BookAdvice.net News

Restarting Again

minerva66 — Mon, 08 Jul 2019 03:18:26 +0000

I haven’t posted in years, as I’ve been busy with family and volunteer positions in the youth community. I’ve recently had major illness which has limited what I can do physically, so I thought it might be a good time to publish some of the reviews I have stored. The following are posted today.

Book of the Month for November 2016

minerva66 — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 05:24:44 +0000

This month’s selection is another science book, with a twist. Pratchett’s Discworld has many and varied references. Somewhere along the way, he collaborated with Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen in a series of books with science fused with his fantasy stories. This is the 4th of that group. Quite simply, it blew my mind. There may be more science packed into this book than I learned in my years of school. This type of discussion needs to be included in education programs.

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Crossword I

Crossword II

Book of the Month for October 2016

minerva66 — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 03:30:55 +0000

I have been storing reviews for a while and am making another attempt to add entries. This month’s pick is a science book accessible to many age levels regarding essential elements for life on our planet. It discusses the formation of them and the part they play in sustaining life.

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A People’s History of the American Revolution by Ray Raphael

minerva66 — Tue, 24 Mar 2015 12:19:37 +0000

This book was an eyeopener for me. I like to read different perspectives on historical topics. Despite the repetition in classes throughout childhood, very little is actually taught about the beginnings of the United States. It is murky and focuses mainly on a few key people. From other sources I knew their was dissension, but it tends to be glossed over. The transitions also. It makes more sense now that more gaps have been filled.

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Book of the Month for March 2015

minerva66 — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 07:18:45 +0000

I’ve had a long respite from posting reviews. Been busy with other things. Had some time today, and thought I’d do some posting, with the backlog I have been accruing.

This month’s selection was just a fun book. I like the ties of different time periods, and the results of the time travel are different than standard. There is also a historical fiction feel to part of the story.

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Subscription Lending of Books

minerva66 — Sun, 26 Jan 2014 20:38:46 +0000

Wanted to post this article and comment. The company Oyster, and others, offers unlimited access to their book library for $10 a month. It is an interesting idea, but they are charging too much. It may seem like a deal to those who buy over-priced ebooks regularly, but for someone who rarely can afford to buy a book, it sucks. The library is a better choice for those not all that interested in ebooks. My library is trying to increase access for those also, but they have a poor contract with the publishers. You wait in line for the book, which isn’t a big deal. But the book loan ends after 2 weeks, which is often not enough time to read the books I read. Still, the only way I could see this would be worth it is for a family account and great access to nonfiction. As is said in the comments, it would be better with a different device. I could not read a book on the iPod. We have a Kindle and Amazon Prime. We should try their free ebooks, but the ones they advertise are not interesting to me. Another comment suggested $2.99 per month. That might be acceptable, but I don’t want to see the libraries non-supported to make room for these businesses.

Picture Book of the Month for November 2013

minerva66 — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 12:55:47 +0000

I am spotlighting two books by the same author for this month. These books were published in Canada at the same time as the United States, starting in the 1980s. The books are popular in our area. Perhaps because we are also close to nature here, as they are in Canada. The woodcut art form works well for forest depictions and has a timeless quality.

I have a sense of awe reading these books. The author was depicting his region in Japan, but the setting is much like my home. The stories have a gravity, but they also show humor and compassion.

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Book of the Month for November 2013

minerva66 — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:49:12 +0000

This month’s selection is a book I have put off reading for a few years. It was highly recommended by my son. A near future, social issues novel, with an emphasis on technology and communication.

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Picture Book of the Month for October 2013

minerva66 — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 03:49:31 +0000

Awesome! This is a very exciting picture book! Brian Floca has, over more than a decade, created a few books that are about the workings of vehicles, 4 that I have seen now. The first, Five Trucks, is simple in wording and pictures, yet more complex than usual in concept. There is inferred content, which engages the child’s mind. Lightship still has simple text, but it is about a type of ship that is unusual and largely not heard of. There is also the addition of an author’s note, explaining the historical content. Moonshot describes the cultural experience of the moon landing event, besides the workings of the equipment and people involved. With this book, Floca has progressed to a level that most picture books do not reach. Locomotive is his new creation, and he has moved again to a higher level.

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Book of the Month for October 2013

minerva66 — Sat, 19 Oct 2013 03:37:19 +0000

I am falling behind on my reading a little, due to reading more adult books. I haven’t been seeing many children’s fiction books that grab me. So, if you have some suggestions, please share.

This month’s selection intrigued me with the format of the book. It is a little lower level than expected, but the interaction between characters is well done, and it handles the subject sensitively and passionately. A family deals with the inescapable reality of cancer. It seems to me that we can’t go out anymore without hearing that someone we know has cancer. Several people in the past year have faced it, so this feels appropriate.

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