Sunday Post February 23, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday February 24, 2020

I am linking with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading now at The Book Date (at Wordpress)?

What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

The week was busy and went by quickly.
Friday night we had a good night at church for the marriage program. Hubby and I realized that we never had to seek sought marriage counseling over our 34 years. :-)

Is he adorable looking or what? Looks like a puppy but he is 9 years old.

We had ups and downs again in temperatures with a drop one day from 75 to 40.

I had another good week of reading and listening. I finished three audiobooks, and two ebooks. I posted four reviews and my usual memes.

I visited 19 blogs last week.
Shout Out this week to Just Me Mrs D. Mrs D's blog is about: "Books, loom knitting and snippets of my life."
Thank you to all the nice people who visit me.

These were last week's posts:

• Sunday Post February 16, 2020/It's Monday! What are You Reading? Plus Mailbox Monday February 17, 2020.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: The Paradigm by Jonathan Cahn; Genre: Christian Prophesy; My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0 Overall; Story 5.0; Narration 4.75.

• ATBR- Audio Book Review: Hometown Cowboy, Rocky Mountain Riders, Book 1 by Sara Richardson; Genre: Romance, Small Town Romance; My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.5; Narration 4.5.

• Martha's Bookshelf***Friday Pick Giveaway February 21, 2020. Open Worldwide. Ending 2/27/2020.

• NG2020- #NetGalley Book Review: The Gift of Gerbert's Feathers by Meaghann Weaver, Lori Wiener; Genre: Children, Death and Dying, Illness; My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0.

• ATBR- Audible Book Review: Unleashed, Andy Carpenter, Book 11, by David Rosenfelt; Genre: Legal Procedures, Mystery, Traditional Detective; My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

• Sharing Beyond Books #389 Comment Giveaway February 22, 2020. Open Worldwide. Ending 3/7/2020.

• Sunday Words of Encouragement February 23, 2020.

Finished Reading:

1. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Unleashed
Andy Carpenter, Book 11
By: David Rosenfelt
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
Release date: 07-23-13
This is a fun series I like to revisit regularly. 
Source: November 2019 Audible Purchase $10.99
Review Linked above.

2. eBook/Kindle (NG2019)

Reimagining Mr. Right
by Wynter Daniels
This is a fun romance with a touch of magic.
Source: NetGalley 2019.
Click on book title for full description.

3. eBook/Kindle (AuthorTBR)

Accidental Activist: Justice for the Groveland Four
by Josh Venkataraman and Barbara Venkataraman
This reveals a frustrating process for a very worthy cause.
Source: December 2019 received from the Authors.
Click on book title for full description.

4. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Trail of Lightning
By: Rebecca Roanhorse
Narrated by: Tanis Parenteau
Length: 8 hrs and 58 mins
Release date: 08-07-18
This is an entertaining fantasy with a female protagonist.
Source: 2/2/2019 Audible Daily Deal $2.95
Publisher's Summary
The sudden rising waters of a climate apocalypse have destroyed most of the planet…yet out of these waters, Dinétah, a former Navajo reservation, has been miraculously reborn. Listen along as Tanis Parenteau's impeccable narration, capturing the rhythms of Navajo speech, fully envelopes you into the Sixth World.
When Dinétah needs help finding a missing girl, Maggie - a monster hunter and supernatural killer - is its last, best hope. Trail of Lightning follows our heroine as she walks the land alongside gods, heroes of legend, and monsters alike. Reluctantly, she enlists the aid of an unconventional medicine man, and together they travel Dinétah, unraveling clues from ancient legends and trading favors with tricksters. As Maggie discovers the truth behind the killings, she will have to confront her past if she wants to survive - for what she uncovers about the monster she is sent to find is much more terrifying than anything she could imagine.
©2018 Rebecca Roanhorse (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

