Part two of the best books I read this past year will focus on nonfiction. I read a lot more fiction than nonfiction, so this will be a shorter list, but it was hard to pick favorites because they were all quite good.
Out of the eleven works of nonfiction I read this year, I think my favorites would have to be these two:
The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible by A.J. Jacobs
Jacobs is both funny and earnest in his pursuit, and his account of this year is very entertaining as well as enlightening. I love people like Jacobs, who jump so completely into a project, and I love people like his wife, who bring people like Jacobs back to earth with firm, funny, needed reminders of what's truly important.
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
A friend lent me her copy of this memoir, telling me it was a facinating read. I'm not big on stories of horrible childhoods, but this book is much more than that. Wow, what a childhood! Walls' parents were brilliant, self-absorbed, creative, neglectful, and eccentric idealists. Walls writes about them and about her growing-up years truthfully, from her point-of-view as a child, living in this sometimes confusing, often dangerous, always exciting family. It's facinating, heartbreaking and inspiring. (Are those enough adjectives for you?)
Honorable mention goes to many of the others I read this year:
The Soup Peddler's Slow and Difficult Soups: Recipes & Reveries by David Ansel
Cool book. Yummy soups! Jen and I made one together.
Heart in the Right Place by Carolyn Jourdan
You can read my review of this book here.
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia by Elizabeth Gilbert
Gilbert's search for self is funny, honest, and sweet. (Of course I loved the Eat section the best.)
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang
What a neat graphic memoir for young adults.
Dreams from My Father by Barack Obama
I loved reading this memoir of his childhood and young adulthood, exploring identity and race. Really thoughtful, insightful, and honest, as well as funny at times and touching -- not in an overly sentimental way, but in a quiet and important way, if that makes sense.
French Milk by Lucy Knisley
This graphic memoir of a mother/daughter trip to Paris brought me back to my year in France, and I'm grateful to Knisley for the lovely visit!
Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas by John Baxter
Another vicarious trip to Paris for me, and a perfect book to read in December. Slowed me down again when things got hectic.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
My Best of 2008: Fiction
How do I write this post? I've been avoiding it for almost a month now. Choosing my favorite books read this year has been a delightful challenge. I read some really good stuff.
I've taken my friend Jennifer's idea and decided to split this into three different posts: favorite fiction, favorite nonfiction, and favorite literature for young people. (This way, I can include more books and won't have to cut my list too ruthlessly.)
My absolute favorite of this year is actually not a choice. It's an "of course, what else would it be?" The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a wonder. If you haven't read it yet, you must. Now to the challenging picks....
Favorite Fiction
If The Book Thief belongs in a category all its own (Almighty Winner of 2008, perhaps?), then the first place prize for my favorite fiction books has to be split between these two:
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
I scooped these stories up like spoonfuls of ice cream. Well, no, not exactly like ice cream. They go down easy, but they aren't happy stories. Many of them are painful or melancholy, but she writes them so beautifully that they made me happy. I'd read one and then sit with it awhile. Lahiri shows exactly what a great storyteller can do.
The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe
My Uncle Charlie introduced me to this lovely novel. Again, the story is painful and melancholy, but the telling is gorgeous. I was so engrossed in this book that I dreamed of the characters and settings every night that I read it.
Second place for fiction goes to these three winners:
Hens Dancing by Rafaella Barker
Now, this one was a happy book. It's perhaps the book that made me laugh out loud the most this year, and for that it gets second place. It's written in a wonderful style with a great voice: Venetia is a hoot.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
I smiled my way through this novella. It's smart and funny and an absolute treat for a book lover.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
"A book that's fun to read, and that teaches you something" -- that's how this one was described at Conversation with Books this year, an annual event put on by my alma mater. I loved this very satisfying epistolary novel, and I expect I'll reread it someday. I borrowed Jennifer's copy, but I think I'll get the paperback when it comes out.
Honorable Mention:
The Girls by Lori Lansens
Conjoined twins?? Yes!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Rightly a classic. I put it here, but it is often categorized as YA lit.
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Stories of an important book -- a work of art -- and the people whose hands it passes through.
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Historical mystery (before and after World War I in England); a great start to the series. I want to learn more about Maisie.
Donna Leon's Inspector Guido Brunetti mysteries
I love spending time in modern-day Venice with Brunetti (and his family). I read the first three this past year.
I've taken my friend Jennifer's idea and decided to split this into three different posts: favorite fiction, favorite nonfiction, and favorite literature for young people. (This way, I can include more books and won't have to cut my list too ruthlessly.)
My absolute favorite of this year is actually not a choice. It's an "of course, what else would it be?" The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a wonder. If you haven't read it yet, you must. Now to the challenging picks....
Favorite Fiction
If The Book Thief belongs in a category all its own (Almighty Winner of 2008, perhaps?), then the first place prize for my favorite fiction books has to be split between these two:
Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri
I scooped these stories up like spoonfuls of ice cream. Well, no, not exactly like ice cream. They go down easy, but they aren't happy stories. Many of them are painful or melancholy, but she writes them so beautifully that they made me happy. I'd read one and then sit with it awhile. Lahiri shows exactly what a great storyteller can do.
The Rain Before It Falls by Jonathan Coe
My Uncle Charlie introduced me to this lovely novel. Again, the story is painful and melancholy, but the telling is gorgeous. I was so engrossed in this book that I dreamed of the characters and settings every night that I read it.
Second place for fiction goes to these three winners:
Hens Dancing by Rafaella Barker
Now, this one was a happy book. It's perhaps the book that made me laugh out loud the most this year, and for that it gets second place. It's written in a wonderful style with a great voice: Venetia is a hoot.
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
I smiled my way through this novella. It's smart and funny and an absolute treat for a book lover.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
"A book that's fun to read, and that teaches you something" -- that's how this one was described at Conversation with Books this year, an annual event put on by my alma mater. I loved this very satisfying epistolary novel, and I expect I'll reread it someday. I borrowed Jennifer's copy, but I think I'll get the paperback when it comes out.
Honorable Mention:
The Girls by Lori Lansens
Conjoined twins?? Yes!
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Rightly a classic. I put it here, but it is often categorized as YA lit.
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
Stories of an important book -- a work of art -- and the people whose hands it passes through.
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear
Historical mystery (before and after World War I in England); a great start to the series. I want to learn more about Maisie.
Donna Leon's Inspector Guido Brunetti mysteries
I love spending time in modern-day Venice with Brunetti (and his family). I read the first three this past year.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What I Read in 2008
1. The Year of Living Biblically (A.J. Jacobs)
2. The Sweet Far Thing (Libba Bray)
3. Mr. Popper's Penguins (Richard Atwater)
4. A Book of Coupons (Susie Morgenstern)
5. Summer (Edith Wharton)
6. The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse (Bruce Hale)
7. The Soup Peddler's Slow & Difficult Soups (David Ansel)
8. Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren)
9. Death at La Fenice (Donna Leon)
10. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup (Sharon Creech)
11. Pleasing the Ghost (Sharon Creech)
12. Heart in the Right Place (Carolyn Jourdan)
13. Secret Letters from 0 to 10 (Susie Morgenstern)
14. Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)
15. The Thirteenth Tale (Diane Setterfield)
16. Death in a Strange Country (Donna Leon)
17. The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin)
18. Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)
19. Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)
20. The Girls (Lori Lansens)
