Beans Are More Than The Musical Fruit

Today (July 3rd 2026) is National Eat Your Beans Day.  For this very special day there are many different beans to choose from.  And so many different recipes to use.  And they are good for you.  They are low in fat and free of cholesterol. They are high in fiber, protein, iron, potassium, and antioxidants and some other stuff.  And I think they taste good too.  Everybody should eat more beans.

This recipe has cannellini beans in it. This recipe can also be used for National Quinoa Day and National Cabbage Day.  Because there is so much good stuff in there. You might want to give it a try for all the vitamins and minerals, and the taste.

I had some cabbage in my fridge so I was glad when I came across this recipe for Baked Cabbage Sliders from 101 Cookbooks when I was looking for a recipe for what I was going to make for lunch.

I have been trying to make some meals that are not meat or carb heavy so I look for grain or quinoa

(which is not technically not a grain) based recipes.  Hopefully they taste good too.  And it is a bonus when I have some of the ingredients (like half a head of cabbage that will eventually rot) already.  And if it has a mix of ingredients that are good for you, all the better.

So, because I was making these to bring to work for lunch and would have to make them after work I cooked the quinoa the night before I made the patties.  It saved me some time when I was making the patties the next day.  

I halved the recipe because it was lunch for just my husband and me and I didn't want a bunch of leftovers around until I knew what they would taste like.  

Since I had the quinoa already cooked I just mixed it with the eggs, and the cottage cheese.  Then I had to mash the cannellini beans into paste.  The recipe says to use your hands, I thought I didn't need to do that so I tried to smash them with the back of a spoon.  But the beans slipped out from under the spoon and I eventually had to get in there with my hands.  

Then you add the cabbage (well chopped, I didn't know what that meant so I chopped it small) and the scallions, then the breadcrumbs.  Then you let it sit, to firm up.  

I did not use a 1/2 cup measure to make the patties.  I just divided the mix into 6 almost even parts.  (Since the recipe says the whole recipe will make 10 patties.) 

The recipe is actually called 'baked' cabbage sliders but it says you can fry them too.  That was my choice.   I fried them until they were browned on both sides and I was sure the egg was cooked.  They are a little  fragile at first.  But I think (because I didn't want to do two pans of patties) I crowded the pan and made them hard to flip.  

Based on the suggested toppings I made a sauce of avocado, Greek plain yogurt and sriracha.  I didn't use a recipe or measure anything.  I mashed two avocados, added the yogurt and sriracha until I liked the taste.  A little salt went in there too.  I thought about a touch of lemon juice but decided against it in the end.  But if you try you might want that for taste and to stop the browning of the avocado.  

I tried the patties right out of the pan and they were tasty and good.  They were also good the next day when we heated they up, not hot, but room temperature.  I think the sauce was a good fit. The recipe says you can add more cabbage and they will still stick together.  I might do that next time.  I might also make other changes.  But slight ones because I am worried about consistency of the patties.  

I liked these for lunch.  The three patties I had were very filling and perfect for lunch.  I will try these again.  

Out to Sea

Today (June 29th 2026) is International Fisherman Day.  If you have ever enjoyed a good piece of fish, or any kind of seafood, you owe it to a fisherman.  It might even be you.  So, if you know any fishermen go out and thank them.  Or if you are a fisherman, accept this thank you from me.  

Fisherman's Friends starring James Purefoy

A music executive stranded in Cornwall signs a group of fishermen to Universal Records to sing sea shanties.

This movie is a lot of fun.  There is a cast of great characters.  The acting is good.  The story is great (and sort of true).  You care about these people.  You want them to succeed.  You want the music executive to realize what is important and change his ways.  And I liked the singing.  The plot is a little predictable.  You can guess what is going to happen most of the time.  But watching this film just makes you feel good.  I laughed and cried.  And now I want to listen to some sea shanties.  It is not action packed, but it will keep you entertained through the whole film.  

To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate

My husband and I decided we wanted to go see a play.  We enjoy plays but we don't get to go very often.  But it was a special occasion (our anniversary) so we splurged.  (We also went to dinner afterwards.)  We did not have anything in particular in mind so we just looked for what was playing locally.  

