Friday, August 5, 2011
Summer Reading
The kiddies have been little fishes this summer, spending lots of days at the pool. We've also been eating lots of ice cream, catching fireflies, and of course reading lots of books.
Here is a sampling of some favorites:
Sister by Rosamund Lupton--excellent storytelling; a suspenseful murder mystery; read it in a day. I gave this to my mom as well as a couple of friends who all agree it's terrific and slightly terrifying!
Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson--Amnesia sets in every night when Christine sleeps. She wakes each day not knowing who or where she is. When she starts keeping a journal at the suggestion of her doctor, she begins to make some nerve-wracking progress while sensing that she should not completely trust her husband.
Archie and the Pirates by Marc Rosenthal--really fun adventure story that J loved for a few weeks this summer. Archie is a monkey who wakes up on a deserted island. When pirates capture his new best friend, he puts a hilarious plan into action.
My Dad, My Hero by Ethan Long--I picked this up at the library right around Father's Day and it lay next to J's bed for weeks and weeks, being read every night. Like many 4 year-olds, he's pretty into superheroes right now, and loved this silly book. (It's pretty clever!)
What are you reading?
Monday, January 17, 2011
{two months}
- crept a little further into my 30s
- celebrated my baby turning 4
- read a lot--perhaps I can't really say that I read a lot, but considering the slump I had been in this fall, for me to have read 3 books in the last 2 months is pretty significant. Do you use Goodreads? I've rated and reviewed the books there. But, to sum up, I read and liked Special Topics in Calamity Physics, Faithful Place, and The Hunger Games. I liked Tana French's Faithful Place so much that I forced it upon my husband and my mom, and immediately went out and got another of her books: The Likeness. That's next up, I think. Although, I do also have to start A Short History of Women for book group.
- shopped, baked, and gift-wrapped in preparation for Christmas (little N's first!)
- started wearing a hat!!! (This is noteworthy because I have never worn a hat. Honestly. I look awful in hats. That is, I look awful in every hat in the world except for the one that my fabulous husband found on Etsy.)
- shoveled a lot of snow (while wearing my new hat)
- lost my grandfather
- spent a great deal of time among family; some happy times and some very sad times
- witnessed some old family traditions be abandoned
- made some goals for myself and our family--in case you'd like to try to help me stick to and follow through on these goals, I'll share a few in some later posts.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
::winner::
Thanks to those who entered. You should all go get a copy from your library. If you need more insight into the story to sell you on it, here is an essay from the author on his inspiration behind the novel.
In His Own Words
Christopher Nicholson, author of
THE ELEPHANT KEEPER
Exactly where The Elephant Keeper spilled from isn’t easy to say, but its origins seem to lay a long way back. If it is, to some extent, a celebration of the English countryside, it must be significant that I was brought up right on the edges of London; that, if I walked up a nearby hill, I could look in one direction over the vast expanse of the city, dark and, in those days, still subject to dense smog, while the other direction offered a view of unbroken green breached only by the spire of a distant church. The novel also emerges from a fascination with the exotic, and as a little boy I used to fantasize about zoo animals roaming the English countryside. In my bedroom I had a long procession of carved elephants, and downstairs, on the hall chest, lay a curving ivory tusk, half a meter long, fashioned into a paper-knife and engraved with the Nicholson coat of arms. I still have this grotesque object.
In 1984 I visited Nepal to walk round the Annapurna mountain bloc, and afterwards traveled to the Chitwan National Park, where I rode on an elephant for the first time. It was during this period that I made a series of radio documentaries for the BBC on the relationship between humans and animals; this work helped develop my thoughts on the differences between human and animal language. About the same time, I happened to visit the stately home of Longleat, in south-west England, where a safari park had been started, and I remember how excited I was at the sight of giraffes grazing in the park, which was landscaped in the mid 18th century. They looked perfectly matched to their surroundings. Although there were no elephants at Longleat, it was easy to imagine that there might have been; and maybe this thought eventually gave rise to that part of The Elephant Keeper set on a country estate.
During my twenties and thirties I began to collect old natural history books, especially those of the 19th and late 18th centuries - which I loved (and still love) for their eccentric illustrations and wonderfully romantic language. When I began to write the novel, one of my aims was simply to enjoy swimming in some 18th century language. The first draft was written in a whirl & probably took no more than six months, but there was a lot of reworking and rewriting. I carried out a good deal of library research into obscure 18th century texts on such matters as veterinary science, horse-breeding, gout, and I visited a number of 18th century estates for descriptive detail. The great country house and deer park at Petworth, in southern England, had some influence on the deer park in the novel. I also spent time with two elephant keepers at a zoo that held, in addition to several female elephants, a very large male. Male elephants are dangerous creatures; this one was not only ill-tempered but half-mad. I learnt a lot about the phenomenon of ‘must’ or ‘musth’, in which male elephants are attacked by a kind of frenzy; I used this in the novel.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
GIVEAWAY: The Elephant Keeper

