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The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I never would have picked up this book had it not been for bookclub. I almost didn’t read it because it really didn’t look or sound like something I would like YET, wow, what a story! It was a wonderful story built on strong female relationships and determined individuals.

Jacob was the one we all know about, the one whose name rang a bell with me. Anita writes that Jacob has 4 wives and 10 sons. Jacob is mentioned just a bit i

n this story but it’s the women’s lives who take over the pages.

Rachel was one of Jacob’s wife who was a midwife. She gives birth to Jacob’s only daughter, Dinah. The Red Tent which is the book’s title refers to the structure where women would go when they’re menstruating or when they’re having a baby. Dinah though, was able to go into the Red Tent anytime, to learn from the women who were inside there.

I liked how the women went inside the Red Tent monthly, for just a few days, to rejuvenate themselves. The outside world would continue on, while she held herself up, inside that structure with the other women, until she opened up the door and walked out. I thought this was powerful but then, this also had to do with their religion.

Reading this book was interesting but later, I located a guide to use with this book and that was an eye-opener. It had me analyzing situations and yes, I could see what they were addressing but I hadn’t thought of it that way. Had I not read this guide; this concept never would have crossed my mind. I hadn’t thought this much about historical or biblical times. Wow, this was a lot to think about and it started to make this reading material, deep. I was starting to see that there were some complex issues going on. One of my issues with this story had to do with keeping track of all the names of the characters as they made their journey.

I’m glad that I read this story. 4 stars.

April Bookclub

This is my April’s bookclub book that I picked up today. I belong to my local library’s bookclub, which is in Iowa and we meet once a month, usually at the library but lately we’ve been meeting online. We read the author’s, The Home For the Friendless: Finding Hope, Love and Family back in November 2020 and our group’s leader connected with the author, since the author lives in Iowa. We’d looked at her other books and some of our questions surrounded this book, Living with Twelve Men….a mother in training, it sounded interesting.

Today, when I picked up my copy at the library, imagine my surprise when I opened my sack and I found all these extra goodies. Yeah! A library coffee mug, tea, popcorn, candy, bookmark, and the book.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el

I was thrilled to see this sequel because after I had read the first book in this series, I needed more of Duane and his friends. I love the way that the author narrates the books and I really enjoy the characters. It’s how the characters relate to one another, how they view themselves in their world and their own unique personalities that make these characters stand out. You don’t need to have previously read the first book to enjoy this book in the series but I highly recommend that you read it because you’ll love it.

His winter slumber is over, as Duane walks out to find his friends and they bring him up-to-date on what he has missed. Starving, the friends head down to the beach for a picnic. They were a great, cheerful group of friends but now, a new face has arrived and he’s causing waves among the small group. It seems that this weasel has a comment about everything and everyone. They’re such a tight group of friends that, when one of them is affected by the weasel, the whole group is impacted. That darn weasel!

There were some great moments in the book, moments that made me smile and laugh. I loved how Duane removed the snow without using a shovel. If only that would work in real life, I would love to be able to do that. As I sit here now, in Iowa with over 14 inches of snow on the ground, I’m thinking I could roll myself a nice-sized fort. The concern and the effort that the characters put forth for Duane and Boo was so sweet. That’s what friends do for each other and they each did what they wanted and what they were capable of doing also. I can’t wait to see how much Musk Ox changed, if any, when he returns back to the Very, Very Far North. I was afraid that he was going to be gone for a while but I’m glad to see that he’s coming back shortly. I enjoyed the letter he wrote.

This was a great sequel and I can’t wait to share it with my grandchildren when they get older. It’d make a great read aloud or it’s a great chapter book.

The Burning Girls by C.J. Tudor

What a terrific book by Tudor! This was my third book from this author and she never fails to amaze me. From the beginning pages, the story had my curiosity as Jack and her teenage daughter are relocated by Bishop Durkin. I didn’t know what to think as the reverend and her daughter were transferred to the small community of Chapel Croft. As the Bishop talks to Jack about this move and he mentions that Jack will be leaving behind the police observations, the crime scene and her angry congregation, whatever Jack did, it sounds pretty serious. The Bishop felt that this would-be Jack’s best option yet, as I read the book, this was supposed to a good option? I guess I wouldn’t want to know, what the Bishop thought were bad options.

When the mother and daughter arrived at their new community, it’s not all that promising. What happened that first day, should have told them something but I guess the reverend is used to drama. The pair was met by a pair of Burning Girls at their gate, Jack later find a gift that was left for her. Upon opening this gift, Jack finds she was gifted an exorcism kit and later, as their first visitor approached them, they realized that she was covered in blood. Welcome to Chapel Croft.

I liked how the book unraveled itself. I was interested in Jack’s past yet as the book progressed, there were other more intense issues at hand now. It felt as if Jack was trying to separate herself from her past and start anew, as she wasn’t saying much about what happened. As they arrived into Chapel Croft, they were pulled inside Chapel Croft and the events that surrounded this small community. Jack had seen the small church and she thought that it needed to be revived but she didn’t really know the church’s history nor the people who resided in the town. Jack was trying to distance herself from one horrible scene in her past and then, she ends up walking right into another one. As Jack tries to make sense of what has just been uncovered, she realizes that her past is never really gone. There were plenty of twists inside this book, and they were amazing as the stories unfolded.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine in exchange for an honest opinion. Thank you for my copy.

