Big Ideas with DK Canada!

I am and always have been an avid mystery fan. The puzzle, the clues, the chase and that satisfying mental click when the final pieces fall into place. And really, is there any more iconic mystery character than Sherlock Holmes?

And what does that have to do with Big Ideas you ask? Well, DK Canada has this great new series they're showcasing in their Big Ideas Boutique this month.

And one of those titles in that boutique is The Sherlock Holmes Book. Oh my gosh, this book is so amazing!

"...The Sherlock Holmes Book provides a complete guide to all aspects of Holmesiana. It is a celebration of Conan Doyle's' most fascinating creation, the Great Detective Sherlock Holmes.

And I mean complete. Looking for a timeline and details on the author and his creations - check. But here's what I loved. Holmes appears in 56 short stores and four novels. Each story (in chronological order) is explored in detail in The Sherlock Holmes Book. An 'In Context' box liststhe date and the characters. Quotes from the story, info boxes talking about the time period, social mores, devices, postcards, pictures, ephemera and more accompany a dissection of the story. Which leads to my big idea.....

I'm going to go back to the beginning as well and re-read the Holmes novels and stories one by one, following up with the companion chapter from The Sherlock Holmes Book. I'm going to take my time and savour re-discovering the world of Sherlock Holmes.

The last fifty pages  of the book explore Victorian London, Holmes on stage and screen, detective fiction, the art of deduction and more. See for yourself - read an excerpt of The Sherlock Holmes Book. If you love Holmes, you'll love this book.

As with all DK books, the layout was great, glossy stock, colourful and eye catching. Oh yeah - filled with wonderful information! This was the first of The Big Ideas Simply Explained titles I've looked at and I was impressed. If you're a film buff, you might want to take a look at The Movie Book - it profiles 100 of the best movies ever made.

Books for Mom with DK Canada

No worries - you've still got a few weeks until Mother's Day! (Sunday May 10) Still not sure what to pick up for Mom?

Well, DK Canada has put together some great suggestions in their Mother's Day Boutique - from beauty to gardening, food, wine and more.

What caught this Mom's eye? I've become more concerned with the chemicals found in many soaps, shampoos, makeup products etc, so Natural Beauty was definitely a book I wanted to explore.

And I liked what I found - from the philosophy of the book - "Concern for what we put in our bodies and a recent trend for natural and wholesome foods, extends into concern for what we are applying to our bodies."

The chart detailing what ingredients are harmful (ie:Sodium Lauryl) was eye opening - and quite frightening. "On average we each use nine different products with a total of 126 unique chemical ingredients, daily. Yet 90 percent of these chemicals have never been fully evaluated for safety."

Okay, so what can be done differently and with less harmful ingredients? There are wonderful suggestions and ideas presented - use natural ingredients from oils, seeds, fruits and plants. How? Recipes are included for cleansers, creams, masks, lip balms, hair products as well as hands and feet. There's lots or great info to take in and try out. Here's a recipe for Honey and Oat Scrub. I was surprised by the extra chapters on make-up, food and nutrition.

But, this Mom isn't just a pretty face. ;)  I'm fascinated by history, so I absolutely had to see the inside of Smithsonian's History of the World in 1,000 Objects. I was curious - what objects could define history and what time periods? Well, from 20,000 BC to present day. From flint blades to space travel. From around the world. And soooo much in between! Each object is presented as a full colour photo with an explanation of what it is, what it did or how it worked. This fantastic coffee table book is a gift that would be read a bit at a time and enjoyed over many, many months! Truly fascinating! Here's a great excerpt to get you started.

You can check out the other suggestions from DK Canada in the Mother's Day Boutique.

DK Canada's Mother's Day Boutique

 

Don't forget - Mother's Day is right around the corner - Sunday May 11th!

Have you chosen a gift yet? Well, you know you can't go wrong with a book!

DK Canada has put together a great selection of home, garden, food and travel books to chose from in their Mother's Day Boutique. And even better - they're 30% off until May 11/14.

 

Or....you could pick up one for yourself! My choice was

 Small Space Garden Ideas: Create your dream garden on a windowsill, wall, step, staircase, balcony, porch or patio.

 

Loved the cover - couldn't wait to see inside! There are forty different ideas for gardening in limited space. The ideas are wildly inventive, but easily achieved.

 

From air plants in cake pans stood up, to cacti in colourful (and recycled) tins to growing salad greens in colanders or in plastic gutters mounted to the side of your tool shed.

 

Apartment dweller? I thought this idea wall brilliant - oilcloth 'saddlbags' hung on the railings. There are lots of other quirky ideas using found items. How about a mini garden in an old teapots and cups? Or picture frames hung on patio walls that grow and change as the season progresses. There are a few variations on this idea - and they're all amazing.

 

Along with the planter instructions, there is a chapter on choosing the right plants, with growing instructions and considerations.

 

As with all Dorling Kindersley books, the layout is great, with colour photographs and easy to follow instructions. DK publishes the best reference books!

 

I quite enjoyed perusing Small Space Garden Ideas. Now, I just have to choose which projects I'd like to try - the possibilities are truly endless. Surprise your Mom!

 

 

Star Wars Reads Day II with DK Canada

 

Today is Star War Reads Day II!! Huh?

"Star Wars Reads is an international day-long celebration of literacy and all things Star Wars."

Fans of reading and a certain galaxy far, far away have reason to rejoice: Star Wars Reads Day II is coming to Canada October 5, 2013. And we're celebrating with DK Canada today!

 

And to help me celebrate  - I have a very special guest blogger today!

 Five year old Max is the reviewer today! (With a little help from his Mom!)

Check out what he had to say about some of Dorling Kindersley's great Star Wars Leveled readers.

 

Star Wars - The Clone Wars: Don’t Wake Up the Zillo Beast (Pre - Level 1) By Jon Richards

"My name is Max and I like this book.

It talks about the creatures in Ztar Wars. My favourite is the Zillo Beast because it is really big and I like big stuff. Mom likes this book because it gives us clues on how to say the words.

We both like the pictures. I think my friends would like this book."


Star Wars - The Clone Wars: Chewbacca and the Wookie Warriors (Level 2) By Simon Beercroft

This book is about Wookies, but mostly Chewbacca. It teaches people about the ways of the Wookie. They are big but only scary if you are fighting them. My mom says Chewie is bigger than my dad. He is very old, 200 years old, but they can be older than 600 years. He helps Ahsoka get away from his enemy, the Trandoshans. I would like it more if it talked about other Wookies.

I needed only a little help from my mom with the big words. I think people who like furry things would like this book because Wookies are very furry. It was fun to do the quiz."

Star Wars The Clone Wars: Bounty Hunters for Hire (Level 2)
By Catherine Saunders

"This book is about Bounty Hunters. I can read this book with help from my mom. My favourite bounty hunter is 4-LOM because he’s a robot and a bounty hunter at the same time. He teams up with Zuckuss to help sometimes. There are lots of bounty hunters and they work for bad guys like Jabba the Hutt.

I like that there is a quiz at the end of the book; it is fun to look for the answers. I think that someone who likes Star Wars and want to learn about bounty hunters should read this book

 Thank you Max for helping us to celebrate reading! Your reviews are wonderful!

Check out the Star Wars Reads Facebook Page. May the force be with you!

What Did You Make on March Break?

March Break is almost upon us and you still might be figuring out what you can do with the kids that week. DK Canada has some great ideas.

Parents can send in photos of what their kids make on March Break and the March Break creations will be judged by Craft Guru Extraordinaire Jane Bull (author of Make It, Made by Me and the upcoming Stitch By Stitch… she also was one of the creators of DK’s perennial Eyewitness series ) and the winning entry wins a signed Jane Bull collection and a $150 DK shopping spree. Details can be found here. Ends March 31/12.

To help you get started DK Canada has 30% off some of their crafty titles in their March Break Survival Boutique. There are lots of great titles to choose from, but the one that caught my eye was Quilting Step by Step by Maggi Gordon. The daughter of a friend from work has asked if I can help her with her 'artist' badge, so although I quilt, I though this would be a great little book to review the basics before we started.

