Book Information
Tennant, Emma. The Autobiography of the Queen. London: Arcadia Books Ltd, 2007.
My Summary and Review
The Queen escapes palace life and finds a seemingly restful getaway in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, her passport, money and luggage soon disappear. What should an undercover royal do in such circumstances, especially when her "rescuer" is a dubious neighbourhood rum shop owner?
The book is a must for anyone who enjoys reading about the royal family. Though the villain is obvious and the situations are outlandish, it is fun to see how the Queen faces each escalating problem with an aloof dignity and grace. Also enjoyable are the many miscommunications between the Queen and the rum shop owner, who thinks that she is just a "crazy old lady."
Read This Book?
Try The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett.
If you were Queen for a day, what would you do? Travel the world? Make a large donation to the charity of your choice? Take a trip to... the library? The LIBRARY! For a Queen, after all, reading is a luxury as she always busy with public duties...
Friday, November 26, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Fast Food (Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints series)
Book Information
Friedman, Lauri S., ed. Fast Food (Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints). Missouri: Greenhaven Press, 2010.
My Review
Readers who enjoy a well-rounded discussion about current issues should open any book in the series Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints. Fast Food covers almost every issue imaginable on the subject of fast food. Is fast food making Americans fat, or is obesity a question of lack of self-care? Should fast food be regulated, with restrictions on its marketing? Can fast food ever be considered healthy?
The essays included in Fast Food are drawn from a variety of sources, from the New York Times website to Alternet.org, an independent news website whose aim is to "inspire action and advocacy on the environment, human rights and civil liberties, social justice, media, health care issues, and more" (http://blogs.alternet.org/about/). Fast Food presents information in a way that is simple and clear, with thought-provoking questions at the end of each essay.
Friedman, Lauri S., ed. Fast Food (Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints). Missouri: Greenhaven Press, 2010.
My Review
Readers who enjoy a well-rounded discussion about current issues should open any book in the series Introducing Issues with Opposing Viewpoints. Fast Food covers almost every issue imaginable on the subject of fast food. Is fast food making Americans fat, or is obesity a question of lack of self-care? Should fast food be regulated, with restrictions on its marketing? Can fast food ever be considered healthy?
The essays included in Fast Food are drawn from a variety of sources, from the New York Times website to Alternet.org, an independent news website whose aim is to "inspire action and advocacy on the environment, human rights and civil liberties, social justice, media, health care issues, and more" (http://blogs.alternet.org/about/). Fast Food presents information in a way that is simple and clear, with thought-provoking questions at the end of each essay.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Faces of Opportunity by Opportunity International Canada
Book Information
Opportunity International Canada. Faces of Opportunity. Canada: Opportunity International Canada, 2009.
My Review
In Faces of Opportunity, readers meet 20 successful entrepreneurs. These business owners funded their organizations using microloans from Opportunity International, a nonprofit organization that aids the working poor in 27 developing countries
The stories of the business owners in this small, thin book are very clear, concise, simple and powerful. Through their successes, some of these individuals have become leaders within their own communities. Facts on loans, international poverty and small businesses are sprinkled throughout the book. The beautiful pictures of the business owners deepen the links of understanding between the reader and the book. The stories are inspirational and encouraging.
My Notes
As part of a new work project, I have been updating a local tourism directory. Daily, I encounter news of small business closures. I am constantly reminded of the many needs and difficulties that challenge small businesses today. Reading this book was quite a morale boost for me. These successful entrepreneurs are more than faces of opportunity. They are faces of hope.
Opportunity International Canada. Faces of Opportunity. Canada: Opportunity International Canada, 2009.
My Review
In Faces of Opportunity, readers meet 20 successful entrepreneurs. These business owners funded their organizations using microloans from Opportunity International, a nonprofit organization that aids the working poor in 27 developing countries
The stories of the business owners in this small, thin book are very clear, concise, simple and powerful. Through their successes, some of these individuals have become leaders within their own communities. Facts on loans, international poverty and small businesses are sprinkled throughout the book. The beautiful pictures of the business owners deepen the links of understanding between the reader and the book. The stories are inspirational and encouraging.
My Notes
As part of a new work project, I have been updating a local tourism directory. Daily, I encounter news of small business closures. I am constantly reminded of the many needs and difficulties that challenge small businesses today. Reading this book was quite a morale boost for me. These successful entrepreneurs are more than faces of opportunity. They are faces of hope.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Little Bear and the Marco Polo
Book Information
Minarik, Else Holmelund. Little Bear and the Marco Polo. New York: Harper, 2010.
My Review
Little Bear is full of themes that children in primary grades will love, including adventures and sailing. Parents will like the book's informative/educational aspects. Note: even though this book identifies itself as a level one book for beginning readers, it is not an introductory reader. There is no rhyme or repetition of words. Sentences do not follow a clear pattern. Some of the vocabulary is quite challenging. Depending on the child's reading abilities, Little Bear would be an enjoyable read for a student in Grade Two (or nearing the end of Grade One).
