Tag Archives: Book Bouquet series

Books

Book Bouquet: Fictional Aunts

Each week we assemble a collection – a bouquet, if you will – of books you can read for yourself, or use to build into a display in your library. As always, the books we link to have info from Amazon.com. If you click a link and then buy anything at all from Amazon, we get a small percent of their profits from your sale. Yay!!! Thanks!!! We really appreciate the assistance! 💕😊

This week we are sharing books that include aunts in the story.

How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay by Julia Alvarez
“Moving to Vermont after his parents split, Miguel has plenty to worry about! Tía Lola, his quirky, carismática, and maybe magical aunt makes his life even more unpredictable when she arrives from the Dominican Republic to help out his Mami. Like her stories for adults, Julia Alvarez’s first middle-grade book sparkles with magic as it illuminates a child’s experiences living in two cultures.”

Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson
“When the kindly old aunts decide that they need help caring for creatures who live on their hidden island, they know that adults can’t be trusted. What they need are a few special children who can keep a secret-a secret as big as a magical island. And what better way to get children who can keep really big secrets, than to kidnap them! Don’t miss this wildly inventive and funny read from master storyteller Eva Ibbotson.”

Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore
“Ellen Trawton is running away from it all—quite literally. She is due to get married to a man she doesn’t love, her job is dragging her down, and her interfering mother is getting on her nerves. So she escapes to the one place she know her mother won’t follow her—to her aunt’s house in rural Ireland. Once there, she uncovers a dark family secret—and a future she never knew she might have.”

Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
“Gabi Hernandez chronicles her last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy’s pregnancy, Sebastian’s coming out, the cute boys, her father’s meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity.”

The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell
“Meet the Bird family. They live in a honey-colored house in a picture-perfect Cotswolds village, with rambling, unkempt gardens stretching beyond. Pragmatic Meg, dreamy Beth, and tow-headed twins Rory and Rhys all attend the village school and eat home-cooked meals together every night. Their father is a sweet gangly man named Colin, who still looks like a teenager with floppy hair and owlish, round-framed glasses. Their mother is a beautiful hippy named Lorelei, who exists entirely in the moment. And she makes every moment sparkle in her children’s lives. Then one Easter weekend, tragedy comes to call. The event is so devastating that, almost imperceptibly, it begins to tear the family apart. Years pass as the children become adults, find new relationships, and develop their own separate lives. Soon it seems as though they’ve never been a family at all. But then something happens that calls them back to the house they grew up in — and to what really happened that Easter weekend so many years ago.”

Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons
“Flora Poste, a recently orphaned socialite, moves in with her country relatives, the gloomy Starkadders of Cold Comfort Farm, and becomes enmeshed in a web of violent emotions, despair, and scheming, until Flora manages to set things right.”

Books, Check it Out:

Book Bouquet: Gemstones

Each week we assemble a collection – a bouquet, if you will – of books you can read for yourself, or use to build into a display in your library. As always, the books we link to have info from Amazon.com. If you click a link and then buy anything at all from Amazon, we get a small percent of their profits from your sale. Yay!!! Thanks!!! We really appreciate the assistance! 💕😊

Gemstones are a popular theme for book titles and we have a variety of genres for you to choose from! Definitely added a few of these to my own TBR list.

The Diamond Age: Or, A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer by Neal Stephenson

“It is to some extent a science fiction coming-of-age story, focused on a young girl named Nell, and set in a future world in which nanotechnology affects all aspects of life. The novel deals with themes of education, social class, ethnicity, and the nature of artificial intelligence.”

Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie B. Friedman, Lynne Avril Cravath (Illustrator)

“After Ruby Valentine misses her favorite holiday of the year, her parrot, Lovebird, convinces her that every day is the perfect day to say “I love you.”

The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi

“Afghan-American Nadia Hashimi’s literary debut novel, The Pearl that Broke Its Shell is a searing tale of powerlessness, fate, and the freedom to control one’s own fate that combines the cultural flavor and emotional resonance of the works of Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Lisa See. In Kabul, 2007, with a drug-addicted father and no brothers, Rahima and her sisters can only sporadically attend school, and can rarely leave the house. Their only hope lies in the ancient custom of bacha posh, which allows young Rahima to dress and be treated as a boy until she is of marriageable age. As a son, she can attend school, go to the market, and chaperone her older sisters.
But Rahima is not the first in her family to adopt this unusual custom. A century earlier, her great-aunt, Shekiba, left orphaned by an epidemic, saved herself and built a new life the same way.
Crisscrossing in time, The Pearl the Broke Its Shell interweaves the tales of these two women separated by a century who share similar destinies. But what will happen once Rahima is of marriageable age? Will Shekiba always live as a man? And if Rahima cannot adapt to life as a bride, how will she survive?”

