Books Read in January

Linked to my reviews.

Books with asterisks (*) are re-reads.

Picture Books

• The Sorely Trying Day (Russell and Lillian Hoban) -  A chain of events leads members of a family to behave badly, causing a ripple effect of bad behavior down the line. Funny and still apropos, despite the somewhat archaic language form used at times. My girls laughed ruefully as they recognized their own behavior.
• Fannie in the Kitchen (Deborah Hopkinson; illus. by Nancy Carpenter) - Takes place in the late 1880's in Boston, Mass. Marcia's mother appreciates Marcia's "helpfulness" but hires Fannie Farmer as a mother's helper, mostly for her cooking. Marcia's ire soon turns to intrigue as Fannie teaches her how to cook. Marcia in turn inspires Fannie to set down her recipes on paper. The pictures are an intriguing combination of images and styles: Victorian lithograph-type for the background, parents and baby; warmer, rounder drawings, in color, of Fannie and Marcia. The idea, obviously, is draw the eye to these two central characters. The hilarious little details in the period-inspired drawings keeps them from pretension; one page shows Marcia's mother licking her plate. The chapter divisions are in keeping with the theme. Each one is a meal "Course," with a little Fannie Farmer hint box on most full page spreads.
• Apple Tree Christmas (Trinka Hakes Noble) - A terrible blizzard near Christmas ruins a girl's favorite apple tree. Will her personal sorrow ruin Christmas? A very good family Christmas story, non-religious, without Santa Claus.
• Birdie's Lighthouse (Deborah Hopkinson; illus. by Kimberly Bulcken Root)  - Birdie's journaling of how her family becomes the lighthouse keepers on a small, bare, rocky and lonely island. Then when her father gets sick, she has to take over as lightkeeper. Although fictitious, Birdie is based on real women who were lightkeepers. There is a wonderful "Afterward" by the author that gives the history of real women/girl lightkeepers.
• When Jessie Came Across the Sea (Amy Hest; illus. by P.J. Lynch) - A young Eastern European Jewish girl receives a boat ticket to America from her Rabbi. Leaving her beloved grandmother behind, she uses her sewing skills -taught to her by her grandmother- to earn money in America, saving it in order to bring her grandmother across the sea as well. A lovely story, beautifully told and illustrated, of devotion and love.
• Uncle Vova's Tree (Patricia Polacco) - A story about a family's Epiphany traditions and the continuation of them even after their beloved uncle, who was the "keeper" of the traditions, dies. I liked it up until the mystical end, which made it lose its power as a family story, to me.
• The Orange Shoes (Trinka Hakes Noble; illus. by Doris Ettlinger) My girls loved this story of a poor country girl who uses her art skills to turn an ugly incident into a work of art, and the family who loves and supports her through it all. Olivia was the one who found this book and read it first, and then came to me and said, "Mom, you have to read this! It's so good!"
• *Tikki Tikki Tembo (Arlene Mosel; illus. by Blair Lent) - This classic brings a giggle every time we read it.
• Grandmother Winter (Phyllis Root; illus. by Beth Krommes) - My girls were confused by this story until I explained the concept of Grandmother Winter. Then we read it again and they could enjoy it. Gorgeous illustrations. 
• Blue Willow (Pam Conrad; illus. by S. Seilig Gallagher) - The "fable" of how the design on Blue Willow china came to be. Well written but sad story. 
• Morris the Artist (Lore Segal; illus. by Boris Kulikov) Morris, who loves to paint, buys a birthday gift for another child that he wants, and when he gets to the party, won't hand over.
• Uncle Blubbafink's Seriously Ridiculous Stories (Keith Graves) -  "Seriously ridiculous", yes. I think it takes a different kind of personality than mine to appreciate this book. Didn't appeal to me at all. I couldn't bring myself to read it aloud to my kids.
• *The Complete Adventures of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter) - I read this periodically to my children, but they never get excited about them. 
• *Frog and Toad All Year (Arnold Lobel) - My girls are huge fans of Frog and Toad.
• *Days With Frog and Toad (Arnold Lobel) Reading about Frog and Toad never gets old, although some volumes (like this one) are better than others.
• *My First Counting Book (Lilian Moore; illus. Garth Williams) - Linked to my review. 
• Al Pha's Bet (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Delphine Durand) 
• This Plus That (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Jen Corace) 
• Little Pea (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Jen Corace) 
• Little Oink (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Jen Corace) 
• Little Hoot (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Jen Corace) 
• Spoon (Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illus. by Scott Magoon)
• *Blackout (John Rocco) - A young child wants to play a board game with someone, but all the family members are "MUCH TOO BUSY."  When the lights suddenly go out, there is nothing but time for family togetherness. My girls love this book and keep picking it up to read or look at the pictures. The pictures do most of the storytelling; the text is pretty spare. (As an aside, I love that the family is multi-racial, that the youngest family member could be a boy or a girl, and the dad is cooking.)
• *Grandpa Green (Lane Smith) A little boy tells the life history of his great-grandfather, who is forgetting things. But the topiaries he creates do the remembering for him. A beautiful book, full of clever topiaries to help tell the tale. I appreciated it more than my girls did.
• *Are You My Mother (P.D. Eastman) Always a favorite with my littles.
• *A Bargain For Frances (Russell and Lillian Hoban) - Frances gets tricked by her friend into buying her friend's tea set. When Frances finds out about her friend's trickery, she figures turn-about is fair play. I was never that smart as a child.
• *Bread and Jam For Frances (Russell and Lillian Hoban) - My personal favorite of the Frances books. Deals with the meal battles that parents face with picky eaters. If only they were resolved as easily (and amusingly) as they are in this book.
• *Owl Babies (Martin Waddell; illus. by Patrick Benson) - Linked to my review.
• *Chrysanthemum (Kevin Henkes) - A little mouse girl is made fun of because of her name, until a wise music teacher intervenes. My girls love this book.

Children's Non-Fiction

• Swirl By Swirl (Joyce Sidman; illus. by Beth Krommes) - A lovely, lyrical book about spirals and the many places/ways they occur in nature. Gorgeous illustrations.
• A Fraction's Goal - Parts of a Whole (Brian P. Cleary; illus. by Brian Gable) - Excellent for gaining an overall understanding of fractions. My only reservation was with the pages showing the baking measurements, as the drawings made it unclear to my daughters what the "whole" was. But I can understand how that would be hard to capture in a drawing. We followed up with some hands-on kitchen fractions.
• So You Want to Be An Inventor? (Judith St. George; illus. by David Small) A big hit with my girls, this fun book that talks about the qualities necessary to be an inventor and highlights actual inventors throughout history and the inventions they created as a result of those personality qualities. Superb illustrations.
• Just a Second (Steve Jenkins) A fun trivia book of happenings in the natural world based on time as the unit of measurement, i.e. things that happen in a second, a minute, an hour, etc. Fascinating stuff. Amazing collaged pictures.
• What To Do About Alice? (Barbara Kerley; illus. by Edwin Fotheringham) - An amusing picturebook biography about Alice Roosevelt (daughter of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt) who wanted to "eat up the world." The illustrations are great.

Middle-Grades Fiction

• The Little Bookroom (Eleanor Farjeon) - A compilation of fantastical little stories; some better than others.
• The Middle Moffat (Eleanor Estes) - I read this aloud to Olivia and Karina. Linked to my review.
• The Children of Green Knowe (L.M. Boston) - Linked to my review. 
• Ballet Shoes (Noel Streatfeild) - Linked to my review. 
• Rufus M. (Eleanor Estes) - I read this aloud to Olivia and Karina. They liked this one better than The Middle Moffat. The episodes are more amusing.
• Breaking Stalin's Nose (Eugene Yelchin) - Linked to my review. 
• Anna's Blizzard (Alison Hart)

Young Adult Fiction

• The Girl of Fire and Thorns (Rae Carson) - I liked it.
• Divergent (Veronica Roth) - I read this for book club. Meh.
• The Wild Orchid: A Retelling of "The Ballad of Mulan" (Cameron Dokey)  Well written, likable characters, great storyline, but for the length of story it was (not long), there was too much build-up. When it came to the actual getting to the battle and what made her a hero, it felt rushed and hurried. This is my complaint of all Cameron Dokey's novels in this series: too much build-up, rushed climax and ending.
• *Wildwood Dancing (Juliet Marillier) - This intriguing story is a wonderful blend of several fairy tales (12 Dancing Princesses, The Frog Prince, etc.) and Eastern European legends.

Adult Fiction

• Gap Creek (Robert Morgan) - Just didn't do it for me.
• The Hum and the Shiver (Alex Bledsoe) - Interesting modern Appalachian spin on Celtic legends. Just not sure how I feel about it.
• The Informationist (Taylor Stevens) - Linked to my review.
• *Sacred Hearts (Sarah Dunant) - Linked to my review.

Adult Non-Fiction

• Reading For the Love of It: Best Books for Young Readers (Michele Landsberg) - I love her insightful look at so many aspects and issues within children's literature, and I agree with her on so much. So worth the read despite it's age (published in 1986.)
• The World of Downton Abbey (Jessica Fellowes) - I loved this behind-the-scenes look at the world of BBC's Downton Abbey. A fun peek at history, too. Gorgeous photos and back story, in-depth look at the filming of the show. I'm so enjoying watching it right now.
• HTML Manual of Style (Larry Aronson) - Marginally helpful. It would have been more helpful if I understood it better; I think I need a "dummy's" version.
• The God Delusion (Richard Dawkins) - So interesting. He has many valid points, and makes his points very logically and sensibly, but I can see how religious people would be offended by some of what he says. But it's also true that religious people tend to see atheists as amoral at best and immoral at worst, which is just a completely false picture.
• Things I Learned About My Dad (In Therapy) (essays compiled by Heather Armstrong) - Some interesting essays on fathers; some not so interesting.

Books Read in November 2011

Picture Books

Susanna continues her love affair with the My First Little House books. We re-read all of the series a few times this month, and found A Farmer Boy Birthday at the library. There was great rejoicing, as it was the first time we've read that one. (I kept refusing to buy it.) I have to say, when I first saw these books years ago at the library, I was appalled at the thought of "dumbed down" classics, but when I perused them, I found them to be excellent. The illustrations are reminiscent of the original Garth Williams illustrations, and they use the sentences from the originals, for the most part, just simplified. We love them. They have been favorites of all my girls. And it segued nicely into reading the original novels as they grew old enough.

Wolf! Wolf! by John Rocco. The story of The Boy Who Cried Wolf, from the wolf's perspective. (Warning: it might undermine the moral of the original!) Fun story. Great pictures. My girls really enjoyed it.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by John Scieszka. The wolf's version of the story, claiming it was all a big misunderstanding. Funny, clever story. My older girls thought it was great, Susanna wandered away. This is definitely one that needs a certain level of maturity to be understood and appreciated. (Ages 7 and up.)

Waiting For Winter by Sebastian Meschenmoser. Susanna's new favorite book. Charming story about some hibernating animals that have never seen snow, but stay up to watch for it. And then, thinking that they have somehow missed the first snowflake, they search the forest floor for it, with hilarious results. The pictures had Susanna giggling all the way through. (They had me giggling, too.)

The Snow Day by Komako Sakai. This one just didn't appeal to me or my girls.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz. (Caldecott Honor book) Fun illustrations; I love the palette. But the story didn't really excite my girls.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin R. Tresselt; illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. (Caldecott Medal) Not very kid-appealing. My four-year-old's attention was lost less than half-way through. My 7 and 8 year olds' reaction was "That was kinda boring."

Young Adult

Plain Kate by Erin Bow. Very well written, interesting story, great characters, and I couldn't put it down. But it was also quite unrelentingly depressing, with just a few clutches of hope.

The Shakeress by Kimberley Houston. I picked up this book from the library shelves, knowing nothing about it, but intrigued by the title (because I'm fascinated by the Shakers) and the great cover. There are so many ways this could have been a great book based on the plot, but it just fell flat for me. It turned into a typically done Mormon conversion story.

Chime by Franny Billingsley. I reviewed this one already. Clicking on the title will send you to my review.

The Bargain Bride by Evelyn Sibley Lampman. This is a book that I picked up from a library sale because I vaguely remembered reading it when I was young, but couldn't remember if I liked it. It was a good read, but not stand-out. Twelve-year-old me would probably have liked it more.

Adult Books

The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson. I couldn't finish this one. The overblown "lushness" of the language just turned me off. I felt like the author was trying too hard to make each sentence a work of art, and by the end of it I had no idea what she said. The other thing that bothered me was the blatant similarity to Du Maurier's Rebecca. There were other things I found wrong, but I won't belabor the point.

When Autumn Leaves by Amy S. Foster. Overall fun to read despite certain weaknesses (e.g. weak dialogue, flat-feeling characters. Sometimes I felt like the author was talking about life situations she had no experience with and hadn't fleshed out the emotions of very well. Other situations I felt she knew intimately, and those really worked.)
I like the premise of the story. But my main problem with the book is this: have you ever been talking to someone and you're right in the middle of an interesting conversation that gets interrupted, and you never get back to it? Reading this book feels like that. I felt like I had barely begun to learn about each woman before I was whisked away from that particular person.
Quite possibly that was the intention, since the whole premise is about new beginnings.
I'm looking forward to reading Foster's next book.

The Mousewife by Rumer Godden. An allegory for repressed womanhood. It's a quick read, well-written, but ultimately disappointing (for me).

Mini Book Reviews of Some of This Year's Reads

God Went to Beauty School

by Cynthia Rylant
ages 12 and up

I really enjoyed these poems. They are both fun and thought-provoking at the same time. A very intriguing image of God, although some critics may say it humanizes God too much.

The House of Dead Maids

by Clare Dunkle

ages 12 and up

I have never been able to get into Wuthering Heights, and since this book is billed as a prequel of sorts to Wuthering Heights, I'm probably missing something.  All in all, even without reading Wuthering Heights, it was a good ghost story. It definitely had the Gothic horror vibe going, if you like Gothic horror. I liked the story, and it held my interest, although the writing felt a bit choppy and incomplete at times. But maybe that's just a reflection of what the character felt. I liked the main character, Tabby, and was intrigued by how Dunkle wound her into the back story of Wuthering Heights.

