Billie B. Little

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Building bridges through cooking

Review by Billie B. Little

Since Steffy was 3, she and her sister, Nina, have lived with Auntie Gina. All that changes when their aunt decides to move in with her boyfriend, and Steffy’s dad, a musician she scarcely knows, comes for dinner. Steffy makes homemade pasta and draws a name tag for the stranger who’s about to take Auntie Gina’s place in the bedroom down the hall.

Steffy is a budding chef, and cooking is how she frames her life and makes sense of things. Through cooking, she tries to reconnect with her mother, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident and has to be re-introduced to her daughters each Sunday when they visit. Steffy’s only connection to her mom is the old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook filled with handwritten notes. She carries homemade favorites to her mother’s long-term care facility, fixes the family meals and even enters a cooking contest.

Steffy and Nina want to get close to their dad, but he’s unapproachable. When Steffy does some sleuthing in the church basement where he attends meetings, she hears his secret. Her dad’s an alcoholic, and he’s struggling to get better for his wife and his girls.

Jen Nails draws in readers with a disarmingly simple style. As the story builds, the characters take on more depth. One Hundred Spaghetti Strings shines with nuance and simplicity.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

This article was originally published in the April 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Since Steffy was 3, she and her sister, Nina, have lived with Auntie Gina. All that changes when their aunt decides to move in with her boyfriend, and Steffy’s dad, a musician she scarcely knows, comes for dinner. Steffy makes homemade pasta and draws a name tag for the stranger who’s about to take Auntie Gina’s place in the bedroom down the hall.

Children's & YAPicture Book

The perks of being a primate

Review by Billie B. Little

Spunky Priscilla is obsessed with gorillas. She and her dad read about gorillas every day, but what does Priscilla likes best about the big apes? They always get their way. When Priscilla dons her gorilla pajamas to give a report on her favorite animal, she’s excited. Her report goes well—with one hitch. It’s class photo day and Priscilla insists on staying in her gorilla suit. Her teacher is not pleased.

Mr. Todd insists that having a gorilla in the picture would ruin it for the others. After Priscilla polls her cheering classmates, the teacher invites Priscilla to visit the Thinking Corner—the spot for troublemakers, But she’s no troublemaker! She’s a gorilla. Priscilla’s impish individuality influences the entire class and soon everyone wears animal pajamas to school. The Thinking Corner is overcrowded.

Priscilla’s father reminds her that gorillas survive because they cooperate. Maybe Priscilla should be a skunk instead? After studying all her gorilla photos, she apologizes to Mr. Todd in her own way. On a field trip to the zoo, Mr. Todd encourages Priscilla to wear her special PJs. When she pounds her chest and hoots, the big gorilla begins to dance and the whole class joins in, even Mr. Todd.

New York Times bestselling author Barbara Bottner provides a charming, playful story, and Michael Emberley’s lively drawings perfectly capture the bright spirit of a little girl who knows her own mind. Priscilla Gorilla will get readers on their feet, dancing to their own beat.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Spunky Priscilla is obsessed with gorillas. She and her dad read about gorillas every day, but what does Priscilla likes best about the big apes? They always get their way. When Priscilla dons her gorilla pajamas to give a report on her favorite animal, she’s excited. Her report goes well—with one hitch. It’s class photo day and Priscilla insists on staying in her gorilla suit. Her teacher is not pleased.

RomanceContemporary Romance

When all the walls fall down

Review by Billie B. Little

Johnny Alexander is the man of the hour at a party thrown for him by the Washington Bureau ATF office. He’s worked under cover for nearly two years, and he’s helped keep a huge number of illegal firearms off the street. But all he really cares about is getting home to his timid wife, Terri. He has wanted nothing but to protect her since he discovered her at 17, hiding out in his parents’ barn, shivering and crying. But his friend and boss, Brad, has bad news for Johnny. Terri has left him, and he also must undergo a month of re-entry therapy before getting back on the job.

Brad manages to track down Terri, and he finds a suitable therapy program for Johnny in the small community where Terri has taken refuge, the picturesque Sanctuary Island.

