Unlikely Friendships by Jennifer S. Holland

Review by Tiffany, Librarian, Sebastopol Branch

Do you like animals?  Do you enjoy heartwarming stories?  If so, this is the book for you.  The chapters are small, only a page or two each, and the pictures are amazing.  Holland has compiled forty-seven stories of different animals becoming friends with animals outside their own species.  The stories take place in zoos, shelters, homes and in the wild.  Each story is unique and interesting.  It didn’t take me long to finish this book and it definitely put a smile on my face.  My favorite story was about a dachshund and a piglet.  You don’t want to miss this book!

 How They Croaked
By Georgia Bragg, Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
Review by Tiffany, Librarian, Rincon Valley & Sebastopol

As the name would imply, this book tells the stories of the bitter end for some historically famous people.  We all know that Julius Caesar, Christopher Columbus, and George Washington died, but how did it happen?

There are warnings all over the book telling you that if you can't take blood and guts then this isn't the book for you.  From my experience, the first story, about King Tut, is very gory, but the other stories aren't that bad.

I don't consider myself a morbid person, but I couldn't stop reading about how all these people died.  The introduction said it nicely, "There are nice things to say about everybody, but this book is full of bad news.  There are funny crying parts and disgusting stupid parts and hideous cool parts, but it's pretty much one train wreck after another.  And who can tear their eyes away from a train wreck?"

I also like how the author adds interesting details about the person's life and interesting historical facts at the end of each chapter.  The sad part is that many of these people died simply because modern products like antibiotics did not exist.

I couldn't decide which story was my favorite, so you will have to read the book and decide for yourself.