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Source: slideshare.net via Kiki on Pinterest

Source: slideshare.net via Kiki on Pinterest

Recent Books I've Enjoyed!

Jamberry by Bruce Degen

Picked this up at the used book store and didn't realize what a favorite it is...an oldie but goodie.

Hatberry
Shoeberry
In my canoeberry
Under the bridge
And over the dam
Looking for berries Berries for jam

Same, Same but Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw

Wonderful story about two boys doing the same things but in different cultures!

 Goodnight Ipad by Ann Droyd

One of my student's and her mom bought this for me, aren't they sweet? It's hilarious and oh, TOO true! 

The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh

LOVED this book...such sweet illustrations by Judi Abbot and a lovely story about how EVERY ONE kisses or gets kissed. Here's the line that hooked me: “Kisses on noses, kisses on toes-es. Sudden kisses when you least supposes.” Buying for my grandkids Henry and Kaily. That's right, I have a granddaughter...two weeks old tomorrow, Kaily!

 My Rhinoceros by Jon Agee

Love, love, love Jon Agee! I just went on his website and my, oh, my do I have a LOT of books to purchase for my library, there's only six! Instead of telling you about it, I'll show you. Watch the video below!

Summer Book Reading!

My Goodreads goal for the year is 366 books...yep, a book a day! And I'm actually ahead of schedule. The wonderful Harmony Library is just blocks from my house. We took Henry there yesterday and of course you know what a three year old wants to do. Push the handicap buttons to open all the doors! We also had to stop him from choosing every book he saw and putting them into my bag. They have a great selection of new books in the children's area and I clear them out. I'm going later today, too.

Over and Under by Kate Messner is one of those books that captures you first with the pictures by Chris Silas Neal and then Kate's wonderful story. Here is the blurb from Kate's website: "Over the snow, the world is hushed and white. But under the snow exists a secret kingdom of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals that live through the winter safe and warm, awake and busy, under the snow. Discover the wonder and activity that lies beneath winter’s snowy landscape in this magical book."

I always hand the book over to my darling hubby after I've finished it. We both agreed that the illustrations were amazing and the way Kate wrote the book makes it a great picture book! She teaches us very cool facts about animals and winter without being "teachy". We loved it! If you, or children you know, love animals, pick this book up. I will guarantee not only will you love it but you will be delightfully surprised at what you learn! 5 Stars

Pig Pig Meets the Lion by David McPhail

David McPhail is a prolific writer and illustrator with over 150 books to his credit. Pig Pig Meets the Lion is the latest in his Pig Pig series. McPhail's illustrations are so luscious, it's no wonder he has been a popular illustrator for many other authors besides his own.

Pig Pig Meets the Lion starts on the inside cover of the book, where we see the lion jumping over the zoo's fence while the other animals sleep. On the next page the lion is running down the road toward a lonely house in the middle of the countryside. Then we see Mother Pig bending down on her front porch for the milk and newspaper, the headlines read, "Lion Escapes". Turn the page and we're finally at the title page. Mother Pig is going inside the house, looking at the paper while lion is climbing the tree up to Pig Pig's bedroom window.

Throughout the book Pig Pig and Lion are playing all over the house, chasing each other, while Mother Pig is your typical busy mom, cooking breakfast and talking on her cell phone. Kids will recognize this mom who is chatting with her child but really not paying attention. She's stirring the pot while telling Pig Pig that a lion has escaped from the zoo. Pig Pig says, "I know" while he and Lion are diving under the kitchen table. Kids will squeal with delight while mother is oblivious until the very end of the book; the inside back cover, where she is surprised to see two zoo employees at her front door. We see Lion leaving Pig Pig's bedroom window to climb down the tree.

On the back jacket flap, the fun doesn't stop. "David lives in Rye, New Hampshire, and would very much like to meet a friendly lion over breakfast."

Pre-school age children and up will love the adventures of Pig Pig!

a bus called heaven by Bob Graham

Bob Graham is an author and illustrator from Australia. I don't know why, but I've yet to come across an Aussie author that wasn't unique...even quirky, in some way. This is no exception. An abandoned bus shows up one day in front of the house of a small, pale little girl named Stella. A hand-painted sign, held down with packing tape reads "Heaven". Books with illustrations that beg to be looked at over and over...those that reveal something new each time your eyes meet the page, are an indicator for me, of a great children's book. The first sentence reads, "The bus brought change to Stella's street". On this page, the people are curious about the bus and from every walk of life: young, old, different backgrounds, and Stella, gently pushing the door of the bus open. On a post is a no parking and a towing sign. The community comes together and makes it a place for everyone to gather, which makes it sound formulaic and preachy. Please, please don't assume here, the story is still Stella's, a young girl just doing what her heart tells her. Graham's book is so original and lovely that you don't want to miss what happens when the men come to tow Heaven away. The illustrations wonderfully provide the story with gentle humor. This will be my read aloud to end my school year...I feel it's that kind of story. One that reminds us that each night we are all looking up at the same stars...we are all in this together.

