Week in Review #7

This week I read eight books.

The Belle of Chatham by Laura Frantz is Christian historical romance set during the American Revolution.

Searching for Mr. Johnson's Song by Ariel Vanece is a children's picture book about a young boy seeking to comfort and encourage his neighbor, Mr. Johnson, by helping him remember the lyrics to a song he forgot.

All the Blue Skies by Renee Watson won the Newbery Medal, but did it win my heart???? Not so much. But if you are looking for a book weighted down by ultimate sadness do seek it out.

Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams by Katherine Paterson was a bit overwhelming but extremely fascinating. I felt each page was SO packed with information I'm still processing it all.

If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon by Ellen Levine was a thrift find I loved.

Through the Telescope by Charles R. Smith, Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies by Margi Preus, and That Swingin' Sound: The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong by Rekha S. Rajan are all picture book biographies.

Century of Viewing #7

1950s

• 1953 Call Me Madam. This was my first time seeing the musical Call Me Madam. It has both Vera-Ellen AND Donald O'Connor. Though neither in the lead roles. Mrs. Sally Adams is appointed ambassador to a foreign country--her only qualifications being connections in D.C. and her 'charms.' (Her charms must include singing and dancing). She takes her attache (played by Donald O'Connor) with her. They fall in love with some higher-ups in the foreign country, but, things are complicated overseas. Can she sing and dance her way out of trouble?
• 1959/1960 "There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone."
  I love, love, love, love the Twilight Zone. There were thirty-six episodes in the first season.

  My favorite episodes this season were:

  "Time Enough at Last"

  "One for the Angels"

  "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"

  "The Fever"

  "Perchance to Dream"

  "Judgment Night"

  "The After Hours"

1990s

• 1995. A quirky comedy (period drama) with an extremely flimsy romance. But the soundtrack is fabulous. The accents are fun. I liked it. So a Welsh "mountain" is judged to be a mere "hill" and the villagers come together to make their hill a mountain....and Hugh Grant falls in insta love with one of the villagers. Or maybe she falls in insta love with him. Not the best plotted romance for sure. And while listed as a comedy, it's the premise that is comedic AND not the story itself. It has more drama than comedy.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

20. All The Blues in the Sky

20. All the Blues in the Sky. Renee Watson. 2025. 208 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, Newbery, verse novel, grief, problem novel]

First sentence: I didn't know
best friends could die.

Premise/plot: After Sage's best friend, Angel, dies, Sage begins attending a grief counseling group with those her own age. She feels that some understand because the people they lost died suddenly, but she's angry that others in the group are included because the people they lost didn't die suddenly. Her logic is that losing someone through hospice isn't the same, couldn't ever be the same. Or losing a grandmother is one thing but losing a best friend another. She rolls her eyes when others share knowing that her pain is greater, better. That's her logic at any account. By the end of the novel--after Sage rages a bit--Sage will have an opportunity to rethink her logic when she learns that her great-aunt is dying.

My thoughts: All the Blues in the Sky was the Newbery this year. It is a verse novel. It was a quick read. It is an emotional read. It checks a lot of the boxes for award winners. It just does. But that doesn't always mean it's a great fit for kids. Not that there's anything objectionable or inappropriate. I just mean kid-appeal. The greater the number of tears shed the better the chances for adults to LOVE it and want to give it all the awards. I'm not sure kid logic works quite like that. THOUGH again if this one is read and loved by kids, that's great.

I personally didn't love Sage's logic. It felt slightly obnoxious. BUT it might be extremely authentic. I do wish that the book focused more on Sage's whole life--and not just her attendance of grief counseling. But again, it's never, never fair to review the book you want instead of the book that is.

Note: I'm not sure if this is a children's book or lower middle grade. But there is a boyfriend and kissing. Which I'm not sure many Newbery medals feature a romantic element.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

19. Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams

19. Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams. Katherine Paterson. Illustrated by Sally Deng. 2025. 112 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, middle grade nonfiction, books about books, aftermath of world war II, biography]

First sentence: Everything about the flight was miserable. Of course, it wasn't meant to be comfortable. The man and the woman were on a military transport build during World War II to ferry troops and armaments to the front.

Premise/plot: Katherine Paterson has written a biography of Jella Lepman.

My thoughts: I am not often speechless about the books I read. Though nonfiction sometimes isn't the easiest to review. What can I say about this book? It is oversized. Don't be fooled by its picture book appearance or the fact that it is illustrated. It is for children. If I had to guess I'd say ages eight or nine plus. That might be a little young. The subject matter perhaps is best matched with older readers. The format presents a bit younger.  It doesn't feature chapters like many nonfiction books for older readers.

