Who Was Princess Diana? by Ellen Labrecque

Who Was Princess Diana? by Ellen Labrecque, 107 pages

I love these juvenile biographies.  They are so fun to read and contain many facts.  This one about Princess Diana seems so relevant in the past few months as her son Harry married and became more involved with his royal duties.  And, also to see William's third child baptized.  Diana was not a smart child but she was very compassionate.  She was a wonderful preschool teacher and seemed destined to become mother to the future King of England.  She was a devoted mother, even though her marriage failed.  She went on to continue to help charitable causes up until her death in 1997.

The Journals of Rachel Scott Adapted by Beth Nimmo and Debra K. Klingsporn

The Journals of Rachel Scott Adapted by Beth Nimmo and Debra Klingsporn, 147 pages

This was a very powerful diary of faith written before the Columbine shooting in Colorado.  Rachel Joy Scott was the first one killed that fateful day on April 20, 1999.  Rachel was known for her strong faith in God and her kindness.  This book is Rachel's spiritual journey and her private thoughts.  She gave her life to Jesus and said yes to God when she was twelve years old.  Beth Nimmo, Rachel's mother, found the author Debra Klingsporn who was capable of interpreting Rachel's thoughts and feelings into this book.  This book also contained journal pages for the reader.  This was a very powerful book to read.

Emma, Jane Austen, Art by Po Tse, Adapted by Crystal S. Chan

Emma, Jane Austen, Art by Po Tse, Adapted by Crystal S. Chan, 295 pages

In this teen graphic novel of Jane Austen's Emma, the characters of this classic novel are brought to life.  Emma's tale is one of a young girl who plays matchmaker for her friends and finds love herself in 1800's London.
Althouogh, someday, I hope to read the novel Emma, the graphic novel was a entertaining and fun read.

Jack B. Ninja by Tim McCanna

Jack B. Ninja
by Tim McCanna
 32 Pages

This was a fun take on the Jack B. Nimble nursery rhyme.  Lots of ninja illustrations and a lively rhyming prose.

Natsumi!

Natsumi!
by Susan Lendroth
32 pages

Natsumi! is a spunky girl with lots of personality.  She has a hard time fitting in though and seems to always find herself getting scolded.  Her grandfather finds the perfect solution and she wins the accolades she deserves.  This was a fun little book and I loved the illustrations.

Who Was Leif Erikson? by Nico Medina

Who Was Leif Erikson? by Nico Medina - 108 pages

Leif Erikson was born to be an explorer. His father, Erik the Red, had established the first European settlement in present-day Greenland, and although he didn't yet know it, Leif was destined to embark on an adventure of his own. The wise and striking Viking landed in the area known as Vinland almost five centuries before Christopher Columbus even set sail! "Leif the Lucky" and the other fierce, sea-fearing pirates were accomplished navigators who raided foreign lands for resources.....

Actually enjoyed this very much.  Just strange to me that no one knew when he really died.

Who Was Charlie Chaplin? by Patricia Brennan Demuth

Who Was Charlie Chaplin? by Patricia Brennan Demuth, 106 pages

Charlie Chaplin is famous for being one of the country's first film stars of the 20th century.  Of course, when he began filmmaking, there was no sound in movies.  Charlie Chaplin was the star of the silent movie era.  His most famous character was the Tramp.  I barely remember watching any of his movies and even wonder if today's generation even knows about silent pictures.  This is a great book for both adults and children.

Who Was Galileo? by Patricia Brennan Demuth

Who Was Galileo? by Patricia Brennan Demuth - 105 pages

Like Michelangelo, Galileo is another Renaissance great known just by his first name--a name that is synonymous with scientific achievement. Born in Pisa, Italy, in the sixteenth century, Galileo contributed to the era's great rebirth of knowledge. He invented a telescope to observe the heavens. From there, not even the sky was the limit! He turned long-held notions about the universe topsy turvy with his support of a sun-centric solar system. Patricia Brennan Demuth offers a sympathetic portrait of a brilliant man who lived in a time when speaking scientific truth to those in power was still a dangerous proposition.

