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14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez (in collaboration with Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah)

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Author Carmen Agra Deedy was born in Havana and immigrated to Georgia with her family during the aftermath of the Cuban Revolution. She has been writing and traveling around the world telling stories for almost twenty years. Her books have received numerous awards and honors. She lives in Georgia. www.carmendeedy.com and www.beautifulmartina.com.

About the illustrator:

Illustrator Thomas Gonzalez, also born in Havana, moved as a child to the United States, where he became friends with Carmen Deedy. An artist and painter, he directed advertising campaigns for such clients as Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, NASCAR, the NFL, and McDonald’s. Gonzalez lives in Georgia.

About Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah:

Collaborator Wilson Kimel Naiyomah, a native of Kenya, received an MS in molecular biology from Stanford University in 2008. He was awarded a Rotary International World Peace Fellowship and began studies in peace and conflict resolution in Australia in spring 2010.

About the book:

In June of 2002, a very unusual ceremony begins in a far-flung village in western Kenya.
An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. The gift is as unsought and unexpected as it is extraordinary.

A mere nine months have passed since the September 11 attacks, and hearts are raw. Tears flow freely from American and Maasai as these legendary warriors offer their gift to a grieving people half a world away.

Word of the gift will travel news wires around the globe. Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope and friendship.

My take on the book:

My wife and I lived 40 miles away from the World Trade Center. Like many others, we have both been profoundly affected by this atrocity. While our daughter is too young to be told the story of September 11th, some day she will and the first book I’m going to show her about it will be 14 Cows For America.

This is a beautiful book on so many levels. Not only is it a beautifully illustrated and touching story, but there’s so many wonderful lessons for young readers. It powerfully puts forth the message that all of humanity is one and when one of us suffers through such an atrocity, we all truly suffer as one. We are all brothers and sisters and to see our brothers and sisters of the Massai in Kenya grieve together with all of us is very powerful.

On another level, I appreciate how this book dispels myths many may have about people in Africa. I loved reading Wilson Kimeli Naimoyah’s afterword where he discusses getting a scholarship to come to the U.S. and study medicine. Naimoyah is proof positive that everyone has the potential to be who they want to be. Wilson’s visit back home and the book’s description of the Massai people also shows that just because a culture lives much simpler than us, doesn’t mean they are any less capable of being an intelligent and wonderful people.

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Bailey by Harry Bliss

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

HARRY BLISS is a cartoonist and cover artist for The New Yorker magazine. His first book, A FINE, FINE SCHOOL by Newbery-award winning author, Sharon Creech, was a New York Times bestseller. He went on to illustrate many other books, including WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER BE, by William Steig; COUNTDOWN TO KINDERGARTEN by Alison McGhee, and DIARY OF A WORM by Doreen Cronin, a #1 New York Times bestseller as well as ADVENTURES OF A CHICKEN by Kate DiCamillo. Harry lives in South Burlington, Vermont.

About the book:

Meet Bailey, a dog who surprises and charms his fellow human classmates with his irrepressible antics.

Follow Bailey the dog as he gets ready and goes to school. Should he wear the red or blue collar? Both are so fashionable! Will he be late? That squirrel is a distraction! And what about Bailey’s homework? Would you believe he ate it? That is what dogs do, after all.

In this funny new book from the best selling children’s illustrator Harry Bliss, school proves to be an unexpected place for Bailey to do all sorts of things he loves: reading, fetching, painting, digging, singing – and making friends!

Watch the trailer:

My take on the book:

Bailey is a very cute back to school book, especially for preschoolers and kindergarteners! As we follow Bailey through his school routine and school day, we get to see that he is quite a character. Young readers will get a kick out of seeing Bailey worrying about the teacher asking for his homework, digging through the garbage in the cafeteria and singing and dancing in music class.

The word bubbles really make this book quite a fun read for adults to read aloud. I loved the principal’s greeting to Bailey: “Good morning Bailey! Try not to lick anyone today.” Besides being entertaining, this book actually has some nice lessons about accepting and appreciating differences in others as well as friendship. The illustrations are excellent as well, all in all making this a nice read and appropriate for little ones going back to school.

