Book Review: 'Bob Ross and Peapod the Squirrel' by Robb Pearlman

✰✰✰½ Bob Ross’s squirrel friend, Peapod, needs a new home. He can’t stay in Bob’s hair, and it’s not easy to find a new home. What is a squirrel to do? Bob has an idea. He sets out to paint the perfect new home for Peapod. After all, that's what friends do, help each other. Working through all the colors on his palette, Bob paints happy little clouds and mountaintops. Using a painting knife and brushes, Bob and Peapod paint their way through happy accidents to a wonderful new forest home for Peapod.

The Bottom Line: This sweet tale of friendship and creativity is reminiscent of Crockett Johnson's, Harold and the Purple Crayon. It takes readers on a painting journey with a happy ending. Highly recommended for kids ages 5 and up. Fans of Bob Ross will enjoy the adventure too.

Details: Bob Ross and Peapod the Squirrel by Robb Pearlman & illustrated by Bob Ross with Jason Kayser. Picture book published by RP Kids in 2019. 32 p. ISBN: 978-0-7624-6779-2 

Book Review: 'Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout' by Sandy Steen Bartholomew

✰✰✰✰ Are you feeling stressed or anxious? Are you looking for a new challenge in the new year? Zentangle is a great way to find your inner peace. All you need are a few supplies and an open mind; then let the creativity flow. This instruction book assumes some basic knowledge of Zentangle techniques. However, I'll admit I knew very little about Zentangling when I first picked it up a few years ago. Nevertheless, I learned a whole lot as I progressed through the book. Just choose the tangles that appeal to you, and away you go.

The Bottom Line: This slim workbook is perfect for advanced beginners and intermediate Zentanglers. As the sequel to Totally Tangled, this one also includes plenty of tips, projects, and new patterns as well as basic information on shading, auras, and even using your pencil. The instructions are super easy to follow too.  It's an easy, peasy way to while away some free time. Enthusiastically recommended for artists looking for a little inspiration or new ideas.

Details: Yoga for Your Brain: A Zentangle Workout by Sandy Steen Bartholomew. Paperback published by Design Originals in 2011. 52 p. ISBN: 978-1574216981 

Book Review: 'You Are Light' by Aaron Becker

✰✰✰✰✰ This visually stunning board book introduces children to the most basic color wheel. Beginning with all the colors on the right-hand side, as the reader flips through the pages, you gradually rebuild the color wheel on the left beginning with the primary colors. Additionally, the poetic text and illustrations work well with the colors to describe the water cycle, which is also in its simplest form.

The Bottom Line: This is a brilliant introduction to both a little bit of color theory and science. Colorful plastic discs are used to filter the light and produce a color wheel as you read along. It's a creative idea that both children and caregivers will enjoy. Enthusiastically recommended for children in Preschool.

Details: You Are Light written & illustrated by Aaron Becker. Board book published by Candlewick Studio in 2019. 16 p. ISBN: 978-1-5362-0115-4 NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible via the publisher and the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing.

Book Review: 'Take Three Colours: Watercolour Landscapes' by Geoff Kersey

✰✰✰✰½ The title of this slim book caught my eye as I browsed through the books about watercolor painting. As much as I like to purchase new paints in awesome colors, I have often wondered if I could mix the colors myself. It turns out that I can! Geoff Kersey takes what might be an intimidating concept and boils it down to the basics. By starting out with a simple cloudy sky and working through the exercises, it's easy to gain confidence in mixing colors. In simple terms, Kersey explains about how to use the colors and the brushes. The book also includes tips and jargon busters in appropriate places. If you have ever wanted to try your hand a watercolor painting, this is a great way to get started. Plus, it's so much fun!

The Bottom Line: This workbook is simply a delight. I had a wonderful time working through all of  the exercises, but my favorite was 'Glencoe' (pictured below).

Glencoe

I would highly recommended this book for both beginning and intermediate watercolor painters. The steps are easy to follow, and there are lots of full color examples. It provides an excellent foundation in mixing colors; however, I do need a little more practice mixing grays. I can't wait to tackle Kersey's other book in the series, Take Three Colours: Watercolour Seascapes.

Details: Take Three Colours: Watercolour Landscapes by Geoff Kersey. Paperback published by Search Press in 2017. 64 p. ISBN: 978-1-78221-297-3

Book Review: 'The Resurrectionist' by E. B. Hudspeth

✰✰✰✰ Featuring two books in one beautiful hardcover, The Resurrectionist is both intriguing and beautifully grotesque at the same time. The first half of the book features the fictional biography of a man named Dr. Spencer Black. Spencer and his brother, Bernard, had a rather unusual upbringing. Having a father who was a respected professor of anatomy, the brothers often assisted him in digging up corpses for the dissections he performed for his students. Spencer grew up to attend medical school and attacked his studies with a passion. He excelled and had a promising career ahead of him. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way he is drawn into the darkness and becomes obsessed with genetic deformities. As he spiraled into insanity, Dr. Black theorized that deformities were not accidents, but rather the body's attempt to regrow what it once had eons ago. Around this time Dr. Black began experimenting with surgically recreating mythical beasts he believed once roamed the earth. He even went so far as to create a traveling carnival show of his creations.

Written in a style that incorporates some of Dr. Black's journal entries, poetry, and drawings, the biography abruptly ends with his disappearance adding to the mystery of the man. Nevertheless, the short biography sets up the tone for the second half of the book, The Codex Extinct Animalia. The codex features a brief introduction and anatomical drawings for eleven creatures shrouded in myth and legend including Sphinx Alatus, Minotaurus Asterion, and Canis Hades.

The Bottom Line: This gorgeous hardcover book is a keeper. I'm a big fan of books that are a bit different and dark; this one is definitely both. As I read it I was reminded of the anatomy and physiology texts I studied back in college. Having a basic knowledge of anatomy helped me appreciate the book even more. As other reviewers have mentioned, the text is somewhat lacking and repetitive in areas; however, I thought that may have been intentional since the main character is obviously mad. Hudspeth’s illustrations are fantastically macabre and spellbinding. Enthusiastically recommended for adult readers looking for something eccentric with a dark and disturbing twist. Also, recommended for those with an interest in mythology. This would make an interesting coffee table book to be sure. Note: Some sections describing Dr. Black's experiments are extremely disturbing. Additionally, due to the anatomical illustrations, this book is not recommended for sensitive readers or children.

Details: The Resurrectionist: The Lost Work of Dr. Spencer Black by E. B. Hudspeth. Hardcover published by Quirk Books in 2013. 192 p. ISBN: 978-1-59474-616-1