I found it a fascinating read. It covers decades but roughly begins in 1945 after the end of the Second World War. Jella Lepman is being sent to Europe, to countries still overwhelmed and struggling with the aftermath of war. Her 'job description' if you will is to 'repair' or 're-educate' the women and children of those countries. To repair or mend the lives of the most vulnerable--women and children--from the long-term damages of war. She seeks to do this through books. YES, books. She wants to create a large--extremely very large--collection of books written in many, many, many, many languages to bring together the children of the world. She imagines a space of safety where children can thrive--books are a part of her message, but creativity is also encouraged--think art: drawing, painting and the like. It won't be an easy sell, but, Jella Lepman is determined.

One thing I think the book desperately, desperately needs IS a timeline.


© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

18. If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon

18. If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon. Ellen Levine. Illustrated by Elroy Freem. 1986. 80 pages. [Source: Bought] [4 stars, children's nonfiction]

First sentence: One hundred and fifty years ago there was no railroad that went all across the country. There were no cars or buses or airplanes. The only was to travel across the country was to ride a horse, or if you went with your family, to travel in a covered wagon. In the 1840s and 1850s, thousands of people traveled West. So if you lived at that time, there was a chance you might have traveled in a covered wagon. This book is about traveling and living in a covered wagon. It tells what it was like to be one of the early pioneers to travel to Oregon.

Premise/plot: What you see is what you get. Each two page spread answers one question. All questions relate to traveling in a covered wagon or traveling west. The questions cover the basics and also goes beyond that a bit to more specific, detailed questions. Will it answer every single possible question? Maybe. Maybe not. But it is a great nonfiction book to pair with fiction titles.

My thoughts: I don't remember all the books in this series, but, I know there were a few at least. I loved these kinds of books as a kid. I was so happy to thrift a copy of this one!

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

15-17. Three nonfiction picture book biographies

15. Through the Telescope: Mae Jemison Dreams of Space. Charles R. Smith. Illustrated by Evening Monteiro. 2025. 45 pages. [Source: Library] [3 stars, picture book biography]

First sentence: Planet Earth,
Chicago,
USA,
through a telescope
stared
a little girl named Mae.

Premise/plot: This is a very abstract, seemingly poetic picture book biography of Mae Jemison.

My thoughts: The artistic vision is there, but, for me at least I didn't "catch" the vision of the author and illustrator. I felt it a little too abstract and 'artistic'. That's not to say the entire book is that abstract. Some pages read closer to a biography. But this one just wasn't for me, and it wasn't because I'm disinterested in space or astronauts.

16. Snowshoe Kate and the Hospital Built for Pennies. Margi Preus. Illustrated by Jaime Zollars. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book biography]

First sentence: The night I was born, the doctor arrived on snowshoes. A blizzard raged outside, knocking out the power, so I was delivered by match light. Forever after, I was called "Dr. Kate's match baby." Like most of Dr. Kate's patients, our family lived in the snowy northern woods of Wisconsin.

Premise/plot: This is a picture book biography of Dr. Kate Pelham Newcomb.

My thoughts: I loved, loved, loved, loved this picture book biography. I loved "meeting" Dr. Kate through the pages of this book. I loved learning more about her, her career, and the people she inspired. It is a story of hope and community. How her community came together and inspired--in ever increasing circles--others to build a hospital for their community--one penny at a time. YES, one penny at a time. So what seemed like an impossible, daunting task became a reality one small step at a time.

17. That Swingin' Sound: The Musical Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Rekha S. Rajan. Illustrated by Ken Daley. 2025. 48 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture book biography]

First sentence: Ella Fitzgerald loved to dance. When little Ella heard jazz music, she stood on her tiptoes and twirled around the room. She felt the music notes move her legs as she danced as gracefully as a bluebird flying through the skies.

Premise/plot: A biography of Ella Fitzgerald AND Louis Armstrong?!?! YES PLEASE.

My thoughts: I have read a handful of picture book biographies on Louis Armstrong. (He's a favorite.) I have also read [at least one] a couple of picture book biographies on Ella Fitzgerald. In general, when I see the library order a new jazzy-jazz picture book, I put it on hold immediately. I don't wait to read reviews. I don't give it a second thought. It's just a must for me to read and review. I enjoyed this one very much. I loved the story. I loved the illustrations. IT was  GREAT read. And, yes, I had to listen to some jazz after reading this one.

© 2026 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews