But No Elephants

I have loved this book since I was a child! I remember how I used to sit and look at the pictures forever - such good memories. You can imagine how excited I was to find a copy. I can't remember if I found it at a yard sale or in a thrift store, but I know you can get it from Amazon.

It's about a cute little old lady who is minding her own business, getting her home ready for the winter, when a pet salesman comes to her home.

Can you imagine someone selling pets door to door? From a mom's point of view, that's worse than the ice cream man!

Well, this salesman convinces Grandma Tildy to buy nearly every pet he has, but each time she tells him she won't be buying an elephant. Apparently, he has other plans. Just before a big blizzard, the pet man deposits an elephant on Grandma Tildy's doorstep and drives away.

What would you do if someone gifted an elephant to you?

Mommy?

This is the most incredible pop-up book I've ever seen! I saw it on a morning talk show when it was first published and knew it was a must-have. Of course, it helped that Maurice Sendak was the author :)

It's about a little boy who's looking for his mother and there's only one word in the book: Mommy.

My kids love it, but I had to hide it from them until they were old enough to understand how wrong it is to rip pages in a book!

The Monster in the Backpack

Laugh out loud funny! That's how I would describe this book. When Andrew and I read it for the first time, we laughed at every page.

On the way to school, a sweet, unsuspecting girl opens her backpack to find that a monster has taken up residency in the bag. As if that weren't shocking enough, she discovers that he's also eaten her lunch!

A normal, orderly school day is turned upside down by this fun-loving monster and leaves the poor girl trying to trade backpacks with another classmate.

My bookshelves are pretty full, but I would definitely make room for this one!

The Monster Trap

I love the illustrations of Dean Morrrissey, so when I saw this book at the library, it immediately found it's way into my bag. We weren't disapointed - this is a great book!

It's the story of a little boy who, while spending time at his grandfather's house, begins to hear night noises that sound suspiciously like monsters. He alerts his grandfather to their presence and begs him to find a way to get rid of the monsters. Grandfather agrees to build a trap, but each night as the trap fails to catch the monsters, he builds bigger and better traps.

I'll bet you're wondering if they ever catch the monsters...but I'm not going to give it away :)

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything

This is a great book for Halloween and definitely fun for the kids. They love to follow along with their own actions.

It's about a little old lady who is walking home through the forest one night and is approached by some shoes, pants, a shirt, gloves, a hat and finally, a scary pumpkin head that says, "Boo, Boo!"

Frightened, she runs to her house and locks the door. What happens after that? You'll have to read it to find out!

Popcorn

I have loved this book since childhood! I remember describing it to my mom once, hoping she'd know the title, but neither one of us could remember.

Then, as luck would have it, I was at a yard sale one Saturday morning and found a book with illustrations that were very familiar. As soon as I got home I looked up the author on Amazon and found the book I was looking for!

It's the story of a little bear whose parents leave him home one night while they go to a Halloween party. They ask him to take care of the house while they're gone, but as soon as they're out the door he calls his friends to invite them to a Halloween party of his own.

When someone decides to make popcorn, they make too much and the whole house is filled with popcorn, leaving them no choice but to eat their way out of the house.

My kids love this story just as much as I do and inevitably we end up craving popcorn!

Frank was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance

We love this book! Have I mentioned before that Keith Graves is a favorite author/illustrator of mine? I think I have, but I don't mind saying it again. :)

My kids love the crazy illustrations that chronicle the life of Frank the monster, who's deepest desire is to dance in front of an audience.

Deciding to follow his dream, Frank drives to a local theater where he fearlessly walks on stage and begins to dance. Despite a few minor setbacks, Frank completes his dance and is quite proud of his accomplishment - even though the audience has left the building.

We checked this out at the library, but it's definitely one I want to add to our collection!

The Last Song

I've been reading like crazy, but never seem to make it to my computer before I begin the next book. So...I'm making an early New Year's resolution to blog about the books I've read for the last several months.

