and Lucy Fleming's How to Spot a Best Friend (9780593179277, $17.99) outlines the difference between a friend and a best friend as it provides a whimsical survey on how to find the latter. 

A little girl determined to find her best friend at school that day pursues her dream of spotting the perfect prospect. 

As she achieves her goal, youngsters receive a whimsical, pleasurable story about kindness and what makes for an exception chum, with illustrations providing appealing embellishments throughout. 

Nicolò Carozzi's Brave as a Mouse (9780593181836, $17.99) is a standout story about friendship, courage, and risk-taking. 

It tells of a mouse's very bold ideas and play, contrasting the notion of a good idea versus what constitutes a real risk. 

Carozzi's illustrations are dark but especially compelling and artistic as a little mouse bites off more than he can chew and learns some important lessons in the process. 

Michael Whaite's 100 Cats: Cute Kitties to Count (9780593308332, $12.99) invites young picture book readers to test their rudimentary counting skills with a host of cute cats and rhymes that follow their antics. 

Parents and kids who like kitties will find this exploration lively, vivid, and enchanting as very active cats of all types embark on exciting adventures. 

These wonderful books are recommended for personal collections and libraries alike. 


Scholastic Press
www.scholastic.com 

These new books from Scholastic offer picture book readers excellent, exciting themes powered by intriguing presentations. 

Sam Wedelich's Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf (9781338359008, $17.99) marries two traditional tales into a new story as it explores a skeptical Chicken Little's encounter with a nightmare he didn't believe in. As his message spreads, Chicken Little inadvertently sparks a barnyard revolution that prompts him to investigate the Big Bad Wolf legend in more detail. 

Enjoyable, simple drawings embellish a very strong adaptation of the Big Bad Wolf/Chicken Little classics. 

Ross Burach's The Little Butterfly That Could (9781338615005, $17.99) is a companion to The Very Impatient Caterpillar, yet stands nicely on its own for newcomers without prior familiarity with its predecessor. 

Its humorous review of a butterfly challenged by flowers that lie beyond his flight abilities encourages kids to work through apparently impossible challenges in their own lives, even as it teaches them about butterfly migration. 

Illustrations are comical, colorful embellishments as the little butterfly faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles. 

Simon James Green and Garry Parsons's Llama Glamarama (9781338736182, $14.99) tells of a llama's secret passion: dancing. 

Larry keeps his fun secret until one day he discovers the Llama Glamarama, a celebration that encourages him to come out into the open with his talent and different approach to life. 

A joyful, colorful story of self-acceptance and aptitude emerges to invite kids to embrace and celebrate their own unique abilities. 

All are inviting, celebratory works about growth and discovery that kids will find both entertaining and thought-provoking. 


Simon and Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com/kids 

Simon and Schuster's latest publications are delightful attractions for collections seeking superior acquisitions. 

Bear Can't Wait by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman (9781481459754, $17.99) is a picture book story about a bear who is so excited about throwing a surprise party that he can't wait. 

This causes many problems, some predictable and some unexpected, as Bear capitalizes on his own impatience to speed things up. 

The illustrations are particularly well done and colorful, inviting kids with alluring, vivid landscapes and scenarios. 

Kelly Leigh Miller's I Love My Fur! (9781534478954, $17.99) is a picture book featuring Bigfoot, who sports a lot of fur that he's actually quite fond of. 

Because he loves his appearance so much, and takes such good care of it, he imagines that everyone around him holds a similar view of his special features. 

Imagine his surprise when a little fur gets to be too much! Is there ever too much of a good thing? 

The whimsical tale takes an unexpectedly delightful turn. 

Teen readers will find compelling Bethany Mangle's Prepped (9781534477506, $18.99), which tells of Becca, who grows up in a family of doomsday preppers in a neighborhood that encourages survivalist training and thinking. 

For them, doomsday is just around the corner. They're even arranging Becca's marriage to Roy, who is totally immersed in this prepper world. But, are their community's goals and objectives real? 

An accident changes everything and supports Becca's ideas that there is life beyond their prepper fanaticism, challenging Roy's certainty that his belief is the only right course of action. 

All are highly recommended picks as standouts from the crowd. 


Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com 

Two new arrivals will delight picture book readers looking for something different, colorful, and discovery-oriented. 

Barbara Joosse's Lulu & Rocky in Rocky Mountain National Park (9781534111332, $16.99) will reach ages 4-8 with a fun story that takes them to the Rocky Mountains in the fourth installment of this Lulu and Rocky travel adventure series. 

Here Rocky and Lulu go hiking, camping, and learn about the park and how best to explore its wonders without impacting them. 

Renée Graef's drawings of the two foxes and their penguin chaperone are engaging, providing full-page, bright embellishments that capture the park's unique qualities. 

Nicholas Solis's The Color Collector (978153411`059, $16.99) gives ages 4-8 the charming story of quiet new girl Violet, who attracts the attention of a fellow loner, as she is always alone and stays apart from her classmates. 

One of them, a boy, notices that Violet is always picking up things from the ground...items which seem to hold no connection to one another What is she doing? 

As the two interact, themes of appreciating the world in different ways, accepting diversity, and embarking on a friendship from shared experiences come to life; all supported by the lovely illustrations of Renia Mettallinou, who follows the kids as they move from a linear black-and-white world to one filled with color. 

Both are standouts that deserve attention and acquisition.