When Johnny spots his wife through the windows of a popular bakery, he can’t believe his eyes. Terri has cut and lightened her hair and appears outgoing and at ease. This is not the woman he married. But Johnny soon realizes that they were married in name only. His undercover work built a wall between them, and she was young and scared when they met. But she has evolved into a very different woman, a fierce and determined woman Johnny barely recognizes.

Shocked to see Johnny again, Terri’s defenses go up in a hurry. Terri left because she believed Johnny would never love her the way she loves him, nor understand her. After she decided to free Johnny from their marriage, she made a life of her own. She moved and made friends, became independent and changed her name to Tessa. But Johnny still thinks of her as the old Terri—he can’t even get her new name right.

Johnny and Tessa agree to four weeks of couples therapy, which will count as Johnny’s “re-entry” counseling. Under the watchful eye of a good counselor, they make solid progress. But can these two damaged people really allow themselves to be open with each other? Johnny and Tessa both suffered devastating trauma in their childhoods, and they’ll have to resolve their difficult pasts in order to forge a new future together.

Seasoned romance novelist Lily Everett delivers what readers want in Close to Home, book five in her Sanctuary Island series. Her well-rounded, appealing characters and her lush imagery will captivate readers and keep the pages turning. Everett’s fast-paced plot strings along the suspense, and the surprisingly emotional ending is the cherry on top.

Johnny Alexander is the man of the hour at a party thrown for him by the Washington Bureau ATF office. He’s worked under cover for nearly two years, posing as a gang member named Alex Santiago, and he’s helped keep a huge number of illegal firearms off the street. All he really cares about is getting home to his timid wife, Terri.
Children's & YAPicture Book

Two friends with different points of view

Review by Billie B. Little

Great friendships come along when we least expect them, and this is especially true in Mouse and Hippo, New Yorker cartoonist Mike Twohy’s hilarious tale of a chance encounter on a summer afternoon.

Meticulous Mouse is focused on getting the waves just right as he paints at the lake, easel atop a gray rock. But, oops! The rock is actually Hippo, who accidentally jolts Mouse into the water. Hippo rescues him, and in thanks, Mouse offers to paint his portrait. Hippo preens and poses while Mouse uses his biggest brush—and paints the whole canvas gray. “My paper was too small to fit all of you in,” Mouse explains. But Hippo is far from disappointed, and he rushes home to hang the monochrome masterpiece over his bathtub (or rather, a reedy nook of the lake). When Hippo returns the favor by painting a portrait of Mouse, he uses the tiniest brush, and the finished painting is a carefully crafted dot. “I love it!” Mouse says. “You made me look so cute!”

With their appreciation for each other’s point of view, Mouse and Hippo become fast, if unlikely, friends. They work together to fit Mouse’s portrait inside his mouse-sized house. Mouse invites Hippo to visit his painting any time, and though Hippo can only peer in with one large eyeball, the new friendship is sure to last well beyond the pages of this clever book.

Twohy’s zany humor is a rare treat. His beguiling characters burst with so much personality that readers will long for a sequel.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

This article was originally published in the February 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Great friendships come along when we least expect them, and this is especially true in Mouse and Hippo, New Yorker cartoonist Mike Twohy’s hilarious tale of a chance encounter on a summer afternoon.
Children's & YAPicture Book

A little bug’s epic adventure

Review by Billie B. Little

Henri is just a little caterpillar, a role that comes with its own set of limitations. He moves slowly and is unlikely to ever see much of the world beyond the garden gate. Regardless, he dreams big and longs for adventure.

His friends discourage him. They like having Henri around, safe and sound. Slug is particularly negative, questioning the seriousness of Henri’s desire for travel. “Sounds exhausting,” Slug says.

But Henri is determined, and his friend Toad understands the importance of chasing one’s dreams. New friends come to his aid, as Bird gladly helps him over the garden wall. Mole and Henri tunnel beneath the busy road, and Fish carries him across the lake. Henri has traveled far, and when he spots a giant hot air balloon, he knows his great adventure is about to begin.

