Saturday, April 21, 2012

Jude the Dude

Jude the Dude written and illustrated by Debra G. Watts •Published: 3/27/2012 •Format: Perfect Bound Softcover •Pages: 36 •Size: 8.5x8.5 •ISBN: 978-1-46916-958-3 How do you deal with bullies? Just leave it to Jude the Dude. Jude works in the Jukebox Soda Pop Shop with his family June, Julian, Julie and little brother Junior. He and his buddies get into some hot water with a gang of bullies and Jude needs to step in before things get too out of hand. See what happens when Jude the Dude takes control. In a society where bullying is reaching epidemic proportions, Debra Watts has given the younger generation an alternative to bullying. Her illustrations are bold and colorful with a whimsical undertone. Jude the Dude is an inspiration for children who are currently being bullied. Jude the Dude stands his ground and Judas Junk slowly calms down. Written in a 1950s lingo, this book will resonate with grandparents reading to their grandchildren. Sling words from the 1950s are listed at the back of the book. There is also a message to a bullied young person at the end of the book: 1.Refuse to be a victim!! 2.Believing the bully only empowers the bully, 3.Arguing with a bully is exactly what he or she wants, 4.The responsible and mature thing to do is tell an adult if you are being bullied. Debra G. Watts is a retired educator who lives just outside of Harrodsburg, Kentucky. She has authored a teaching guide entitled "Listening Guides to America's Greatest Musicals" through J. Weston Walch Publishers and has just recently published "CARter CAR and his Wild and CARazy Birthday" through Xlibris. She is currently a University Coordinator mentoring practicum and student teachers for the university of the Cumberlands.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Death By Bridle

Death by Bridle (A Josiah Reynolds Mystery) by Abigail Keam
• Perfect Paperback: 236 pages
• Publisher: Worker Bee Press (March 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1467517356
• ISBN-13: 978-1467517355

Josiah is back on the trail of a murderer. Arthur Aaron Greene III is one of Kentucky s most prominent horse men but he is found hanging from the rafters in a horse barn with stones in his pockets and a bucket of water under his feet. The only witness is a nine year old boy who can’t seem to remember exactly what happened. Relentless in her pursuit of the killer, Josiah stumbles into decades of lies and deception that include her dear friend, Lady Elsmere. Josiah discovers that she must go back to 1962 if she is to find out the truth at all, while making the rounds of quirky characters that can only be found in the lush Bluegrass horse country. Fighting an unknown enemy in the glamorous world of Thoroughbreds, oak-cured bourbon, and antebellum mansions, Josiah struggles to uncover the truth in a land that keeps its secrets well.
Abigail Keam has once again given us a clever mystery for feisty, middle-aged character Josiah Reynolds. This quick read, although presenting a new mystery, also picks up on the storylines from her previous two novels, Death by a Honeybee and Death by Drowning.

I love Josiah because she is a real woman and reminds me of myself, with all her faults, aches and pains. She is a great role model for the “imperfect” women who love to read. The supporting cast of characters is well developed, each rich with his or her own eccentricities, from the flamboyant Franklin to the handsome Matt to the cranky Lady Elsmere.

Kentucky Author Abigail Keam is also an excellent beekeeper from the Bluegrass Region, having won sixteen honey awards at the Kentucky State Fair. In her spare time, she started writing books and is quickly becoming well-known outside of Kentucky.

Mrs. Keam has written a fun, exciting and humorous book. She throws in locally known areas like the Lexington Farmers’ Market and Al’s Bar. Ms. Keam writing is more like lyrical prose, leaving the readers wanting to know more of Josiah's life and clamoring for the next book.