Tears of Mermaids: The Secret Story of Pearls by Stephen G. Bloom

“A round, luminescent pearl is the simplest and most perfect gem. Columbus sought—and found—this precious jewel coveted by his Spanish sovereigns, sparking popularity throughout Europe. Fashion icons Jacqueline Kennedy, Princess Grace, and Michelle Obama cherished them, making them iconic. And designer Coco Chanel raised them to new heights, bringing pearls— fake and real—to women everywhere. In Tears of Mermaids, Stephen G. Bloom travels 30,000 miles in an effort to trace a single pearl—from the moment a diver off the coast of Australia scoops an oyster containing a single luminescent pearl from the ocean floor to the instant a woman fastens the clasp of a strand containing the same orb. Bloom chronicles the never-before-told saga of the global pearl trade by gaining access to clandestine outposts in China, the Philippines, French Polynesia and Australia. He infiltrates high-tech pearl farms guarded by gun-toting sentries, farms for pearls in rural China, and even goes backstage at Christie’s for a fast and furious auction of the most expensive pearl ever sold. Teeming with rogue humor and uncanny intelligence, Tears of Mermaids weaves a nonstop detective story whose main character is the world’s most enduring jewel.”

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

“The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.
Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.”

Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik

“When Britain intercepted a French ship and its precious cargo–an unhatched dragon’s egg–Capt. Will Laurence of HMS Reliant unexpectedly became master and commander of the noble dragon he named Temeraire. As new recruits in Britain’s Aerial Corps, man and dragon soon proved their mettle in daring combat against Bonaparte’s invading forces.
Now China has discovered that its rare gift, intended for Napoleon, has fallen into British hands–and an angry Chinese delegation vows to reclaim the remarkable beast. But Laurence refuses to cooperate. Facing the gallows for his defiance, Laurence has no choice but to accompany Temeraire back to the Far East–a long voyage fraught with peril, intrigue, and the untold terrors of the deep. Yet once the pair reaches the court of the Chinese emperor, even more shocking discoveries and darker dangers await. “

Silver in the Blood by Jessica Day George
“As debutantes in 1890s New York City, cousins Dacia and Lou knew little about their mysterious Romanian relatives, the Florescus. Now, upon turning seventeen, the girls must journey to Romania–a journey that seems to be both reward and punishment–to meet their cousins and their tyrant of a grandmother and to learn the secrets of their family. Secrets spoken of in whispers. Dangerous secrets known as the Claw, the Wing, and the Smoke.”

Books, Check it Out:

Book Bouquet: Unusual Jobs

Each week we assemble a collection – a bouquet, if you will – of books you can read for yourself, or use to build into a display in your library. As always, the books we link to have info from Amazon.com. If you click a link and then buy anything at all from Amazon, we get a small percent of their profits from your sale. Yay!!! Thanks!!! We really appreciate the assistance! 💕😊

This week, we are investigating unusual jobs. Learning about what other people do for work every day is something I’m always interested in learning about, and these books let us take a look into some unique worlds!
If you want more, check out this list on Goodreads: Interesting Jobs Nonfiction

Odd Jobs: Portraits of Unusual Occupations by Nancy Rica Schiff
Who blows the bugle at the Kentucky Derby? Who dusts the dinosaur bones at the Smithsonian? Who sniffs dog breath for a living? Who measures the breasts of live models? ‘Odd Jobs’ introduces you to the real people who perform these and other truly peculiar jobs.
In sixty-five intimate portraits, photo essayist Nancy Rica Schiff captures the personalities and occupations of these oddball professionals, providing a short profile of each. A photograper for twenty years, Schiff has spent a good portion of that time discovering the behind-the-scenes people who do what others can’t (or won’t) do.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
Most people want to avoid thinking about death, but Caitlin Doughty—a twenty-something with a degree in medieval history and a flair for the macabre—took a job at a crematory, turning morbid curiosity into her life’s work. Thrown into a profession of gallows humor and vivid characters (both living and very dead), Doughty learned to navigate the secretive culture of those who care for the deceased.

Minding the Manor: The Memoir of a 1930’s English Kitchen Maid by Millie Moran
Born in 1916 in Norfolk, Mollie Moran is one of the few people still alive today who can recall working “downstairs” in the golden years of the early 1930’s before the outbreak of WWII. She provides a rare and fascinating insight into a world that has long since vanished. Mollie left school at age fourteen and became a scullery maid for a wealthy gentleman with a mansion house in London’s Knighsbridge and a Tudor manor in Norfolk.