I read "The Last Song" several months ago for book club. I first read Nicholas Sparks when I was in high school, but I got tired of them quickly. It always seemed to be the same format, just different names, so I was really wary of reading this one.

It's the story of a teenage girl, recently graduated from high school, who is sent by her mother to spend the summer with her father in North Carolina. Still bitter about the divorce, Ronnie has adopted a rebellious attitude about life and immediately falls in with the wrong crowd upon moving to North Carolina. Before too long she meets a guy who is nothing like the guys she's been hanging out with, decides she can't stand him and eventually falls in love with him. in the midst of her summer romance, she also finds that she can let go of her hard feelings toward her dad and begin to rebuild their relationship.

The story is predictable from the beginning and yet I couldn't put the book down; I really liked it. I don't think I'll run to the library to check out all of his books, but I wouldn't be opposed to reading another one in the future.

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus

This is a great one too - just as funny as the other pigeon books.  Poor guy - he just wants to drive the bus, but that driver won't let him!

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!

Ok, have you read this book? It's hilarious! I'm trying to decide who likes it more, me and Chris or the kids. After reading it, Chris requested that I find everything from this author and bring it home.

We definitely love Mo Willems sense of humor. Apparently he's also a writer for Sesame Street which explains why I crack up every time I watch it.

Our favorite line in the book, "Ok, first of all, I'm not even tired!" What child has not said this when trying to get out of going to bed? Classic.

Girl in a Blue Dress

This book was based on Charles Dickens' marriage and is told from his wife's perspective. Although the names were changed, I found it fascinating and it gave me a desire to learn more about Charles Dickens and his family. I added every documentary I could find about him to my Netflixs queue! Now I just need some uninterrupted time to watch them :)

This really has become one of my favorite books and I'll definitely read it again. It was so well written that I found myself completely caught up in the story, going through all of the emotions with the characters.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and bought my own copy. That's how much I loved it!

Henry Babysits

This is another Henry adventure that's lots of fun to read.  Henry is enjoying a quiet afternoon when his friend Clara drops by and asks him to babysit her nephew.  Suddenly, everyone in the neighborhood wants Henry to babysit and his peaceful afternoon turns to chaos!

Henry's Awful Mistake

Henry the duck is innocently cooking dinner for himself and his friend Clara one night, when an ant makes an appearance in the kitchen. He goes to great lengths to get rid of the ant - but things don't end quite the way he'd planned.

This has been a favorite book of mine since childhood. As an adult, I could remember the story and even the illustrations, but I couldn't remember the title or the author. That made finding a copy pretty difficult :)

Luckily, I found another Henry book at a yard sale and I was finally able to order a copy of the book from Amazon. It's still just as good as I remember and my kids love it too!

Tough Chicks

This is a really cute book about three little chicks that are different the moment they hatch. Penny, Polly and Molly don't do the normal things that all the other chicks do and have to put up with some pretty judgmental attitudes from the other barnyard animals.

Mother Chick defends her kids and in the end, everyone realizes that Penny, Polly and Molly are different in a good way.

New Baby Train

My take on this book: it's very strange. I didn't look to see what the story was about when I picked it up. My youngest son loves trains - and I mean LOVES them. So, anything with a train seems like a winner to me. Well, not this one.

I like the illustrations; they're different and fun to look at. The story however, is not so great. It's an explanation of where babies come from - like the story of the Stork. Sometimes the book seems like it's supposed to have the rhythm of a song and then suddenly there's no rhythm at all. It just doesn't flow very well.

As much as I dislike this book, Simon loves it. It has trains and babies - two of his favorite things. I'll put up with it for awhile longer, but I won't be sad when I have to take it back to the library!

Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate

I really like this book! Pirate Pete is trying to find some Buccaneers for his ship but can't seem to find anyone suitable for the position. Each rascal that he interviews has the necessary skills, except for one thing - none of them can talk like a pirate!

If you've ever wondered how to talk like a pirate, this has all the answers. The kids like it too - Andrew likes to test out his pirate voice, which he thinks is better than mine. We'll see about that...

Sweet Dream Pie

I'm a fan of anything with Audrey Wood's name on it! This is one fun and creative story.

