Pages & Paws

Writing, Reading, and Rural Life With a Border Collie


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‘Little Joe’ and Kimber’s New Best Bud

Well. Who can resist THIS?

Kimber: I can’t come to the blog right now. I’m off to play with my new best bud, Little Joe.

Mom: The guy from Bonanza?

Kimber: Bo-whatza? Naw.

This Little Joe is a sweet and adventurous little pup. He lives with his hooman Anne and her fam in a farmhouse at the end of a long country road in this delightful new children’s book by Mike Darcy. I’ll let Mom fill ya in:

The 4-1-1

Little Joe is friends with a big green bullfrog named Hopper. The puppy accepts Hopper’s invite to the frog’s home for some “lovely fly soup.” Little Joe’s not too sure about the menu. But he likes to explore. Like another sweet furry face we all know and love. Anyway, the puppy takes Hopper up on his offer.

En route to Hopper’s pad, it starts raining. Hard. Think Noah. The friends decide to shelter in the forest. New places! New smells! New… danger?

Uh-Oh

Well. When Little Joe the not-Bonanza-guy takes off after a deer, the duo winds up lost. And face to fur with a hungry bear.

Kimber: I see those looks. Like when your faces gets all scrunched up and worrified. Not to Fret, Cookie. Our intrepid hero pup also winds up finding friends in unexpected places.

Lithe and lively, Little Joe and the Big Rain is a little Androcles and the Lion. A little Goldilocks. And maybe a bit Narnia. It’s well-written, structurally sound, and ripe for a sequel. The illustrations are adorable. (Kimber: Not as adorable as me, of course. But that’s a mighty high bar.)

Beautifully written with vibrant descriptions and vivacious storytelling, this book grabbed us on page one. It kept us following Little Joe and his adventures until the very end.

So if you or someone you know is looking for an engaging and entertaining read for the little’uns, Little Joe and the Big Rain fills the bill. If you’re looking for a new best bud, kindly get in line. Behind Kimber.

Hark! Doth I hear “ribbet”?

Our Rating:

4.5


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Why ‘Two Weeks Till Sunday’ Is Better Than Beef Bourguignon

Kimber: Yo, Mom! What’s this ‘week’ stuff? Is that like wan Beef Bourguignon? Limp leg of lamb? Flimsy filet mignon?

Mom: No, Kimster. It’s w-e-e-k. As in, seven days.

Kimber: Great. Got it. What’s ‘seven days’?

Insert Mom eye roll here.

Kimber: Silly Mom. She’s probably ruminating on my beautimous brilliance and munificent magnificence. Or she wants to tell you about a brand new historical fiction thingy we just read. It’s like, Totally Pawsome! You know this is true because I say so. Got that, Cupcake?

Well. The book is Two Weeks Till Sunday. By indie author Caleb Backholm. Take it away, Momster! (That’s not a typo. In case you’re wonderin’, Cookie.)

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Our Favorite Books Set in Ireland

According to family lore, one of us has roots in Ireland. So on this Saint Patrick’s Day we’re highlighting some of our favorite books set in and around the fabled Emerald Isle. Of course, we had to dig some up. And keep digging. And dig some more.

It took some effort. But one of us – the sweet four-legged one with a heart of gold – happens to be very good at digging. (Let’s just keep that our little secret, okay? – Kimber.)

So here are some of our favorite books set in Ireland. That we’ve actually read. Any of these ring any rainbows? In no particular order:

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Top 10 PAWsome Non-Fiction Books To Read & Re-Read

“Alright Kimber. Step away from the non-fiction book stash and I’ll forget all about that incident with the double cheeseburger.”

Kimber: Drat! I was kinda hoping Mom already forgot about that.

Squirrel!

Wait. Where was I? Oh yeah. Top non-fiction titles. As you know, non-fiction tells a true story about actual events and real peeps. All of the NF titles below are uber readable. Eminently engaging. They feature sturdy writing and are told with great skill. And sometimes a twinkle or two. Maybe more. Ditto pitch-perfect pacing. All are a cut above. So you really should drop everything and buy your own copy, Cupcake. Just sayin’.

So here’s our totally subjective, 100% unscientific list of top 10 non-fiction titles. Some are old. Some are new. Many are by indie authors. How many do you recognize?

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P.U. – DNF 8.0

A very wise person once said Life, “Time is like a penny. You can spend it anyway you want. But you can only spend it once.”

Which brings us today’s DNF List. Way we see it, life’s too short to spend time on lousy books. Like, who wants to waste their time on sludge? Skunkers and clunkers? Especially when there are so many other good books around. So we don’t bat an eye at chucking a book into our DNF pile. (For more, see 4 Reasons Why We’re World Champion ‘Book Bailers.’)

