A Poem: "To Lefse ... But Mostly Grandma Shirley!"

To Lefse ... But Mostly Grandma Shirley!

Today we celebrate Shirley’s Granite Jubilee

And the revered matriarch she is, I’m sure you’ll agree.

She’s great, she’s grand, she’s a tour de force.

She’s grandma to me, one I’ll always endorse.

With all of us here, our memories of Shirley are vast.

They might make us laugh or cry or leave us aghast.

What stories will Shirley tell? What do you ask?

In the memories she shares, we all will bask.

I recall those hunting weekends where we all gathered here

And the line between those trees where they’d display the deer.

Those hunting weekends were like an extra holiday,

Filled with food and family and grandchildren at play.

I think back to visiting my grandparents in Pinellas Park.

Enjoying Leverock’s was always a trip hallmark,

As was an orange-vanilla twist from Orange Blossom Groves,

And eating strawberries, one of Grandpa’s favorites, in droves.

We both like to eat at the local Chinese buffet.

Count on Grandma when you want a foodie day.

I can’t mention food and leave lefse out.

Shirley’s made lefse snobs of us all; it’s such a standout. 

Shirley’s gliding into her nonagenarian years,

Entering a most auspicious stratosphere.

Grandma, I hope you enjoy your birthday jamboree,

A day to be merry, fun and carefree!

-LK

July 5, 2025

(Written July 2, 2025)

"Children of Anguish and Anarchy" by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Anguish and Anarchy (June 25, 2024) by Tomi Adeyemi.

<This is the final novel in a trilogy.>

<Alert: Potential spoilers ahead.>

Torturous pain and puddles of blood punctuate Zélie Adebola’s existence since she and so many were captured. The monarchy was felled, the magi had overcome the tîtáns, and it felt like Orïsha could rebuild with magi safely at the helm. Instead, they are far from Orïsha’s shores, trapped in cages, starving, tortured and dying at the hands of warriors with iron skulls, led by King Baldyr. He’s a man obsessed with harnessing Zélie’s magic and has ravaged the lands trying to find her. Allies are necessary for everyone if Orïsha is to become home again. Inan Olúborí goes with a group of magi. As a tîtán, he is not tolerated well, but he must find a way to unite the groups lest the remaining people be destroyed. Meanwhile, Zélie, Tzain (her brother) and Amari (Inan’s sister) go another direction to find the other person Baldyr seeks, hoping to reach her before he does. What now resides over Zélie’s heart has returned her powers – they’re different but they’re there – and enables her to return the gifts of others, but none of them are yet free. The Blood Moon nears, as does the king who hunts her.

            Pushing beyond the battles and bloodshed rises a varied people – magi, tîtáns and soldiers (the most latter without any magic) – ready to give their lives so that the survivors can make their homeland home again. The fantasy landscape is earthshaking and captivating, the emotion is deep and raw, the bravery of Zélie and her allies is mighty and inspiring. The story’s brutality is devastating and traumatic, but it cannot overwhelm the strength of one’s roots nor the beauty of their courage. This expansive journey is epic.

            Legacy of Orïsha Book One: Children of Blood and Bone

            Legacy of Orïsha Book Two: Children of Virtue and Vengeance

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 9

Having just published my second YA compilation post, if you know my blog and me at all, you already expect that a second Christian/inspirational fiction post is not far behind. Here is the second Christian/inspirational fiction post of 2025.

Meeting Her Match (July 16, 2024) by Jen Turano.

<This is the third and final novel in a series.>

Renowned matchmaker, influential member of the New York Four Hundred and an Incomparable during her Season, Miss Camilla Pierpont has vowed to never marry after a devastating heartbreak years ago. After she’s nearly abducted along the Hudson River as she’s with Lottie McBriar, her recently hired paid companion, she’s rescued by a broad, outspoken man who annoys her when he calls her a “little lady,” and she assumes he’s working with the would-be abductors. When it turns out he isn’t, looking the worse for wear after a tussle with an angry mama raccoon (a very exciting morning), Camilla learns that he knows Mr. Walter Townsend and has a note to prove it. This gentleman is Mr. Owen Chesterfield, and he’s there to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, Miss Luella, and take her in hand. Owen, a businessman, owns Chesterfield Nail Manufacturing, which supplies almost the entire country with nails, but Camilla doubts she’ll be able to help his sister. When she receives a telegram that someone from her past is heading toward New York, and considering the unknown abductors, Camilla decides to travel in Owen’s Pullman car to Wheeling, West Virginia. She goes with stereotypical expectations, but acclimates well to the informal attitude of Owen’s hometown. She even whitewashes a fence and almost gets trampled by Esmerelda, Meemaw’s pig. As it were, danger follows her to West Virginia, and it could disrupt the most spectacular match of all: her own.

            Every time I read a Jen Turano story, I am filled with bubbly delight. The women in her stories are independent, the lead males sometimes bumbling but well-meaning (like Owen), and the antagonists are dastardly but always get their comeuppance. Camilla’s avoidance of a specific recipe is entertaining, as is Meemaw, and the humor throughout accentuates the propulsive narrative, its twists, the budding romance and the local vernacular of this area of the Ohio Valley. Like its predecessors in the series, this Gilded-Age period, Christian historical romance is wholesome, witty, spunky and fun.

            The Matchmakers Book One: A Match in the Making

            The Matchmakers Book Two: To Spark a Match

A Noble Scheme (Mar. 19, 2024) by Roseanna M. White.

