My Father's Suitcase

My Father’s Suitcase: A story of family secrets, abuse and betrayal – an

Reviewed by Lily Andrews

“My Father’s Suitcase” is a heartfelt memoir that chronicles author Mary Garden’s struggle with sibling abuse, an understudied and rarely spoken kind of domestic violence.  Purchase Here.

Garden’s life altered radically when her younger sister, Anna, began to physically abuse her during their childhood. Her reaction to this was one of fury and terror at what the sibling, who suffered from mental illness, might do to her next. Garden was always under the impression that her turbulent family life had a significant part in the disintegration of her connection with her sister since she had a violent father and a melancholy mother who was constantly running away from a past she could never bring herself to disclose to her spouse. Garden’s parents made her feel constantly alone by publicly supporting Anna’s actions and holding her responsible for all of her issues.

Her rivalry with her sister did not fade quickly; rather, it intensified throughout adulthood, leaving her deeply wounded and with a warped perspective on life. Garden was especially horrified to hear that her sister had embarked on a project that she believed to be an extension of her abuse. Her brother Robert and other family members were aware of the situation but opted not to notify her. This served as the last blow to her hopes of ending Anna’s pervasive hatred and rekindled her urge to exact reckoning—something she had long resisted doing.

The most prevalent type of domestic abuse today is the subject of this real, thoroughly researched story. Through it, the author exposes the behaviors and potential consequences experienced by those who attempt to conceal and repress their stress. This is the ideal book for people who have controlling or abusive siblings because it provides guidance on self-rescue and clarifies what many perceive to be typical sibling conflict. When sibling violence is ignored and persists in the lives of many individuals, society bears a heavy price.

“My Father’s Suitcase” effectively illustrates the need to close the knowledge gap that currently exists on sibling abuse. “My Father’s Suitcase” is highly recommended.

 

Bella's Fables

Bella’s Fables by Deb Evans

Reviewed by Michaela Gordoni

Bella’s Fables by author Deb Evans is a charming book about a mama golden retriever who teaches her children how to behave by telling age-old stories. Each night in their barn at the farm, Bella rounds up her playful puppies, Abby, Emma, and Freddy, and tells them a timeless story that teaches them a valuable lesson. Full of innocent curiosity, the little puppies are eager to listen and learn about each story’s characters and how they benefitted from doing the right thing, or suffered because they didn’t. Bella tells her pups classic Aesop’s fables like The Ant and The Grasshopper, Four Oxen and a Lion, and The Bat and the Weasels.  Purchase Here.

The stories sound great while being read aloud. What makes Bella’s Fables particularly engaging is the interactive nature of the storytelling. Deb Evans has done an excellent job of creating her canine characters and setting with young children in mind. Kids will be captivated by the lovable puppy character’s and resonate with them as their own parents read them these stories. Through Bella’s narratives, children are not only entertained but also encouraged to reflect on moral principles. These chapters are perfect for read-aloud sessions before bed. Evans expertly weaves in the classic Aesop fables, and has her puppy characters ask follow up questions which Bella answers. This fosters engagement and encourages critical thinking in children. Each fable teaches an important lesson, from sticking together to survive, to being wise, preparing, and why it isn’t good to be too greedy. The puppies have funny little sayings like kids do, but they still act cute and cuddly, playful, just as real puppies are.

The book occasionally has wonderful, cute illustrations that help bring the book’s characters to life. Children are sure to love looking at the pictures. While the absence of credit for the illustrations’ artist is a curious omission, the illustrations undoubtedly enhance the reading experience, captivating young imaginations. Evans goes the extra mile by including some fun activities for kids to enjoy in the last pages of the book. These include mazes and word puzzles that tie-in with the book’s theme. These additions not only reinforce learning but also provide opportunities for children to engage with the material in a playful manner.

Overall, this is an excellent book for parents to read to their kids. Bella’s Fables is a thoughtful gem for parents seeking to instill moral values in their children while fostering a love for storytelling. With its endearing characters, timeless lessons, and interactive elements, this book promises delightful bedtime reading sessions. In the effort of keeping things fun and simple, it’s a creative way to learn about Aesop’s fables. It’s a book that is both joyful and meaningful to parents and children alike.

Pebbles and the Biggest Number

Pebbles and the Biggest Number: A STEM Adventure for Kids by Joey Benun (Author), Brooke Vitale (Editor), Laura Watson (Illustrator)

Reviewed by Teri Takle

Pebbles and the Biggest Number is a children’s book about Pebbles, a butterfly, and his adventures.

Pebbles counts the flowers in the garden daily.   Life gets boring when you only get to count small numbers.    After counting his eyes, wings, legs, and all the flowers visited, Pebbles realizes that there are many more numbers and things to learn as he sets off on an adventure to discover enormous numbers.  Purchase Here.

