Book Review: 'Halloween Monster' by Catherine Stock

✰✰✰✰½ Most kids can't wait to go trick-or-treating, but Tommy's not so sure he wants to go. After his friend, Billy, tells him that all the witches and ghosts will be out and about on Halloween night, Tommy is hesitant. That night he checks around for ghosts and monsters before hiding in bed. Will a gentle talk with his mom convince him there's nothing to be afraid of? Or will he skip Halloween this year? Check out this classic tale to read with your Halloween hesitant little one to find out. 

The Bottom Line: This gentle tale of a little boy who faces his fears is worth reading with your little before getting ready for Halloween for the first time. The story paired with soft watercolor illustrations expertly explains the holiday to little ones. Highly recommended for preschoolers who are hesitant to go trick-or-treating. Also, recommended for story times.

Details: Halloween Monster written & illustrated by Catherine Stock. Picture book published by Bradbury Press in 1990. 32 p. ISBN: 002788404X

Book Review: 'Sammy's Spooktacular Halloween' by Mike Petrik

✰✰✰✰ The Loomis family always puts together the best haunted house in the neighborhood. The youngest, Little Sammy Loomis, loves everything about Halloween, the candy, the pumpkins, the fog, but most of all he loves having fun. That's why the day after Halloween, he gets right to work planning their next haunted house. His brother and sister tease him because he is too little, but Sammy decides to forge ahead. He puts the scare into Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and even the 4th of July. Unfortunately, his family has had enough. Just when he gives up, his brother and sister decide to lend a hand. Together they come up with the best haunted house yet, and Sammy already has plans for the next one.

The Bottom Line: With a little perseverance and teamwork, a young boy and his family put together the best Halloween haunted house ever. Bright and bold illustrations rendered in digital media will delight children ages 3 - 6. Enthusiastically recommended for seasonal reading and story times. Kids will be rooting for this little boy to succeed.

Details: Sammy's Spooktacular Halloween by Mike Petrik. Picture book published by Two Lions in 2018. 40 p. ISBN: 978-1503901797

Book Review: 'No Zombies Allowed' by Matt Novak

✰✰✰½ Witch Wizzle and Witch Woddle are planning their annual monster party, but first they need to do some cleaning. As they tidy up, they discover a photo from last year's party. Looking at the photo gives them pause for thought. So they decide it might be best not to invite the zombies, and they put up a sign. As they continues cleaning, more photos reveal other party disasters like the werewolves, skeletons, and ghosts, and more signs follow. Last but not least, let's not forget the witches, but wait a minute. The last photos reveal a surprise that lead Witch Wizzle and Witch Woddle to reconsider and put up one last sign. Will this be the party of the year or a complete disaster? You'll have to find out for yourself because what happens at the party, stays at the party.

The Bottom Line: This humorous book illustrates what happens when everyone is excluded, and the two witches discover that it's more fun when everyone can participate. Colorful watercolors illustrate the antics. Fun seasonal reading for ages 4 - 6.

Details: No Zombies Allowed written & illustrated by Matt Novak. Picture book published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2002. 32 p. ISBN: 0689841302

Book Review: 'Mrs. McMurphy's Pumpkin' by Rick Walton

✰✰✰✰½ Mrs. McMurphy is a sweet lady who lives all by herself on a farm with pigs, cows, and chickens. There's lots to do before Halloween when she finds a large pumpkin with a wicked grin has let itself inside her house. She takes it out, only to find it inside again the next day. Mrs. McMurphy kindly takes it back outside again...and again...and again. When the pumpkin reappears on Halloween, Mrs. McMurphy has a surprise for it that you won't see coming. Check out this frightening tale for some fun seasonal reading.

The Bottom Line: This sweet, but scary picture book with a surprise twist ending is perfect for kids ages 7 - 8 who are just beginning to enjoy a little bit of horror. Illustrator Delana Bettoli created idyllic farm scenes in gouache and acrylic on watercolor paper for this book. Enthusiastically recommended for seasonal reading.

Details: Mrs. McMurphy's Pumpkin written by Rick Walton & illustrated by Delana Bettoli. Picture book published by HarperFestival in 2004. 32 p. ISBN: 0060534095   

Book Review: 'Molly's Game' by Molly Bloom

✰✰✰✰½ Molly Bloom spent her life competing, first with her brothers, then on the ski slopes. She was used to living fast and working hard. Eventually, she moved to L.A. and was groomed to be the perfect personal assistant. Whatever was required, she could figure out how to get it. So when her boss decided to host a poker game at his club, The Viper Room, Molly was intrigued. She knew nothing about playing poker, but when she got thousands in tips, she was hooked.

As the game grew, everyone who was anyone wanted an invite, and as the game’s gatekeeper, Molly soon had access to the contact information of Hollywood’s rich and famous. She quickly learned to cater to Hollywood royalty, athletes, and billionaires, and in turn lived the high life. It was a world of privilege, secrets, glamour, and danger.

Follow Molly on her adventures as she reaches new highs and lows. No matter how many times, Molly loses the game, she always comes back with a bigger game and higher stakes until she meets her downfall, a brush with the Russian mob. Will she be able to rebuild her life? Or will she lose everything to a game? Check out this nonfiction book that reads more like fiction to find out for yourself.

The Bottom Line: This is a fast paced read that lets readers escape their current lives and enter (albeit vicariously) the world of (very) high-stakes, underground poker. With unabashed honesty, the author shares the highs and lows of a world most of us will never see. This story of ambition, power, and escape is highly recommended for just about anyone who enjoys stories of the underdog coming out on top. 