<This is the second novel in a series.>

The Imposters have taken on a pro bono case. A young boy has been kidnapped, mistaken for his aristocratic cousin. Sidney Hart’s parents appealed to Mrs. Hart’s late sister’s husband, Lord Philmore Wilfred, but as it wasn’t his son who was kidnapped, he refused to help. Lord Wilfred is a coldhearted, cutthroat, querulous man who tends to see only dollar signs. As it stands, Horace Wilfred is determined to find a way to save his cousin, with or without his father’s help. This case brings Gemma Parks (known to London’s elite as renowned columnist G.M. Parker) and Graham Wharton in close working quarters. The first awful anniversary of a tragedy is approaching, and Gemma has spent that year avoiding Graham and casting vitriolic blame. He admits to his arrogance and his part in the tragedy. It’s pushed him away from God, from believing, but Graham is determined to win Gemma back. He’s only ever loved her. Together with the rest of the Imposters team, they’ll have to devise a noble scheme to rescue the boy, and hopefully, in the process, find the healing they both need.

            Despite the personal turmoil between Gemma and Graham, they have good hearts, just as all of the Imposters do. Money is tight, yet Yates doesn’t hesitate to take the case for free. Glamour resides alongside those in the aristocracy, but glamour is also used as a clever distraction. The second in The Imposters series is a Christian historical romance where not one, but both main characters need faith healing alongside forgiveness. Their emotions are still raw, making the story all the more realistic despite its Edwardian England setting. White’s stories are always quick to draw me in with their shrewd-but-imperfect characters, independent women and forward-moving plots. Immersive and compelling!

            Favorite lines: “Words were wily things – but they were miraculous too. They created, they shaped, they breathed life. God used them to form the universe, and Christ had come as a living Word to write Himself onto the hearts of humankind.” (p. 78)

            Book 1: A Beautiful Disguise

Target Acquired (Aug. 20, 2024) by Lynette Eason.

<This is the second novel in a series.>

Growing up the youngest with three brothers, Kenzie King had to be tough in a household where their mom died when she was a young teen, and their father made everything a competition. Now in her 30s, she’s worked harder than any of the men to prove she belongs on the SWAT team as a tactical medic and the only woman. SWAT team leader Cole Garrison has known Kenzie since she was a kid, as he’s good friends with her brother, Logan. He knows she’s the better qualified candidate; she even carries M.D. behind her name, but not everyone agrees that she’s the best choice. In fact, someone is trying to kill her, going so far as to demand that she quit the team. And if one of her teammates is injured in the crossfire, so be it. Does someone on the team want her off of it so badly that he’ll keep trying to kill her and ambush the team? As if the stress of that isn’t enough, her dad has laid a bombshell on her, and the truth of that past and a further past may have a surprising connection to the here and now.

            A Christian romantic suspense novel, the next in the Lake City Heroes series teems with grit, secrets, past hurts and present-day turmoil. The necessity for the characters to think on their feet aids in the quick pacing of the story. It’s suspenseful and zippy, sometimes biting and emotional, but it’s steered by steadfast faith, lighthearted moments and the support of strong friendships. Eason effortlessly manages to write a contemporary novel with flashback snippets to 1947, weaving a past that has implications in the present.

            Book One: Double Take

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 8

Welcome to this year’s second batch of young adult (YA) fiction! I’ve got a nice variety in this compilation. There’s a sci-fi/fantasy space opera, a fantasy/mythology origin story and a historical, murder mystery noir.

Bemused (Jan. 7, 2025) by Farrah Rochon.

<This is a standalone novel.>

They are the Muses, Goddesses of Arts and Proclaimers of Heroes. Except they aren’t. Not yet. Right now, Calliope (Calli), Clio, Melpomene (Mel), Terpsichore (Ree) and Thalia know themselves to be five mortal sisters and daughters of Mnemosyne. Their mom forbids them from performing in public without explanation. The teenagers are all gifted performers with no audience. This changes when Ree choreographs an amazing public performance that’s also disastrous. Mnemosyne declares that they must leave Krymmenos, but before they can, she is abducted. They now know she’s a goddess, but do not know that she’s the goddess of memory. Under Calli’s leadership, the sisters travel to Thebes to petition the gods, and Apollo and Hermes answer the call. Trouble is, they don’t recall their mother. Unbeknownst to all of them – the sisters and the two Greek gods – they are being thwarted by Hades and his imps, Pain and Panic. As they journey to try to save their mother, through mythical trials and tribulations and the Underworld itself, they realize their own unique gifts crafted in them by their mother and lean on the strength of their sisterhood, present even when tempers flare. These sisters five have never been zeroes, but they’re definitely on their way to being heroines. “And that’s the gospel truth!”

            A fresh-faced YA fantasy take on Greek mythology, this untold origin story of the five Muses from Disney’s Hercules is a terrific exploration of the Muses, female goddesses that are not as well-known as other Greek gods and goddesses. Told from the viewpoints of Calli, Ree, Mnemosyne and Hades, it is an adventure that’s harrowing and heartfelt, devoted and dramatic (that Hades and his temperamental, color-changing moods). Rochon is clearly skilled in creating characters with distinct personalities – I had no trouble distinguishing each of the sisters – and taking on fairy tale adaptations. Like the sisters’ quest, Rochon’s writing is thrilling. She balances well sisterhood and risky adventure like the bestselling author that she is.

The Muses (oldest to youngest):

Muse of Epic Poetry: Calliope

Muse of History: Clio

Muse of Tragedy: Melpomene

Muse of Dance: Terpsichore

Muse of Comedy: Thalia

Kill Her Twice (Apr. 23, 2024) by Stacey Lee.

<This is a standalone novel.>

The pride of Chinatown, the one who was able to leave and become a star of the silver screen, has returned ... in death. Lulu Wong is discovered by the two eldest Chow sisters in an abandoned stable where they prep their flowers before selling: May, the responsible eldest who was Lulu’s friend and classmate, and Gemma, the fiery middle sister with a knack for ideas that may or may not land her in hot water. Peony, the youngest, often feels left out when Gemma and, grudgingly, May, complete their own investigation into Lulu’s death. It’s 1932, and the LA police don’t appear committed to putting in any serious investigation. Chinatown already has a bad rap, because powerful, rich, white people want to demolish the neighborhood, citing that the Chinese are “by nature, drunken and slovenly,” and fill a neighborhood that’s full of crime and “many hideous perversions,” to make way for a railway depot (Union Station). When the LAPD arrests one of Chinatown’s own for the murder of Lulu, someone they know couldn’t hurt a fly, even May truly doubles down on investigating, going so far as to become (accidentally, on her part) a part of the film production Lulu had been cast in. Unfortunately, the actual killer remains on the loose. Will May and Gemma wind up in the killer’s crosshairs?

            Firstly, while this YA murder mystery noir is a work of fiction, Los Angeles’ Union Station truly does stand where Old Chinatown once stood. Told from the alternating viewpoints of May and Gemma, this twisty, historical novel is witty, intricate, immersive and captivating, exploring prejudice, corruption, grief and familial duty within a swiftly-moving story featuring star characters and a little Old Hollywood flair. There are no love triangles or angst-y teens to deal with in this riveting, historical page-turner. Amid the glitz and grime, there is sisterhood and unity despite discord. It’s another smartly written novel from Lee.

Moonstorm (June 4, 2024) by Yoon Ha Lee.

<This is the first novel in a trilogy.>

Hwajin. Hwa Young. Two names, same person. When Hwajin was 10 years old, Imperials of the Empire of New Joseon destroyed her home, a clanner moon in the Moonstorm called Carnelian, where starblooms flourish. She’s orphaned and is rescued by a lancer, a giant martial robot piloted by a lancer pilot. From that day forward, she yearns to be the best and the strongest in order to achieve lancer pilot status. When an attack at her boarding school finds Hwa Young (a ward of the state, she has no last name due to no family affiliation) and her classmates in need of rescue, her dream looks to become reality. Eleventh Fleet is in dire need of pilot candidates, but the tricky part is, the lancer chooses the pilot. Only one lancer in the fleet has singularity lance capabilities, giving it extraordinary combat potential, and it’s also the one that’s killed multiple pilot candidates in the past. Will Winter’s Axiom finally choose another pilot? Hwa Young has worked so hard to hide her clanner past. Uncovering a conspiracy may jeopardize that past and the Imperial empire she’s been so loyal to for the last six years.

            Trust the Empress. Unity is survival. Imperial vs. clanner words. This explosive YA trilogy starter is a sci-fi, space opera force to be reckoned with. A teen with a past pushes herself to excel in a society where conformity is valued above all else and loyalty to the Empress generates gravity (and can weaponize it). This story is high-concept and mecha with an all-Korean cast. It’s a good choice for readers who are too young to read Xiran Jay Zhao’s “Iron Widow.” Nonbinary characters use zie/zir pronouns. This adventure has a definite theme of colonialism in an unexpected setting (outer space) and revolution with intriguing characters, powerful world-building and action-packed battles. It is intricate and high-octane.

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 7

Hello! Here I am with my second middle-grade (MG) compilation post of 2025. Do you read MG novels? Why or why not?

Isle of Ever (Mar. 25, 2025) by Jen Calonita.

<This is the first novel in a series.>

They manage to squeak on by, but 12-year-old Everly “Benny” Benedict and her mom are broke most of the time. Imagine their surprise when a lawyer shows up, looking for Benny. He informs her that she’s heir to the vast fortune of Evelyn Terry, a mysterious ancestor from the 1800s! How she knew that Benny would exist in 2025 is anybody’s guess, but this news is amazing and possibly too good to be true. In order to actually obtain the inheritance, she has to play a game following Evelyn’s clues and win it. She must find Evelyn’s Island, which doesn’t exist on any map. It’s been 200 years since Evelyn found it, and she watched it disappear during a Blood Orange Moon. Always having moved so often, Benny’s finally found two friends in Zara Dabney and Ryan Gale. She’s going to need their help. The puzzle may have been waiting two centuries for her to come along, but she’s only got two weeks to solve it! If she doesn’t, a rival family can buy out the Terry estate shares (the Rudd family also exists during Evelyn’s time), and Benny and her mom will go back to scraping by. Benny loves puzzles, so Benny knows she can win. She’s determined to!

            In this genre-bending, middle-grade series starter, red herrings and a major cliffhanger enhance this tale. It’s absorbing from the beginning, a fantasy adventure that’s part mystery that also blends in history and a dash of magic. The magical nature doesn’t get carried away. In fact, the realistic depictions of Benny’s preteen moodiness and sometimes frustration with her mom ground the story. The contemporary timeline is interspersed with Evelyn’s journal entries, newspaper clippings and other notes. The first in the Isle of Ever series features an engaging, puzzle-centric quest in a fast-paced storyline seamlessly bridging the past with the present.

Pahua and the Dragon’s Secret (Sept. 10, 2024) by Lori M. Lee.

