Tag Archives: Good Reads

Weather and Space by Helen Young and Chris Oxlade (2010) – BR00219 (2022) – 🐸🐸⚪⚪⚪

The PolyBlog
November 12 2022

Plot or Premise

Part of an Interactive Explorer series, this book is aimed at kids, and includes flaps, pull tabs, wheels and acetates. The book is divided into two, with Section 1 aimed at the weather. It covers weather extremes, changing climate, floods, droughts, winds, big storms, thunder and hail, and extreme snow.

What I Liked

I was mainly reviewing the text to see what they shared about space in Section 2 for younger grades. Overall, it covers the night sky, star maps, suns and stars, the life of a star, constellations, galaxies, planets, the moon, smaller bodies, and exploring space. All are good topics for those new to space.

What I Didn’t Like

The added features seem out of place in the book — the text is written for middle-school level or a bit below who would find the features childish, while the “features” are more suited to early grades who wouldn’t understand the text. For the space section, the order makes no sense. We start off with big areas, come into the sun, back out to stars and DSOs, back down to the solar system moon, and back out to small bodies.

The Bottom Line

Poor design and odd choice of organization for the space section

    Sprinting Through No Man’s Land by Adin Dobkin (2021) – BR00217 (2022) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

    The PolyBlog
    October 31 2022

    Plot or Premise The book provides an overview of the first Tour de France after WWI. What I Liked I was skeptical when I first chose the book. It showed up as a recommendation in a feed, but was I really going to read about the Tour de France? I am NOT a giant sports fan in general, and certainly not of cycling, nor even of the TdF, although I’ve always been impressed by the idea of it. A gruelling multi-day race, different terrain, and extensive coverage are truly, ahem, impressive. But would I like a book about the first … Continue reading →

    The Quiche of Death by M.C. Beaton (1992) – BR00215 (2022) – 🐸🐸🐸⚪⚪

    The PolyBlog
    October 29 2022

    Plot or Premise Agatha Raisin retires from an active public relations life in London and settles down in a small town, expecting a relatively quiet existence. What I Liked The general premise is interesting, with a pie she enters in a contest ending up somehow killing someone. There are lots of characters running around, and once things settle down, it has the basis for a good universe to visit. What I Didn’t Like I struggled with three aspects of the story. First and foremost, Agatha herself is not particularly likable. She’s spent her career generally being oblivious to others, but … Continue reading →

    The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker (1973) – BR00199 (2021) – 🐸🐸🐸🐸⚪

    The PolyBlog
    July 13 2021

    Spenser is hired to find a rare book stolen from a university and the first witness he talks to ends up standing over a dead body within a day, but claims she didn’t do it.

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