The Heavenly Village

by Cynthia Rylant
Ages 10 and up

I loved this book about a picturesque village God created as a "halfway house" for souls not ready to go to Heaven. This is a book of short stories about the residents of that village. Such good stories! Categorized as juvenile fiction, this is nevertheless a book anyone can enjoy. (And adults will probably appreciate it more.)

Downright Dencey

by Caroline Dale Snedeker

ages 8 and up

Newbery Honor Book

I expected to like this one more than I did. Especially given that it's a Newbery Honor book. The writing is excellent -albeit too long and wordy at times- and I like the character development. It was also an intriguing look into Quaker life.  The main male protagonist annoyed me no end. It was okay overall, good, even great in some places, but I struggled to stay interested enough to finish.

Mini Reviews of More Books I Read In September

Children's Literature: A Reader's History From Aesop to Harry Potter by Seth Lerer. (Non-fiction)
I only got through about half of this book before it had to go back to the library. Very informative, but rather dry. I love reading about the ins and outs of children's literature, but this book is text dense, ponderous and heavy, and is not a quick read.
I feel like I should give it another chance, but not right now.

The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. (Middle Grade)

An odd little story; an allegory of peace, if you will. Despite being the inspiration of the animated movie The Iron Giant, the only resemblance between the two is the presence of a metal eating iron giant and the boy named Hogarth.

Ivy's Ever After by Dawn Lairamore. (Middle Grade)

This reminded me a little of the picture book The Paper Bag Princess. Plucky princess Ivy doesn't wait around to let life happen to her, especially when she learns that the prince who is supposed to rescue her from her dragon-guarded tower imprisonment is an evil jerk, and her word puzzle-loving dragon jailer turns out to be a real friend. Together, she and the dragon set off to find her fairy godmother to enlist her help in fighting the people plotting to take over her father's kingdom. I think this would make an excellent read-aloud for my girls, and I like that the story is about friendship, family, and resourcefulness. There is a sequel out just today called Ivy and the Meanstalk. 

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen. (Adult Fiction)

I really enjoyed this story about two women in a small Southern town, connected through their grandmothers who were once best friends, brought together in a surprising friendship as they struggle to right old wrongs and forge new paths of community, belonging and love. It's a story that combines mystery, romance, coming-of-age, and just a touch of magic.

(I liked that the main character from Garden Spells, Allen's debut novel, made an brief appearance in the book.)

Show and Tell: Exploring The Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration by Dilys Evans. (Non-Fiction)

A feast of a book for illustration enthusiasts, highlighting a few of the very talented illustrators of children's literature. The "story" behind the art of: Hilary Knight, Trina Schart Hyman, Harry Bliss, David Shannon, Bryan Collier, Paul O. Zelinsky, Brian Selznick, David Wiesner, Betsy Lewin, Denise Fleming, and Lane Smith. Interesting and well-written. My only "complaint" is that I wish there were more artists featured. (It makes me sad that many of the books by Trina Schart Hyman are no longer in print.)

Drink, Slay, Love by Sarah Beth Durst. (Young Adult)
Pearl (please note the irony of a creature of death named for the jewel symbolizing purity and innocence) is a young vampire from an old and distinguished vampire family. When she is stabbed through the heart by a unicorn, her whole world shifts. Suddenly she can be out in sunlight without burning up. When a diabolical plan hatched by her scheming parents lands her in high school, Pearl finds herself developing a conscience and friends. What will happen when her two worlds collide?

Blood Spirits by Sherwood Smith. (Adult/Young Adult Fiction)
I was so excited to read this sequel to Coronets And Steel, that came out the week after I finished the first book. And I wasn't disappointed. Excellent writing, same great characters, excitement, faster paced (than the first book), and a satisfying conclusion. (At least I'm guessing it's the conclusion?)

Charles and Emma: The Darwin's Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman. (Non-Fiction)
A fascinating, excellently written, and thoroughly researched, enjoyable biography about the Darwin's life together.

Overbite by Meg Cabot. (Adult Fiction)
The sequel to Insatiable. I liked it okay, although I wasn't thrilled with where Cabot chose to take the story. Oh well. The writing seemed rushed, compared to her first book.

Anyone But You by Jennifer Crusie. (Adult Fiction)
My first Jennifer Crusie book. A fun, romantic story about an older divorced woman who reluctantly falls in lust/love with her younger downstairs neighbor. I liked it a lot. I'll be back for more from this author.

Amish Women: Lives and Stories by Louise Stoltzfus. (Non-Fiction)
A loving, intimate look at a few selected Amish Women, mostly in their own words, by a former member of their order. 

Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks (Adult Fiction)
A poignant, powerful look at life in early American history, as a young Puritan girl struggles with her place in the world, and her Native American friend is dragged, by circumstance, out of the life he knows. My first book by Brooks. Now I want to read her others.