<This is the second novel in a series.>

<Alert: Potential spoilers ahead.>

She’s the reincarnation of Shee Yee, known as the greatest warrior of all time and graced with athletic finesse. In the here and now, she’s Pahua Moua, a skinny 11-year-old with about zero athletic grace and no warrior training. Pahua has the chance to attend a shaman school in Minnesota to receive proper training, but she must first fulfill a quest. She has to repair the second seal that imprisons Xov, the god of thunder, destruction and wrath. To do that, she must retrieve metallic dragon scales, find the hidden prison and transmute successfully. That’d be a remarkable challenge for a trained shaman warrior, but for the untrained Pahua? Yikes! She’s got her trusted-but-sarcastic cat spirit, Miv, and tough-but-bratty, shaman-in-training friend Zhong. Pahua encounters a rooster spirit called Rou, and they meet Yulong in the Land of Dragons, which doesn’t go so smoothly at first (Zhong tries to kill him). They find the truth stone, which has significance to their journey, though it isn’t known right away, and Zhong becomes unhealthily fanatic about it. Pahua understands that magic is circular, but that doesn’t make knowing that she’ll have to give an equally powerful sacrifice in return any easier.

            If being a preteen is tricky, then being the preteen reincarnation of a great warrior is dangerously tricky. The danger doesn’t overwhelm the characters’ wit. This second in the contemporary, fantasy adventure, Hmong-mythology-filled, Pahua Moua series is imbued with fast pacing, clever plotting, imaginative world-building and an excellent cast. Her love of her family is visible, and her self-doubt only makes her more relatable. Lee’s Pahua stories are steeped in culture and abundant in meaning, but are also entertaining adventures to read. While I’ve enjoyed every story I’ve read from the Rick Riordan Presents imprint – and I’ve read many of them – Lee’s stories are definite standouts. Go forth, readers, and be the brave, fierce warriors that life needs you to be. Just beware of the phim nyuj vais. That demon wants to feast on your intestines.

            Book One: Pahua and the Soul Stealer

Paola Santiago and the Forest of Nightmares (Aug. 3, 2021) by Tehlor Kay Mejia.

<This is the second novel in a series.>

<Alert: Potential spoilers ahead.>

Six months have passed since La Llorona, and Paola Santiago would never have guessed that life would be what it is now. She’s barely speaking to her best friends, Dante Mata and Emma Lockwood. Dante seems to resent Paola in a big, big way, and Emma is busy with the Rainbow Rogues, a school group. Her mom is distracted by her blond-haired boyfriend. At least Paola has her loyal chupacabra puppy, Bruto, but Bruto can’t fend off the nightmares that have returned. Paola finds herself in a forest of nightmares – sometimes with multiple pairs of watching eyes – and at its center is her estranged father. He’s more of an enigma, as she hardly remembers him. Dante’s abuela (Señora Mata) has even shown up in her dreams and knows her as Maria (that’s Paola’s mom). When Señora Mata falls mysteriously ill, she barely convinces Dante to go on a search for her father to help Dante’s grandmother. She gains an ally – albeit a sarcastic one – in a lone Niña and a sweet duendecillo called Estrella. She’ll need all the help she can get, because fighting El Autostopisto alone will be impossible, and she has to somehow get from Arizona to Oregon on the funds of a 12-year-old (so, she’s mostly broke). There are new and terrifying monsters to clash with, a devastating betrayal to bear and a nightmare forest to confront. At the end of it all, is the man in her dreams really her father? Or a nightmare wearing his face?

            Mejia draws on her Mexican heritage for the second entry in the Paola Santiago series. It’s a story filled with magic and folklore and is layered with realistic concerns that can surround minorities in dealing with police and healthcare and real-life drama within friend groups (though likely without magically transforming Arma del Almas). Paola’s drive to find her father makes this a fast-paced, paranormal fantasy, middle-grade story. She’s got heart, but also sass, and she’s clever, but also makes mistakes. The tale can be mysteriously spooky and fabulously courageous and is incredibly, emotionally honest.

            Book One: Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

The Positive Page-turner's Challenge: Take 21

The Positive Page-turner’s Challenge: Take 21

June is quickly coming to an end, and here I finally am with my next Positive Page-turner’s Challenge of 2025. I won’t guarantee it, but I hope to have a third one this year. I haven’t been buying as many books – the increased prices of everything affects us all – so it’s taking me longer to accumulate the number for my Challenges. (P.S. These are new books only, not any I’ve checked out from the library or obtained secondhand.)

            With 17 books in the photo, I will donate $5/book. I have written out a check for $85 to go into my home church’s Altar Guild Fund during tomorrow’s Offering.

            There is no judgment if your coffers are running on empty, and it’s all you can do to pay your bills and keep food on the table. I’ve seen the positive results of kind words, encouraging conversations and polite gestures, so if you can be that bright spot in someone’s day, I hope you’ll take the spotlight. For those who can donate time and/or money, I encourage you to do so. There are so many worthy causes waiting for amazing donors like YOU to come along!

"Snowglobe 2" by Soyoung Park

Snowglobe 2 (May 6, 2025) by Soyoung Park.

   Joungmin Lee Comfort, translator.

<This is the sequel novel in a duology.>

<Alert: Potential spoilers if one hasn’t read the first book.>

The girl she watched faithfully on TV is interchangeable. Jeon Chobahm knows this, for she’s filled the shoes of Goh Haeri. The director who created the family is imprisoned, but problems are not over for Chobahm and the other Haeri clones (Shin Shinae, Myung Somyung and Bae Serin). Snowglobe is starting to crack under the weight of its exposed lies, but the Yibonn Media Group is even more corrupt. They’ll do anything and eliminate anyone to keep their power and hide the secret of the domed city’s trademark warmth. Chobahm has unwittingly witnessed this dark, devious truth, and now there’s footage of her committing a murder that she definitely didn’t commit. Her other Haeri counterparts are accounted for during that timeframe, and the footage can’t be doctored, so who’s the Haeri who committed the crime? Yi Bonwhe is the one who has the knowledge to help, for he’s none other than the disgraced Yibonn heir. He may not be the ruthless heir his mom and grandmother expect him to be, but he’s been complicit and feels the weight of his family’s awful truths. Things are heating up in this frozen world.

            There is no utopia in this dystopian world. Chobahm and the other inhabitants of Snowglobe are enduring purposeful blackouts (there’s a Disaster Meter), extreme weather (it’s frozen outside the dome) and human-caused environmental disasters of the creative type (e.g. popcorn snow or a blizzard of bubbles), which can still prove deadly. Chobahm is no perfect heroine. She’s strong, intelligent and brave, but she can be rash, falsely believe that only she can solve a problem and put her trust in the wrong person. The writing isn’t heavy, but the story is complex. How does entertainment distort reality when an actor is actually committing murders? How do you expose a group’s lies without getting yourself killed? This duology’s layers make for a memorable saga.

            Book 1: Snowglobe

A Poem: "The Tonsillectomy"

Photo by Anna Shvets via Pexels

The Tonsillectomy

Five weeks have passed since a surgery I had.

My will to have it was most ironclad.

My tonsils had bothered me for 15 years plus,

But there wasn’t then a major issue to discuss.

I won’t deny that the first week was rough.

Just taking pain meds every three hours was tough.

A kid is excited for all the popsicles and ice cream,

But what I couldn’t have was my gnawing daydream.

Swallowing was painful or irritating at best.

It was hard that first week to feel that healing had progressed.

The pain didn’t stop me from wanting “real” food.

I know the lack affected my attitude.

The evening of Day 6, my pain upticked.

That lasted through Day 10. I wanted a breadstick.

Eventually, I could cut back on pain meds.

Oh, how I wished for a hunk of crusty bread.

Pizza and chips and hot ‘n sour soup.

I definitely yearned for a food recoup.

That cookie looked good. Fried chicken I craved.

I’d eat those soggy fries from the microwave.

At the two week mark, I tried some mild spice.

I could “feel” it in my ear, but that was a small price.

On Day 15, I ate pizza, and what a joy

To be eating without pain and all food, enjoy.

Five weeks have passed, and I’ve been feeling great.

Now that I’m healed up, I say, “Checkmate.”

I don’t regret the surgery, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

I have returned to filling up the grocery cart.

-Lisa K.

May 30, 2025

P.S. I’m so grateful to Dr. Fareeda Hussain and her team. I was in very capable hands from beginning to end and felt well taken care of.

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 6

I’m adventuring through chapter books in this compilation. They all happen to be library books, too.

Astrid & Apollo and the Ice Fishing Adventure (Aug. 1, 2022) by V.T. Bidania.

   Evelt Yanait, illustrator.

<This book is part of an unnumbered series.>

They’re well into winter, and the ice is thick, so twins Astrid & Apollo and their little sister, Eliana, are all excited to fish in an icehouse. Dad shows the kids how to drill a hole, clear it away, bait the hook and reel in their “fish friends.” Everyone’s having a good time, except for Mom. Even fully dressed for winter plus wearing a blanket, Mom is cold, and she’s worried about something going wrong. When an uninvited guest pops up and causes a little chaos, it’s Mom who ends up having the biggest laugh.

            Another spirited story from the Astrid & Apollo series, this realistic fiction adventure showcases a wintertime hobby for many. The story teaches the basics involved in ice fishing and discusses the patience typically involved of fishing in general. As always, the stories are overall easy to understand, though there might be some words that beginning readers may need help with.

See also: Rutabaga’s Reads 2024: Part 6

Rutabaga’s Reads 2024: Part 3

Rutabaga’s Reads 2023: Part 3

Llama Quest: Danger in the Dragon’s Den (Jan. 7, 2025) by Megan Reyes.

   Kay Davault, illustrator.

<This is the first book in a series.>

The 12 Magic Stones are missing. Eight-year-old Dak Evans wants nothing more than to leave his family’s home on Mythic Island in the Kingdom of Ravenwood and visit the Mainland. Instead, he spends his days scooping up llama poop. One night, he’s awoken by drool on his face from a fashionable llama who always wears a scarf. It turns out, her name is Lucy, and she’s a magic llama. Lucy’s friend is a young girl named Fenn with purple hair who lives with the mysterious monks. After Lucy sniffs out the fire stone, she teleports them to the Dragon’s Den. They meet dragons suffering from fire flu and witness Moon Wizards casting spells to save the village, but can they find the red fire stone before the thief retrieves it?

            This chapter book is a fantasy adventure, a solid choice for readers who are too young for Tolkien. The grayscale illustrations are cartoonish, but the dragons do have a ferocity about them, and Lucy is a delight. Nothing in the story is shocking and new, but the pacing and prose are steadfast. The danger isn’t especially dangerous, but the quest continually moves forward, and there’s the mystery of the thief, which will continue, likely through the series. After reading this tale, young readers may picture themselves as Stone Seekers of Team Llama Quest.

