Mary Blocksma

I thought that "Ticket to the Twenties" was a brilliant book for younger students looking to learn about the 1920s. The beginning of the book tells readers that they have received a ticket to travel in time to discover more about the 1920s. It discusses topics such as how to dress, how to speak and what to expect when you arrive in the time period. I think it is an engaging book that would be easy to read in sections with a younger audience, and I thought there was a lot of content that show more could inspire projects or extra activities to complement the text. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I felt like I learned a lot about the 1920s that I did not know before! show less

This book was not what I was expecting at all... For one thing, it reads more like a somewhat-daily journal of the Mary Blocksma's interactions with natures. There's also a LOT of time devoted to talking about fungi/mushrooms. Silly me - I expected more of a suggestion of different places to take nature walks in the Midwest. If you aren't wandering where Blocksma was staying while she wrote this book, it's not likely that you'll see all of the same animals and plants that she did. Still, it show more was interesting enough to read once, but I definitely would never use this as a guidebook. show less

This is a wonderful, and inspirational book, written by a writer who is recording her process of learning to paint a continuously moving lake which changes color and configuration daily, if not more. You will be astonished at the variety of colors shapes, even moods captured in this "beginner's" small painted expressions of Lake Michigan. But that's not all. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but these pictures are accompanied by thought provoking journal entries that turn the show more paintings into illustrations. This is truly one of my favorite books in my library. It inspires me to try harder to be the artist I want to be. You will like it. And it would be a wonderful gift for any art appreciator. I picked up a copy when I was on Beaver Island in 2009. Just love it. It is a sweet, very accessible, enjoyable little collection of art which takes you to the lake any time you want to go. (But don't forget your paint box!) show less

"Ticket to the Twenties" proves itself to be an interesting and informative book about several different aspects of life during this time period. The book encourages readers to get their ticket to the "Time Line's Good Time Tour" and travel back through time through the roaring 20s. The book features an accurate, kid-friendly account of life during this time period which includes timelines, black-and-white photographs, and a dictionary of "jive talk". Additionally, the book features a page show more on 1920s women and explains that women in the 1920s are "demanding a more active role in life than they've ever had before". The book also shows a page about discrimination, which brings up facts that tend to be swept under the rug (such as the fact that African Americans, Jews, Catholics, Native Americans, Japanese Americans, and Chinese Americans were discriminated against by white Americans). show less