Elissa Grodin

It's been years since I read Wilde's The Happy Prince, so when I saw this sitting on the shelf at the library, I just had to check it out. Done in large, picture book style, Grodin's retelling of this classic children's tale is quite lovely. The book starts out with a bit about Wilde's life and ends with a page on homelessness and the virtue of "caring" which is nice, but well over the head or interest level of the children on the low end of the recommended age rage listed for this book show more (4-8), and though the story itself is fine for reading to children on the low end of the age range...my guess is that the subtleties of the message will be lost on most 4-5 year olds without adult prodding about the "lessons" of compassion and charity that this book has to offer. Still it's a classic and, I think a message worth giving and receiving.

Overall, The Happy Prince has never been a very "happy" book, that is to say, even in the original, the prince was melted down and the bird died...what's missing here is the bit where they get to go to heaven, chosen by one of God's angles as the two most precious things in the city. Grodin gave the book a more secular ending where the man charged with pitching them into the furnace decides they deserve better and buries them in the city center (presumably where the statue once stood), under a tree in a planter marked with the words compassion and kindness...so despite the loss of the direct Christian religious overtones of God and the virtues, Grodin manages to deliver the message of the original and I think that's wonderful. I give this version of The Happy Prince five stars, the text is lovely and the artwork is stunning and evocative of the story...at first dark and depressing and as the city becomes a happier, kinder, more compassionate place, it brightens and becomes lighter in look and feel. show less

America has it and it seems like many other countries want it. But what exactly is a democracy and how easy is it to maintain? Despite the banter in today's media, many Americans are still in the dark when it comes to knowing and acting upon their rights and responsibilities as citizens of a democratic society. In refreshingly candid and straight-to-the-point language, author Elissa Grodin takes readers of all ages on an A-Z trip through our government's structure, from its earliest show more beginnings to definitions of basic components and concepts (including immigration and taxation). Engaging, disarming, and frequently thought-provoking artwork from illustrator Victor Juhasz emphasizes the magnitude of the subject. From founding fathers, first ladies, and the First Amendment to the presidential oath of office, D is for Democracy details the political processes, parties, and people of democracy, American-style. show less

This book had me hooked from the title. Who doesn't love a good old Alfred Hitchcock film? I love them and the theme throughout this book about film. Especially my favorite movie, The Scarlet Pimpernel. I know it's not a Hitchcock film but it is a classic. This book not only had a great story line but awesome characters that were very intriguing. I totally had the wrong person pegged as the killer the whole time. I really enjoyed the mystery and suspense throughout. With a hoard of suspects show more and motives you have to be on your toes.
Edwina Goodwin is a Physics Professor at Cushing College in New Guilford. She along with her maybe boyfriend end up in the middle of a murder mystery. They end up at the annual Hitchcock film festival with Spellbound playing only to have it stopped due to a scream. They end up finding Bunny Baldwin dead in the ladies room with a piece of film wrapped around her head. Weird huh but there's more, she was strangled with it and she had homeopathic drugs in her system? Not only do they have a huge suspect pool because Bunny wasn't the most popular person on campus everyone seems to have an air tight alibi. What now??? There are so many things going on Edwina decides to put her Physics to good use to try and find a killer before he or she strikes again. No one is safe in New Guilford! show less

I just finished DEATH BY HITCHCOCK and had to start my review right away. I really enjoyed this book

Just a smidge edgier than a traditional cozy, author Elissa D. Grodin has penned a wonderful mystery. The murder victim’s body was found in one of the most original ways I have ever read (including suspense thrillers) and is not something you’ll see in your average cozy mystery.

Protagonist Edwina Goodwin, originally introduce in Ms Grodin’s novel PHYSICS CAN BE FATAL, is a physics show more professor. She’s a wonderful character with many layers. I look forward to reading more about her in future installments.

This story was brimming with suspects. The search into who killed Bunny Baldwin was not an easy one at all, but it certainly made for an intriguing, entertaining read. When the reveal came, I could have kicked myself for not guessing correctly. I remember thinking, “I should have seen known that!” LOL Great job Ms. Grodin.

If you’re in the mood for something a little different than your traditional cozy mysteries, I think you’ll enjoy DEATH BY HITCHCOCK. show less