Children, Stubborn Kids, and Baby Boys and girls who refuse to give up their diapers. The Funniest Dinosaurs Book for Children 3-5 years-old. by Melissa Winn

Dino, The Potty Star: Potty Training Older Children, Stubborn Kids, and Baby Boys and girls who refuse to give up their diapers. The Funniest Dinosaurs Book for Children 3-5 years-old. by Melissa Winn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would have given this a higher rating, but the font of the title makes it look like “Dotty Star.” It took me a minute to figure out what the book was about.

I think this is a great book for those stubborn potty trainers. It explains a little more than other books geared toward younger kids.

Good luck to those parents who have kids who need this book!

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The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles

The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book, but it’s always hard to read about World War 2.

I had no idea that there was an American library in Paris until this book. It has recently hit its 100th anniversary. It’s amazing that these strong librarians did so much to protect the library and to provide books to its subscribers.

It’s definitely worth reading, but I don’t foresee myself reading it more than once.

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A Children’s Book About Whining by Joy Berry

A Children’s Book About Whining by Joy Berry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember reading the books in this series to my children when they were young. There were some books with great advice for the children and parents on how to handle difficult behavior.

I think I kept this one because I knew whining sometimes lasts into adulthood. The techniques in the book are great!

I would recommend this to anyone with a child who whines. Read aloud to the child. It will help you both.

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Sun of a Beach by Mia Sosa

Sun of a Beach by Mia Sosa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a freebie that I picked up from Audible. I knew it was a romance, so I knew how it was going to end. The story was interesting, and I was enjoying it a lot, until the very descriptive sex scene happened. This is only an audiobook, so I would expect the writer, publisher, editor, etc., would realize that many people are listening in their cars. I do not need an explicit sex scene on my commute.

The rest of the story was great, though. If you’re listening other than in your car, sure, go for it. Otherwise, I would suggest you think twice.

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Thinner Thighs In Thirty Years by Consuelo Saah Baehr

Thinner Thighs In Thirty Years by Consuelo Saah Baehr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This monologue was a nice break from other more serious things I have been reading. I picked it up for free and it was short, so I went for it.

I was expecting it to be funnier than it was, but I am glad that the author got her words out and she went from being left to being stronger and not relying on her ex.

It was a nice little breather, but I am not sure who I would recommend it to.

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Broken by Jenny Lawson

Broken by Jenny Lawson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have loved the author’s previous books, so when I heard that this one was coming out, I preordered it IMMEDIATELY. Ms. Lawson writes about human flaws in such a humorous, open way that the reader can’t help but be sucked into the story.

I learn a lot from her books, too. I had no idea that watermelon was a laxative for cats until she described her leopard spotted carpet. I had to look up a cockchafer, also.

I live the chapter on fighting with the insurance company every week. Sometimes, it’s several times a week. I comforted me to know that others have the same fights with the same people, and it’s not just me. Now, if we could all band together and allow doctors to decide what is best for patients, and not allow the insurance companies to dictate treatments, so many more people would be happier and healthier.

I highly recommend this book. I laughed through the majority of it, but she discusses many serious subjects, also.

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Mother’s Little Secret: Children’s Picture Book About the Unconditional and Boundless Love of a Mother for a Child by Melissa Winn

Mother’s Little Secret: Children’s Picture Book About the Unconditional and Boundless Love of a Mother for a Child by Melissa Winn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful poem that would work well as a bedtime book. The words are soft and flowing and they express the love a mother has for a child. The illustrations go very well with the words. I enjoyed this book immensely.

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Just How White is the Book Industry?

The New York Times ran the above linked article in December 2020. It discusses research done on books published by the larger publishing companies between 1950 and 2018. Only 5% of the books published during that period were by non-white authors.

When I started writing this blog, I started thinking about female vs male authors, and I usually tag the books written by women. I had been starting to think about the books that are considered classics and how many of them were written by men. I wasn’t purposely reading female authors, I was just tagging them for my own knowledge. I did find that I read more books written by women than I thought.

After reading this article, I think I may start tagging my books as “author of color,” just for my own knowledge. I don’t know how many books I read by authors who were not white, but I know that I read a few by Nigerian authors. This article will get me thinking. I hope it does the same for others.

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell

The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I had this book recommended to me many times, so I finally picked it up, without knowing what it was about. I got sucked into the plot immediately. It had me guessing for the majority of the book. I had no idea where it was going or how it was going to end. I loved it!

This was an easy read and I recommend it highly.

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The Future is Female

The future is female

The above linked article tells about the gender gap in sci fi writers. As time goes by, there are more and more women writing sci fi. The article tells about writers in the past, and how the writing has changed over the years. Way to go, ladies!