Children's Book-A-Day Almanac by Anita SilveyRoaring Brook Press, 2012.
Great for ANY day of the year is Anita Silvey's Children's Book-A-Day Almanac. Silvey's online presence has been great fun for the book world as well as students and libarians for several years. Having the print version in my hands is like greeting an old friend. A side bar lists several people each day who share that particular birthdate. The real beauty of the book is a clever tie-in to a particular book. For example, December 8th is the birthday of French film maker Georges Melies so Silvey looks closely at The Invention of Hugo Cabret by the ever talented Brian Selznick. Silvey's "columns" are upbeat, honest, and will point readers, both old and young, to old favorites and new treasures to read.
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel by Maria Semple. Little, Brown (Hachette), 2012. (Adult and YA fiction).
A quirky family saga with computer genius Elgin Branch, his wife Bernadette, and their daughter Bee who live in Seattle will give readers pause. Part humor, part mystery, all social commentary, the novel is an interesting take on contemporary life.
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn. HarperCollins, 2012. (Adult fiction).
What do you do when you are the Queen of England and you get a little depressed? In this delightful novel, she takes a little trip to visit her old favorite royal yacht. The only problem is that she doesn't tell anyone. When her lady-in-waiting, horsemaster, cheese seller, and equerry collaborate to find her and bring her back before the press learns she is missing, the fun begins. Followers of the Royal Family will appreciate the little details that make the story ring true and will enjoy the fanciful aspects, too.
