Book Review: 'Aggie Morton: Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano' by Marthe Jocelyn

✰✰✰½ When well-to-do, but shy, Aggie Morton discovers a body, the young girl quickly learns to accept getting out of her comfort zone. With the help of a young boy from Belgium, the new friends begin to uncover the clues to solving the crime. Unfortunately, the police seem to be following the clues down a different path. With time running out, the timid young girl and her foreign friend must sort everything out before danger befalls them as well. Pick up this mystery set in the seaside town of Torquay, England in 1902 for a tale of adventure and mischief.

The Bottom Line: This middle grade novel is a sweet nod to the real Queen of Mystery (Agatha Christie) and one of her leading characters (Hercule Poirot). While the beginning was a bit slow, the story picked up the pace in the middle and end for a surprising ending. Young fans of mystery and historical fiction will enjoy these characters in this new mystery series.

Details: Aggie Morton: Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn. Hardcover published by Tundra in 2020. 336 p. ISBN: 978-0-7352-6546-2 NOTE: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. 

Book Review: 'The Rookie' by Jim Morris & Joel Engel

✰✰✰ Coach Jimmy Morris was a popular high school sports coach. Unfortunately, in a place where football was revered, baseball was mocked. So when his high school baseball team wasn’t taking things too seriously, he made a deal: If the team could win the local championship, he would try out for major league baseball...again. He didn’t think much about it after that; after all, he was just trying to motivate the team. But something he said struck a chord with his kids. As he pitched for them, they started winning games. The team kept their part of the bargain, and now it was his turn.

When Jimmy showed up at tryouts with his kids in tow, everyone was doubtful as to what he had to offer. He was a middle-aged father of three, who had had multiple surgeries and injuries. Nevertheless, he was given the chance to pitch last, and people took notice. The rest is baseball history. If you’ve ever dreamed of something that seems unreachable, pick up this book for a shot of inspiration.

The Bottom Line: This motivational read is a sports story, an underdog story, and a love story all rolled into one. Morris is honest about sharing his hopes and dreams as well as doubts and failures. Even though the focus is on Jimmy, Lorri’s story shines through too. Recommended for sports fans and Big League hopefuls.

Details: The Rookie: The Incredible True Story of a Man Who Never Gave Up On His Dream by Jim Morris & Joel Engel (formerly published as The Oldest Rookie: Big-League Dreams from a Small-Town Guy). Paperback published by Grand Central Publishing in 2002. 288 p. ISBN: 978-0-446-67837-7 

Book Review: 'The Last Leonardo' by Ben Lewis

✰✰✰✰ In 2017, a small oil painting attributed to the great master, Leonardo da Vinci, was sold at auction for the phenomenal price of $450 million. It is well known that only a handful of paintings by the great master survive today. So where did this painting come from? Where has it been hiding all these years? And who bought it?

Although many versions of the Salvator Mundi icon were painted by da Vinci's assistants, art historians have wondered if an original was produced by da Vinci himself? If so, could this be it? Art historian and critic Ben Lewis takes the reader along on his investigation into the discovery, history, and eventual sales of this extraordinary piece of art. With a lot of detective work, the author pieces together the spellbinding story of what may be one of the last surviving examples of great master's work.

The Bottom Line: The premise of The Last Leonardo is fascinating, and the twists and turns of this nonfiction book will keep you turning the pages. In the end it's up to you to decide whether or not the Salvator Mundi is truly a work by the great master himself or a product of one of his students. We might never know.

While suitable for both public and academic libraries, this book assumes some knowledge of art history. Beautiful, full color photos are included of the Salvator Mundi, other versions of the painting, and the people involved in the story. However, the author mentions many works of art besides the Salvator Mundi without including photographs. Thus, I found it necessary to search online for images of the other paintings mentioned in order to supplement the text. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating book which will appeal to academics as well as those interested in art history.

Details: The Last Leonardo: The Secret Lives of the World's Most Expensive Painting by Ben Lewis. Hardcover published by Ballantine Books in 2019. 384 p. ISBN: 978-1-9848-1925-3 NOTE: I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

Book Review: 'Bunny's Easter Egg' by Anne Mortimer

✰✰✰✰ After spending the night hiding Easter eggs, a tired little bunny tries to get some rest. Unfortunately, the plain egg she brought back with her starts cracking. The bunny hops away in search of some peace and quiet, but everywhere she goes, there's something to bother her...a chirp, a prickle, a quack. How will the little bunny ever get her rest? Follow her journey as she discovers the perfect resting spot along with a sweet surprise!

The Bottom Line: With snappy verses, the repetition is helpful for new readers. The spring theme is beautifully illustrated as we follow the little bunny and search for 13 carefully hidden Easter eggs. It may seem easy at first, but look carefully; the Easter eggs are hidden well. Little ones ages 3 - 8 will adore this playful, engaging book. Perfect for seasonal storytimes too. 

