Reviews!

Parrots, Pugs, and Pixie Dust: A Book About Fashion Designer Judith Leiber by Deborah Blumenthal and illustrated by Masha D'yans (Nonfiction Picture Book)

Prior to reading this, I hadn’t heard of Judith Leiber. I most enjoyed learning about her tenacious passion for creating art and quirky handbags. The illustrator, Masha D’yans, does a smashing job bringing Leiber’s personality and art to life. It’s such a beautiful book I cannot bring myself to shelve it. I’m also a sucker for biographies that shine a light on true love and/or long marriages (even if it’s not one of the main topics of the book). It sounds like Judith and Gerson Leiber had the real deal and there’s even a sweet photograph of them together at the end of the book. There are also pictures of her handbags at the end too!

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood (Juvenile Fiction)

Grade Level: 3-8. Wow, what an intense and gripping story based on a true historical event I hadn’t heard of prior to reading this. The poetry format doesn’t make a lot of sense and it’s poorly done, but the story, characters, and inclusion of every detail of the author’s intense and fascinating research more than make up for the bizarre poetry format. I couldn’t put this book down and struggled to carry on with my life while reading this, but thankfully it’s a short read. I am really impressed with how closely the book follows the true events of the SS City of Benares when it was torpedoed while carrying children who were part of the Children’s Overseas Reception Board. I also appreciated how Susan Hood didn’t sugarcoat the story but didn’t get too graphic with the details or put too much focus on the few deaths mentioned. Though this is a great step up for fans of the “I Survived” series, it’s also an excellent choice for anyone looking for historical fiction or adventure stories.