Believe it or not, to summarize all the facts about Galileo helped me remember some forgotten ones.

Who Was Marie Curie? by Megan Stine

Who Was Marie Curie? by Megan Stine, 106 pages

I did not know much about Madame Curie before I read this book, but this book covered every detail of her life.  From when she was growing up at home in Poland to when she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, Marie was always the smartest in her class.  Not only was she smart in science, but also in math.  She was a brilliant scientist who married Pierre Curie, a fellow scientist.  They both worked together and worked very hard to discover radium.  Marie Curie went on to win two Nobel Prizes.  But unfortunately, the radium had made her very sick and she died at the age of 66.

Who Was Jane Austen? by Sarah Fabiny

Who Was Jane Austen? by Sarah Fabiny, 107 pages

The Who Was series of books are biographies written for children.  But, actually they are just as informative for adults as they are for children.  I have never read any of Jane Austen's novels but this book about her life makes me want to put them high on my reading list.  It was hard for a young woman in the late 1700s to get an education let alone any kind of career.  Someone bought the rights to her first novel but never published it.  Her first novel was not published until after her death.  Jane did go on to get her books published and Emma became one of her most famous novels.

Phoebe's Gift by Jerry S. Eicher

Phoebe's Gift by Jerry S. Eicher - 521 pages

Amish woman Phoebe Lapp learns of an unusual request from her recently deceased grandma that will change her life forever if she chooses to accept it.

I enjoyed this story of an Amish Farm with horses to help emotionally abused English children.

Who is Hilary Clinton? by Heather Alexander

Who is Hilary Clinton? by Heather Alexander - 106 pages

At age fourteen, Hillary Clinton thought it would be thrilling to become an astronaut, so she sent an application to NASA. The reply was a flat out rejection: the space program didn't take women. It was a critical moment for the young girl, one that made her realize the world she lived in needed changing and that she had better try to make those changes happen. Clinton's life has been a thrilling series of firsts—First Lady of the US, then first First Lady to become a US Senator, Secretary of State, and possibly the first woman to run as the Democratic candidate for President. 

I loved the way this juvenile book summed up her life so perfectly.

Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy by Bonnie Bader

Who Was Jacqueline Kennedy by Bonnie Bader - 108 pages

Private and bookish, Jackie Kennedy found herself thrust into the world spotlight as the young and glamorous wife of the President John F. Kennedy.  As First Lady she restored the once neglected rooms of the White House to their former glory, and through her charm and elegance became a style icon whose influence is still felt even today. 

Nice, easy reading.

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimanda Ngozi Adichie

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chiamana Ngozi Adichie, 63 pages

This was a very insightful book.  Written by the author to her friends newborn daughter, it is a guide on how to raise a feminist.  The book touches on self reliance.  She also suggests girls not only play with girl toys but also with boy toys such as helicopters and cars.  She encourages girls to ask questions.  The book's message is how to raise strong, independent daughters which in today's society is very relevant.

Mary's Home by Jerry S. Eicher

Mary's Home by Jerry S. Eicher

Mary Yoder's life couldn't get much better. She's engaged to be married, spring is in the air, and love is in her heart as she looks forward to the fall wedding she's always dreamed of.

Six months later on a crisp November morning, Mary awakens in a lovely little valley near the Adirondack Mountains on what was to be her wedding day, heartbroken and alone.

Her sister, Betsy, tries to protect Mary from the romantic overtures of Stephen Overholt, a longtime Amish bachelor. Betsy is considering jumping the fence for the Englisha world and encourages Mary to follow.

A little slow but I found it relaxing.