As Pebble’s explorations begin, he discovers a different environment on every page, introducing a related vocabulary word for the new habitat along with connected facts, an animal, and always referring to some large number.

Pebbles and the Biggest Number is an excellent STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) book for young readers, ideally aged 4-8, or for students with special needs. The colorful pop-up bubbles on each page contain facts that can quickly be learned, helping developing readers become independent readers.

The various habitats and settings are colorfully and richly illustrated, and every page has text bubbles that perfectly match the pictures.   This compact 27-page gem travels from a flower garden to a desert, a tropical rainforest, a beach, an ocean, the mountains, a science lab, and space.   Each page is bright, engaging and inviting; speech bubbles are filled with text appropriate to the setting and involve large numbers.

What is most impressive is the vocabulary is not limited to young children. Words such as atoms, lifespan, tsunami, population, bacteria, and many more, as well as the concept of infinity, are all discussed.

This STEM book is perfect for young readers. Every page has a centralized theme with science and numbers surrounding the words. The vocabulary selected perfectly matches the pictures and compliments the setting.

What is truly unique about this small book is how engaging and exciting it is for readers of all ages.   I was engrossed with every page, not even realizing that I was learning as I read.

What stands out is the usage of large numbers appropriately into every-day life discussions.

The author, Joey Benun, decided to write this book after discussing big numbers with his nieces and nephews, making it his first published children’s book. The author also included his contact information, inviting the lessons learned from the book to continue with a possible letter-writing experience for him.

Laura Watson illustrates many books with her love of color using a digital platform that looks hand-painted. Their collaboration makes Pebbles and the Biggest Number a compact science gem in just 27 pages.

Feeling Special

Feeling Special by Jennifer Kurani (Author) and Valentina Jaskina (Illustrator)

Reviewed by Nancy Eaton

Turtle feels ordinary and sad. Why? When Turtle observed his friends, they all seemed to have a special ability. The squirrels can jump from branch to branch, bees could fly and make honey, rabbits could hop up and down, and fireflies could fly and light up the sky.  Purchase Here.

Turtle wondered what he could do to be special too. He could not do any of these things like his friends.  Then his special moment came. It started to rain and all of Turtle’s friends were getting wet. He hid himself inside his hard shell and stayed dry. Turtle now felt special. He no longer felt ordinary or sad.

Feeling Special is a large sized picture book. This book points out that even though everyone is different, they have something unique to make them special in their own way. The illustrations are delightful and match so well with each of Turtle’s friends. Some readers might consider this book to be a little dismal because the phrase “Turtle felt ordinary and sad” is repeated on many pages. I did not feel this way. To me the phrase was a way to build up the excitement for the moment Turtle realizes he is special too.

Feeling Special is recommended for ages 3-6.

What is a Family

What is a Family by Cassandra Hames (Author) Nila Aye (Illustrator)

Reviewed by Nancy Eaton

What is a Family points out the importance of the bond that families share even though each one looks different. The book emphasizes that friends can be considered part of your family. Many topics are covered such as support, adventure, laughter, helping each other, encouragement to lift your spirits, and bravery. What is a Family is an excellent book to read aloud to your little children.

The book cover really caught my eye! The cover is padded with board pages that make it perfect and strong even if little ones tug on them. It’s filled with animal families and a text that rhymes. The illustrations are colorful, bright and very cute. I loved the quote in the book that states “Remember love’s your lighthouse and your family is your sail”. That says it all! This book is a terrific gift for many occasions including baby showers, holidays, etc. because it stresses unconditional love and how a family is “love”.  This book is recommended for ages 1-5.  Purchase Here.

What is a Family is part of the Love You Always series. This series now consists of 11 books.

Leave No Choice

Leave No Trace by A.J. Landau (Jon Land and Jeff Ayers)

Reviewed by Russel Ilg

LEAVE NO TRACE, the latest thriller from Jon Land writing under the pseudonym A. J. Landau, is subtitled “A National Parks Thriller” for good reason. The book opens with a domestic terrorist attack on the Statue of Liberty and ramps up from there with more of America’s most iconic parks, monuments and memorials in the crosshairs.  Purchase Here.

If you think that’s all, though, you haven’t read a Jon Land book in a while. He teams here with fellow thriller maven Jeff Ayers who just happens to be an expert on all things National Parks. Adding that bite of reality to a heavy dose of knife-edged action makes this not just a surefire pick for best thriller of 2024, but also the most relevant. See, the bad guys, most notably a white nationalist general, are targeting America’s icons because they intend to burn the country down and rebuild it from scratch. Viewed from that perspective, LEAVE NO TRACE reads like a harbinger of what might truly be in store for the United States if we continue down the road we’re on.

