A Teeny Bit ofTrouble

Author: Michael Lee West Title: A Teeny Bit of Trouble Publisher:Minotaur Books Pages: 330, incl. recipe section

I checked this book out from my local public library.

From inside the front cover:
After Charleston pastry chef Teeny Templeton witnesses a murder, she discovers that her lawyer-boyfriend, Coop O'Malley, has been keeping secrets. And then even more trouble comes knocking on her door- trouble in the form of a precocious ten-year-old girl who just might be Coop's daughter. As more lies explode, Teeny finds herself trapped in tiny Bonaventure, Georgia, a zany "little Savannah" , where she must gather DNA from a child genius as she tries to outwit a stalker, decode an encrypted diary, and fend off the advances of an ex-beau.  That calls for Anything-You-Say-Can-Be-Used-Against-You-Quiche.  And just when she thinks her life can't get any more complicated, a series of not-so-teeny troubles arise, including an uneasy love triangle, a gossip-mongering tarantula breeder, a wise-cracking Southern Belle with early Alzheimer's, Coop's lovable Chihuahua-toting granny, and clues that point to something truly deadly going down in the charming southern town...But when the suspect is arrested and the bodies keep piling up anyway, Teeny doesn't know whom to trust.  As the murderers close in, Teeny unearths a revelation that threatens to flip her whole world upside down.

I didn't even have to read inside the front cover to know I'd love this book.  I love Michael Lee West's books! She is an awesome southern writer. I checked the book out and brought it home without even opening it- and it did not disappoint.  Teeny, like all Wests heroines, is easy to love.   Wests' females are human- imperfect, sometimes a little neurotic, and always easy to identify with.  Teeny makes mistakes.  She can be impulsive and stubborn.  She has bad hair days (every day), and has a strange fashion sense.  The reader is immediately drawn to her. Who wouldn't be on her side?  Her boyfriend may be seeing his beautiful (and evil) ex.  A smart-alek ten-year-old claims he is her father. Then, after witnessing a murder, Teeny is in fear for her own life.  Life has never been easy for Teeny- her own mother abandoned her at the local Dairy Queen when she was only eight years old.  Raised by her loving Aunt Bluette, Teeny has had do to the very best she could with what little she had to work with. This is what makes her vulnerable.  It also gives her strength.  Teeny is a gourmet cook, finding recipes for every situation (including The Right To Remain Silent Salsa and I've Already Hired An Attorney Chips).  Recipes are included!

West writes a great mystery.  I had no idea which character(s) were guilty until the very end.  (Don't worry, I won't spoil it.) This book was hard to put down.  There were twists and turns on every single page.  Just when you think you've got it all figured out, another clue is unearthed which changes everything.  Once again, Michael Lee West has written a great southern read- an a great mystery as well.

Read this book if...
*you love southern fiction
*you love a great mystery
*you love "small town novels"
*You are a fan of Michael Lee West

See this review on Amazon.com

Summer in the South by: Cathy Holton

Title: Summer in the South Author: Cathy Holton Publsiher: Center Point Publishing Pages: 510 (large print edition)

I checked this book out from my local library after seeing it on  Library Thing.

From the cover:  After a personal tragedy, Chicago writer Ava Dabrowski quits her job to spend the summer in Woodburn, Tennessee, at the invitation of her old college friend, Will Fraser and his two great aunts.  Her charming hosts offer Ava a chance to relax and write at their idyllic ancestral estate, Woodburn Hall.

But Ava soon learns that ancient feuds and modern rivalries lurk just beneath the estate's placid surface.  Fascinated by the family's impressive history- their imposing house filled with treasures and their mingling with literary icons Fitzgerald, Hemingway and Faulkner- Ava stumbles onto rumors about the darker side of the family's legacy and discovers a multitude of skeletons in their closets.  As Ava struggles to write the story of the Woodburns, she finds herself tangled in the tragic history of a mysterious Southern family whose secrets mirror her own.

