Irene Wittig

An alphabet book that differs from all the rest in A-Adventurous, B-Brilliant, C-Clever ways. All ages can enjoy the book for different reasons. As I turned each page, I'd think, "I like this letter's page best." But then I would turn the page and repeat it. It happened again and again, and again. Okay, so it was at least 26 times.

Two of my favorite pages were Ff (those who know me can easily guess why) and Tt because the illustration especially enchanted me.

Ff
Freddy Fox forgot his fishing basket
Can you also find the flowers, fern, fish and feather?

Tt
Timothy Tiger tends to the train travelers' tickets
Can you also find the trolley, trunk, turtle, teddy bear, tapir, toucan, toad, tuna, trees, town, and tower?

This alphabet book is not only amusing but charming, and this reader can imagine it being enjoyed for fun and as a teaching tool in any number of ways. The book's vocabulary is beyond pre-schoolers, but that is the case with many children's literature offerings. It is an alphabet book to engage readers of any age independently or through a shared experience and a choice of fun or teaching moments or a combination of the two. For the same reasons, the book can be used in various ways. So, indulge yourself with a child's imagination. Here are a few ideas to spark your thinking caps.
• To read aloud for the musical sounds of the syllables of the words and the melodic sounds of the phrases
• To enjoy the challenges of finding the words of the alliteration or the additional words in each drawing that begins with the featured alphabet letter
• To introduce and/or expand an individual's vocabulary and as an introduction to a wide variety of animals and other words
• To introduce and/or expand an individual's understanding of alliterative phrases
• To use as a teaching tool for students as booksparks to write their alliterative phrases, sentences, or poetry.

And if you think this book isn't for you to enjoy, remember what C.S. Lewis said,

"Being now able to put more in, of course I get more out."

Enjoy this book and don't keep the pleasure to yourself. Share it! A book loved is a book to share.… (altro)

"Sometimes changing your expectations can open new doors, you know."

Bennett Hall had worked in the Financial Reports Division at Bancroft, Chandler, and Company in Wilmington, Delaware. During those 27 years, Bennett’s reality changed from superior performance reviews to knowing she was invisible to receiving the designation as redundant. Retirement was earlier than anticipated. Bennett had a plan to take place at 123 Spring Street. Little did Bennett realize that meeting her new neighbor, Carmen-Aida McElroy, would change everything.

I loved this story! It is a story that conveys the surprises of the people we meet along our life journey. The surprise of changes, when people we thought would always be in our lives are suddenly gone. The surprise of discovery when our world is brightened by kindness, friendship, and love, nurturing us as we step outside our comfort zone, expanding our world in ways we never imagined, fulfilling a missing piece we didn’t even realize was missing. The novel is a treasure for all these reasons and more.

"The Best Thing About Bennett" reminds us that every day is a new beginning. There are people we have yet to meet on our life journey. Bennett’s story is heartwarming, uplifting, inspiring. She makes one hopeful.

I encourage readers to read Notes About the Author, sharing the inspiration for a vital highlight of Bennett’s story.

Highly recommended.… (altro)

This novel is hauntingly beautiful. How can one call a novel about WWII beautiful in any way? It is beautiful due to the writing that draws the reader in and captures the friendship of three (3) young women who met in school at the age of 6 when a teacher had them line up in alphabetical order, Grünbaum, Hellmann, Huber and it seemed so simple to say, "Friends forever."

The novel begins in Vienna in 1934, and continues to 1961 in New York. In 1934, Greta Grünbaum is now married and we meet her as Greta Bruckner, wife of newspaper journalist Otto. Léonie is now married and we meet her as Léonie Salzmann, wife of physician Josef. Emma Huber is engaged to the love of her life, Theo Berger, Socialist and activist. What could possibly interrupt their lives or even their friendship? It is a saga written of the prelude of WWII, through the darkest days of WWII in Vienna, to the aftermath. There are times of pure joy, times of celebration, times of the deepest despair, times almost unspeakable to live through let alone to remember. It is a novel of friendship and love, betrayal and deceit, secrets and lies, and most of all human resilience with the portrayal of emotions ranging the full spectrum as in life from gut-wrenching to heart-warming.

I have read many novels in the historical setting of WWII but I have never read the perspective of the war from Vienna nor did I have any educational background which made this a more enlightening read. But reading this saga of historical fiction provides more than any history class would reveal as it shares the different aspects of humanity from those who are motivated by power and greed to those that are motivated by caring and service to others. Through the friendship of three (3) women we become personally invested in their survival.

It was a mesmerizing reading experience due to the detail of the author's compelling writing. As politics are revealed, sides chosen, it becomes provocative and thought-provoking to wonder the choices one's family might have made, to wonder what your personal choices might have been. Regardless, it illuminates a difficult time in World history that one can only hope will never be repeated. It is a story I will remember. It is a story I will encourage others to read.

My sincere thanks to Irene Wittig, and BooksGoSocial for my complimentary digital copy of this title, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

#AllThatLingers #NetGalley… (altro)