5. Audible/Smartphone (ATBR)

Jukebox Joyride
By: Jacob Stein, Jason Rabinowitz, The Pop Ups
Narrated by: Jason Rabinowitz, Jacob Stein, Cara Samantha, Susan Bennett, Noel MacNeal, Carly Ciarrocchi
Length: 3 hrs and 31 mins
Release date: 06-06-19
This is a very fun story with music as a plus.
Source: June 2019 free Audible Original.
About This Audible Original
If you could go back in time to witness any concert from all of history, what would it be? Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock? Mozart in the Salzburg court? The Beatles’ rooftop farewell?
Jukebox Joyride follows 12-year-old twins, Jules and George, on a wild adventure through time. Their Uncle Bob, a renowned ethnomusicologist (he studies music!), has discovered the secret to time travel, and is having a ball joyriding through history checking out the best concerts ever...but something’s gone wrong! A sinister force has been unleased, someone is chasing after Uncle Bob, and the fate of all music hangs in the balance!
Now, it’s up to Jules and George to find their uncle before their new rival does! It’s a musical escapade that brings the twins from the birth of jazz in New Orleans, to a performance by an 11-year-old Mozart in Vienna, all while trying to make it back to the present day to pass their history test!
Featuring original songs and historical settings, this Audible Original is sure to captivate the entire household. Jukebox Joyride is a swashbuckling adventure that will get kids excited about history and making their own music.
©2018 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

Currently Reading:
1. eBook/Kindle (NG2019)

The Woman in the Veil
by Laura Joh Rowland
At 15% I am nicely engaged in this Victorian mystery.
Source: NetGalley 2019.
Award-winning author Laura Joh Rowland is back with the fourth in her critically acclaimed Victorian mysteries where the case of a mutilated "Sleeping Beauty" washes ashore in London.
London, June 1890.
Sarah Bain and her friends Lord Hugh Staunton and Mick O'Reilly are crime scene photographers for the Daily World newspaper. After solving a sensational murder, they're under pressure to deliver another big story. On a foggy summer night, they're called to the bank of the river Thames. The murder victim is an unidentified woman whose face has been slashed. But as Sarah takes photographs, she discovers that the woman is still alive.
The case of "Sleeping Beauty" becomes a public sensation, and three parties quickly come forward to identify her: a rich, sinister artist who claims she's his wife; a mother and her two daughters who co-own a nursing home and claim she's their stepdaughter/sister; and a precocious little girl who claims Sleeping Beauty is her mother. Which party is Sleeping Beauty's rightful kin? Is someone among them her would-be killer?
Then Sleeping Beauty awakens--with a severe case of amnesia. She's forgotten her name and everything else about herself. But she recognizes one of the people who've claimed her. Sarah is delighted to reunite a family and send Sleeping Beauty home--until one of the claimants is murdered. Suddenly, Sarah, her motley crew of friends, and her fiancé Detective Sergeant Barrett are on the wrong side of the law. Now they must identify the killer before they find themselves headed for the gallows.

2. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Evil Eye
By: Madhuri Shekar
Narrated by: Nick Choksi, Harsh Nayaar, Annapurna Sriram, Bernard White, Rita Wolf
Length: 1 hr and 38 mins
Release date: 05-02-19
I am fitting one more short audio into February before I go to a long one.
Source May 2019 Free Audible Original.
About This Audible Original
Usha is convinced that the Evil Eye, a curse that brings continuous misfortune, was cast upon her daughter, Pallavi, in the womb. What else could have possibly left her driven, career-oriented daughter edging closer and closer to 30 without a prospective husband? Determined to set Pallavi on the right path, Usha arranges date after date with potential suitors—but after yet another setup fails, it seems her efforts are proving fruitless. But in an unexpected turn of events, Pallavi becomes her own matchmaker when she meets—and quickly falls for—Sandeep, a young Indian-American entrepreneur. And though she expects her mother will be elated with her finally finding a man, Pallavi is distraught and confused to find her mother growing increasingly suspicious of Sandeep’s motives…and his true identity.
Told through a series of phone calls and voicemails, this Audible Original penned by award-winning rising star playwright Madhuri Shekar transitions seamlessly from a light-hearted family dramedy to an unexpectedly supernatural thriller. With an endearing cast of well-rounded characters, sharp, natural dialogue, and a shocking edge-of-your-seat climax, Evil Eye is a can’t-miss tale about cultural miscommunications, family secrets, and the lingering echoes of trauma.
Playwright Madhuri Shekar was awarded a commission through the Audible Emerging Playwrights Fund, an initiative dedicated to developing innovative original plays driven by language and voice. As an Audible commissioned playwright, he received funding and creative support to develop Evil Eye.
Please note: This audio contains strong language, distressing situations, and descriptions of abuse and violence that some listeners may find upsetting. Discretion is advised.
©2019 AO Media (P)2019 Audible Originals, LLC.

