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Donovan's Bookshelf

October  2022 Prime Picks

 

The Culinary Corner
Reviewer's Choice
Young Adult / Children
 

The Culinary Corner

Kyle Books/Pyramid/Octopus
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

Three new cookbooks from Kyle are recommended picks for libraries seeking attractive covers and books that will be popular lends. 

Susie Theodorou's Mediterranean: Naturally Nutritious Recipes from the World's Healthiest Diet (9781914239717, $27.99) explores the Mediterranean diet lifestyle and eating patterns with a seasonal eye to flexibility and promoting a healthier lifestyle. 

Theodorou was born and raised on Mediterranean dishes, and has many new ideas for using its basic ingredients while on a budget. 

Recipes range from Barbecued Lamb Rib Chops with Rosemary and Cherry Tomatoes to Pan-Roasted Chicken with Sesame and Escarole and Pork Souvlaki. 

Color photos on every facing page bring the recipes to life and provide inviting images of finished dishes. 

Rahul Mandal's Showstopping Cakes: Mastering the Art and Science of Baking (9781914239236, $34.99) is recommended for cake bakers who would take the extra steps and time to produce cakes that are eye-poppers, and comes from a Great British Bakeoff winner. 

From the kitchen science and techniques involved in making Royal Icing and Honeycomb to such cakes as a Spice Carrot and Walnut Cake with Whisked Miso Caramel, Cream Cheese Frosting, Miso Caramel Drip and Honeycomb, this cookbook isn't for the quick cook or inexperienced baker, but for those who already hold basic skills and want to expend their visual results to a new level. 

Artistic color photos on facing pages accompany professional-looking cakes that will prove winners for their explorations of unusual ingredients, techniques, and polished presentations. 

The Slow Cooker Bible: Super Simple Feasts for the Whole Family, Including Delicious Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes (9780753734926, $24.99) presents recipes by Sara Lewis, Saskia Sidey, and Libby Silbermann which make the most of the slow cooker's promise of quick, flavorful results. 

By eschewing the usual meat-laden focus of slow cooker main course cookbooks, this book demonstrates that plant-based meals can be accessible to the whole family, alongside recipes that show how this method of cooking can turn tough cuts of meat into mouth-watering, melting deliciousness. 

Many of the fare features international influences, such as Chillied Beef With Chocolate, which nods to Mexican mole dishes; and Asian Glazed Ribs replete with ginger, star anise, cinnamon, and wine vinegar. 

Color photos on every facing page accompany these simple, attractive dishes. 


Modern Bistro
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen, Publisher
9781948703468             $35.00
www.americastestkitchen.com 

Modern Bistro: Home Cooking Inspired By French Classics offers everyday cooks the opportunity to add some French flair into their cooking via 180 foolproof recipes that pair traditional bistro fare with updated versions of classic French dishes such as Coq Au Vin. 

These often include American bistro standards, as well, making for a marriage on both sides of the pond which profiles some of the most attractive and popular dishes that lend to the bistro theme and feel. 

From Beef Burgundy and Sole Meunière to Grown-Up Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese, the inviting foods and good-sized color photos supporting them invite home cooks to try French fare without the complicated feel that too many French cookbooks impart. 



Reviewer's Choice 

Atlas of Abandoned Places
Oliver Smith
Mitchell Beazley
9781784726928             $26.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

Oliver Smith's Atlas of Abandoned Places: A Journey Through the World's Forgotten Wonders pairs good-quality full-page color photos with the history of a range of forsaken sites ranging from palaces and abandoned space shuttles to abandoned architectural developments and sites that once represented social status as well as divisions. 

The histories do more than pair images with construction history. They chart changing cultural values and stories that represent abandoned dreams both domestic and foreign, creating a diverse landscape of photos and legends that will attract a wide audience, from students of architecture to those interested in travel to places off the beaten path. 

Abandoned Places: A Journey Through the World's Forgotten Wonders is highly recommended for arts and social history libraries, as well as general-interest collections. 