Sadly, before Henri can wiggle to the top of the balloon and see the whole wide world, something happens and he is stuck, sadly stuck, inside a cocoon. His adventure will never happen now, or will it? Something changes while he sleeps in the warm, dark place, and Henri awakens with wings! Yet with the whole world open to him, he flies back to the best place of all—his garden home.

Each page of Clive McFarland’s Caterpillar Dreams delights readers with a colorful collage of images. Little Henri has personality to spare, and preschoolers and their parents will enjoy taking a romp with this bright-eyed, determined caterpillar.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Henri is just a little caterpillar, a role that comes with its own set of limitations. He moves slowly and is unlikely to ever see much of the world beyond the garden gate. Regardless, he dreams big and longs for adventure.

RomanceHistorical Romance

Brute in a ballroom

Review by Billie B. Little

Grace Burrowes weaves a plot as intricate and warm as a fine Scottish plaid in The Trouble with Dukes, the first in her Windham Brides series.

Blue-eyed and bespectacled, Megan Windham is worried on the night her family's ball kicks off the fall season in London. She's certain that the “goldenly glorious” Sir Fletcher Pilkington—a man she despises—will ask for her hand. How can she refuse his offer when she foolishly penned 31 love letters to the social-climbing cad?

Hamish MacHugh has distinctly different problems. Although he has a disdain for small talk and polite society, he’s just learned he’s a duke. Along with the title and wealth comes a wealth of responsibilities. The reluctant Hamish, now the Duke of Mordoch, declares his beloved bachelorhood to be doomed, but he’s pressured into donning his best kilt and attending the ball.

Megan Windham turns his head early on with her understated beauty, intelligence and confidence. But when she teaches Hamish how to waltz and throws a little Gaelic his way, he nearly swoons.

Sir Fletcher, eager to keep Megan for himself, spreads ugly rumors about Hamish. But winsome Megan sees something different in His Grace: strength, kindness and solidarity. These are qualities that Sir Fletcher, insistent on blackmailing her with her own love letters, lacks immensely. 

As Megan and Hamish fall in love, they hide dark secrets from each other. Though Hamish falls quickly for Megan, he warns her that he’ll never fit in with London society. Rumors and gossip follow him everywhere, and he’s known as the Duke of Murder for his fierceness in battle. Meg should forget about him. So naturally, she is all the more charmed, even as Sir Fletcher attempts to force her hand.

Burrowes' savvy knowledge of history, language, clothing and customs, paired with her graceful writing and witty dialogue raise the bar for period romance. The Windham women are a fierce and feisty group, and Megan is an especially appealing character. If all the Windham women are as engaging, and if all the Scots have equally attractive humor and wit, Grace Burrowe’s Windham Bride’s series will exceed reader’s expectations.

Grace Burrowes weaves a plot as intricate and warm as a fine Scottish plaid in The Trouble with Dukes, the first in her Windham Brides series.
RomanceRomantic Suspense

A sister’s strange disappearance

Review by Billie B. Little

Charlotte Sawyer’s life was up-ended when her fiancé left her stranded at the altar just five days before the nuptials with an unworn wedding gown, hefty catering bills and an emotional scar to boot. Her therapist urges her to embrace spontaneity, suggesting she take up a new hobby like kayaking, but risk-averse Charlotte opts for mindfulness classes instead. 

Cautious, rule-following Charlotte doesn't break out of her comfort zone until circumstances tug her into a spiral of adventure and intrigue. Unable to contact her half-sister, Jocelyn, Charlotte becomes concerned. When a padded envelope with a set of keys and a cryptic note arrives from one of Jocelyn’s friends, Charlotte goes to the woman’s apartment to investigate.

She learns that Jocelyn’s good friend, Louise Flint, is dead, supposedly of a drug overdose. Many questions are raised, and Charlotte becomes even more alarmed about Jocelyn’s disappearance. At Louise’s condo, Charlotte runs into a cool and reserved private investigator, Max Cutler.

