When Hoopoes go to Heaven by Gaile Parkin

 The story of the Tungaraza family continues that was begun in Baking Cakes in Kilgali. This one focuses on ten-year-old Benedict and his world. He supports his mama's (actually grandmother's) cake business with his ideas and care. Because I learned to love this family, I was excited to read more of their story and their goodness. I was not disappointed.

This sweet boy, Benedict, reminded me often of our grandson Henry! Often thoughtful and quiet, often introspective, and a deep thinker, there were definite similarities. Benedict's constant desire to do good and be good for his beloved mama and baba was tender to read about. His struggles to understand the world and people around him captured the spirit of an inquiring, youthful mind. It was sometimes painful to understand some of the atrocities happening around him, but because of his tremendous family support, he was able to withstand and not internalize the evil around him. Such goodness was beautiful to read about. 

I always love reading and learning about Africa as well. The different dialects and ethnic groups are confusing in this book, but weren't necessary to understand the story. I just let them pass over me and not worry about the details. I'm saving it for Sierra, to see if she is interested in this sequel. I haven't heard how she likes CAKES yet...

Mud, Rock, Blazes by Heather "Anish" Anderson

 I love hiking and I love hiking books! And this is an interesting one by a very driven woman. Her descriptions of how she drives herself to her edge every single day of her hike is amazing to read. I enjoyed the external challenges of bears, snakes, blisters, storms, lightning, and all the rest. But the internal, mental challenges were even more interesting to read about.

Anish had already captured the Fastest Known Time on the Pacific Crest Trail, but she somehow told herself that was a fluke. She felt like an imposter. She wasn't really an athlete. So she took this FKT challenge on to probe to herself she could also do it on the AT. And wow, does she ever. She definitely explores her inner drive and landscape very deeply. Her soul and body come together in an interesting way. I have never driven myself this way, but it's interesting to read about the body's limits. She seeks to find her body's limits, and then goes beyond. Somehow it makes fascinating reading.

I want to hike part of this trail! But next month I want to hike in California! Maybe it's time for me to move beyond this type of book and get an actual guide book for these trails that I want to take on. I'm pretty sure I"m not a through-hiker, but I'm most anxious to be a section hiker! In the meantime, I hike in Snow Canyon State Park and Zion National Park on a regular basis. I can do 5-9 miles without a pack very nicely. I love how that feels! I'm having trouble finding people who want to hike as much as I do; most want to do five or so miles at the most. Usually that's okay, but I"d like to push on a little harder. On Wednesday, my friend Diana Lemmon and her brother Andy and I are going to hike THE NARROWS in Zion. We'll see how long I last on that one! Woohoo!

Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

 Boy, did I get lucky! Len and I were in the Laramie airport, heading home from Don Polson's funeral, when I finished that stupid pickleball book. I threw it in the trash. And then, I noticed a bookshelf with FREE BOOKS for waiting passengers! And I hit the jackpot with this one... I have heard of it and have never read it. Well, it captivated me for the entire waiting period, both flights home, and for several days after. How did I miss this book before? It was published in 1990. Better late than never.

Kingsolver's analogies and descriptions are breath-taking. The way she describes the sisters and their relationship is amazing. All of her characters in this little town are interesting and so REAL. Their conversations are interesting and ring true. There is a mystery that unfolds about the family that Codi, the main character, unravels that is fascinating. The relationship between Codi and Loyd is delightful to read about as it develops. Honestly, this book was a marvel, page after page of beautiful writing and interesting content. I loved how Codi's help more or less saved the community from the devastating effects of the mine. I loved how she became a teacher and enjoyed reading about her relationships with her students. It was all so, so enjoyable, despite it being set in a dusty, hard environment. These people are hard working and interesting. And eventually, good things happen to them. I love it when good things happen to the right people! 

Even though I'm not familiar with this tribe or this environment, it rang true with my Lakota experiences in South Dakota. I loved the integration of the people of different backgrounds; and it was fascinating to read how Codi had felt like an outsideer all of her life. Her journey to recognize her belonging and her desire to belong was a beautiful introspective story in and of itself. And a great reminder that we see the world as WE are, not how it is!

The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery

 Both Brian and M Wangsgard recommended this book as uplifting and fun. I thought I'd give it a try despite finding this author slightly annoying when I read her octopus book. I hoped she would do better with a pig story, and besides, the Wangsgards loved it, so, I gave it a try.

It was an okay book with some fun descriptions and a lot of diversions to the author's other adventures. The good good pig is their pet at home, but the author travels a lot researching other animals, and these stories came into this story frequently. She also included some interesting pig history and pig knowledge that was interesting.

I'm not sure precisely what it is that annoys me about this author. She seems a good person, and a real community organizer. That I admire. I think what gets me is her continual attempts to attribute greater intelligence and human qualities into this pig than the evidence warrants. Granted, I'm not there, and maybe this pig really did have different grunts to greet individual people, but I find that hard to believe. I helped raise many pigs, and never had a glimmer of what she describes! Still, it makes a nice story, and it certainly held my interest. She certainly went all out in giving this pig a great life, including spa days. Maybe that's what was annoying? So many people need kindness; and this pig got so much... Yet she also included the neighborhood kids in the pig's care, so that was a plus. 

I also liked the description of the small New England community in which the author lives. She and her husband have created a nice life, it seems. It was fun to read about these country farmers and their neighbors...

Zero Zero Start by C.S. Singer

 Len bought me this book online as a surprise. It was advertised as a pickleball mystery, which he thought would be right up my alley! When I looked at it, though, I was a little suspicious because it was one of those self-published books. But, I thought, why not give it a try? After all, it was a very thoughtful gift. 

I read the first page and realized it was substandard writing. Very simple sentences with nothing imaginative right out of the gate. So I put it aside. Then when he noticed I hadn't read it, I decided to give it another try. I took it on our trip to Laramie for Don Polson's funeral. After all, we would have a lot of time on airplanes and in airports, and it might be fun.

WRONG. It started out simply, with some adequate descriptions of people playing pickleball and those parts were real and accurate. But the characters and the plot were totally lacking. Lots of pointless descriptions of clothes and junior-high relationships. The more I read it, the more I thought I should toss it in the trash. And then the language got obscene and the characters more inane, but I soldiered on! 

When we left the Laramie airport, I tossed it in the trash. There was a bookshelf of free books that I could have donated it to, but it was so bad, I didn't want to waste anyone else's time! It's too bad because a mystery among a group of pickleball players could be a fun premise. This one isn't it.