"Geology Underfoot" titles
Mountain Press Publishing
www.mountain-press.com 

Two new Geology Underfoot titles combine the best of science and tourism to provide readers with destination-bound references that help them understand the geology of the areas they travel though. 

The second edition of Allen F. Glazner, et.al.'s Geology Underfoot in Death Valley and Eastern California (9780878427079, $24.00) surveys a region influenced by volcanoes, earthquakes, flooding, and sand storms. 

The evidence of these influences can be found in this full-color illustrated guide to 33 selected geologic sites in the area. 

Each featured site includes instructions on what to see, how to identify and survey the geologic wonders, and how to appreciate the science behind them. 

Jack Shroder, et.al.'s Geology Underfoot on Colorado's Western Slope (9780878427086, $26.00) achieves the same for Western Colorado, with illustrations by Beth Waldron Yuhas and Chelsea M. Feeney enhancing the examination of this geologically-rich area. 

Over twenty geologic sites include four national parks to provide rock hounds, fossil collectors, and science enthusiasts of all ages with lively, destination-oriented insights about the area's unique geologic history. 

Filled with inviting color and facts, these are both highly recommended picks for travel libraries looking for different takes on U.S. natural history. 


Good Naked
Joni B. Cole
University of New Mexico Press
9780826364364             $19.95
www.unmpress.com 

Good Naked: How to Write More, Write Better, and Be Happier is a humorous examination of popular writing that shows readers how their first drafts can lend to a process that increases creative impulses and finished products. 

This approach has here been revised and expanded to add psychological components into the mix of creative writing exercises, anecdotes, and vignettes. 

All are designed to encourage those who would improve their writing and their approach to working both alone and within writing groups to encourage feedback and better results. 

Readers who want to improve their writing and relationships with the written word and their personal creative forms of expression will find Good Naked replete with examples that inject both fun and thought-provoking insights into the mix. 


The Life & Art of Dave Cockrum
Glen Cadigan
TwoMorrows Publishing
9781605491134             $27.95
www.twomorrows.com 

The Life & Art of Dave Cockrum follows the artistry and evolution of one whose childhood obsession resulting in his revival of two struggling comic book franchises. 

Through his background on costume design, he brought back to life a revamped Legion of Super-Heroes and the X-Men, fostering them to greater heights and also creating his own comic figures of fame with The Futurians, among many other achievements. 

These high points are covered in a biographical sketch that features artwork from fanzines, unused character designs, and other visuals in full color that explore the extent of Cockrum's contributions. 

No authoritative comic book history collection should be without this in-depth inspection of Dave Cockrum's life and art. 


Lyons Press
www.lyonspress.com 

Two new titles from Lyons Press are recommended picks for discriminating general-interest libraries. 

Why re-look at the third edition of Molly Shepard, et.al.'s Breaking into the Boys' Club: The Complete Guide for Women to Get Ahead in Business (9781493064304, $21.95)? Because it keeps its place as the ultimate guide to business success by outlining (and keeping up-to-date) practical paths to womens' career growth. 

The latest changing world of corporate life is reflected in this latest book, which shows women how to build strategic networks, sell their strengths in today's competitive market, and use mentors and sponsors to best effectiveness (among other topics), all while keeping home and career balanced. 

The tips and strategies from real-world experience assure that readers receive all the guidance they need for their own success. 

William J. Miller, Jr.'s Steel City: A Story of Pittsburgh (9781493068432, $29.95) is a novel that brings to life the 1890s world of Pittsburgh, when the town was at its height of wealth and success. 

Pittsburgh was the first city to foster new technological advancements. Its status is narrated from the point of view of Jamie Dalton, a recent Yale grad who must decide whether to acquiesce to his father's desires to become a lawyer, enter Pittsburgh's blossoming steel business, or follow his own heart to become a journalist. 

Miller employs the first person to bring this milieu to life through Jamie's eyes, ambitions, and experiences. This creates a powerful survey of Pittsburgh's business elite as Jamie operates both as an insider and a reporter. 

Readers seeking historical novels replete with adventure and growth will relish this vivid portrait, which brings 1800s Pittsburgh's politics, business environment, and issues to life. 


