Note from Kimmery: all middle grade books with boy protagonists are reviewed by my ten year-old son, Alex, and may contain spoilers. If you are looking for recommendations for a boy aged 7-12, please read on! This is about a very smart boy that builds two robots named Klink and Klank. Together they figure out how to build an antimatter motor. I would explain what that is, but it gives away too much. They are done and ready to win Frank's school science fair, until someone tri

You gotta love our civil, logical political system. Wait, no! I have that exactly backwards. But here's an unanticipated benefit to our national dysfunction: it provides for some interesting behind-the-scenes reading. Exhibit A: Jennifer Close's fresh, smart, realistic portrayal of two young Washington couples is a must read for West Wing junkies. In the aftermath of Obama's first campaign, newlywed Beth is reluctantly uprooted to D.C., where her husband lands an administrati

Happy Birthday, 'Merica! In an ideal world, we'd all be relaxing seaside with a great book today, am I right? In case you need inspiration, here's my list of recently-read and currently-reading books. I'm trying a new thing on the site: links for purchasing the books. Or you can always locate your closest independent bookstore at indiebound. (Later on, I should have full reviews of a few of these, plus some author interviews.) Enjoy! Commonwealth by Ann Patchett (September 13

Note from Kimmery: all middle grade books with boy protagonists are reviewed by my nine year-old son, Alex, and may contain spoilers. If you are looking for recommendations for a boy aged 7-12, please read on! This story is about a boy named Pete Collison, who likes detective stories. He lives in 1951, the time where America was at war with Korea. Then a unthinkable thing happens: an FBI agent comes to Pete's house and accuses his father of being a communist. Pete has to do s

A friend recently suggested I should compile a list of book recommendations for Father’s Day gifts. Owing to extreme domestic dysfunction (i.e. my children are out of school for the summer) this list is rolling in a little late. But it’s a great idea! Thank you, Ali Kraus and indigotilt.com! I decided to go through my previous reviews and select the best books for dudes. Some are fiction, some are nonfiction; some are new releases, some are old. If you are: a) a man, or b) kn