Giveaway:

Here’s a special “Go Back To School with BAILEY!”

One (1) winner will receive
· A Bailey Lunchbox and copy of the new book Bailey by Harry Bliss
Two (2) additional winners will receive
· A copy of the new book Bailey by Harry Bliss

To enter the giveaway, please leave a comment a

There’s A Lion In My Bathroom by Giles Paley-Phillips

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Giles was born in East Sussex in 1977 and grew up on the south coast. He neglected his education to pursue a career in music. He spent a number of years performing extensively around the UK, including slots at the Glastonbury festival. In 2006 Giles released a collection of lyrics and poems in aid of Leukaemia Research, a charity dear to his heart, having lost his mother to the disease when he was six. After the birth of his first son, and a chance encounter with a collection of nonsense poetry by Shel Silverstein in a charity shop, he was inspired to turn his attention to children’s writing. Giles lives in Seaford with his wife, Michelle, and their two sons, Elijah and Sonny.

About the book:

A collection of nonsense poems that will have you smiling for days. With poems everyone will enjoy whatever their age, there really is something for everyone. Discover what happens to Robin Hood when he enters an archery competition with his best friend Friar Tuck. Read about Chuck the Shark who gets bullied until the bullies find themselves in a nasty predicament, will Chuck save the day? With beautiful illustrations from Matt Dawson this really is a gem.

My take on the book:

A few months back I reviewed Paley-Phillips newest book: The Fearsome Beastie and wrote that I would review his first book, a book of poetry called There’s A Lion In My Bathroom.

It’s not easy to find good poetry books for kids. When you do find one, it really sticks in your mind, because they just aren’t that common. There’s A Lion In My Bathroom is a fun book of silly and nonsensical poems which will have kids roaring with laughs.

One of the things I liked about these poems was the short length. I think that makes the poems perfect for young readers and because these are funny and silly, kids might just try to make up some silly poems of their own. Matt Dawson’s illustrations were an excellent companion to the poems as well, but I just wish there were more of them!

Need another reason to get yourself a copy? 25% of the profits from every sale will be donated to Leukemia and Lymphoma Research. Check it out. You won’t be disappointed!

I Am Different! Can You Find Me? by Manjla Padmanabhan

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Manjula Padmanabhan is an artist, illustrator, cartoonist, playwright and novelist. She has illustrated 21 children’s books, and has had a longrunning cartoon strip, Suki, in the Sunday Observer and later the Pioneers. Her play, Harvest, was selected from 1470 entries in 76 countries for the Onassis Prize in 1997.

About the book:

On every page of this inviting book, young readers will discover one item that’s unlike all the rest—a different color, a different shape, reversed from left to right, or just asleep when others are awake! Paired with each picture puzzle is the question “Can you find me?” in one of 16 languages. Children will have fun trying out Hebrew, Arabic, French, Swahili, and American Sign Language. And they may find that “different” is just as nice as “same.”

My take on the book:

This wonderful picture book is clever, entertaining and full of teachable moments about the unique differences in all of us. Each page has a bright and colorful puzzle which challenges each reader to find the one thing in it which is different. Complementing each picture is the question, ” Can you find me?” in one of 16 languages. Young readers will enjoy learning how to say the phrase in other languages as well as learning about the origin of some familiar English words (giraffe, ukelele, candy and more).

This book is truly a treasure for teachers and librarians looking for engaging books to share with young readers. The book features an answer key to the puzzles as well as some discussion about the diversity of languages. Just a side note, but many of the puzzles may be quite challenging for younger children. Fortunately, there’s really not a wrong answer for each puzzle as many of the pictures feature differences depending on the viewpoint and perspective of each individual reader.

For more about this book, visit this link to read Manjla Padmanabhan’s blog on the Global Fund For Children’s ‘On The Road’ blog.

Valentine the Porcupine Dances Funny by Derrick Brown

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Derrick Brown – former paratrooper for the 82nd Airborne, gondolier, magician, and fired weatherman – has performed at over 1350 venues and universities internationally, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, La Sorbonne in Paris and CBGB’s in NYC. As president/captain of Write Bloody Publishing, he is dedicated to bringing American poetry into rock and roll status. He has performed with The Cold War Kids, the White Stripes and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. His work has been featured in books with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco and Billy Collins.

