Looking for that perfect pumpkin for your Jack O'Lantern? So is Sylvie Ann, and just look at what happens! Pumpkin Moonshine is written and illustrated by Tasha Tudor.

Now this one, Runaway Mummy: a Petrifying Parody, by Michael Rex would fit nicely with my post on Good Night Moon and all those parodies. A loving spin on Runaway Bunny (Margaret Wise Brown and Clement Hurd) it is filled with monsters, which also makes it an excellent choice for a Halloween post. :-)

1962. That's when this song was released? Do you remember? (I do!) Here, in Monster Mash, artist David Catrow gives the lyrics wonderful, creepy, 'monstery' illustrations. (As for the song itself, Bobby Pickett and Leonard Capizzi did the words and music).

While Ten Orange Pumpkins: a Counting Book by Stephen Savage would fit well with my Counting Book post(s),it fit even better here! Love the pictures! Be sure to keep an eye on the cat.

Here's a fun spin on lullabies: Creepy Monsters, Sleepy Monsters, a Lullaby, by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Kelly Murphy. Find out just how monsters get ready for bed!

A picture book, a counting book ... and a Halloween book, that's why Spooky Pookie, by Sandra Boynton is going with this post! Follow Pookie as he decides on the perfect costume for trick or treating. Great fun!

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When I first asked about picture books, a rapid and enthusiastic response came from Canadian Reader and cousin. While these are not so much the traditional picture books as there are chapters here, they did include " wonderful pictures every few pages" which made them memorable. What I especially loved was that not only did my question come up during a weekly dinner for CR and cousin, but then a response was sent that very night!

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, with paintings by Angel Dominguez which are "the most beautiful illustrations I've ever seen for these books" Rulers of Britain: From Roman Times to Elizabeth II, by Plantagenet Somerset Frye (1967) purchased in England,has amazing illustrations. The cousin remembers loving the Magic Treehouse series with titles like Pirates Past Noon, and Mummies in the Morning. Another favorite series: Great Illustrated Classics were all abridged versions, but with wonderful pictures every few pages and inspired reading the unabridged versions as the readers got older.

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Such a traditional mystery here, but with some twists, of course! Crowned and Dangerous, by Rhys Bowen is part of her Royal Spyness series. Darcy O'Mara and Lady Georgiana were headed for a secret destination when a blizzard brings things to a halt. Then, headlines in a paper say that his (estranged) father has been arrested for murder. There's a dreary castle in Scotland, an archeological dig, hidden rooms ....and ....gangsters?

A Great Reckoning is the most recent book by Louise Penny. This time, it seems, events are hitting a little closer to home for Armand Gamache and the tiny town of Three Pines. An odd map is discovered when the bistro is being remodeled. Later a copy is found in the room of the murder victim, and then in one of the stained glass windows in the small church in Three Pines. As always, the writing is mesmerizing whether Penny is describing the emotional turmoil of someone, or a dark, winter night in an old cemetery.

I know some one suggested this book, A Curious Beginning: a Veronica Speedwell Mystery, by Deanna Raybourn, but I've lost my notes (it's happened before), so whoever it was, thank you! After the funeral of her aunt, Veronica is ready to set out on her new life. Instead, she is abducted and left 'for her own safety' with a curious man who, among other things is a taxidermist. Life gets more and more strange, people are not who they say they are (and, Veronica will learn, neither is she), events spiral out of control ... I love some of the small details, such as faking a fit to pound out a message in Morse code.

Mortal Arts, by Anna Lee Huber, is the second in the series starting with The Anatomist's Wife. An engagement has been broken when the mother of the bride-to-be learns of "madness" in the family of the groom. The oldest son, a veteran of WWI was missing and presumed dead. It is discovered that the father had placed him in an asylum and now the younger brother has brought him home. A young women is missing and the main suspect (according to the lazy, local constable) is the oldest son. Like Kiera, he is an artist and his drawings are disturbing ... what might they mean? Just what is going on at the asylum? (Remember, little was known or understood about PTSD at this time).

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This must have been a hard biography to write: few official documents were found; people changed their age, or name (for a variety of reasons), letters were lost, details in newspapers varied depending on the reporter and so on. Thwarted by her father,who refused to let her continue with her music studies, she eloped with a much older man ... who gave her syphilis and soon abandoned her. Florence Foster Jenkins: the Inspiring Story of the World's Worst Singer, by Nicholas Martin and Jasper Rees is the story of her survival (not that it was too hard, she inherited of tidy some of money). At times confusing, this was still an interesting book about a rather strange woman!