21. The Crucible (Arthur Miller)
22. The Painted Veil (W. Somerset Maugham)
23. The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) (Ellen Raskin)
24. American Born Chinese (Gene Luen Yang)
25. Words Under the Words (Naomi Shihab Nye)
26. Garden Spells (Sarah Addison Allen)
27. Lulu's Hat (Susan Meddaugh)
28. Frindle (Andrew Clements)
29. The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 (Christopher Paul Curtis)
30. Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh)
31. The Mystery Guest (Gregoire Bouillier)
32. Project Mulberry (Linda Sue Park)
33. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
34. Hens Dancing (Raffaella Barker)
35. The Abbess of Crewe (Muriel Spark)
36. The Landry News (Andrew Clements)
37. The Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls)
38. Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize (Patrice Vecchione)
39. Mouse Guard #1: Fall 1152 (David Petersen)
40. If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (Erma Bombeck)
41. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (Christopher Moore)
42. The Victorian Chaise-Longue (Marghanita Laski)
43. Habibi (Naomi Shihab Nye)
44. Warriors #3: Forest of Secrets (Erin Hunter)
45. Gods in Alabama (Joshilyn Jackson)
46. Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize (John Hollander)
47. Three Good Deeds (Vivian Vande Velde)
48. Punished! (David Lubar)
49. The Penderwicks (Jeanne Birdsall)
50. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
51. Empress Orchid (Anchee Min)
52. James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl)
53. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (Jeanne Birdsall)
54. Little Vampire, Volume 1 (Joann Sfar)
55. People of the Book (Geraldine Brooks)
56. Paddington Here and Now (Michael Bond)
57. The Uncommon Reader (Alan Bennett)
58. Dreams from My Father (Barack Obama)
59. Dressed for Death (Donna Leon)
60. The Lace Reader (Brunonia Barry)
61. Esperanza Rising (Pam Munoz Ryan)
62. Babymouse #1, #2, & #3 (Jennifer Holm & Matt Holm)
63. Maisie Dobbs (Jacqueline Winspear)
64. Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Avi)
65. The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart)
66. Everything on a Waffle (Polly Horvath)
67. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
68. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows)
69. The Rain Before It Falls (Jonathan Coe)
70. French Milk (Lucy Knisley)
71. Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas (John Baxter)
2. The Sweet Far Thing (Libba Bray)
3. Mr. Popper's Penguins (Richard Atwater)
4. A Book of Coupons (Susie Morgenstern)
5. Summer (Edith Wharton)
6. The Chameleon Wore Chartreuse (Bruce Hale)
7. The Soup Peddler's Slow & Difficult Soups (David Ansel)
8. Pippi Longstocking (Astrid Lindgren)
9. Death at La Fenice (Donna Leon)
10. Granny Torrelli Makes Soup (Sharon Creech)
11. Pleasing the Ghost (Sharon Creech)
12. Heart in the Right Place (Carolyn Jourdan)
13. Secret Letters from 0 to 10 (Susie Morgenstern)
14. Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen)
15. The Thirteenth Tale (Diane Setterfield)
16. Death in a Strange Country (Donna Leon)
17. The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin)
18. Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert)
19. Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)
20. The Girls (Lori Lansens)
21. The Crucible (Arthur Miller)
22. The Painted Veil (W. Somerset Maugham)
23. The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) (Ellen Raskin)
24. American Born Chinese (Gene Luen Yang)
25. Words Under the Words (Naomi Shihab Nye)
26. Garden Spells (Sarah Addison Allen)
27. Lulu's Hat (Susan Meddaugh)
28. Frindle (Andrew Clements)
29. The Watsons Go to Birmingham -- 1963 (Christopher Paul Curtis)
30. Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh)
31. The Mystery Guest (Gregoire Bouillier)
32. Project Mulberry (Linda Sue Park)
33. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
34. Hens Dancing (Raffaella Barker)
35. The Abbess of Crewe (Muriel Spark)
36. The Landry News (Andrew Clements)
37. The Glass Castle (Jeannette Walls)
38. Whisper and Shout: Poems to Memorize (Patrice Vecchione)
39. Mouse Guard #1: Fall 1152 (David Petersen)
40. If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits? (Erma Bombeck)
41. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal (Christopher Moore)
42. The Victorian Chaise-Longue (Marghanita Laski)