Perfect Pitch
Tim Bouverie
Short Books/Octopus Publishing
9781780725284             $16.99
www.octopusbooksusa.com 

Perfect Pitch: 100 Pieces of Classical Music to Bring Joy, Tears, Solace, Empathy, Inspiration (& Everything Else In Between) is a study in connections between emotional draw and classical music, presenting a lyrical analysis of Tim Bouverie's favorite pieces of classical music that celebrates the genre. 

Both 'insiders' familiar with classical music and those who want a solid introduction on what to listen to and how to connect it to life experience will find Perfect Pitch filled with stories, suggestions, musical references, and history that illustrates remarkable facts about major pieces and works. 

The result is accessible to classical aficionados and newcomers alike, and ideally will become part of any library strong in musical studies for general-interest readers. 


Spirits of San Francisco
Gary Kamiya and Paul Madonna
Bloomsbury Publishing
9781635579819             $18.00
www.bloomsbury.com 

Spirits of San Francisco: Voyages Through the Unknown City offers a lovely tribute to this reviewer's native town with a blend of art by Paul Madonna and new perspectives about the City's landmarks and lesser-known history. 

So much has already been written about San Francisco that one might believe this book to be a rehash of familiar scenarios and material, but the different perspective pairs vignettes about San Francisco's underlying communities and their lively history with black and white drawings by an award-winning artist to enhance its emphasis on alternate views of the City. 

The result is an affectionate celebration of San Francisco that captures its history and spirits in a manner attractive to newcomers and natives alike. 


Train Stations of the World
Martin Weltner
Schiffer Books
9780764363689             $39.99
www.schifferbooks.com 

Train Stations of the World visits nearly 80 train stations on five continents, exploring their history, unique stories, and why each railroad building is a standout. 

Modern color photos provide visuals (including aerial views) that reinforce the nature of these train stations, with succinct paragraphs of history accompanying the large-size displays. 

Libraries strong in railroad history, architectural changes, and transportation will all find Train Stations of the World an appealing, colorful catalog of modern stations and their changing histories. 


W.W. Norton
www.wwnorton.com 

Three new books are especially highly recommended for libraries seeking diverse, memorable, lasting acquisitions for general-interest audiences. 

Susan Rogers and Ogi Ogas provide This is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You (9780393541250, $28.95), a survey of music's psychological impact that comes from a two neuroscientists—one who is also a legendary record producer. 

The focus on cultural, artistic, and scientific revelations that blend in this book is exciting and revealing, delving into how music is perceived and absorbed and how it can lead to self-awareness and psychological insights. 

The result is an uncommon synthesis between art and science that a wide audience of music fans will find both important and unique. 

James M. Scott's Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb (9781324002994, $35.00) covers the deliberate firebombing of Japan's main cities in 1945: an event typically lost in historic discussions of the aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bomb. 

This firebombing, instigated by the U.S. during World War II, vaporized some sixteen square miles and killed more than 100,000 people. 

The politics and results of the horrifying attack marked a change in American military strategy, injecting moral and ethical issues into military approaches to war that would shake the foundations of such actions. 

This complete story uses first-person interviews in the U.S. and with Japanese survivors, along with Air Force archives, to present a powerful story vastly under-considered in modern times. 

Nomads: The Wanderers Who Shaped Our World by Anthony Sattin (9781324034459, $28.95) refutes the common notion that we all began as hunter-gatherers who figured out how to settle down. According to Anthony Sattin, that's only part of the bigger picture. 

Many never settled down and stopped moving, and research and recent discoveries support a revisionist history which moves back in time 12,000 years to when everyone was on the move, with nomads living in relative harmony with nature rather than settling down to tame it. 

Chapters explore the progression of human movements to also refute the idea that nomads were uncivilized, showing that nomads have long flourished and formed the foundations of present-day civilizations. 

Their stories, profiled here, move beyond any description of them as 'backward,' instead considering the social institutions, values, and causes they fostered with their nomadic lifestyle. 

