The Art of Star Wars: The Mandalorian by Phil Szostak

I think just about everyone knows my Star Wars obsession and my absolute love for the little green guy Grogu aka Baby Yoda.  I also think you are aware of my staunch support of the arts in schools.  So of course I jumped at the chance to order this and add it to our collection!

If you are at all interested in Star Wars, this is a book for you.  Interested in animation?  For you.  Film and television?  For you.  

The book takes the reader/viewer on a journey through Season 1 of The Mandalorian, from conception to finished product.  There are hand sketches of the story board, notes on different scenery, progressions of costumes, and lots of behind the scenes anecdotes.  

Definitely one to check out!  Find it on display soon!

All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W. 

Mosquito Supper Club by Melissa Martin

This is review #2 for today, November 8th.

I think you all know I love to cook.  After the Teachers' Book Club read Where the Crawdads Sing, we held our meeting at Hook and Reel, and now I am obsessed with making the perfect seafood boil and Cajun culture.  Amazon knows ALL THE THINGS and recommended this to me.  

Mosquito Supper Club is mostly a cookbook of Southern Cajun recipes interspersed with vignettes from the author's family history and local culture.  

Martin lost nearly everything in Hurricane Katrina.  She and her son were homeless with nothing but a few suitcases of clothing to their name.  She headed west where a friend offered hospitality and worked in their winery.  She refined techniques and set out to duplicate the recipes from home she loved.  Of course, like many women of the past, the creators of these recipes never wrote anything down.  In addition, urban sprawl and rising water are threatening the bayou and its culture.  Opening her restaurant Mosquito Supper Club in 2014 was her way to help keep the recipes alive.  

Now that I've copied a bunch of the recipes, I will be donating this.  Find it on our next display.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog or the video version of it are solely those of Mrs. W. 

The Cousins by Karen McManus

I know, I know.  I've been slacking.  It's been a few weeks of crazy, lemme just say.  So today will be a two-fer.

First, the latest from Karen McManus--The Cousins.

So, I'm sure many of you have seen the new series One of Us is Lying based on her first bestseller, which I reviewed here. It will actually be the Teachers' Book Club selection in January along with its sequel.  The Cousins is another murder mystery with alternating viewpoints and flashbacks.  

The Cousins is set on a fictitious island near Nantucket.  I honestly kept picturing Amity Island from Jaws.  The sleepy island welcomes hundreds of tourists in the summer.  One elderly widow, Mildred Story, owns most of the hotels on the island.  Twenty-four years ago, Mildred disinherited her three sons and daughter for no reason with a one sentence letter from her lawyer.  Now, seemingly having a change of heart, she has invited her three grandchildren to work at her resort for the summer and get to know her.  Of course, with a fortune on the line, all three's parents require them to go.

Jonah, Aubrey, and Milly meet on the ferry after a few group texts, but find their family is the stuff of local legends, not all of it good.  Everyone knows everyone on the island, and not all are happy the Story grandchildren have reappeared.

I don't want to spoil too much, but I was way wrong in my guess of whodunit.

Find this on our next display.

A reminder all opinions expressed on this blog and the video version of it are solely those of Mrs. W.