Here's another book about the Broadway Stage: Show & Tell: the New Book of Broadway Anecdotes, by Ken Bloom. Talk about people behaving badly! Good grief! From actors to writers, producers and so on, sometimes it's a wonder the show really does go on! There was lots of fun stuff, too, such as when Ben Hur was produced on the stage (!) and it came time for the chariot race? The horses were galloping on treadmills. One run of Sound of Music lasted long enough for some of the boys voices to change! A fun read.

If you haven't had enough about the Broadway stage yet, move on to Showstoppers! The Surprising Backstage Stories of Broadway's Most Remarkable Songs, by Gerald Nachman. Some of these songs were consider 'throwaway' songs, imagine! Many would become firmly linked with the performer, others with the show. And, the author mentioned something I've long believed ... the movie versions of Broadway musicals are dreadful (with very few exceptions, The Music Man being one, it was fairly close to the stage play). 'Names' are used in the main roles, whether or not the person can actually sing (and then, at an extra cost, the voice is dubbed). Songs are dropped, their order is changed .... sometimes the story is even changed. This is a nice history of how the musical has changed, too.

Normally I use picture books on my Thursday post, but this fit so well here I just had to use it! Balloons Over Broadway: the True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade, written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Tony Sarg designed puppets with such amazing movements that Macy's hired him to design their holiday windows, which lead to floats in their parade. Then, when Tony realized not all people could see the floats, his creations started to go up ... and up ... eventually becoming what you see in the parade today. He worked with an assistant named Bill Baird ... he designed the puppet show seen in the movie version of The Sound of Music. Mr. Baird had an apprentice, someone who would also do amazing things with puppets: Jim Henson!

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Take another walk with Virginia Brimhall Snow in her Fall Walk book. This time the focus in on trees and how their leaves change (or don't, depending). There's some fun tree trivia, and instruction on how to do a leaf rubbing.

Autumn is the time for harvesting many things, including cranberries! Follow one family as they do just this in Time for Cranberries, by Lisl H. Detlefsen and illustrated by Jed Henry. There are different ways to do this, which is explained in the book.

This book was a lot of fun! Loved the use of words, and how the same words mean different things, such as leaves ... as in when summer leaves (goes away) autumn leaves fall. Fall Leaves, by Loretta Holland and illustrated by Ellly MacKay has beautiful pictures, too. :-)

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Thanks again to Tall Reader who brought over the entire series (just as with the J.J. Cook mysteries), I did not have to wait to jump into The Prime Minister's Secret Agent. Maggie might be home from Berlin now, but she is 'damaged'. Recovering from being shot is least of her issues. She seeks escape in Scotland at the spy training camp (where she once washed out of the physical part of the program). Instead of the peace she hopes to find, of course, she is pulled into danger once again when three dancers take sick (one a good friend of hers). Two die. An unusual connection with a dead sheep Maggie found on the shore leads to the discovery of government sanctioned development of poisons. Again, a hard to put down read! Don't miss the historical notes at the end, they are always interesting and can lead to other books to read!

And here we are ... at the last of the Maggie Hope books from Tall Reader. The Queen's Accomplice, by Susan Elia Macneal, has a bit of a twist. This time the problem is closer to home ... a local is killing women in the style of Jack the Ripper. Who, and why? The answer sure came as a surprise to me! An interesting sub-plot is Maggie's efforts to get women agents proper pay and benefits. And now we wait!

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In a nostalgic moment (I was cleaning out a closet and came across a box of marbles that belonged to my Dad) I found Marbles: a Player's Guide, by Shar Levine and Vicki Scudamore and illustrated by Emily S. Edliq. I was more interested in the history chapters than the games (I had no idea there were so many!), but if you want to try some, all the rules, etc. are included.

On the same night as I saw the show about the Golden Gate bridge I also saw one on Alcatraz. One of the hosts was the daughter of one of the Wardens, and she wrote a book: Breaking the Rock: the Great Escape from Alcatraz, by Jolene Babyak. The breakout was a result of a decrepit building, reduced staff, budget cuts, an 'easing' of some of the rules, and determined prisoners. I'm impressed by the research (records were incomplete, or just plain missing), and the time the author took to get interviews (with the understanding that what she was told might be lies and/or exaggerations. Not a bad read. :-) The author has a nice style.

From Kiwi comes a reflective, descriptive book of southwest Washington in Wintergreen: Listening to the Land's Heart, by Robert Michael Pyle. The chapters on the rain, and the green were spot on, the chapters on logging .... were sad, I thought. I read this on a cloudy day, which was perfect.