Nomads is highly recommended for any library strong in revisionist history as well as for readers who would receive an alternate vision of nomadic patterns in human history. 



Young Adult/Children

Amazingly Angus
Kiki Thorpe
Disney Press
9781368972250             $14.99
www.DisneyBooks.com 

Amazingly Angus is a Level 2 chapter book adding to Disney's Horsetail Hollow series. Illustrated by Laura Catrinella, it tells of the adventure experienced by sisters who live on a farm with a magical wishing well. 

When a mixed-up wish brings them a horse named Maximus, the two must found out how to get him back home. 

And then another horse appears, as if by magic... 

The appealing story is highly recommended for chapter book readers who enjoy stories of horse dilemmas and magical influences alike. 


Candlewick Press
www.candlewickpress.com 

These new titles from Candlewick offer exceptionally engaging stories recommended for young readers and libraries catering to them. 

Megan Wagner Lloyd's Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure (9781536216578, $17.99) tells of a cat's cozy life as an indoor pet who enjoys the love of her rescuer, Ma Millie. 

But when Ma becomes ill, Haven decides to go for help, and must brave the forest and wild creatures to help her human ally. 

The story offers many compelling adventures that will particularly appeal to young readers at the chapter book level and above. 

Jamie Michalak's Frank and Bean: Food Truck Fiasco (9781536214413, $16.99) will also appeal to chapter book readers just embarking on this journey, who will appreciate the wealth of zany, colorful illustrations by Bob Kolar. 

Bean has a food truck and is going to sell donuts. Frank sells oatmeal; but it's too boring. 

Can Bean's creative donuts help fix Frank's oatmeal dilemma? 

A fun story of friendship and growth evolves. 

Ben Mantle's Frog vs. Toad (9781536223599, $17.99) explores the differences between frogs and toads with a consideration of two very different creatures who want to correct common misconceptions about their nature. 

They are not two frogs. Clearly, Road is the strongest and Frog is a much better hopper, for one. 

As the competition between rivals heats up in the swamp, Frog and Toad discover that, even with all their differences, they can come together when a challenge arises. 

This offers not only science-based facts about swamp life, toads and frogs, but a lesson about friendships between different entities. 

Jonathan Stutzman's The Mouse Who Carried a House on his Back (9781536216790, $18.99) receives lovely illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault which combine with cut-away features as the story tells of Vincent the mouse, who carries his home on his back so he can have a home at all times. 

There's only one problem: the house also attracts a plethora of visitors. How can he turn anyone away? 

This gentle tale lends particularly well to read-aloud, attracting parents with its lovely illustrations and underlying message about generosity and a sense of place. 

Amy Cherrix's Good Night Little Bookstore (9781536212518, $17.99) is a warm acknowledgement of the allure and fun of bookstores, welcoming night in a different way as a neighborhood bookstore becomes a source for bedtime goodnights. 

Lovely illustrations by E.B. Goodale celebrate the bookstore and the process of winding down from the day's events with a gentle series of observations that read-aloud parents will find alluring.

Octopus Shocktopus! by Peter Bently (9781536223965, $17.99) outlines what happens when, one day, the narrator finds that an octopus "had come to live on top of us." 

As the giant octopus that lands on the house causes confusion and fear, it's the neighborhood kids who discern its real intentions, illustrating how even adversity can contain the nuggets of good experience. 

Steven Lenton's colorful, full-page drawings enhance a whimsical story of fantasy and problem-solving. 

Carlie Sorosiak's Books Aren't for Eating (9781536214963, $17.99) tells of Leopold the goat, who loves his bookstore and picking out books for his customers. 

A variety of animals frequent his establishment, but when Leopold meets another goat, trouble evolves. 

Can Leopold satisfy his troublesome customer's literal appetite for the written word? 

Cheerful drawings by Manu Montoya add to the attractive story. 

All are top recommendations for discriminating elementary-level libraries and read-aloud parents.


 

The Living Landscape
Eric Parrish and Suzanne Anderson
Muddy Boots/Globe Pequot/Rowman & Littlefield
9781630763961             $16.95
www.MuddyBootsBooks.com 

The Living Landscape: Discovering the Critical Zone is a picture book survey of the thin outer layer of landscapes that form integrated ecological systems filled with life. 

This is a concept not normally addressed for such a young audience, but is just as critical for early environmental understanding as the myriad of books that narrow the subject to a particular zone of study, such as the seashore. 

Here, lovely illustrations and evocative descriptions cover scientific process, the changing world of the critical zone, and such diverse topics as the important functions of soil or the life below and above ground which contributes to this zone's importance and landscape. 

The Living Landscape: Discovering the Critical Zone is highly recommended for any elementary-level picture book reader interested in natural history and ecology. 


Penguin/Dial
www.penguin.com/kids 

Six new picture books are highly recommended for young readers and libraries seeking superior presentations. 

Emily Neilson's The Rainbow People (9780593326589, $17.99) is a special recommendation for LGBTQ+ collections looking for standout stories that are different. 

Mommy, Mama and Emily take the train to the city to watch the Rainbow Parade, but when Mama suggests they join it, Emily is nervous about their public display of support. 

A first-person presentation captures Emily's experience and discovery about the meaning of a Pride parade in her own life, offering adult readers and kids some fine discussion points. 

Also strong in the potential to open the gateway to discussion between different ages is Katrina Moore and Joy Hwang Ruiz's Sometimes Love (9780593323823, $17.99), which follows the kinds of life changes that lead to revised love. 

Love can mean sharing, but it also can mean saying goodbye. 

The focus on a military family's experiences of love when a temporary overseas assignment separates them from the family dog offers important lessons about love and adaptation. 

Elizabeth Olsen and Robbie Arnett's Hattie Harmony: Worry Detective (9780593351444, $17.99) receives whimsical, fun illustration by Marissa Valdez as it explores a good friend determined to help those around her, especially on the first day of school. 

Hattie finds it easy to help others calm down, but can she apply her tools to her own fears? 

This fun story for ages 4-8 offers important lessons in self-help. 

Sana Rafi's A Mermaid Girl (9780593327609, $17.99) receives delightful watery illustrations by Olivia Aserr as it explores a girl's ethnic differences at the community pool. 

She wears a special swimsuit (a burkini), but stands out too much. Can she stay true to her culture while making new friends, even while wearing a yellow burkini? 

Rosie and the Pre-Loved Dress (9780593354483, $17.99) by Leanne Hatch explores the dilemma faced by a young girl who finds a lovely yellow dress at her local thrift store, and begins to wonder about its previous owner. 

As Rosie explores the idea of this other owner's life and connections with the dress, young readers receive a lesson about pre-owned magic and unusual life connections. 

Jacqueline Woodson's The World Belonged To Us (9780399545398, $18.99) receives engaging illustrations by Leo Espinosa as it explores summer in the city, where urban kids are released from school to play in the streets until adults call them home. 

A rhythmic set of descriptions accompanied by lively, action-packed illustrations captures the milieu of a city where fun can come from many different places. 

All are engaging, unusual picture book tales. 


Sleeping Bear Press
www.sleepingbearpress.com 

These new titles from Sleeping Bear Press are outstanding picture book recommendations for elementary-level libraries and young patrons. 

Keri Claiborne Boyle's The Black Hole Debacle (9781534111523, $17.99) tells of aspiring young astronomer Jordie, who loves everything about space. However, when a powerful, hungry black hole appears inside her desk and begins eating everything, Jordie doesn't find it as appealing when she brings it home and it begins consuming the things she loves. 

Deborah Melmon's alluring illustrations add to the whimsical conundrum of too much of a good thing. 

Rebecca Gardyn Levington's Brainstorm! (9781534111486, $17.99) follows a young student who is stuck in her school assignment. Her mind is mired much like the rainy weather outside...until the skies begin pouring and her ideas spark. 

Sentences, phrases, and rhymes follow from her soul and the reader's experience as inspiration takes place, connected to the weather. 