Minarik, Else Holmelund. Little Bear and the Marco Polo. New York: Harper, 2010.
My Review
Little Bear is full of themes that children in primary grades will love, including adventures and sailing. Parents will like the book's informative/educational aspects. Note: even though this book identifies itself as a level one book for beginning readers, it is not an introductory reader. There is no rhyme or repetition of words. Sentences do not follow a clear pattern. Some of the vocabulary is quite challenging. Depending on the child's reading abilities, Little Bear would be an enjoyable read for a student in Grade Two (or nearing the end of Grade One).
Sunday, October 31, 2010
I Love Books
I have created a new page related to Every Child Ready to Read called "I Love Books", with tips on incorporating a story time into your day and on reading the book Brooms Are For Flying by Michael Rex. Find a link to it on the right hand side of this page, and happy reading! Let me know what you think!
Peril on the Sea
Book Information
Cadnum, Michael. Peril on the Sea. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009.
My Summary and Review
In the tradition of Pirates of the Caribbean, Peril on the Sea is a thoughtful but thrilling action/romance novel set in 1588 on the high Seas. Sherwin is a young writer/shiphand on board the "Vixen" under the notorious privateer (legal pirate) Captain Fletcher. War with the Spanish Armada looms in the distant future, though Captain Fletcher does not plan on fighting any battles. The story quickly changes after young Katherine joins the crew to safeguard a shady deal between Captain Fletcher and her father, also a captain. A small romance blooms between Sherwin and Katherine, while a Spanish warship appears, and the "Vixen" is now in dangerous waters.
This is a fast-paced read from Michael Cadnum, who was a National Book Award Finalist in 2000. Peril at Sea will be enjoyed by young adults who have a taste for history and/or romance. Sherwin is a believable idealist writer/sailor who is exposed to underhanded dealings of privateers, yet who manages to keep his morals straight. Katherine is a strong female character who knows how to drive a hard bargain. Through Captain Fletcher, Michael Cadnum has created an unreliable character of mixed allegiances. This book also has informative historical references to notable English pirates/privateers and to life on the sea long ago that fit well into developing the plot.
Cadnum, Michael. Peril on the Sea. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009.
My Summary and Review
In the tradition of Pirates of the Caribbean, Peril on the Sea is a thoughtful but thrilling action/romance novel set in 1588 on the high Seas. Sherwin is a young writer/shiphand on board the "Vixen" under the notorious privateer (legal pirate) Captain Fletcher. War with the Spanish Armada looms in the distant future, though Captain Fletcher does not plan on fighting any battles. The story quickly changes after young Katherine joins the crew to safeguard a shady deal between Captain Fletcher and her father, also a captain. A small romance blooms between Sherwin and Katherine, while a Spanish warship appears, and the "Vixen" is now in dangerous waters.
This is a fast-paced read from Michael Cadnum, who was a National Book Award Finalist in 2000. Peril at Sea will be enjoyed by young adults who have a taste for history and/or romance. Sherwin is a believable idealist writer/sailor who is exposed to underhanded dealings of privateers, yet who manages to keep his morals straight. Katherine is a strong female character who knows how to drive a hard bargain. Through Captain Fletcher, Michael Cadnum has created an unreliable character of mixed allegiances. This book also has informative historical references to notable English pirates/privateers and to life on the sea long ago that fit well into developing the plot.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
This Book Is Overdue! by Marilyn Johnson
Book InformationJohnson, Marilyn. This Book is Overdue! How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2010.
My Summary and Review
Picture this: an online site that allows for user reviews of products and services, and which allows users to customize their settings. This online site has an in-person counterpart. Both the virtual and physical locations are techno-friendly and dedicated to providing excellence in customer service.
Sound like a bookstore, or some other retail environment? Think again! Marilyn Johnson's This Book is Overdue! provides a friendly, up-to-date look at the library world.
Librarians are defenders of freedom of information and of privacy, especially in the age of the Patriot Act. They are enthusiasts who take information services to the streets, offering Radical Reference Services. They enjoy sharing information, so it should be no surprise that many embrace electronic/digital technologies, including Second Life, blogs, audio books that can be downloaded to mobile devices, and online chatting. In fact, one 2009 study of university library chat transactions in Alberta, Canada, revealed that local library staff met the library reference transaction standards 94% of the time.
Marilyn Johnson has published a delightful, refreshing take on the library world. The section on Second Life really highlights the tech-savvyness of many librarians, and would make anyone who thinks that libraries are only for books think twice. This book is a must for anyone who values their public library or who wishes to become a librarian.
Personal Note
I particularly enjoyed reading about the "library book cart event" at the American Library Association's summer event. Having pushed many book carts myself, I would have enjoyed seeing this library performance.
Further Reading
This Book is Overdue! website: http://www.thisbookisoverdue.com/This_Book_Is_Overdue/Home.html
Meert, D.L., & Given, L.M. (2009). Measuring quality in chat reference consortia: A comparative analysis of responses to users’ queries.” College & Research Libraries, 70(1), 71-84.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)