Author: cvegnad

See the U.S.A Constitution in a new light with this bold, modern and accessible illustrated guide to the document that helped define democracy.

About We The People: The United States Constitution Explored and Explained

With the 2020 Presidential election around the corner, there has never been a better time to take a closer look at the Constitution, the bedrock of U.S. politics. Inquisitive minds will have their questions vividly answered (and new ones raised) by a mix of illustrations and clear, engaging text, including passages from the Constitution given in plain English.

As well as a detailed history covering the original Constitution, the Bill of Rights and all Amendments, discover how this milestone in American democracy shapes and is shaped by the world at large. We The People shows that the U.S. Constitution is a living, evolving rulebook that is as relevant today as it has ever been.

Our Thoughts

As a Canadian, I was not familiar with the U.S. Constitution. I have heard several parts in the news but did not really understand the amendments and how the government worked.

I loved the foreword of this book, as it truly sets the tone for what is to come. It encourages you to challenges your beliefs, the Constitution wording and to take action about the things you belief in. It encourages you to understand and appreciate that any person has the ability to make a change and difference, in order to make the country they live in a great place to do so.

From here the book jumps into the basics of the Constitution, the three branches of government, the Preamble, articles and then Amendments. I enjoyed learning about the Preamble (basically an introduction) as it helps to explain why the Constitution exists, what it is supposed to accomplish and who it is for. The book then jumps into an explanation of seven articles and the Bill of Rights.

What I enjoyed the most of this book is that it did not just explain the history of the articles and Amendments and what this means but it also gives you how people championed for equal rights for all people under each of these rights, key individuals in this fight, and encourages you to challenge what you know by asking questions. “What do you think?” questions are asked quite frequently throughout the book, these questions encourage the reader to think about how society is now, why this topic is important and at times how could we do better. This book also includes several, ‘Did you know facts’ under each topic along with fun facts – many that I did not know (for me, I learned the District of Columbia is a territory and does not have any members of Congress, and this was done so that the capital of the United States of America would belong to everyone!). I enjoyed learning about key political characters that helped create the country we all know now.

This book is geared towards older children but can still be enjoyed by younger children when read with an adult. It challenges your thinking, beliefs and encourages you to understand the rights and freedoms for all people. It is a celebration of the rights and freedoms that the citizens of the U.S. enjoy and how they interact with their daily lives. The illustrations are bright and engaging which is great for young readers. This is a book for all readers and you can see this through the title and through the way the book is written.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Evan Sargent is an intuitive creative director, strategist and designer with a knack for seeing the big picture. Her background includes over a decade as an art director and creative director in advertising – more recently, she has become a political activist and community organizer. We The People is her first children’s book.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Working undercover for London’s first official police force, the Bow Street Bachelors have an obligation to serve the city’s best interests—even while they’re falling for the city’s most alluring women.

About To Catch an Earl

Alex Harland, Earl of Melton and dedicated rake, never pictured himself as an agent of inquiry. But the thrill of investigation is a challenge he now embraces. When he’s asked to pursue the Nightjar, a notorious thief who is reclaiming France’s crown jewels, the case throws him into the path of the beautiful and equally elusive Emmy Danvers, reminding him of the only puzzle he’s never solved: the identity of the mysterious woman who once stole a kiss from him—and left him wanting so much more.

The daughter of a thief, Emmy learned long ago how to keep her secrets safeguarded—and, as the notorious Nightjar, her love for Alex Harland is one of them. With the determined earl hot on her trail—and making her hot under the collar—Emmy has no choice but to keep her distance. But when a moment’s danger threatens Emmy’s life as well as her name, will Alex finally discover that he’s followed every clue…to true love?

My Thoughts

I love the first book in this series as the plot was so different from the typical historical romance and this novel in this series does not disappoint.

Emmy is the daughter of a thief and has learned well from her Father, including learning all of the tricks of the trade. She is determined, strong but reserved in society because of her family history. The one man she does fall in love with (Alex) at a ball during a dance, is someone she knows she can never be with especially given her family history. She never does forget the special moment they shared at the ball and carries it with her for four years.

While her Father was a thief (the Nightjar), he did so for a noble cause – returning the French jewels to the French (not at a price but to ensure the jewels return to their real home) and his calling card? A black feather. With four years of no thefts, the sudden return of the black feather has many people wondering has the thief returned? What does the thief now have their eye on? How will they stop the thefts from happening?

Alex is determined to catch the Nightjar and he prides himself on his skills to solve cases that no one else can. He does not hesitate to take on this case and begins to plan to capture the Nightjar in the act. Alex is a hard man, he does not open easily but there was something special about a woman that he met at a ball four years ago. He never learns her name and his only memory of that moment is a special scent that she wore. Alex’s beliefs are sent spinning as he begins to investigate the Nightjar case and he has to question everything that he has believed his whole life. Can he look past her history in order to accept love? Can he even keep her alive as the plot begins to thicken?

