And In the Vienna Woods

And In the Vienna Woods Trees Remain by Elisabeth Asbrink   464 pages

As y’all know, I don’t read nonfiction that much. I do, but it has to really caprture my attention.  And this one, by author of the internationally bestselling “1947” did. 

It’s the story of Otto Ullman, a thirteen-year-old Jewish boy who is sent form Austria to Sweden at the eruption of World War II. Alone. His story is fascinating. One of the things that enticed me was the back blurb mention that Otto becomes BFFs with Ingvar Kamprad, who grows up to become the founder of IKEA.

I believe that this is an important book for scholars of the period and those seeking this type of knowledge. There is lots of information on Sweden’s, Austria’s, and even Switzerland’s positions during the War. However, it is too much information for nonscholars like me. I was ready to abandon the book by page 75, but instead I just read the parts about Otto and how he esacaped the Nazis and his life in Sweden. He was part of Kindertransport-like event to save the children of Austria.

I was disappointed that Ingvar Kamprad didn’t show up until near the end. And in my opinion, I didn’t much see the relationship. I did learn how the name IKEA came about: he added his initials to the village’s name. Ingvar Kamprad Elmtardy Agunnaryd (IKEA).

“And in the Vienna Woods Trees Remain” seems to be thoroughly researched, and as I wrote earlier, I believe it is an important book for those studying this perios. Therefore,  “And in the Vienna Woods Trees Remain” receives  2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Baby teeth

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage    320 pages  Read an e-galley -- book due to be published 7/17/18

Hanna's such a sweet child. It's such a pity that she doesn't speak. Her father knows she's a good girl. Her mother knows better.

In this disturbing (yet wholly compelling) story, we get the alternating viewpoints of both Hanna and her mother, Suzette. Suzette loves her daughter but she's exhausted. Home-schooling Hanna because she's not able to stay in other schools for long, Suzette finds her precarious health and sanity are starting to weaken. She wants to believe Hanna's not a monster, but increasingly, it's becoming clear that something's wrong with her daughter. Complicating everything is the fact that her husband doesn't seem to believe that Hanna's anything but a sweet, misunderstood girl.

Of course, Hanna loves her father. In fact, she loves him so much that she would be happy if her mother was out of the picture. In fact, she'd be happy if Suzette was completely out of the picture, buried six feet underground.

Having the alternating viewpoints of both Suzette and Hanna is fascinating, especially since you start to wonder if Suzette is perhaps going a little mad. With her Crohn's disease already making her unwell, Suzette's strained by being home all day with Hanna, all the while feeling more day by day that Hanna's a monster.  Hanna's inner dialogue is pretty sophisticated, which makes things feel even more unreal. She's quite aware of what she's doing, thank you very much, and doesn't appreciate that people think she's stupid because she doesn't talk. And she's sure that if she could just get her Mommy out of the picture, she and Daddy would be so, so happy.

This kid is chilling.  Suzette's not necessarily going to win Mother of the Year award, but her unraveling is something that Hanna's been working on, bit by bit (a little like pulling a thread slowly but surely).

I feel this is definitely going to be one of those divisive reads --- either people will love it or hate it. However, no matter what, I think it's the kind of book that people won't be able to stop talking about.

Max the Brave

Max the Brave by Ed Vere   32 pages

A cute book for Preschoolers through Grade 2.

Max is very brave, very black kitten who chases mice. Problem is, Max doesn’t know what a mouse looks like. So off he goes in search mouse. Since this is such a short book, I don’t want to be a spoiler. You’ll just have to read it to find out what obstacles get in Max’s way.

I give Max the Brave 5 out of 5 stars.

Book of Aron

The Book of Aron by Jim Shepard
259 Pages

"Aron, the narrator, is an engaging if peculiar and unhappy young boy whose family is driven by the German onslaught from the Polish countryside into Warsaw and slowly battered by deprivation, disease, and persecution. He and a handful of boys and girls risk their lives by scuttling around the ghetto to smuggle and trade contraband through the quarantine walls in hopes of keeping their fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters alive, hunted all the while by blackmailers and by Jewish, Polish, and German police, not to mention the Gestapo. When his family is finally stripped away from him, Aron is rescued by Janusz Korczak, a doctor renowned throughout prewar Europe as an advocate of children's rights who, once the Nazis swept in, was put in charge of the Warsaw orphanage. Treblinka awaits them all, but does Aron manage to escape--as his mentor suspected he could--to spread word about the atrocities?"

In the beginning of the book I didn't like it because the narrative style was choppy. While it is certainly not the best novel set in that period of time, it still tells a story that is worth hearing.

Nickerbacher The Funniest Dragon

Nickerbacher The Funniest Dragon by Terry John Barto, Illustrated by Kim Sponaugle  34 pages

We all know what dragons to for a living. They protect princesses. And Nickerbacher does that…mostly because his Papa says he must. But Nickerbacher has dreams other than breathing fire and guarding princesses. He longs to be a stand-up comedian.

When Prince Happenstance comes to court Princess Gwendolyn, both Nickerbacher and the Prince learn a few things about chasing your dreams.

 

Excellent children's book.

Big Little Lies

Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty
460 Pages


Liane Moriarty is very good at capturing the essence of families and does so again in this offering.  When the book opens, it is apparent that someone has died at the Pirriwee Public School's annual trivia night.  As it turns out, the police are investigating for murder and it seems that the events leading up to the trivia night started months earlier with the kindergarten orientation session where Ziggy is accused by another child of bullying her.  The school parents quickly take sides and the book divulges the politics, secrets  and undercurrents of parents and their families at the school.   

This book will be popular with readers who like Jodi Picoult or domestic fiction.  It has moments of humor and the author is deft enough so that you don't know who is murdered until the end of the book.