This is a most unusual book! It was written by the grandmother of a friend of mine (also an author). A fascination for early man was the inspiration for Crazy Dog and the Wolf, written and illustrated by Dorothy Eckhart Smith and her story about a young boy, and the clan he lived with in early times. Now, the inventions and improvements here might have happened a bit more quickly than they actually did, but it is a book designed for younger readers. ;-) I found it a most engaging read!

This is one of those fun TV books I enjoy so much: Due South: the Official Companion, by Geoff Tibballs. I recently introduced a friend of mine to this delightful, quirky show which sent me on a quest to find a book. :-) Like most books of this genre there is a history of the show, the episodes, the stars, and, of course, some wonderful pictures. I am pleased to add this guide to my shelf.

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All the talking (and emailing) I did about picture books took me back to a wonderful artist ... Tasha Tudor! 1 is One is her counting book from 1 to 20 full of her trademark images of children, flowers, and animals. I do wish 18 had been in color.

Art Wolfe is an amazing wildlife photographer! He put some of his best in 1 2 3 Moose: a Pacific Northwest Counting Book, photographs by Art Wolfe, text by Andrea Helman. I love the local feel and the brief bits of information for each number.

Just where do animals take refuge in a storm? Find out in The Big Storm: a Very Soggy Counting Book (loved that subtitle!), by Nancy Tafuri. Be sure to study the title page carefully, there is a hint there.

Look carefully at the illustrations here, and see if you can find all the two's, three's, and so forth. Anno's Counting Book,by Mitsumasa Anno also has a nice history of numbers at the end.

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It might surprise some of you that this armchair tourist has actually done a bit of traveling, and, in fact, has been to the top of the Eiffel Tower. In a thunderstorm. When the power went out. In spite of, or perhaps because of that, I quite enjoyed Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count, by Jill Jonnes. Starting with the trials and tribulations of building the tower, to the thrill of the exhibition itself, it caught the excitement of the times. The French thought corn was only for pigs, until, at the Wild West Show, they were introduced to popcorn balls! There was a Shah who was afraid to go up to the top (he later did so). Louis Pasteur was there, as were Gauguin and the Van Gogh brothers. Rose Bonheur (who was granted a 'cross dressing' permit from the French government allowing her to wear pants so she could access pastures, barns, etc. to paint the animals she loved) spent a lot of time sketching the Indians. Those same Indians were intrigued with the Highland Games ... all those Scotsmen in their kilts, playing the pipes and hurling the caber! What came as a surprise to me, was the discussion after the Exposition Universelle closed ... would the Tower be taken down? It was a serious question!

Then, for fun, I read Tricky Vic: the Impossible True Story of the Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower, by Greg Pizzoli. (Made me think of those stories of con men selling the Brooklyn Bridge)! Always a con man (he had a box that printed out perfect 100 dollar bills), he wanted one big job that would bring in a lot of money. An article about the Eiffel Tower needing repair gave him the idea: he gathered five scrap metal dealers together for a private (and secret) meeting where he said that the Tower was to be pulled down, and one of them, the one with the best bid, would get the job. A great read, with very interesting illustrations (also by Pizzoli).

This book was a hoot! And not just because it was written by a bird! Architecture According to Pigeons, by Speck Lee Tailfeather is a world tour of the buildings and bridges pigeons love. (I chuckled at the names they gave to them)! There's a nice, detailed picture of each, as well as information about who built them and when.

For a mystery read Murder on the Eiffel Tower, by Claude Izner (February 4, 2015 post), and for a movie, watch Lavender Hill Mob (with Alec Guiness). There is an amazing chase scene that doesn't even involve a cars!

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I love the quip "I don't have to look up my family tree to know that I'm the sap." (or nut, in some versions), but it was never credited ... so ... I will just say, it's not original to me! ;-) Shaking the Family Tree: Blue Bloods, Black Sheep, and Other Obsessions of an Accidental Genealogist, by Buzzy Jackson is a good read, even if you are not looking into your family roots. While it does offer up a lot of good tips for searching old records, or interviewing distant (possible) family members, there are also lots of great anecdotes about the author and her search. I now understand more about DNA testing, too. :-)

If you want to learn all there is about clouds (there's even a test) then this is the book for you. If you want to learn about myths and folklore about clouds, then this is the book for you. If you want some great stories dealing with clouds, then ... well, you get the idea ... County Reader loaned me The Cloudspotter's Guide: the Science, History, and Culture of Clouds, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney and I'm glad she did. I have read it before, but long before I started my blog. It's worth it just to read about the pilot who was forced to eject from his plane at an unusually high altitude and fell through a towering cumulonimbus cloud, fighting for air and being pummeled by huge hailstones. Then there's mythology, paintings, poetry, film, and (drum roll) UFO's!