Kate Kronreif provides the fun drawings that accompany this whimsical account of creativity and storms of inspiration. 

Frank Murphy and Charnaie Gordon's A Planet Like Ours (9781534111530, $17.99) is illustrated by Kayla Harren. It celebrates the wonders of Earth and instructs young readers on how to care for the environment. 

The basics of recycling and reducing one's footprint move to higher-level actions, from planting a community garden to becoming involved in politics. 

Especially lovely visuals accompany this call to action and environmental awareness. 

Elisa Boxer's Splash! Ethelda Bleibtrey Makes Waves of Change (9781534111431, $17.99) provides a picture book biography of an athlete who suffered from polio at an early age, yet made her mark in swimming when she moved from its therapeutic benefits to competition. 

Ethelda became a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a health advocate and activist. This follows her dreams and ability to turn her life into a success story to influence others, and receives good-quality illustrations by Elizabeth Baddeley that bring her biography and achievements to life. 

Sophie Kennen's Some Bodies (9781534111417, $17.99) receives appealing illustrations by Airin O'Callaghan as it surveys the usefulness of bodies and how they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. 

Youngsters receive a lively celebration of these differences that teaches them about acceptance, self-image, and the opportunities to change or augment themselves in different ways. 

The result is a lesson not just in differences, but in social and self-acceptance which will provide read-aloud adults with a fine opportunity to help youngsters better understand diversity in the world around them. 

Devin Scillian's A Parliament of Owls (9781534111448, $17.99) enjoys especially fanciful, colorful animal illustrations by Sam Caldwell as the story explores mischiefs of mice, shivers of sharks, and other groups of animal plurals. 

From the crash of rhinoceroses to the tiniest culture of bacteria, readers receive lively insights into words and collections of creatures that prove both inviting and intriguing, spiced with a colorful sense of fun that adds to the educational wordplay and natural history of this book. 

Karen Konnerth's The Snowman Waltz (9781534111271, $17.99) enjoys lovely illustrations by Emily Neilson as it follows a dozen snowmen that make their way through the woods sporting classy top hats and matching mittens. 

Their dance brings them to equally exuberant penguins that seem to move to a different tune. Can the two join their disparate forces? 

Counting, marching, and colorful displays mark a story replete in educational opportunities for read-aloud parents. 

Luna's Green Pet by Kirsten Pendreigh (9781534111615, $17.99) tells of the search for a pet that evades an apartment's strict policy of no pets (which includes fish). 

Luna finds the perfect pet, but then stumbles into a conundrum in keeping it. 

Carmen Mok's engaging, fun drawings enhance a delightful story. 

All are excellent picture books, highly recommended for discriminating collections and young readers. 


Sterling Children's Books
www.sterlingpublishing.com 

Two fun children's books by Marty Kelleyare attractive presentations highly recommended for unusual and enlightening reading. 

Almost Everybody Farts (9781454919544, $12.95) offers a playful consideration of this bodily function that identifies flatulence as a common occurrence, whether in grandmothers, terrifying creatures, dainty little fairies, or goldfish and canaries. 

The diverse display of creatures and different language associated with flatulence makes for a delightful story that kids will find fun. 

Just when you think it's all been covered, Almost Everybody Farts the Reek-Quel (9781454943778, $16.99) appears to expand the theme with a rollicking rhyme that is hilarious: "When you're out in the woods and a roar fills the air, that's the terrible wind from a bear's derrière." 

Kids who are enthralled by bodily functions and dysfunctions will find both books hilariously entertaining, while read-aloud adults will find them educational and fun. 


Twelve Days of Winter
Sherri Maret
Muddy Boots/Globe Pequot
9781493064090             $16.95
www.MuddyBootsBooks.com 

Twelve Days of Winter is based on the traditional Twelve Days of Christmas, but presents a picture book story in which winter wildlife is featured as snow comes. 

As each animal reacts differently to a new day of winter, the evolving story features a fine display of animals who find different ways to cope with and celebrate the season. 

Thomas Hilley's engaging animal illustrations will delight young picture book animal enthusiasts.