The Nightingale

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

During German-occupied France, two girls tried to live their lives. Their lives were changed with the Nazi occupation and gradually clamping down on rights. They work in different ways to help the resistance. They help guide allied soldiers to Spain to return home and also shelter Jews in their home. One is caught and spent time in a concentration camp. The book is told as flashbacks from the modern woman who is in poor health. She has not told her children much about her efforts or her the assumed name she had. Her son only learns when they are there to talk with others. This provides a bit of sentimentality towards a past life, even when it is something you would like ot have forgotten.

A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power

A Kim Jong-Il Production: The Extraordinary True Story of a Kidnapped Filmmaker, His Star Actress, and a Young Dictator's Rise to Power by Paul Fischer

Kim Jong-Il was the North Korean son and dictator in waiting in North Korea. He loved film and had many western movies clandestinely pirated and brought to him. Internally, residents were only allowed to view locally made films. These were heavy on propaganda and low on quality. He wanted to launch a strong local film industry that could produce films that would win awards at film festivals. He decided to do it in a typically bizarre way. He kidnapped a South Korean actress. Then later kidnapped a director that happened to be her ex husband. He first spent years indoctrinating them in the positives of North Korea. After he thought they were ready, he let them produce movies. These films won awards and received acclaim. The couple gradually rekindled their relationship and remarried. They longed to escape. However, they were constantly monitored by bodyguards. To protect their lives, they needed to portray loyalty to North Korea. After one leak that they were kidnapped, they held a press conference to say they were there willingly. After increasing movie success, they were allowed to travel further abroad. Finally, when they were in Vienna, they were able to avoid their minders in a taxi chase and make it to the US embassy. There they defected to the west, and eventually escaped to the US. They continued to make movies in the US, while Kim Jong-Il "erased" them from North Korean film history. It is a so strange it must be true tale told in a riveting fashion. 

Dream With Your Eyes Open: An Entrepreneurial Journey

Dream With Your Eyes Open: An Entrepreneurial Journey by Ronnie Screwvala

The author started out convincing Indians that they needed toothpaste before branching out into media production. The book is filled with the standard "Here is what I did to succeed in business. You can do it too". There did not seem to be much original about what he wrote. It may be more interesting to those that are familiar with the media empire that he created in India.

Who Was Blackbeard?

Who Was Blackbeard? by James Buckley Jr.

Blackbeard was an infamous pirate who was known for raiding the American coast during the colonial era. He was bold and extremely successful in his work. At one time, he even settled down in a town in a form of local amnesty. However, he ended up back at work and eventually met his fall as authorities raided him. We have an idea of his pre-Blackbeard identity, but are not 100% sure. The book provides background on the pirate as well as the situation in which he arose. Britain sponsored "privateers". These eventually freelanced on their own. Working on a British ship was very regimented, with little chance of reward. Pirate ships were more democratic with greater chances for leadership and material reward. 

The Living Years: The First Genesis Memoir

The Living Years: The First Genesis Memoir by Mike Rutherford

Mike Rutherford's father was a British naval officer that did not communicate well with his children. Mike wished he would have taken more time to get to know him and understand his life and experience. Mike had traveled around a lot while young and went to a well-to-do school. He ran into trouble and did drugs and joined a band. During his life, there were a few times he got in trouble with the drugs. He joined Genesis as a founding member and stayed with the band through multiple iterations. The band kept going, even after key band members left. However, finally when Phil Collins left, they realized their recruited singer would not be enough. They later had legacy tours with original members. Genesis also had multiple members go solo or have alternate groups with great success. Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel each had number one songs on their own. Rutherford's spin off, Mike + the Mechanics also had a number one along with a few other top 40 hits.

Genesis did have a fair amount of turn over. Rutherford was present for all of it. In the book he paints a picture of most people leaving because they wanted to. (The few that were "fired" were portrayed as short-termers.) It is interesting the Phil Collins could have a solo career that eclipsed the band and yet still return for a few more albums (that were also highly successful.) The book talks about the music, but doesn't go into much detail about the evolution through different genres and styles (and different fan appeal.) It is an interesting case of appealing to different groups.

