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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