We found Eureka Day at the Huntington Theatre in Boston.  Since we live in Boston that was pretty local.  I really didn't know what to expect.  The play is a satire about a progressive, private school that tries to be inclusive to everyone.  When mumps breaks out at the school it leads to debates about policies and vaccines.

Now, the plot summery may not sound funny, but the play certainly was.  There were times when the whole audience was laughing out loud.  The laughs reached their height when the school council have a virtual meeting with the parents and you can see the comments the parents are typing the chat box.  

There are some serious moments too.  Although I did not actually cry during the play I did get a little misty eyed.  But these moments did not kill the light spirit of the play but instead made the light moments brighter.

The acting was great, the energy of the play and the audience was wonderful and the whole experience was a lot of fun.  And at the Huntington you can watch your play with a glass of wine or a beer if you want.  Which doesn't hurt.  

My sister is a teacher and when I told her I was going to see a play about a school she was not enthused.  She gets enough school in her life as it is.  But I think she would have liked this play.  

It was hilarious but spoke about important issues.  It managed to have fun with the topic without offending.  I would not suggest that children attend.  There are some hard topics explored but also I think a lot of the humor would be lost on them.

It is about 100 minutes long.  Long enough to develop some wonderful characters, and deliver a well thought out and rounded plot without the audience feeling the need to get up and stretch.

 

If you are looking for a fun night out, I would recommend Eureka Day.  

Help Save a Life

Today (June 14th 2026) is World Blood Donor Day.  A few hours of your life can save the life of someone else in need.  Please consider signing up to donate.

My work place had been having blood drives for a while before I realized there's and app for that.  Because of course there is.  What isn't there an app for.  So, I downloaded the Red Cross Blood Donor app.  

As someone who donates on a semi regular basis I find the app rather helpful.  You can put in a zip code and find the nearest places you can donate and make an appointment right there on the app.  It will tell you your blood type (I'm AB+), keep track of how much blood you have donated and tell you when you can safely donate again.  You can also fill out your Rapid Pass, which is a bunch of questions that you have to answer before you can give blood.  It saves you time when you get there if you have already done this.  If you have never donated before, these questions can get
rather personal, but I think you can understand why.

Until the app I had only donated whole blood, but as I explored the app I decided I should donate platelets and plasma some times as well.  I did a little research (just to be clear, all on the internet, I didn't ask a medical professional, so don't quote me) and came to the conclusion that I might be able to help more people that way.  But I must warn you, platelet donation does take longer (about 2 hours) and there are two needles involved.  

I donate because it makes me feel good to know I'm helping others.  But there are
other rewards.  The app has virtual badges you can collect to encourage you to come back.  Donation centers also have swag sometimes.  I have a collection of shirts, but they give out other things sometimes too: sunglasses, socks, backpacks and such.  If you have the app you get points for each donation that you can use to get even more swag: hats, tote bags, camp chairs, thermos bottles, or of you are like me -more shirts.  And after so many donations you get a milestone pin.

I encourage all those who can to donate.  It does your heart good.  And you get free cookies and juice. But, one more warning, there is always a platelet or blood shortage so once you donate you will get calls and texts and emails asking you to come back.  Lots of them.  But that is a small price to pay for the good you could do.

Dive! Dive! Dive

Today (June 8th 2026) is World Oceans Day.  The oceans are very important for everything.  And there is so much that we do not know about it.  Today is the day to learn something new about the oceans.  Or take a swim in the ocean (but there are jellyfish, so maybe, no).  Maybe you can visit your local aquarium.  

Weird But True! Ocean 300 Fantastic Facts from the Deep Blue Sea by National Geographic Kids

300 fascinating facts about the ocean and the things in it and on it.  

This is the first Weird but True! book that I have read.  I think I will read more.  I started with the ocean because I am fascinated by ocean creatures.  And this satisfied all my ocean creature love and taught me some things I didn't know.  There were facts about the ocean itself, the creatures who live in it, and the people and ships that travel on top of it.  There are some awesome photos of things that people may not have seen before.  I liked the bite sized facts so no matter how much time you have you can get a fact or two in (if you can stop yourself from reading them all).  You do not learn a lot about anything but you learn a little about a lot.  I can see this inspiring people (not just children) to learn more about many things they see here.