Max is newly divorced and just establishing himself in Seattle. Like Charlotte, he carries a lot of baggage. Raised in a commune by his mother and a charismatic leader, he was traumatized as a child by a house fire and his mother’s subsequent death. Despite his tough background, his drive and passion to help others appeals to Charlotte. Although he won’t be paid for his work, Max agrees help Charlotte, and she manages to trust Max enough to join forces with him. As the mysteries of Jocelyn’s disappearance become more puzzling and the dangers mount, the two are drawn to find comfort with each other.

A number of intriguing storylines are cleverly intertwined to make Jayne Ann Krentz's When All the Girls Have Gone a compelling, suspenseful and satisfying read. 

 

Charlotte Sawyer’s life was up-ended when her fiancé left her stranded at the altar just five days before the nuptials with an unworn wedding gown, hefty catering bills and an emotional scar to boot. Her therapist urges her to embrace spontaneity, suggesting she take up a new hobby like kayaking, but risk-averse Charlotte opts for mindfulness classes instead.
Children's & YAPicture Book

A new infant executive is shaking things up

Review by Billie B. Little

Marla Frazee, author and illustrator of the award-winning picture book The Boss Baby, delights readers anew with the release of The Bossier Baby. Boss Baby must now cope with being replaced by the arrival of a power-tripping new CEO, aka his little sister, who ruins his life while delighting the clueless “staff.”

Bossier Baby has restructured the organization and devised a new business model. Employees, parents and older siblings will empathize with the rigorous adjustment issues that a new CEO provides. Boss Baby has unceremoniously been demoted, and the Bossier Baby gets all the perks. The organic catering service (available 24/7), a personal limo and a full-time social media team.

Our hero, Boss Baby, is thrown into a cycle of stress, strain and acting out. But despite his fury and outrageous behaviors (stripping down and peeing on the neighbors’ flowers, for example), he is ignored. So, like any other American-blooded demoted employee, he gives up and sulks sullenly in the corner.

Now it is Bossier Baby’s time to shine. After all, she is CEO for a reason. With an honest ask for help, Bossier Baby woos Boss Baby back into the fold. The family’s business productivity numbers jump and all is well.

Two-time Caldecott Honor recipient Frazee blends cartoonish illustrations and fresh humor to carry the story. Even parents not toiling on Wall Street or in the corporate realm will enjoy this lighthearted take on sibling rivalry. 

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Marla Frazee, author and illustrator of the award-winning picture book The Boss Baby, delights readers anew with the release of The Bossier Baby. Boss Baby must now cope with being replaced by the arrival of a power-tripping new CEO, aka his little sister, who ruins his life while delighting the clueless “staff.”

RomanceHistorical Romance

New York medium, meet New York elite

Review by Billie B. Little

Joanna Shupe’s Baron, the second book in her popular Knickerbocker Club series, is set in New York in the late 1800s. The novel features Will Sloane, the stuffy older brother of Shupe’s heroine in Magnate, and pits the wealthy rail baron against an irresistible force: Madam Zolikoff, aka Ava Jones, who is struggling to get by as a medium.

William Sloane and Ava come from very different walks of life. The Gilded Age of New York City means a mansion for the wealthy Sloan, but a gritty third story apartment for Ava. Left penniless by the death of her parents, she has become Madam Zolikoff, a performance medium wearing a blonde wig and faking a Russian accent, “conjuring” up the spirits of client’s deceased family members to make a buck.

As a pillar of industry and a rising star in politics, William Sloane needs a suitable wife, but first he must take care of business. He attends Madam Zolikoff’s performance with a specific purpose—to dissuade her from entering a relationship with his political ally, John Bennett. Bennett is the gubernatorial candidate who’s asked Will to join him on the ticket as lieutenant governor. With the election only six months away, any missteps must be avoided, and this impertinent actress with the flame-red lips simply screams scandal. William won’t let a curvy con artist ruin his political career, but the feisty medium draws him like a beacon.