Complete Wastes of Time

So here’s the latest Mom and Kimber Official DNF List. We ploughed through these stinkers so you don’t have to. In no particular order:

DNF List 8.0

We All Live Here – Jojo Moyes

You know how you love a book so much that you’re on the lookout for the author’s next title? Then you get it. Dive in. And grab the nearest barf bag.

That’s what happened with this dud-o-rama.

Grabbed it off a library shelf the other day cuz we super loved Moyes’ The Giver of Stars. But this hunka junk? Just wanted to slap some sense into these lifeless, colorless and banal characters who can’t seem to figure out which end is up. And think looking for “love” in all the wrong places will solve everything.

It doesn’t. Duh.

And Lila Kennedy’s BFF, Eleanor? Give. Me. A. Break. Ridiculous on turbo boost.

Gritted our teeth thru about 150 pages before bailing out. Life’s too short to have this sort of junk renting space in our heads.  Besides. We ran out of mental Lysol. So ciao, babies! And don’t let the door hitcha on your way out.

Off the Books – Soma Mei Sheng Frazier

This debut “coming of age novel” about a cross-country road trip is getting some rave reviews elsewhere. Which doesn’t means beans to us. Unless you want to hop on for a one-way trip to dull-as-a-blunt-spoonsville.

Union Station – David Downing.

Did you bring a book with you during your last mad dash to the ER? Her Momness did. This one.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.

In all fairness, facing down a loved one’s emergency medical issue doth not a great context for reading make. Too many bad associations. So Mom just quietly returned this title to the library a few days and 50 pages later. (ER patient His Royal Dadness is okay, thank you very much.)

The Cobbler’s Crusaders – Rick Steigelman. Link not available.

Got a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A nine year old American girl is visiting her Grand-mere in Paris. Young Jacquelyn Pajot is itching to see the sights, especially the Effiel Tower. But Grand-mere is intent on dragging the girl to Mass every day. Ditto hair appointments and knitting lessons.

When Jacquelyn meets two local girls, Genevieve and Nicolette, they set out to discover Paris sans adult supervision.

What could possibly go wrong?

We could not get into this book. Tried and tried. Just didn’t connect. It struck us as snooty. Like when Jacquelyn is served a glass of warm milk at a Parisan cafe – apparently warm milk is a French thing- followed by jabs at Americans and American culture. Zzzzzz.

And that can-can stuff at the Moulin Rouge? Really? It’s a lot of noise and a lot of splash but doesn’t really go anywhere. Like this book. Bailed out around page 70. Buh-bye!

The Badger Chronicles: Secrets of the Whispering Woods – Martin Newbold

Want to get on our bad side in two seconds flat (or less)? Misrepresent your work. Like listing your book’s length at “0-1000 words” when it’s almost 200 pages. Like this overwritten morass of redundancy and repetition.

Got through about 90 pages thru sheer force of will and gritted teeth. Then we ran out of will. And teeth. ‘Sides. We have better things to do than plow through a dull as dirt “forest fable” that goes round and round in circles for pages and pages. And me without my trail of bread crumbs.

What title topped your most recent DNF List?


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Dual Rescue Delights in ‘Stay, Girl’

See? Found a pic with a beagle in it! Sort of.

Stay, Girl

By Angelica R. Jackson

Genre: Fiction/Coming of Age

Pages: 279

Via: Blog Tour

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sacramento, CA, 1953. Penny was one of the dogs seized by the county in a cruelty case. Thirteen year-old Lizabeth “Bet” Carter is on the run from an abusive stepdad after her addicted mom dies. She’s heading to her Uncle Earl’s. But only cuz Bet promised her mom she’d “go” to Earl’s. Bet never said anything about staying with him. In fact, she plans on high-tailing it down to Oregon to work as a cook’s helper in a lumber camp with her best girlfriend. As soon as she can make some plans.

But an unlikely yet heartwarming alliance begins to form in this captivating and compelling coming of age tale reminiscent of Where the Red Fern Grows, Marley and Me, and Shiloh.

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Kimber’s Update on Her 2 Fave Hoomans

What?

Kimber here. With a quick update on my two favorite hoomans. Her Royal Momness and His Royal Dadness.

If you’re a regular reader, you probably know that The Royals were waylaid by The Creeping Crud (RSV) for over a month. Mom is doing much better. So, watch out world!

Dad developed a blood clot in his leg. Most likely due to inactivity while battling RSV. Thankfully, we got him to the E.R. fast as greased lightning. Found a blood clot a la ultrasound. Got him on blood thinners right away. (The hoomans say blood clots are very dangerous. Can be deadly in minutes. In case you’re wondering.)

Not good! Not good! Red alert!

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How To Rate Books Without Being Biased

Some poor unsuspecting rookie posed this topic to The ‘Ole Curmudgeon the other day. Probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Like the time I “liberated” that nice, juicy pot roast from the dinner table when no one was lookin’. But I think The ‘Ole Curmudgeon has forgotten about that by now. So let’s not remind her, okay?