Lucy Lancaster Has a Secret (Jan. 7, 2025) by Willow Coven.

   Priscilla Burris, illustrator.

<This is the first book in a series.>

Can hiccups make a classmate nicer? Can hiccups make someone into a butterfly whisperer? These are a couple of the questions Lucy Lancaster wonders to herself when mysterious outcomes occur after hiccupping. She’s never experienced this before, and she’s a second-grade student at Brewster Elementary. When Ms. Egli visits Mrs. Welli’s classroom, where Lucy’s a student, she knows what’s what with Lucy. Ms. Egli invites Lucy to the library and opens up a secret unlike any Lucy realizes could exist, and that’s saying something, because she already loves the library and knows the power of books.

            With many easy-to-read words and illustrations on every story page, this chapter book is a good choice for emergent readers. If the reader is reluctant, it’s an ideal story to team read aloud, so that way, an older reader can assist with any challenging words or give encouragement as new chapter book readers sound out longer words like character last names Lancaster or Heckelbeck or Bickerson. The simple story format is engaging and well-crafted, and Lucy’s star-framed glasses are adorable.

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 5

We’re almost halfway through 2025, and here I am with only the first picture books compilation of the year. I’ve read many picture books already – including with/to my nephew – but I clearly haven’t been reviewing them consistently.

The Book That Can Read Your Mind (Mar. 12, 2024) by Marianna Coppo.

This is no ordinary book. As you can gather from the title, it’s a magical one. Lady Rabbit welcomes all “prestigious readers” to her show. Instead of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, she considers pulling an old guy out of her hat, but she concludes that that’s not convincing enough. It’s not magical enough. Eventually, Lady Rabbit elects to read our minds. Look at the members of the audience. Choose one and only one. Who’d you pick? Keep it to yourself and turn to the page as directed. TA-DA! Did she get it right? I dare you to go back and try again. Did you trick her that time?

            Inspired by a 17^th-century magic book and with vintage-style illustrations, this interactive story is modern-day, enchanting and fun. There are multiple choices, so readers can play again and again. It’s an experience and a magic trick all in a picture book. Although one-trick, it’s an ingenious story idea that absolutely works. Let’s get on with the show!

A Chest Full of Words (Mar. 18, 2025) by Rebecca Gugger & Simon Röthlisberger.

   Tim Mohr, translator.

There is a magnificent treasure chest, but the treasure within isn’t gold or jewels. There are words! Oscar doesn’t initially recognize the words as treasure. He tosses fluorescent aside and rather upsets a hedgehog scampering by, as its now a fluorescent yellow. He slaps another word on another object (an old oak with a new hairdo never before looked so fabulous). He’s soon flinging words about with abandon. But then he runs out of words. He’s … wordless. Oscar goes in search of new words, but no one has any good advice until he talks to Louise. She likes to keep words handy, reminding him that they can be found anytime and anywhere.

            “Words have magical powers. Use them with care and you can make the world blossom,” says Louise to Oscar. This story, with its whimsical, softly colorful, earthy illustrations is inventive, wholesome, original, playful and word-tastic. The story, a Swiss import, is vocabulary-centric, unique, eye-opening, ear-catching and absorbing. It makes adjectives the centerpiece of the story and will engage young readers, even if they don’t understand all of the words. Words are magic. They can transport readers by painting pictures with words.

Danbi’s Favorite Day (Apr. 25, 2023) by Anna Kim.

<This is a sequel story.>

It’s not her birthday. It’s not Halloween, but still, it’s Danbi’s favorite day! She’s hosting a Children’s Day party, a day that she tells her friends is the day “all your wishes come true!” After she invites her friends, she exclaims that there will be kites and magic castles, and they’ll only eat chocolate chip cookies! Her mommy reminds her that “it’s about celebrating all the children on Earth who will one day lead the world.” She encourages Danbi to host her friends at the deli, as both her parents need to work that day. She’s told that rain is in the forecast, but she is adamant that she wants a picnic outside. When it happens as her mom said, will the weather get her down? Or will she be reminded that, “We were the children of the world?”

            This follow-up to “Danbi Leads the School Parade” is a delightful concoction of Korean heritage, diversity, inclusivity, family, friendship and the power of creativity. It’s a celebration of children. The story’s beautifully detailed illustrations in their warm, neutral tones see splashes of color from the author-illustrator and complement the text like your favorite food combinations. This picture book is joyful, fun and full of youthful energy.

            Starts with: Danbi Leads the School Parade

We Are Immigrants (Sept. 17, 2024) by Carolina Fernandez.

   Alyssa M. Gonzalez, illustrator.

Immigrants. They’ve traveled from near. They’ve traveled from far. Their journeys are all different, their skin tones “a rainbow of kings and of queens,” their hair anywhere from pin-straight to super curly, they may pray differently from you, and their languages may be unlike any you’ve ever heard. But a language everyone can understand is the language of kindness and love. Other cultures mean a plethora of new food to taste and enjoy. Just like you, they have traditions that have been passed down in their families. They laugh and have fun, too. The best thing to remember is that, “We all make up one human race.”

            Through Fernandez’s vibrant, rhyming, lyrical text and Gonzalez’s colorful, soulful, expressive illustrations, readers celebrate diversity, inclusion and heritage with this uplifting, inspiring picture book. I love rhyme, and the upbeat tempo of the story gives it a positive beat, a welcoming vibe. The storytelling matches strongly with the art of this book, and I’m so glad that I checked this out from my local library.

Will the Pigeon Graduate? (Mar. 4, 2025) by Mo Willems.

