The Road to Oz by Kathleen Krull

Subtitle: Twists, Turns, Bumps, and Triumphs in the Life of L. Frank Baum
Stars: ****

Summary: The biography of the author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz books, in illustrated format, meant for children but enjoyable by adults as well. With beautiful illustrations by Kevin Hawkes that compliment the story and make you feel like you are truly watching his life unfold.

I picked up this book at the library. I love the Wizard of Oz movie and have read the original Wizard of Oz book as well. As I state in that review, I'd love to read them all but my library isn't very helpful. I've also read The Boy on Fairfield Street by Kathleen Krull (biography of Dr. Seuss)

I learned some interesting points about L. Frank Baum's life that I didn't know. He had a rough life. He always enjoyed writing but he was quite far into his life when he finally stumbled upon a book that was a best seller.

This book would appeal to anyone, child or adult who is interested in the Wizard of Oz and wants to know a bit about the author.

Links of Interest: Kathleen Krull's Website, I.N.K. - Interesting Nonfiction for Kids (a blog of which the author contributes to.)

Other Reviews: Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast (focus on illustrations more),

Buy The Road to Oz at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

Your Name Here: Guide to Life by Michael Rosenbaum

Stars: ****

Summary: Life lessons from people like you. Cops and psychologists, bureaucrats and salesmen, lion tamers and morticians...everybody's got a story to tell and a life lesson we can take to heart. In the Your Name Here Guide to Life, you'll meet all kinds of accidental teachers from balloon boy to Mother Teresa and Mr. Totally Secure. It's all here, along with a few insights about how to be truly happy.

I really enjoyed this book, in fact it might be one of my favourite self-help books.

"Aren't you getting just a little bit tired of reading books about other people? Especially those people? You know the books I mean. There's the one by the 14-pound model describing her secrets to beauty [...], or maybe you're fed up with celebrity guides to happiness [...], or CEO memoirs [...] What's wrong with all these books, other than the smug, self-satisfied, revisionist histories on every page? [...] The truth is that there's little we can learn from the rich and powerful, the incredibly successful and the genetically blessed." pg 3-4

This paragraph is the very first text in the book. Don't you love that first line? Go on, read it again. Anyways, I rarely find myself agreeing with a book in the FIRST paragraph. In fact I don't think it's ever happened. I AM sick of seeing self-help books by people who don't live lives like me and sometimes got where they are by luck or connections.

The book is filled with very short chapters, each by a different person on a life lesson they wanted to share. We never find out who the story is by, their name, occupation, nothing. I think this is a good thing as we aren't focused on the person, but the lesson. At the end of each chapter is a quote that pertains to the story. These could be used as affirmations.

The only qualm I have is that there were a few short forms that I didn't necessarily understand at first. I was able to figure it out but personally I don't think authors should use short forms as their books are usually read worldwide and short forms can be different. For example do you know what cred or bestie refer to? Of course reading it in context helps you figure it out. Cred is short for credibility and bestie refers to a best friend. I've certainly never said or wrote it like that.

One more thing, there are quite a few words I didn't know the meaning of. I chose not to look them up although I will eventually (if someone can tell me where that game/event is for learning new words from books). I was usually able to understand what they were saying anyways.

Links of Interest: Your Name Here; Guide to Life Blog,

Other Reviews: 5 Minutes for Books,

Buy Your Name Here: Guide to Life at Amazon.com and support SMS Book Reviews

My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff

Stars: *****

(Check back March 2 - 8/09 for a giveaway of this book!)

Summary: My Little Red Book is an anthology of stories about first periods, collected from women of all ages from around the world. The accounts range from light-hearted (the editor got hers while water skiing in a yellow bathing suit) to heart-stopping (a first period discovered just as one girl was about to be strip-searched by the Nazis). The contributors include well-known women writers (Meg Cabot, Erica Jong, Gloria Steinem, Cecily von Ziegesar), alongside today's teens. And while the authors differ in race, faith, or cultural background, their stories share a common bond: they are all accessible, deeply honest, and highly informative. Whatever a girl experiences or expects, she'll find stories that speak to her thoughts and feelings.

Female readers... do you remember your first period? I think most of us do. I don't remember it as well as some of the people in this book but I do remember the basics.

So why would you want to read about other's experiences getting their first period? A couple of reasons:

1. You are a preteen who hasn't gotten a period yet and you are nervous and/or curious about what you might expect.
2. You recently started your first period and feel the need to talk about it but have no one who will talk with you. Although the book won't talk back, I know it felt like I had a good talk with some fellow girls/women when I was done.
3. You're a mom of of a preteen who will be getting a period soon and you would like to be able to talk with her about it but you're not sure how to start. This book isn't a how to talk guide but just hearing what some girls thought because their parents didn't say anything should make you realize how important it is to say something, anything at all.
4. You're curious.

Personally I'm very interested in the subject of women's health and although my kids are no where near getting their period, I will be keeping this book until then. Perhaps it will come in handy with my nieces before that.

The book also has another purpose. Let me quote from the publishers:

Ultimately,it is more than a collection of stories. It is a call for a change in attitude, for a new way of seeing periods. In a time when the taboo around menstruation seems to be one of the few left standing, it makes a difficult subject easier to talk about, and helps girls feel proud instead of embarrassed or ashamed. By revealing what it feels like to undergo this experience first hand, and giving women the chance to explain their feelings in their own words, My Little Red Book aims to provide support, entertainment, and a starting point for discussion for mothers and daughters everywhere. It is a book every girl should have. Period.

At the back of the book, the stories are all separated into "kinds" of stories such as: All Alone, Disposal Challenges, Early Starts, International Stories, Judy Blume, Misconceptions, Old Wives' Tales and Vintage Stories. (The earliest story is from 1916.) The book also has a list of euphemisms (Aunt Flo, In My Moon, Riding the Red Wave etc.....) There's a short list of other books, websites and videos you can check out for more info and a great reading group guide. This book probably isn't the kind you'd think of at first for a group read but it would definitely provoke lots of discussion.

Other's Reviews

Worducopia has an interview with one of the contributing authors
At Home With Books

NOTE: Most people who reviewed this book did it as part of a book tour and so they all link to each other. So from At Home With Books you can find links to all the other reviews as part of the tour. I got a review copy but it was not part of a tour which is why I'm not linked in there.