And it absolutely was. Gordon provides good, solid coverage of the basic items needed - pins, threads, needles, templates, cutters, fabric selection and more.

The next chapter goes into detail about assembling different blocks, starting from the very simple nine patch and log cabins to the more involved hexagon and cathedral windows. (This is a block I've always admired, but never gotten to yet - the instructions are crystal clear with detailed pictures accompanying) Foundation piecing and many options for applique are also covered. Indeed, there are over 75 pictures of various blocks.

And once you're done piecing your top, Gordon explains how to add a border and finish your piece. However, this quilter will not be handstitching anything in the near future! Machine finished for me!

Quilting Step by Step is a great starter book for those looking to try this time honoured art. Pair it up with some fabric and you've got a great gift. Or a way to spend some time together on March Break!

Off the Tourist Trail - Dorling Kindersley Books

More delicious armchair travel! But with a twist this time. Off the Tourist Trail explores 'unexpected travel alternatives'. The authors of this book are the many travel writers who have contributed to the Eyewitness Travel books that DK publishers.

The format is pretty unique - alternatives to well known attractions, journeys, natural phenomenon and more such as Stonehenge, Niagara Falls and more are presented -up to six specifically related suggestions and up to 45 additional recommendations.

Many of the 'well-known' attractions were new to me, so I had just as much fun reading about them. But the off the beaten track destinations are amazing. Our world is so full of extraordinary sites and events. Many of them, I will never get a chance to see, so I enjoy travelling from my armchair. Each destination has a description along with practical information - getting there, where to stay, best time of the year to visit and a direct web address. ( I stopped many times to hop on the computer)

Of course, I always have to check out the Canadian suggestions. I was thrilled to see that Nova Scotia's Evangeline Trail was presented as an alternative to driving the old Route 66 in the US. We actually drove this trail this past summer and yes, it was pretty stunning. We took the train out to the East Coast to start, so I was interested to see the section on alternatives to the famous Orient Express train. The Canadian from T.O. to Vancouver is listed -  a trip I'd like to undertake. As was the Viking Trail in Newfoundland, an suggestion in the Great Journeys section.

I've focused on North America, but there are mostly world wide suggestions. The Camino de Santiago has attracted literally hundreds of thousands of walkers, but there are alternatives - a pilgrimage to Rome being one of them.

I'm always drawn to the small islands found as specks on maps and globes. I wonder at the people who live there and what their lives are like. I had never heard of the tropical Fernando de Noronha Islands, suggested as a substitute for the Galapagos Islands, but I'd sure love to visit!

This coffee table sized book is printed on glossy stock and filled with lots of sharp, clear photos. Perfect for an armchair getaway. Peek inside.

Bill Bryson wrote the forward for Off the Tourist Trail. He speaks about the book in the video below.

The World's Must-See Places - Dorling Kindersley Books

This is the time of the year I love browsing for beautiful coffee table books for gifts. (and for me!)

The World's Must-See Places is perfect for armchair travellers and history buffs. This book covers man made monuments and structures, not nature's must see places.

The index is broken down into continents and then sub divided into countries. There were two listed in Canada, so this was my first stop. I was thrilled to see that I had visited both - the CN Tower in Toronto and the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica in Montreal. 2/100 so far!

Many of the American entries were somewhat predictable - The White House, Empire State Building and  Statue of Liberty etc, so I hopped across the ocean to explore Africa. It is the structures that I've never heard of that fascinate me the most. The mosques of Morocco and Mali were amazing - each completely different - one a marvel of bronze, granite and onyx, the other a mud and brick edifice no less beautiful.

The castles and cathedrals of Europe have always appealed to me. Our history here in Canada is so young, but many of these structures date from the 1100's!

Each entry features a sidebar with details specific to the feature and a timeline on the bottom with key dates. Actual pictures and descriptions surround a 3D cutaway of the architecture.

As with all Dorling Kindersley books, the layout is clean, easy to read and appealing. Their use of colour, detail and glossy stock make their books a joy to peruse. Peek inside.

