Green Beans & Ice Cream - Bill Sims Jr.

Summary: Bill Sims Jr. has released his first book titled “Green Beans & Ice Cream: The Remarkable Power of Positive Reinforcement.”

The highly anticipated book is based on Bill’s successful behavior change workshop, which is often featured at safety conventions across the world.

Summary and cover art from billsims.com, Book given free in exchange for an honest review

My Review:  Positive reinforcement is an amazingly powerful tool. "We cherish feedback confirming that our contributions matter and that we have made a difference in the world around us." In a brief 130 pages Sims is able to detail the many ways positive reinforcement can alter behavior.  Sims also dives into difference between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and how positive reinforcement can help in building intrinsic motivation. While the concept of positive reinforcement is not new, the manner in which it is being used may not be as effective as one would think. Sims touches on just what will work and what won't and backs his advice up with research.

There are a great many positive elements regarding this title. The chapters are short but concise  Each presents an unique idea and leaves the reader contemplating. Perfectly placed metaphors drive home several of the points made by Sims.One of the greatest strengths of this book lies in the extras sporadically placed throughout that can be accessed through the provided QR Codes or by the html address. These short articles and videos add greater depth to the advice presented in the book.  This is a title I would highly recommend to anyone in a leadership role, whether that be a paid or volunteer position. Parents and teachers could also take a great deal away from this quick read. I have used some of these tips with my own children this week and have already noticed great changes in both their attitudes and my own.

My Rating: 4 Stars

To Sum it up: A quick and motivating read full of advice that once employed will lead to fantastic results.

Girl Unmoored - Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Summary:  Apron Bramhall has come unmoored.  It's 1985 and her mom has passed away, her evil stepmother is pregnant, and her best friend has traded her for a newer model.  Fortunately, she's about to be saved by Jesus.  Not that Jesus--the actor who plays him in "Jesus Christ, Superstar."  Apron is desperate to avoid the look-alike Mike (no one should look that much like Jesus unless they can perform a miracle or two), but suddenly he's everywhere.  Until one day, she's stuck in church with him--of all places.  And then something happens; Apron's broken teenage heart blinks on for the first time since she's been adrift.

Mike and his grumpy boyfriend, Chad, offer her a summer job in their flower shop, and Apron's world seems to calm.  But when she uncovers Chad's secret, coming of age becomes almost too much to bear.  She's forced to see things the adults around her fail to--like what love really means and who is paying too much for it.  (Summary from back of the book, image from www.goodreads.com, book sent free for review.)

My Review:  It took me a bit to get into this book, but after 50, the pages started flying.  The writing can be a bit choppy at times, and there are places that as an adult reader I still had to go back and re-read to make sure I understood the sentence.  Some of these re-readings are because Hummer used a clever way of describing something.  Other times it was because the sentence was worded a bit rough.

Apron is about as awkward as her name.  She's extremely klutzy and socially oblivious, but she's spot on for a 7th grade girl, especially one who has just lost her mother.  Her life is in complete upheaval, and just when she needs her the most, she loses her best friend due to unpopularity.  Life is cruel and Apron's is living proof.  By twist of fate, she comes in contact with Mike, her very own life-ring to the world.  Mike is suffering just as Apron is, but it takes time before Apron realizes this.  Through the experience of watching real prejudice and violence against gays and watching Mike's boyfriend, Chad, suffer through AIDS, Apron is able to see outside herself.  She learns that she is not alone and that although life is hard, we all carry on.  She learns that she has purpose and that through love and compassion she can make a difference in the world.

There are some interesting father-daughter dynamics throughout the story as her father finds himself in a difficult place: married to a younger woman, pregnant with his second child, and still grieving his beloved wife.  His depiction shows just how sticky and tricky life can be.  I wish the communication between father and daughter were stronger, but it reality, I'm sure this is fairly true to form.  In fact, I can only imagine it being worse.