Leading the charge to prevent that is the stalwart team of park service Investigative Services Branch agent Michael Walker and the FBI’s Gina Delgado who’s second-in-command at the FBI’s New York field office. Walker and Delgado cast aside their early jurisdictional squabbles to form a brave and able pair, as determined to stop the carnage as the villains are to murder ten million Americans in the centerpiece of their plan.

The action winds from Liberty Island, to Independence Hall, the Gateway Arch, and Zion National Park, before finally climaxing at Wind Cave National Park. Oh, and there’s also a flashback sequence on Mount Rainier where Michael lost both his wife and left foot in a violent confrontation with serial killers picking victims from park grounds. If you know your thrillers, you’ve probably already figured there’s more to that tragedy than meets the eye, ultimately forming the book’s biggest twist among many.

The fact that Michael has a prosthetic foot renders him the only current disabled hero in thriller fiction today, if memory serves. He’s the ultimate underdog, totally overmatched by the bad guys he’s taking on and yet able to prevail through a combination of guts, guile and knowledge of the rattlesnakes that call Zion National Park home. For her part, Gina serves up a comparable complement of gravitas and grit, especially in a harrowing sequence when she spirits the country’s first female president out of harm’s way and then must continue to protect her alone, since there’s no one left she can fully trust.

LEAVE NO TRACE is a rip-roaring, no-holds-barred thriller of the highest order that mines today’s political climate for a tale that should feel over the top, but instead flashes a bright red warning sign. That helps makes this series debut a stunning, truly terrifying triumph of pitch perfect storytelling, begging to be read in a single sitting. It’s the Super Bowl of thrillers where genre fans come out the biggest winners.

Every Silent Thing

Every Silent Thing by Alan Brenham

Reviewed by Douglas R. Cobb

Every Silent Thing, by author Alan Brenham, is a terrific read for all fans of the mystery genre. It was my first encounter reading anything by Brenham, but I hope it won’t be my last, for I totally enjoyed reading this novel. Now, also knowing that Every Silent Thing is the first of a trilogy of mystery novels featuring the shy and deaf twenty-three-year-old Claire Deveraux, who works as a foreign service officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, makes me want to check out the other two books is the series.  Purchase Here.

Right from the first page of Every Silent Thing, before I knew anything about the book, I felt myself drawn into the rapidly unfolding plot by the author’s style of writing. Deveraux witnesses an apparent murderer enter a women’s restroom at the Louvre, just before a woman does the same. When the man leaves a few minutes later, he locks eyes with Deveraux. Claire looks away, briefly, and the man melts into the crowd.

So, of course, what does Deveraux do, but let her curiosity get the better of her. She wonders about the woman who had entered the restroom but hadn’t yet come out of it. Upon entering the restroom, Claire sees a woman bleeding to death on the tiled floor.

For readers who dislike reading about any potential spoilers, don’t worry. I’ll try to limit them, but here are a few, so fair warning:

1.) Claire Deveraux is one of a set of triplets. Her two siblings are Megan and Boyd.
2.) Every Silent Thing contains a lot of knowledge about Europe in it and also great chase scenes.
3.) Claire’s identical appearance to her sister results in cases of mistaken identity.

The murder of the woman is tied into an international crime cartel. I enjoyed reading about how Claire Deveraux deals with the situation she finds herself in.  Another spoiler: Megan’s ex-boyfriend, Randy, gets killed after getting into a dispute over stolen diamonds. Randy’s death prompts Megan to flee to Paris.

Oh, yeah — one further spoiler: Their brother, Boyd, gets kidnapped by these nasty cartel members, who think that Megan somehow has the stolen diamonds. These are just a few examples of some of the other plot intricacies author Alan Brenham weaves into this fine novel. I highly recommend that if you love reading terrific mysteries, check out Brenham’s book, Every Silent Thing. If you haven’t read Every Silent Thing yet, add it to your reading lists today!

 

Neon Lights and Plane Tickets

Neon Lights and Plane Tickets: Sci-Fi Poetic Prose Collection by Eli Alemán

Reviewed by Lisa Brown-Gilbert

Spanning an eclectic variety of subjects, while featuring polished stanzas teeming with free verse and deeply insightful mentations, Neon Lights and Plane Tickets by artist, scientist, and author Eli Alemán artfully merges the poetic and the fantastical in this collection of creative prose narratives. For Eli Alemán this is her first published work.  Purchase Here.

At the outset of reading, there is instant connection to author Eli Alemán’s poetry. It is tantalizing to the imagination. Populated with creatively fluent passages which draw the mind into often sinister and imaginative, otherworldly scenes, that shrewdly guide readers through a cultivated series of universal wonderlands brimming with themes of horror, science-fiction as well as the dystopian.