Anyway, we “liberated” this headline from another blogger. Comes with some  questions: Whaddya mean by “bias”? Who decides? Based on what?

Here’s one def of “bias”: showing a like or dislike for someone or something based on personal opinions.

Newsflash, Toots. When it comes to book reviews, that’s kind of the whole point.

Yo!

For example, we have a “bias” against R-rated books and those with gratuitous violence and/or profanity. Additionally, we no longer accept memoirs about childhood abuse. Conversely-ish, we have a “bias” toward clean, uplifting and inspirational books.

We’re just funny that way.  It’s no secret. We say so in our Submission Guidelines. As in: Our blog. Our rules. So deal with it, Buttercup.

Fact is, we know what kind of books we like. And what we don’t. And why. And fact is again, some books are just better than others. They have better writing that’s rich, skilled, and full-bodied. They’re well-organized. Articulate. Structurally sound. Feature three-dimensional characters. An engaging, agile plot. Nimble pacing. They enrich, motivate, educate, stretch, entertain and/or inspire.

Others don’t.

They move with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth. Drip with typos. Have a plot like Swiss cheese. Bland, brittle characters that could give No Doze a run for its moola. And are as inspiring as wilted cabbage. Or the neighborhood powder puff.

And we notice.

So. How to Rate Books Without Being “Biased”? Simple. Thrown’ this in for free: Just don’t have a solid opinion.

You’re welcome. Now about that pot roast…


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Poetic Memoir A Barkworthy Read!

Sleeping With Dogs: A Poetic Memoir

By Barbara Barth (Gilbert Street Press, 2024)

Genre: Non-Fiction

Pages: 35

Via: Book Blog Tour

We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay. So who can resist a title like that? And a sweet furry face like me to tell ya about it? Wait. Her Momness wants to muscle in. You know Mom.

Snow doggie!

So here we go:

She had me at “dogs.” And I don’t even pretend to be unbiased on the subject of unconditional love on four feet. Hi, Kimmi.

But we totally loved this book. It’s short. Sweet. And to the point. Kind of like… Well. One of us was gonna say “chihuahua.” But we’ve known a few too many Chihuahuas With Attitude. So…

Heartstrings

The Introduction tells us that the author lost her husband in 2008. She turned to writing and dogs to cope. And this piquant and pithy collection of 23 poems in free verse is the latest endeavor. And we really, really liked it. Cuz. You know. Dogs. Besides. The gang’s all here. From a 50-pound German Shepherd named after a Jimi Hendrix tune to Bray, a skittish black Afghan to Queen Chloe, the “pet store dog adoption” and more, this clever little book tugs at the heartstrings.

Some readers will recognize Odette, the “Velcro dog” who was rescued from a backyard breeder. “NO” isn’t in Odette’s vocabulary.

But it’s about a lot more than descriptions of a lot of dogs. Their breeds and personalities and idiosyncrasies. A lifetime of love is packed into a few brief lines of free verse. Like, “In a blink of an eye, joy to despair.” “Fur weathervanes.” Love conquers all. “Nothing is important except the moment/An evening in the company of my dogs.” So much more.

Heartfelt

Heartfelt and effervescent, the entries snap, crackle, and pop as the author skillfully traces the ups and downs of life with dogs while interweaving bits and pieces of her own life story throughout the text. Sentences are staccato-short but packed with meaning and texture. It’s clever. It’s engaging. It’s as warm and welcoming as a sweet furry face we all know and love (Kimber: Even feline fans will love this book!)

Highly readable, Sleeping With Dogs is the kind of book you can read cover to cover in under an hour. You can also dive in for a quick nibble or two and come back to it later. Or sip and savor it slowly, like a fine wine. Or unconditional love on four feet.

So if the mere mention of “poetry” is enough to make you jump up and run screaming from the room, take heart. Or take bark. Because Sleeping With Dogs will grab you collar, kennel, and kibble from page one.

I’d grab a copy now ‘fize you!

Our Rating: 4.5


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Does ‘Gates of Gaza’ Open Doors or Muddy the Waters?

The Gates of Gaza

A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Hope in Israel’s Borderlands

By Amir Tibon (Little, Brown and Company, October 2024)

Genre: Non-Fiction

Via: Library

Pages: 290 + extensive Notes and an Index

It’s complicated. Intense. Tragic. Indeed, the depth and breadth of the decades-long conflict in the Middle East are difficult – and maybe impossible – to fully grasp unless you live there. That’s one of two main messages that come through loud and clear in this first-hand account of the October 7 massacre by journalist Amir Tibon.

Twelve chapters plus an Epilogue bring us into the heart of the October 7 and the history of the region. The author’s first-person narrative focuses on how the author, along with his wife Miri and their two young daughters, hid in the family’s safe room inside their home during Hamas’s murderous rampage across southern Israel. It’s hair-raising. To put it mildly.

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