The themes and messages are beautiful.  The growth and trials are real and raw.  Apron is a girl grown up too fast through the cruelty that life can offer.  What comes out clear is how through these experiences Apron is molded into a beautiful, compassionate, loving person.  She learns our experiences are not without lessons. 

For the sensitive reader:  A handful of swear words thrown in real life difficult experiences.  A portrayal of a gay couple and their struggle as one is dying from AIDS.  For many conservative parents, this may be a controversial read.  I recommend reading it first before handing it to your child if you have any reservations of someone teaching your child about gay or lesbian lifestyle.

Rating: 4 Stars

Sum it up:  A book on love, loss, paradox, prejudice, and same-sex issues from the perspective of a teenage girl.

Shakespeare's Sonnets and Poems - William Shakespeare

Summary:  THE WORLD'S LEADING CENTER FOR SHAKESPEARE STUDIES

This edition includes: 

Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on the page facing each sonnet and poem A brief introduction to each sonnet and poem, providing insight and context Introductions to reading Shakespeare's language in the sonnets and in the poems Essays by leading Shakespeare scholars who provide modern perspectives on the sonnets and on the poems Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books

Essays by Lynne Magnusson and Catherine Belsey

The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., is home to the world's largest collection of Shakespeare's printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visitwww.folger.edu. (Image and summary come from goodreads.com)

My Review:  April was National Poetry Month, and I couldn't think of a better challenge book than a collection from the Master Poet himself.  I challenged myself to just read the sonnets, and need to disclose that I didn't read the poems in this copy.  (My library didn't just have a collection of his sonnets.  They had Sonnets for Dummies, Shakespeare's Sonnets broken down into unrecognizable chunks, a plethora of books regarding his sonnets, but this was the only copy [The. ONLY. COPY.] in the system that had the sonnets  My word!)

I nearly majored in English in college, and I had a few phenomenal English teachers in high school that had us study a selection of the Sonnets piece by piece.  I loved them.  Shakespeare is unrivaled when it comes to putting words together into a melody - and immersing myself in the sonnets from that standpoint was so beautiful. He is truly the master of the English language, and a master wordsmith.

However.

I've only been exposed to the sonnets in small doses, never straight through as they were published.  This collection was so helpful in that there were essays detailing the speculations behind the sonnets, filling in some background, and a "translation" guide for words and phrases no longer used (or even decipherable without a clue) in the sonnets.    It was so helpful to have a guide to understand the meanings, but in a large dose, I found myself not enjoying the experience as much as I had hoped.  The sonnets in sequence, and read in large doses, show a poet who obsesses over his loves, clearly details joy, despair, anger, jealousy, obsession ... all emotions that coincide with affairs of the heart, but in such a large dose and in such lyrical perfection, it was a little much for me.  I almost felt like it elicited too much emotion!

I was reminded how much I loved reading Shakespeare, and there were a few sonnets that were unrecognized that I fell in love with.  My mom made a good point, though.  Sonnets are best read slowly, individually, and appreciated as such.  Plowing through them as I did lessened my pleasure of Shakespeare's genius.

My Rating:  Three stars.  Individually, there are some sonnets I'd give six stars to.  I'd also like to disclaim that the three star rating is my fault - I don't think I'll read his sonnets like that again.  Will I revisit the ones I love the most?  Absolutely!!

For the Sensitive Reader:  Some of Shakespeare's sonnets detail affairs, cheating, despair, grief, and were a little more racy than I had been previously exposed to.  If you want a list of my favorites, leave a comment and I'll compile one!

* * *
Whew!  April's nonfic/classic challenge is completed!  Onto May - again, suggestions in the comments are always welcome!!