James Dean Died Here: The Locations of America's Pop Culture Landmarks by Chris Epting

James Dean Died Here: The Location of America's Pop Culture Landmarks by Chris Epting, 312 pages

The title of this book in the travel section caught my eye.  Published in 2003, it includes almost every location of every shocking event up until this point in time.  Not only does it include famous celebrities deaths, it also includes many celebrities indiscretions such as overdoses and car accidents.  The book also includes disasters, such as the Kansas City hotel walkway collapsing.  This was an utterly eerie book to read.

Nancy Drew: The Demon of River Heights (Graphic Novel, Girl Detective #1) by Stefan Petrucha and Sho Murase

Nancy Drew: The Demon of River Heights (Graphic Novel, Girl Detective #1) by Stefan Petrucha and Sho Murase, 96 pages

This is the first Nancy Drew graphic novel I have read.  I have read Nancy Drew books in the past and I have enjoyed them.  Carolyn Keene wrote the original girl detective series which was later made into a television show.  I personally did not care for this graphic novel and feel Nancy Drew should just be left to the imagination in the written pages.  In this colorful graphic novel, Nancy, Bess and Drew have to find the monster scaring their town.  All this, with a surprise ending.

Milton Hershey's Sweet Idea: A Chocolate Kingdom by Sharon Katz Cooper

Milton Hershey's Sweet Idea: A Chocolate Kingdom by Sharon Katz Cooper, 32 pages

This was a beautifully illustrated book about the history of the Hershey candy bar and how Milton Hershey created the delicious milk chocolate treat in 1905.  He sold the delicious treat for a nickel.  Not only is this a good book for children to read, it is also very interesting for adults as well.

Alex Rider: Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider: Never Say Die by Anthony Horowitz - 353 pages

It's been a month since Alex Rider was broken by the death of his caretaker Jack.  Then he receives an email that indicates she's still alive.  Now Alex is traveling to Egypt, France and England following the clues.  While trying to find her, he stumbles upon a plot against England and he's drawn into saving the world yet again.

This is the 11th book in the teen spy Alex Rider book series and a great entry in the series.  A definite must read for those who have enjoyed the earlier books.

Pandora's Boy by Lindsey Davis

Pandora's Boy: A Flavia Albia Novel by Lindsey Davis --- 307 pages including maps, List of Characters, and Author's Afternote

Book Six in the series of historical mysteries featuring Flavia Albia, who has taken over her father’s business as an informer (private detective) in First Century CE Rome.  Albia reluctantly agrees to look into the sudden demise of a privileged young girl after a night out with the brat pack of  her so-called friends.

Clodia's death has devastated her family. Her parents are divorcing, her grandmothers are making accusations against each other. Yet her friends  are indifferent, even callous. Meanwhile, there are rumors among the family's acquaintances and neighbors that the willful Clodia, pining for a young man who did not return her regard, had obtained a love potion from a local herbalist and witch, and that drinking this potion had caused her death. 

But Albia reasons that a love potion --- if there is one --- would have been intended for the young man, not for Clodia's own consumption. She becomes even more dubious when she learns that the object of Clodia's desire was in fact the much indulged grandson of the witch, Pandora --- and the heir to the boss of one of Rome's most powerful criminal gangs. Her investigation reveals the Rome of CE 89 to be a city sinking in a toxic stew of public corruption, private vice and gang violence, the poor desperate to survive, the privileged reeking with entitlement. 

The clear-eyed and skeptical Albia is equal to the task of sifting the sorry truth from this mass of human dross --- though sadly, not without other deaths along the say.

Another entertaining adventure embedded in a well-researched and accurate portrait of First Century Rome in the reign of Domitian. I have been a fan of Davis since my first encounter with Albia's father Falco in The Silver Pigs (1989).

Click HERE to read the review from Publishers Weekly.

Click HERE to read  the review from Kirkus Reviews.

Click HERE to read the review from the Bookbag (UK).

Click HERE to read the review from the Crime Reader (UK).