The Spider and the Fly, by Mary Howitt

Here is a really creative re-telling of  the 1800s poem “Will you come into my parlour, said the spider to the fly.” The artwork (by DeTerlizzi) is fantastic…dark, but very detailed and full of forewarning of the fate that the little fly, dressed like a flapper of the ’20s, is sure to suffer if she… Continue reading The Spider and the Fly, by Mary Howitt

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, by Lois P. Frankel

This book has been all that I hoped for and more. The book, in a nutshell, basically says that to get ahead in life, in career, in everything, women need to stop acting like little girls. Replete with examples from Ms. Frankel’s consulting clients, this book gives practical, no-holds-barred evaluations of such behaviours as feeding… Continue reading Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office, by Lois P. Frankel

Cross Creek Cookery, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

This is one of my favourite memoir cookbooks. The stories mingle humour, nostalgia, and snapshots of history. The recipes sound marvellous, and the ones I’ve tried have fulfilled that promise. Chef Huston’s Lemons Chiffon Pie and Evadne’s Gingerbread are my personal favourites. And  the story of the man digging turtle-eggs who was caught by a… Continue reading Cross Creek Cookery, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Is My Child Overtired?, by Will Wilkoff

This book is of great importance and relevance to all parents. The section on the sleep needs of teens is highly informative, as is chapter 12, “It Takes a Well-Rested Parent….” Studies show that most children and a large number of adults are sleep-deprived. Sleep deprivation causes irritability, health problems, and difficulty making decisions, among… Continue reading Is My Child Overtired?, by Will Wilkoff

Dangerous Island, by Helen Mather-Smith Mindlen

This is an excellent chapter book for young readers, or a great read-aloud book for the younger set. Three children visiting the New Jersey seaside are cast adrift in the Atlantic Ocean when the raft from which they are fishing pulls its moorings loose in an unusually high tide. Eleven-year-old Frank and his nine-year-old sister… Continue reading Dangerous Island, by Helen Mather-Smith Mindlen

Tricky Business, by Dave Barry

Dave Barry’s second novel delivers the same hilarious and fast-paced action as his first. Tricky Business is a wonderful novel in the true Barry style. The plot revolves around a gambling cruise ship that leaves a wharf in Florida every night to take its passengers into international waters, where they can gamble to their hearts’… Continue reading Tricky Business, by Dave Barry

French Women Don’t Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano

French Women Don’t Get Fat, and after reading Mireille Guiliano’s book, I now know why. This is a fascinating book on many levels. Part memoir, part diet book, part cookbook, it it a wholly satisfying read. Mireille (meeRAY) was a normal teenager until she came to America as an exchange student. When she returned home… Continue reading French Women Don’t Get Fat, by Mireille Giuliano

The Man Without a Country, by Edward Everett Hale

This is the deeply moving story of naval lieutenant Phillip Nolan, a young man who lived to regret a rash and passionately spoken oath. For when Nolan, who had fallen under the spell of the treasonous conspirator Aaron Burr, was court-martialed for his part in Burr’s plot, he cursed the United States and avowed that… Continue reading The Man Without a Country, by Edward Everett Hale