43. Habibi (Naomi Shihab Nye)
44. Warriors #3: Forest of Secrets (Erin Hunter)
45. Gods in Alabama (Joshilyn Jackson)
46. Committed to Memory: 100 Best Poems to Memorize (John Hollander)
47. Three Good Deeds (Vivian Vande Velde)
48. Punished! (David Lubar)
49. The Penderwicks (Jeanne Birdsall)
50. The Book Thief (Markus Zusak)
51. Empress Orchid (Anchee Min)
52. James and the Giant Peach (Roald Dahl)
53. The Penderwicks on Gardam Street (Jeanne Birdsall)
54. Little Vampire, Volume 1 (Joann Sfar)
55. People of the Book (Geraldine Brooks)
56. Paddington Here and Now (Michael Bond)
57. The Uncommon Reader (Alan Bennett)
58. Dreams from My Father (Barack Obama)
59. Dressed for Death (Donna Leon)
60. The Lace Reader (Brunonia Barry)
61. Esperanza Rising (Pam Munoz Ryan)
62. Babymouse #1, #2, & #3 (Jennifer Holm & Matt Holm)
63. Maisie Dobbs (Jacqueline Winspear)
64. Crispin: The Cross of Lead (Avi)
65. The Mysterious Benedict Society (Trenton Lee Stewart)
66. Everything on a Waffle (Polly Horvath)
67. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
68. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows)
69. The Rain Before It Falls (Jonathan Coe)
70. French Milk (Lucy Knisley)
71. Immoveable Feast: A Paris Christmas (John Baxter)
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Christmas Book Stacks, 2008
Finally, I'm posting our book stacks from this Christmas. I had such fun putting them together. I got some at a local used bookstore, several used from Powell's, and many through the kids' Scholastic book orders. Most of them are paperback copies. I picked a few of the past year's favorites to add to the family library, as well as some new books to explore.
Without further ado, here they are!
Skye's stack:
~ Two Warriors Manga books: She devoured them both over break.
~ Stink #3: Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers: Ditto the above.
~ Schooling Around: Treasure Fever: "I loved this book! It had a school that was crazy and a teacher that taught them fun things instead of their regular lessons."
~ The Ghost, the White House, and Me: In honor of a new president.
~ The Name of This Book Is Secret: Looks neat, in a Mysterious Benedict Society sort of way.
~ Salsa Stories: Could be a fun one for us to read together - and cook some of the recipes afterwards.
~ Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat: I love the rat crawling along the margins, flip-book style.
~ Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism: I keep hearing about this one; I think we should read it together.
~ Rocks & Minerals: A cheapie Scholastic science book.
~ Every Minute on Earth: Skye gives this one an A++++, "'cause it has cool facts."
~ The Giving Book: It would be fun for her to go through this one sometime this year. There are several of these books, so if she likes it, maybe next year...
~ My Amazing Book of... Autographs!: I found this one at the used book store. It was published in 1974, and hasn't been written in at all! (This was Skye's extra-special book this year.)
Felix's stack:
~ Legend of Zelda Manga, Volumes #1 & #2: Link from the Legend of Zelda is his favorite character for pretend. These books help fuel that magic.
~ Who Stole the Cookies?: A cheapie Scholastic book based on the children's rhyme/game. He loves it.
~ The Little Penguin: Penguins are a favorite animal around here.
~ Scaredy Squirrel: This one is a big hit. I can't wait to explore more Scaredy Squirrel books with him.
~ Say Hola to Spanish and Say Hola Otra Vez: These rhyming books looked like a fun way to introduce another language.
~ Sun Is Falling, Night Is Calling: A sweet bedtime read - you can never have too many of those!
~ Anno’s Journey: I've been waiting for Felix to be old enough to enjoy this one; I love the illustrations.
~ Skippyjon Jones, Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble, and Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse: These are the best read-alouds!
~ The Little Red Bird: He loves this story and asks for it again and again.
~ Otto Runs For President: In honor of a new president.
~ I Love My Little Storybook: I love books about loving books!
~ Henry’s Amazing Imagination: I met the author, Nancy Carlson, at our local independent children's bookstore. It was great to chat with her, and she signed this book to Felix, including a cool illustration. (This was Felix's extra-special book this year.)