Once in a Blue Moon

Tonight (May 31st 2026) there will be a blue moon.  It is a blue moon because it is the second full moon in the same month.  A blue moon occurs every two to three years.  The phrase 'once in a blue moon' made me think they were much more rare than that.  And it is not very likely the moon will actually look blue in color.  But you should go out and look at it anyway.

Blue Moon Rising by Simon Green

Rupert is the second son of a king.  An extra, unneeded, prince.  So to get him out of the way Rupert is sent on a quest.  But with the Blue Moon rising and the Darkwood spreading, Rupert must save the kingdom that does not even want him.  

Blue Moon Rising is fun to read.  It is witty. There is banter, danger, a dragon, a witch, love, demons, spells, betrayal, and much more.  The plot moves at a good pace and engages the reader.  The story breaks into parts in the middle but all the parts are just as interesting as the others and then they all come together nicely.  And there are a lot of good characters.  I think it is a good book for lovers of fantasy.  I do wish the dragon was in the story more.  I liked how things and people weren't what you expected, but it was used so much you were expecting it, which kind of misses the point.  I also thought it lost a little something at the end at the last big battle, that was the only time, in this almost 500 page book, that I started to lose interest.  If you like fantasy, you should take a look.

Who You Goin' Call?

Today (May 3rd 2026) is National Paranormal Day.  Do you believe in ghosts?  If so, then today is your day.  Get out there and hunt some ghosts.  Or search for a cryptid, or watch for UFO's, or try to move something with your mind.  

Ghost Trap (aka Little Ghost Grabbers) starring Ciara O'Hanlon

After a school project goes wrong, Cynthia has to do community service helping out in a house that is said to be haunted.  

I didn't expect this to be a great movie but I was hoping it would be okay at least.  I was disappointed.  The acting is bad.  The props look like they were cast offs from Ghostbusters.  The plot started out fine but quickly devolved into a bit of a mess.  The story didn't really hold together.  There were things that just didn't make sense with the rest of the story and it turned into a jumble of random happenings.  It was not scary, or funny, or heartwarming or anything.  I would give this one a pass if I were you.

That's no fish tale

Today (May 2nd 2026) is World Tuna Day.  The record for the most expensive tuna ever sold was a 535 pound bluefin tuna sold for 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million dollars US).  That is around $6000 per pound.  I do not pay that much for my tuna.  In fact, my tuna usually comes in a can from the grocery store.  But if you want to celebrate World Tuna Day by eating sashimi from a $6000 a pound tuna, you be you. 

I'll stick to my tuna salad.

Like the one from The Pioneer Woman I made for lunch the other day.  Why did I pick this Tuna Pasta Salad?  Well, as with most recipes I make that have a lot of choices, it is a mix of eliminating a couple I know I don't want for one reason or another, luck, the word easy in the title, and where I am when I get tired of looking.  And the picture.  I am swayed by the photo often.

I grew up eating tuna pasta salad.  I think a lot of people did.  It is easy, filling, you can add some veggies to provide some nutrition, and a box of pasta is often cheap.

This pasta salad was not the same as the one I grew up eating but it reminded me of it.  Tuna and pasta mixed with mayonnaise and some other stuff probably, I don't know, I was little and that was a long time ago.

But this was not just nostalgic, it was pretty tasty too.  And quick to make.  After you cook the pasta it is all chopping and mixing.  Some of which you can do while the pasta is cooking.  Just don't forget you are cooking pasta - not that I've ever done that.  I'm just warning you.  Anyhow.  After some chopping, a few tears from the onions, and draining, and cooling the pasta you mix it all together.

You get a nice little crunch for the fresh veggies, just the right among of sweet from the red pepper and the peas, a creamy finish with the mayonnaise and the sour cream and a few herbs and spices to add a little bit of extra flavor. 

