The Name Of This Book Is Secret

The Name of this Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch

The characters in this first book of the Secret series are just barely normal enough to be believable. One more step and they would be in the realm of fantasy. They are weird, but believable. Max Ernest and Cass are friends, except when they are not. They try to solve riddles and problems. There is something to do with people with synesthesia. Smells, colors and words all get associated. They uncover some bad guys and their alchemy that lets them live to extremely old age. However, there is some human sacrifice involved. They meet Owen who is stuttering attendant. Or maybe he's spy with an Irish accent. Or maybe just somebody that is good with accents that can help at times. Max Ernst has two names because his parents could not agree on the proper name. All his hairs are the same length. He is great at solving puzzles. He has some condition, but nobody knows what it is. Cass is a survivalist. She has a mom and "two grandpas". She does not know about her dad. The audiobook narration is great, with various effects and accents to go with the story. 

The Mayor of Casterbridge

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

A poor drunk auctions off his wife and daughter. To the surprise of everyone, somebody buys them and takes them off. He decides that he will make his life better. He stops drinking and achieves success in life. Then they come back. However, the girl with them is not his actual daughter, but the daughter of the man he sold them two. He has some ups and downs in his life. He still seems to internally waffle between the moral and personal gain. There is a lot of stuff that happens. I had trouble staying interested and following all the details.

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure (The "Good Parts" Version)

The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure (The "Good Parts" Version) by William Goldman

This is the "good parts" abridged version of the Princess Bride. It is narrated by the director of the movie. He had loved having his father read it to him when he was young. Only later, did he find his dad had focussed on the interesting action parts. 

This version is similar to the movies and has many of the quotable parts. A girl loves a boy. The boy goes off to sea to be worthy of her. However, he is said to have been killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts. She is later betrothed to royalty. The son of a swordmaker has vowed to avenge the death of his father (who was killed by a 6 fingered man.) He teams with a giant and a Sicilian as part of a criminal gang. They try to kidnap the princess. However, the man in black appears. He is actually he Dread Pirate Roberts - and the original boy. (Turns out the "pirate" is a title that goes from person to person.) He defeats the Sicilian in the battle of wits, and swordmaker son in sword battle. The swordmaker and giant become friends with him and they all go to rescue the princess from the evil royal dude. There are sword fights, comedy and action.

Penguin (Watch Me Grow)

Penguin (Watch Me Grow) by Lisa Magloff, Sonia Whillock, Mary Sandberg, Pilare Morales (DK)

This is one of those DK books. It has very nice pictures and some words that go along. It was written by committee and felt familiar. There is not much originality, but if you are into penguins, it is for you.

The Rainbow Fish

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister translated by J. Alison James

The rainbow fish has beautiful glittery colorful scales. Other fish ask for one, but the rainbow fish does not want to share. He ends up miserable and alone. Finally he learns to share and gives away all his scales, but finds himself much happier.

The pictures do have pretty sequins that glow. The story is ok.

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss

This is a Dr. Seuss's attempt to be a but serious. The book is often given out for graduation and similar big life events. It generally has the Seuss style with bright pictures and a nice rhythm. However, it tries too hard to be serious and give a message.

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think!

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think! by Dr. Seuss

This is Seuss at is Seussiest. There is page after page of random "thinks" The rhyme and rhythm are consistent and most of the words are easy to read. (Though there are plenty of made up words.)  It is not very long. It  How much water can 55 elephants drink? Would you like to visit the Vipper of Vip? There is also schlop and a balloon swimming pool. It is a fun book that is quick to read.

The power of determination: Featuring the story of Ronald Reagan

The power of determination: Featuring the story of Ronald Reagan by Della Mae Rasmussen and Phyllis Collan

This book was not as bad as I thought it would be. It is a biography of Ronald Reagan. Most of the life events appear to be accurate. However, the reasoning and the "determination" may be far fetched. For some reason, there is a bird telling the story.

The book is fairly long for a kid book. It also ends with "everyone knows who he is" now. Alas it is now four decades after his election and he is not as well known.

The book tells the story of Reagan growing up in poverty in Illinois. He works hard and works his way through college. It is now the depression and he decides he wants to be a sports announcer. He does such a good job that he is encouraged to go to Hollywood. There he has success and has a good, easy life. He decides to go into politics.

