Book Reviews

 Here are more books I've been reading lately. 

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly, Children's fiction (middle grades), 2025

I loved Kelly's first book, Song for a Whale, so when I saw this on the children's new bookshelf, I picked it up.

In this story, Max's parents are divorced, and his father is a councilman with higher political aspirations. Max often disappoints his father because he is not the perfect poster child for his father's ambitions. His mother is studying the historic effects of storms and takes Max with her for the summer to an island off the coast of Texas, where she is conducting research. 

On his first day there, Max finds an octopus that has washed onshore during a storm. He decides to try to save it, and with the help of some local kids, he takes it to the island's vet and animal rehab center. He spends the rest of the summer learning about and caring for the octopus. He makes friends and, along the way, learns to accept himself. Of course, there is drama, but it has a poignant ending.

While I knew that octopuses are much smarter than previously thought, I didn't know much about them. I learned right along the way with Max. For example, the title, Three Blue Hearts, comes from the fact that octopuses have three hearts and their blood is blue because of the copper in it. I enjoyed learning about them and the other animals at the center. This book is another winner from Kelly.

Not relevant to many, I also enjoyed reading about familiar places around the Houston area where the story takes place, because I lived there for 10 years. When Max talked about a camping trip to Brazos Bend, I thought, "That's where Wally went on a Cub Scout camping trip!" I am glad Ward went along on that one because there were plenty of alligators roaming around. 😀

The Secret Language of Birds by Lynne Kelly, Children's fiction (middle grades), 2024 

When I realized that Kelly had written another book between Song for a Whale and Three Blue Hearts, I thought I should complete the set with this in-between book. 

Like the other two, this book involves a middle school child's close relationship with an animal. In this one, Nina discovers a whooping crane nest while at summer camp in an off-limits area. This find is special because whooping cranes haven't been seen in this area for over 100 years. Nina and her friends watch the nest and report back to the Whooping Crane Society on its activities. 

Predictably, there are problems when Nina and her friends are found out by the camp director (Nina's aunt) that they have been in the off-limits area. There is also a mystery as to who the female crane is, and Nina works with her friend Iris to identify the crane by analyzing the pattern of the calls. (Iris was the main character in Song for a Whale.) This was another learning experience for me, this time about birds. 

I also recommend this book. However, if you only have the time or inclination to read one of Kelly's books, I would read Song for a Whale. It has won many well-deserved awards and accolades.

Miss Hickory by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, Children's fiction (elementary grades), 1946 

This was the 1946 Newbery Winner for children's literature. Miss Hickory is a child's doll made from twigs with a hickory nut for a head. The child goes away for the winter, and Miss Hickory is on her own on the farm. She interacts with various animals, often helping them to solve their problems.

The book has very good descriptions of the natural cycles of the plants and animals, and the animals' real habits are part of their character. It would be a good read-aloud book for a bedtime story, a chapter at a time.

However, I found the book odd. Maybe it's just me, but while I could accept that the animals were talking, I couldn't quite figure out how Miss Hickory came to life. It seemed incongruent. 

But that wasn't the weirdest part. SPOILER ALERT! Miss Hickory is afraid of Squirrel because he is eyeing her head as food. Eventually, he does eat her head and brain (the meat of the nut). Because she is free from thinking, with no brain, Miss Hickory is no longer afraid of things around her. She climbs to the top of an apple tree, goes to sleep in the crook of a branch, and eventually becomes grafted to the tree. 

While I appreciated the beautiful descriptions of nature, this story was just too weird for me.

The Tuscan Child by Rhys Bowen, Adult fiction, 2018

This is one of Bowen's standalone historical novels set during World War II. The book is told from two perspectives: one of a British army pilot shot down near a small village in Tuscany. The other is his daughter, who, in the 1970s, travels to Tuscany to find out what happened to her father during the war.

The pilot, Hugo, is shot down by German planes and is befriended by a local woman, Sofia, who helps him hide out in the ruins of a local monastery. A budding romance grows among the very real dangers of the war.

After her father dies, Joanna, his daughter, finds a letter written to Sophia among his things and becomes curious. She travels to Tuscany, partly to learn more about her father and partly to get away from her recent troubles. She doesn't learn much from the locals, but senses that maybe they know more than they are saying. She is convinced of it when a local murder happens. There is another budding romance along the way, and Joanna feels at home as she is embraced by the local farm woman, where she is staying.

This book had just the right mix of things for me: history, mystery,  romance, and descriptions of Italian food. I continue to like Rhys Bowen's standalone novels.

Malice at the Palace by Rhys Bowen, Adult mystery, 2015

And speaking of Rhys Bowen, this is #10 in her Royal Spyness mystery series. I was taking a break from the series, but Ward already had this checked out and available when I needed something to read. 

  The Royal Spyness books follow Georgie, 35th in line to the British Throne, in the 1930s, as she stumbles onto murder after murder. There are castles, rich people, royalty, and many class restrictions that surround the stories. Despite being royalty, Georgie has no money, which causes a set of problems all its own. The stories are in historically accurate settings, and humorous relief is provided by her inept maid, Queenie. And a little romance is thrown in with her beau, Darcy.

In this adventure, Georgie is helping Greek Princess Marina before her wedding to Prince George. There is a murder on the palace grounds, but the investigation has to be hush-hush because it involves the Royal family. Georgie becomes a key part of the investigation and, of course, eventually solves the murder. 

I am glad I picked up this book, as it was a nice comfort read. Besides the mystery, I enjoyed learning about English customs and food of the time. I also like how Bowen weaves real historical figures into the narrative.

I'm still waiting on some holds from the library, so my next read may be #11 in the series, as Ward also has that one checked out.

That's it for now.

Until next time...