Brush of Angel’s Wings
BY: Ruth Reid
PUBLISHED BY: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 978-1-59554-789-7
RELEASED: 2012
PAGES: 358


  
In this second installment in the Heaven and Earth series, we are introduced to two new characters, Rachel Hartzler and Jordan Engles. Rachel is not your typical Amish girl. While all of her friends are becoming wives and mothers, Rachel would rather be in the field helping her father, a role she took over after her brother died. Rachel is horrible cook, and she can’t thread a needle. At the same time, Jordan Engles has returned to his Amish life, after his mother’s death. His mother had been shunned years before, and Jordan had promised to return to her roots. Rachel’s father hires Jordan to help on the farm so Rachel can learn housework. Naturally, sparks fly between Rachel and Jordan.

I have very fond memories of The Littles television show based on John Peterson’s beloved children books, and I was excited to watch the complete collection from Mill Creek Entertainment. All 29 episodes are on three DVDs. Honestly, I thought the series had more episodes. The show first aired in 1983 and lasted for three short seasons. In 1985, the Littles hit the big screen (but only showed in matinees) in the prequel Here Come the Littles. In 1986, they returned for the final outing in the made-for-television movie Liberty & the Littles.


The Littles are only a few inches tall and have a mouse like ears and a tails. The main Littles were Tom and Lucy (brother and sister), their cousin Dinky, and Grandpa Little. Occasionally their parents appeared in a few episodes. They all live in the Bigg house, where a young boy, Henry Bigg, is the only one that knows of the existence.

Of course, every cartoon needs a villain, and in the Littles, it is a crazy doctor who wants to prove that the Littles are real. With the help of Henry, the Littles always managed to out wit the mad doctor.

It didn't occur to Nevin that the man might have been driven

out by the authorities, that he might be on the run. That in his

maddness he could be give to visions and grandiose predictions,

putting ideas into the heads of gullible young girls and threatening

those less than willing to do as he wished.

 
Lightning-fast Chinese for Kids and Families
EDITED BY: Carolyn Woods
PUBLISHED BY: CreateSpace
PUBLISHED IN: 2012
ISBN: 978-1470138820
Pages: 78


    Growing up in a small town, my high school only offered French as a language class. Honestly, I never planned to use French in real life. Three of the most used languages in America are English, Spanish, and Chinese. Knowing these three languages is necessary if you want to succeed in the job market today.

    Lighting-fast Chinese for Kids and Families is written for parents/guardians to help their children to learn Chinese in a fast and simple manner. There are fifteen different conversations that you can learn while performing daily tasks, like preparing dinner; walking outside; etc. During meals you can simple ask the question ‘What’s for breakfast, lunch or dinner?’, and teach your family how to reply by repeating a few Chinese words. Children can easily learn a language by pointing to a favorite toy and teaching them what the word is in another language.

Writers on the Edge
EDITED BY: Diane M. Raab and James Brown
PUBLISHED BY: Modern History Press
PUBLISHED IN: 2012
ISBN: 978-1-61599-108-2
Pages: 188

    Addiction and depression can consume anyone, even us writers. From Modern History Press comes a bold new book Writers on the Edge, where 22 writers speak about their own addiction and dependencies. Editors Diana Raab, award-winning memorist and poet, and James Brown, author and Professor of English in the M.F.A. Program in Creative Writing at California State University, San Bernardino, has complied together memories, poetry, and essays by contemporary authors who bring a new truthful edge with the world of addiction.

I bought The Hunger Games trilogy last year. Then the books got stacked up and forgot about having them. Knowing that the movie starring Jennifer Lawrence was about to come out, I took a slight break from my review piles and opened the first book. It was late at night, I was tired, and I was not planning to read very much. Well, I ended up reading about half of the book, as I was caught up in the futuristic, weird world of Panem, which strangely resembles the real world. The story is told from the point of view of sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen (What a name!) who volunteers to take her sister’s (Prim) place in the annual Hunger Games that the Capital holds. There were once 13 Districts in Panem, and the 13th rebelled against the Capital. After the 13ths were vanquished, the Capital decided to punish the other districts with the Hunger Games. Each year one male and one female (between the ages of 12 to 16) from each district are randomly chosen to participate in the games which only has one main rule, fight to the death.