Call the Vet: Farmers, Dramas, and Disasters – My First Year as a Country Vet by Anna Birch
When fresh-faced, newly qualified vet Anna arrives in the seemingly sleepy Dorset village of Ebbourne, little does she know that this tiny rural community is about to change her life …
Straight in at the deep end, Anna faces two tricky calvings, an emergency call-out to a frightened mare, lots of mad cats (and mad cat women) and one enormous dog with an injured leg and a threatening bark. Spirited and determined, Anna quickly finds her feet and falls in love with rural life, including Ebbourne’s eccentric characters and their animals.

The Hungry Ocean: A Swordboat Captain’s Journey by Linda Greenlaw
Known to millions of readers of The Perfect Storm as the captain of the Hannah Boden, sister ship to the Andrea Gail, Linda Greenlaw is also known as one of the best sea captains on the East Coast. Here she offers an adventure-soaked tale of her own, complete with danger, humor, and characters so colorful they seem to have been ripped from the pages of Moby Dick.

Books

Book Bouquet: Oceans


Each week we assemble a collection – a bouquet, if you will – of books you can read for yourself, or use to build into a display in your library. 

Depending on where you are, Lake Superior can look as vast as the ocean! But if you’re interested in the real thing, we have some suggested reading for all ages all about the oceans of the world:

The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
“This classic work remains as fresh today as when it first appeared. Carson’s writing teems with stunning, memorable images–the newly formed Earth cooling beneath an endlessly overcast sky; the centuries of nonstop rain that created the oceans; giant squids battling sperm whales hundreds of fathoms below the surface; and incredibly powerful tides moving 100 billion tons of water daily in the Bay of Fundy. Quite simply, she captures the mystery and allure of the ocean with a compelling blend of imagination and expertise.”

Whale In A Fishbowl by Troy Howell, Richard Jones (Illustrator)
“Wednesday is a whale who lives in a fishbowl smack dab in the middle of a city–it’s the only home she’s ever known. Cars whizz around her and people hurry past; even the sun and moon circle above. But if she leaps high enough out of her bowl, Wednesday can see it: a calm bit of blue off in the distance. When a girl in a paisley dress tells Wednesday “You belong in the sea,” the whale starts to wonder, what is the sea? Readers will cheer–and get all choked up– when, one day, Wednesday leaps higher than ever before and sets in motion a breathtaking chain of events that will carry her to her rightful home. Touching, and ultimately uplifting, here is a story about a lonely creature longing to be free–and longing to find someone just like her.  “

Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating
At 9 years old, Eugenie Clark developed an unexpected passion for sharks after a visit to the Battery Park Aquarium in New York City. At the time, sharks were seen as mindless killing machines, but Eugenie knew better and set out to prove it. Despite many obstacles in her path, Eugenie was able to study the creatures she loved so much. From her many discoveries to the shark-related myths she dispelled, Eugenie’s wide scientific contributions led to the well-earned nickname “Shark Lady.”

Song for the Blue Ocean by Carl Safina
“Part odyssey, part pilgrimage, this epic personal narrative follows the author’s exploration of coasts, islands, reefs, and the sea’s abyssal depths. Scientist and fisherman Carl Safina takes readers on a global journey of discovery, probing for truth about the world’s changing seas, deftly weaving adventure, science, and political analysis.”

A Hundred Horizons: The Indian Ocean in the Age of Global Empire by Sugata Bose
“On December 26, 2004, giant tsunami waves destroyed communities around the Indian Ocean. This book takes us to the shores, in a reinterpretation of how culture developed and history was made at the height of the British Raj. It reconstructs how a region’s culture, economy, politics and imagination are woven together in time and place.”

Books

Book Bouquet: Splurge!

Each week we assemble a collection – a bouquet, if you will – of books you can read for yourself, or use to build into a display in your library. And each week, we tend to go to a random word generator to find words that would be interesting to explore.

So this week, my word is “splurge” and I’m kind of into it. As I type this part, I don’t know what’s going to come next, and I’m googling things that people splurge on, so I’m interested to see what turns up. Let’s explore some books that would look at different ways to splurge on things – and maybe think about splurging for yourself this week!

As always, the books we link to have info from Amazon.com. If you click a link, and then buy anything at all from Amazon, we get a small percent of their profits from your sale. Yay!!! Thanks!!! We really appreciate the assistance!


Happiness Is Baking: Cakes, Pies, Tarts, Muffins, Brownies, Cookies: Favorite Desserts from the Queen of Cake , by Maida heatter

“Happiness is baking cookies. Happiness is giving them away. And serving them, and eating them, talking about them, reading and writing about them, thinking about them, and sharing them with you.”