The Knitting Book - Dorling Kindersley

So, I consider myself to be a pretty crafty person - no, no not sneaky, but in the creative sense. I've mastered many an art, but knitting is the one craft that continues to elude me. And it just makes me more determined.... So when I saw The Knitting Book by Frederica Patmore and Vikki Haffenden, I knew I had found the book I needed.

I think (know) some of my past failures have been based on ignorance. It's all well and good to be told that you need an acyclic yarn for this buy this size of needle, but I want to know why and what alternatives I have. The Knitting Book has it all! In glorious, glossy colour with lots and lots of detail.

It starts off with basics - I had no idea there were so many types of yarn available beyond the basic wool - bamboo, soy protein, ribbon, cottons and more. (Even using wire, plastic and fabric!)And a description of needles and where and why they should be used. And embellishments - ribbons, beads and buttons.

And on to the basic techniques - almost 20 pages on different casting on methods. Very clear and concise instructions with detailed photographs that make it look really easy. Tons and tons (okay really only 250!) of various techniques are covered in the same careful detailing - from the simple knit and purl to Fair Isle, circular, felting,  how to read patterns and so many more.

Also included are glossaries detailing stitch patterns with instructions and pictures as well as how to finish your project, sew it together, embellish and care for it.

And projects! Lots of choices - from a simple scarf, to more involved hats, mittens, socks, tea cosies, bags, baby gifts etc. And much as I might imagine that I could whip up a quick dozen pairs of mittens for gifts for Christmas, it's not going to happen. But I am thinking I could whip up a few cute little egg cozies to get my feet wet. Stay tuned to this space for progress photos!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Dorling Kindersley publishes the best reference books. They're substantial, chock full of detailed information. But I am a visual learner, so it is the clear, colour, detailed photographs I appreciate the most.

If you've got a crafter on your Christmas list, I'd definitely recommend The Knitting Book.

Essential Back Care- Dorling Kindersley Books

I have a bad back. I have a bad neck. And I'm sure half the population has had a complaint at some point. Some are genetic, but most complaints are due to wear and tear, unintentional injury or not really looking after ourselves. Well I'm at the point where my body is talking back  - a lot lately. I've been to my doctor, I know what's wrong and what I should and shouldn't be doing.
 (And that's an important point to note here - this book is a fantastic reference but "users of this book should not consider the information, advice and guidelines it contains as a substitute for the advice of medical professionals, accredited physical therapists, and other registered practitioners.

Now, that being said - I found Essential Back Care to be a fantastic reference book. It starts off with the basics - you can put your hand on your neck and say it hurts, but what does your spine actually look like? Full colour photos and detailed information on the anatomy of your neck and back are found in the first chapters.

Next are symptom charts, with yes or no answers, pointing you to a possible diagnosis and then to a informational page about the injury. On those informational pages, you'll find causes and possible care for the early, intermediate and advanced stages of injury. Again, detail, detail, detail.

You'll be directed to further chapters that cover many types of care and rehabilitation - seeing your primary care physician, who may order further tests, medication or surgery - all fully explained - seeing a physical therapist, with the different approaches fully detailed - perhaps an osteopath,  chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist or alternative therapies would help you deal with your pain.

I really found the preventative chapters a great reminder on the right way to do things - posture, work activity, sports, controlling your weight, looking after your home, driving and much, much more. (Sitting correctly at the computer setting off any bells for any of you?!)

So maybe you're stuck with chronic pain. What can you do to live easier with that pain? Essential Back Care provides lots of ideas for coping with everyday activities such as dressing and simply getting a good night's sleep as well as mental strategies.

The last, and one of the larger chapters, is Rehabilitation Exercises. I found many of them to be ones that my physio had assigned me, as well as some new ones too. Colour photos with very specific instructions.

I love the care that DK puts into their books. Pictures are detailed, the language used is clear and easy to understand. Their books are well laid out, with graphs, charts and info boxes that are easy to follow. Quite a bit of information is included, but doesn't overwhelm. The progression of the chapters follows logically, each building upon the last. And the information is actually compiled and written by health professionals.

A great reference tool for anyone concerned about their health.

