Strange Case of Edward Gorey

The Strange Case of Edward Gorey by Alexander Theroux
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

While I find Edward Gorey very interesting and like his books and artwork, this book is as much about the author (Theroux) and his opinions as it is about Gorey.  After awhile, while the anecdotes were interesting, the style just grated.  I'd recommend other works about Gorey first.


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The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A quick read.  Dark, creepy atmosphere and topics that address some of kids' deepest fears.  BUT, at the end, I am still thinking that this was overall Stephen King's It -lite.  :/  That being said, it wasn't bad, though I never really got into it.  I think in it's place, I'd recommend Neil Gaiman's Coraline as similar & much better (doesn't seem like so much of a knock-off).  Also, it's for older readers (9? 10?).


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King Solomon's Ring

King Solomon's Ring: New Light on Animals' Ways by Konrad Lorenz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Humorous and earnest. I really enjoyed Lorenz's adventures with and observations of the animals in his life. I think that for his time (post-WWI and pre-WWII), he was very interested in animal welfare. The book is only dated in that some of the attitudes have shifted toward favoring animal rights and that DNA has changed the study of some animals (like dogs/wolves). Very enjoyable read!

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Misty of Chincoteague

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'd avoided this book since grade school since it was an animal book that plenty of people just knew I'd love. I probably would have too! I liked it pretty well even as a grown up. :) It's also nice to have some animal books like this intermingled with the Old Yeller's and The Red Pony's out there. A little bit about growing up - both for the young people and animals in the book, but it's not as harsh a transition/decision/lesson as in some of the other animal books out there.

Definitely recommended for kids who love horses or other books with animals, but also recommended for general readers also.

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Hedy's Folly

Hedy's Folly: The Life and Breakthrough Inventions of Hedy Lamarr, the Most Beautiful Woman in the World by Richard Rhodes
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked that the book had a lot of information about George Antheil. I've seen Ballet Mechanique (the film) several times, but hadn't realized that the composer for that music had been Hedy Lamar's co-inventor! :D Not in-depth on either Lamar or Antheil, it's a good overview of the basics of their lives and how they happened to intersect and invent together.

Recommended for people interested in World War II-era inventing, or in Lamar/Antheil's work.

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Uh Oh Baby!

Uh-Oh, Baby! by Nancy Coffelt
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book reminds me of our youngest son. It's very cute and well-illustrated. I think it's intended for toddlers and preschoolers and I think they can relate to another kid who's doing his best to do something (in Rudy's case making his mom a present) and then something goes wrong. They want to impress, for their mom to say "Wow!" instead of the constant "Uh oh!" when what they're trying to do is a little beyond them (in my toddler's case he wants to unload the dishwasher on his own - by standing on the open dishwasher door and then removing the dishes and intermingling them with whatever else might be on the counter - a serious uh-oh, but he's trying to help... he wants "Wow!").

While the ladybug isn't acknowledged in the text, it's obvious in the pictures and when storytelling to preschool-age kids, asking them what's happening in the picture "What happened here? Why did Rudy's picture blow away?" etc.... is pretty common. And kids are used to the visual - for them, the text *is* part of the picture, so the limited amount of text with a lot going on in the pictures is helpful for them because they don't have to rely on the text (which they can't read yet) to describe the action. Good Dog Carl is another book that has very limited text, but the story is told through the pictures.

Very highly recommended for parents of preschoolers and for story times.

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The Flying Change

The Flying Change by Henry S. Taylor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Taylor takes the disturbing moments that stick in one's mind for a long, long time (e.g. someone losing a finger, finding a corpse while mowing a large country lawn, witnessing the accidental death of a horse) and turns them into poetry. I wouldn't say haunting since memories similar to these (like visiting a dying relative in the hospital, realizing that a loved one can no longer control his/her bodily functions, or like the previous examples - something more gruesome) affect everyone. I think that the poetry is in articulating those memories, giving them a tangible existence so they can be shared without losing their impact.

Highly recommended for adults 30 & older. I don't think people younger than this will get it, maybe some of them, but I think a bit of life experience is needed before being able to appreciate these.

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