Kingdom Keepers - Disney after Dark - Ridley Pearson

Summary:  In this fantastical novel, Disney's Magic Kingdom suddenly becomes a bit eerie. Finn Whitman and four other teens have been hired as Disney World guides, but with an odd twist: With cutting-edge technology, they have been transformed into hologram projections capable of leading guests around the park. What begins as an exciting theme park job turns into a virtual nightmare as Finn and his pals attempt to thwart an uprising by a menacing group of Disney villains. (Summary and image taken from goodreads.com)

My Review:  I was hesitant to start this series, and I really don’t know why.  Ridley Pearson is a great author, light, enchanting, but suspenseful enough to keep my interest piqued.  This novel didn’t disappoint.

I’m not a huge Disney aficionado ... I’ve only been to Disneyland once and Epcot once, so the whole geography of the park is a little foreign to me.  However, while I feared it would diminish the book, it didn’t.  Pearson described the park so well, my remedial knowledge was plenty sufficient.

This is a fun premise for a series as well.  We all know the Disney movies, but what if our wishes and love of them somehow brought them to life?  We all know there’s something magical about the Magic Kingdom, what if this is it?  Real magic?  And who wouldn’t want to run amok in the Happiest Place on Earth?

This was a very quick read.  I was able to finish it in an evening, and it was hard to put down when necessary.  Not only was this a book I could enjoy, it’s one I can pass to my kids without feeling apprehensive that they’ll either not enjoy it or that it’s too mature – something that in this house, is always a plus!

My Rating:  Four stars

For the Sensitive Reader:  There is no language or promiscuity; however, there are a few instances where it gets a little intense (but enough that a mature seven year old could handle it).  The only thing that gave me pause is that the girls in the book weren’t exactly modestly dressed.  More than once, Pearson mentions that three different characters wore shirts that exposed their stomachs – it’s a brief mention, but I found it unnecessary. 

The Magic Thief - Sarah Prineas

Summary:  In a city that runs on a dwindling supply of magic, a young boy is drawn into a life of wizardry and adventure. Conn should have dropped dead the day he picked Nevery's pocket and touched the wizard's locus magicalicus, a stone used to focus magic and work spells. But for some reason he did not. Nevery finds that interesting, and he takes Conn as his apprentice on the provision that the boy find a locus stone of his own. But Conn has little time to search for his stone between wizard lessons and helping Nevery discover who or what is stealing the city of Wellmet's magic. (Summary and image taken from goodreads.com)

My Review:  My friend recommended this as an audio book for my oldest – and, trying to redeem myself, I decided to read it first to see if it were appropriate.

I LOVED it!! 

Sarah Prineas has created a world where the cities themselves need magic to survive, where wizards us a locus stone instead of a wand – but just as personal, and where the magic is inexplicably fading.  Her characters are surprisingly fleshed out, and while they all have their faults, they are made more loveable for it.

Conn has lived a difficult life on the streets of the Twilight (the dicey part of Wellmet), picking pockets to survive.  He’s an exceptionally talented—albeit uneducated—thief who has survived somehow without illness his entire life, and who relies on quick thinking and lies to do so.  As his backstory unfolds, I couldn’t help but open my heart to this dirty-faced, bright young thief who is so determined to learn magic.  His tutors, master, and the henchman who is assigned to look after him all also find a way to endear themselves to the reader.

I loved watching these characters grow and evolve.  I loved the world that Prineas has created, and if I hadn’t read this book on a road trip, I’d have been at the library picking up the rest of the series!  As it were, I handed the book to my oldest and demanded that he stop reading whatever it was that he was reading at the time and read this instead.  (I don’t know if he obeyed me!)

My Rating:  Four and a half stars, easily.

For the Sensitive Reader:  There are a couple of cases of thug violence against Conn and his friends, and the end is a little intense, but it’s tame enough that I feel comfortable having my son read it.

The Casual Vacancy - J.K. Rowling

Summary: A big novel about a small town...

When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.

Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty façade is a town at war.

Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils...Pagford is not what it first seems.

And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and unexpected revelations?

