Posted by fitz in Books on Feb 09
Welcome back!
Hi there!
The Mayan calendar poses an interesting challenge to thinkers in the modern age. On one hand, it is one of the most complex and accurate astronomically-based calendars that we have found in mankind’s historical record. And on the other, it predicts, according to some anthropologists and archaeologists, the end of time on December 21, 2012.
As always, humankind has very different responses to this date. Some claim it signals an apocalypse or armageddon. Others say that it will bring a sea change to human consciousness. Still others say it will be just another day on Earth. I have to admit that I fall into the last category, though I’ll be interested to see what happens in three years.
It was obvious that authors Chris Morton and Ceri Morton Thomas put a ton of hard work and research into their book 2012: The Secret of the Crystal Skull. And it provides yet another point of view on the subject. Their protagonist, Dr. Laura Shepherd, is an archaeologist with a specialty in Mayan hieroglyphics. When a colleague dies mysteriously in the possession of a strange crystal skull, Shepherd is put in charge of determining where it came from and what its significance may be.
Never has writing a report for a superior provided more of a winding path. Laura’s path takes her to a hidden Mayan temple and into one of the most technologically advanced labs in the United States, not to mention her journey to what may be a parallel universe… But I won’t spoil that spiritual quest for you.
Evidently this novel began as a screenplay that may have inspired Roland Emmerich to create his latest big budget disaster film – 2012. And the authors’ previous best-seller (The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls) may have inspired the last Indiana Jones movie – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Cystal Skull. So they seem to have a knack for getting Hollywood’s attention.
It reads like a screenplay a good portion of the time with a ton of visual detail. And though I enjoyed the second half of the book and found the last 200 pages to go extremely quickly, the first half was tough sledding and took a long time to get rolling.
At one point, Dr. Shepherd spends a few chapters reading a journal written in the 1930s by the daughter of the archaeologist who actually discovered the crystal skull on an expedition. I felt that section could have been written to summarize the journal entries rather than including several long, detailed entries in the text of the book. I was reminded of Mary Shelley’s classic Frankenstein, which is written as a series of journal entries that I have never finished after multiple attempts. So this may be more my failing than that of the authors.
In another part of the book, Dr. Shepherd remembers how her daughter died in a choking accident involving a piece of candy. As a parent, the scene was almost too detailed and graphic to read without thinking about how I would react if faced with the same situation. It was one of the stronger scenes, yet somehow fit awkwardly into the grander scheme of things. Again, I feel it might have been edited a bit to smooth out this rough patch.
However, from the point where Laura enters the jungle in search of the Mayan temple where the crystal skull had been found 80 years ago, I felt more connected to the story. It was at that point that the author’s knowledge of Mayan history and architecture really shined through and the adventure kicked into high gear. From there to the end, it’s a great thrill ride reminiscent of something you’d see in an Indiana Jones adventure.
Ultimately I enjoyed 2012: The Secret of the Crystal Skull by Morton and Thomas, but I wish it got going a bit faster than it did. If you’re fascinated by the Mayan calendar, the impending date of December 21, 2012, and the mystery of the crystal skulls, be sure to check it out at your local bookstore.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this book and other 2012-themed media at Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Feb 03
Hi all…
Though I had heard through the grapevine that The Lost City of Z was a great book, I find myself reading much more fiction than non-fiction and never managed to pick up a copy. When I finally had an opportunity to read it, I was drawn into the story from the opening pages and held until the very end. And when I put it down, I told my wife that I had read novels with less compelling plots than this true story about obsession and the lure of the unknown…
Percy Harrison Fawcett disappeared in 1925 into the dense, unforgiving jungles of the Amazon and never returned. At age 57, he had more experience exploring the then unmapped parts of the world than nearly anyone else alive. What was to stop David Grann, a writer for The New Yorker, from disappearing on the same quest a mere 81 years later?
Grann’s seamless prose manages to weave past and present in a coherent tapestry, intertwining Fawcett’s story with his own as he develops his own fascination with the legendary City of Z Fawcett and so many others lost their lives pursuing. Would I want to accompany either of these men through the jungles of South America in search of rumors, hearsay, and legend? Probably not. They each risked their lives and the lives of others in a part of the world where the flora and fauna make the lasting works of society such as roads, buildings, and monuments disappear seemingly overnight. Thankfully, Grann is able to share his experiences and his research with his readers.
On Fawcett’s last expedition, the fateful trip from which he never returned, he took his son Jack and his son’s best friend Raleigh along as young, strong, fearless adventurers dedicated to the quest. They sought traces of what may have been El Dorado, the City of Gold, when Europeans first entered the jungles. The stories of such riches and the knowledge that the Amazon hid such a wealth archaeological and anthropological knowledge from the world was enough to drive Fawcett to research all he could.
After a long series of successful quests to map the jungles, his last expedition had been a failure and he’d been forced to retreat. But he vowed to go back and he did. Unfortunately he and his young companions were never seen again.
Grann spoke to Fawcett’s remaining family, spoke with experts far and wide, and eventually kissed his wife and baby son goodbye to travel to South America himself. He was hot on Fawcett’s trail. And he eventually found the truth he sought…
For me, reading about these harrowing tales was enough to make me appreciate their heroism and steadfastness from afar. As a bestseller on the lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Denver Post, and others, obviously I wasn’t the only one who found the story irresistable. This book is not for the squeamish in a few spots, where Grann goes into great detail about some of the diseases and critters who see see the human body as a host or a meal. However, I found it fascinating to learn about some of the more horrific things the Amazon has in store for visitors.
If you have not yet been bitten by the bug, be sure to check out The Lost City of Z by David Grann, which is now out in paperback. It’s part Indiana Jones, part Sherlock Holmes, and fascinating from cover to cover.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this amazing book at Amazon below!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Feb 01
Hi there!
When I heard about a bright 8-year old boy who had written and illustrated not one book, but three – I was intrigued. My own daughter has similar aspirations, so I decided to check out Dalton James’ imaginative fiction. And I have to say that I was impressed by what I read!
The Mudhogs tells the story about a clubhouse for a group of three little pigs. Told from the point of view of Fangs, a tick on Piggy’s leg, we hear the tale of how the three pigs deal with a mud shortage. Piggy, Piggles, and Piglet try everything they can think of to make it rain, so that they might make even a little mud. But no rain came.
They tried a rain dance. That didn’t work. They tried to cast a spell. That didn’t work. They even tried putting on a play, complete with thunder and lightning, but that didn’t work either.
Finally they decided they’d go on an adventure in search of mud. None of the towns had any mud. None of the states had any mud. Even the countries they visited were without any mud. But when they got home… they discovered it had been raining while they’d been away and there was plenty of mud for everybody!
Though the artwork was childlike, I was fascinated by the story and the imagination used to create it. My favorite part of the book is when the pigs are traveling and go to the towns of Piggsburg, Hogsbreath, Swineville, and Slopton. As if those weren’t good enough, they then visit the states of Pighoma, Snortesee, New Hog, and Piggselvania. And while you’re still giggling at the first two waves of names, they then go to the countries of Pig of Mud States, Pigsia, Hogico, and Barnia.
It’s obvious that 8-year-old Dalton James has quite a career ahead of him in publishing if he keeps up the great work. He should be an inspiration to kids and parents everywhere to go out on a limb and be creative. You never know who you’ll meet or where you’ll end up. Personally, I’d like to travel to Slopton, Piggselvania, and Barnia. They sound like fun places to visit!
–Fitz
p.s. Check out these other books by Dalton James at Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Jan 22
Hi there…
When you were in elementary or middle school, did you ever feel like you didn’t fit in or couldn’t get interested in some of your school subjects? Alex seems to feel that way. Smart Alex is about Alex Martinez, a smart, sassy 7th grader flirting with trouble and spending far too much time in detention after school. She sits with the table of misfits in the lunch room – the only group she really identifies with. And over the course of the book, she begins to see her own potential and gain some confidence in her abilities.
Though I’m definitely not the target audience for The Girls Know How Series, I wanted to check it out for my eldest daughter who just turned 9. The goal of the series is to help girls see some of the career choices they may not normally consider – journalism, construction, or education are covered as the first three books of the series. It also aims to help readers see the benefits of working together, helping their communities, and applying what they learn in school to different areas of their lives.
