2. Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman

read on my iPhone
2018 Europa Editions
416 pgs.
Adult dystopia
Finished 1/3/2019
Goodreads rating: 4.11 - 775 ratings
My rating:  4
Setting:  Somewhere in the midwest, 40 to 50 years in the future.

First line/s: "When Frankie's vehicle pulled in, she saw a whole group of them waiting for her, exactly what she hated. Dressed up, milling around, eager supplicants.  Ten or eleven researcher in all, probably every PhD at the Foundation."

My comments:  Most misleading cover of all time!!! Much of this book was written more like non-fiction than fiction, even omitting quotation marks for any spoken word. The story was primarily about the watching of and research about a group of 14 bonobos (a type of ape, a very smart type) who lived together in a research facility a few years in the future. When an unknown catastrophe changes the world, Frankie and Stotts have to work together and use their wits To save the bonobos  – and themselves. I truly can’t believe how much I enjoyed this book, it’s not the sort of book I would usually go for.

Goodreads synopsis:  “Stage four. Surgery. Recovering.” While those are the simple words that once described Dr. Francine Burk’s situation, the reality is much more complex. Her new reality is bacon rinds for breakfast and feeling unduly thrilled by her increasing ability to walk across a room without assistance. And it’s being offered a placement at a prestigious research institute where she can put to good use her recent award money. With the Foundation’s advanced technological resources and a group of fascinating primates, Francine can begin to verify her subversive scientific discovery, which has challenged the foundations of history—her Theory of Bastards.
          Frankie finds that the bonobos she’s studying are as complex as the humans she’s working alongside. Their personalities are strong and distinct, and reigning over it all is Mama, the commanding matriarchal leader of the group. Frankie comes to know the bonobos and to further develop her groundbreaking theory with the help of her research partner, a man with a complicated past and perhaps a place in her future. And then something changes everything, and the lines that divide them—between subject and scientist, between colleague and companion—begin to blur. 
          With deft skill and heartbreaking honesty, Audrey Schulman delves into the very nature of her characters. Her newest novel explores the nuances of communication, the implications of unquestioned technological advancement, and the enduring power of love in a way that is essential and urgent in today’s world. This thrilling literary novel will resonate, long after the final page is turned..

PICTURE BOOK - Earmuffs for Everyone by Meghan McCarthy

How Chester Greenwood Became Known as the Inventor of Earmuffs
illustrated by the author

2015, Paula Wiseman, Simon & Schuster

HC $17.99

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 3.59

My rating: 4

Illustrations:  a bit cartoonish, but they work okay.

1^st line/s:  "The word "muff" has been around since the Middle Ages.  Starting in the 1700s, people wore muffs on their hands to keep them warm."

My comments:  Excellent resource to teach kids about researching completely before writing informational/non-fiction.  Chester Greenwood is known - and celebrated - as the INVENTOR OF THE EARMUFF.  But his is not, not at all.  In these 40 pages we learn a little about Chester Greenwood and his life, about the history of earmuffs, about how history became "changed," about inventions and getting a patent for them, and then, by reading the excellent 2-page afterword ("A Note about This Book"), how much research went into correctly chronicling this history.  Includes extensive bibliography and acknowledgements.

Goodreads:  As a young boy, Chester Greenwood went from having cold ears to becoming a great inventor in this nonfiction picture book from the acclaimed author-illustrator of Pop! and Daredevil.
          When your ears are cold, you can wear earmuffs, but that wasn't true for Chester Greenwood back in 1873. Earmuffs didn't exist yet! But during yet another long and cold Maine winter, Chester decided to do something about his freezing ears, and he designed the first pair of ear protectors (a.k.a. earmuffs) out of wire, beaver fur, and cloth. He received a patent for his design by the time he was nineteen, and within a decade the Chester Greenwood & Company factory was producing and shipping "Champion Ear Protectors" worldwide!
          But that was just the beginning of Chester's career as a successful businessman and prolific inventor. In this fun and fact-filled picture book you can find out all about his other clever creations. The Smithsonian has declared Chester Greenwood one of America's most outstanding inventors. And if you';re ever in Maine on December 21, be sure to don a pair of earmuffs and celebrate Chester Greenwood day!