3. Audio/Smartphone (ATBR)

Koban: Rise of the Kobani
Koban, Volume 3
By: Stephen W. Bennett
Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer
Length: 28 hrs and 14 mins
Release date: 10-12-14
This is a long story in a series I like. This should carry me into March.
Source 2019 January Audible Credit Picks.
Publisher's Summary
The Kobani use captured Krall ships to return to Human Space. They seek expert training for their genetically modified fighters, modern weapons and new medical technology. There's a possible block to this help in the form of death penalty laws of the Planetary Union, prohibiting gene modifications of humans. A holdover from the Gene War, which nearly extinguished humanity. A perilous descent through a war-torn planet's space defenses is a first step. A Krall ship and its heavily armed crew have to be destroyed on the ground, while a watching hostile Special Ops force decides if the Kobani should be trusted, or killed as Krall collaborators. Fighting their way between a rock and a hard place, they prove they are a match for the Krall. Exploration at home reveals startling alien neighbors, and a habitable world next door. A remarkable genetic discovery there will forever alter the Kobani. Winning allies, Captain Mirikami forges a bold and dangerous plan, to strike deep into the heart of Krall territory. A place the enemy is confident that puny "animals" can't reach, let alone attack. Simultaneous Kobani raids damage Krall war manufacturing, buying time for humanity. However, the Krall have a deadly ancient weapon that none expected. Retaliatory escalation of the war has been triggered, and if it doesn't go as the Krall plan, entire planets and their populations could be shattered. Read Book 1 (Koban), and Book 2 (Koban: The Mark of Koban). Book 4 (Koban: Shattered Worlds) is coming soon.
©2013 Stephen W Bennett (P)2014 Stephen W Bennett.

I'm keeping track of my Alphabet here as I finish the books. The cross-outs aren't easy to see, so I made the completed letters blue.
NETGALLEY: A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z
AUDIO:            A  B  C  D  E  F G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W X  Y  Z

February 23, 2020 - I am again enjoying the devotions and readings with the One Year Bible plan through You Version App. I considered changing but this is the reading group that is closest to my husband's reading so we can sometimes discuss the same passages.
I finished the very good 21-day plan: Rooted. Now I am doing a short 3-day plan titled Choose How to Live.

I completed five books and posted four reviews which keeps me up to date.
My NetGalley shelf is at 16, plus the four titles from 2012-13 which I still hope to read this year.
I have one author title left from 2019. And one new audio.
Still many titles through InstaFreebie and many new author requests I haven't replied to.

Welcome to Mailbox Monday.

Mailbox Monday is a gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week and explore great book blogs. This Meme started with Marcia at A Girl and Her Books (fka The Printed Page) and after a tour of hosts has returned to its permanent home at Mailbox Monday. Thanks to the ladies sharing hosting duties: Leslie of Under My Apple Tree, Serena of Savvy Verse & Wit and (yours truly). Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists.
I didn't pick up any new review titles.
I picked out my free Audiobooks.com VIP selection for February.
I also picked up three Chirp titles at $.99 each. 
Then, after resisting daily deals all week, I finally picked one today. 
I purchased one Kindle at $.99.
I added 13 free kindle titles this week. (Note these are in my Amazon library, NOT on my Kindle until I download and transfer them.) Are your mailbox and TBR piles blooming?

Review Titles

NONE

Won

NONE

Purchased

I picked up several Chirp deals at $.99 each:
2/17/2020
Rise of the Dragons (Kings and Sorcerers–Book 1)
Written by Morgan Rice
Narrated by Wayne Farrell
Release Date: March 25, 2015
Publisher: Lukeman Literary Management
Run time: 8 hours and 20 minutes

Philosophical Thoughts
by C. S. Lewis
Narrated by: Ralph Cosham
Release Date: November 15, 2013
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Run time: 2 hours and 49 minutes

2/22/2020
Bones in the Begonias
Written by Dale Mayer
Narrated by Vanessa Moyen
Release Date: May 23, 2019
Publisher: Valley Publishing Ltd.
Run time: 6 hours and 52 minutes

2/19/2020 Kindle Purchase for $.99.
The Resistance (The Uncloaked Trilogy--An American Dystopia Book 1)
by J. Rodes
This is a dystopian I have been eyeing on Audible. I thought I'd try book 1 for $.99.




2/23/2020 Audible Daily Deal $4.95
Earthcore
By: Scott Sigler
Narrated by: Ray Porter
Length: 20 hrs and 16 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 05-30-17

Free

2/22/2020 VIP Free pick at Audiobooks.com
7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle
Written By: Stuart Turton
Narrated By: James Cameron Stewart
Publisher: Tantor Media
Date: September 2018
Duration: 17 hours 6 minutes
This mystery with time loop sounds interesting to me.

I added 13 free Kindle titles to my Kindle library. Titles found linked through Bookbub, Bookfun, Ereader News Today, Free Par-tay, Ignite Your Book, Inspired Reads, Pixel of Ink or Kindle ebooks.

Sunday Words of Encouragement February 23, 2020

Our Sunday School teacher reported that our ministry friends in Haiti are still under attack and endangered by kidnappings. One of the youth members was kidnapped and although the other youth raised the ransom, he was still murdered. Please pray for safety as Haiti continues with widespread lawlessness.

The class lesson this morning continued in his series Genesis to Revelation. This week’s lesson did focus on “What in the world is going on in Heaven?”

We are living in what is often called “the church age’, “age of the Gentiles”, or “age of grace”. Jesus directed his followers on their commission to go into all the world to make disciples of all nations. Matthew 28:16-20. We are living in a time set aside to win the lost; to change the people; to save mankind while God continues to be patient. 2 Peter 3:9.

Satan tried to get God's kingdom (throne) in heaven but was thrown out. Satan gained authority (the throne) on Earth through deception. Adam lost not only the position of authority but also the position of righteousness. Man’s Righteousness is restored by Christ's sacrifice. Kingdom authority is to be restored later, at the time Christ returns to Earth.

The book of Revelation is Christ revealing things to come. In Matthew 24:3 the disciples ask Jesus when he will return. Jesus tells them of signs but says that no one knows the date or the hour but the father. Matthew 24:36. It will be a time of wickedness (lawlessness) (v12), but the
good news will be preached throughout the world and then the end will come (v14).

God planned kingdom restoration. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 tells us that sinners will not enter the kingdom, but only those who are sanctified through their faith in Christ. Why does the Bible tell us about future events?

Jesus came to restore man to God. Like the destruction of the flood, the Earth must be cleansed of evil. There must be restoration but this time the saved (sanctified) men will have a new body without the old sin nature.

We live in a time for repentance; a time for men to have a change of hearts. There is only a very small percentage of Messianic Jews, God’s chosen nation, so the task of spreading His word is now in hands of the gentiles, the Christ-followers.

Revelation 1 brings the revealed message and bestows a blessing on the reader and the listener. Revelation 1:3. The greeting identifies the messenger (v4-5) and then delivers a message to the seven churches. The messenger identifies Himself as the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end. At Revelation 2:26-29 He states:

26 To the one who is victorious and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—

This affirms that His message and His plan for a righteous kingdom has never changed from Genesis, creation to Revelation, restoration.

I think this song video fits this message! Hallelujah!

Verses for Today:
Revelation 1:1-8 (NIV)
1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
4 John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds,”
and “every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him”;
and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”
So shall it be! Amen.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Lord, I give thanks for your love that remains steadfast from creation to the restoration of Your Kingdom!

 



 

Sharing Beyond Books #389 Comment Giveaway February 22, 2020

Hello again and Welcome to Sharing Beyond Books, SBB.
Thanks to everyone who commented last week.

We ended up with two votes each for Gone With the Wind and Sound of Music as favorite Classics. Other choices, beyond my pick of Wizard of Oz, include: The Godfather, Lord of the Rings,
It's a Wonderful Life, The Last Unicorn, Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies (I like Glass Bottom Boat), Father Goose and You've Got Mail.

The Winner from SBB #388 comments is #10 ASHFA who can make a GC choice if international or book choice from the Updated (**Finally!) ARC/Review titles or (recently updated) Love and Christmas titles - all linked near the end of the post. -- [11/16/19 I plan to add some review books this week and maybe some new Christmas and Love titles as soon as I locate the box I put them in.  10/5/19 I have pulled some new books and will be adding them to the list in the next week or so.

**NOTE: I did post an Updated ARC and Other books for Giveaways. I have to go back and list the titles -- someday.
Please let me know your choice by completing the WINNER FORM.

WEEK #389

(One Question.)

Bookworm asks: What is your favorite time period or setting to read about??

I still like historical romances - Regency and Western. And I love space military settings. But another favorite is post-apocalyptic -- is that more a genre than a time period or setting?

Image found at Drawception.

 
Thanks to those who are sending in Questions. DON'T BE SHY! Surely everyone has a Q or two you'd like to ask. Input suggestions in this Suggested Question Form. At the end of each month, I draw from the suggestions I used during the month and that person will get a 1/2 book choice or $2.50 towards GC. I thank everyone for submitting questions. Thanks for sending in questions! The supply of questions is dwindling so share some if you think of any -- even if they are duplicates I'll weed through or try to modify
The Questions used for February were provided by Nikki and Bookworm who each get $2.50 credit.

Your turn to share. Bookworm asks: What is your favorite time period or setting to read about??

SBB Comment Winners can choose a selection from the Updated ARC and Other books, including the "Love" and Christmas titles all in one post.

SBB Rules:
a) Must be a follower.
b) Share a comment on the question above.
Open internationally and an international winner may get a smaller book or a $5.00 GC if I decide the mailing is too much.
I will pick a Comment winner from all comments made through Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 5 PM central.

Audible Book Review: Unleashed, Andy Carpenter, Book 11, by David Rosenfelt

This is a fun series I like to revisit regularly.
Unleashed
Andy Carpenter, Book 11
By: David Rosenfelt
Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
Unabridged Audiobook
Release date: 07-23-13
Language: English
Publisher: Listen & Live Audio, Inc.
Genre: Legal Procedures, Mystery, Traditional Detective
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0 Overall; Story 4.25; Narration 4.25.

Publisher's Summary
Audie Award Winner, Mystery, 2014
Andy Carpenter's accountant, Sam Willis, receives a surprise call from Barry Price, a friend he hasn't spoken to in years. Barry needs Sam's financial acumen and Andy's legal expertise. But when Sam almost runs over an injured dog on the way to Barry's house, he can't drive off without waiting for help. By then, Barry's taken off on a private airplane headed to who-knows-where. Soon after they learn that Barry's plane has crashed, and they come to the terrifying realization that Sam was also supposed to have been killed on that plane. Barry was in far more serious trouble than either of them knew, and for Sam and Andy, the trouble is only beginning.
©2013 Tara Productions, Inc. (P)2013 Listen & Live Audio, Inc.