Alex’ journey from a loner with low self-confidence and little direction doesn’t happen all at once in Smart Alex. She goes through stages, first discovering her talent for math and joining the MATHCOUNTS team. MATHCOUNTS is a program where a team of four students from one school competes against a team from a different school. During the competition, both teams are given a math problem. The first to buzz in and provide the correct answer gets the points. The team with the most points wins.
Once she joins the team and sees her potential, she tries to answer every question herself – never stopping to ask her team for input. Unfortunately she doesn’t get every answer correct, which causes her team to lose a few competitions. Over time she begins to see that teamwork has its advantages and that her teammates may have the right answer even if she doesn’t.
She also is asked to help a younger student, Ronna, with some math tutoring. Alex initially can’t find a way to help Ronna see the benefits of math, but she begins to see ways to approach the problem through Ronna’s love of baseball. Multiplication, fractions, percentages – all are used in computing batting averages and other important player statistics. And by showing Ronna how the math she used for baseball applied to other areas, she began to see the light.
What I really appreciated about the story was that it never stooped to preaching right and wrong to the kids. Through examples most students will encounter during their academic careers and social issues common to growing up, the lessons learned are much more organic.
My daughter read the book and said she really liked it. “It makes kids think they can do anything they set their mind to,” she said. And I agree. Through the application of effort, a little creativity, and the ability to learn, no task is impossible.
If you’re looking for a good series of books with solid lessons for ages 8 to 12, I would highly recommend you look for The Girls Know How Series. The three books in the series so far are Will Stephanie get the story?, Raising the Roof, and Smart Alex. Be sure to look for them at your favorite bookstore or library. Check out the website girlsknowhow.com for more information.
–Fitz
p.s. Look for these books at Amazon!
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Posted by Andrew in Books on Jan 20
Hi all…
Creatures of the night have been returning in a big way to bookshelves in recent years. And though Twilight may currently have the market cornered on teenage vampires and werewolves, that doesn’t mean that they are the only game in town. Thomas Emson’s first novel for Snowbooks was Maneater, published back in 2008, which focused on the intertwined stories of two werewolf bloodlines extending back thousands of years and a policeman who gets drawn into a murderous plot.
In Maneater, Laura Greenacre comes to terms with her wild side as she tries to discover who murdered her family as a child. That honor went to the Templetons, who try to finish the job and resurrect their family to reclaim former glories. John Thorn, a policeman assigned to protect Sir Adam Templeton, finds himself between the families as cascading revenge plots collide. Along the way, Laura and John become romantically entangled as well, but find themselves separated after a battle royale between werewolves in Trafalgar Square.
Now, with Prey, Emson reveals the ragged trail of blood, betrayal, and revenge plotted by Ruth Templeton, now lone matriarch of the Templeton legacy. Ruth desires not only the deaths of Greenacre and Thorn, but for them to suffer the deaths of those they love. Once her two adversaries are gone, she can begin to rebuild the Templeton family and claim her rightful place among the rich and powerful.
As with most revenge plots, things don’t go quite according to plan. Greenacre and Thorn have allies from all over the globe coming to their aid when they are most needed. And when it comes to protecting their own, the two separated lovers will fight to their last breath.
Where Maneater provided more context to the Greenacre/Templeton family feud, Prey focuses on picking up the pieces from the end of the book and following them to their logical conclusion. But don’t worry, the body count, violence, and madness doesn’t let up from where the first book left off. Greenacre, Thorn, and their many enemies manage to consistenly shoot, stab, bash, and sometimes tear people limb from limb.
The book was a bit slow to get going for me, but about a quarter of the way through I discovered that I really liked Major Lev Dasaev, the policeman from Russia. Stuck in a marriage he believed in, but his wife did not, he was a decent man who did the best with what he was given. By the end of the book, Dasaev becomes more of a hero for Greenacre than Thorn does, who spends most of the book trying to stay under the radar or simply survive to protect his daughter.
The battle in New York City’s Times Square was amazing as it bounced from character to character finally bringing everything to a head. Greenacre fights the good fight and tries to save as many innocents as she can while the men trying to kill her indiscriminately tear through crowds of people left and right. Ultimately she’s saved by those people she saved in Trafalgar Square years before and those who shared her story on the Internet. Everything came full circle again without feeling rushed or engineered.