Ava grew up far from the fine and fancy Will Sloane and has done the best she can—single-handedly raising her younger siblings, scrimping and saving and building a  home for them. Years earlier, a romance with another privileged man left her sadder, wiser and mistrustful. She thinks she knows the kind of man Will Sloane is and wants no part of him. Unfortunately, Will is the kind of man one can’t help but notice, and unbeknownst to Ava, he has a heart of gold.

Though they come from different worlds, neither William nor Ava can ignore the compelling heat of each other’s company, and their resulting romance sizzles early and often. Readers should be advised not to scorch their fingers while flipping through the pages—or get them caught on all the hidden buttons of Victorian garb . . .

Joanne Shupe’s Baron, the second book in her popular Knickerbocker Club series, is set in New York in the late 1800s. The novel features Will Sloane, the stuffy older brother of Shupe’s heroine in Magnate, and pits the wealthy rail baron against an irresistible force—Madam Zolikoff, aka Ava Jones, who is struggling to get by as a medium.
RomanceRomantic SuspenseContemporary Romance

Room with a view

Review by Billie B. Little

When Daisy Little was only 16, her life changed on a dime, leaving her devastated. Daisy and her mother were shopping in a convenience store when a robbery took place. As Daisy watched, the cold-hearted robber pulled the trigger on the gun he held to Daisy’s mother’s head, killing her instantly. A young police officer, Chris Jennings, the first responder, hesitated one moment too long, and he has never forgiven himself. He has watched over Daisy ever since.

It has been six years, but Daisy is far from over the tragedy. She hasn’t been outside of her house since, not even opening her windows to let in a fresh breeze. Chris has become her closest friend and a nearly daily visitor to Daisy’s isolated apartment.

Daisy spends her time working out in the home gym that her father created for her, and her life takes a turn for the better when a group of Chris’ friends decide they want to work out in Daisy’s gym under Chris’ tutelage. This is the closest Daisy has ever come to having a party, and the group quickly becomes close, opening Daisy up to the possibility of life beyond her locked doors.

The friends are also trying to solve a local case involving murder and arson. Daisy, who watches her neighbors as others watch television, has much to add by way of new information. She has seen what she believes to have been a dead body removed from a vacant house across the street.

Throughout the ensuing adventure of the group’s attempt to solve the local mysteries, Daisy longs increasingly for Chris’s touch—but they are, and have always been, just friends.

Katie Ruggles’ In Safe Hands, the fourth book in her Search and Rescue series, succeeds in keeping the slow burn going throughout this page-turner of a romance, and the ending is just as heated as the fires set by the local arsonist. 

When Daisy Little was only 16, her life changed on a dime, leaving her devastated. Daisy and her mother were shopping in a convenience store when a robbery took place. As Daisy watched, the cold-hearted robber pulled the trigger on the gun he held to Daisy’s mother’s head, killing her instantly. A young police officer, Chris Jennings, the first responder, hesitated one moment too long, and he has never forgiven himself. He has watched over Daisy ever since.
Children's & YAPicture Book

The gift of warmth

Review by Billie B. Little

Little Sophia has a good friend in Mrs. Goldman. Mrs. Goldman knit baby Sophia her first hat, and she also knit her favorite one with kitten ears and matching mittens. Mrs. Goldman made a dinosaur sweater for her dog, Fifi, and she knit hats for all the neighbors, too—but not for herself. When she and Sophia walk Fifi, the only one whose keppie is freezing—and whose ears are turning red—is Mrs. Goldman.

So, although Sophia is not very good at knitting, she decides to surprise her friend with a handmade hat. She drops first stitch and then another, and finally when the hat is done, there are so many holes in it that it resembles a monster hat! Sophia can’t give such an unsightly cap to kind Mrs. Goldman. Luckily, she has an idea. Sophia’s one specialty is crafting pom-poms, a skill she learned from Mrs. Goldman. Maybe she can put her pom-pom expertise to good use. When the hat is finally finished, not only does it keep Mrs. Goldman’s keppie warm, but Mrs. Goldman loves it. Being able to do something for a dear friend is, indeed, a mitzvah.