P.S. Molly sprinkled handy tidbits of poker wisdom throughout the book. Enjoy!

Book Club Notes: This was the surprise hit of the summer for our book club. We really enjoyed both the book and the movie. On a scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the highest, the book rated an average of 4.5 stars, and the movie came in with an average of 4.2 stars. If you are looking for an escape from your everyday life, but can’t get away, pick up a copy of Molly’s Game for an entertaining read. Then watch the movie, it picks up where the book left off. You'll find yourself rooting for Molly even when the chips are down.

Details: Molly’s Game: The True Story of the 26-Year-Old Woman Behind the Most Exclusive, High-Stakes Underground Poker Game in the World by Molly Bloom. Paperback published by First Dey Street in 2015. 262 p. ISBN: 978-0-06-283858-2   

Book Review: 'Julie & Julia' by Julie Powell

✰✰✰ Julie Powell is just your average, bored secretary in New York City. As she approaches her thirtieth birthday, she's feeling extra dumpy. Faced with few prospects and a mother nagging her about her biological clock, Julie is looking for a change. But what?

One night after an especially soul crushing day, Julie whips up a simple potato soup that just happens to be Julia Child's recipe for Potage Parmentier. And just like that, Julie and her husband come up with an idea. Why not cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, and Simone Beck and blog about it? It was a win-win idea. Not only would they get to eat French food, but Julie would learn cooking techniques, and be able to write about it. And so, the Julie/Julia Project was born.

But as with Potage Parmentier, the project wasn't as easy as it sounded. Cooking 524 recipes in one year would prove to be hard work. Julie worked full-time and ingredients were sometimes hard to find. Little by little, people began to read her blog. And despite her use of snarky, foul language, brutal honesty, and some mean spirited comments, Julie began to learn. Not only did she learn about French food, but through taking chances and trying new things, like eggs, she began to grow as a person. The result is humorous a book about being yourself and perseverance.

The Bottom Line: Although the concept is interesting, Powell's liberal use of foul language and whining was difficult to read through.  As she writes about herself, her friends, and her family, Powell seems to have no filter. She  complains throughout the book; and yet there are a few interesting observations and, of course, tantalizing tidbits about Julia and Paul Child before Julia became a celebrity chef.

At the time she worked her way through Julia Child's recipes, blogging was new and perhaps being able to connect with readers near and far was a novelty. Stories about Powell's friends make the book mildly  entertaining. Was the Julie/Julia Project a stunt or was Powell serious about French cooking? No one can say, but the author. Some fans of culinary biographies might enjoy this.

Book Club Notes: Prior to our actual discussion I heard grumblings about this book in particular. While many had previously viewed the movie, which received rave reviews, the book just couldn't compare. First, the language: Powell swears like a sailor. Second, the complaining:  Powell just doesn't seem like a happy person. Third, the project: Sometimes it did indeed sound like a stunt as Powell seemed to lack sincerity. Nevertheless, Powell did hit on a cool idea and had the persistence to complete the challenge she set for herself. As a group we discussed how Powell did seem to be very honest in her feelings, and there appeared to be some personal growth by the end of the book.

While the book was not a hit with us, the movie was enjoyed by all. We agreed that Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julie Child was phenomenal, and Amy Adams was adorable in her role as the author. What made the movie great was that screen time was almost evenly split between Julia Child and Julie Powell. Additionally, the movie was able to highlight similarities between the two women that wasn't so evident in the book. If you are looking for an entertaining & humorous film, check out Julie & Julia. By the way, the food in the film looks yummy, so it's a good idea to have some snacks on hand before you begin viewing.

All in all, our book club discussion was animated and fun. We gave the movie an average rating of 4.25 (on a scale of  1 - 5, with 5 being the highest). The book didn't fair so well with an average rating of only 3.

On a final note, our group has been meeting via Zoom for almost a year now, so technical challenges are few. We still have to work on making sure everyone gets their fair share of time to speak in our shortened meeting though. 

Discussion questions can be found at the Theology of Work Project, LitLovers, and StudyLib. 

For information about where Powell is now, visit Biography.com 

And those interested in taking a look at the original blog can find it via the Internet Archive WayBack Machine here. 

Details: Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously by Julie Powell. Paperback published by Back Bay Books in 2006 and includes a Reading Group Guide. 310 p. ISBN: 978-0-316-01326-0 

Book Review: 'The Secret Starling' by Judith Eagle

✰✰✰½ From the moment Clara Starling was taken in by her Uncle, her life has been full of routine and gloom. Nothing ever exciting ever happened until the day her uncle dropped her off at a cafe and disappeared. With no other options, Clara heads home to Braithwaite Manor only find an orphan named Peter and his cat. With no adults around to spoil the fun, the children can do whatever they want. Soon their games uncover a worn ballet slipper that takes them on an adventure to London and the Royal Opera House. As Clara begins to uncover information about her parents the duo are chased by villains and uncover a tale of glamour, romance, and murder. With time of the essence, it's up to Clara and Peter to unravel the secrets of the Starling family.

The Bottom Line: Although the beginning was a bit of a slow read for me, the pace picked up to reveal family secrets and twists and turns that kept me turning the pages. Although the final interior images were not available in the advance reading copy, the preliminary sketches were charming. An enjoyable treat for middle grade readers who favor historical fiction about dance and friendship.

Details: The Secret Starling written by Judith Eagle & illustrated by Jo Rioux. Advance reading copy published in 2021. 256 p. ISBN: 978-1-536213652 [NOTE: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. This was made possible by the publisher and the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.]