Ever wonder about your phone book? Okay, did you ever give it a thought beyond when you needed it to look up a number or business? Early listings did not have any numbers, just the names of those with phones. How did the yellow pages get started? There may be only one non-fiction book about this subject (the author is pretty sure) which is why Ammon Shea set out to write The Phone Book: the Curious History of the Book That Everyone Uses But No One Reads. Just one of those fun social history type books! (Loved the chapter on ripping phone books in half). :-)

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I remember when this book first came out. I thought it was beautiful, but I wanted words to go with the pictures. And then I didn't. And then I did ... and so it's been down through the years. Take a look at The Silver Pony: a story in pictures by Lynd Ward and see what you think.

One of the picture books Constant Reader recommended came just at the perfect time and shortly after my first reading I was able to share it with weekend company! We all enjoyed it. :-) They All Saw a Cat, by Brendan Wenzel, is about a cat out on a walk. Sounds simple enough, but how it is seen by a child, dog, fish (my favorite, I think), mouse and more is what makes this book so delightful.

Constant Reader also mentioned Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds. So have others! See the May 28, 2016 post. :-)

Wandering Reader remembers loving There's a Wocket in My Pocket,by Dr. Seuss. (One of my favorites here was McElligot's Pool). Of course, we both agreed that just about anything by Seuss was amazing. ;-) Then there was one called Moonlight and Shadow, by Elisabeth Jones and illustrated by James Coplestone. I'd never heard of this so did a bit of checking and learned that it had "outstanding outwork for a little horse who is afraid of his own shadow." It sounds like I book I'd like.

This, too, has been a fun project! Not only was there a wonderful initial response when I asked about favorite picture books, but short emails pop in from time to time adding one or more additional books that come to mind.

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I've always thought the Queen had a good sense of humor (humour), and, as it turns out, she does! Find out what tickles her fancy or comments she's made in various situations in The Wicked Wit of Queen Elizabeth II, compiled by Karen Dolby.

For more amusing tales about the royal family there's What a Thing to Say to the Queen: a Collection of Royal Anecdotes from the House of Windsor, by Thomas Blaikie. Stories span years, from when the current queen was a youngster to present day (2014 or so). This is one of those books that fit well during ads on TV, or when you just have a few minutes to read while the mac and cheese heats up in the microwave.

This is a more intense read than the others mentioned here: Underground London: Travels Beneath the City Streets, by Stephen Smith. London has a long history, sections of Roman walls may be found in underground car parks! There are catacombs, and sewers, and rivers ... and even a miniature train line for moving the mail. I found this to be interesting if I liked the topic, but dry otherwise! Definitely worth a look, though, as we all might have different interests. :-)

The Queen still likes to ride, every morning, if possible. She does not wear a hard hat, however, she prefers her familiar headscarf. Of all the cars at her disposal, she prefers her green Jag, and drives it herself. She also knows how to change a tire, but 'has not been required to do so for some time now'. At Home With the Queen: Life Through the Keyhole of the Royal Household, by Brian Hoby is a mostly fun, some times bewildering look at those who care for the Royal Family, the various residences, meals, cars, horses, etc. Many of the positions have endured for centuries.

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This seems to be part of a collection of books about WWII. I like that you can get a small, less expensive, volume on a subject of your choice. Mine was Saving Horses in WWII: the Untold Story of Operation Cowboy in World War II by Ryan Jenkins. Until now, much of what I knew about saving the Lipizzans I learned in the Disney movie Miracle of the White Stallions. I was saddened (although not surprised) to discover much of it was wrong! Here is a detailed accounting of what really happened and who was involved.

This took me back, way back, to something I read so long ago it was almost like reading it for the first time again! Airs Above the Ground, by Mary Stewart proved to be a wonderful read all over again. I loved the setting (Austria!), the characters, the story (a traveling circus with more than one mystery), and, of course, the old Piebald stallion! (Also found in the April 20, 2015 post).

When I offered to share Saving Horses with Tall Reader, she brought me the most amazing book! The Spanish Riding School: It's Traditions and Development from the Sixteenth Century Until Today, by Mathilde Windisch-Graetz is a simply wonderful book that I read in one sitting. It's all about the history (back to the time of Xenophon) of the horses and the school and is full of pictures as well. If you can locate a copy (it's long out of print), read it!