Michelle Edwards’ gentle story, paired with G. Brian Karas’ lively illustrations, will delight anyone who has ever tried to make something special for a friend. The addition of a few Yiddish words and the joys of a multigenerational friendship give this story a special resonance, and the instructions for making pom-poms and a Sophia hat will have readers begging for yarn.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Little Sophia has a good friend in Mrs. Goldman. Mrs. Goldman knit baby Sophia her first hat, and she also knit her favorite one with kitten ears and matching mittens. Mrs. Goldman made a dinosaur sweater for her dog, Fifi, and she knit hats for all the neighbors, too—but not for herself. When she and Sophia walk Fifi, the only one whose keppie is freezing—and whose ears are turning red—is Mrs. Goldman.

RomanceContemporary Romance

Making a relationship stick

Review by Billie B. Little

New York Times bestselling author Susan Donovan knows what a girl wants, and it has nothing to do with roses or a box of candy.

Tanyalee Marie Newberry, aka Taffy, is the perfect package, with long blonde hair, a string of pearls and a buff body. But we soon learn that her perfect-looking life has been fraught with difficulties since the untimely death of her parents when she was 5 years old.

Taffy has a mean streak, struggles with kleptomania, has major relationship issues, and she has made a huge mess of her life. She has used and abused everyone who ever cared about her—her sister, her grandfather, her first husband.

Fortunately, two months in an Arizona rehab center has helped her turn a corner, and she is ready to try and make things right. That is, until she’s seated next to a gorgeous hunk on her flight home to Podunk North Carolina—a man with a past every bit as complicated as her own—DEA agent Dante Cabrera, a recuperating alcoholic who is drawn to women with a lot of “crazy.” Taffy, in more ways than one, is a perfect fit.

At the center of this romance are two warm-hearted people, both struggling to make amends for bad decisions they’ve made in the past. The chemistry is there from the beginning when they spend a sexy layover together in an airport hotel, but the real story goes much deeper as they each face their own demons.

Through the many twists and turns of the story, one thing remains crystal clear: Dante is stuck on this particular piece of candy and he’s not going anywhere. And if Taffy’s decision to make amends is an honest one, there is good reason to believe that she and Dante will finally make a relationship work.

Tanyalee Marie Newberry, aka Taffy, is the perfect package, with long blonde hair, a string of pearls and a buff body wrapped up in a pink bow. But we soon learn that her perfect-looking life has been fraught with difficulties.
Children's & YAPicture Book

A cave guide to remember

Review by Billie B. Little

From about 1838 to 1857, Stephen Bishop was an underground guide in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. With carefully chosen wording, rich historical detail and luminous images, author Heather Henson and Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier bring Stephen’s story to light.

Stephen guides the reader through tunnels and quagmires of the cave and his own life. He tells us he can neither read nor write—it’s against the law to teach him these skills because he’s a slave: “Because I am bought and sold, same as an ox or a mule.” But Stephen has a yearning to learn, and he does, in a law-abiding manner. By the light of a candle, deep below the ground, when the visitors write their names on the cave’s ceiling, Stephen is watching and learning. In time, he writes his own name, too, along with the names of his wife and son.

Stephen hints at other secrets of Mammoth Cave. He tells of the men who discovered the cave and tracked bear beneath the earth. He makes his own discoveries of eyeless fish and albino crayfish. He finds a deerskin moccasin in the passageways below and wonders about his own legacy. Today, though Stephen no longer walks the cave, his name remains there for visitors to see, if only they look carefully.

This sensitive portrayal hints that every man and woman who walked this earth, free or slave, has a story worth telling.

 

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

From about 1838 to 1857, Stephen Bishop was an underground guide in Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. With carefully chosen wording, rich historical detail and luminous images, author Heather Henson and Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier bring Stephen’s story to light.

Sign Up

Stay on top of new releases: Sign up for our newsletter to receive reading recommendations in your favorite genres.

Sign up now

Trending Features

All Features