Oliver and Jumpy Stories 49-51 by Werner Stejskal

Genre: Children's Picture Book

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

As always we have three wonderful stories and beautiful illustrations. I loved the picture that had the ice flowers.  My favorite part of Oliver's books are the wonderful stories he tells. In his first story "Ice we find Oliver preparing for a day of ice skating. He tries to help Joey learn to skate. It only took a second of looking away for Joey to find himself in trouble. Who will save him?

In "Mice Chase" we are reminded that Oliver is allergic to eating mice. To stay in shape his mouse friend Mausi allows Oliver to chase him. But now it is Mausi who needs Oliver's help. His chidren are now teenagers and need to learn how to avoid being caught by a cat. Can Oliver help Mausi teach his children these valuable lessons?

"Dragon Heat" takes us back to ghost castle for another adventure. Once Oliver and Jumpy step through the door of the castle they are shocked to step into a burned out land. They look around and find a giant ant mail lady. Even though there are no houses left to deliver the mail, she continues. When Oliver asks what happens to the mail, she tells him she reads them because if not "the words are unhappy". I absolutely loved this line of thought. They meet a giant they had helped once before. He asks them to help him capture the dragon who burned the land. Will they succeed or get burned? What will happen to the dragon if they capture him?

These are wonderful and simple stories that every parent and grandparent should read to their children or grandchildren.  I highly recommend them.

Look What I Found

I've told you before that I thought I had read more books and written reviews on them before I had my surgery. I was right. I had to go in yesterday to meet with my assistant principal. Since I was there I figured I would go to my room and go through some of the things I literally stuffed in my closet my last week of school. I didn't want to leave a mess for my sub to clean up. I figured I would  go in over the summer and clean it out. My physical therapy prevented me from doing that. I am happy to say that while going through a handful of papers that I had put in a folder labeled "sort when I return", that I found these jewels. So here are these reviews for you to check out.

Stereo-Realism/The Hidden World: Motion in Stillness, Stillness in Motion by Milton R. Trice
Genre: Art Book
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I very seldom give a book three stars, especially if it is a book I requested to review. The reason I gave this book three stars is simple. Although the artist is very knowledgeable about "three dimension sight", his ability to explain it in a simplified manner was lacking. I am not an art student, even though I have taken a couple of basic art classes. I guess, I needed more explanation and guidance than what this book gave me. The book itself is well written. For someone who is a gifted artist, or who "gets this, it would be the perfect book. My three stars is a reflection not of the author's writing ability but of my ability to understand what he was trying to explain. I would therefore recommend this book to those who really are into studying all aspects of art.


Second Chance Friends by Jennifer Scott

Genre: Realistic Fiction, Adult
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is one of those books you will need a box of tissues as you read. This book shows that people who know nothing about each other can become friends and help each other through a tragedy.

One morning three women sitting alone in a diner witness a terrible accident. They witness a school bus plow into the back of a car. They rush outside to help by pulling children from the bus. They go to the car where they find a woman and her husband. They are unable to do anything to save him.  A week later upon a visit to the diner, they see each other and join together to discuss the accident.  They each want to find the woman to see how she is doing. In doing this simple act, they set themselves on a path to help themselves. Each of them are dealing with their own issue. Could it be that the simple act of becoming friends can help them all? This is a great story with great characters. It has a plot that everyone can relate to.

Cool Magic Tricks, You Can Do! by Steve Black
Genre: Miscellaneous
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a cool book of twelve simple magic tricks any young or older person can do. They are fun and simple. They would be perfect to perform for a young child's birthday party.

A Light Shining in the Darkness by Karen A. Cooper

Genre: Adult, Christian, Memoir
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Not everyone has a great start in life. For Karen Cooper she lived life with an abusive father. Unfortunately her past problems shaped her adult life. She found herself pregnant and gave up the child, and shortly thereafter found herself pregnant again. Marriage to the baby's father doesn't fix anything, it makes things worse. A few weeks after her child is born he dies of SIDS.  Karen continues to show how she kept a part of her life a lie and hidden while still making the same kinds of mistakes. This seems like such a dark and troubling book until Karen reaches a point where she lets God into her life. Things begin to change. That doesn't mean her life is all roses. She still struggles and forgets like so many of us during trials, to lean on God.

Although this book starts out dark and tragic, the ending is completely the opposite. Karen has shown through her memoir that no matter how low we get, God can lift us up out of the darkness to higher places. This is a definite must read.