For a wonderfully detailed, thoroughly researched and well written history of one unique mission in WWII, read The Perfect Horse: the Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped By the Nazis, by Elizabeth Letts. Hitler had hopes of creating the perfect war horse and to that end 'appropriated' the best horses he could find. This included the Lipizzans and some amazing Polish Arabians. As the war was ending they were at risk of being destroyed. Fortunately there was a group of determined soldiers and citizens who were not going to let this happen.

For more books on Lipizzans see the April 20, 2015 post.

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This is a beautiful book! Watch the season change in Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn, by Kenard Pak. Follow along as insects, animals, birds, plants (and even a puddle) all prepare for fall. Worth several readings.

It's time for the child to have a nap and Mother Earth is trying her best but there are requests first ... a song, a snack (I'm sure this is familiar to parents!). Wild Child, by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by Greg Couch is how she finally does get Autumn to sleep. And then .... Wonderful pictures.

Here's an alphabet book for the season: A is for Autumn, by Robert Maass. Each letter has a photograph of (no big surprise here) an activity or happening of the Fall season. Nice with a cup of tea.

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I do love reading mysteries!

Die Like an Eagle, by Donna Andrews is the next book in the Meg Langslow Mystery series. This time the mystery revolves around the start of the Little League Summer Baseball games, unfinished town projects, a grand surprise from a family member, and a body. In an portable outhouse. Great characters here!

Nancy Atherton is the author of one of my favorite series. Aunt Dimity and the Buried Treasure is the twenty-first book (!) in that series and (for me, anyway) was a one day read. No murders here, just an interesting mystery, so if you like the more gritty, police procedural plots, stay away. ;-) I loved the connection in this story between something that happened in WWII and present day.

Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers, is the first in a new series, and, since it is A Postmistress Mystery, fits in so very nicely with all the reading I've been doing about the U.S.P.S! Cassie Miller has gone from a job in a large post office in Boston, to the post office in her small home town in Massachusetts. She arrives at work one day to discover a theft, of phone books. Then a body is found (it is a mystery, after all) and it's her prom date from high school. Will she be welcomed back? Interesting characters and a nice mystery here.

Thanks to Crafty Reader for this book, another 'first' of a new series: Flipped for Murder, by Maddie Day. This series is (or will be) A Country Store Mystery. It too, is set in a small town, with characters who have known each other for a long time. There's a long lost father, a new business and 'planted' rats as well as annoying politicians. It felt a bit ... contrived in places, but it kept me reading right to the end. :-) One of the things I really liked here, though, has nothing to do with the mystery itself, but the binding of the book! So many paperbacks are 'tight' and often hard for stiff hands to keep open (others have said this, too) and this book is 'soft' and easy to manage. Just thought I'd include this. ;-)

A warning here ... Thrice the Brinded Cat Hath Mew'd, the latest in the Flavia de Luce novels, by Alan Bradley, was a one day read! Kicked out of a fancy girls school in Canada, Flavia is happy to be heading back to England. She arrives home only to find her father in the hospital and an annoying cousin has moved in. She discovers a body when delivering a message who, it turns out, is not who people think he was. As Flavia looks for answers, she discovers other with ... interesting pasts. This is a great series!

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A friend of mine will be heading to London to celebrate one of those milestone birthdays. As usual, I will do my visit via books. :-)

For a big (as in Oversized book) look at some of the things tourists can't always visit, read Unseen London with photos by Peter Dazely and text by Mark Daly. There are gears in the Tower Bridge, hidden tunnels for bowling balls (creates the sound of thunder) in theaters, and dazzling tile work in power stations. Remarkable and heavy! I sat at the table to read this one. :-)

I cannot imagine what it must be like to always be in the public eye, every move noticed, scrutinized, criticized, but this is normal for the royal family. It's all about the women (well, mostly) in Game of Crowns: Elizabeth, Camilla, Kate, and the Throne, by Christopher Andersen. Follow them through good decisions and bad, how they react to each other, how Diana fit in, who could sit on the throne, and how they cope with such a public life.

There is a pub in England, the Warren House, where a fire keeps patrons warm. A fire that was first lit in 1845 and has never gone out! Bizarre England: Discover the Country's Secrets & Surprises, by David Long is filled with strange and curious facts like this. Just one of those fun reads. :-)

For a quick and interesting (if sometimes rather sad) look at the Royal Family, try Queen Elizabeth II: Crowns, Horses, and Corgis by David Arscott. In the past the Royal Family would have been off limits to the press. The change may have started back when Elizabeth was a child and a nanny sold her memoirs of working with the royal children ... and it got worse and worse. Are they really all that different from the rest of us, though, or is it just because they are a large family in the news a lot?

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