While summer is winding down a bit, there's still plenty of sunshine left to
curl up in to read a great book. I apologize for the late posting, but had shipping
delays on some of the books, paired with my computer dying and needing repair.
But summer is my favorite season and I'm not ready to say goodbye to it yet,
or to give up on a fun summer read on a warm day. And Midwest authors are
ready to deliver on just that. Here are some of the best books I found
by Midwest authors for summer 2020:
The Adventures of Patches, the Archaeology Dog-Egypt
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes
About the author: Dr. Barbara-Anne Huculak is from right here in
Siouxland! Dr. Huculak is a retired professor from WIT with a passion for
educational travel, and wrote her book to help share that with children!
Publisher: Self-published
What's it about:
The Adventures of Patches, the Archaeology Dog-Egypt follows the
titular character as he goes along on an archaeological expedition to
Egypt.
Our favorite part: My kids and I loved the cute pup and the Egyptian
artifacts. My 7 year old was especially interested in Patches' adventures!
Who's it best for? Preschool & early elementary age children. This
would be especially great as a book to read when introducing kids to the idea
of archaeology and ancient history in general!
Where to buy it: You can buy
The Adventures of Patches, the Archaeology Dog-Egypt from Amazon:
The Goddess Twins by Yodassa Williams
I received a free digital copy of The Goddess Twins for review purposes
About the author: Yodassa Williams is a Jamaican American writer who
grow up in the Columbus, Ohio area. She's also the creator of the Black Girl
Magic Files podcast. You can find out more about Yodassa Williams on
her website, or connect with her on
Facebook,
Twitter,
or
Instagram.
Publisher: Self-published
What's it about: The Goddess Twins is the story of twin sisters
living in the modern day Midwest who discover they have magical powers when
turning 18.. just in time to use them to unravel the mysterious disappearance
of their mother, with the help of some quirky relatives across the pond!
My favorite part: I really enjoyed the vivid character depictions. I
felt like the characters could definitely be real people and could totally
imagine how they'd be acted if this was a movie. Yodassa Williams did a
wonderful job with her descriptive writing to really make the scenes come to
life. And I love the way she captured the complicated bonds between women who
love each other fiercely, but all show it differently!
Who's it best for: Teens and adults who enjoy fantasy novels
How to get a copy: You can buy a copy of The Goddess Twins from
Amazon:
Seasons by Michaela Brown
About the author: Michaela Brown is a writer from LeMars, Iowa who is
actually best known for her musical talents! As part of Gospel group the
Browns with her siblings, she's performed hundreds of concerts singing and
playing the violin. Seasons is her third cookbook. You can find more
information about Michaela Brown and her many talents on
her official website,
or connect with her on Instagram.
What's it About: Season is a cookbook focusing on seasonal and holiday
foods, separated into 4 chapters based on season. The book includes a variety
of desserts, sides, snacks, and entrees.
My favorite part: Michaela's recipes are cozy Midwest-style food,
approachable and delicious. I love Michaela's cheerful spirit, which shines
through her writing, and I'm especially excited to try the Stuffed Baked
Zucchini Boats from her fall chapter
One of the recipes I tried already is the Blackberry Cake Torte. It turned out
really delicious and my kids gobbled it down! My only tip to add is if you use
frozen berries, add 10 minutes to the baking time.
Also, this isn't really recipe related, but I really appreciate the wipe-able
cover!
Who's it best for: Anyone who loves to cook!
How to get a copy: You can buy Seasons from
Michaela Browns's website.
River Otter's Adventures
I received free access to an online digital version of River Otter's
Adventures for review purposes
|
|
Cover image courtesy of Arbordale Publishing |
About the author: Linda Stanek is an award-winning children's author
from Ohio, with dozens of great titles under her belt including some written in partnership with the Columbus Zoo! You can find out more about Stanek on
her website.
Publisher:
Arbordale
What's it about: River Otter's Adventures is all about a young
river otter who sneaks into a zoo and learns more about the animals there, and
himself!
Our favorite part: Otters are my favorite animal, so I pretty much
loved it all, but I especially appreciated that it included solid scientific
facts scattered throughout an entertaining narrative that held my kids'
attention.
Who's it best for? Preschool and elementary age students.
Where to get it: River Otter's Adventures will be available
September 10th at chain and independent bookstores. You can pre-order it on
Amazon:
A History Lover's Guide to Lincoln by Gretchen Garrison
I received a free copy of the History Lover's Guide to Lincoln for review
purposes.
About the author: Gretchen Garrison is a blogger and writer based in
Lincoln. You can find more about her on her blog
Odyssey through Nebraska, or connect with her on
Facebook
and
Instagram.
Publisher:
History Press
What's it about: The historical background and local secrets of
Lincoln, Nebraska!
My favorite part: As someone who has visited Lincoln a few times, but
never really learned much about the history of the city, I found the whole
thing pretty fascinating. I appreciated that it started with the story of the
Nebraska state capitol and how it ended up there, as that was the first
question that came to mind when I read the title and thought about what I
would want to learn from the book.
Overall I thought the breadth of the Lincoln area history included was pretty
impressive. I'm sure it was hard to condense so much history in such a short
space but she did a great job of keeping it concise and leaving me wanting
more, but in a good way!
Who's it best for: Anyone who loves history and visits or lives in
Lincoln, Nebraska!
How to get a copy: You can buy a copy of
A History Lover's Guide to Lincoln from area bookstores, directly from
Gretchen, or from major retailers like Amazon:
I'll be back soon with fall 2020 books by midwest authors! If you have a
suggestion of a book I should include, please let me know!
Comments
Post a Comment
Thanks for joining in the conversation! We can't wait to hear what you have to say. Some comments are moderated, so it may take some time for your comment to appear on the site. We encourage lively discussion, but will delete comments that are hostile, hateful, spammy, or rude.