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Cookbook Review: Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook

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Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook by David Atherton

Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook: Fun and Healthy Recipes for Young Cooks
by David Atherton, Rachel Stubbs (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

This children’s cookbook is perfect for any young bakers who want to learn the basics of cooking and get inspired in the kitchen. It’s so cool that this is written by one of the winners of the Great British Baking Show! This book includes recipes for breakfast, lunch and supper, cakes, and desserts.

These recipes are kid-friendly and give instructions to the young readers about when to ask an adult for help. There are recipes for pancakes, tacos, pizza, scones, potpie, lasagna, and a lot of yummy cakes. I really want to try the recipe for Victoria sandwich buns, which is a little cake with jelly in the middle.

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Holiday Gift Guide: Klutz Craft Sets

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Watercolor Wonders by Editors Of Klutz

Watercolor Wonders
by Editors Of Klutz (Creator)
5 out of 5 stars
I am so impressed with this cool watercolor set! As you paint, hidden designs are revealed on the page. This whole book is full of pages to watercolor! There are instructions for how to wash your paintbrushes, how to create different effects with the paint, and how to blend colors.

This is such a creative book! It really gets your imagination fired up. I love the cute designs of the coloring pages. Some are peaceful beach scenes, or funny pets, or adorable otters. There are so many to color in and get your creativity flowing!

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Cookbook Review: Buen Provecho

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¡Buen Provecho! by Ericka Sanchez

¡Buen Provecho!: Traditional Mexican Flavors from My Cocina to Yours
by Ericka Sanchez
5 out of 5 stars

This cookbook has recipes for meals made in the traditional Mexican style. There are recipes for Salsas, Breakfast, Appetizers, Salads, Soups, Main Dishes, Drinks, and Desserts. And of course, there is an entire section for Holiday recipes that are deliciously Mexican.

These recipes take me back to my childhood in Mexico! Just reading the book makes my mouth water. Every recipe has a large colorful photograph that shows you the delectable result. I’m so impressed with how attractive this book is!

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Book Review: Made by Hand Guitars

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Guitars by Patricia Lakin

Guitars
by Patricia Lakin
5 out of 5 stars

This book gives an overview of the history of the guitar and how it was developed over time to include different styles in different cultures, finally including the modern guitar and electric guitar. With paintings and photographs showcased in a colorful design, this book is sure to capture the attention of anyone interested in the guitar!

I like that the design has small paragraphs of text so that it is easy to read and absorb the snippets of information. As a musician, I really appreciated all the music history, the explanations about types of guitars, the nature of sounds for each instrument, and how different styles developed.

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Picture Book Review: Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

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Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost, Vivian Mineker (Illustrations)
5 out of 5 stars

I am in awe of how beautifully this book captures the majesty and mystery of Robert Frost’s poem. The narrator stops in the woods to reminisce about his life, and he is visited by the ghostly memories of his family and friends who have departed. They all come vividly back to him. He cherishes those memories of the people he has lost. He has one of those moments of inspiration when you realize that your journey has led you to a place of beauty and heart’s ease; all these things are explored in this lovely picture book.

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Puzzle Train Reviews: Christmas and Alphabet

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Puzzle Train Alphabet by David W. Miles

Puzzle Train Alphabet
by David W. Miles (Artist)
5 out of 5 stars
This adorable puzzle goes through all the letters of the alphabet with beautiful illustrations of animals and items that begin with each letter. The puzzle creates one long train with the alligator conductor at the front driving the engine of the train.

Each letters connects to the next one by some action taken or item shared between them. “Newt naps in the nest for Owl. Owl orders oatmeal for Pig. Pig plays piano for Quail.” I love that this gives the child a clue about which letter of the alphabet should come next, and they can find the correct puzzle piece.

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Manga Classic Review: Macbeth

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Macbeth by Crystal S. Chan

Macbeth
by Crystal S. Chan (Adaptor), Julien Choy (Illustrator), William Shakespeare, Michael Barltrop (Modern English Adaptor)
4 out of 5 stars

Despite its popularity, MacBeth has never been one of my favorite Shakespearean plays. Too bloody and gory and gloomy for my taste. But if you like a dismal adventure with plenty of violence and mayhem, MacBeth has plenty of that! And this manga adaptation rings true with the moods and poetry of the original play. I like that the words of Shakespeare are modernized in a thoughtful way, and the artwork beautifully illustrates all the action and drama.

Each character has a memorable and striking appearance, and I found it especially interesting to see how MacBeth’s demeanor changed after he commits murder. His posture and facial expressions are different, and shadows gather around him in the darker shadows of the artwork. It’s a subtle but effective way of showing the development of his character, slowing falling into madness and despair.

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Book Review: Secrets of the Last Merfolk

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Secrets of the Last Merfolk by Lindsay Littleson

Secrets of the Last Merfolk
by Lindsay Littleson (Goodreads Author)
2 out of 5 stars

Finn and Sage begin to wonder if there might be merfolk living in the ocean off the Scottish coast. They have been seeing strange sights in the water, and hearing a weird song that echoes off the cliffs. Sage begins to investigate in her kayak, but when Finn does a dangerous solo swim in the freezing waves, the two discover that the merfolk are more mysterious and strange than any legend they have ever heard. The merfolk are in danger from an old enemy, and they need help from the human children to save their little underwater colony.

The plot is incredibly slow. This could have been a short story, but it drags on and on. Once something finally does happen, it’s not that amazing. Finn and Sage are completely obsolete to the plans of the merfolk. They make a big deal about “helping”, but they never do anything that the merfolk couldn’t have just done themselves with less effort. A lot of fuss over nothing.

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Picture Book Review: The Robin and the Fir Tree

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The Robin and the Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen

The Robin and the Fir Tree
by Hans Christian Andersen, Jason Jameson (Illustrations)
4 out of 5 stars

A fir tree hears from the robin about the wide world of men, and wishes that he could go on an adventure, but his roots keep in him in the forest. One day men with axes come to take the fir tree into town, and the fir tree is decorated for Christmas. After the Christmas festivities are over, the little robin looks for his friend and finally finds him cast aside for firewood. However the fir tree is content to have had his great adventure at last. The robin plants a pine cone from his friend, and a new little fir tree grows up in the forest.

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