A big novel about a small town, The Casual Vacancy is J.K. Rowling's first novel for adults. It is the work of a storyteller like no other.
Summary from book, cover art from indiebound.org

My Review: Barry Fairbrother held an important seat on the parish council of Pagford. Never afraid to voice his opinions, Barry consistently fought for the underdog. He had great charisma making him likeable to most, and at least respectable to all. Unfortunately Barry Fairbrother has met an untimely death, leaving a vacancy on the parish council. These are large shoes to fill but several want a chance. As an election is set dirty secrets of the candidates and other parish council members begin to emerge on the council's webpage. It seems that the small quaint town of Pagford is not as impeccable as it may appear.

The Casual Vacancy contains a multitude of characters that are at first difficult to distinguish from one another. It takes a few chapters before the characters begin to emerge as individuals. Many will feel familiar, carrying the same attributes of people you are acquainted with.  A majority of the cast appears self-centered, others come across as weak, and all are unlikable on some level. Though flawed most of the characters hold just enough redeeming qualities to make them quite enjoyable companions. Their dialog and actions create several humorous moments throughout the book. The choices they make are quite another matter. This book leaves one considering the circumstances that can lead to such heinous behaviors.

Overall the book has a good flow and Rowling’s vivid descriptions bring the town to life. The situation occurring in the town of Pagford and the characters’ various struggles keep the book captivating. Be forewarned that the overall essence of this novel is of profound sadness and hopelessness. The precarious situations the characters find themselves in and how one action leads to an unforeseen crumbling tower will certainly provide much to ponder over. This would make a great book club selection as it contains a variety of topics to discuss, such as what qualifies as value when we are considering a human life? It is surely a story that is not easily forgotten.

My Rating: 3 Stars

To Sum it up: No Harry Potter for sure, but this novel contains some magic of its own.

Sensitive reader: There were points were Rowling goes over-the-top trying to prove she can write a novel for adults. This novel contains a large amount of profanity, several sexual situations, and some instances of abuse. Much of this was necessary to the plot line but some seemed to be thrown in for pure shock value.

Train to Somewhere - Even Bunting

Summary:  Marianne, heading west with fourteen other children on an Orphan Train, is sure her mother will show up at one of the stations along the way. When her mother left Marianne at the orphanage, hadn't she promised she'd come for her after making a new life in the West? Stop after stop goes by, and there's no sign of her mother in the crowds that come to look over the children. No one shows any interest in adopting shy, plain Marianne, either. But that's all right: She has to be free for her mother to claim her. Then the train pulls into its final stop, a town called Somewhere . . .  (Summary from Amazon.com and image from  theteachingthief.blogspot.com)

My Review:  Beautiful.  That's the word I would use to describe this book.  Eve Bunting is another of my favorite children's book authors.  Combine her beautiful stories with the artwork by Ronald Himler and you've got a masterpiece.  I hadn't read much about the orphan trains that used to take children from New York out west, allowing whoever wanted children, or needed extra hands for farm work to adopt children.  The nuances intimating harsh realities are crafted in a way that children can read yet still enjoy, adults can infer, and with the right discussions, enlighten children about the way the world used to be.

There are layers to this book as well.  Marianne believes her mother will come for her, as she was a girl dropped off at the orphanage because her mother couldn't care for her any longer.  She knows her mother went out west.  She truly thinks that her mother will be at one of the train stations they stop at.  This adds a layer of complexity of Marianne hoping to see her mother, and needing to come to the conclusion that what you want and what you get aren't the same things.  And to go further, that what you get is sometimes just as good, if not better.  Bunting deals with a delicate subject in a way that tugs at your heart, and creates empathy in young readers that can only be accomplished by artful writers.

I love this book and loved being able to share it with my daughters.  It's appropriate for older children too, as I would have used this as a mentor text with my middle school students.

For the sensitive reader:  If you have adoption as a part of your life, please read before reading with your children.  You'll want to be able to head off any questions that might arise.  Nothing objectionable, just a touchy subject matter for children.