The book presents his experiences being upset with discrimination and encouraging people to work hard. The book tries to have a humorous tone that does get a bit over the top. 

Oliver

Oliver by Syd Hoff

Oliver is an elephant. He has a "roll with the punches". He is on a ship with other elephants destined for the circus. However, the circus doesn't need him, so he goes into town. He tries the zoo, but he is not needed there. He tries to be a pet, but it doesn't quite work out. Eventually, he starts playing with kids. He has fun, and then starts dancing. Nobody pays attention to the circus parade due to the dancing elephant. He then finds his dream job of joining the circus.

Shiloh Season

Shiloh Season by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

The family lives close to a mean man. The man likes to hunt, but also likes to bully the kids and dogs and accuse them of doing anything that negatively affects them. He chains his dogs and is distraught when they attack others and have to be tested for rabies. One day he gets in a big drunk-driving car crash. Shiloh the dog helps notify everyone so he can get rescued. We learn that he had grown up in a horrible family with plenty of beating going on. We also learn that one of the kids had seen the man do illegal hunting. The family decides to try to support the man as he recovers, even if they don't really like him.

The book identifies some of the trials of modern rural America. The dogs play a role, but it is mostly about the relationships with the others. The narration has a bit of a drawl that takes some getting used to.

Frankenstein

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

This book has spawned so many adaptations that I was surprised at the story. Dr. Frankenstein is the creator of the monster. However, he abandons it. the monster seeks its own fulfilment. It felt like most of the novel is told from the perspective of the Frankenstein as he is going through stages of mental collapse. The monster kills multiple people and Frankenstein is among those that are questioned. He lets others die for the misdeeds of the monster. His family is destroyed by the monster. He struggles internally for what he had done. The internal fear makes the novel more powerful than the movie adaptations.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Arthur Dent is not having a good day. He is hungover and sees his house about to be destroyed to make way for a highway bypass. He meets his friend, Ford Prefect who takes him to a pub and tells him the earth is about to be destroyed to make way for an interplanetary bypass. (Shortly after it is destroyed, these become no longer needed.)

Things get crazier. They hitchhike a ride on a Vogon construction ship that is building the bypass. They don't like hitchhikers, but their help does. They are using the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to make their way around. Earth's entry is just "Harmless" (though will be updated to "mostly harmless".) They are tortured with poetry and try to talk their way out of punishment, but end up being shot out of the ship into space.

They get picked up by zaphod beeblebrox on the Heart of Gold ship. This ship is powered by the improbability drive. It was almost impossible for them to be picked up, and thus the ship's improbability picked them up. Many other "improbable" things happen. (For example, Dent knew Beeblebrox from his time picking up a girl he liked at a pub - and the girl is here.) They end up in a place that makes custom planets. They are about to get nuked before the missiles turn into a sperm whale. They have a babelfish that translates any language to be understood (and just happens to have evolved that way.) They also learn that answer to life the universe and everything was 42 and earth was created to find the question - but it was destroyed just a bit too soon. Mice were the most intelligent creatures. Dolphins were trying to tell people that the earth would be destroyed, but people just saw it as tricks.

The book is filled with memes and humor. It goes quickly, but is zanily entertaining, while also providing witty societal commentary.

Little House on the Prairie: Little House, Book 3

Little House on the Prairie: Little House, Book 3 by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A family moves out from Wisconsin to the edge of Indian country. They build up their house, even getting windows. They have challenges of the frontier with various animals, diseases and weather. There is high water river during Christmas, so the kids are afraid they will not see Santa Clause. However, a friend manages to wade through the river and bring presents. (He says he ran in to Santa in Independence and offered to bring them.)

There are various opinions of the Indians in the region. Some people want them dead or out of there. Father, however, wants them to remain friends. They learn their house is along an active Indian trail. Indians will sometimes come in and be fed or take things. The family is somewhat reluctantly friendly, even though they can't communicate. One time father sees signs of a panther and spends days trying to hate him. He meets an Indian who signs to him that he had killed the beast. 

There is a big Indian meeting. They learn that the Indians had talked about fighting the settlers, but then some Indians convinced them not to. They later learn that they are living a few miles within Indian country. The government will not defend them and would like for them to move. The family decides that they will move before being forced out.