100 Greatest Trips 2011 - Editors Travel + Leisure Magazine

I'm in the midst of planning a vacation this summer - destinations still to be determined, although I have some ideas. 100 Greatest Trips was a great place to browse for new ideas. (And sometimes armchair travel is the only way I'll get to some destinations!)

From the introduction:

"The 100 featured destinations are culled from the thousands of places covered during the past year in the pages of Travel + Leisure. Our mission is simple: to get our readers out to experience the world. A wide -ranging and wildly flavorful blend of destinations and travel ideas, this volume presents 100 solid answers to the question, What's new in the world for me to see?"

Broken down into continent, then country and region, I started with the North American chapter - the one I have the most chance of travelling to! I discovered that I've been to some of the Canadian mentions - Quebec City and Toronto. But it's more fun to read of the places I haven't been and daydream. Although there are mentions of the larger cities such as Boston, New York and Chicago, it was the off the beaten track trips that appealed to me. Little Cranberry Island in Maine is only 2 square miles, but boasts a school, a library and a vibrant community of 80 year round residents.

Off to Europe and England in particular. Did you know that the National Trust manages over 370 vacation rentals in England, Wales and northern Ireland? Many of these properties are centuries old. The historical cities of Europe all boast fantastic places to see and visit - Paris, Madrid, Greece, Munich and more.

Africa, the Middle East and Asia merit chapters as well. Then on to one place I definitely want to see someday - Australia and New Zealand. And more little known places, such as Kangaroo Island, where the Hog Bay Hill Hotel boasts 3 rooms. I wasn't even aware of The Vava'u Islands - 34 small isles that are part of Tonga.

100 Greatest Trips is a full colour production with lots of photos and glossy stock. Appendices include  where to eat and stay for each destination along with a coded price key.

I love looking at travel books and 100 Greatest Trips is an informative, inspirational, off the beaten track guide, perfect for daydreaming or doing.

How to Grow Practically Everything - Dorling Kindersley Publishing

I've been perusing seed catalogues since early January, made my final decisions in February and the seeds arrived this month. I'll be starting some of them indoors and hopefully the snow finally leaves so I can get started!

The other book I've been perusing  is How to Grow Practically Everything from Dorling Kindersley. And this is a book I will be continually perusing - there is so much information! My main focus for years has been my vegetable garden, but I've been mentally planning flower beds for ages. All I need to know is found on these pages.

The book starts off with the basics - plant types,soil,tools and seasonal tasks. And here's where I've been drooling - tons of plans for different types of flower beds- there were literally 36 different styles each incorporating a distinctive look. I'm leaning towards a 'cottage' look. Check out one of the styles here.

No room for beds? Another whole section on container gardening. When I was younger and lived in the city I did grow tomatoes on my balcony. And one interesting experiment with potatoes on a window sill in the winter that my room mate questioned. Both plants and veggies are covered. Foolproof directions for seeds that can't fail (great for a little one to plant and watch grow) pot selections and more  - all included.

Not just plants are covered - trees and hedges are featured as well. Many of these ideas incorporate structures as well - trellises, obelisks and rockery walls. Next up was my favourite section - fruits and veggies. There's always more to learn.

This was something that I thought I would like to do in the future as well - water gardening. I would love to sit beside a little burbling pond and relax. How-to's for the pond and plants that would thrive included. And it's not just the outdoors covered - houseplants have their own chapter as well.

The last chapter covers weeds, (this I will be using for sure) pest control, pruning and more.

How to Grow Practically Anything is 448 pages full of great information and full colour photographs. The layout is clean and easy to read. Just what I've come to expect from DK - an excellent reference tool - one I will be referring to often!

Now - off to start my tomatoes inside!

Make the Most of Your Time on Earth - 2E- Rough Guides

Subtitled - 1000 Ultimate Travel Experiences.

I just love this cover - that little red and yellow micro bus just calls out 'Get in and let's go find an adventure'!

When younger, more adventurous or those seeking a different agenda for their trip come into the library looking for travel books, I try to put a "Rough Guide" in their hands. Why?

From editor James Smart:

"When we started writing Rough Guides we wanted to share the kind of travel we had been doing ourselves. We wanted to push travel a bit further, inspiring our readers to get away from the established routes, even if that meant getting lost occasionally, and seek something that little bit more special and authentic - in short, to settle for nothing less than an ultimate travel experience."