It is filling but not too heavy.  It travels and keeps well.  I don't think there are many people who would not like it (except vegans).  There are a million different tweaks you could make if you wanted to customize it.  I really enjoyed it for lunch.  It would also be great for a pot luck, a barbeque or picnic, or just to have as a snack in the fridge.  And great to celebrate World Tuna Day is you don't have 3.2 million dollars for a bluefin tuna.

Be Super Today

Today (April 28th) is National Superhero Day! I happen to be a big fan of comic book superheroes.  (Batman is my favorite.)  But there are much more important heroes, real ones, people you might even know.  So, on this very important day - Go hug a firefighter!  I mean, ask permission first.  Don't be a weirdo about it.

Sometimes all it takes to be a hero is to go out there and do your best and try to always do the right thing, like Super Jumbo.

Super Jumbo by Fred Koehler

Super Jumbo is a superhero, even if no one else can see. it.  He is determined to save the day, whether people want him to or not.

First, the illustrations in Super Jumbo are adorable, and make sure you take a good look because a lot of the story telling is done with the illustrations.  The story is fun too.  Little Jumbo is determined to be Super Jumbo, a superhero who saves the day.  He isn't doing it for thanks or praise, which is good, because sometimes he gets it wrong.  However, that does not stop Super Jumbo from being a hero.  Weather he is stopping traffic to let snails safely cross the street or saving  a man's popcorn from the pigeons, he is always there to help those in need.  I really like this book.  It is a cute funny story about helping others and doing your best.  You don't have to be super to be a hero.

   

 

Is it a Chickpea or a Garbanzo Bean?

Whether you call it a chickpea or a garbanzo bean you should celebrate it today because today (April 21st 2026) is National Chickpea Day.  I like falafel and I like hummus but if you told me a couple of years ago that I would be eating a chickpea sandwich I would have thought you were crazy.  Now, I don't know you well enough to know if you are crazy or not but, I have come to realize that the idea of a chickpea sandwich is not.  Crazy that is.  

I am very much a meat eater and I like cake.  So, every once in a while, my husband and I try to eat something that has a little more nutritional value.  One of the things we keep going back to is chickpea salad sandwiches. We have tried several different recipes and have never been able to pick a favorite.

Some we have tried include:

Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad Sandwich from Two Peas and Their Pod

Whole Grain Chickpea Salad Sandwich from Grain Food s Foundation

Chickpea Salad Sandwich with Lemon and Capers from Adventures in Cooking

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches from Taste of Home

But there are many more out there.

After trying the different recipes, we now only use them as a guide.  We pick the pieces we like from the different recipes and make our own thing.  Sometimes it depends on what I have in my fridge.  I happened to have parsley on hand, so I put some in.  Why not?

A few things that I always use is mayonnaise, celery, some kind of onion and I like to get a nice multigrain bread, both to cut down on the white bread I eat but also to have a good hearty bread to stand up to the salad without falling apart.  I usually add avocado as well.

I have never had a combination that I didn't like.  One of the things that I like about chickpea salad is that I can really make it anything I want.  If I like it, I put it in, if I don't like it I leave it out.  If you are looking for a lunch idea, I think a chickpea salad sandwich is a good choice.  It is not heavy, but it is filling and satisfying.  

I was surprised by how much I like these sandwiches.  I would recommend them to anyone who likes chickpeas.  Give it a try.  Have fun with it.  Mix it up and make it your own.  I think you will enjoy it.

What do you wish for?

Today (April 9th 2026) is National Unicorn Day.  I like unicorn stories.  Especially the ones where the unicorns are not passive gentle creatures.  Although those are good too.  And probably the ones you want if you are sharing them with children.

Thelma the Unicorn by Aaron Blabey

Thelma is a miniature horse who wants to be a unicorn.  One day she gets her wish (sort of).  But her wish doesn't turn out the way she thought it would.

Thelma worries that she is not special, and believes that she is not good enough the way she is.  Which is a feeling people of all ages can relate to.  When she gets her wish, and everyone thinks she's a unicorn, she finds it comes with unforeseen consequences.  Thelma the Unicorn is a story about being happy being yourself.  I think the illustrations are funny.  I love her donkey best friend.  The rhyming words are fun to read.  It is fun for the adult reading it and the children being read to. 