<This is part of the Pigeon series.>

Pigeon has the mortarboard hat. It has tassels. He’s overcome obstacles, noticed the little details and taken big steps. But will he graduate? Is Pigeon ready to take the brave plunge? And, asking the big questions here, will there be snacks?

            Despite my fairly regular reading of picture books, this is my first Pigeon series book, and what a delight it is! The story is simple in its illustrations and understandable in its text. There’s no grandiose verbiage, and Pigeon, despite being a pigeon, can be relatable to, say, the Kindergartner approaching Kindergarten graduation wondering about being a big First Grader next school year. This story is infused with wonderment, fun and humor.

"The Deadly Fates" by Dhonielle Clayton

The Deadly Fates (Mar. 4, 2025) by Dhonielle Clayton.

<This is the third novel in a series.>

<Potential spoilers for those unfamiliar with the series.>

Year Three is about to begin for Ella Durand, Brigit Ebsen, Jason Eugene and their classmates at the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors. This year, the school will be floating above the Sahara Desert, so get ready for dry heat and daily sandstorms. If Ella’s lucky, maybe she’ll spot a sand-dragon. She and her friends saved the world from the diabolical Ace of Anarchy, and Ella was forced to make a gargantuan reveal. It’s rocking the world of both Conjurors and Marvellers, and tensions are rising. She’s determined to discover the truth of the Conjure architect and, hopefully, bring his body home so he can truly be at rest. She’ll need the help of both her living friends and deceased relatives. They’ll sneak into the Underworld, and Ella will learn how one of her ancestors was tricked into losing a set of the Cards of Deadly Fate (that set’s currently an impenetrable prison for supervillains). Chaos is about to ensue, threatening everyone. It’s going to bring violence that Ella isn’t expecting, and she will know deep loss, but she will also gain a companion. How will she and her friends uncover hidden truths when so many seem to be against her, going so far as to send her menacing starposts? (And by-the-way, what kind of monsters send threatening notes to 13-year-olds? I can’t even.)

            I can easily admit that I have a fondness for magic schools, and I wish I could’ve been a student here once upon a time. A global, magical, sky school? Sign me up! This third installment does not fall to middle-book syndrome, and neither does the previous. As engaging, intricate and well-developed as it is, with its spectacular worldbuilding, humor, bravery and thoughtfulness, it’s a no-brainer that readers who love fictional magic schools would love for them to not be fictional. This fantastical adventure enthralls from the first page with its immersive, emotive prose, and I absolutely love the cultural diversity of this series. My biggest woe is that my favorite character dies. I highly recommend this middle-grade fantasy to anyone, any age, who loves fantasy and magical schools. Step aside, Harry Potter, because the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors is floating around! Just be sure to start with Book One in the Conjureverse series.

            Book One: The Marvellers

            Book Two: The Memory Thieves

Poems: Presenting Haiku Poetry 3

Photo of Lisa in the Agafay Desert, Marrakech, Morocco

A polar vortex

Busied our January.

It was very cold.

February came.

Happy Valentine’s to me!

I gifted myself. <3

There was a blizzard.

City facilities closed.

That was March 19th.

When April arrived,

I was out of the country.

Morocco and Spain.

There was a wedding

With a Moroccan backdrop.

Outside Marrakech.

Sister-in-law gained!

There is beauty in culture.

Brother full of joy.

I rode a camel.

That was an experience

In a rock desert.

A ferry to Spain.

A train ride to Sevilla.

A train to Madrid.

My April’s been full

Of sightseeing and great food.

Adventure awaits!

A Poem: "French Fries Are My Weakness"

Photo by Dzenina Lukac via Pexels

French Fries Are My Weakness

Like Samwise Gamgee, I love potatoes, too.

You can boil them, mash them or stick them in a stew.

Potatoes are a comfort food and prompt less stress,

But of all the tater forms, French fries are my weakness.

Crinkle cuts aren’t my favorite, but I like them when they’re hot,

And though they’re not fries, I do like tater tots.

Or fresh-from-the-fryer from a famous fast-food chain,

When it comes to French fries, it’s a struggle to abstain.

A locally-owned restaurant serves amazing French fries.

To eat a full plate of them would likely be unwise.

Done up in a light batter, they’re crispy and delish.

Now my mouth is watering for a hot fry, golden wish.

Fries are not healthy, but they are a comfort food.

I cannot ignore the deliciousness they exude.

Those fresh, hot fries, tastily julienned.

To axe them from my life, I cannot comprehend.

Sure, I understand French fries in moderation,

But this is not a poem of aggravation.

Where’s that plate of fries with my name on it?

Please send it my way. Lickety-split!

Do you eat your fries plain or with a condiment?

A little salt and pepper has me content.

I’m hungry just thinking of fries as a treat.

Time to turn the oven on to preheat!

National Poetry Month 2025

Photo by Cup of Couple via Pexels

Like a Kid

My nephew said I’m like a kid,

So it must be true.

It’s better than him calling me old.

That’s hullabaloo!

I chased him with a dinosaur.

Indoraptor roar!

He laughed and ran and chased me, too,

Fellow carnivore!

We learned about the beelzebufo,

A large, prehistoric frog.

It could eat small dinos

And was the size of a small dog.

He notices that I’m not tall,

Says he’ll be taller than me “soon,”

And with the way his feet grow,

I’ll be surpassed next afternoon.

We read a series of books

With Creepy in the title.

He laughed aloud and was unperturbed

By the glowing underwear recital!