It is an interesting look at the frontier development and the relationships involved. There is both a fascination with Indians (one girl wants an Indian baby) and a fear of them (some want them eliminated so they can settle the area.) The relationships are complicated. In spite of this, they have some rather peaceable relationships that can benefit everyone. 

Ginger Pye

Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes

I did not like this one as much as Pinky Pie and Moffats. The family gets a dog Ginger. There are some not so good people in the neighborhood. Ginger disappears. They find Ginger in the end.

The Magic School Bus Makes A Rainbow

The Magic School Bus Makes A Rainbow: A Book About Color by George Bloom (Adapter), Jocelyn Stevenson (Adapter), Carolyn Bracken (Illustrator)

They have a new pinball machine in the classroom. It is a special "light" pinball machine. They try to shoot light through a prism and get it to refract into various eyes matching certain colors. They go in the schoolbus and use different objects and mirrors to reflect the light into the eyes. One kid stays behind and works to distract the principal who came to visit. He does it just long enough for the kids to win and get out. By winning, Ms. Frizzle gets to keep the pinball machine. Otherwise, we learn the principal would have had it. The explores how colors work, but feels less in depth than other books in the series.

The Great Brain

The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald

I remember reading many of the Great Brain books when I was in elementary school. The narrator is JD Fitzgerald. They are Catholics living in Southern Utah during the early 20th century. His brother, Tom, is the Great Brain. He is always thinking of schemes to make money. Sometimes they backfire. But more often, JD ends up at the poor end of the deal. 

The book covers many of the adventures of the Great Brain. When his family gets a new indoor water closet, he charges all the kids a penny to go see the construction and use of it. (However, his parents end up making him refund it.) When a new Greek kid moves to town, he befriends him. He also sends his old "junk" to him to make him to help him be like local kids. He later earns money for training him to fight. In both situations, they ended up being "win win" situations.

In one episode, JD tries to be the first kid in the family to get the Mumps. He is proud of doing it and getting time to enjoy his freedom. However, his brothers end up giving him the silent treatment and JD has to bay the Great Brain for the privilege of getting back to normal.

In the end, the Great Brain works to frame a bad teacher as a drunkard in order to get rid of him. They succeed. However, JD and the Great Brain fess up and then feel remorse. The Great Brain has a change of heart and works to get the teacher reinstated. This ends up benefitting him after all as the teacher implements a kinder means of discipline.

The book is a fun read and has a "Curious George" type of feel. The Great Brain always manages to come out ahead in his plans, even if there are some short term setbacks.

The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong

The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong by Rebecca Haw Allensworth

This book is a disturbing look at the current professional licensing system in the United States. Licensing has spread from the "esteemed professions" (like law and medicine) to all sorts of minor areas like hair braiding and alarm installation. The licensing schemes in general drive up the cost of entering professions, but do little to provide for public welfare. The licensing requirements often require extensive education requirements and prerequisites - many which are not needed in the practice of profession. The boards consist of practitioners. They are very active in fining and shutting down those that are practicing without a license. However, they are very slow to enforce penalties on those existing practitioners. Boards are also eager to expand their turf.

Reform has often been slow and around the margins. Some requirements for language proficiency or citizen status are reduced on lower-esteemed professions. However, the boards continue to be primarily a cartel protecting interest of those practitioners.  The author proposes a number of solutions, including expanding staff and resources. Changing boards to be made up of non-practitioners will also help. Those members of the profession could provide some expert experience, but not dominate the board.

The book gives many examples of the "failure" of boards to discipline malfescents. These anecdotes drive home the case, but may be cherry-picked. Statistics make a stronger case, though they may be hard to come by generally. How many licensees are disciplined or lose their license?  The author lives in Tennessee, so the focus was there. However, there was coverage of other places.

Disney Princess Little Golden Book Favorites (Disney Princess)

Disney Princess Little Golden Book Favorites (Disney Princess) by Michael Teitelbaun,Sue DiCicco,Teddy Slater,Ric Gonzalez,Ron Dias,Karen Kreider,Darrell Baker

This collection has three books:

The Little Mermaid

Beauty and the Beast

Aladdin

The stories seemed very familiar - probably because we have these adaptations of Disney stories in other collections. It is a long read.

