Amy Cherrix

DNF because I am unable to ignore the weird condescending ignorance of this book, as though the author lives in fluffy bunny land and doesn't understand government brutality and oppression, or what war actually means to those caught in it. I threw in the towel when it was intimated that Sergei Korolev, a Soviet scientist (who had, the book tells us, just spent 6 years in various gulags where he had been subjected to beatings that resulted in him no longer being able to fully open his mouth show more and living conditions which caused him to develop life-long heart issues) should simply have refused to co-operate with his government. Also, he didn't immediately return to his family when he was released "for reasons that remain unclear", completely ignoring real life in Communist Russia in the mid-twentieth century, especially for someone with Korolev's skills and knowledge.

Not recommended, at all. show less

This is a really interesting book about how and why wild animals encroach on urban spaces (Asheville, North Carolina) and what humans can do to stay safe and protect the animals. There are lots of full-color photographs of scientists tagging bears and a thorough study of several bears who live in this area. A few other animals and urban locations are mentioned. In the back of the book, ways to keep bears away from your property, how to behave if you encounter a bear, web resources, glossary show more and other notes and bibliography. Unless your child is REALLY into conservation, this may be a better book for teens or adults. show less

Awww. Very sweet, in evoking independent bookstores, diverse popularions, and walkable urban neighborhoods. And there's a bookstore cat, of which I approve even as I know that allergies can be devastating.
I had some quibbles with the illustrations (the onomotopeia repeated from the text to the illustrations throws off the rhythm), but the pair with the light on and off is brilliant.

Library copy

I returned a few books at the library and this one caught my eye. It is aimed at children and I was impressed with the quality of the photographs and the writing. It introduces the scientists and the work they are doing to understand hurricanes through science and drones. I could easily see a young future nerd reading this book and deciding they want to be a scientist too.