The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance by Elna Baker. (Non-Fiction/Memoir)

Elna Baker is a Mormon living in New York City, something her mother, especially, is not comfortable with. This is Elna's frank account of her life as she struggles with her religious identity and what it means to her.

Books I was reading this time last year

A Curse Dark As Gold
Elizabeth C. Bunce

I really enjoyed this book. A unique twist on the Rumplestiltskin fairy tale, it is the story of a young woman who inherits her father's mill, and tries to save it and all the employees from ruin. It takes place during the age of industrial revolution. It has a delicious foreboding tone that keeps you wondering when the shoe is going to drop, so to speak. (There were a few slow spots where I wondered where the story was going, but it all worked itself out.) Definitely worth a read. 

Mistwood

Leah Cypess

A very intriguing story that I couldn't put down, about a shapeshifter who has been the personal guardian/bodyguard to a certain line of kings for centuries, who then loses her memory due to a traumatic event. The story is about how she negotiates her world not knowing who she is. It has magic, mystery, action, political intrigue, a little romance and a very strong heroine.

A Pearl Among Princes

Colleen Murtagh Paratore

Gracepearl lives on an island that, during the summer months, is used to train princes in the Charming Arts. But Gracepearl doesn't really like her life on the island. She longs to leave but that would mean having to marry one of the princes, and leaving her father and her best friend and she doesn't know if she's ready for all of that. (Although the main characters are teenagers, this book would probably appeal more to the pre-teen set.)

Reading Status, Mini Reviews and What's On My Nightstand

Join us at 5 Minutes for Books.com to see what books others have on their nightstands. 

Books just finished:

Entwined by Heather Dixon. (Young Adult)

An adaptation of the Twelve Dancing Princesses fairy tale.
What I liked: well-written; the relationship between the sisters; the idea of how the enchantment came to be; the many dances referenced; the idea that they danced to honor and remember their mother, who had taught them to dance; the broken relationship with their father that needs to be healed.
What I didn't like: I think it needed some tightening; I think it got bogged down a few times in "same-ness" (meaning that some of the scenes seemed to repeat themselves too much with only a small change here and there).
All in all, I enjoyed this version and would willingly read more books by this author.

Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches From the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture by Peggy Orenstein. (Non-Fiction)

Wow. Just wow. Peggy Orenstein, you read my mind. And you are my hero. People, read this book! As a mother, I have to confess I have a major beef with the whole Disney Princess marketing mumbo-jumbo, and I've worried for a long time about what kind of mixed messages the "princess" movies and fairy tales (speaking of fairy tales!) are sending our girls. Not only that, but this relentless over-sexualization of young girls is scary to me. In this book, Ms. Orenstein articulates so well all the issues that I have a problem with as I try to bring up daughters in this day and time. I deeply appreciate Ms. Orenstein's courage in tackling this subject and being a voice of warning and reason.

Currently reading:

Coronets and Steel by Sherwood Smith. (Fiction; perfectly suitable for teenagers, as well)

Initial impressions: A smart, swash-buckling adventure story, a la Prisoner of Zenda, with just a touch of supernatural thrown in. The protagonist, Kim Murray, goes to Europe to try to trace her family's mysterious history and gets mistaken for someone else. I can't say much beyond that without ruining the story. I'm really enjoying it, and eagerly anticipating where it's going. I think it's the start of a series, 'though I don't know how many books are planned.

(I have to get this off my chest: I DO NOT like this cover. And the sunglasses make it even worse. Except for the Wren books, I don't think the publishers have done a good job with any of her book covers. Okay. There. I feel better.)

On My Nightstand:

 

Here are the books I have lined up to read next. I'm still working on reading the unread books from my own bookshelves. I did just get one hold in from the library which I must read first: Junonia by Kevin Henkes (not pictured.)
Any suggestions as to which ones I should read next?

Igraine, the Brave by Cornelia Funke (Middle Grade)
The Tapestry of Love by Rosy Thornton (Adult Fiction)
Young Joan by Barbara Dana (Middle Grade)
The Marriage Bureau for Rich People by Farahad Zama (Adult Fiction)
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine (Adult Fiction)
The Bread Winner by Arvella Whitmore (Middle Grade)
Confessions of a Closet Catholic by Sarah Darer Littman (Middle Grade)
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley (Young Adult)
I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter (Young Adult)

Picturebooks On the Kids' Nightstand (from the library):

A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston; illustrated by Sylvia Long
The Chimpanzee Family Book by Jane Goodall; photographs by Michael Neugebauer
The Scarecrow's Dance by Jane Yolen; illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
About Birds: A Guide for Children by Cathryn Sill; illustrated by John Sill
If the Shoe Fits: Voices from Cinderella by Laura Whipple; illustrated by Laura Beingessner
Cloud Tea Monkeys by Mal Peet and Elspeth Graham; illustrated by Juan Wijngaard
Abe Lincoln: The Boy Who Loved Books by Kay Winters; illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Spectacular Science: A Book of Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins; illustrated by Virginia Halstead

Vacation Reads

Is it too late to share what I read in July? I will anyway, 'though it was a pretty light reading month; too many other vacation distractions. But I did manage to read a few good books.

