(Photos by Nancy Ellen Row Rawley)

Yes, my loves. Here is another book review, this time with kids and babies in mind.

“Rover Throws a Party,”written by Kristin L. Gray, with illustrations by Scott Magoon (Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers; scheduled for release March 31, 2020; ages 3-7; 40 pages; $17.99). This neat picture book is inspired by NASA’s Curiosity on Mars, and really, this is pretty cool, even for those of us who aren’t space geeks. The book will be released March 31, 2020, and is a good one to keep in mind, especially to gift a classroom teacher with.

The galleys look good — lots of reds, blues and purples. The illustrations and photos are great, and I always appreciate a good bibliography and a fact page, which this book includes. Lots of different fonts, plus science facts included with a sweet story about Rover’s one-year birthday party in space make for a fun read that will engage kids of all ages.

My apologies, because I wrote a draft review of this one ages ago, and forget to hit publish. Whoops. “Rumple Buttercup: A Story of Bananas, Belonging, and Being Yourself,” by Matthew Gray Gubler (who my big kids know from the show “Criminal Minds,” but of course) (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2019, all ages, $14.99).

Rumple Buttercup kinda looks like a mess, with his five crooked teeth, three strands of hair, green skin, and left foot which is slightly bigger than his right foot. But he’s the coolest guy. I think readers will really be able to identify with our hero, and his imaginary friend Candy Corn Carl.

The format of the book is cool — novel, graphic novel and picture book all in one, with simple illustrations in green, yellow and pink, on a cream background. The story is delightful.

Next up: Philippa Perry’s parenting book, “The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read” (Pamela Dorman Books Life; scheduled for release Feb. 4, 2020; 300 pages; $24). It’s getting great reviews ’round the world and all. Perry is a psychotherapist and “agony aunt” with a couple of decades’ worth of experience behind her, who lives in London.

She’s funny (she’s not kidding around, though) and I like her thinking. Give it a read.

Last but not least… board books for babies!

Two new titles in the Welcome, Baby series, from author/illustrator Dubravka Kolanovic, “Hello, Bunny” and “Love you, Baby” (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2019, ages 0-3, $7.99-$9.99 apiece). Kolanovic is a fantastic painter from Zagreb, Croatia. The books are beautiful — one shaped with scalloped edges, and one shaped with hearts. Perfect for spring or any other time. Fun rhymes and sweet critters.

Kolanovic has illustrated a ton of stuff, so go look up her work.

Bon appetit, babies.

Wacky Mommy

(“Black n Blue,” photo by Nancy Ellen Row Rawley)

Hello, cats and kittens,

I generally don’t review everything all at once, I do try to break it down by genre (or “jenner,” as my friend Milly used to say), but today? All of it. Cuz we’re reading a lot this winter.

* A cookbook arrived, just in time for these cold, foggy, dark winter days. The recipes are mwaaah!! Perfecto. Cool recipes for breakfast (Denver Omelet Casserole, or Peanut Butter Cup Steel-Cut Oats); lunch (Creamy Tomato Basil Soup, or Asian Lettuce Wraps), dinner (Mouth-Watering Brisket with Balsamic Glaze, Fake-Out Lasagna) and snacks in between (Shredded BBQ Beef Sandwiches, anyone?).

Polly Conner and Rachel Tiemeyer (from the “Thriving Home” blog) have done a lovely job with their new cookbook, “From Freezer to Cooker: Delicious Whole-Foods Meals for the Slow Cooker, Pressure Cooker, and Instant Pot” (Rodale Books; on sale Jan. 14, 2020; 256 pages; $22.99).

The authors were inspired by memories of a freezer cooking club they were part of, back in the day, with some other mamas. For many of us, this is where we get our favorite recipes. They’ve done a cool switch-up with recipes that can be cooked in the slow cooker, or the Instant Pot ™. Ingredients can easily be adjusted accordingly, if you’re feeding two of you, or a big crowd.