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Remember Larry, the dog? The one who got lost in New York? (June 15, 2017, post). Seems he is lost again, this time in a place closer to home (well, for those of us here in the PNW): Larry Gets Lost in Seattle, illustrated by John Skewes, written by Eric Ode and John Skewes. As before, I love the images of the city, and that little bit of extra information these authors include in their books but still, I worry about a lost dog! The cover on my copy indicates I have a "10th anniversary edition" of the book.

Here's another book about Larry, again in Seattle! (The authors/illustrator are locals). Seattle ABC: A Larry Gets Lost Book, written by John Skewes and Robert Schwartz and illustrated by John Skewes. There are wonderful choices for each letter along with the fun pictures I've come to expect from this series. A friend of a friend collects ABC books, sure hope this one is in the collection!

Take a wonderful tour of Western Washington with Three Bears of the Pacific Northwest, by Marcia and Richard Vaughan and illustrated by Jeremiah Trammell. Blue Bear has lost his human and Black Bear and Brown Bear help with his search. Along the way look for familiar trees, animals, birds and insects. Charming!

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Looking back on a comment from the June 6, 2017 post, it seems I was right! Yes, Canadian Reader and I had jumped into the middle of the Maggie Hope mysteries by Susan Elia Macneal, and now, yes, I can report we have gone on to read more! Not only that, Tall Reader has joined us as well. :-) While they have both finished the available books (and are eagerly awaiting the next one), at the moment I have one more left to read. The second in the series is Princess Elizabeth's Spy (you'll find the first book in the August 15, 2017 post). This time Maggie Hope has been sent to Windsor Castle to protect the princesses (her cover is as a math tutor). Naturally there are spies, and assassination attempts, and more. (No spoilers here!) A nice blending of real and fictional characters (all explained in the back).

Next came His Majesty's Hope. This time the story is much darker, more intense, and rather bleak in places. Of course, it takes place in Berlin where Maggie learns more disturbing facts about her family as well as what Hitler has planned. Taking on an extra, unplanned mission garners her some good information but also blows her cover which means she needs to flee. How will she get out? (Loved that part)! And who helps? (An unexpected twist here). Did you know messages in Morse Code were sometimes passed with knitting?

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Bruno, Chief of Police, by Martin Walker was recommended by both Tall Reader and Canadian Reader! Bruno, a former soldier has happily settled into a small, quiet town in the South of France. It's a mystery, folks, so you know this will change, and it does, with the murder of an elderly hero of the French Army (with a nasty message found with the body). Well written, just an excellent read, it is the first in the series and Tall Reader and Canadian Reader are happily working their way through the next books.

It looks like author Dianne Harman has several cozy mystery series to her name and Murder on Bainbridge Island: a Northwest Cozy Mystery is the first in her new series set in the PNW. Not a bad read, good for a rainy afternoon! I enjoyed the local feel.

I picked up another armchair tourist book because of the promise of humour in the stories. The subtitle did not mislead, By the Seat of My Pants: Humorous Tales of Travel and Misadventure, edited by Don George, was full of funny tales. It is Mr. George's belief that to travel, one must have a sense of humor (in his case, humour), and these stories are proof of that. From strange foods, to unplanned detours, to accidents in the middle of no where, and a search for the perfect pair of cowboy boots, you should chuckle, laugh, and even snort!

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Here's a great picture book to go with all those 'strong women' books I've used! My Name is Not Isabella, story by Jennifer Fosberry, pictures by Mike Litwin. All day long Isabella imagines herself different women in history (there's a short biography of each at the end). Clever!

Learn all about the Chinese Moon Festival in Mooncakes, by Loretta Seto, illustrated by Renne Benoit. Included are ancient folk tales, too. (These are always fun)!

The moon is full and every one else is asleep when a young boy takes a magical walk. Follow along as he discovers some of the wonders of the night in I Took the Moon for a Walk, written by Carolyn Curtis and illustrated by Alison Jay.

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I loved making sand castles as a kid ... you know ... the ones where you packed your pail with sand and then turned it upside down? This is not that! Sandcastles Made Simple: Step-by-Step Instructions, Tips, and Tricks for Building Sensational Sand Creations, by Lucinda "sandy feet" Wierenga is full of wonderful designs for amazing sand structures.

The recommendation for this book, about a most unusual family, came from Constant Reader: The Lotterys Plus One, by Emma Donoghue. It is a chapter book with illustrations by Caroline Hadilaksono. Four parents, seven kids, and a variety of animals live in a large Victorian house. This is possible because of a large win in, yup, the Lottery! (That's when their name changed, too). Live is happy chaos. It all changes when the father of one of the dads needs a place to live. Estranged from his son for years, this will not be an easy transition. The adjustment makes for a lively and entertaining story. :-)

Looking for that perfect name for a baby (or pet)? Tired of ordinary, frequently used names? Look no further, that special name is in Hello, My Name is Pabst: Baby Names for Nonconformist, Indie, Geeky, DIY, Hipster,and Alterna-Parents of Every Kind, by Miek Brunoand Kerry Sparks! Granted, there are a lot of names that I don't think anyone would use, there are some great names and some clever ideas on how to create a unique name. Food for thought, good for a laugh or two. :-)

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I suggest making a nice cup of tea when you read the book Autumn, by Jean Mulatier. Actually there will be more looking than reading as it if full of wonderful photographs of the best colors autumn can offer!