Rating: 5 Stars

Sum it up:  A heart-warming historical piece of children's fiction. 

My Man Jeeves - P.G. Wodehouse

Summary:  Who can forget our beloved gentleman's personal gentleman, Jeeves, who ever comes to the rescue when the hapless Bertie Wooster falls into trouble. My Man Jeeves is sure to please anyone with a taste for pithy buffoonery, moronic misunderstandings, gaffes, and aristocratic slapstick.

Contents:

"Leave It to Jeeves"

"Jeeves and the Unbidden Guest"

"Jeeves and the Hard-boiled Egg"

"Absent Treatment"

"Helping Freddie"

"Rallying Round Old George"

"Doing Clarence a Bit of Good"

"The Aunt and the Sluggard"

Summary and cover image taken from goodreads.com

My Review:  I’ve had a steady diet of heavy reading the last little while, and a friend of mine suggested My Man Jeeves as a good palate-cleanser.  Something light, funny, and good at brightening the mood.

The book is more a collection of short stories, little snippets of aristocratic trouble in which Wooster finds himself (or his friends) embroiled, and usually relying on Jeeves’ quick thinking to resolve.  It wasn’t quite as hilarious as I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it!  Jeeves is the kind of mind I’d want to get to know, and I’m really intrigued at Bertie Wooster’s backstory.  So little of it was revealed in this first book, it certainly made me want to check out a few more of Wodehouse’s novels. 

Wodehouse’s style of writing was so easy to read, I wonder if this would be a good series to listen to.  He incorporates so much of the 20s-lingo, I imagine it would only add to the hilarity!

My Rating:  Three and a half stars

For the Sensitive Reader:  No worries here!

The Templeton Twins have an Idea: Book One - Ellis Weiner

Summary: Suppose there were 12-year-old twins, a boy and girl named John and Abigail Templeton. Let's say John was pragmatic and played the drums, and Abigail was theoretical and solved cryptic crosswords. Now suppose their father was a brilliant, if sometimes confused, inventor. And suppose that another set of twins—adults—named Dean D. Dean and Dan D. Dean, kidnapped the Templeton twins and their ridiculous dog in order to get their father to turn over one of his genius (sort of) inventions. Yes, I said kidnapped. Wouldn't it be fun to read about that? Oh please. It would so. Luckily for you, this is just the first in a series perfect for boys and girls who are smart, clever, and funny (just like the twins), and enjoy reading adventurous stories (who doesn't?!).
(Summary and cover art from indiebound.org)


My Review: Shortly after the death of their mother, twelve-year-old twins, Abigail and John, find themselves relocating as their inventor father, Professor Elton Templeton, accepts employment at the Tickeridge-Baltock Institute of Technology. Upon arriving on the Tick-Tock Tech campus the twins discover posters of their father gratified with “Thief!!!”. The culprit is easily deciphered as Dean D. Dean confronts Professor Templeton during a lecture to accuse him of stealing his idea for a personal one-man helicopter (the POMH). Professor Templeton refuses to share credit with Dean, causing the desperate man to enlist the help of his own twin, Dan D. Dean, to kidnap the Templeton twins and their high-strung dog. Abigail and John are forced to rely upon fantastical use of their hobbies as well as their “ridiculous” dog to get out of this precarious situation.

A cross between mystery and science fiction this purposeful, progressive plot is engaging and fast-paced. The conflict between the Dean twins and the Templeton twins is allowed to quickly escalate, while obvious foreshadowing allows the reader to puzzle out the resolution. The witty narrator, who never officially defines himself or his relationship to the twins, appears frequently to break up the storyline.  The narrator engages on a personal level with the reader through hyperbole plays with idioms, metaphors, and clichés as well as sarcastic review questions concluding each chapter. Also included is a whimsical meatloaf recipe and instructions on cryptic crossword puzzles.