Pa Brindle convinces Ma Brindle that he must have some of her Sweet Dream Pie - just one piece will be enough. She warns him that the last time he ate some pie his dreams weren't so sweet, but he begs and she gives in. The smell of this gigantic pie has made everyone in the neighborhood crazy all day and they're dying to try a piece. Ma Brindle warns them to eat only one piece, but nobody listens...

More Parts

I haven't read 'Parts' yet, but I don't think our library has a copy. So I decided to get the second book and see what it's like. We love it!

The little boy in this story doesn't understand the figures of speech that people use and he's afraid that his body is going to fall apart at any minute. It's adorable and very funny!

The Quicksand Book

Andrew has a fascination with quicksand - he's always asking me questions about how it works, so when I saw this sitting on the shelf in the library I knew we had a winner!  It was perfect for Andrew - it was filled with all kinds of information about quicksand and it was hilarious enough to keep us both laughing!

My Father's Dragon

A little boy in our Primary said during his spotlight that this was his favorite book, so of course I had to check it out. Andrew and I loved it!

It's a funny and lighthearted story about a boy named Elmer who saves an enslaved baby dragon from Wild Island. It's a fast, easy read and full of fun illustrations.

Elmer and the Dragon

This is the second book in the series and it's just as great as the first. It's a continuation of the story about Elmer and the baby dragon he rescued. On their way home from Wild Island, they're caught in a storm and forced to land on a sandbar until the storm passes.

The next morning, they discover a new island inhabited by canaries. Elmer and the dragon discover that the king of canaries is dying of curiosity and they help him to discover just what it is that he's so curious about.

The Dragons of Blueland

This is the third book of the Elmer and Dragon series, and we loved it!


After the dragon returns Elmer to his home in Nevergreen City, he heads back to Blueland and finds that a group of men have discovered his family and plan to capture the dragons and sell them to the circus. The dragon rushes back to Nevergreen City and asks Elmer to help save his family.

Strega Nona

This is definitely a classic! Great story and fun illustrations - who doesn't love Tomie de Paola?

Big Anthony goes to work for the local witch, Strega Nona, and one day discovers that she has a magic pot. This pot will make unlimited amounts of pasta! Strega Nona leaves town one day with strict instructions not to touch her special pot.

Big Anthony rushes into town to tell the townsfolk about the magic pot. Of course, no one believes him, so he invites everyone to Strega Nona's house for some pasta. Believing he knows the correct spell, Big Anthony produces enough pasta to feed the whole town. Not until he tries to stop the pasta does he realize that he doesn't know the entire spell and so much pasta comes out of the pot that it floods the streets! When Strega Nona returns, she's wise enough to make the punishment fit the crime :)

The Blue Castle

I read this for Book Club a few months ago and absolutely loved it! I bought my copy online and received this older copy, which was a surprise, but I like it.

The story is about Valancy Stirling who, at 29 years old, is an old maid living with her mother and aunt. The family considers Valancy to be sickly and very plain. When she's not being overlooked, she's the butt of family jokes.

Early in the story, Valancy's doctor tells her that she has only 6 months to live. At first Valancy is devastated, and then she realizes that she's tired of being the person her family expects her to be and she decides to be the person she's always wanted to be.

Shocking her entire family (and the community), Valancy becomes outspoken and carefree, eventually leaving home for her own adventure.

I loved the humor in the book; it was a very easy read. I also loved the message that the author conveys; that our life is what we make it, and beauty truly comes from within.

100 Cupboards

I found this book randomly on a shelf at the library and was immediately intrigued. I think I've mentioned before that I judge books by their covers; I can't help it!

This is the story of a young boy named Henry, who is sent to live with his Uncle, Aunt and cousins in Henry, Kansas when his parents are suddenly kidnapped. Before too long, Henry discovers that beneath the plaster of his bedroom wall there are cupboards - 98 to be exact. Upon further examination, he learns that these are actually portals into other worlds.