This was an excellent, exciting novel with great twists that I did not see coming. I loved our characters that were full of personality and humour even as they face great obstacles (including bribery and murder!). The novel develops well and at a great pace, where you do not feel as though you are missing anything but not too slow either. This novel is a great summer read.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Kate Bateman, (also writing as K. C. Bateman), is the #1 bestselling author of historical romances, including her RITA® nominated Renaissance romp, The Devil To Pay, and the novels in the Secrets & Spies series To Steal a Heart, A Raven’s Heart, and A Counterfeit Heart. When not writing novels that feature feisty, intelligent heroines and sexy, snarky heroes you want to both strangle and kiss, Kate works as a fine art appraiser and on-screen antiques expert for several popular TV shows in the UK. She splits her time between Illinois and her native England.

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The top 40 Olympic athletes of all time can be found in this book. In this fact-packed book from the 40 Inspiring Icons series, learn how these athletic stars became the best in the world.

About Amazing Athletes: 40 Inspiring Icons

Relive Usain Bolt’s astonishing record-breaking runs, learn about Charlotte Cooper, the first ever female Olympic champion, meet the most decorated Olympic athlete of all time, Michael Phelps, and see some of the most impressive wins in history. From Nawal El Moutawakel, the first female Muslim born on the continent of Africa to become an Olympic champion, to gymnastic prodigy Simone Biles, whose skills on the vault and the floor are admired all over the world.

These are the athletes that you can learn about:

Spyrídon Loúis; Charlotte Cooper; Madge Syers; Jim Thorp; Paavo Nuurmi; Johnny Weissmuller; Mildred Didrickson; Jesse Owens; Marjorie Gestring; Francina Blankers-Koen; Micheline Ostermeyer; Emil Zatopek; Betty Cuthbert; Wilma Rudolph; Abebe Bikila; Tommie Smith; Bob Beamon; Mark Spitz; Nadia Comaneci; Sebastian Coe; Birgit Fisher; Daley Thompson; Nawal El Moutawakil; Carl Lewis; Steve Redgrave; Marie-Jo Pérec; Valentina Vezzali; Michael Johnson; Maria Mutola; Cathy Freeman; Yelena Isinbayeva; Michael Phelps; Tony Estanguet; Usain Bolt; Teddy Riner; Mo Farah; Isabell Werth; Simone Biles; Trisha Zorn; Michael Edgson; Ellie Simmonds; Jonas Jacobsson.

Each book in the 40 Inspiring Icons series introduces readers to a fascinating non-fiction subject through its 40 most famous people or groups. Explore these other great topics through their most interesting icons: People of Peace, Super Scientists, Soccer Stars, Music Legends, Black Music Greats and Greek Gods and Heroes.

Our Thoughts

Our family loves sports – participating, watching and reading, we love it all. We couldn’t wait to open up this book to learn more about these forty inspiring athletes – their history and what they accomplished. We were surprised that we actually didn’t know as many as we thought we would have especially once we read their stories and how much they accomplished.

Each athlete has two pages dedicated to them, with one large image of the athlete, their biography, medals, record, what made them famous and some really neat facts about them. The book was easy for us to read together and for a child to read on their own. We loved learning about the athletes past and the facts that were included about them. We were amazed at how female athletes like Charlotte Copper competed in tennis matches in a long dress (the coordination they would have needed to move around in that dress would have been such a feat). Or how Jim Thorpe competed in the Olympics wearing mismatched shoes. Or how Abebe Bikila won the marathon for the second time at the Tokyo Olympics six weeks after having his appendix removed! Or how Trischa Zorn competed in her first Games at the age of 16 and her last at the ago of 40.

These incredible athletes having an amazing story to tell – some who overcame a lot to get to where they were, some who others did not believe in but they never let this stop their dream and others who championed for human rights. We learned so much while reading this book together but most importantly we learned the power of never giving up, believing in yourself and your talent (talent wins out over that expensive gear!). Their stories inspire our youth to go after their dreams and to stand up for what you believe in. A definite must read for young children and athletes!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

About the Author

Jean-Michel Billioud studied at the Institut Français de Presse and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales. He has since published a hundred non-fiction books on various themes with two obsessions: explaining things as simply as possible and rescuing from oblivion what time wants to erase. He lives in France. 

About the Illustrator

Gonoh is a French illustrator based in Paris. He studied illustration and worked as a graphic designer in different agencies before turning exclusively to illustration. He has worked with Decathlon, ADP, BNP Paribas, Télérama, and Brasserie La Parisienne.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.