About the book:

Her clothes don’t fit, she dances crazy, and this porcupine could sure use a hug. Will she ever find someone to dance with? A great tale about how to make friends.

My take on the book:

For me, picture books aren’t just about cute pictures and funny little rhymes. I want the books I read with my daughter to not only be fun, but to also have a nice positive message. I was pleasantly surprised to find a host of excellent messages for young children in my reading of Valentine the Porcupine Dances Funny.

While this book is filled with amazing illustrations (see below) and excellent rhymes by Derrick Brown, it’s the beauty of the book’s many positive messages which make this a real winner. If you’re looking for a book to share with kids featuring messages celebrating the importance of tolerance, friendship and acceptance of those who might be different, you can not go wrong with this one.

Be sure to check out the wonderful video below of illustrator Jenny Lewis’ unique creation of the book’s artwork. This is an added bonus for sure and will delight children who wonder at how picture books can be created.

Bonus Video: Watch how illustrator Jenny Lewis creates the artwork for Valentine the Porcupine Dances Funny

E is for Environment by Ian James Corlett

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Ian James Corlett is the author of E IS FOR ETHICS and E IS FOR ENVIRONMENT. He is well known in the world of children’s television and has created, written for, and/or developed many popular children’s series, such as The Adventures of Paddington Bear, Rolie Polie Olie, Will & Dewitt, and his namesake series, Being Ian. Ian is also a renowned voice actor. He is the voice for literally hundreds of animated characters as diverse as Baby Taz of the Baby Looney Tunes and Dad in Johnny Test. The father of two and husband of one for more than twenty-five years, he currently resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Palm Springs, California.

About the book:

These days, there’s a lot of talk about being green, buying organic, and protecting our planet. But making eco-friendly choices can be hard for busy families, and helping kids think about their earth’s future is no easy task. Luckily, Ian James Corlett—an award-winning children’s TV writer and author of E IS FOR ETHICS—is back with a guide that makes saving the environment a fun family adventure. Best of all, Elliott and Lucy—who made values and morals so accessible in E IS FOR ETHICS—are here to help.

Like your own kids, Elliott and Lucy wanted to be good to the environment, but sometimes, they could get a bit careless.

They kept the water running when they brushed their teeth.

They didn’t turn off the lights when they left a room.

They loved using lots of paper when they did arts and crafts.

In these stories, Elliott and Lucy learn that being good to the environment isn’t a big chore—it’s actually pretty cool! (And they get to teach Mom and Dad a thing or two along the way). With this engaging, read-together book, families will see that the small things they do every day can make a big impact. Teaching your children about the planet has never been so easy or entertaining—and before you know it, they’ll be reminding YOU to recycle!

My take on the book:

I reviewed Corlett’s last book, E is for Ethics here back in October of 2010. I really enjoyed that book and definitely was looking forward to E is for Environment.

I wasn’t disappointed at all. It’s an excellent book and like Ethics, the 26 stories are short, entertaining and to the point. The questions asked in the middle of the story are really helpful to keep the reader and listeners, if reading aloud, engaged. Additional discussion questions are at the conclusion of each story and can be useful in planting the seed for further conversation with your children.

Probably the best feature of all the stories though is that the stories are written from a kids point-of-view. This makes the messages in each story infinitely more relevant and interesting. It’s great to see the children in the stories develop into true problem solvers for the environmental issues they discover. They make terrific investigators (a trait which comes very naturally to children anyway) and love the initiative they take to research answers to these problems.

One of my favorite stories was “Energy Vampire Hunter,” a very cute and entertaining story which teaches a fact many people are probably not aware of (You’ll have to read it to find out!). Ano

The Alphabet Kids book series

Review by Chris Singer

About the series creators:

Allegra Joyce Kassin is the creator of the Alphabet Kids concept. She is a devoted mother of five and grandmother of seven. With a strong belief in family values and deeply committed to multicultural understanding, she brings unique vision, clarity, continuity and extraordinary leadership to the Alphabet Kids team. She is involved in every aspect of development of the Alphabet Kids characters and their stories. She has brought them to life to share with the children of the world! Allegra Joyce has been engaged in wide ranging philanthropic activities from childhood well-being and health to community development and educational enrichment for over thirty years.