9th ANNUAL AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN’S BOOK FAIR TODAY

The fair is hosted on Facebook and you can log in and get listening to some great authors/illustrators talk about their books and share their stories. There is also a bookstore to purchase some books.

https://hopin.com/events/29th-annual-african-american-children-s-book-fair

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera

I am in awe! This book is breathtaking! As a nature lover, I am fascinated about the world around me and as I read about Apis, I was glued to this book. As Apis made her made into the world, her journey was just beginning. Each page of this book, brought new experiences and I was exhausted just reading about everything that she did. Only days old and she was working non-stop.

I learned a great deal about the Short Life of a bee and my mood quickly changed as the I got the end of the book. I liked how the author presented the information with facts and comments in a story-like narration. The illustrations are bright, engaging, and bigger than life. At the back of the book is a diagram of a honeybee with its different parts highlighted and there’s also a section about helping honeybees, facts about honeybees, online and books about honeybees. I highly recommend this book as I can’t stop thinking about this book!

They Threw Us Away by Daniel Kraus

Why? Just why, would anyone throw a teddy bear away? The whole cover of this book grabbed my attention from the fun text fonts used, to the unique teddies on the front who seemed to be in a wasteland, to how the author made this topic into a series, I had to know more. Enter the world of Furringon Teddies. Where a group of five teddies finally make it free out into the world and realize, perhaps they being inside the store was better.

When Buddy wakes up, he finds that he’s no longer trapped. It hot, bright and he’s sitting. As he moves his paws to shield his eyes, he makes a huge discover, he can actually move his paws! He’s always been upright, bounded by white plastic cords but now, he could physically move every part of his body! He’s made it outside the store! The teddies in the store have always wondered about this place.

Hearing something, Buddy spies a box that looks familiar. Disappointed that it’s not his own box, Buddy realizes that it’s an identical box and there’s 3 more of them close by. Buddy has found 4 other Teddies like himself. They can’t stand around after Buddy releases them as there’s a group of gulls moving towards them. How did this group of five end up in the trashlands? They read their boxes later, hoping to find clues, and they realize a few things about themselves. They’re supposed to “snuggle, cuddle, nap, sleep” and not talk, walk, get in trouble, and be mean. The group decides that they need to get out of the trashlands but as teddies, is any place safe?

This book was different than how I thought it would be. I liked how detailed the author was with setting the book up and how he shares that information. There’s Reginald, he’s a gray teddy. He has a lot of knowledge, he’s been on the shelf the longest, and he’s also the cautious one. Then, there’s Sugar. Her box had a “sticker reading damaged merchandise” which had affected the box that she was found in and her face. Her actions and the way that others reacted to her were different than the other characters. Her actions at the end of this book surprised me. These are just some of the subtle ways that the author “tells” the reader about the world that they’re painting for them.

It’s quite a journey for the group as they make their way out, the store shelves are long gone. They’re no longer the Furrington Teddies they once were. I was surprised at how dark this book became as they were met with outside influences.

I liked how this story flowed and the variety of characters but I think my main issue was the use of the teddy bear characters. For it being a children’s book, I became concerned for those who would be upset when they were reading it and suddenly, they came upon a section that they weren’t prepared for. If I think along the lines of Toy Story, where dangerous situations happen to those characters, to me, those characters are toys. Toys fall apart, you put them back together. Toys get their voices and attitudes from the children who play with them, typically. These are teddy bears, most individuals think of teddy bears as sweet, loveable, huggable animals.

I did think the ending was sweet and I look forward to the next book. Make sure you know your reader before handing this book to them.

The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel

Ben, who is this woman, that you call Mother? Perhaps you know her as an honest individual, one that you could always count on or maybe she was quiet, listening to you as you questioned the world around you. Perhaps your mom was both. Maybe you found her to be that sweet woman who worked at the local library, helping those who asked for assistance. Ben, what you say if I told you you’re your mother had an alias? That your mother committed crimes when she was younger? That because of these crimes, your mother saved many individuals including children from being killed.

I loved this book! I can just imagine Ben’s reaction when he gets his mother’s phone call asking him, if he’ll take her to the airport for her flight to Germany. The questions running through his head as he tries to make sense of what she’s telling him happened in 1942 when she lived there with her parents.

It was a good thing that Eva saw the NY Times when she was working or she would have missed the article. The book that the man was holding in the newspaper was hers, a book that she hadn’t seen in 60 years. She’d thought of Remy over the years and she believed that the book was long gone but now, there it was.

As we time traveled back to 1942, Eva was a young girl whose father had just been taken by soldiers as she steps into the role as the adult. Her goal: getting herself and her mother to safety. Stopping for the night, Eva is approached and questioned about their travel documents. Eva isn’t sure how to respond but later discovers it’s not what she had feared. The man was from the Resistance and they’d like Eva’s assistance. They have many individuals who need forged documents and they were impressed with the quality of Eva’s documents, so they’d like her to work with them. Mother though, would prefer that they continue on with their journey but Eva has other things on her mind. What started with Eva taking names off of a list turns into an emotional account of a resourceful and dedicated woman who had her purpose.