CLOCKWORK ANGEL & CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare-Young Adult

If you like young adult books, fantasy with a hint of romance, and set in Victorian England, check out Cassandra Clare's series, The Infernal Devices.

Starting with the second series, The Infernal Devices, before reading The Mortal Instruments series, had me thinking this could have been a mistake. In my defense, I saw a review of Clockwork Angel not knowing about the first series, and liked the premise. Needing something in audio, I was delighted to see it was read by the wonderful Jennifer Ehle. She may be best known as the actress who was Elizabeth in the 1995 mini-series of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth (which I may be just a tad bit obsessed with). She also played Myrtle Logue, the speech therapist's wife in The King's Speech. Ehle is spot on with the different character's voices and I loved the book. Now I am onto the second one, Clockwork Prince. To say that I was duly disappointed that Ehle was not the narrator quickly turned into delight when I heard the amazing male voice of Ed Westwick.  Heather Lind is also good as the female counterparts.

This introduction to the series is taken from Cassandra Clare's website:

"Magic is dangerous—but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own."

One of the things I love about this series, besides being set in England, is the author's obvious love of books, poetry, and reading. Each chapter starts with a quote from a book or a poem. Her main character, Tessa, constantly has a book in her hands. Will, the main male character, often spouts from books and poetry. It is this common interest that draws Tessa to Will, not to mention he's gorgeous and charming. But Will has a past and just when Tessa thinks he feels the same for her, he hurts her to the core. And then there is Jem, Will's best and closest friend. He's so unlike Will, but they are fiercely loyal to each other. These two Shadow Hunters' lives are fraught in mystery. Does Tessa dare get close enough to either of them to find out their secrets?  


The Mortal Instruments, Starting with City of Bones, takes place in modern time New York (and is being made into a movie). So that makes me feel a little bit better about reading them out of "order". Her newest series, The Dark Artifices, will come out in 2015. Los Angeles is the setting. I know I will be devouring the rest of these...will you?

WONDER by R.J. Palacio

WONDER by R.J. Palacio

R.J. Palacio, thank you, for writing Wonder. I read to p. 46, stopped, and wrote this.

When I'm reading a book,
A book I know that
Has been read by friends,
It's like we are all looking up
At the same bright star in the sky
At exactly the same time.


The publisher's description:

August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?

It took some time to talk myself into reading this book. I don't go easily into some subjects. I didn't think I could get through it, but so many people raved about the humanity contained within its pages, that I gave it a try. Then I stopped. Then I started again and had it finished within a few days. I have been raving about it ever since.

Everyone knows that I cry at...well, just about anything. So for me to cry wouldn't exactly be newsworthy. But it was when in the book that surprised me...the English class with the amazing teacher...it was the precepts that got to me. I had actually flipped to the back to see her picture when I noticed the appendix...and breaking my rule of  'never read ahead', I read them...ALL of them. Then I asked my husband to please read up to p. 46. He did and said, "I'll read the rest of it after you do. But you should have read the next page, especially the last sentence." Then he started to read it out loud and I quickly yelled at him to stop. So I just grabbed it from him and read p. 47. And that's where I was as of 2:52 p.m. April 22, Earth Day, 2012.

Monday night we had a visit from our grandson so I had to stop reading and didn't finish the book before bedtime. Woke up at 3:30, tried to get back to sleep and then realized I could get up and finish Wonder. So, of course, I did. Sobbed, and sobbed...and sobbed some more. But it was a good cry. I was glad that I had time to recover before school started, though. Fantastic. Touching. Funny. Sad. Real. Simply amazing!

It's now one of my favorite books I've ever read. To take a subject like this, where few of us have encountered someone like Auggie, it's hard not to think, "how is she going to pull this off?" But she does...and with such grace. Another one of those books where I think everyone on earth should read.

Hurray for Wonder, may it continue getting its well deserved praise! 5 Stars!