I’m trying out the Autumn Chowder first, because I’m a soup girl. Followed by Potluck Pumpkin Chili, Vegetarian Tortilla Soup, and White Chicken Chili.

What else are we reading over here? Lots, lots, lots.

* “Hamlet,” by that one guy. Super depressing, but don’t let that stop you.

* “Crash & Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators,” Ronan Farrow’s extraordinary book about breaking the Harvey Weinstein story. Intense, and you won’t be able to stop flipping the pages, it’s that good. (And yes, I know this is quite the eclectic review, sorry about that.)

* “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball,” by Jeff Kinney (Amulet Books, 2019, 217 pages, $14.99). This is the 14th book in the series that just continues to be a lot of fun. Love the “Dog Man” series by Dav Pilkey (“Captain Underpants”).

“The Power of Showing Up: How Parental Presence Shapes Who Our Kids Become and How Their Brains Get Wired,” by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson is being released Jan. 7, 2020. (Ballantine, 2020, 256 pages, $27.00). I’ve been reading the advanced copy I was sent of this how-to — it’s interesting. I appreciate their perspective. Parenting is hard, dude.

Now I have to go grocery shopping, clean the house again, clean the chicken coop again, and declutter. Talk later.

Bon appetit!

Much love, and happy holidays to you, wherever you are,

WM

(Photo by Nancy Ellen Row Rawley)

Just started Bobbie Ann Mason’s “An Atomic Romance” (Random House, 2005, 277 pages). This “signed by the author!” copy came from my local Little Free Library. You know those little neighborhood free book kiosks that you see all over the place now? Especially if you live in Oregon? OK, maybe only in Oregon, since I never travel out of state. Kidding! I know it’s an international thing.

I’ve never read anything by Mason, but so far so good, babies. I’ll get back to you.

Just finished “American Wife,” by Curtis Sittenfeld (Random House, 2008, 555 pages) and it’s something else. (I like writing book reviews on my own site, because I’m going to say whatever I feel like saying.) (Always.) (“Wow, this book was really neato.”) (Fresh, hot, daily, by Wacky Mommy.)

Both this and “An Atomic Romance” were good Free Library finds. The latter is a paperback copy, not shredded. “American Wife” is hardcover, in pretty decent condition, other than the cover being slightly battered. I like the notes, bookmarks and other telltale signs that you find with used books. This one is stamped on the inside: “No Longer Property of the Queens Library/ Sale of This Item Supported the Library.” The back inside cover has the Queens Library website on a sticker. The sticker on the back is from Cel-Hot Picks!, located on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, N.Y. It traveled all the way from the East Coast to the West Coast (best coast), it had a life before it got here.

So I was already enamored of this book, as you can probably tell, before I even opened it.

Sittenfeld is quite brilliant, I do say, in the way she tells this elegant, thoughtful tale of a fictional politician’s wife, a character who may or may not be based on former First Lady Laura Bush, and her story. You get to hear the most intimate details of her life, in all their sexiness, matter-of-factness, candidness, tedium and every other emotion you can think of.

She became my friend, Alice, we became one-way confidants, even though she’s not real, even though she stepped into my life and stepped out again so gracefully. The supporting cast is great, too — well-rounded, funny, harsh. Human. Brilliant fictional humans.

It’s a crazy, backwards fairytale, this book.

OK, now back to those Little Free Libraries for a moment. They’ve been a thing for awhile now, and they’re pretty cool. I’ve passed along and picked up a number of copies. But… but… but… If you don’t want that book, especially if it’s really tattered, mildewy or moldy, probably no one else wants it, either.

In most of Oregon (not the High Desert, central and Eastern sections of the state), man does it get wet. So the Little Free Libraries, which are mostly outdoor, freestanding structures, can get musty and damp. Which is hell on books. So please rotate those collections, and replace the structures when needed. One of our neighborhood LFLs had a massive infestation of yellow jackets.

So that was fun, too.

This public service announcement brought to you by moi, WM.

Bon appetit!