Country Road ABC: an Illustrated Journey Through America's Farmland, by Arthur Geisert was .... interesting ... ! I was puzzled by some of the choices for the letters, and at first I tried to follow the roads in the pictures (!) ... but, all in all, this is a good alphabet book with some great illustrations. Be sure to read the section at the end that explains the words the author uses. :-)

While not a picture book in the traditional sense, that is, for children, Aurora Borealis: a Photo Memory really is just that. Pictures, with the briefest of descriptions from three photographers: Dennis C. Anderson, Larry Anderson (no relation) and Wayne Johnson fill the pages with wonderful images of the Northern Lights at all times of the year. Amazing! Thanks to Tall Reader for the loan of this book!

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As promised, Canadian Reader brought the first book in the 'other' series by Diana Xarissa and I'm happy to report that Arrivals and Arrests (an Isle of Man Ghostly Cozy) is good! When Fenella Woods inherits an apartment, er, flat, from an aunt, she packs up her life and moves to the small town of Douglas. Within 24 hours she discovers a body of someone she only recognizes because earlier that day he had knocked on her door asking if she wanted to sell her flat. What a way to meet the people of her new home! Her aunt (one with a bit of a 'reputation', it seems) is the ghost who wants her niece to 'investigate' and there is a pushy kitten looking for a home. All in all, an excellent start! Thanks to Canadian Reader, I have the next few here on my pile, too! :-)

Dog shows are busy places so no one noticed when one of the vendors went missing. Until the body was found, of course. Turns out, she was not as popular as thought, and many people had had unsatisfactory dealings with her, thus making the search for the killer all the more difficult. Add to that a series of burglaries (in several different precincts), and a missing dog sitter. How were they all connected? Ruff Justice, one of the Melanie Travis Canine Mystery books, by Laurien Berenson is another of the 'poodle' mysteries that are great cozy reads.

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You'll notice several of the Images of America books in upcoming posts, I've recently had several shared with me, or purchased a couple, or borrowed them! They make a nice read on a hot (much too hot) summer day. First up was Washington, D.C.: the World War II Years, by Paul K. Williams. There were already changes being made (office space, housing) as the war in Europe created an influx of people moving into the area. After December 7, 1941 it increased dramatically. The Pentagon was built in a remarkably short period of time, temporary housing went up on the Mall and so on. Tiny plots of land became Victory Gardens, the female work force was huge. Many items were rationed, books were collected to send overseas ... as with every book in this series the photos are amazing. There's a good sense of how it might have felt to have actually been there.

I have a feeling that Pullman, by Robert Luedeking, might have a limited reading group, such as graduates of WSU, or those who live(d) there! Well, I fit the first category, and this is from the Images of America series, so how could I not read it! Watch the city grow (and burn) and learn a bit about the history of the area. There was an interesting celebration at the end of WWI, and a snow sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and a 'time line of photos' as to how Main Street has changed. Now, a book on Pullman might not be of interest to you, but one of the things this series does is focus on small towns and cities across America so check to see if there is something local for you. :-)

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Feeling nostalgic? Thinking of your childhood? Genny Zak Keiley must have been in that frame of mind when she wrote Green Stamps to Hot Pants: Growing Up in the 50s and 60s. What a blast from the past, as the saying goes! Full of pictures of what was popular and memories from the author and her friends, this was a fun/sad/happy read! The author grew up in the Twin Cities so much of the memories are from there, but hey, we all had similar stores, schools and so forth.

And speaking of nostalgia ... can the sight of candy bring back memories? Does the packaging send you back in time? In the 1970s author Darlene Lacey began collecting candy wrappers. The collection grew and became a museum! Her book, Classic Candy expands on that with a history of the candy industry in the U.S. From family run stores to large companies, buy outs, and takeovers, this is both about the history and the marketing strategies used to sell sweets (not that that is especially hard). ;-) I found the business angle a bit confusing at times, but the pictures were great!

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Gary Paulsen has always had dogs. Lots of dogs. Lots of dogs! Read about a few who have had a huge impact on his life in My Life in Dog Years. One dog saved his life, another was a guardian against bullies, another the guardian and protector of an entire farm filled with animals. I laughed until my sides hurt, and, of course, wept. Dogs are amazing.

Dogscaping: Creating the Perfect Backyard & Garden for You and Your Dog, by Tom Barthel proved to be an interesting read even for this non-gardener. Seems it is wise to design a yard for the type of dog you have ... high energy, prone to dig and so forth! You learn which plants are toxic and those that help control pests. As both a dog owner and a serious gardener Canadian Reader said this was an excellent read. :-)

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As expected, it did not take me as long to read the third of the Veronica Speedwell Mystery books: A Treacherous Curse, by Deanna Raybourn. This time there is a mummy (hence the curse). An important 'find' from the tomb has gone missing, and there have been sightings of Anubis, both in Egypt and in London. Interesting stories about events in Stoker's past appear in the newspaper ... who is this reporter? Are they even true? Can they be explained? There's a royal connection, too. Great period details, intriguing mystery, hard to put down.

The Constant Princess, by Philippa Gregory, came as a recommendation from Canadian Reader. It is a rich, detailed novel about Katherine of Aragon. Practically from birth, this daughter of the rulers of Spain was raised to be the bride of Arthur, first son of the King and Queen of England, thereby uniting two countries. Sadly, he died not long after they were wed and this is the story of how she became the first wife of Henry VIII. Lots of politics, and maneuvering, betrayal along with lots of period details. The time it took for the research this little known story of a 'lie that changed history' is mind boggling.

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Canadian Reader is coming for a visit, hence the theme for today's post!

I have always enjoyed ferry rides, but then, I am not dependent on a ferry to get me to work, or appointments, and so forth. Canadian Reader says that can alter one's thinking, and, that Adrian Raeside in No Sailing Waits and Other Ferry Tales: 30 Years of BC Ferries Cartoons, is spot on with what goes on with this important part of the provincial highway system. It's a nice sort of history, too. :-)

It's been a while (October 28, 2014 post) since I've included a book from the Bathroom Readers' Institute, but when I saw Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into Canada, eh, I just couldn't resist! It's full of fun bits of history, short biographies, humour, trivia ... and the best things about each of the provinces or territories. Divided up by short, medium and longer reads, you can pick what best suits your situation. ;-)

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