Books

Chanhassen author Judy Stoffel wrote "#LookUp: A Parenting Guide to Screen Use" to help parents navigate the child-technology connection.

"A Key to Treehouse Living" is a story told through a glossary of seemingly random words and ideas.

Settle in with "The Winter Soldier" by Daniel Mason.

"We Must Be Brave" is a historical novel that deals with trauma, war and reawakened memories.

In his book, Hans Rosling shows how even the most educated people in the world have a distorted perspective on simple global trends.

It’s February—both a short month and a long one at the same time. Are you itching to start gardening? Do you crave fresh greens? It’s cold outside, but you can grow a variety of sprouts and microgreens in your house while you’re waiting for outdoor gardening season to begin.

Check out Sprouts, Shoots & Microgreens: Tiny Plants to Grow and Eat in Your Kitchen by Lina Walletinson, with photography by Lennart Weibull (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018).

It seems much attention is focused on the U.S.’s southern border.  Yet our “other” border, with Canada,  is the world’s longest international border and the one with which Minnesotans are much more familiar.
 

Joseph Kanon is a master of the nearly-undetectable “slippery slope.”  In his novels, both the protagonist and the reader almost miss the spider web beginning to tighten from practically the first page. He is also a master of what I term the “intelligent thriller”—much of the action takes place in the characters’ minds as they investigate actions and motives.

Katherine Center writes of 20-something Margaret Jacobson, who is looking forward to two things—a new dream job and an engagement ring from her boyfriend, Chuck.  Although Margaret is afraid of flying, pilot-in-training Chuck persuades her to go on a short flight before what she assumes is their “proposal dinner.”  Up in the air, everything looks fine, until it isn’t, and the plane crashes.  Chuck walks away from the wreckage; Margaret does not.

Reminiscent of the movie Notting Hill, P.S. From Paris by Marc Levy is a story about a world-famous actress and an American writer, as they seek respite from their lives in Paris. Mia is avoiding her philandering husband while Paul, hiding from the worldwide popularity of his first novel, is comfortable with the mediocre success his recent novels have found only in South Korea. When Paul’s friends trick him into going on a blind date with Mia, they bond and struggle to keep their relationship uncomplicated. The book’s humor and levity made it a quick and enjoyable read.