Details: Bunny's Easter Egg written & illustrated by Anne Mortimer. Picture book published by Katherine Tegen Books in 2010. 32 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-136664-2 

Book Review: 'Argo: How the CIA & Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History' by Antonio Mendez & Matt Baglio

✰✰✰✰½ What happens when a gifted artist joins the CIA? Magic. On November 4, 1979, Iranian student protesters stormed the American Embassy in Tehran. The diplomats had experienced something similar earlier in the year, so initially they weren't too worried. Unfortunately, this was different. It was just the beginning of a 444-day ordeal in which Americans were held hostage in horrible conditions.

As if the situation weren't intense enough, six Americans had managed to evade capture and were hiding somewhere in the city. It would only be a matter of time before they were discovered. With the clock ticking, the United States began to create scenarios for rescue, and Antonio Mendez, a top CIA officer, was brought on board.

The result was a plan so fantastical, it just had to work. Or would it? With the help of Hollywood special-effects artists, a script for a sci-fi flick, and courageous Canadians, Mendez was about to undertake a rescue so daring, it would be one for the history books.

The Bottom Line: Told by a true hero, Argo is a real page-turner. This quick read will keep you on the edge of your seat and provide the reader with a fascinating look at some of the "tricks of the trade" used in the past to exfiltrate people. Perfect for the armchair adventurer, fans of spy novels, and students of American History, this book is highly recommended.

Book Club Notes: As a group, we rated this book very highly with a median of 4.5 stars. For those of us who watched both the movie and read the book, we gave the movie 3 stars. We found the movie a bit disappointing because of the many fictional parts created just for the sake of adding suspense. It's already suspenseful without jazzing it up. Nevertheless, for those members who only watched the film, the movie was very entertaining. Both (but especially the book) are enthusiastically recommended for book clubs.

The book takes the reader back to a time many of us still remember, albeit vaguely. Many scenes in the book were filled with memories. It was a a fast and easy to read book with lots of suspense. We appreciated the backstory into what it was like working for the CIA at the time. This book also highlighted the coordination between the Americans and the Canadians. (Thank you, CANADA!) The only thing missing from this book were maps and photos, but I was able to make up for this with information I found online.

Since the book did not come with a reading guide, I put together discussion questions from the following resources: Teach With Movies, the Carnegie Council, Pilgrim Uniting Church, and a teacher resource guide from News in Review. My list of discussion questions is at the bottom of this post and includes some of my own as well as those from the previously listed sites. [NOTE: If you use the list of questions for your book club, please give credit where credit is due.]

Additionally, here are some of the links I used to supplement the discussion: The Official Website of Tony & Jonna Mendez, Pleasant Valley Studios (featuring artwork by the authors), Anonio Mendez's obituary, Ken Taylor's obituary, a fascinating article about Jonna Mendez, artifacts from the ARGO caper, a survivor story, Tony Mendez's case study, and a short video of The Real "ARGO."

Details: Argo: How the CIA and Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History by Antonio Mendez & Matt Baglio. Paperback published in 2012. 320 p. ISBN: 978-0-14-750973-4 

ARGO  Discussion Questions created & compiled by Nana A. Herron:

The day of the takeover:

• Did you know anything about this event prior to reading this book? 
• Did you know anything about the houseguests before reading the book or watching this film?
• What issues does this film/book raise?
• What preconceived notions did you have about Iran before reading this book? Did these change after reading the book? 
• Why wasn’t the embassy simply closed?
• Were there any other options for freeing the hostages or houseguests? (Military interventions, negotiations, dialogue…)  Before Tony came up with the exfiltration plan featuring a Hollywood cover story, there was another plan. The original idea was to create a dead body double of the shah in exchange for the American hostages? What were the pros and cons of this option?
• Discuss the culture of Iran.
• In the film, were Iranians portrayed unfairly? Were they stereotyped? 

Questions about the houseguests:

• How do you think the Americans felt about leaving their diplomatic post and walking out into the street?
• What would have happened if they had been discovered?
• How would you have spent your time in hiding?
• Do you think this incident left any long term effects on the houseguests?
• If you were a houseguest, which exfiltration scenario would you have considered? (English teachers, nutritionists, or Hollywood) What made the Hollywood cover story stand out from the other options?
• Discuss the ARGO exfiltration plan. What did you like or not like about it? Who was the primary audience for the Argo cover?
• Discuss the lengths the CIA went to in order to create a face production company, man phones in Hollywood, and create fake Canadian identities for the houseguests.
• What were their chances for success? How did the houseguests feel about the rescue plan? At the end of the film, former President Jimmy Carter says their chances for success was 50%. The houseguests did not know that at the time. Do you think it would have made a difference at the time if they had known?
• Discuss the personal risks to the Canadians involved and the political risks to Canada as a country.

Controversial issues about the film:   (Note: The genres are historical fiction/historical drama thriller.)