My only complaint comes with the last two chapters, which were a bit too much like “And they lived happily ever after…” Even though I wanted to be happy for Greenacre, Thorn, and Thorn’s daughter, it seemed rather abrupt to go from Russia to Wales with very little description of how both Greenacre and Ruth manage to suddenly appear. If you read between the lines, the reasoning is there as to how it came to be, but it wasn’t the most satisfying end.
Maneater II: Prey picks right up where Maneater leaves off and wraps everything up for Greenacre and Thorn. I’d still like to know more about the history between the Templetons and the Greenacres, but I’m not left wondering what comes next – just about what came before. Be sure to check out Prey when it’s released in paperback in February 2010!
You can also learn more about Thomas Emson and his books at his website: ThomasEmson.net.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up this and other great books at Amazon!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Jan 07
Hi all…
It’s been a long time since I’ve been enthusiastic about the state of urban fantasy or horror. Back in the 1990s, I discovered Anne Rice’s gothic world of vampires, witches, and other creatures who go bump in the night. Rice had a gift for immersing you in her world with rich settings and characters you could sink your teeth into. Add to that classic urban fantasy books like War of the Oaks by Emma Bull, Neverwhere and American Gods by Neil Gaiman, and The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher and you see the fantasy side of “urban fantasy”. Though there have been occasional releases here and there, new urban fantasy fiction seemed to be on a downturn.
Now in the last couple of years, I’ve been reading books from Max Brooks (The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z), Jonathan Maberry (Patient Zero) and Thomas Emson (Skarlet and Maneater). It’s been quite a resurgence in darker urban fantasy, almost horror, genre. I’m excited to say that the unmentionable things in the dark are on the rise in popular fiction.
Enter author Marcus Pelegrimas and his Skinners series, with the first book – Blood Blade – published in February 2009 and the second book – Howling Legion – released in November 2009. These books focus on a group of brave men and women known as Skinners and the battle they fight daily against the forces of darkness. Pelegrimas’ world is populated by monsters waiting to prey on us weak, unbelieving humans – vampires, werewolves, and other beings stalk the night and claim their rights to our world.
In Blood Blade, we’re introduced to game programmer Cole Warnecki. Cole decides to go on an adventurous hunting vacation and finds himself hunted by a werewolf instead. Our hero survives, but only barely… and is drawn into the world of Skinners seeking to fight back the forces of darkness. He must choose whether to cut and run or join the fight. And once he decidees, there is no turning back.
Now in Howling Legion, Cole and his trainer/partner Paige discover that the werewolves have discovered the secret… The vampires don’t really control the cities like they claimed. Full Blood werewolves begin a campaign to retake the world from the human vermin who have infested the plains and forests of the world they once controlled. Instead of fighting all the battles themselves, they infect poor human victims who become Half Breeds – misshapen mutts driven mad by pain and killer instincts.
With a huge situation building, the Cole and Paige seek the help of the Mongrels, a race of half-animal, half-human creatures who have fought the Full Bloods longer than the Skinners. The Mongrels don’t like Skinners either, but perhaps they can unite to fight the werewolf threat?
Pelegrimas has a tightly written story and a setting with history that goes back at least centuries, probably millennia. I found myself quickly engrossed in the world Cole finds himself in. Pelegrimas interweaves humor and action, passion and thrills, for a ride that grabbed me from page one. These books are fast, fun reads that have me eagerly waiting for the next book – Teeth of Beasts – due out sometime in April 2010.
Looking for some fun reading for the cold winter months? Check out Marcus Pelegrimas’ Blood Blade and Howling Legion!
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up Pelegrimas’ books and others from Amazon below!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Jan 06
Hi all…
As we grow ever closer to the year 2012, the year the Mayan Calendar ends and Doomsayers are predicting the end of the world, I find it interesting that more movies and books are entering the market to ride that wave of fear and paranoia. What’s even more interesting is the number of documentaries, such as Yellowstone: Battle for Life and 2012: Science or Superstition actually raising the legitimacy factor in some of these doomsday scenarios.
Now let’s bring in Jeff Chimenti and his novel The Edge of Forever, which explores, in depth, the potential destructive power lying dormant beneath the Yellowstone Caldera in northwest Wyoming. What would happen if the it erupted? How many would perish and how would it affect our world?