Thelma the Unicorn starring Brittany Howard

When a freak accident turns Thelma the mini horse into Thelma the Unicorn she finds overnight fame.  Thelma's life changes in a instant.  But is this new life what Thelma really wants?

I found this movie entertaining.  I like the animation.  There were impossible things happening, a narwhale always out of the water, talking animals interacting with people and other things but none of it was an issue for me.  It has a nice theme of being yourself and not forgetting the people who like you for who you are.  I liked Thelma's donkey friends.  Unfortunately Thelma was less easy to like.  And since she is the main character that was an issue for me.  Some of her issues I could relate to but I found it hard to connect with her so the heartwarming parts were not as heartwarming for me.  I'm glad I watched it.  It was fun.  But it is not a movie I would go back and watch over and over again.

As with most book and movie comparisons I liked the book better here.  I watched the movie first so I think I had a less dramatic reaction to the movie than other people who loved the book before the movie.  But I still side with the book.  I know that it is a picture book being turned into a movie so things had to be added.  But the whole rivalry between Thelma and the Narwhale took up too much of the story.  And Thelma was just much more likeable in the book.  I also feel something was lost in the movie when Thelma didn't decide on her own to stop pretending.  She was kind of forced to give it up in the movie and that made it less impactful.  Both are worth a look but I think the book is worth owning while the movie I would suggest you just borrow.

Where's my green shirt?

Today (March 17th 2026) is Saint Patrick's Day!  They say everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick's Day.  Well, I hope everyone likes corned beef and cabbage.  Or maybe you would rather have a nice Shepard's Pie.  Whatever you are eating don't forget the green beer.  

Four Leaf Cleaver by Maddie Day

Robbie has Pans 'N Pancakes all decked out for St. Patrick's day.  Which is perfect for the cooking competition show she will be hosting.  Everything is going great until someone ends up dead.  Now it's up to Robbie and the local police to find out who wanted the producer dead.

This is the 11th book in this cozy mystery series but the first one I have read.  It is easy enough to follow everything but I felt I was missing a lot of back story that would have been nice to have while reading.  It is a fun mystery with lots of clues and red herrings and misleading information like all good mysteries should have.  There is a long list of quirky and interesting characters that keep the reader interested.  There is a lot of talk about food, what Robbie is making for the restaurant and how, and what everyone is eating, along with some recipes in the back of the book (none of which I tried so you are on your own with those).  But if that doesn't interest you this might not be the book for you.  I liked how the police included Robbie and she wasn't going around behind their backs doing her own thing.  It was a clever mystery and a fun read that makes me want to go back to see how it all started.

Bacon Anyone?

Today (March 1st 2026) is National Pig Day!  If you are not already a pig fan, you should be.  They are cute (especially the baby ones) and smart and have a lot of personality.   I did live with a pig for years (not one as big as in the book reviewed here) so I know a thing or two.  I'm glad I did it but I don't think I would ever do it again.

Esther the Wonder Pig by Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter, with Caprice Crane

Steve Jenkins and Derek Walter took in what he thought was a small pig.  It turned out that Esther (as the pig was named) was a full size commercial pig who grew to 600 pounds.  This is the story of how they went from tiny pig, to redesigning their whole house to accommodate Ester, to buying a farm and starting an animal sanctuary.

I love a good animal story.  I love how these people were willing to go through all they went though for a pig they fell in love with.  But it all started on the wrong foot with me.  When Steve decides to get a pig (even if he thought it was a mini pig) without telling his partner I instantly didn't like him.  And the humor for me quickly got old and annoying.  There were a lot of stories of the messes Esther made (by the way how do you clean cooking oil off every surface in your home, like ever, never mind in a couple of hours?) and how she liked to eat but not much more about her.  She liked to cuddle but what else?  I wanted more Esther and less Facebook page and what it takes to become vegan.  It is a quick read and somewhat interesting but I can't say I would recommend it.

Put it Under Your Pillow

Today (February 28th) is National Tooth Fairy Day!  If you are not prepared for it, don't worry. The tooth fairy gets another national day to celebrate her in August.  So you have time to get your fairy dress if you don't have one yet.

Toothless starring Kirstie Alley

After a dentist dies in an accident she is sent to limbo where she is told she has to be the tooth fairy to try to earn her way into heaven.

I would not call this a great movie.  But it was entertaining and I think it is worth watching.  I wish there was less of her flying around.  Watching her fly to a home each night quickly got old and the flying effect was not great.  Some of it was amusing though and I thought the idea of the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny being souls in limbo trying to get to heaven was interesting.  And there were some morals here. Some of them aimed more at the adults watching than the kids.  It can get corny at times but it is a fun way to spend an hour an a half, especially if someone has just lost a baby tooth.

It's all about the scales

World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in February, making today (February 21st) World Pangolin Day!  

Want to learn more about pangolins?  Well, there is a lot of info out there but her are a few facts to get you started:

Pangolins are the most trafficked mammal in the world.

People want pangolins for their meat and for the scales that are used in traditional medicine.

They are the only mammal covered in scales.

The scales are made of keratin, the same stuff as your fingernails.

There are eight species of pangolin, four live in Africa and four live in Asia.

All eight species of pangolin are endangered, raging in status for vulnerable to critically endangered.

Pangolins are insectivores, eating mostly ants and termites.

Pangolins have no teeth.

I think pangolins are cute.  They are certainly unique.  I think it would be a shame if we lost them.

If you would like to donate to help the pangolin check out these places:

Pangolin Crisis Fund

Save Pangolins

Greater Good Charities 

Pangolin Conservation and Research Foundation

Fauna and Flora

Don't pet the hippo!

Today (February 15th 2026) is World Hippo Day!  Please celebrate responsibly.  Do not try to pet a hippo.  That just isn't safe.   

Belly Up! by Stuart Gibbs

Henry the Hippo, the not-so-beloved mascot of FunJungle has died.  It is a tragedy.  But was it a natural one?  Teddy, who lives with his parents at the park, doesn't think so.  When no one else will investigate, Teddy decides to do it on his own.   

I think this is a fun adventure mystery.  It has a good pace and a lot of interesting characters to keep the reader interested.  It also had some good animal facts throughout the book so you can learn something along the way.  I did not like the copious references to 'Large Marge' where they use her size as such a negative thing to describe her.  The body shaming of it was too much for me.  But that is my only negative.  I liked the setting and the mystery.  I like the mix of characters and the way the danger built as you read.  And I liked that it revolved around animals.  I will go on to read more in the series.

We Want To Serve You

 

Robot Island by Cary Fagan

After his parents die, Willis lives with his unfriendly uncle Tod in a house turned book store filled with used books.  Tod gives Willis odd jobs after school, one of which is to read to an old widow.  Willis' life starts to spin as he starts to like the widow and her remaining family, but he realizes his uncle is up to something nefarious.  As Willis tries to escape the confusion he happens upon Robot Island, and things get even more complicated.

The book is full of characters that evoke emotion from the reader.  There is a suitable villain, some people you are unsure of and some you just like.  You root for Willis as well as want to yell at him for some of the choices he makes.  You can relate to him and the conflicts he goes though.  The story explores themes of loyalty, friendship and what family truly means.  I like the mix of characters, the pace of the story, and the addition of he science fiction element of the robots.  I also like that the robots have a retro feel and seem to come from the past instead of the future.  I felt like the robots and the island could have been explored more.  I enjoyed the story and it had some good themes about friendship, family and taking responsibility.  But it is more about Willis and the relationships he is making as he grows up than about Robot Island.  I would recommend it as a coming of age tale with an interesting sci-fi twist.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers

Room For All

Today (February 10th) is National Umbrella Day.  It doesn't having to be raining to enjoy National Umbrella Day.  But whatever you do to celebrate, do not open one indoors.  Do I actually believe in the superstition, or that it will make the spirits or the sun god Ra angry?  I'm not going to admit that I do.  But why take the risk.

The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates

Find out how many people can fit under one happy red umbrella.