I had a lot of unanswered questions throughout the book. I really wanted to hear the back story of these cupboards and the different worlds, but it didn't go into that as much as I would have liked. By the end of the book, Henry has only been into one cupboard; although he did let something out of a cupboard...

Overall, I really liked the story and I'm glad I had the second book so I could start reading right away. I did think the first one was a little slow - but maybe the author left it open so that he could write a prequel to the series. Who knows?

I have to say, these books are listed as being for readers from 9-12 years old, but I disagree. N.D. Wilson's writing style was pretty deep - even for me. And...it might be too scary for that age group. You never know though, my 5 year old loved the first two Harry Potter books and Voldemort didn't even phase him.

Dandelion Fire

The second book in the 100 Cupboards series definitely moved faster than the first and Henry is finally able to travel into some of the cupboards to explore other worlds. In this book, Henry discovers his own special power and a family he never knew he had.

There were times during the book that I struggled to grasp the author's descriptions, and I honestly wondered if my reading level had decreased over the last couple of years. However, that could have been because I still kept trying to read it while my kids were running around the house, and drowning out their noise can be a difficult task. I found that if I read at night, while everyone else was asleep, I was able to fully immerse myself in the story and read much faster.

The Chestnut King

This is the third and final book in the 100 Cupboards - and I really liked it. I think it was the longest out of the three and definitely the creepiest. Well, the whole thing isn't creepy - just parts of it.

Henry fights the evil and undying queen of Endor and she's just weird. The whole time I read this series I couldn't help but wonder if Hollywood would try to make a movie out of it. It seems like every book can be made into a movie these days.

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

When I took this book off the shelf, I didn't even bother to look at what the story was about. As it turns out, this is a modern day retelling of Hansel and Gretel. If the original story doesn't disturb you (we are talking about cannibalism here), then you'll love this book!

As a child, I never really thought about how gruesome the fairy tale was - I think I was more interested in the gingerbread house covered in candy. Somehow, reading this book it suddenly clicked for me and I found it a little creepy. Of course, it didn't bother my 5 year old at all and he couldn't wait to finish it. So, I have mixed feelings. I liked it and yet...I was a little creeped out.

Scaredy Squirrel at Night

In this book, Scaredy Squirrel takes up scrapbooking and cymbal playing in order to avoid the fairies and polka-dot monsters that are sure to haunt his dreams.

Everything is going according to plan, until one night when he happens to read his horoscope - apparently, all his dreams will come true at midnight. Scaredy quickly puts together a 'Bad Dream Action Plan' and counts down to midnight, but once again - things don't turn out the way he thought.

My kids love Scaredy Squirrel! Andrew has nearly memorized this one and he 'reads' it to his little brother. It's pretty cute :)

Scaredy Squirrel Makes a Friend

On the inside cover it reads, "I don't have a friend. It's way too dangerous. I could get bitten." This poor squirrel - nothing ever goes according to his incredibly detailed plans. But you can't blame him for trying - after all, the world is full of potential biters.

Out of all the Scaredy Squirrel books, this one has to be my favorite!

Scaredy Squirrel at the Beach

After we read the first Scaredy Squirrel book about a hundred times and still found it side-splitingly funny, Chris suggested I look for more books by Melanie Watt. Who knew that she had more Scaredy Squirrel books?!

I love that he's afraid of tribes of jellyfish and packs of pirates - definitely good reasons to stay away from the beach!

This ultra-organized, extremely OCD and anti-social squirrel makes me laugh through each of his adventures.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Andrew and I just finished this and I loved it just as much as I did the first time. Professor Lockhart has to be one of my most favorite characters - next to the Weasley twins of course :)

Surprisingly, Andrew isn't all all scared by Lord Voldemort, but I wouldn't suggest reading this to most 5 year olds.

When we got to the part that reveals Voldemort as the heir of Slytherin he told me, "I knew it was Voldemort the whole time. I was just saving it as a surprise for you Mom." Hilarious!

Home: A Memoir of My Early Years

We read this a couple of months ago for book club and it was fantastic! I love to read biographies; it's fascinating to find out about who people really are and the experiences that have shaped them.

