Changing My Mind – 4/5 Stars So this post is a compendium of reviews based initially on my reading of this, Zadie Smith’s early collection of essays. These essays are not part of an intentional collection and represent a set number of years of nonfiction writing projects for Smith. The best of them are the reviews, including and sometimes especially her movie reviews, longform journalism (which is the least interesting, if not impactful writing in the book), writing about writing, and writing about her father. […]
A pretty depressing bingo
Bingo Square: Award Winner In August of 1944, Saint-Malo in France is under siege. 16 year old Marie-Laure, blind since the age of six, is trying to survive the bombing and hide from someone who is searching for her. 18 year old Werner, a German solider, is trapped in the rubble of a hotel. From this starting point we go back several years, to Marie-Laure first losing her sight, and Werner’s childhood in an orphanage with his younger sister. Marie-Laure lives with her father, a […]
What we imagine is not always true but usually the reality is better
Zola’s Elephant is one of those books that should have its own rating system. Maybe it is an apple. I like apples, but I prefer grapes. The story is three and a half apples while the illustrations are four apples. I like Zola’s Elephant, but I think I prefer other treats more. The story has the usual feel of being classic, modern, European and American all at once. It has no real time frame of when it is set but has a very “today” feel […]
Vampirina and her monster family celebrate a snow day!
Our favorite little ballerina, sleepover-having, beach going vampire, Vampirina, is back with her family and they are having a grand adventure in the snow! Conveniently this book just happens to be named, (Imagine that!) Contessa Anne Marie Pace has brought to life our little vampire friend with a very special snow day. Her family and friends (even a reluctant big sister) go out to sled, toss snowballs, ice skate and even, possibly make a new friend! And perhaps the best part to this quirky story […]