Being a fan of southern fiction, I had to give this one a try.  I had a stack of books in my TBR pile, but this one caught and held my attention from the first page.  The author does a great job of capturing the uniqueness of a southern small town (waving at everyone you see, revealing one's life story in line at the grocer).  However, I never could find myself rooting for Ava.  She seemed nosy, blunt and cold to me.  Actually, I think this is the way southerners tend to view many non-southerners.  It just isn't the way we do things.  Therefore, I think the author does a great job in capturing the way non-southerners are viewed by others here (often unknowingly). 

The mystery itself is vaguely interesting, but I kept wondering why, exactly, Ava really cared?  In her relentless pursuit of finding the true killer of Charles Woodburn she questions other family members continuously. She also writes their family secrets down and intends to publish them.  (Can you see why I find her so unlikeable?)  I kept asking myself (over and over) why Ava even cared?  These people were essentially strangers to her.

 Another thing I found distracting was this quote:  "They'd spend the summer driving around town picking up girls in a 1967 Corvette they'd bought at an auction. Jake was the worst. You didn't dare get into the back with him unless you wanted to come out with bruises and whisker burns all over your face and other places too embarrassing to mention."  Think about it.  A 1967 Corvette has no back seat.

So was all the hanky panky taking place- in the trunk? A minor detail, indeed, but very distracting.
I'm not saying I didn't like the book. It was a pretty good mystery and I was surprised at the outcome.  However, I am not used to books where the main character is actually unlikable.  Again, this is an excellent portrayal of how non-southerners appear to southerners.  The author actually did an excellent job with this.  It was a quick read, and not a bad one.  At least it made me think.....

Read this book if....

*you love southern fiction

*you love a good mystery

*you have no knowledge of classic cars (smile)

Goodnight Goon by: Michael Rex

(I read this book as a part of my participation in the FrightFall Read-A-Thon.)

Title: Goodnight Goon: A Petrifying Parody Author: Michael Rex

Publisher: Putnam Pages: 32

From the inside cover:

In a cold gray tomb with a black lagoon and a picture of Martians taking over the moon, a little werewolf is trying to get to sleep.  But as he says goodnight, and before he turns out the light, a goon comes in and trashes everything in sight.  What are we going to do with this terribly naughty goon?

I purchased this book for my school library.  I LOVE Halloween books, and I am always looking for new additions to our library.  Goodnight Goon is a delight!  A parody of Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon, the book is appropriate for all ages.  If you loved Goodnight Moon, you are sure to enjoy Goodnight Goon.  A tiny werewolf lies in bed in his striped pajamas saying goodnight to his room.  Unfortunately, his night time ritual is interrupted by a naughty goon.  Children will love the illustrations and rhyme in this charming book.  Teachers seeking an example of parody will find this book very useful as well. This book makes a wonderful addition to any child’s or classroom library.

Read this book if:

*you love Halloween books

*you(or your child)  love Goodnight Moon

*you love children’s picture books

*you enjoy parody

Precious and the Boo Hag

(I am reading this book as part of my participation in the FrightFall Read-A-Thon.)

 Title: Precious and the Boo Hag Authors: Patricia C. McKissack & Onawumi Jean Moss Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Pages: 40

I checked this book out from my own school library.

From the inside cover:

When Precious is left home alone with a stomachache, she’s got nothing but a warning from Mama- “Don’t let nothing or nobody into this house”- to keep her company.  You see, nothing or nobody could turn out to be something awful: the Boo Hag! The Boo Hag’s got a voice that rumbles like thunder and hair that shoots out like lightening.  And she can disguise herself to look like anything.  So when the Boo Hag comes calling, will Precious be clever enough to outwit the trickiest trickster?