Maida Heatter is one of the most iconic and fondly remembered cookbook authors of all time. Her recipes, each a modern classic, are must-haves in every home baker’s bag of tricks: her cookies, cakes, muffins, tarts, pies, and sweets of all kinds range from extravagantly special to the comforting and everyday. Her brown-sugary Budapest Coffee Cake, her minty Palm Beach Brownies, her sophisticated East 62nd Street Lemon Cake, and many other desserts have inspired legions of devotees.

Happiness Is Baking reproduces Maida’s best-loved recipes in a fully illustrated new edition with a foreword by Dorie Greenspan. Developed for foolproof baking by experienced cooks and novices alike, these recipes bear Maida’s trademark warmth, no-nonsense style, and her promise that they will work every time.
Happiness Is Baking is the perfect gift for anyone who loves baking–or who knows the happiness that comes from a delicious dessert.

61 Gems on Highway 61: Your Guide to Minnesota’s North Shore, from Well-Known Attractions to Best-Kept Secrets , by William and Kathryn Mayo

Highway 61, from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Canadian border, is peppered with tourist hotspots that Minnesotans love. But even the most devout North Shore traveler doesn’t know Lake Superior like William and Kathryn Mayo do. These explorers and residents of the region outline the best sites that you may not know about in this revised and updated edition of the popular guide to the best sites and experiences along one of the state’s most scenic roads. The entertaining book spotlights 61 of the North Shore’s hidden treasures and tourist favorites, offering complete site details and need-to-know information, such as driving directions, accessibility, and fun facts. Full-color photographs and maps further enhance the usefulness of this handy guidebook, so get 61 Gems on Highway 61 for your next North Shore adventure. With this book in hand, you’ll experience the beautiful region in a whole new way.

Cabin Lessons: A Nail-by-Nail Tale: Building Our Dream Cottage from 2x4s, Blisters, and Love , by
Spike Carlsen

When carpenter Spike Carlsen and his wife set out with their recently blended family of five kids to build a cabin on the north shore of Lake Superior, they quickly realized that painting, parenting, and putting up drywall all come with both frustrations and unexpected rewards. Part building guide and part memoir, Cabin Lessons tells the wryly funny, heartwarming story of their eventful journey — from buying an unforgiving plot of land on an eroding cliff to (finally) enjoying the lakeside hideaway of their dreams.

The Book of Massage: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Eastern and Western Technique , by Lucinda Lidell

The Book of Massage is the classic guide to the relaxing and healing skills of the hands. Featuring both Eastern and Western methods, it presents step-by-step, beautifully illustrated instructions on everything from traditional massage to shiatsu and reflexology. The Book of Massage offers easy-to-follow techniques for giving the perfect massage, including advice on creating the right setting and suggestions for using aromatic oils and lotions. Now revised and updated with fresh color photos and drawings throughout, The Book of Massage is a simple and comprehensive handbook that reveals how you can experience the myriad benefits of giving and receiving a soothing massage.

Movie Night Menus: Dinner and Drink Recipes Inspired by the Films We Love , by Tenaya and André Darlington

Looking for a great idea for date night or to entertain friends? Why not cue up Casablanca with some French 75s and a Moroccan-themed spread? Turner Classic Movies: Movie Night Menus spotlights thirty crowd-pleasing films from the 1930s through the ’80s, paired with signatures drinks and dishes that appear in, or are inspired by, each film’s setting and stars. Filled with entertaining tips and background on each film, dish, and cocktail, the book offers a unique culinary tour of movie history, including menus inspired by The Thin Man, The Philadelphia Story, Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot, American Graffiti, Moonstruck, and many more.

Fully illustrated with luscious food photography and evocative film stills, Movie Night Menus provides the perfect accompaniments and conversation pieces to round out a fun-filled evening.

A Dog’s Purpose: A Novel for Humans, by W. Bruce Cameron

Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog’s Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog’s many lives, but also a dog’s-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man’s best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

Balance (Angie’s Extreme Stress Menders) , by Angie Grace

Coloring time is calming time! Best selling coloring book artist Angie Grace invites you to relax and explore the intricate and exquisite world of stress mending circular whimsical art. Stroke by stroke, shade by shade, tension and worries fade away as you transform Angie’s beautiful black and white lines into your own unique, personal and beautiful keepsake art piece. This book has been drawn for connoisseur colorists and is suitable for adults and older children coloring with fine tipped markers, colored pencils or brush tipped markers. 50 delightfully detailed original designs printed on one side of the page.