The Oregon Book Report - Book News from Oregon

Salem teacher’s book list for kids

By “Miss Nelson”,
Salem Elementary Teacher,

As a teacher, I try not to spend too much of my own money on my classroom, but when it comes to new books that the kids are dying to read, I find it hard to resist. One particularly challenging demographic is the reluctant, below-grade-level, male reader. Lots of thought and study has gone into finding solutions to motivate them to dive into a good book, because research tells us that kids need to be reading about two hours a day in order to make one-year’s growth per year.

With that in mind, here are some the books I splurged on because it is so rewarding seeing a string of little boys more excited about books than soccer:

Peek at J.K. Rowlings first crime novel

Book review by Michelle Barnhart of “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by author Robert Galbraith

J. K. Rowling = Harry Potter. Everybody knows that. And that’s why I was so surprised when, part way through Robert Galbraith’s “The Cuckoo’s Calling”, I glanced at the author bio inside the back cover and read the book was actually written by J. K. Rowling, under the pseudonym of Galbraith.

“The Cuckoo’s Calling” is Rowling’s first crime novel. Her plot revolves around the death of supermodel Lula Landry. The police have ruled it suicide; however, her brother can’t believe it and hires Strike to look into the case. Strike’s investigation takes him behind the scenes of the rich and famous…he interviews Landry’s driver, her rock star boyfriend, her cleaning lady, and her makeup artist, among others. When Strike briefly becomes the target of the paparazzi, I felt that Rowling was writing from her own personal experience as a public figure.

Book lover turned eReader

By Erika Weisensee, Oregon Writer

A few years ago, I remember saying I would never read e-books. Well, things change. Yes, I will soon be buying myself an e-reading device. I’ve written many times on this site about my love for books. It’s not just that I Iike reading. . . I mean, I REALLY love books. I love turning the pages. I find comfort in the smell and the look of old books. I love book jackets. I love browsing in bookstores and libraries. How could an e-reader compare with all of that?

People assume romance writers, like me, are up to something

Tawna Fenske
Oregon romance writer
Believe it or Not
Blog “Don’t pet me, I’m writing”

Being the lone romance writer on a book tour of 28 Oregon authors is an odd experience. If anyone sees you smiling, they assume you’ve been doing something torrid.

They may have a point.

I’ve had a great time being part of the Crazy 8s Author Tour, and I’m stoked to head to Cannon Beach this Saturday for our next tour stop. I couldn’t help noticing a common theme in the speeches given by my fellow authors at our first event last weekend. Many poked fun at themselves for using Facebook to procrastinate book deadlines. Some made reference to Twitter, and during the Q&A portion of the presentation we fielded several audience questions about writers’ groups.

Oregon moms pen Eco-nomical Baby Guide

By Erika Weisensee

Welcoming a new baby into one’s home can cost a pretty penny. Baby gear can quickly take over one’s home. Stores market a whole lot of cute, color- coordinated things that we become convinced baby needs. We want our children to get off to a great start, but do we really need all of this stuff? The answer is no. And, two Oregon moms, Joy Hatch and Rebecca Kelley, have written a new book to help parents save money by parenting the green way. The book is called “The Eco-nomical Baby Guide: Down to Earth Ways for Parents to Save Money and the Planet.”The authors focus on reduce, reuse, and recycle in a writing style that is humorous and straightforward. The safety and happiness of one’s baby top Hatch and Kelley’s agenda as they offer tips on shopping for new and used green goods, blending homemade organic food, and limiting the piles of baby gear that threaten to overtake the living room.

Tempted by an art forger

Book reveiw by Michelle Barnhart,

Review of “The Art Forger” by B. A. Shapiro. Published 2012 by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

It isn’t a crime to paint a copy of the Mona Lisa. It’s only a crime if you paint a copy of the Mona Lisa and then sell it as Da Vinci’s own work.

Claire Roth is an artist who makes a bare living painting and selling very good reproductions of famous works of art. She would much rather make a living selling her own original work, but she’s been black balled by the Boston art scene. But at the start of the novel, a gallery owner offers her a deal even the Devil would think twice about: create a forgery of a stolen painting for a buyer he knows, and he’ll stage a one-woman show of her paintings at her gallery, plus pay her handsomely.

Bestseller sets new tone on God for skeptical world

By Michal Ann McArthur, Bend
Author of Choking on a Camel
Her blog

Book Review: “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism” by Timothy Keller

Being an apologetics enthusiast, I have read countless books on the topic of the existence of God, but I think Keller’s “The Reason for God” is the best. One of the qualities of the book that I most appreciate is its tone. Keller writes with respect for skeptics and those who hold opinions that differ from his own. His tone is friendly and humble, never abusive or strident. I’m not at all surprised that the book became a New York Times bestseller.

Three Southern sisters inherit family misfortune

Book reviewed by Lynn Leissler
Eagle Point

“Friday’s Daughter” by Patricia Sprinkle

I used to think when someone mentioned the sins of the fathers being visited on future generations that some divine zap targeted innocent children on down the line. Now I believe those children are the unwitting heirs of poor choices and neglect bestowed by ill-informed or don’t-give-a-rip parents. And so it is in Patricia Sprinkle’s Friday’s Daughter. Three sisters have to deal with the mess left by their recently deceased father, King MacAllester, a man who cared more about power and image than about his children.

Amazing story unfolds over my book cover

Welby O’Brien, Oregon writer
Love our vets blog

When we attempt a daunting task and huge undertaking, such as writing a book to help others, sometimes it is the miracles along the way that keep us going. One such miracle just happened!

The day after I signed on with the publisher for Love Our Vets: Restoring Hope for Veterans with PTSD, we were challenged with a 24 hour deadline to find and design the book cover. Yikes! This urgency sent us all into a flurry of viewing thousands of stock photos and images searching for just the right one. Nothing was right. I wanted the cover to exude hope, support, love and encouragement.  Hard to depict in most military-theme graphics. I prayed and prayed, and then went to bed exhausted with no results.