Patrice Samara is co-author of the Alphabet Kids books and Executive in Charge of Development. An Emmy Award-winning producer and United Nations NGO Representative, she has with over twenty years expertise in communications and entertainment. She has won over fifty awards for creativity and excellence including two Parent’s Choice Awards and the 2010 Global Citizenship Award for Helping Humanity from Orphans International. Patrice combined her dedication to educational equality, literacy, and multiculturalism utilizing her global resources to make the Alphabet Kids a virtual celebration of diversity.

About the books:

The Alphabet Kids books follow the adventures of Allegra, Elena, Isaac, Oni, Umar and Yang, a group of children having fun while learning about their diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. The stories are intended to help children learn to love who they are and realize that people who are different can be very good friends, as well as a number of other valuable life lessons.

Allegra likes learning to draw at the Alphabet Afterschool Center. When Allegra sees that the children are using a lot of drawing paper, she tells her friends what her mother told her about saving trees. Find out what she said in Allegra’s Apple Tree.

Allegra’s Nationality: Italian-American

Elena was excited that it was her birthday. But when none of her friends at the Alphabet Afterschool Center wished her Happy Birthday, she became very upset. The Alphabet Kids did not want her to know that they had been making secret plans all along. Find out what happens next in Elena’s Birthday Surprise.

Elena’s Nationality: Hispanic-American

Honestly, Red Riding Hood Was Rotten (The Story of Little Red Riding Hood as Told By The Wolf) by Trisha Speed Shaskan 

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Trisha Speed Shaskan is the author of over 30 books for children and has taught creative writing to children and adults for fifteen years. She is the recipient of a 2009 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Writers and is currently at work on a new novel for young adolescents entitled Sass.

About the book:

OF COURSE you think I did a horrible thing by eating Little Red Riding Hood and her granny. You don’t know the other side of the story. Well, let me tell you…

My take on the book:

Along the lines of a fractured fairy tale, Shasken brings readers a retelling of the Little Red Riding Hood story, but this time the Wolf gets to finally give his point-of-view.

Young readers familiar with the story of Little Red Riding Hood will have a great time reading the Wolf’s version of the story. In this version, the Wolf is really a vegetarian who prefers eating apples to another else. Unfortunately it’s not apple season and Wolf has gone without food for weeks. When he happens upon Red Riding Hood, he finds her vanity annoying and comes up with a plan to eat her and her grandmother.

I won’t spoil the rest of the story for you, but readers will be eager to get the ending of the Wolf’s version. If the story doesn’t keep readers engaged, Gerald Guerlais’ illustrations certainly will. These are simply amazing and provide the perfect backdrop for this story. I love how the wolf is depicted with a goofy grin on this face, almost making him look innocent and unassuming.

Retelling fairy tales and other familiar stories from a different perspective and point-of-view are wonderful ways to help young readers develop literacy skills such as comprehension, storytelling, point-of-view and narration. As I read this, I couldn’t help thinking about all of the creative ways teachers could use this in their classroom. As a result, I was really pleased to see a series of questions included at the end of the book. In this “Think About It” section, readers have the opportunity to express their thoughts about the story by comparing it to the original version. Other exercises including thinking about how the point-of-view and narration affects the outcome of a story. These are excellent additions to the book and provide great opportunities for readers to work on writing skills as well.

If you think you might enjoy this, you can also check out Capstone Publishing’s website which features other books like this including Believe Me, Goldilocks Rocks by Baby Bear; Seriously, Cinderella Is So Annoying by the Wicked Stepmother; and Trust Me, Jack’s Beanstalk Stinks by the Giant.

Note: I received an ARC of this book from Capstone publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

Animal Naps by Catherine Ham

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

An avid birdwatcher and hiker, Catherine Ham enjoys writing about animals she has seen in the wild. She is the author of several best-selling knitting books, including Weekend Crafter Knitting: 20 Simple Stylish Wearables for Beginners. Catherine lives in Austin, Texas.