Never let strangers into the house! Mind your manners! Always tell the truth!  This book teaches age-old childhood lessons in a fun way.  When her big brother warns her about the Boo Hag, “She’s tricky and she’s scary and she tries to make you disobey yo’ mama…Pruella is strange from head to toe. She aine none too smart, got no manners, hates clean water, can change her shape, and tells whoppers.” Precious has no idea how tricky a Boo Hag can be.  With quick wit (and hilarious sing-song taunts) Precious teaches the Boo Hag a lesson she won’t soon forget.

I fell in love with this book the first time I read it. I have used it for many story times and the children can never get enough.  This book begs to be read aloud.  It has predictability, repetition, and a child hero that outwits the villain.  Children of all ages will love this story.

Read this book if:

* You love “scary” books

* You love books about African American heritage

* You love trickster stories

* You love read-aloud books

The 13 Nights of Halloween

(I am reading this book as part of my participation in the FrightFall Read-A-Thon.)

Title: The 13 Nights of Halloween Author: Guy Vasilovich

Publisher: HarperCollins Pages: 40

I checked this book out from my school library.

From the inside cover:

On the first night of Halloween, what does your mummy give you?  A bright, shiny skeleton key, of course!

In fact, each of the thirteen nights leading up to the big night, your mummy is ready with gifts that include everything from singing skulls to demons dancing to icky eyeballs….

A parody of The Twelve Days of Christmas, this Halloween picture book is hilariously charming.  Bright, gorgeous illustrations bring all sorts of magical creatures to life.  (My personal favorite was the 6 corpses caroling.)  All this book needs is an accompanying CD to play along with it.  Young children will enjoy the repetition, but the book is delightful for all ages.  A must-add to your Halloween collection.

Read this book if”

*You love Halloween picture books

*You love parody

Bone Soup by: Cambria Evans

I read this book as part of the FrightFall Read-A-Thon.

Title: Bone Soup  Author: Cambria Evans Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company  Pages: 32

I borrowed this book from my school library.

From the inside cover: 

Known across the land for his infamous appetite, Finnigin is never seen without his eating stool, his eating spoon, and his gigantic eating mouth.  When Finnigin finds himself in a new town on Halloween, he hopes to join in a great feast with the creatures who live there.  But not a body or soul will share any of their food with the famished Finnigin.  So what’s a hungry skeleton to do?  Armed only with his wits and a special ingredient, will Finnigin be able to stir up a cauldron’s worth of Halloween magic?

I loved this book!  A (very) creative take on the old Stone Soup tale, this one brings out all of a child’s favorite spooky creatures (werewolves, witches, and zombies, oh my!)  Children love the predictability and the (mild) gross-out factor.  The main character is humble and lovable, and accomplishes his goals through creative thinking.  Humorous illustrations add to the charm. This book will appeal to younger and older children alike.

Read this book if:

*You love “scary” children’s stories

*You loved the old Stone Soup folktale (An excellent compare and contrast lesson)

The Tailypo by: Paul Galdone

The Tailypo by: Paul Galdone

(I'm reviewing this book as part of my participation in the FrightFall Read-A-Thon.)

Title: The Tailypo Author: Paul Galdone

Publisher: Clarion Books Pages:  40

I borrowed this book from my own school library.

This is my all-time favorite scary children’s book!  I read it every year to all my classes at Halloween.  The student’s love it, too. They always start asking, “When do we read the Tailypo?!”   A parent recently asked me, “Do you have The Tailypo? I used to love that book!”  

This book has everything a great scary children’s book should have: suspense that builds, a bit of repetition, spooky illustrations, and – best of all- a true scary ending. No “happily ever afters” here.

An old man lives alone far out in the woods with only his three dogs for company.  While he is sleeping one night a strange creature creeps into his home.  The man quickly cuts off the creature’s tail, but it escapes.  Later that night, however, the creature returns looking for its tail…

This book is a classic, and, while not for the faint hearted, I highly recommend it.  Paul Galdone was an awesome author, and this is one of his finest.

Read this book if:

*You love a scary story

*Your child loves scary stories