The Scientist and the Sociopath

by Joseph D'Agnese

Funky cover, awesome content. This is a series of fascinating journalistic essays on ordinary citizen scientists who are making their own unique contributions in the world. I just like Joseph D'Agnese's approachable style of writing. And he has a knack for making science interesting.

She Went All the Way

by Meg Cabot

This is a fluffy, fun adult (yes, most definitely adult) romance with a touch of mystery and a whole lot of being chased by bad guys. This is only the second Meg Cabot book, the first being Insatiable a year or so ago. I read She Went All the Way at my sister's house, where, coincidentally, my 15-year-old niece was in the middle of Cabot's famed Princess Diaries series, w
hich she says she's really enjoying. ("And completely different from the movies," she says.)She kept eyeing the book and finally asked if it was by the same author. I said "Yes, but if you touch this book your mother will string me up by my little toes, so hands off, toots."
Oddly enough, I've never read any of Meg Cabot's tween/teen books.

Inside Out

by Maria V. Snyder

Trella is a pipe scrubber, a resident of the Inside: a mysterious, overcrowded world where classes of people (the intellectuals vs. the "workers") are kept separate, and not given much knowledge of each other, or what, exactly is the world they inhabit. When Trella reluctantly goes with her foster brother to meet a prophet claiming the existence of the mysterious Gateway -a portal long talked about, but held by most to be mere myth- she inadvertently starts a growing rebellion against the establishment.
I started reading this dystopian book and didn't want to put it down until I finished. (And for those who care about possible objectionable content: if it were a movie, it would be rated PG for violence, and G -possibly PG- for sexual content, and I don't remember any language.) The sequel is Outside In.

Long Road Trips + Great Audiobooks = Heaven

We have made the trip west to attend two family reunions this month, and made the decision to drive rather than fly, since we would need a car once we arrived at our destination anyway.
In anticipation of our trip (and out of abhorrence of plugging my girls into portable DVDs since I find it makes them horrible travellers), I purchased and rented a quantity of audio books for the trip.

Here is the line-up of our audio selections we've listened to so far. (We head east again tomorrow, so stay tuned for the going-east audio line-up.):

1. What Katy Did by Susan Coolidge, read by Laurel Lefkow, produced by Naxos AudioBooks. My girls loved this abridged story, about a girl named Katy Carr, the oldest girl in a widowed doctor's family of six, in the 1860s. Katy is tall and gangly and careless, and leads her siblings in all sorts of adventures, until tragedy strikes and she has to have her own adventure. Laurel Lefkow does such an amazingly superb job of reading. Her pacing and voicing are perfect.
(P.S. I love, love, love Naxos Audiobooks. Their audiobooks are consistently, wonderfully done. Their readers do such a superb job.)

2. Charlotte's Web by E.B White, read by the author. One of our very favorite stories about the loyal friendship between a pig and a spider. The audio left a lot to be desired, 'though. The author has quite a monotonous voice that doesn't do his wonderful story any favors.

3. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater, read by Nick Sullivan, produced by Hachette Audio. A silly, fun and lively story of a house painter whose fascination with penguins causes a noted Antarctic explorer to send him a live penguin, which results in a few problems. The story is brought to life so well by Mr. Sullivan.

4. Sylvester, or The Wicked Uncle by Georgette Heyer, read by Richard Armitage, produced by Naxos AudioBooks. "When Sylvester, the Duke of Salford, first meets Phoebe Marlow, he finds her dull and insipid. She finds him insufferably arrogant. But when a series of unforeseen events leads them to be stranded together in a lonely country inn, they are both forced to reassess their hastily formed opinions, and begin a new-found liking and respect for each other. Sylvester calls to mind the satirical genius of a Jane Austen novel and is adored for its wit and a fast-paced plot that ranges across a myriad of settings." (From Naxos AudioBooks)
Richard Armitage reads this abridged book with panache and suavity, and real depth of feeling. He does such a superb job of voicing the various characters. (His voicing of Sir Nugent Fotherby especially had me in stitches.)

Picture Books Read To/By the Kids in May 2011

Don't Touch My Hat

Written and Illustrated by James Rumford

Gotten from the library on the recommendation of Amy and her girls of Hope Is the Word, this fun picture book is about a sheriff in the old, wild west whose ten-gallon hat is his prized possession. He thinks his hat helps him do his job better, but finds out the hard, but hilarious way that he's wrong.

To make the story more fun, it is written in the Old West style of speech. Although the humour seemed directed more at the adult reader sometimes, both my girls and I thought this was one funny book.

Who Were They Really?