Friday, July 16, 2010
How does your garden grow?

Thursday, July 8, 2010
To Kill a Mockingbird Anniversary

Thanks to my friends at Harper Perennial for reminding me that Sunday, July 11 is the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. They are making a big celebration out of it here, including the publication of a special 50th anniversary edition. I couldn't let this pass by without a mention. What a special and spectacular book. And what about Gregory Peck in the movie? So powerful. I think To Kill a Mockingbird may be the only instance in the history of turning books into movies that the movie actually does the book justice.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Letters with Character
So, lately this blog has become primarily a book blog! I don't mind, do you? I think most of my readers are...readers! Anyway, I'm here today with some more book news and another giveaway!
Yesterday, I learned of a new campaign from Harper Perennial that combines two of my very favorite things: letters (or letter-writing) and books! To celebrate publication of Ben Greenman's What He's Poised to Do, Harper Perennial launched Letters With Character: An Interactive Literary Environment. The idea is to write a letter to a fictional book character. Anyone from literature that you'd love to introduce yourself to, or that you have a bone to pick with, or just have some things to say to. Isn't that a cool idea? I know there's a fair share of book characters who really stuck with me after I finished their story and I think this would be a really cool exercise.
So, read on for all the details on how to submit your letter to the project. And, if you leave me a comment telling me what character you'd write to, I'll enter you in a chance to win a copy of Greenman's book. (Big thanks to Amy at Harper Perennial for offering to give both me and one lucky reader a copy of this book of short stories!) Deadline for the giveaway is midnight on Friday, May 21, 2010.
OK, read the full project description below. I'm off to think about who I'd write to (kids lit counts too!) ;-)
Harper Perennial presents
LETTERS WITH CHARACTER
An Interactive Literary Environment
On the occasion of the publication of Ben Greenman’s What He’s Poised to Do (Harper Perennial, On Sale: June 15, 2010) we invite you to celebrate the art of correspondence and WRITE A LETTER TO A FAMOUS FICTIONAL CHARACTER
Before there was any fiction at all, there were letters. For centuries, letters were the only way for people in different locations to communicate with each other. But letters have also become a rich and complex element of the best literary fiction. The acclaimed author Ben Greenman explores how letters function in life, as well as how they function in fiction in his new collection of inter-linked stories What He's Poised to Do.
"Ben Greenman's masterwork of stories inspired by letters offers
fresh insight into the mysteries of intimacy."
--Simon Van Booy.
On the occasion of the book's publication, and in celebration of the art of the letter as a form of fiction, Harper Perennial invites you to participate in its Letters With Character campaign, and to write a letter to a fictional character. The letters can be funny, sad, demanding, fanciful, declarative, or trivial. They can be about a novel, a short story, or a children's book, works both literary or popular. There is only one requirement: They must be written by a real person and must also address an unreal one.
The best, most interesting, strangest, and most moving letters will be collected on LettersWithCharacter.blogspot.com.Visit the site to see a selection of those that have already been written: a romantic appeal to Captain Ahab, a moving consideration of middle age addressed to a Garcia Marquez heroine, a hilarious challenge to Agatha Christie's famed detective Hercule Poirot.
And feel free to submit your own letters to LettersWithCharacter@gmail.com
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Review: The Queen of Palmyra

