It'll Heal What Ails You, Laddie

An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time, and I'm so glad I finally did.  One person at the store where I work said it's like James Herriot's book except with people as patients.  I think that's pretty close.  It's simply a story, and I loved that.  Dr. Barry Laverty has just graduated from medical school.  We join him on his way to Ballybucklebo (a fictional city in Northern Ireland) to answer a job notice.  He meets his possible employer, Dr. Fingal O'Reilly, literally throwing a patient out the door.  With this auspicious start, Barry questions if he should accept a position here, yet he does need a job.  We get to see Barry grow as a doctor, a partner, and a person.  It's a heart-warming ride with the beauty of Ireland as it's backdrop.  I hoped there would be a strong Catholic character.  There wasn't one in this first book though religion is not let completely out of the book. (You couldn't have anything close to a realistic book taking place in Northern Ireland without some religion.)  Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book immensely.  There are several more in this series which I highly recommend.  [Interestingly, this book is available as a Mass Market.]

Next But Not Last, Last But Not Least

I've been reading lots of sequels lately.  I don't think there much point in posting about other books in a series if I've already posted about the first book.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the series I've been reading.

I finished the Leviathan trilogy.  It gets better as it goes.  Since I listened to the first book on audio, I missed out on the books' beautiful illustrations by Keith Thompson.  Though it was good on audio, don't forget to look at the artwork in the book!!  Scott Westerfeld (the author) has many other good books.  One of his most popular series is the Uglies Series.

I read the second in the Miss Dido Kent Series.  It's called A Gentleman of Fortune, Or the Suspicions of Miss Dido Kent.  It's just as good as the first if not better.  The third book, A Woman of Consequence, Or the Investigations of Miss Dido Kent, is due out April 10, 2012.

I've also been reading more in the Sister Frevisse Series.  They have all been fabulous.

Raise Your Spirits

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester

Piper McCloud, an imaginative, curious, irrepressibly positive girl, lives in a very quiet rural town where nothing out of the ordinary happens nor is it welcome.  But, when Piper is seen flying, shocking the town's people isn't the only consequence.  The McCloud's home is swarmed by reporters, until Dr. Hellion and her swat team descend upon the McCloud home clearing the area of any reporters and voyeurs.  Dr. Hellion explains to the McClouds that she has a special school where children like Piper can go and learn in safety.  Not realizing she'll be leaving her parents, Piper agrees to go to the school.  She's always wanted to go to school (rather then being isolated at home).  The school seems wonderful, except for Conrad, who bullies the kids.  However, not everything is as it seems.  Piper will need all of the courage and love in her heart to overcome all that is against her.  And somehow, overcome she does.

This book was interesting and uplifting.  I don't know if there will be others to follow, but I would enjoy reading more about Piper and her unique friends.

This is the art on the paperback cover.  I think the art on the hardcover edition makes the book seem very serious and somber.  The cover here protrays the action that's also waiting for the reader to enjoy.

For All Those Math and Science Fans Out There.....Big and Small

A Gebra Named Al by Wendy Isdell

The Mystery of the Periodic Table by Benjamin Wiker

Surprisingly, Wendy Isdell wrote her book when she was in eighth grade!  My son and I loved this book.  It's a little bit like Alice in Wonderland except it's Julie in Mathland and the creatures are more helpful.  Julie is transported to a land of math and science (after having a frustrating time doing algebra problems).  On her quest to return home, AL the GEBRA (algebra) and his friends the Periodicals (horses with characteristics of the element they are named after) introduce Julie to the Land of Mathematics.  On the way Julie learns about isotopes, travels through the Order of Operations, and eats fruit shaped like Bohr's model of the atom.  This cute book gives accurate information about science and math concepts.  It's a very pleasurable read.

     Benjamin Wicker's book is outstanding.  He explains the chemistry behind atoms, elements, and the periodic table so well.  A middle school student could easily read this book independently and understand the concepts and ideas Wicker explains.  Yet, the information is not a dumbed-down presentation, it's powerful concepts illustrated with pictures and words in a way that is easy to understand.  Wicker also keeps the book very interesting throughout by linking the different discoveries together, talking about the personal side of some of these scientist, and asking readers questions directly to make a point and to make them think.  The periodic table is a thing of awesome beauty, and we should all know how it came about and how perfectly the elements in nature fit together.  I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  It seems any book published by Bethlehem Books is a winner (though this book is not religious).

I Had a Ball Reading Bellfield Hall

Bellfield Hall: Or, the Observations of Miss Dido Kent  by Anna Dean

Booker...
     I really liked this book!!  I could sum it up most simply by saying it is a Jane Austenesque mystery.  To sum it up with a little more detail, I would tell you this mystery is written in 3rd person with glimpses into Miss Dido's thoughts by the letters she sends to her sister.  I really liked getting a peek into her thoughts through the letters interspersed throughout the narrative.  Catherine Kent, sends for her spinster Aunt Dido to help find out why Catherine's fiance vanished from their announcement ball.  Shortly after Miss Dido arrives, a body is found on the estate's grounds.  Dido has many mysteries to unravel while at Bellfield not the least being the identity of the deceased.  This was a delightful book.  Anyone who likes mysteries (especially heady mysteries rather than blood and gore) and fans of Jane Austen will love this book!!  I can't wait to read the second in the series, A Gentleman of Fortune: Or, the Suspicions of Miss Dido Kent.

Bad Title for a Good Book?

Is God a Mathematician? by Mario Livio

Booker...
     I enjoyed this book, though it was not the book I thought it would be.  Mario Livio tackles the question whether humans discovered or invented mathematics by tracing the history of mathematics from Pythagerous (ca.597-472 BC) to near present day.  It is an incredible trip with Livio's excellent summarizations, connections, and explanations.  I found it fascinating to learn how certain concepts came about, which mathematicians agreed and disagreed, and how religiously some people took mathematics.  In the last chapter, Livio takes the evidence from the history of mathematics and adds his own opinion on the debate between discovery and invention.  He ends with the indecisive explanation that it is some of both.  Well, I guess if that's how you really feel.  I was looking for something a little more definitive after going through the book, but the history lesson was worth the wishy-washy stance at the end.

A Brilliant Book

The Creative Brain: The Science of Genius by Nancy Andreasen

I really enjoyed this book.  It's not that long and worth a second reading to really apply the book to my life and my kids' lives.  At the time of this books publishing Dr. Andreasen, a highly respected and honored doctor, worked as the director of the Mental Health Clinical Research Center at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.  In this book she explores what makes people creative.  She makes this exploration easy to understand and exciting to learn.  This is a fascinating book for anyone interested in the brain, creativity, or a parent or educator.  As a homeschooler, I found many of her discoveries and insights helpful in how I plan my children's education.  Dr. Andreasen examines several creative geniuses.  I remember that most of them had a childhood that was unstructured, allowing them to explore, experiment, play, and observe.  It seems our society is going in the opposite direction in educating our youth.  Dr. Andreasen also touches on the link between genius and mental illness, a topic I would love to read more about.

I feel this book as appeal for most readers, who will find it educational and enjoyable.  I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading her other books.