Several stills have exploded around the small town of Sweet Pepper and the investigation leads to a decades old murder, and illegal hooch! Expect a few more ghosts in this fourth Fire Brigade mystery: Sweet Pepper Hero, by J.J. Cook as well as the familiar characters from the earlier books. Given the ending, this better not be the last!

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This coming Saturday, September 9 is Teddy Bear Day! There are lots of books available from story books, to ABC books, to craft books on making and dressing them but I am just going to include two here today.

First up is The Legend of the Teddy Bear, by Frank Murphy and illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuzen. Inspired by the story that Theodore Roosevelt refused to kill a young bear, Rose and Morris Michtom of New York thought a stuffed toy bear would be a nice addition to their popular candy shop. They made two, which sold quickly. They decided to make more and wanted a good name for their new toy. They liked 'Teddy's Bear' and wrote the president to ask permission to use his name (they sent a bear, too). The rest, as they say, is history. ;-) Wonderful book!

Secondly, a favorite from way back in 1968: Corduroy, by Don Freeman. It's all about how a little stuffed bear, with a button missing from his overalls finds a home. Just as good now as it was then.

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How many times have you sung "This Land is Your Land"? Did you know it started out as a rebuttal to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America"? Woody Guthrie thought that was a 'mirage' song and did not represent the real America. The original title was "God Blessed America". (That was part of the original last line). For a wonderful history of this song, as well as folk music in general, read This Land is Your Land: Woody Guthrie and the Journey of an American Folksong, by Robert Santelli. It went unused for many years, tucked in Guthrie's notebook were he collected the songs he wrote. There are two mostly unused verses (reflecting poverty and want), and at first, Guthrie never thought the song would really catch on. (Pete Seeger wasn't sure, either, but he went on to end all of his concerts with this song)!

Partner the book above with This Land That I Love: Irving Berlin, Woody Guthrie, and the Story of Two American Anthems, by John Shaw. Again, a wonderful history of folk and/or popular music, this time with a more patriotic slant. It is a wonderful ... weaving ... of the music of the times: folk, country, hillbilly, spirituals, they are all intertwined. One fun bit here: I knew that America, the Beautiful was originally just as a poem, with no intent of adding music, but it was written in the popular meter of 8 and 6. Which means, it seems, that it can be sung quite easily to the tune of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" or "Auld Lang Syne"! (p. 30)

This Land Was Made for You and Me: the Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie, by Elizabeth Partridge is listed as a juvenile biography, but adults will like it, too. (In fact, I would suggest this for slightly older readers, not the very young). Woody Guthrie loved being on the road and the author traveled many of the same roads. Wonderful pictures, including many drawings by Guthrie.

There are several picture books with the title This Land is Your Land, but none are available locally. :-( If you can find one, I think it would go well with these! :-)

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The research that went in to The Hemingses of Monticello: an American Family, by Annette Gordon-Reed is absolutely mind boggling! (It's a 798 page book and over 100 pages make up notes, sources, bibliography, etc.) I was in intrigued by the explanations of how Jefferson was raised, what he thought of having slaves, his daughters,the attitudes of that time period, and so on. It is dense and detailed, sobering and illuminating, and altogether very readable. As luck would have it, I happened on to a show while I was reading this very book that aired on one of the C-Span channels. It was a talk given by the author on September 26, 2008 and was wonderful! The author is an excellent speaker. She first became interested in Jefferson when she read a book about him at a young age. She thinks social history trumps biography. She likes to see how evidence is used (many Jefferson biographers were quick to dismiss any involvement with Sally Hemmings, for example). I like how she writes about how Jefferson, his friends family, and the slaves, and their friends and family, fit into the times in which they lived.Thanks go to Constant Reader for this recommendation.

Author Jonah Winter and illustrator Terry Widener collaborated on My Name is James Madison Hemmings, one of the children of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. They give much credit to Annette Gordon-Reed for her "ground breaking work" about Jefferson and the Hemmings family. Written in the first person, Madison ponders questions such as how can he be both son and slave. And why could they never refer to Jefferson as 'daddy' even when playing in house with his grandchildren? A thoughtful read indeed, and goes well with Gordon-Reed's book.

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