This year, we continued the tradition of opening the book stacks last on Christmas morning. The past two years, we took our time with them, opening one or two at different moments of the day. It was a nice, calm way to keep the surprises coming.
But when Skye started in on her stack this year, there was no stopping her. I watched with delight as she tore through the wrapping paper, exclaiming with glee at her discoveries. She then went to work with Felix on his stack, happily announcing each new title to him. I loved seeing her so excited about this, and it was such a treat to see the kids going to the two piles throughout the day to enjoy the new reads.
Because we love books around here so much, Santa knew to bring us a few:
For Skye:
~ The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil
~ The Klutz Encyclopedia of Immaturity: Santa hit the jackpot with this one. She's picked it up every day since Christmas.
For Felix:
~ Snowmen at Night
~ 365 Penguins: Skye loves reading this one to Felix.
For our whole family:
~ Free to Be You and Me and Free to Be a Family
~ Poetry Speaks to Children
And Mom just doesn't know when to quit, so the kids got these extras:
Night before Christmas gift:
To Skye:
~ When Santa Fell to Earth
~ The Christmas Party from the Black Lagoon
~ 101 Holiday Jokes
To Felix:
~ Deck the Halls
~ Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
~ You Can Do It, Sam
From Mom & Dad to kids on Christmas morning:
~ The Gingerbread Man with pictures by Karen Schmidt
~ The Gingerbread Man, retold by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock
~ The Gingerbread Girl, Lisa Campbell Ernst
~ Gingerbread Baby, Jan Brett
Winter break involved lots of reading time this year. It's been great having these stacks of books to entertain us during this cold, snowy winter.
Without further ado, here they are!
Skye's stack:
~ Two Warriors Manga books: She devoured them both over break.
~ Stink #3: Stink and the World's Worst Super-Stinky Sneakers: Ditto the above.
~ Schooling Around: Treasure Fever: "I loved this book! It had a school that was crazy and a teacher that taught them fun things instead of their regular lessons."
~ The Ghost, the White House, and Me: In honor of a new president.
~ The Name of This Book Is Secret: Looks neat, in a Mysterious Benedict Society sort of way.
~ Salsa Stories: Could be a fun one for us to read together - and cook some of the recipes afterwards.
~ Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat: I love the rat crawling along the margins, flip-book style.
~ Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism: I keep hearing about this one; I think we should read it together.
~ Rocks & Minerals: A cheapie Scholastic science book.
~ Every Minute on Earth: Skye gives this one an A++++, "'cause it has cool facts."
~ The Giving Book: It would be fun for her to go through this one sometime this year. There are several of these books, so if she likes it, maybe next year...
~ My Amazing Book of... Autographs!: I found this one at the used book store. It was published in 1974, and hasn't been written in at all! (This was Skye's extra-special book this year.)
Felix's stack:
~ Legend of Zelda Manga, Volumes #1 & #2: Link from the Legend of Zelda is his favorite character for pretend. These books help fuel that magic.
~ Who Stole the Cookies?: A cheapie Scholastic book based on the children's rhyme/game. He loves it.
~ The Little Penguin: Penguins are a favorite animal around here.
~ Scaredy Squirrel: This one is a big hit. I can't wait to explore more Scaredy Squirrel books with him.
~ Say Hola to Spanish and Say Hola Otra Vez: These rhyming books looked like a fun way to introduce another language.
~ Sun Is Falling, Night Is Calling: A sweet bedtime read - you can never have too many of those!
~ Anno’s Journey: I've been waiting for Felix to be old enough to enjoy this one; I love the illustrations.
~ Skippyjon Jones, Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble, and Skippyjon Jones in the Doghouse: These are the best read-alouds!
~ The Little Red Bird: He loves this story and asks for it again and again.
~ Otto Runs For President: In honor of a new president.
~ I Love My Little Storybook: I love books about loving books!
~ Henry’s Amazing Imagination: I met the author, Nancy Carlson, at our local independent children's bookstore. It was great to chat with her, and she signed this book to Felix, including a cool illustration. (This was Felix's extra-special book this year.)