About the book:

Fun, full-color photographs illustrate the sleeping habits and locales of more than two dozen animals. Leopards, koalas, and some types of monkeys sleep high in trees, while seals and tortoises doze on sandy beaches in the sunshine. Kangaroos cover their eyes with their paws, and some types of bats pull their wings over their bodies like bedspreads!

My take on the book:

Animal Naps is an adorable non-fiction book full of fantastic photographs of animals (tigers, turtles, gorillas, alligators and more) sleeping and napping. Just about all of the animals featured will be recognizable to young children under four. Not only do the photographs show the animals sleeping but they also show where the animals sleep. It was fun to talk about where some of the animals sleep with my daughter. She enjoyed seeing the animals who slept high up in trees: leopards, koalas and monkeys. Right now, my daughter loves talking about the beach and she also really liked the animals who slept on beaches: tortoises and seals.

All of the photographs are accompanied by a lyrical and fun verse which makes the book great for reading aloud. In fact, this was a great book to introduce to my daughter recently, because she had been struggling with going to nap. Maybe I should say I was the one struggling since she wasn’t taking a nap. Regardless, it has been a good book to read before naptime and I think it has helped make naptime a little better for the time being.

It’s nice to find a really good non-fiction book to read aloud. They are to find and if you have a child who enjoys gorgeous photographs of animals, they will really get a kick out of this book.

Sir Nick of Tyme by Kevin Dove

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

As CEO/Creative Director and co-owner of DigiGraph Media in Silver Spring, Maryland, Kevin Dove performs the duties of lead 2D/3D animator, compositor and editor, bringing more than 20 years experience to his craft.

Mr. Dove is a graduate of the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington, DC. It was there that the first draft of Sir Nick of Tyme was created in the form of a coloring book.

Kevin is a devoted husband and father of two daughters and has served as a deacon at Matthews Memorial Baptist Church in Washington, DC. He and his family reside in Southern Maryland.

Follow the author on TWITTER

About the book:

It was the Middle Ages and Nick, like every little boy in Tyme, wanted to be a knight. There was only one problem. He was the son of a baker and the life of a chef was expected of him. Still, even with his childhood behind him, he couldn’t let go of the dream he had as a little boy.

In the biggest challenge of his life, one baker will prove that the greatest asset of a knight is found in his heart, not his sword. And he will do it just in the nick of time.

Watch the trailer:

My take on the book:

Sir Nick of Tyme is a gorgeously illustrated story with wonderful messages for kids of all ages. I was blown away by Kevin Dove’s cartoon illustrations and while it’s easy to be mesmerized by the pictures, the story itself is what will draw parents into wanting to share this with their kids.

The hero in the story, Nick, is a baker who shows many admirable qualities including: patience, determination, hard work and kindness towards his neighbors. Although Nick wants more than anything to fulfill his dream of being a knight, he knows it can’t just happen because he wants it to. He shows patience, bravery and determination to be the best he can at what he does best: baking. He never forgets those less fortunate than himself, always making extra baked goods for the poor.

Finally, Nick has an opportunity to bake for the king and he takes advantage of this opportunity to work hard and show his talents as a baker. While the king is impressed that Nick bravely took on his challenge, he’s not only impressed with Nick’s talents, but is motivated to change his own behavior for the better when he sees Nick hand out baked goods to the poor.

Parents will enjoy reading and sharing this with

Hope For Haiti by Jesse Joshua Watson

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Jesse Joshua Watson is an award winning, NY Times Bestselling illustrator and author whose work includes Hope for Haiti, Chess Rumble, and the Hank Zipzer series.

Whether hammocking in Brazil, exploring in Hong Kong, dodging taxis in Russia, studying art in Europe, dancing in Jamaica, or raising kids in Port Townsend, Washington, Jesse connects with people. He loves both the differences and the similarities that are so colorfully displayed across our diverse world. Jesse’s passion and appreciation of people is voiced through his brush and on his canvas.

