Mercy Watson (series) by Kate DiCamillo

Mercy is a pig that lives with Mr. and Mrs. Watson, who loves toast with a great deal of butter on top!  She dreams about it, smells it wafting from the neighbors’ homes, and eats popcorn with enormous amounts of butter.  She also has great adventures with those that live on Deckawoo Drive.

There are five Mercy Watson books in the series, along with four in the Tales from Deckawoo Drive series about her neighbors.  Children of all ages including parents (or really anyone!) will love this beginning chapter book series.

After reading about Mercy, move on to DiCamillo’s other stand alone titles!

The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook by Jessamyn Rodriguez

I tried out this book's method for making lean breads more flavorful by using smaller amounts of yeast and longer rising times.  It worked great, and I think I've found my method for making that type of bread.

The Hot Bread Kitchen Bakery in NYC employs immigrant women, who bake the breads from their home countries, and the cookbook has recipes for many different breads, both raised and flat -- naan, tortillas, bialys, plus many more.  There are also more familiar recipes for baguettes, Parker House rolls, and multi-grain sandwich bread.

If you're looking for clear instructions on making many different types of bread, this is a terrific cookbook.  I can't wait to try some more of the recipes!

No Good Asking by Fran Kimmel

I enjoyed this book about a family and a young girl. The family has problems like many of us do, The family has a hard working dad, a mom struggling with a young son who is sensitive to many things, as well as a 14 year old boy going through puberty. The mother has the added burden of having gone through several miscarriages (all girls).
So unbeknownst to them, an eleven year old girl is living across the road from them. While it all started out okay, things began to deteriorate after her mom died. Her caretaker becomes more and more morose, taking it out on her. Now her world is not a safe place.
One day the father comes upon her walking on the road in a bad winter storm. From this point the story begins to slowly turn around. The young girl brings a kind of healing to the family, not without troubles, but a brighter future for all.

Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan

Becoming Mrs. Lewis is based on the true life love story of Christian author C.S. Lewis and American writer Joy Davidman.  What began in the early 1950s as a pen pal relationship to discuss their shared Christian faith, became a deep friendship after Joy traveled to England to visit C.S. Lewis (Jack) and his brother Warren (Warnie).  A few years later, when Joy was faced with having to start a new life for herself, she decided to move to England.  Joy continued to write, often collaborating with Jack, Warnie and others, and eventually Joy and Jack were married.  Told from Joy's perspective, their story is bittersweet throughout, but the depth of the love between Jack and Joy makes this book a feel-good read.