Amy Snow by Tracy Rees

  Amy Snow by Tracy Rees. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2015.

When wealthy eight-year-old Aurelia Vennaway finds a naked baby in the snow, she takes it home and insists that it be raised along side her. Her strict parents totally disapprove, but the baby is named Amy Snow and grows up with Aurelia's loving instruction and care. When Aurelia dies in her twenties, Amy is devastated. But, there the adventure truly begins. Aurelia has left Amy letters surrounding a mystery. Amy has to figure out clues as the letters arrive. As Amy travels across England, she matures into an interesting young woman who makes friends, meets handsome eligible gentlemen, and solves the mystery. This reads a little like a Jane Austen novel with families and friendships sprinkled throughout. 

The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Robards

  The Black Swan of Paris by Karen Harper. Mira Books, 2020. Historical fiction.

When a copy of this book arrived in my mailbox, I first thought, "Oh, just another WWII tale about a brave woman." Was I wrong! This exciting novel grabs readers and takes them along on a whirlwind view of Paris during WWII and behind the scenes details of intrigue, resistance, and courage. Genevieve Dumont is best known as a glamourous singer. Her manager, Max; driver, Otto, and faithful dresser all take care of her. But, Genevieve's life is not all froth. She has a past that becomes quite important to the story. Drawing the attention of German officers, she is in danger, especially as her estranged family are targeted. From the stages of the clubs to the underground hideouts of the Resistance workers to the beaches of Normandy, readers will cheer Genevieve Dumont. 

American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vanderbilt by Karen Harper

  American Duchess: A Novel of Consuelo Vandebilt.  by Karen Harper. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2019. Historical fiction

This novel will probably have readers racing online to find photographs of the real Consuelo Vanderbilt, one of the very wealthy Americans who married English lords in the Gilded Age. Consuelo's mother, Alva, ran her life and manipulated her marriage to the man whose family home was Blenheim Palace. Consuelo's whole life was fascinating and mostly covered by newspapers. She had two sons, the heir and the spare, as was thought necessary. But, unfortunately, her marriage was not a love match. Later in life, Consuelo found true love, adventure, and continued philanthropy. Harper does a good job of fleshing out the details of Consuelo's life and provides some additional sources for both print and online research in an author's note. 

The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest

 The Summer We Found the Baby  by Amy Hest. Candlewick Press, 2020. Children's chapter book.

OK, I am prejudiced toward this book. Amy Hest's When Jessie Came Across the Sea is one of my very favorite historical fiction picture books. Such a sweet story, well told and with gorgeous illustrations by Lynch. 

And, from the time that the Bobbsey Twins found Baby May, I have been hooked on finding a baby in a basket! Growing up as an only child and walking to  the public library that was in the basement of the county courthouse, I thought that finding a baby in a basket would just be the best thing that could happen to anyone. As an adult, I once confided to a friend that if I found a baby in a basket on the doorstep, I would probably just pull it in and slam the door shut! So combine Amy Hest and this sweet title and I have a real winner!

Julie and Martha's mom has died and Dad needs a place to write. He rents a beach cottage on Belle Island, Long Island, New York. The family next door have a son away fighting in WWII and a son named Bruno who is twelve. Julie is eleven and Martha is six. Hest describes each character so well that readers may think they have moved in next door, too. The three children each serve as narrators to move the story along and have their own little illustrations for their contributions: Julie, a bicycle; Martha, a dish of ice cream; and Bruno, binoculars. 

On the particular day of interest when the story begins, Bruno has received a message from his brother and is off on an important errand. But, his plans are sidetracked when he sees Julie and Martha with a baby in a basket on the steps of the brand new children's library. When they take off, he follows. And, the adventure begins. Even Eleanor Roosevelt makes an appearance!  The twenty chapters are numbered and with titles. In each chapter, the children speak individually. Adults may figure out what's happening long before children, but, trust me, just enjoy the journey. The pacing is perfect and it's easy to keep up with who's who. Parents are a big part of the story, too, but they are loving and supportive in just the right ways for the children to be independent and loved. 