Before reading this I knew next to nothing about Julie Andrews. I'd seen a few of her movies - Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Victor/Victoria and the Princess Diaries, but that was the extent of it.

Just like anyone else, she's had her share of trials and I was amazed at some of the things she went through. As we were talking about this at book club, a couple of the women pointed out that she didn't seem to be bitter about the negative experiences. There wasn't any malice in her voice, she simply stated the way things were. She seems to be a very forgiving and kind person.

The book begins with some family history and ends just after she gives birth to her daughter Emma. I'm hoping that she writes another book that talks about her career after that point. I looked her up on Wikipedia and her accomplishments are extensive. What I like most about Julie Andrews is that, even in writing her story, she never seemed to have the 'Diva Attitude' that is so prevalent in celebrities today. All of the things she did, all of the famous people she met and worked with - it was simply the way things were, it was her life.

Scaredy Squirrel

We recently discovered this book at our library and it is laugh out loud funny! A hilarious story is my favorite kind of children's book :)

This poor squirrel is afraid of all kinds of things, including, but not limited to, spiders, germs and aliens. He refuses to leave his tree and his days follow a strict schedule that never changes. That is, until he accidentally falls out of his tree.

We love it so much I may just have to head over to Borders and pick up a copy - it's definitely a family favorite :)

My Monster Mama Loves Me So

This has been a favorite book of ours since Andrew was little. The cute little monster in the story talks about all the things his mother does that makes him feel loved, like giving him lizard juice with ice when he's sick, or taking him to the swap to swim. The illustrations are fun and colorful - Mark Buehner is one of my favorite illustrators. I love everything that he does.

This book is adorable - you'll probably want to buy a copy of your own :)

The Soloist

I was very touched by this book and will certainly read it again. It's the story of a homeless man and a journalist who develop an unlikely and somewhat unusual friendship.

Nathaniel Ayers was a cellist, studying at Juilliard when he developed schizophrenia in his second year. He ended up homeless in the streets of L.A., pushing his belongings around in a shopping cart and playing an old violin.

Steve Lopez, a columnist for the L.A. Times, saw Nathaniel on the street one day and, after trying to talk to him, decided to write a column about Nathaniel. They slowly develop a friendship, and Steve becomes very involved in helping Nathaniel with his schizophrenia.

It's a beautiful and heartbreaking story - I didn't want to put it down. I couldn't help but think, do I understand friendship in the way that Steve and Nathaniel do? Obviously, their relationship is very unique, but how much time and effort am I willing to put into my relationships? Am I interested in what's best for them, or what's best for me? I hope the answer to these questions is a positive one.

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything

I have to give this book 5 stars. I love the illustrations, I love the story, I love the humor.

Here's how it begins:

"Friday is errand day. My mom goes on boring errands, and I have to go with her."

After reading that first page, I knew Andrew was going to love the book. He hates running errands with me, and the kid in the story looks a lot like Andrew does when I tell him he has to come with me.

Eventually, despair turns to delight as the little boy discovers that on this particular Friday, complimentary dinosaurs are being given with every purchase - in every store! And we're not talking about tiny plastic dinosaurs. These are huge, scaly, real-life dinosaurs. As if his mother needed one more thing to bring home!

I don't know about you - but that's pretty close to the way my shopping trips go. I have a few specific things on my list and end up with all kinds of things in the cart. No doubt it's junk that I'm going to be picking up off the floor in a few hours when the kids are tired of it. Luckily, the mother in this story is able to find a use for all the dinosaurs who now inhabit her backyard.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I just finished reading this with Andrew (my 5 year old) and it was just as magical as I remember it. This is my first time rereading the series, and I was surprised at some of the details I'd forgotten.

Andrew, Chris and I discussed it over dinner last night. It's amazing to me how much Andrew understood. I thought a lot of it would be over his head, but if you ask him to explain the book, he can do it in great detail. He keeps asking questions about how or why things work and I have to admit - he stumps me sometimes. Most of his questions have never occurred to me before. Are all children smarter than their parents?