Moreover, this journey through the heart and mind of author Eli Alemán not only exceeds the bounds of imagination with inventive science fiction within poetic verses but also uncommonly delves into the common topics like Love, Humanity, Food, and Music, with works such as, Cosmic Love Theory: Infinite Cosmic Ballet, Food Gourmet Escapades, Bloodied Veil, Acrid Skies, Visceral Cries, Melodious Rhapsody and Matchmaker Cloud just to name a few. In total there are many more as well, as the book houses a collection of over 60 poems. It offers a lot to choose from with each poem as quality as the last.

Altogether I thoroughly enjoyed Neon Lights and Plane Tickets, by Eli Alemán.   It was easy to connect with this plentiful and diverse sharing of free-flowing verses, which offered engaging, detailed imagery fueled by fantastically drawn stanzas. In fact, author Aleman’s writing is so effective that I was often left with a residue of vivid, intelligent as well as enlightening imprinting from its unforgettable passages, which did very well to hold my attention rapt. While the entire collection of poetry flowed well, was well written, and kept me entertained and attentive to the worlds built through the author’s passages, there were several that stayed with me long after I finished reading.   Some are: Sheen, Phantasmagoric Reverie, Monstrous Genesis, Touchscreen, Grimly Ever After: Forevermore Elixir, Empires of Thought, and Celestial Bodies.

 Overall, while the titles alone were enough to pique my curiosity, it was the entirely distinctive nature of the poems that left me reeling with the memorable stunning vision of worlds never before experienced. This is a poetry collection that is definitely worthy of adding to the personal library of any fan of well written, uniquely posed poetic works, as it does well to leave a lasting literary impression.

 

In Silence Cries the Heart

In Silence Cries the Heart by Catherine Hughes

Sometimes love can be so strong that it ruptures the confines of a single lifetime, extending into those beyond. This is what Caitlyn Hegarty, an American schoolteacher, learns on her trip to Scotland where she soon becomes entangled in the tragic history of a pair of 17th-century lovers. Standing before the dungeon at Undlay Castle, she relives the romantic adventures of the roguish thief and poet, Donal Donn, and his doomed passion for Mary McElroy, the spirited daughter of the laird of Undlay. Unable to shake their spell, Caitlyn is drawn into the shadows of the past as she attempts to solve the mystery enshrouding their forbidden love.  Purchase Here.

Inspired by the true story of Domhnull Donn and Mary Grant, the novel depicts the timeless power of love amidst the lawlessness, superstition, and pageantry of a lost age.

Stella and Shell

Stella and Shell by L.S. Lentz

Book reviewed by Teri Davis Takle Making new friends is always a little scary, especially when moving to a new home. For Stella, a big dog, there is so much to explore and the nearby river is almost calling to her.  She is an adult dog, but she sometimes cannot help herself by getting into the trash, like a naughty puppy.  Purchase Here. Moving to a new home is exciting.   What new adventures are waiting?  Who will these adventures be with?  Who will be her playmates?   Who will be her friends? Stella and Shell is a beautifully illustrated children’s book.  The lush, picturesque settings immediately pull the reader into the story with the simple text in perfect correlation.   It’s easy to relate to the farmhouse, the kitchen, the river, and the surrounding area. Friendship is the theme and the need to find something in common to build those friendships.   With the challenge Stella has about how to approach new friends and being persistent, many lessons can be learned. There are numerable teachable lessons in Stella and Shell.  Vocabulary lessons with the words amber, oozes, startled, and fluffy would be appropriate for young children.  With Stella sniffing, patting, and barking the senses could be mentioned along with when to best use those actions.  For everyone, discussions about how to approach new people, as well as dogs, and big dogs could be wonderful life lessons.  Even a little problem-solving could be used with asking how could Stella later make friends with Mr. Fish, Mrs. Owl, and Brother Beaver.   Who could be friends with these other creatures? Unlikely friendships are essential for everyone.  We all need to respect each other’s natural abilities, strengths, weaknesses, disabilities, and gifts.  There is a need for everyone to learn to make friends and to further develop their friendships.  Who would ever imagine a friendship between a large dog and a turtle who enjoy digging together? The ideal reader for this book would be for young children with the book being read out loud to them.  However, the audience could easily be extended to older children, especially those with any type of difficulty, disability, or those who have problems making friends. The author, L.S. Lentz, is an experienced educator who recently moved to a farmhouse in Massachusetts.  Stella is her actual dog and she really created a bizarre friendship with a turtle and the two of them enjoy digging together.  Stella and Shell is her first published children’s book. Stella and Shell is a delightfully wonderful story for young children, those who enjoy a happy story, and friendship.  We each differ but finding common sharing is the key to building lasting relationships and lifelong friendships.  
Second Place - Children's Books