Review:
Andy continues in his usual lackadaisical lifestyle. He is wealthy enough that he doesn’t need to work … which is just fine with him. His wizard accounting friend, Sam, contacts Andy to ask his help for another friend, Barry. Sam is on his way to meet with Barry but gets delayed when he hits a dog. Sam stops to care for the injured animal which turns out to be fortunate as Barry’s private airplane, where Sam was to join him, crashes.

Sam, who has adopted the injured golden retriever, presses Andy to represent Barry’s wife when she gets accused of murder. Andy reluctantly agrees to the case because it means his love, Laurie, a former cop, will stay in town to help with the investigation. The team gathers: Laurie, Sam and his geriatric group of computer hackers, Hike, a cynical attorney who works with Andy, and Marcus, Andy’s massive bodyguard. The investigation sends Andy and Marcus to Maine for the first lead. They have a short meeting with their contact but before the next morning, the man and his friends are found dead. The team soon realize that Barry was involved in something more serious than some accounting problems. Soon the trouble comes hunting for Sam and Andy as they have to dodge bullets and then Barry’s wife fingers Sam for the murder.

There is a certain formula to the Andy Carpenter mysteries. Dogs play a part and before the mystery is solved, Andy and Laurie call in the FBI through their friend Cindy. I still enjoy the journey with the convoluted plots and the snarky characters. Each story can be read alone but I do think they are more fun if you read the early ones to learn the personalities of the characters.

Audio Notes: Grover Gardner does his usual solid delivery for this series. He delivers the snark with a dry sense of humor that adds to the story for me. I totally enjoy listening to this series.

Source: November 2019 Audible Purchase $10.99. This qualifies for 2020TBR, 2020Audiobook and 2020Alphabet goals.

#NetGalley Book Review: The Gift of Gerbert's Feathers by Meaghann Weaver, Lori Wiener

This is beautifully touching.

The Gift of Gerbert's Feathers
by Meaghann Weaver, Lori Wiener

Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool - 2
Lexile Measure: 600 (What's this?)
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Magination Press; 1 edition (February 4, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 143383023X
Genre: Children, Death and Dying, Illness
My Rating: 5.0 of 5.0.

Gerbert the gosling is strong and brave and has fun times with his family and friends but knows that, one day soon, he won’t be able to keep up with them anymore. As Gerbert prepares for his final migration, he finds a way to show his flock that he will always be with them. Includes a one-page Note to Readers and an online Note with additional information useful for parents, caregivers, grandparents, siblings, and teachers.

Review:
Gerbert is born into a loving family and flock. Sadly, as his siblings grow bigger and stronger, it is clear that something is wrong with Gerbert. He remains small and weaker. Although he has a bright, strong personality, his body continues to weaken. His parents help him with migration and his father even shares the experience of leading the flock for a short time.

When the time for the next migration comes, it is clear that Gerbert will not be able to join them physically. He finds a special way to leave a blessing for all of his family and friends so that he can be with them always in memory especially as they remember him and his special gifts.

This book opens with a page explaining to parents that it may be used to help young children who are suffering from a terminal illness and help children who are experiencing terminal illness in another family member or special friend. It is more directed toward child death but could be helpful facing the loss of any loved one.

I appreciated the brave, cheerful character of Gerbert. The story is straightforward and easy to share or be read by a mature young reader. The story does tend to bring one close to tears so I imagine it would be best for an adult to be present with a younger reader to help share the burdens of fear and sadness. The illustrations are soft and beautiful.

This provides a very graceful approach toward facing death and loss. Even if a family is not facing a death within its circle, this story would promote empathy for others in that circumstance. I recommend this as a beautiful story to share.

Source: NetGalley 2019-20 (Selected in December but received 2020.) This qualifies for 2020NetGalley and 2020Alphabet goals.