What a Party

So far I've only posted books that I really love, so I thought it was time to change things up a bit. I've mentioned before that I like to randomly pull books from the shelf - I can be in and out of the library in 10 minutes if I absolutely have to. I'll admit it, I judge books by their covers. Especially children's books - the illustrations can make or break it for me.

In this case the illustrations were great - Keith Graves is very talented. It was the story that bothered me. I still can't quite put my finger on what irritated me and since I've already returned it to the library I can go back and look.

I guess it just didn't make much sense to me. It seemed...disjointed somehow. The book begins by talking about this great hut that Froggie lives in and how much he loves it. Then on the very next page he's on his way to his grandfather's birthday party and the only thing he cares about is the song that he's going to sing as a gift.

He FINALLY sings the dumb song and everyone goes home. Except that Froggie isn't ready to go home and his friend Rabbit has to patiently convince him to leave. The story left me wondering why in the world this little frog is living on his own when he acts like a two year old. Seriously? The party is over dude - hop on home. Everyone else has.

With that said, I must tell you that my kids loved this book - especially my two year old. Maybe he relates with the tantrum at the end? Simon asked for it every nap time which made me dread nap time. I never thought that would be possible.

The Golden Hour

This is one of those books that I randomly picked up from the bookshelf at the library. I find it strange how some books stand out more than others. The child in me still believes that books have the power to draw me to them - calling my name; it's the kind of magic that only exists in a library. Bookstores are wonderful, but in a library, I can take home any book I want; there are no price tags.

I loved this book from start to finish. It drew me in, and I never wanted to leave. Fortunately, I just checked Amazon and this is a series, with two more books to read! You can expect to see my review on them later on.

The story begins with Rowan and his little sister Nina who arrive in Owatannauk, Maine to spend a month of their summer vacation with Aunts Agatha and Gertrude. Neither one of them are thrilled at this prospect, especially since the Aunts seem to be a bit eccentric - Rowan is sure that Aunt Gertrude can read his mind.

Soon they meet two other children, Xavier and Xanthe, who are also visiting for the summer and they four of them become friends. Aunt Gertrude tells Rowan to explore the area - that is, everything except the Owatannauk Hotel. Fearing that it's haunted, Rowan nearly does stay away. Nina, Xavier and Xanthe have other plans, however, and they are suddenly dragged into an adventure filled with danger and excitement.

I considered reading this to Andrew because it's a fast-paced adventure, but a majority of the book happens during the French Revolution. That's probably a bit much for a 5 year old. I'm sure he would tell anyone who listed about the people who had their heads cut off, but they may or may not respond to that positively. I'll probably introduce my kids to this book when they reach Jr. High level.
I do have to say that this book increased my desire to learn more about Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution. It's a gory subject really, but fascinating all the same. I wish I could remember what we talked about in History class, but apparently I learned what I needed to pass the tests and then promptly forgot the rest. Maybe I can sit in on my children's history classes?

Doctor DeSoto

Doctor De Soto is a dentist who also happens to be a mouse.  He refuses to treat any animal who is dangerous to mice - can you blame him?  Until one day, when an extremely pitiful fox shows up on his doorstep;  Doctor De Soto and his wife, who is also his assistant, decide to let the poor fox in for treatment.  After a close call with the fox, they decide he's definitely not trustworthy - no matter how much pain he is in.  But they're not about to become a snack - the De Soto's come up with an ingenious plan to keep the fox from following through with his dastardly plans.  


This is a book that I remember from my childhood -  we even had it on tape and I listened to it countless times.  Before I ever had kids, I bought this book knowing that they would love it.  Of course, I was right - we read this one fairly often and the ending is my kids' favorite part - they repeat lines from it all the time. 