Chimenti takes a trio of brothers – Michael, Stephen, and Mark Hanson – modeled after his own three sons – and propels them into a world on the brink of global geological upheaval. Add to that… a military facility creating deadly agents for biological warfare, corrupt politicians with big ambitions, and a jealous, abusive husband willing to do nearly anything to keep his wife away from any potential avenue of escape… and you have the major elements of this story.
Michael is an ex-military man recovering from the loss of his wife and daughter in an auto accident a few years prior. He’s driving to see his family in Denver when he chooses to help a waitress, Cassie, escape from her abusive husband. Some of the scenes involving Michael, Cassie, the husband, and a contract killer are quite graphic and disturbing. Chimenti doesn’t pull any punches.
Stephen, Michael’s brother, is a geologist working in Yellowstone National Park investigating unusual activity under the caldera when he discovers the impending extinction event building up. This event will be similar to the one that killed 96% of all life on Earth and wiped out the dinosaurs. As he discovers more, he lets his brothers and their families know so they can together form a plan to try and save themselves.
Though I was drawn in by the story and the characters, I was fascinated by the science. As a doctor in Texas, Chimenti has an amazing talent for breaking down complex scientific processes for his audience. Though I was somewhat familiar with some of the geological theories discussed, I learned quite a bit about newer terms such as the “Verneshot” – a large chunk of the crust launched into the air that comes crashing down elsewhere leaving huge swaths of destruction in its wake.
Overall, I have to say The Edge of Forever kept my interest from the first few pages to the explosive finale. I was rooting for the good guys from the very beginning and will be interested to see what happens in the next book – The Edge of Forever: Brink of Extinction – which will be released in January 2010.
If you like your disaster action adventure fiction with some serious science behind it, I can definitely recommend Jeff Chimenti’s The Edge of Forever.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up the book and other related items below!
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Posted by fitz in Books on Jan 05
Hi there…
Recently I became worried when I saw little Cthulhu-themed toys appearing as geeky gifts. Small plastic creatures from the netherworlds of H.P. Lovecraft should stay where they belong. However, with Lovecraftian horror making a comeback of late, perhaps I was a bit hasty in my assessment of these strange little tsotchkes. Maybe there’s room in the realms of the Old Ones and the Deep Ones to ensnare unsuspecting victims new blood a new generation of fans by enticing them with toys!
In that vein, I recently had the opportunity to review a new Lovecraft-inspired graphic novel from author Bruce Brown and illustrator Renzo Podesta – Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom. The title sounds so innocuous… and when you see the cover with a boy and this strange looking green creature, you wonder what kind of a journey this kid might be taking…
Young Howard Lovecraft begins the adventure by going to the Butler Sanitarium with his mother to visit his father Winfield Lovecraft, a patient there. The first panel of the chapter quotes Edgar Allen Poe – “Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak december, and each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.” The line is from Poe’s classic work The Raven, which perfectly sets the stage for delving into Lovecraftian horror. From that point forward, Brown had me in his clutches.
It’s Christmas Eve, 1894, and the mother and son have come to see the father, driven mad by something he’d done. Howard’s father goes into a spasm of paranoia and fear, begging his son to destroy a book that he should have never written. The boy doesn’t scream during the incident, but does go home with a small gift – a paper star made by his father.
Once home, Howard’s mother gives him a book – an early Christmas present from his father. As he begins to read it, he’s drawn into a dark, cold world of magic and deceit. The book tells of a place – R’yleh – a “kingdom described as an unholy marriage of fairy tales and nightmares.” Unwittingly, the boy reads a few words written in the book in a strange language – and is sucked through a whole in the fabric of the universe.
He meets a Deep One, Thu Thu Hmong, who initially tries to kill Howard but comes around after the boy saves the creature’s life. This is the green creature from the cover of the graphic novel. Howard, who fails to pronounce the creature’s name, simply calls him Spot. From that point on, things get very interesting for the young Lovecraft as he is drawn into the intrigue of a strange new world.