Curious George in the Snow

Curious George in the Snow by Vipay Interactive

Curious George is at a ski resort with the Man with the Yellow Hat. The Man tells him to not get in trouble... and of course he does. He jumps in a bobsled and ends up crashing into lift poll. He goes back up and takes a pizza pan down and crashes into a skier, breaking a ski, and taking the broken ski the rest of the way down. He finds the man and then watches the skier then win the race. It is a derivative George book that is a confused moral. George causes a lot of destruction, but the only "good" he seemed to do was be entertaining in his ruckus. It is a bit better than the snowy day book.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

This audiobook has very good narration. Anne is an orphan who lost her family. An old brother and sister in rural maritime Canada want an orphan boy to come help them on the farm. They get Anne instead. They want to send her back. However, the super chatty Anne ends up winning them over. She is always talking and daydreaming. She has various mishaps, such as messing up recipes, getting her friend drunk and dying her hair green. However, she also has also been very helpful at times (such as helping a sick kid.) She is always innocently chatting and dreaming. She is also a a smart, hard worker who is loyal to others. She ends up winning a scholarship to study away from home. However, she decides to stay so she could take care of her guardian (who is now alone after her brother died.) Anne just can't help but drive you crazy while making you want to love her.

Lunch Money

Lunch Money by Andrew Clements

An elementary school kid loves to earn money. He has sold money during the summer. He has done his brothers' chores for money. He has loaned money to others (for a fee). He has tried to sell anything he could. He realized there was a great opportunity at school. At first he bought bulk cheap toys to sell. This worked for a bit, but then ran out of steam. He later hit on a great idea - selling "mini comics". He was hoping to sell a large number. However, he noticed that somebody else was producing comics - a neighbor girl who seems to always invade "his territory" in selling things. They get in a fight in math class that comes to blows, with her hitting him in the nose. The blood also ended up making the math teacher woozy. 

Eventually, they become friends and work together to make comics together. They become friends and enjoy working together. They lobby the school board (with the math teacher) to let them sell comics in the school store. He ends up realizing that there are benefits to do things for purposes other than making the most money.

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

I was tempted to knock this one down a notch due to the narrator's voice, but I stuck with an 8. This is a reread from one I read a long time ago. Somebody finds himself in the land of King Arthur. He is able to utilize some of his knowledge of events (such as an eclipse) as well as technology to his advantage. However, it is a struggle for the people to adopt what is good for them. He sees people convicted on supposition without a chance of defence. Nobles see nobility as more important than qualification. The yankee uses some subterfuge to work around people's ingrown behaviors for what he sees as their good. He eventually becomes involved in a duel with nights. He uses his lasso to capture a few knights. Then after it is taken, he shoots others with his gun. This leads towards the people to more willingly adopt his technology. However, a few years later, the church has come in to assert its power. 

The book is part a time travel tale of "modern" technology in the past. However, it is primarily a cultural critique. Even if societies have access to knowledge and technology that can improve them, they still have cultural inertia. This inertia can lead to them clinging to past behaviors that impede them from living in a modern society that would benefit them.

Pedro Páramo

Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, translated by Douglas J. Weatherford, forward by Gabriel García Márquez

A man promises his mother on her deathbed that he will go back to visit his father, Pedro. He goes back to the town and runs into somebody else that claims to have Pedro as his father. Then it gets weirder. It is not clear which characters are alive or dead. Some will even mention their own death. Bits of history are interspersed. There was involvement in a revolution. There are marriages, vast fortunes and estates and poverty. It is somewhat a novel of discovery of life and family in a disjointed fashion. The translation is short and easy to read. It includes an introduction and a translator's afterword. Looks like there are a lot of bits in the Spanish that would be interesting to read.

Dump Trucks and Other Big Machines (Mighty Machines)

Dump Trucks and Other Big Machines (Mighty Machines) by Ian Graham

I realize that we read a collection that included this book many years ago. This collection has dump trucks and other giant construction equipment. It is the standard style that includes lots of very sharp pictures with a primary descriptive text and additional details and sub-pictures. It is fun for kids.

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Clifford the Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

The first Clifford book started the series. There is not much narrative. Instead there are just various tales of Clifford. He has a doghouse as big as a house. He accidentally "catches" a car when he is chasing it. He needs a rake to comb his hair. There are a lot of "big dog" things that make things challenging for him. He is also a good guard dog. Many of these things have been developed further, but this is the original.