Taking Hold: From Migrant Childhood to Columbia University (The Circuit Book 4)

Taking Hold: From Migrant Childhood to Columbia University (The Circuit Book 4) by Francisco Jiménez

By the time Panchito gets to graduate school at Columbia, his life becomes more typical and less unique to a migrant worker. He does start by sending some money back home, but his family is better able to care for themselves. He is more focussed on academics than the Vietnam-era protests going around Columbia. He finds himself called a "white boy" in Harlem, but also has real estate agents refuse him due to his hispanic last name. He gets married and initially lives with his wife in Staten Island (where she teaches). They later start a family and are able to move closer to Columbia. There are professors that are helpful and supportive as well as those that are not. They start a family and move closer to school. He struggles at first with teaching positions. He eventually completes his dissertation and is able to find a position at his Alma Mater, Santa Clara. It is the story of a hard working grad student who ditches the long distance relationship to marry his sweetheart and work through the challenges as his family back home gradually rises out of poverty.

Mulan: Khan to the Rescue

Mulan: Khan to the Rescue by Calliope Glass, illustrated by Disney Storybook Art Team

Mulan's horse leads her to the apple tree where Mulan helps rescue grandma. 

Chatter, Chirp, Bark & Buzz

Chatter, Chirp, Bark & Buzz by Eric Carle

The book is designed to go with some special reader device. We just have the book. It talks about various animals and their sounds. I'm not a huge fan of the patchwork style of illustrations. The kids liked the sounds from the animals. However, these were just at the start and the end.

The Good Samaritan: Level 2 (I Can Read! / Adventure Bible)

The Good Samaritan: Level 2 (I Can Read! / Adventure Bible) by Zondervan (Author), David Miles (Illustrator)

The story of the Good Samaritan is told in easy to read language with fun pictures. The length is just right for the story.

On Our Way to First Grade

On Our Way to First Grade by Kate Howard (Author), Mike Byrne (Illustrator)

A kid is worried about going to first grade. His teacher points out that a lot of the good parts of kindergarten are also there in first grade. Then the book ends with the "bridge" ceremony as they go to first grade. There is not much to it.

The Thing About Jellyfish

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

A girl has been struggling after the death of her best friend. She wishes she she would have better communicated her last words to her. Because of the this, the girl has decided to be almost totally silent. The story then proceeds in too part. It gradually moves forward in in the current time as well as moving forward from the time the girls first met. They became friends when they were young and were inseparable. They vowed to prevent each other from being "crazy" like boy crazy girls. However, in middle school, the friend goes boy crazy and the protagonist doesn't. Finally, on the last day of school, the protagonist puts frozen urine in the friend's locker, creating a big mess. They never speak again.

On the current timeline, the girl learns about dangerous jellyfish. She wants to talk to an expert in Australia, but freezes up on the phone. She does a report on jellyfish for school, thinking the friend may have died due to a jellyfish sting. The class doesn't get it. She later decides to go to Australia to talk to the scientist there. She buys a ticket and books things, but discovers she doesn't have a visa and can't travel to Australia alone. In this process, she talks to the friend's mom and learns the friend still respected her for being able to be herself. She also is "stuck" with the annoying boy as a lab partner in school. She learns he is managing his ADHD and they become friends. Finally she opens up and talks and goes to the school dance. She even learns that others she thought had it all together have struggles and insecurities too. She is a smart kid, but doesn't know everything, but struggles with the social issues at school.

Papa's Book of Mormon Christmas

Papa's Book of Mormon Christmas by Emma Rae Parker (Author), Alexa Terry Hanson (Illustrator)

Papa tells the story of how the special Book of Mormon brought him comfort when he was fighting in the war. It is a nice little story, though I wanted to know more details (like what was the War he was fighting?)