And though Brown has an amazing gift for making dark tales fit the pages of a comic book, it’s matched by his illustrator. Podesta has a gift for creating eerie illustrations with multiple levels to them. For example, the title page for Chapter One shows Howard and his mother entering the front doors of the sanitarium. But the scrollwork on the doors appears to be a pair of creepy eyes and coming out of the doors are giant tentacles belonging to a creature inside the door. Does it want to eat them? Or is it merely welcoming them to the madness within? The art reminds me a bit of Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, with its dark, almost mono-chromatic buildings drawn to evoke a gothic feel.
Podesta also has a gift for capturing the innocence of Howard when he’s dealing with the insanity in the world of the Old Ones and Deep Ones. For example, when Howard names the strange green critter “Spot” – I giggled with the boy’s wide eyes and honest smile.
Though this is definitely a graphic novel for adults, I would caution parents from giving it to children who might be too young to understand how creepy the world of H.P. Lovecraft’s stories is. A child might read it and not truly understand what’s happening, or they may be scared deeply by some of the bizarre creatures and cutthroat behavior exhibited by the denizens of the world Howard finds himself in.
Howard Lovecraft and the Frozen Kingdom should be available at comic stores in January 2010 and from Amazon in March. If you’re a fan of H.P. Lovecraft’s work, this is an amazing effort from author Brown and illustrator Podesta that you should definitely check out. I want to know when Howard’s NEXT adventure is coming out!
–Fitz
p.s. Look for this graphic novel and other HP Lovecraft works at Amazon:
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Posted by fitz in Books on Dec 10
Hi all…
I don’t usually gush like this, but I have to say that when I read “The Horrid Glory of Its Wings” on the Tor.com site I knew I had to blog about it.
You can read it here at Tor’s site: “The Horrid Glory of Its Wings” by Elizabeth Bear
Not only is it touching, but it’s poignant in its approach to some of the children growing up with AIDS from birth. Mix that with an urban take on an old mythological creature and you get the gist of this story. Just know that the story is soooo much better than my summary of it. 
Check it out!
–Fitz
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Posted by fitz in Art, Books, Childrens on Nov 25
Hi all!
When you have young children, you are often fighting a battle between entertaining them and educating them. The younger they are, the less attention span they typically have, which means that entertainment often occupies the lion’s share of the job. As they get older, they are more able to entertain themselves. So what, you may ask, does this have to do with a book about Picasso’s art?
Touch and feel books have been around since the 1940s. Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt has been a perennial favorite for parents since first being published in 1940. It includes actual materials for readers to experience themselves, such as a bit of fake rabbit fur and a piece of sandpaper. Since then, I know we’ve seen many different variations on this theme, including Tails by Matthew Van Fleet, which includes not only physical “tails” of various furry or bumpy types, but also a “scratch-n-sniff” stinky skunk tail, which has been a favorite for both of my girls.
Catch Picasso’s Rooster and the rest of the “Touch the Art” series merges the tactile appeal of other “touch and feel” books, but also introduces works of art – in this case those of Picasso, Rousseau, van Gogh, and others – to a young audience. This combination of entertainment and education works on a couple of different levels.
First, by integrating colorful works of art and a simple, rhyming story, youngsters who are having the book read to them are engaged by visual and auditory cues as well as tactile ones as they touch the various materials on a given page. For example, on the page featuring Albrecht Durer’s “Hare” painted in 1502, the authors reinforce that it’s a bunny in the picture through the text (“Rooster, rooster! Stop running away! I hid near a bunny sleeping in hay.), the picture, and a scrap of fake rabbit fur integrated into the picture. We enjoyed working through the book with my youngest who’s not reading yet, but loves interactive books such as this one.
Second, the books have lasting value for more independent readers, since they include facts about the painting and the artist in a section titled “Artifacts” at the end of the book. My eldest daughter loves art and is fascinated learning about classical painters such as Rousseau. And we learned that Rousseau didn’t start painting seriously until he was 40 and he taught himself how to paint by copying paintings at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
If you’re looking for holiday presents for youngsters, I can’t recommend this series enough. As children grow, they can get more and more out of these books as their skills develop. Catch Picasso’s Rooster will sit proudly on my kids’ bookshelves for a few years as they grow and learn. And now I want to check out the other books in the “Touch the Art” series! Look for these books at your favorite bookseller.
–Fitz
p.s. Pick up these great books below!
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