review

…the incredible Alaskan adventures of Kate Shugak? Dana Stabenow’s latest book, Though Not Dead, follows Kate as she searches for answers after the death of Old Sam Dementieff. Old Sam left Kate most of his possessions, including a homestead she never knew he had and a mystery involving his father and a religious icon that used to belong to their tribe.

… Dewey the library cat? Try Dewey’s Nine Lives: The Legacy of the Small Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions by Vicki Myron!

…the enchanted Theatre Illuminata? You can visit it in Eyes like Stars, by Lisa Mantchev. Bertie (Beatrice Shakespeare Smith) grew up in the Theatre Illuminata with no memory of her parents or a life before that magical place.

…the great cozy mystery series set in a vintage boutique? Death by Diamonds* is the third in this series by Annette Blair. The Vintage Magic clothing boutique, owned by Madeira “Maddie” Cutler, is located in Mystic Fall, Connecticut, in what used to be a funeral parlor. The mostly-remodeled shop comes with its former owner who is now a ghost.

… the Boogeyman who steals children? The Stuff of Legend. Book 1: The Dark is a graphic novel about a group of toys who try to rescue their Boy after he is stolen by the Boogeyman. When the toys go into the Dark, they become larger and more lifelike – the stuffed bear becomes a full-sized bear (although he keeps the bow around his neck), the metal soldier looks like a human soldier and can use the items stored in his pack, and so on.

… the mega-villain who’s trying to take over Metro City? Megamind is one of the best animated films I’ve seen in a long time. A reluctant super hero, a “mega-villain” and his pet fish, a cute girl reporter, and a nerd make the messages of “evil vs. good” and “yes, you can change and be someone special” into an extremely moving and very funny movie.

… the magazine for artists and art lovers? Each issue of American Artistshows work from a variety of today’s artists. They give tips about the media and techniques used to create the realistic paintings. The artists also explain the inspiration behind their work. Enjoy taking a trip through an art gallery with the artists as your personal tour guides.

Reviewed by Rose (staff)

… how to save money at the grocery store? Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America’s Cheapest Family, by Steve and Annette Economides, guides you past clipping coupons and watching for sales, though that’s a good start.

… the Beauty who fell in love with a Beast as she worked to resurrect his precious rose garden? This is the third in our series of reviews of novels based on “Beauty and the Beast.”

… Beauty and her courtly Beast? The second review in this set looks at very different style of novel based on “Beauty and the Beast.”