review

… the cat who is running for public office? In Sneaky Pie for President, Rita Mae Brown’s co-author decides to throw her hat, er, collar in the ring. She talks with other cats, dogs, birds, horses, and even mice and fish to get support for her nomination.

…the magic of Le Cirque des Rêves?  In Erin Morgenstern’s debut novel, The Night Circus, a fantastic circus travels the globe, popping up in the middle of the night, without warning.  It is only open after dark and often vanishes as quickly as it appeared.  Everyone who visits Le Cirque des Rêves is forever haunted by its beauty and mystery.  And in the c

… Cassie and her late husband’s plastic flamingos? Check them out in Sandra D. Bricker’s Love Finds You in Holiday, Florida*.

… the real wizards of the theater? Far from our stage magicians, these men use true magic to create illusions of sight, sound, and even emotion for their plays. In Melanie Rawn’s Touchstone, readers follow a theatrical troupe from their start in cheap bars to their triumphant tour of the coveted Winterly Circuit.

…the scenic southwest parks of the USA? The non-fiction travelogue Adventures in America’s Western Parks: The Great Southwest has lots of ideas for seeing nature up close and personal. Whether you like to rock climb, hike, bike or take a car ride, the southwestern part of the US is the place to do it.

… the very readable book on running? I just finished reading Eat & Run by Scott Jurek who is an ultramarathoner. Why would I read a book about someone who makes a habit of running races of 100 to 150 miles…and winning them? Especially since it takes me three hours to run a simple 5K? It was a fascinating read. That’s why.

… the latest murder in Excelsior, Minnesota? In the newest mystery from Monica Ferris, Threadbare* tells the story of two murdered homeless women. These women really had nothing in common except that they were homeless, and when the niece of one of the women asks Betsy to help her, another body turns up frozen in the snow. Could the murders be connected?

… the bizarre and colorful citizens of Savannah, Georgia? In his nonfiction book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt examines the history and personality of the town, as well as the eccentric citizens who live there.

… the daughter of a Hollywood screen legend who doesn’t want to follow in her famous mom’s footsteps? Nikki Harper decides to become a real estate agent instead. Do The Bad Always Die Twice when a film icon turns up dead but the death was reported six months earlier? How can this happen and be believable?

… some great picture books that stand the test of time?  This is a two for one review…my favorite picture books of Steven Kellogg!

My sister and I used to read The Mysterious Tadpole and Much Bigger than Martin over and over and over again when we were little girls. Now my sister has been reading them to my daughter. (Aren’t they cute?)