Written by Susan Beth Pfeffer

A very kid-friendly (and adult-friendly) introduction to the inspirations behind 12 classic children's books. Interesting and well-written, with lots of phot
os to go along with it. My 7-year-old even picked this book up and read several entries, enthusiastically sharing her findings.

For ages 7 and up.

Rain School

Written and Illustrated by James Rumford

A gentle story about a boy in Chad, central Africa, who is excited to go to school and finds out when he gets there that first they must re-build the school. My girls liked this look at the school experience for children in one part of Africa and so did I.
(When I saw this book at the library, I was excited to read it because Chad was the first African country I lived in when my parents brought me there as a newborn, and we visited monthly over the next three years when we moved over the border to Cameroon. I am somewhat hesitant to say that while the annual re-building of the school was something the author may have experienced, it was not exactly consistent with my own experiences in Africa. The reality my family and I saw in central and west Africa was that the rain doesn't wash the mud brick buildings away each year, but did make it necessary for the mud brick homes and schools to be repaired, re-mudded, and re-thatched in places every year. His version makes for a stronger, more easily explained story however, especially if one is trying to illustrate the importance of education.) 

Chin Yu Min and the Ginger Cat

Written by Jennifer Armstrong
Illustrated by Mary Grandpre

Chin Yu Min is newly widowed, but doesn't appreciate the kindnesses of her neighbours, and alienates herself. When a wise, talking ginger cat comes into her life and saves her from loneliness and starvation, she feels her life is complete and her independence justified. When the cat disappears one day, this haughty, snobby woman has to learn how to unbend and seek help.
The illustrations were a beautiful pairing with this folktale. My girls and I really liked this story.of a woman who learns she needs people.

Hansel and Gretel

Retold by Rika Lesser from the Brothers Grimm folktale

Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

Need I say more than this is one of the best retellings paired with the best illustrations of this folktale?

Elsie's Bird

Written by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by David Small

Elsie is a girl who loves the city she lives in, and knows it intimately. When her mother dies and her father moves them to the lonesome prairie, Elsie feels so out of her element that she can't and won't give this new place a chance. She stays inside the house all day and only interacts with her pet bird. When her bird accidentally flies free of its cage and into the outdoors, Elsie goes after it, losing her way in the tall prairie grasses, something her father had warned her was dangerous. But in butting up against danger, Elsie becomes fully aware of her surroundings for the first time. And it changes her.
Beautiful story, beautifully told, with amazing illustrations by David Small. My girls and I really liked this one.

The Perfect Wizard

Written by Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Dennis Nolan

A fascinating biography about the man who gave us The Little Mermaid, The Steadfast Tin Soldier,
Thumbelina, etc. My older girls really liked this story, which kind of surprised me. Not that the story wasn't well done; it was excellently told and illustrated. I'm just vaguely surprised that they stayed interested.
(There was a lot going on each page: the regular text, which told the story of his life, plus a quotation from one of his tales that illustrates how his real life experience worked into his stories. While that was interesting for me to go back and read, it was too confusing for my little girls, so I just skipped that part and read the straight biography.)

Art & Max

Written and illustrated by David Wiesner

I can't really describe this book, you just have to read it. Fun book, interesting concept of de-constructing art.

A Book Lover's Survey: Caution, Strong Passions Ahead!

Rachel Held Evans featured four intriguing questions on a blog post that I'm going to steal for my own post (Thanks, Rachel!), because as soon as I read them, I could immediately answer the questions. That doesn't happen to me very often.


Can you name...

1. A book you threw across the room in anger?
2. A book in which you underlined nearly every sentence?
3. A book you were surprised to love?
4. A book you're looking forward to reading?

1. A book I threw across the room in anger:
 On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo

Not only did I throw this book across the room several times during the reading of it, when I was finished I threw it in the trash. I have only done that (the throwing and the throwing away) once in my life: with this book.

This book was recommended to me by another mother when my first daughter, Olivia, was a couple months old. I'd never heard of the book or the man before. I read the book, my mouth dropping open more and more in horror and disbelief.

I cannot say anything good about this vile book. It is the worst parenting book I have ever come across. And dangerous to the psychological and physical safety of children. Ezzo presents pseudo-scientific "facts" all throughout his book, (e.g. there is no such thing as a mother's intuition; wearing your baby in a sling puts you on a social scale with animals; don't demand-feed your newborn, make her know who's boss and stick strictly to a feeding schedule; infants should bend around your schedule not you around theirs; from the time they're born you babies and children should learn that your husband is your TOP priority, and your time together takes precedence over them, etc.) that fly in the face of commonsense and recommendations by the AAP. If you are a breastfeeding mother, and follow Ezzo's advice and schedule for feeding your baby, I guarantee you will very quickly lose your milk supply, and your baby will always be hungry. But the worst thing is his completely callous, completely detached parenting style he pushes. His attitude toward babies and young children is appalling. Following his advice could be dangerous, and could lead to a baby who suffers Attachment Disorder, resulting from emotional neglect.
The overall impression I got from reading this book -and yes, I read the vile thing all the way through- is that this man hates children and hates women. I can't believe this man has a following...well, yes I can, because he advocates parental selfishness, which obviously is very appealing to certain people. (If you don't want to take on the care of helpless little beings that depend on you for their every need, DON'T HAVE CHILDREN!!! 'Cause once you have them, it's not all about you anymore.)
Awful, awful book.