Friday, March 26, 2010
Book Giveaway!
It All Changed in an Instant is a collection of six-word memoirs, penned by authors known and unknown. Some of the more famous who stepped up to this daunting task include: Sarah Silverman, Neil Patrick Harris, Suze Orman, and Tony Hawk. The biographical blurbs are honest, open and run the spectrum of serious to hilarious to poignant and inspiring. All wrapped up into one book, it's an easy, enjoyable read and fun to just flip through and read aloud with someone.
She left me for the librarian. Chris Clark
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Books NOT Read...






Sunday, July 26, 2009
Angry Reads!
- Tantrums
- Anger
- and Frustration, oh my!
"No" has been present in his vocabulary for over a year now, but the volume at which it is said is really cranked up these days. If what we want to hear is "Yeah, I want to", instead the response we get is "But, I don't want to".
Shoes and socks are now dangerous projectiles. Warnings are ignored; and, time-outs are less effective now--they almost seem to rev up his anger, causing further outbursts and stress.
Turning to books for advice, tactics, and insight into this behavior has reminded me to:
~take extra note of his good behavior
~focus on being compassionate and calm even as the shoes are flying into the front seat of the car on our way home from a playdate
~spend less time and energy enforcing time-outs, instead focusing on modeling "cool-down" tactics and teaching words to express frustration
Here's a handful of books I've found helpful without being preachy. J enjoys them too, just as any other "regular" story about trucks or trains or animals.

This one's great because it isn't corny, it gets J to laugh at Mouse's situation, it shows how NOT to deal with anger, and then it models a fantastic cool-down technique--taking deep breaths.
So simple! Now, when I see J revving up, I go straight to "Remember Mouse? When he was mad, he took some deep breaths and then felt much better. Why don't you try?" I do it with him and then when he's calmed a bit, I jokingly remind him of how Mouse got so hopping mad that he fell into a "mucky mud puddle". He thinks that phrase is hilarious.

While I'm happy to say that kicking isn't an issue in our house, I know it can be an outlet for frustration and anger. This book is cute because it's a simple board book that reminds you of all the fun stuff you can do with your feet: running, jumping, kicking a pile of leaves. If you have a younger toddler struggling with hitting and kicking, I think this would be helpful.

When Sophie gets really angry, you can see it in her eyes! The illustrations make sure of that--there's a two-page spread of just Sophie's angry face!
Instead of lashing out, Sophie takes off running to vent her frustration and clear her head. Obviously an older child, Sophie and her particular situation and solution don't resonate all that well with J. But, I like this Caldecott Honor book because of the color and vibrancy with which it depicts anger, frustration, and eventually: THE CALM.
Lastly, I'll leave you with some lyrics from the great Jim Gill. (Give him a guitar and a room full of kids and he'll have them laughing, singing, dancing and doing whatever he tells them to in no time!) He has a cute song called Hands Are for Clapping, which J likes to dance along to. Besides being fun, this song gives me ammunition when I need to remind J that hands are not for hitting!
Hands are for clapping
Clapping to this song
Hands are for clapping
Let's all clap along
Toes are for tapping...
Knees are for slapping...
Fingers are for snapping...
Teeth are for brushing....
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Midweek Peek

During J's naptimes this week, I've been heading out to our deck to sit in the breezy shade and read a sweet, gentle non-fiction book entitled Remember the Sweet Things by Ellen Greene.
Greene writes with candor and humor about her list of "sweet things"--the kind, loving, and goofy things her husband did for her during their 20 years of marriage. The book is much more than just a recounting of the list. It reads much like a memoir. Something about it--the setting, the tone, the characters-- reminds me of Richard Russo's Empire Falls. But, maybe it's just that Greene likens her husband to Paul Newman, who played the cantankerous Max Roby in the HBO film. Anyway, it's such a nice premise and a timely read, as C and just celebrated our wedding anniversary.
Well, speaking of sweet things, I'll leave you with the news that I've got another giveaway coming up! It was my hope to do it as an accompaniment to Children's Book Week but I didn't get my act together in time. Hopefully, I can launch it later this week, so stay tuned!!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Children's Book Week
A few of this year's nominees:



Friday, April 24, 2009
Got Books?
Check out this video of a Biblioburro in Columbia. Yes, it's a donkey bookmobile!
What an amazing effort to get books--a variety of books--into the hands, minds, and imaginations of the children here. I don't even know what else to say. It definitely gives me pause as a user and employee of the #1 rated library in the nation.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Writer Mama Winner

Monday, March 16, 2009
The Writer Mama is Here!
I'm honored to have been selected to host Christina Katz, author of Writer Mama, today. If you haven't read Writer Mama, it's a must. (Read on to see how you can win a copy!) This little book, just shy of 300 pages, packs a punch! Christina guides readers through the writing process with wisdom and advice, humor and clarity, confidence and encouragement.
One point from the book that really resonated with me was the idea of hats. (Yes, hats!) As mamas, we are used to wearing different hats as our children grow: disciplinarian, cheerleader, nutritionist, storyteller. Christina realized that the same is true of writers. As your writing career grows, you've got to be your own disciplinarian and cheerleader while also trying on the hats of: accountant, researcher, editor, marketer.
Christina's daily posts throughout this blog tour not only express this concept but also explore how to succeed in each of those roles throughout the book-writing process. And, today it continues with advice on first drafts. Enjoy!

Post #16: The Nonfiction Book Writing Process: The First Draft
How organized of a writer are you? Do you have an orderly writing practice that works for you?
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Read Your Way Through... My New Favorites
(Also, this post is dedicated to Cheryl who is abroad with limited access to beloved new picture books! ;))
~~~
Antoinette Portis crafts a wonderful story of curiosity in A Penguin Story. These penguins only know the white ice, the black night and the blue sea, but Edna can just feel that there is something more. She's not deterred when her friends and family aren't interested in joining in on her quest, and how rewarding it ends up being!

Not All Animals Are Blue by Beatrice Boutignon immediately captured my interest with its unique presentation. Text on the left corresponds with illustrations on the right, as readers are encouraged to linger on the artwork, noting similarities and differences between the animals pictured. Sort of a "one of these things is not like the other" concept, yet done in a way that more inclines the reader to imagine a story behind each animal.

Birds by Kevin Henkes is funny, poetic, imaginative and so vividly illustrated. A wonderful new accomplishment from the husband-wife/author-illustrator team of Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek.

How Many Baby Pandas? by Sandra Markle
Part counting tale, part juvenile non-fiction, this book is full of adorable photographs of pandas as well as interesting facts. It documents a panda baby boom at the Wolong Giant Panda Breeding Center, where, in 2005, giant pandas gave birth to 16 cubs, including two sets of twins!
The nice thing about this book is that it can be read as a simple counting story for younger children, but would also be quite useful and interesting for older kids learning about pandas.

The next installment of Read Your Way Through will actually be a "Click" Your Way Through, as I showcase a cute new title available on Lookybook! Happy reading!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
New Blog Series Coming!
The series will be called Read Your Way Through ____. The blank being some aspect of parenting, toddlerhood, or child-rearing that we are apt to confront at some point. My basic intent to offer reviews and recommendations of books to get you and your child through the sweet, fun, chaotic, silly, special and challenging moments. The focus will most likely be picture books, but who knows... I am quite the "How To" non-fiction reader so I'll no doubt have some "adult" recommendations too, as they apply. Maybe I'll get crazy and throw in a web site every now and then, too!
In my planning, I've arranged a selection of stages, traits and milestones that is pretty lengthy and quite varied, with the intent of keeping things somewhat universal and relevant to many of our lives. Of course, I welcome topic suggestions too.
Stay tuned!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Maisy in my mailbox!
Friday, January 2, 2009
Top 5
This 2005 Caldecott Medal winner is just too fun to pass up. Kitten is so adorable, as is the adventure she goes on as she tries to reach that big bowl of milk in the sky.