I am older than his dad,

Which he already knows.

“Are you a kid or an adult?”

Technically an adult, I suppose.

Oh, my nephew, he makes me laugh.

To hear his laughter is a joy.

His imagination knows no limits,

And now there are monsters to destroy!

Rutabaga's Reads 2025: Part 4

Last fall, I had a library patron ask aloud and disparagingly, “Who reads these books?” The books in question were these types: Christian/inspirational fiction. He was, specifically, poking fun at Amish fiction. I, confidently, because why wouldn’t I be confident in my own reading choices?, and forcefully replied, “I do.” “Really?” he asked. He was actually astonished.

            That’s a long-winded way for me to introduce my first Christian/inspirational fiction post of 2025. Do you read Christian/inspirational fiction? Why or why not?

Double Take (Jan. 9, 2024) by Lynette Eason.

<This is the first novel in a series.>

It’s been 18 months since Physician Assistant Lainie Jackson survived her would-be murder at the hands of her ex. She killed him in self-defense, she knows she did, but a man who looks like him (from a distance) is stalking her. Someone has gone to great lengths to make it look as though he was never deceased, and his parents and brother believe him to be in witness protection. Detective James Cross has worked with the Lake City Police Department for the past couple months, but he hasn’t told his family (parents, two brothers, Keegan and Dixon, and one sister, Steph). He was honorably discharged from the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division due to wounds sustained on active duty. When James rescues two young girls and takes a bullet, his family finds out he’s around when the story’s splashed on the local news. He’s been staying with his good friend and work partner, Cole Garrison, while he figures out his family dynamics. James has always known Lainie, she’s best friends with his sister, but it’s only recently that he’s recognized her as someone other than his little sister’s best friend. Lainie wants to look to the future, one with James in it. Unfortunately, Lainie believes she’s a quitter, but if she quits, she fails, and she’ll die.

            The first in the Lake City Heroes series hits the ground running from the first paragraph and only slows down enough to round a sharp bend on a mountain when your life is in danger. In other words, this high-octane, Christian romantic suspense novel never really slows down. Eason’s skill is such that she seamlessly balances suspense with care, laughter and faith. It’s faith that sustains, not faith that is preachy. The tale is gripping and swift-paced with protagonists you wish were your neighbors and friends.

Love on a Whim (May 7, 2024) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.

<This is the third and final novel in a series.>

Steady, level-headed Brynn Haywood is reeling after an impulsive marriage to a man named T.D. DeLima that she’d known less than 24 hours. She sneaks out while he’s still sleeping and flees to Chatham, Massachusetts, a Cape Cod seaside town. Her loyal best friend, Dawn Dixon Collins, thinks she needs to “fix” Brynn’s problem and find her a lawyer through her mom’s (Marnie Dixon) very good friend, Lincoln Hayes. Lincoln is preoccupied with his daughter’s lavish, over-the-top wedding that comes complete with repeat last-minute decisions from Lincoln’s ex-wife. To put it mildly, he wasn’t an involved parent. The arrival of Lincoln’s estranged son, Bear Hayes, further agitates the challenge-filled days leading up to the wedding. His automatic animosity toward the Dixons and his father’s generosity toward them generates friction. Then the wedding day arrives and Lincoln’s whereabouts are unknown.

            A matrimonial misadventure, a wedding with no spending threshold, individual wedding cakes and Dawn’s Double-Fold Vanilla Ice Cream mix together in this sweet, Christian contemporary romance novel and final in the Cape Cod Creamery series. It features friendship, faith and forgiveness with good humor folded in. Brynn may discover that her impulsive decision shows more resolve than she realizes she possesses, but it won’t be without upheaval. There’s a character that’s in the “dark corner of unforgiveness,” though, as another character states, “Apologies don’t have expiration dates.” This book is charming and is the right amount of sweet to fill the reader up. It’s a delightful ending to an ice-cream-filled series.

            Book One: The Sweet Life

            Book Two: The Secret to Happiness

One Wrong Move (Feb. 6, 2024) by Dani Pettrey.

<This is the first novel in a series.>

Two people forging different paths. A chain of heists that’s turned deadly. Taunting riddles. Andi (Miranda) Forester was once a brilliant FBI forensic analyst until she was set up, and her career was destroyed. She now channels her brilliance as an insurance investigator and encounters Christian O’Brady. He was immersed in a life of crime at a young age by his parents. He gained faith and walked away from his corrupt past to become a private investigator and security expert. The company Andi works for insures Tad’s galleries, and Christian’s the one who installed the security systems in each of the galleries. As the two work together to discover who’s behind the break-ins, they are targeted early on. But why would someone go to the trouble of leaving them riddles as they also try to kill them? Is there more than one entity at play, and they’re not on the same page? The notes are usually left in Andi’s name, save for one with Christian’s, so they also wonder which of them is the prime target. Meanwhile, Christian has convinced his brother, Deckard MacLeod, to take on Andi’s case and prove her innocence. Trouble is, Deckard is the one who ruined her career.

The first in the Jeopardy Falls series is a thrilling plunge at breakneck speeds featuring wholesome protagonists, murderous antagonists, intrigue, ever-present danger and faith with a dash of budding romances against a contemporary Southwest backdrop (Jeopardy Falls is a fictional town in New Mexico). The romance can be cringe (“He arched a sexy brow.”), but it passes quickly enough. I’d recommend any of Pettrey’s stories to readers familiar with Lynette Eason and to anyone who enjoys suspense novels that one knows will have a good outcome at the end.