I like the illustrations.  I like the collection of different people and other beings that come to find shelter.  I thought it was nice how the background is faded by rain so the people stand out.  It doesn't have many words, a short sentence for every page or two.  It is simple and cute.  My only misgiving about it is that it is not really a story.  It is a concept.  It is the idea that everyone should be included and allowed to join.  It is an idea that should be expressed and talked about and this could start a conversation.  But I, for one, wish there was more story to it. 

You Look Good in Stripes

Today (January 31st 2026) is International Zebra Day! How do you celebrate International Zebra Day?  You can dress like a zebra, go visit one at the zoo, donate to a wildlife preservation charity, or you can keep it simple, like me, and read a book with zebras in it.

Julius Zebra: Rumble with the Romans! By Gary Northfield

Julius Zebra hates the waterhole.  So he is not that upset about being taken to the Roman circus.  Until he realizes that it is not all juggling monkeys and he is going to be a gladiator fighting for his freedom.

Julius Zebra and his friends are a lot of fun.  I like the mix of paragraphs of text and pictures that help tell the story.  There is a lot of action and it moves at a good pace to keep readers young and old interested.  It is silly and goofy but that is the charm of it.  You also get some facts about the Roman circus and gladiators mixed into the story.  The characters are all distinct and it is an interesting mix of personalities.  I think readers will want to read more about Julius and his friends.

Julius Zebra: Battle with the Brittons! by Gary Northfield

Julius is now beloved people's champion.  When he hears he is being sent to Britannia he thinks it sounds like a nice vacation.  But when he gets there he finds he is again fighting for his freedom.

This book picks up right where the last one left off.  You could read this one on it's own but I think the context from the first one will make this one more fun.  This is very much like the first one, silly and goofy with ridiculous misunderstandings that lead to action and laughs.  All your favorite (and least favorite) characters are back in a new wacky adventure.  Again, there are some facts thrown in and an explanation of how Roman numeral work.  It continues the story without losing any of the energy or fun from the first one.  It makes you wan to read the rest of Julius' adventures.  

New Year's in Budapest

 

Death on the Danube by Jennifer S. Alderson

Lana lost her job, got divorced, and is having trouble paying her rent.  Then she has a chance to lead a tour group in Budapest.  It should have been he answer to her problems but then her fellow tour guide winds up dead and her problems just seem to multiply.

I had some issues with this book in the beginning.  (It might just be me but it bothered me that someone was blowing butterfly kisses.)  There is a lot of explaining to get though.  There isn't even a dead body until you are half way though the book.  But this is the first book in the series and Alderson was setting up all her characters and the setting.  So I expect less of that in following books.  I liked the setting and how you heard about Budapest along with the mystery.  And as we went along I got more into the story.  It did what a mystery should do, make me wonder who did it.  It had a few bumps for me but there was enough interest here that I will read the next one in the series.  But there is no rush.

Why Did It Have To Be Bugs?

 

One Night At Kedasi by Ashton Macaulay

Zip Turbine and her shipmate Tom, a five foot tall shrimp, are offered a job retrieving a large diamond from an asteroid turned amusement park.  It is a job they can't refuse.  And it comes with help they do not want, a rival team trying to do the same thing, and untold dangers in the failed amusement park.  Sounds like fun.

This is a fun book.  It is funny and witty but never turns as goofy as you might expect from a book that has someone named Zip Turbine and a 5 foot talking shrimp.  It is well paced so there are never any dull moments.  The characters, even the unlikable ones, are interesting and enjoyable.  I like the interactions between the characters, and the way the world they live in was set up that everything feels like it fits, even a 5 foot shrimp.  If you like sci-fi that has some humor I suggest you give this one a try.  I look forward to reading more adventures with Zip and Tom.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers

Be Careful What You Wish For

 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

Gilly has been bounced from foster home to foster home.  She does not like any of them and makes it as hard as possible on the foster parents who look after her.  She is tough, smart and difficult.  And she always has a plan.  But she is about to find out that plans don't always have the results you intend.