Full-page detailed illustrations  in mysterious shades of blue and black adorn this book. They are done in a comical format that meshes well with the humorous plotline. Gears and gadgets are used as decoration on the majority of the pages. Additional charts, maps, and diagrams are interspersed throughout and play an integral role within the story. Variations in fonts and page layouts add yet an additional layer of playfulness.

The ending is delightfully predictable and allows the tale to come to a full resolution. Yet the book is so much fun that readers will yearn to know what happens next in the interesting lives of the Templeton twins. This cleaver, engaging tale is perfect for the reluctant reader. Abigail's smart and witty character will charm girls while the use of inventive gadgets and sarcastic humor will especially appeal to boys. With sequential titles in the makings, this one has great appeal for third through fifth grade students.

 My Rating: 4 Stars

 To sum it up: Full of spunk and wit this title will entice even the most reluctant reader.

Team of Rivals - Doris Kearns Goodwin

Summary:  Winner of the Lincoln Prize:  This brilliant multiple biography is centered on Lincoln's mastery of men and how it shaped the most significant presidency in the nation's history.  (Summary and image taken from goodreads.com)

My Review:  Abraham Lincoln and his legacy are known worldwide.  His speeches are memorized and analyzed by students all over the nation.  He is revered in history classes nation wide, and he is swiftly becoming legend.  It can be argued that he is the most influential president of the United States.  I’m a history geek, and I was pretty certain I knew a significant amount about Lincoln and the Civil War, but I was entranced with how much more there was to the story!

Lincoln’s nomination in 1860 was a surprise to the majority of the nation – he was considered a dark horse compared with the other presidential hopefuls.  Goodwin delves into the political machine surrounding the 1860 convention, making footnoted names in a history book come alive as she fleshes out Lincoln’s rivals.  (Warning, this takes a lot of time.  Stick with it.  It’s only 200 pages, and it’ll be worth it!) 

Upon his election, Lincoln’s cabinet choices surprise everyone, as he surrounds himself with the very men who campaigned for the presidential nomination for the new Republican Party.  Goodwin then takes us through Lincoln’s presidency, his interactions with his Cabinet (his Official Family), the justifications for his political movements, and strips some of the legend from the man. 

One thing was made clear – Abraham Lincoln was a political genius, certainly more adept than any of my professors credited him.   This book explored the relationships with his contemporaries, those closest to him, his family, and the reasons for the decisions he made (delaying the Emancipation Proclamation, his decisions to either keep or remove Generals, and [even more interesting for me] the views of his Secretaries and Generals regarding his moves.

There isn’t enough good I can say about this book.  It broke my heart, it made me so grateful for these men’s sacrifices, it wrung me dry, and it made me want to check out biographies on Mary Todd Lincoln, Generals Lee, Grant, Sherman, (and on and on and on …), do you get the picture?  However, this is a purchase book.  There are about two hundred pages of annotations I want to be able to study, and this is not a book for the skimmer.   Checking it out from a library just won’t cut it. You need to devote yourself to it.  But it’s so very worth the effort.

Sum it Up:  Abraham Lincoln’s political rise and presidency, his relationships to his Cabinet, and the motivations for his presidency encapsulated into one volume.  (This book was the basis for the critically-acclaimed Lincoln – which I will be checking out as soon as I can!)

My Rating:  Five Stars

For the Sensitive Reader:  The last two chapters are difficult as it describes Lincoln’s assassination and the attempted assassination of his Secretary of State William Seward.  (Did you know that Lincoln’s assassination was supposed to be one of three?  I didn’t!)  Other than that and the descriptions of some of the Civil War battles, this is clean.

* * * CHALLENGE UPDATE * * *

This was my March non-fiction ... but it took me nearly a month to finish it!  Stay tuned, April's challenge is coming soon!  But I need some suggestions for May - bring them on in the comments!  And, does anyone have any good biographical suggestions for the plethora of other Civil War legends?  I want more!  More, I say!!