• How faithful was the film to the book? What did the movie get right? What is inaccurate? Do the inaccuracies bother you?
• This film won the 2013 Oscar for Best Picture, but it’s been “widely criticized for not being historically accurate,...” Creating a story of film sometimes means leaving out some information while including other details. Discuss the necessity to include or cut some facts.
• Do you think filmmakers and writers have a responsibility to represent historical events with accuracy? How much creative license should a writer/artist have?
• In Canada, this incident was known as the Canadian Caper. What was Canada’s role? John Sheardon & his wife are not represented in the movie. Discuss this omission.
• Should the movie have given Canada more credit? If so, would an American audience have been interested?
• What do you think about the scenes that were fictional, but used to create suspense in the movie? Was Affleck justified in using them to create tension?
• Was there anything that you saw or heard in the film that was unconvincing or seemed out of place?
• For those who both read the book and saw the film, which did you prefer?

Wrap-up:

• Do you think the author was the right person to tell the story?
• Who do you think acted more heroically? The Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor, or the author, Antonio Mendez?
• Did this book or film improve your understanding of the hostage crisis?
• How does this book help you understand what is going on in Iran today? Do the issues raised in this book affect the world now? In the future? How so? 
• What was your impression of the CIA before reading the book? Has it changed?
• Why did the CIA keep this rescue operation concealed for so long (for 17 years...until 1997)?
• Did you learn something new? If so, what was it? If not, how did the author fail? 
• Did this book broaden your perspective of the world? In what way?
• Please rate the book from 1 - 5 (with 5 being the highest) and share why you either liked or disliked the book/film.

Book Review: 'American Fix' by Ryan Hampton

✰✰½ The numbers are staggering. Whether you realize it or not, almost everyone knows someone who is dealing with the opioid addiction epidemic in America. It could be your co-worker, neighbor, parent, sibling, or friend. Opioid addiction  can affect anyone. No one is immune. But how did we get to this point? Who is at fault? Many would blame the person with substance use disorder, but there are so many other aspects of this epidemic to consider. American Fix takes a look at Big Pharma, the healthcare community, local resources, and the government.

The author, Ryan Hampton, offers a unique perspective to this issue. As a person in recovery, Hampton has taken on the challenge of putting a face on this epidemic. By sharing his story and that of others, he hopes to encourage people to take action in creating change. If you have an open mind and are interested in discussing what can be done in communities to battle this epidemic, then pick up this book and read on.

The Bottom Line: This is a difficult read that gets you thinking about the current opioid addiction crisis. There is a lot of repetition in the book, and Hampton can sound preachy at times. Nevertheless, Hampton has valuable experience to share. As a person with a substance use disorder who is in recovery, Hampton brings his lived experience to the pages. Hampton succeeds in creating an awareness of the current epidemic, and hopefully encourages the reader to get involved. Recommended for healthcare professionals, mental health professionals, educators, parents, and people struggling with substance use disorder.

Book Club Notes: Members of our group felt very strongly about the issues brought up in this book. Unfortunately, this was one of those rare times when we really did not enjoy the book itself. On a scale from 1 - 5, with 5 being the highest, ratings ranged from a low of 1 to a high of 3.75, with an average rating of 2.5. Why the low ratings? Well, in a nutshell, the author comes across the pages as being very angry and self-serving, which put a lot of people off. Members commented that overall the book was preachy, repetitive, and poorly written; it could have benefited from a good edit. Others commented that Hampton seemed disrespectful to Alcoholics Anonymous and was loose with his facts.

Another issue that really bothered several of us was the comparison of substance use disorder to other chronic diseases, especially breast cancer. While Hampton does have the lived experience of substance use disorder, he made some assumptions about breast cancer, for example, that show a lack of insight. Instead of making comparisons to other diseases, perhaps Hampton could simply focus on the opioid addiction crisis. 

That being said, this book sparked one of our book club's most engaging discussions. Despite all the negatives, this book got us talking to our families, friends, and each other. Hopefully, we will take this discussion into our community, which in turn will allow us to continue to create awareness and understanding about substance use disorder.

This book is a challenging read. Recommended for colleges, communities, and hospitals looking for a way to start a dialogue about the opioid addiction epidemic. Discussion questions are available at Perusall. 

Details: American Fix: Inside the Opioid Addiction Crisis--And How To End It by Ryan Hampton with Claire Rudy Foster. Hardcover published by All Points Books in 2018. 304 p. ISBN: 9781250196262 

Book Review: 'How to Catch a Leprechaun' by Adam Wallace

✰✰✰ Kids everywhere dream of catching a leprechaun so they can get their hands on the pot of leprechaun gold. However, it's not that simple. Leprechauns like to play tricks. They temp children by leaving gold coins behind while taunting, "You'll never catch me." Again and again the leprechaun outwits these clever little kiddos and their innovative traps. Will anyone ever catch the leprechaun? You'll have to read the story to find out!

The Bottom Line: This fun story featuring clever kids and art in bold colors is sure to be a winner with children in Grades Preschool - Kindergarten. And if you liked this one, be sure to check out the other stories.

Details: How to Catch a Leprechaun written by Adam Wallace & illustrated by Andy Elkerton. Picture book published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky in 2016. 32 p. ISBN: 978-1-4926-3291-7