Well, Make the Most of Your Time on Earth has detailed 1000 of those unique travel experiences. Thirty years of Rough Guide writers' personal recommendations are included, with 200 new additions in this 2nd edition. And indeed, the world is covered!

 I've been reading this book off and on for a couple of months now. The fold out front cover has a colour coded legend to the geographical areas. The bottom right corner of the pages have that same colour block, allowing you to flip quickly to a certain section. A map begins every section (I must admit, I read in no particular order, I just jumped to whatever grabbed my interest.) Full colour photographs punctuate the descriptions. The writing style is informal and breezy, reflecting the overall tone of the book. Each chapter ends with a Need to Know page that includes phone numbers and web addresses for the attractions listed. A Good to Know page includes general facts about that particular region, as well as interesting notes about etiquette, quotes and odd facts. (There's only one country in the world with a three dollar bill - answer at the end of the post!)

The focus of each experience can vary greatly. Sometimes it's the scenery, the culture, wildlife, nightlife, festivals, sport, food, adventures and the unusual. Booklovers might want to visit Hay-on-Wye in Wales where the ratio of bookstores to humans is 40:1! It's been estimated that there are over a million books in this tiny town. I discovered countries I had not heard of before. The smallest nation in Africa is Sao Tome and Principe - home to some of the best chocolate (coca beans) the world produces. I was thrilled to see that I had done many of the things listed in the Canadian section - I've skated on the Rideau Canal, been to the Calgary Stampede, cruised Georgian Bay, seen Niagara Falls many times and a few more. I'm hoping to travel to the East Coast this year and there were lots of suggestions for that side of the country.

There was just so much to see and read about. Our world truly is amazing. Make the Most of Your Time on Earth does a fantastic job of showcasing 1000 things to see and do. Great reading for the avid traveller - armchair or otherwise.

(That three dollar bill? Found only in Roratonga!)

Lost Encyclopedia - Paul Terry and Tara Bennett

Okay - I fully admit it - I am a die hard Lost fan. But, I never watched it on television. (Lots of channel switching, avoiding articles and covering my eyes and ears...) Instead, I always asked for the latest season on DVD for Christmas.  And Christmas 2010 brought the final chapter to this intricate addictive show. 

But - I will be starting from the beginning again - yes one of the few shows I will re watch. And accompanying me this time will be the Lost Encyclopedia.

It's the ultimate reference for fans - a 400 page coffee table book filled with over 1500 glossy colour photos and very, very detailed information...

Each and every character that appeared, however briefly, is profiled - including all the passengers on the original flight. Some of them, I didn't even realized appeared on all seasons, such as Cindy the flight attendant. Of course, the main characters are covered in great detail, their connections on and off island and just about anything connected to their story. So many connections that I had forgotten or overlooked on my first watch.

It's not just the people covered either. Each of the Dharma stations is profiled as well as the other settings such as the camps. As someone who works in a library, I was always fascinated by what Sawyer was reading (I think my favourite was Are You There God, It's Me Margaret by Judy Blume) and the book references. All covered, as is the music, the Dharma Initiative food brand, the animals, the nicknames Sawyer used for everyone, the meaning of the hieroglyphics at the temples and of course those famous numbers. (Can you list them?) And soooo much more! Lot of obscure minutia to be found - the ingredients for those Apollo candy bars include yak butter and mouse toes.

Quoting the executive producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse:

"What you saw on television, the show itself, was the ten percent of the iceberg above the water. But the majority of our time in the writer's room was spent constructing the part below it. The details. The timelines. The intricate backstories of the passengers of Oceanic 815, not to mention the people who inhabited the island long before them. Then we put them altogether and let what happened, happen.

Now that the show is over, there has been great curiosity in our process...a desire to see those details in 'offical' form....And so now you hold the first and only official LOST ENCYCLOPEDIA."

See for yourself - get a peek inside the Lost Encyclopedia.

Definitely the definitive guide to own for fans of Lost. And now if you'll excuse me, Season 1, Disc 1 is waiting.....