Lego Chain Reactions

Lego Chain Reactions by Pat Murphy and the Scientists of Klutz Labs (Author)

Legos are often used to build "static" structures. This book (and the accompanying lego set) add "dynamic" structures to the lego arsenal. The sections provide details explanations on how to build various structures, with some structures building upon others. At times they can get a little complicated. Active structures with legos can be hard.

Whose Shoe?

Whose Shoe? by Eve Bunting (Author), Sergio Ruzzier (Illustrator)

A mouse finds a shoe. He tries to return it. He meets various animals and sees their interesting type of footwear. Finally he finds the owner - and discovers they did not want it after all. The mouse then gets to have the shoe as a bed. It is nicely illustrated with personality in each of the animals. It is a quest of kindness with a viable reward.

Clockwork Lives

Clockwork Lives by Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart

The second book in the Clockwork series is a collection of short stories framed in the story of a woman gathering stories. She can get a drop of blood to help get the "true" story from people. She travels around to hear the stories of others. Some are of important people. While, others are of ordinary or those low in status. There is the story of the pickpocket who didn't want to murder like his father. There is the explorer who eventually stopped exploring and instead became a storyteller.

The Watchmaker does not want to share his stories. His "autobiography" is the primary book available in most book stores. It is regularly updated with his details. After she tries to get his true story, he chases her out and gives her the book. She tosses it in the sea and goes to collect more stories.

The stories provide a variety of different looks at the life of people. Many could live in any "normal" world, while some are tightly tied to the Steam Punk world of the book.

Pocahontas: A Little Mischief

Pocahontas: A Little Mischief by Rebecca L. Schmidt, illustrated by Disney Storybook Art Team

A necklace has gone missing. There is also some food missing. Pocahontas traces down the food thief - a raccoon. She befriends it and the raccoon helps get the necklace back from the crow that stole it. It goes on a bit too long - even though it is only a 5 minute story.

I Wish You More

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Author), Tom Lichtenheld (Illustrator)

I wish for a bunch of random things rather than a bunch of other random things. It is short, but there is not much too it.

Burning Nation

Burning Nation (Divided We Fall, Book 2) by Trent Reedy

Idaho has left the United States and declared itself an independent Republic. The US government has tried to go in and reclaim the state. There is plenty of fighting that goes on. Civil rights go out the window for all Americans. The president is portrayed as a idealist woman who feels that spreading falsehoods can help her cause. Alas, this does not work. New England states attempt to declare neutrality. Other red states eventually join with Idaho. There are food and general supply chain issues throughout the United States. The protagonist gets caught and tortured. (The writing in the torture section could have been improved to help us become part of it.) It felt like he was stuck, since he was the protagonist, you knew he would have a way out. 

The book is a gripping, easy read. A civil war hurts everyone involved. It levels criticisms at both the left and the right. However, the characters are fairly flat. Why are they suddenly so dedicated to their state? What are they really fighting for? Who are the good guys? Why would we feel the "feds" are bloodthirsty, amoral goons, while we brush similar behavior off when the rebels do it?

Guess What?-Flowers

Guess What?-Flowers (The World of Yonezu) by Yusuke Yonezu

Each page in this book appears to be a flower. After lifting the flap, it turns out that it is really an animal. the pictures are all done well and legitimately pass as both. It has a fairly minimalistic style and is well done. My favorite is "dandelion" that is actually a "lion".

Innocent

Innocent by Eric Walters

A fire in an orphanage requires people to leave shortly before they graduate. Luckily, one girl has a job lined up with a rich family in Kingston. She also learns that she was originally born there and that her father was jailed for murdering her mother. She learns more details once she arrives. The family she is working for knows everybody and are very wealthy. One son is the mayor. Another is "special". The special brother now carries around a shovel. He remembers everything. He likes to keep to routines. He also enjoys his pigeons. She has an encounter with a young policeman who eventually becomes her boyfriend. They work together to find the truth about her father. It became more and more clear that her dad may be innocent. However, my initial suspicions of who it was were wrong. It shows the challenges of a small town life where everybody knows everyone and those in power can get away with anything.