*Robert Bucknam's name is apparently just on there to throw his M.D. weight behind the claptrap that Ezzo espouses, giving the book "credibility." And shame on him for doing so.

2. A book in which I underlined nearly every sentence:

 A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle

First written in 1971, this book is the first of L'Engle's Crosswicks Journals (there are four). I read it the first time as a Junior at university. (On my own, not as a class required reading.) I am not an underliner of books, but I did take copious notes in my journal as I read it. In the pages of this book, L'Engle ponders deeply on many subjects: art, writing, good and evil, spirituality, the whole creative process, one's sense of self, etc. I loved the way she worded her thoughts. And it resonated with that youthful me in many ways. By turns sure and questioning, the philosophical and religious self-examination was appealing to the young woman trying-to-find-her-way-in-life that I was then. It made me think of my concept of "self" in a new way, something my philosophy classes had not succeeded in doing.

I have since left religion and religious belief behind me, and don't know if I'd feel the same way about this book today as I once did. But once upon a time it touched me deeply enough to overcome my scruples and write in the book.

3. A book I was surprised to love:
 The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

I read this for the first time when I was 17 years old, at my mom's suggestion. It didn't sound like it would appeal to me at all AND it was freaking LONG, so I only started reading it out of respect for my mom, telling myself that I could stop if it was too boring. But I very quickly got swallowed up in the story of Edmond Dantes, a young man in love who is betrayed by his best friend and sent to the Chateau d'If, an impregnable island prison, for treason. Years later, he finally manages a daring escape and returns to France after amassing a fortune and travelling abroad, to meticulously exact his revenge on the man who was once his best friend and everyone responsible for sending him to prison.

I haven't read this book since then, and I need to, just to see if I'll feel the same way about it.


4. A book I can't wait to read:

Oh my, how do I choose? For right now, I'll say all the ones from my recent library trip. 
I also have an Excel spreadsheet with over 400 entries and growing everyday, of books waiting to be read.

Book Reviews: More Loved Bird Books

The Boy Who Drew Birds: A Story of John James Audubon

Written by Jacqueline Davies
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Picture Book, Ages 5 and up
(Published in 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company)

My little bird-mad girls loved this story of John James Audubon, which gives a brief background, but focuses on the event which led him to be the first to definitively determine that small birds migrate during the winter and return in the spring, nesting in the same spot.

Such a beautiful book! Melissa Sweet's pictures are a treat and harmonize beautifully with Jacqueline Davies' wonderful story.

The Backyard Birdsong Guide:

A Guide to Listening (Eastern and Central North America)

(A Cornell Lab of Ornithology Audio Field Guide)
by Donald Kroodsma
(Published in 2008 by Chronicle Books)

So engagingly written, this book is one of the best book purchases I've made; and it gets used a lot. The pages containing the bird descriptions and their habits are so interesting that you can just sit down and read for hours. The illustrations are exquisite. (I'm not sure, but I think they are the work of many artists.)
And the audio portion is amazing. The speaker does not sound tinny and fake at all. Playing the recorded birdcalls, it sounds like the actual bird is right there in the room. Too cool!
(We have yet to take it outside to use as a lure for the real birds. I'm afraid of harassing the birds by using it outside. We do use it outside to identify birds using the illustrations and descriptions, but not with the audio portion.)

Another use we've found for this marvelous book is when we read about birds in other books, especially picture books. As a read aloud mom, the only time I am stumped (well, besides encountering words in foreign languages with which I am unfamiliar) is when authors write the sounds birds make. I never know if I'm saying it properly. So, to get around that, I always pull down this book and play the actual sound. Even when they don't write the sound, it's still fun to use with stories featuring birds: it takes the experience of reading the book to another level, making it more real.

The birds Audubon was studying in Jacqueline Davies' book were Pewees, and when we came to the sounds, we grabbed this oh-so wonderful book off our bookshelf. We went to the index, found the right pages and within a few seconds were listening to the real Pewee bird sounds. Whenever the sound came up in the book, one of my girls would push play on this marvelous book.

Can you tell we love it?

• The publisher has a website (www.chroniclebooks.com/backyardbirdsongs) you can go to to listen to additional examples, as well as other fun stuff.
• And you can go to www.birds.cornell.edu/macaulaylibrary/ to listen to an unlimited archive of birdsongs. (Yes, it's free!)