Of course, it all works out. Julie's sweet maternal instincts, little Martha's precious desire for a little sister and a mother, and Bruno's hopes to be a man like his big brother all play into this summertime romp. Do not miss it. It is my favorite new book! 

The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard

 The Cazalet Chronicles, a series of five books: 

(The Light Years, Marking Time, Confusion, Casting Off and All Change),

by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Published and republished over the years, available as a set on amazon.com. 

When I read an interview with Camilla, Prince Charles' wife, she mentioned that some of her favorite books were this series by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Then, I read that Hilary Mantel touted them, too. WHAT? I had never heard of the Cazalet Chronicles! So, I searched local libraries and no one had the complete set. I invested and started reading...then the 2020 pandemic hit. No worries, I have been  in England in 1937-1950's all summer long with the Cazalet family!

Beginning in pre WWII years, The Brig and the Duchy have a holiday home in the countryside. Their three sons and their wives have an array of children and homes and readers learn their stories through the books. Quite the family saga, not everyone survives, not every marriage survives, and the children grow up and have their own stories. Tiny details about what life was like during WWII make the books believable and provide a look into the past.  Of course, nothing went back to the same after the war. Houses had been bombed. Servants were basically gone.  So the Cazalets adapted to the more freewheeling 1950's with zest. I can see why especially English women who lived through the times featured in all the books have picked up these stories and enjoy them fondly. Howard tells good stories, features interesting people, describes locales and places well, and makes time just fly by! Not a bad thing at all in a pandemic...

P.T. Barnum books

 We Are All His Creatures: Tales of P.T. Barnum, the Greatest Showman by Deborah Noyes. Candlewick, 2020. Historical fiction. YA

P. T. Barnum was a real person. His promotion of Jenny Lind, General Tom Thumb, and other unusual beings made him famous. This fictional series of short pieces each showcase one of the people in his life, one of the people or exhibits in his vast collection, or an event that featured such. Barnum was, no doubt, a great marketer. But, his personal life and treatment of his family and employees did not make him a person to imitate. Noyes does a good job of tying together these fascinating, but rather bleak, imagined narratives. Each is illustrated by a small photograph that helps make the people real.

 The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum by Candace Fleming. Illustrations by Ray Fenwick. Schwartz and Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, 2009. Middle grades and up. Biography.

This is a biography of P.T. Barnum, but so much more! It uses photographs, circus posters, drawings, and text boxes to tell the story of his life and work. When he died in 1891, his fame had made him known worldwide. Fleming is objective in balancing the unique aspects of his collection with the "side show" nature of his advertisements. She even includes a link where readers can hear Barnum himself speak online. Photographs chart the history of Barnum's museum and circus development.

So many of the state tests ask students to compare works of fiction and nonfiction. These two books would capture the interest of many, but provide very different perspectives on Barnum. Readers curious about P.T. Barnum will want to read both!

Carville's Cure by Pam Fessler

Carville's Cure by Pam Fessler. LiveRight, a division of W.W. Norton, 2020. Adult nonfiction.

Remember the people in the Bible who were outcast because they had leprosy? Or what happened to them in Ben Hur?  Fast forward to 2020. Pam Fessler has  written a fascinating and well researched book about the disease, now known as Hansen's Disease, patients who have suffered, and treatments over the years.

While this is her first book, Fessler writes like a pro. Her husband has a family connection with Hansen's Disease, but the narrative is not at all just first person. She chronicles the history of the Louisiana Leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana and follows many of its patients. While many would compare the facility to a prison, Fessler explains how the federal government got involved, what happened to the patients, what happened to the facility, and what happens to patients today. Most readers would never think that they may work with, teach, or associate with patients who have Hansen's Disease in the modern world. Help end the stigma and discrimination by updating your own information by reading Fessler's book. Extensive notes and a bibliography are included.