Eva’s mom makes various appearances in the book but to me, they weren’t outstanding. She was seen as a voice, someone who expressed their opinion, and someone who gave us something to think about. I thought she was negative, opinionated, and scared but that’s okay. She was in a strange environment, alone, and I had to consider her age. As she pressed Eva on the men in her life, just listening to her you knew exactly what she wanted and expected from her daughter.

What a great story about the Resistance. Eva had to grow-up suddenly when her mother didn’t step up and she continued to lead throughout the book. Using her talent, she forged travel documents to help many individuals but she didn’t stop there. I found myself holding my breath at the end of this book, boy that ending was amazing!

The Arctic Fury by Greer Macallister

Virginia was charged with murder, yet she claims that she was innocent. Leading this remarkable expedition, Virginia knew that other excursions had failed in their attempt yet, she accepted the position and prepared for the voyage. Each of the other passengers that accompanied her, knew the dangers that awaited them before they set off but still, they all followed Virginia when she set off to the North.

In this book, we follow Virginia as she prepares for and leads the expedition. I don’t think any kind of preparation could have helped them for what awaited them. Simultaneously, we also read about the court case that is brought up against Virginia. A dramatic and intense case, Virginia knows her life is in the hands of the court now.

This was a group of 13 women, some not physically/mentally prepared for such an expedition. Virginia was their leader and she was hired to guide these individuals into the North in search of Lady Jane’s missing husband. Virginia was only able to pick a few of her crew and those were individuals that she knew would be beneficial as they made their way. The other women were chosen by Lady Jane and there were various reasons why she selected them. They only had a fixed window of time before winter opened up its gates and turned the area into a frozen wasteland. They’ll be on a ship for most of the journey but then, they’ll have to walk to where they believe the lost party was thought to be. They would face many challenged but they didn’t know this when they set off.

I felt bad for Virginia as she only had a few women with her who were actually helpful. As the journey continued, a few of the women started to understand exactly what they had gotten themselves into. This is not a pleasure cruise ladies! It was a difficult and eye-opening journey and I’ll tell you now, not everyone made it home.

In court, Virginia sits and listens as the prosecutor calls up his witnesses. Virginia feels the door slowly closing shut on her prison cell as her attorney stands silent and does nothing as each witness takes the stand. It’s hard for her to just sit and be silent, as others speak about her and the expedition. I cringed as events in the case continued, I can’t believe it’s moving in this direction. What a dramatic case for this time period.

I enjoyed the story as it was well written, intriguing and I liked the character of Virginia. She wasn’t afraid of jumping in and taking a challenge. Sure, this was a difficult one for her but she did the best she could. There were a few big moments in the book and I enjoyed those ahhh moments. I liked the idea of the women traveling together alone, trying something on their own. They spent a lot of time getting ready for their voyage in the book and I really wished there would have been more time spent on their travels. 4.5 stars

The Brave by James Bird

Thank you, James, for writing this beautiful book. Using a touch of magical realism, 13-year-old Collin tries to find himself and his place in the world all while navigating around his OCD, bullying, family, and the other relationships that he encounters.

Collin lives with his father but when he runs into trouble at school, his father informs Collin that he is going to move to Minnesota to live with his mother. A woman that he has never met. I was instantly shocked at this news. His father had already planned this move for Collin: he was just waiting for the opportunity to tell Collin. I know parenting is hard but you shouldn’t surprise your child like that and then, bail. I was also shocked at the principal’s comment when he suggested homeschooling for Collin. He thought that Collin’s condition (OCD) was too hard for the other students to “adapt to.” Seriously? I couldn’t believe this!

When Collin meets his mother for the first time, I was glad that he made the move. I knew it would be difficult for Collin but her attitude and the affection that she showed him from that first day, I knew she would be good for him. Collin learns that she’s a Native American and her mannerism was something to be desired. Collin also discovers that he has a brother and a grandmother, their stories really made this book special.

Schools in this area are no different than his previous school and after being teased for his OCD, he runs out of his new classroom. So, what is Collin’s OCD? Collin counts the letters in the words that are spoken to him and then, he says that number out loud. Some kids in the past, have taken to saying long passages to Collin, to see if he can keep count of all the letters while others like to talk fast to him, to see if he can keep up with them, it’s all mean no matter how you look at it.

Collin meets Orenda. She lives next door and she spends a lot time in her tree house. Orenda says that she’s changing just like her mother did but Collin doesn’t understand what she’s referring to.

As Collin continues to get bullied at school, Orenda and Collin meet and she helps him discover who he really is. Collin was finally enjoying parts of his life and I could see a smile on his face, it seemed that he had finally found joy. He needed somewhere to land and he had found it, he was accepted and he felt a connection. A truly beautiful book that I definitely will need to reread in the future.

She was “pretty” – pretty amazing, pretty smart, and pretty funny 😊