Rebecca M. Douglass, Author

A flawed but still gripping sequel to I Lived on Butterfly Hill , which I reviewed in 2015 . Title: The Maps of Memory: Return to Butterfly Hill Author: Marjorie Agosín, read by Kyla Garcia Publication Info: Audio Book 2021, Tantor Media. 7hours 47 min. Hardback published 2020 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books, 368 pages Source: Library Publisher's Blurb: In this inspiring sequel to the Pura Belpré Award–winning, “dazzling and insightful” ( BCCB ) I Lived on Butterfly Hill , thirteen-year-old Celeste Marconi returns home to a very different Chile and makes it her mission to rebuild her community, and find those who are still missing. During Celeste Marconi’s time in Maine, thoughts of the brightly colored cafes and salty air of Valparaíso, Chile, carried her through difficult, homesick days. Now, she’s finally returned home to find the dictatorship has left its mark on her once beautiful and vibrant community. Celeste is determined to help her beloved Butterfly Hill get bac...

When fellow blogger and author Chris Fey appealed for people to help spread the word about her mom's new book, how could I say no? I mean, you have to support moms! So here's the scoop on the soup... my part of this is to let you know my favorite soup, and the recipe. And it just so happens that I've recently gotten into making split pea soup, just like my mom used to make! I don't really follow an exact recipe... a pound of split green peas, a ham bone, a lot of water, onions, carrots, garlic, and boil until it's soup! Then you can take out the bone, pick off any meat that remains and dig in. I tried for years to make split pea soup without the ham bone, and I'm here to say... just don't. It's not right until you've cooked it with the bone! And now for the book: BLURB: Gregory Green loves his mom’s pea soup, but when he eats it at school, all of his friends make fun of how it looks. He doesn’t think it looks like bugs, and it tastes good! The...

S is for Simon Sharp, of The Camelot Kids by Ben Zackheim In a nutshell: Simon is a stubborn, independent, resourceful kid -- mostly because his luck runs the gamut. His best days can end up as his worst days. And his closest friends can be his greatest enemies. His biggest secret is that he's the reincarnation of a Knight of the Round Table. Favorite line: "How many more surprises does Merlin plan to pull out of his beard?" I reviewed this one recently , and found it a highly enjoyable read.    Learn more about Ben and his books on his web page .