Tag: Samantha Devotta

Hi everyone!

Happy Tuesday!

I’m so happy to share our five reader reviews for our January reading club pick, Monica Kulling’s Spic-and-Span! Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen.

Spic-and-Span!
Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen
Written by Monica Kulling
Illustrated by David Parkins
Hardcover | 32 Pages | Ages 5-8
ISBN: 978-1-77049-380-3
“This engaging picture-book biography details the many accomplishments of Lillian Gilbreth … Kulling deftly describes early twentieth-century social, physical, and technical conditions that presented challenges to productivity in both public and private settings, and she explains how Gilbreth’s innovations improved conditions, creating context so that young readers can appreciate the extent of her contributions. Parkins’ rich, cartoon-like illustrations provide clear period detail, and his characters’ faces portray an extensive range of emotions, adding interest and emphasizing Gilbreth’s primary commitment to her family. Student researchers might also enjoy other titles in the Great Idea series…” – Booklist

• Shilpa at SukasaReads thought the illustrations by David Parkins “do a remarkable job taking kids through that time period, yet still keeping the book relatable.”
• Ann Marie at a dainty dish loved the poem at the beginning because it “sets the tone for the story and the state of mind – calm, restful and relaxed – that Lilian was hoping to help others achieve through her innovations.” She also included a modified recipe for Frank Gilbreth’s beloved apple cake! Yum!
• Heather at Books and Quilts said that Monica Kulling “brought Lillian Gilbreth to life” and recommended the book “to all young women considering a career in engineering.”
• Jennifer at A Penne for Your Thoughts recommended it for 6-10 year olds because she believes the Great Ideas Series “will spark interest in learning more about the remarkable people they tell the stories of.”
• Annette at Teacher Librarian suggested it would be a “wonderful book to feature during Women’s History Month” (review will go live January 30th, 2015).

If you read the book as well, please let us know what you thought about it in the comments below! How many of you knew that Lillian Gilbreth was that accomplished?

I’m also very excited to announce our February reading club book: An Armadillo in Paris by Julie Kraulis. Make sure you check back here next Monday to sign up for your chance to win a review copy.

Thanks for participating and see you next week!

Hi everyone!

I’m Sam and I’m currently the editorial intern here at Tundra. I’m very excited to announce our brand new Tundra Reading Club!

Each month, we’ll post a book and a sign-up form for bloggers. Then we’ll randomly choose the lucky five who will receive a copy (in some cases, an advance copy) in exchange for a review on their blog!

Of course, everyone is free to participate via tweets (@tundrabooks) or in the comment section on the monthly post.

To make it easy to work into your busy schedules, we’ve chosen picture books so it shouldn’t take you too long to read the book of the month (or like me, you might pore over it for hours and be distracted by the illustrations).

Without further ado, welcome to the first month of our reading club! January’s book is Spic-and-Span! Lillian Gilbreth’s Wonder Kitchen by Monica Kulling, illustrated by David Parkins. It’s the beginning of the year and we all have those pesky resolutions to keep, such as organize the kitchen, design efficient appliances, walk the dog and raise eleven children under the age of 19 . . . no? Just Lillian then!

Born into a life of privilege in 1878, Lillian Moller Gilbreth put her pampered life aside for one of adventure and challenge. She and her husband, Frank, became efficiency experts by studying the actions of factory workers. They ran their home efficiently, too. When Frank suddenly died, Lillian was left to her own devices to raise their eleven children. Eventually, she was hired by the Brooklyn Borough Gas Company to improve kitchen design, which was only the beginning. Lillian Gilbreth was the subject of two movies (Cheaper by the Dozen and Belles on Their Toes), the first woman elected to the National Academy of Engineering, and the first female psychologist to have a U.S. postage stamp issued in her honor. A leading efficiency expert, she was also an industrial engineer, a psychologist, an author, a professor and an inventor.

Visit your local library or bookstore to get reading! If you’re interested, fill in the form below and we’ll randomly select five bloggers to read and review a copy of Spic-and-Span! and join our discussion.

SIGN-UP FORM CLOSED!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Annette, Heather, Ann Marie, Jennifer, and Shilpa! We look forward to your reviews!

Check back in on Monday, January 26, 2015 for our book club’s first meeting to discuss Spic-and-Span!