About the book:

The earth shook, and his whole neighborhood was gone. Now he and his mother are living in the soccer stadium, in a shelter made of tin and bedsheets, waiting in line for food and water. But even with so much sorrow all around, a soccer ball inspires a small but powerful link between a heartbroken country’s past and its hopes for the future. Jesse Joshua Watson has created an inspiring testament to the strength of the Haitian people and the promise of children.

My take on the book:

For me, I have no doubts as to why soccer is called ‘the beautiful game’. Not only is it a game which is simply beautiful to watch but, because it is the most popular game in the world and such an integral part of so many peoples lives, it often can be used as a metaphor for life.

I’ve experienced this in action. While visiting for several weeks in a rural village in Uganda, I would get approached and greeted on a pretty regular basis because I would often wear soccer jerseys. I would get asked “Which football team do you support?” or “Are you a supporter of Arsenal (or Manchester United or some other English Premier League team)?’ If I had a soccer ball with me, I drew even more attention and more people who almost immediately became friends. Just because of a game. It’s powerful when you really think about it.

In Jesse Joshua Watson’s book, soccer becomes an even bigger metaphor. In the wake of such a horrible disaster, soccer brings some normalcy back for the children. Soccer is a game they most likely played everyday. Even amongst their immense sadness, the power of play and of playing soccer can bring back memories of good times. The young boy in the story even dreams of playing for his beloved Haiti and of scoring a winning goal.

This is a book which can and should be used in schools to teach children not only about Haiti, but also about hope in the midsts of great and seemingly insurmountable adversity. Young readers will certainly be inspired by the boy in the story and a creative teacher will be able to find a host of interesting activities that can be tied in with this book. Teachers can also pair it with another fantastic book about the earthquake in Haiti: Eight Days (A Story of Haiti).

Hope for Haiti is a beautifully written and illust

Happy To Be Girls by Sarah Davies

Review by Chris Singer

About the author:

Sarah Davies lives with her family in Syracuse, New York. She earned a degree in American Studies at Cornell University. Happy to be Girls was inspired by her nieces, Arianna and Kara, and is her first children’s book.

About the illustrator:

Jenny Mattheson was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. She earned her BFA in Illustration at the Art Institute of Boston. Her previous books include: The Mouse, the Cat and Grandmother’s Hat by Nancy Willard, and This Is Christmas Morning by Cheryl Ryan Harshman. She currently lives and works in Berkeley, California, and is very happy to be a girl.

About the book:

Do you know a great girl? A wild girl, a free girl? A happy as can be girl? As this fresh, funny take on girl power attests, being a girl is all about being whoever you want to be. A girl can be athletic or artistic, thoughtful or silly or bold. And she can be just as fierce painting a mural as climbing a mountain.

With an energetic rhyming text and luminous illustrations that showcase the diversity of girls at work and play, this is a book to make any girl happy just to be herself, and makes a perfect gift for a favorite girl, whether little or all grown up.

My take on the book:

My wife found this book on our first visit to the our new hometown library and it’s been a constant part of our bedtime reading ever since.

I love the book’s concept of countering the stereotypes many have about girls. The book shows girls being smart, brave and strong while engaging in all sorts of activities such as skateboarding, unicycling, tree-climbing and even misbehaving.

The illustrations are fantastic and do an excellent job of portraying all different types of girls. I thought any young girl looking at this book could find a girl in the book which resembles how she looks or what she likes to do.

I really liked how the book ends with this: “Loud girls, Proud girls, Stand out in the crowd girls. Being just themselves – JUST GIRLS!!”

This is a terrific book to help build self-confidence in girls because it shows girls being whatever they want to be. I would also highly recommend this to teachers/librarians/counselors as a resource as well.

We’ve had a lot of fun at home with the book. My daughter, Tessa, loved it immediately because the cover had two of her current obsessions: a girl with a soccer ball and a girl riding a bike. After a few reads, she got to taking the book out of my hands to study the pictures and look at all the colorful illustrations depicting the girls in action. My wife and I had to give in one night because Tessa insisted on taking it to bed with her. That was a battle we were both too tired to fight and we found Tessa sleeping facedown on the book an hour later. If that’s not a ringing endorsement for a book I don’t know what is!