I don't think anyone who has ever read this book liked Gilly at the beginning.  There isn't much to like.  She is rude, aggressive and a racist.  And no matter how much compassion people have for how hard her life has been, she is more than most people can handle.  Then she meets Trotter and things, and Gilly, start to change.  I like how the new people in Gilly's life relate to her, with understanding but also with grit.  The characters are as complicated as the situations they find themselves in.  Nothing is glossed over and problems are not made to look easy or trite.  The progression Gilly goes through, and how people's attitudes toward her (including the reader) change is a nice, slow, believable transition.  By the end of the book many of the characters have changed and learned something from each other.  Gilly learns some things too late and realizes some things you can't take back.  The ending is both hopeful and heartbreaking.  I enjoyed this sometimes funny, not always happy, but heartfelt and real book.

 The Great Gilly Hopkins starring Sophie Nelisse and Kathy Bates

Gilly Hopkins does not like any of the foster homes she has been in and she makes it as difficult as she can for all of them.  She lives in hope of her mother coming to get her and having a real family.  Then she meets Trotter and realizes she might have the wrong idea about some things.

This movie is sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes heartwarming, but always entertaining.  The story of Gilly's transformation through the movie is well told, well acted and believable.  All of the characters are interesting and well written.  It moves at a good pace and keeps you interested.  It plays with your emotions in all the right ways.  Love them or hate them (and sometimes it changes as you go) you feel something for these characters.  It is not all fun times but I feel there is hope here.  I am glad I watched it.

I think the movie does a very good job of keeping true to the book.  The characters are all very similar.  There was nothing I felt like the movie was missing or anything too much that they added for no reason.  I think the movie softened the ending some from the book.  I didn't mind the minor changes.  This is one of the very few times when I can not say which one I like better.  I think they are both very good and would recommend both of them.  And which ever one you watch first I don't think you will be disappointed in either.

Leave Me Alone

 

An Aspiration To Lie Flat by Stanton Fenwick

All Terrence wants is to be left alone.  What he gets is 50 million dollars he can't refuse.  He finds he is no longer in control of his own life and is the center of a whole lot of attention.  With everyone, including a flock of influencers and his own father, trying to use his (mis)fortune to make money themselves Terrence needs to find a way to take back his own life.

This book is witty and sarcastic.  It is funny and entertaining.  It is a wonderful, quick, escapist read.  It is absurd but at the same time you feel like this could happen.  You may not agree with Terrence's choices.  You might not understand how anyone can try to refuse 50 million dollars.  But you will root for Terrence and feel for him as his life slides out of control.  I enjoyed watching Terrence try to get out of this mess of other people's making just to end up further in.  I enjoyed all of the strange people and events that kept popping up in Terrence's life.  I enjoyed the ending too.  I had a lot of fun reading this book and hope to see more from Fenwick in the future.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers.

Time For School

 

The Three-Berry Academy by Joseph Helgerson

Quiet Quickthorn, the teacher at the Three-Berry Academy, needs to get her river troll students to school. The problem is they don't want to go.  She has to catch them first.

This is a fun, quirky book.  Quickthorn has to trick her students into coming to school.  Each chapter is the story of a different student, told in the voice of the student.  I like how each chapter is told in a distinctive voice.  They all have the same concept but Helgerson manages to make them all individual stories.  I enjoyed reading about the river trolls and learning about their lives and what they treasure enough to get caught.  I think children and adults will like this one.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers.

Who doesn't like a narwhal?

 Legend of the Narwhals by Robert Skead

When Prince Asgar's mother disappears he decides to go looking for her.  Joining him are his best friend, Tuka, and his little sister, Kari.  Along the way is danger, adventure, and legends.

This was okay.  It is a fun little adventure, fantasy story.  But I don't like Prince Asgar.  I don't like the way he treats his father, his best friend or his sister.  So the idea of him being a hero was not appealing to me.  The black and white illustrations were cute, with bold clean outlines, almost like they came out of a coloring book.  And I'm glad they put some narwhal facts at the end.   I like a story with Snow Monsters and I'm glad they didn't make them the bad guys here.  And though I like the idea of the narwhal connection it was awkwardly constructed in the the story.  It had a few moments that I enjoyed but I don't think it ever came together completely.

I received a free copy of this book for review from Librarything.com early reviewers.