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Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Katherine Johnson is a new biography for young readers in the Little People, Big Dreams series. These are all delightful and exuberant little books which cover the lives of famous cultural, science, arts, and innovative icons while maintaining an age-appropriate level of detail. Due out 7th Jan 2025 from Quarto on their Frances Lincoln imprint, it's 32 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.

Succeeding throughout her life despite formidable hurdles in place because of the time period (mid 20th century) and area in which she was born (WV), as well as being a female person of color, Katherine Johnson was a wonderfully brilliant applied mathematician who refused to be cowed and whose expertise played a significant part in the early manned space program's success.

Written by Isabel Sánchez Vegara it's written in clear accessible language. The gentle and sweetly whimsical illustrations are well done. The art by Jemma Skidmore is appealing and colorful and supports the text very well. The art is rich in small subtle details which bear a closer look (like the school scenes, her studies, her university days, and her work at NASA and even her acceptance of the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama).

Well written and appealing, all of these little books are worthwhile and enchanting. This one is a worthy addition. The author/publisher have also included a short timeline with photos in the back of the book as well as suggestions for further reading.

Five stars. This would make a superlative reading circle book, classroom library book, or gift. Mrs. Johnson was an intelligent and beloved figure and has become an icon for a more hopeful and cooperative future, an inspiration for girls choosing STEM educations, and this little book is a nice introduction to her life and work for the youngest generation.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Fog & Fireflies is the first book in a YA fantasy series by indie debut author T.H. Lehnen. Released 11th April 2024, it's 380 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. 

The adventure story is well conceived and MC Ogma is an appealing protagonist trying to make the best of an impossible situation. Much of the characterization is spotty, however, and the world building which has huge potential is, at least in this first book, choppy and often disorganized. It's an indie debut novel and despite a lack of polish, shows a lot of promise. 

There are some moderately graphic scenes of body horror (a gut stab early in the book with graphic descriptions), fighting, psychological horror, etc. It's the first book in an ongoing series (no current publication info available for book 2), so the author will presumably expand and explain some of the dangling unresolved plot threads from book 1; it could just be a while.

Three and a half stars. It would've benefited from a thorough/ruthless editing and polishing process, but it's entirely readable and enjoyable as it is. Recommended for dark YA fantasy adventure fans.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Don't like the female MC.

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Feasts of Good Fortune is a well written and beautifully curated cookbook with recipes by mother/daughter team Hsiao-Ching Chou and Meilee Chou Riddle. Due out 3rd Dec 2024 from Sasquatch Books, it's 256 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats. 

There are festival and traditional Chinese American foods to prepare (and share) at home which are achievable by regular cooks. The recipes are well written and accessible and the book is gorgeous and colorful graphically with lots of photographs and illustrations in color.

The recipes are arranged thematically in chapters by seasonal celebrations and by culture, with the Chinese holidays: Lunar New Year, Lantern Festival, Qingming Festival, Dragon Boat, Mid Autumn, and Winter Solstice, followed by the American/fusion ones: Birthdays & party bites (noodles or cake?), stir fries, and hot pots. 

The recipes are well selected and varied. Recipe ingredients are given in a bullet list sidebar. Each recipe includes some background info, yields, and step-by-step directions. Ingredient measures are given in imperial (American) units only. Nutritional info is not included for the recipes. Most of the ingredients will be available at any well stocked grocery store in North America; some will require a trip to a local Asian/international food store. 

The recipes are also tagged with a difficulty rating, allowing readers to have an idea how long prep and cooking will take. The authors have done a standout job providing background and cultural info about the festivals and celebrations which are covered in the book, including personal family stories which add depth and warmth to the read. 

Five stars. This would make a great choice for public or school library acquisition, for cookbook collectors, and for gift giving. Stellar job on writing and curating. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.