Ballet Shoes

I've wanted to read this book since I heard it mentioned on the movie "You've Got Mail" - that was quite some time ago. One day, while in the library, I happened to look at just the right spot on the shelf and saw it sitting there; I might have let a small squeal escape my lips. I grabbed it from the shelf and put in in my bag, amazed at my good luck. Someone else could have come along at just that moment, looking for this particular book, and I would have had to fight them for it! I did, however, make it home from the library without any unfortunate accidents. Can you imagine a fight in the library? Hushed and yet intense arguments - 'I found it first!' and, 'No you didn't - can't you see it's in my hands?' I wonder if the librarian would have kept her voice to a whisper as she tried to break up the fight...

Kathleen Kelly's recommendation did not disappoint - I loved this book! My 5 year old son wanted to read it with me, which was a little shocking - normally his interests revolve around video games and tormenting his brother. We only read one chapter each night, so it took some time to get through, and some of the language was hard for Andrew to grasp. Who am I kidding? I had to reread a few sentences here and there!

The book is set in England in the early 1930's and is about 3 orphan girls who were adopted by a man called Great Uncle Matthew. Affectionately called Gum by the girls, he is a geologist and found each of them while on different expeditions. While they are still young, Gum leaves on another expedition and doesn't return. The girls are cared for by their nanny and guardian, Silvia, but after a few years, they begin to run out of money.


Without giving away too many details, the girls eventually attend a school for dance and stage training. Each of the girls develop their own talents - but I'm not going to spoil the fun. Pick up a copy and read it for yourself - you'll be glad you did!

The Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith

There aren't many things in this world that I love more than a good children's book - especially a humorous children's book. I'm a person who needs (and wants) to laugh, so if a book tickles my funny bone it makes its way straight onto my favorites list! You can probably imagine how long that list is ;)

This book is written by an author I recently discovered, thanks to my local public library. I love to wander through the library and randomly pull books off the shelf. Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose, but that's all part of the fun. The Unexpectedly Bad Hair Day of Barcelona Smith is definitely a winner.

It's about a little boy who's afraid of life and takes every precaution against the things that might harm him, such as smiling. Who knew it could be so dangerous? Life is going along just as planned for Barcelona until...his hair acts up. Want to know the ending? Don't look at me - you'll have to grab your own copy of the book, because I'm not giving mine up!

FYI, Keith Graves has made his way onto my Favorite Authors list. He's that good.

The Westing Game

I debated on which book I should start with; after all, this is my very first post.  It turns out that I have too many favorites and I realized that if I didn't start posting then this blog would remain blank for another year.  So, without further ado, I will introduce you to a book that has been a favorite since Mrs. Clawson, my 6th grade teacher, read it aloud in class.


The Westing Game by Ellen Raskins

Truthfully, it's been a year or so since I read it, and although I may not remember all of the details clearly, I do remember the humor and mystery.  I also remember discussing the book over lunch with my classmates.  We were dying to figure out the ending and hated when Mrs. Clawson didn't have time to read more than a few pages.  If you haven't read this book already, pick up a copy soon - you'll love it!  But don't take my word for it ;)

Follow the River

I read this for book club last summer and found it heartbreaking and gruesome, yet very inspiring. It's based on the true story of Mary Ingles, an early settler of Virginia who was taken captive by Shawnee Indians.

At twenty-three years old, Mary was married and pregnant with her third child when several Shawnee entered the small settlement and killed nearly everyone they found. Mary, along with her sister-in-law, two young sons and a neighbor, were forced to make the long trek to the Indian camp were they were kept as prisoners.

It was terrible to read - in detail - the things that happened to these settlers and the horrible treatment they were subjected to. However, I marvel at the strength Mary showed throughout the entire ordeal. She never lost hope that her husband was alive and that she'd be able to return to him. She refused to let the tragedy she'd suffered break her spirit and eventually found a way to escape.

The journey home was a 1000 mile trek. Mary wasn't able to escape until it was already Fall and the only possessions she brought with her were a blanket and hatchet. How she was able to survive the harsh conditions is mind boggling. When I compare my life, which is full of comforts and conveniences, I have to wonder if I would have even survived the initial attack by the Indians. Reading an account like this reminds me of how much I have to be grateful for and I hope that I can develop even half the strength of character that Mary Ingles possessed.