This year, we continued the tradition of opening the book stacks last on Christmas morning. The past two years, we took our time with them, opening one or two at different moments of the day. It was a nice, calm way to keep the surprises coming.
But when Skye started in on her stack this year, there was no stopping her. I watched with delight as she tore through the wrapping paper, exclaiming with glee at her discoveries. She then went to work with Felix on his stack, happily announcing each new title to him. I loved seeing her so excited about this, and it was such a treat to see the kids going to the two piles throughout the day to enjoy the new reads.
Because we love books around here so much, Santa knew to bring us a few:
For Skye:
~ The Extraordinary Adventures of Ordinary Basil
~ The Klutz Encyclopedia of Immaturity: Santa hit the jackpot with this one. She's picked it up every day since Christmas.
For Felix:
~ Snowmen at Night
~ 365 Penguins: Skye loves reading this one to Felix.
For our whole family:
~ Free to Be You and Me and Free to Be a Family
~ Poetry Speaks to Children
And Mom just doesn't know when to quit, so the kids got these extras:
Night before Christmas gift:
To Skye:
~ When Santa Fell to Earth
~ The Christmas Party from the Black Lagoon
~ 101 Holiday Jokes
To Felix:
~ Deck the Halls
~ Toot & Puddle: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
~ You Can Do It, Sam
From Mom & Dad to kids on Christmas morning:
~ The Gingerbread Man with pictures by Karen Schmidt
~ The Gingerbread Man, retold by Jim Aylesworth, illustrated by Barbara McClintock
~ The Gingerbread Girl, Lisa Campbell Ernst
~ Gingerbread Baby, Jan Brett
Winter break involved lots of reading time this year. It's been great having these stacks of books to entertain us during this cold, snowy winter.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Felix recommends... (Autumn '08)
Felix and I are enjoyed books about fall and Halloween this season.
Favorite fall books:
~ Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
~ Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf, also by Lois Ehlert
~ Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber with beautiful illustrations by Leslie Evans
Favorite Halloween books:
~ Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
~ Boo! Made You Jump! by Lauren Child (a Charlie and Lola book)
~ Halloween Bugs by David A. Carter
Other favorites:
~ Mrs. McNosh books (Sarah Weeks)
~ the Froggy books (Jonathan London)
~ Fireman Small (Wong Herbert Yee)
A wonderful new discovery was author Amy Hest. Felix loved both her books about Baby Duck and about a little bear named Sam. I love that Baby Duck makes up songs, and they don't necessarily rhyme or have a particular form. They remind me of the songs in the Frances books, very true to what a little kid would create. The illustrations in the Sam books, done by Anita Jeram, are gorgeous. I love her artwork.
Favorite fall books:
~ Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert
~ Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf, also by Lois Ehlert
~ Leaf Jumpers by Carole Gerber with beautiful illustrations by Leslie Evans
Favorite Halloween books:
~ Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler
~ Boo! Made You Jump! by Lauren Child (a Charlie and Lola book)
~ Halloween Bugs by David A. Carter
Other favorites:
~ Mrs. McNosh books (Sarah Weeks)
~ the Froggy books (Jonathan London)
~ Fireman Small (Wong Herbert Yee)
A wonderful new discovery was author Amy Hest. Felix loved both her books about Baby Duck and about a little bear named Sam. I love that Baby Duck makes up songs, and they don't necessarily rhyme or have a particular form. They remind me of the songs in the Frances books, very true to what a little kid would create. The illustrations in the Sam books, done by Anita Jeram, are gorgeous. I love her artwork.
Skye recommends... (Autumn '08)
For our mother-daughter book group, we read:
~ The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, Jeanne Birdsall
~ Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan
~ The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart
We recommend them all!
On her own, Skye read Lunch Money by Andrew Clements, which inspired her to open a savings account and think of money-making tasks she could do. She also enjoyed Paddington Here and Now, the only book on the Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlist that we could find at our library. She said, "This book is a very calming one to read, Mom. It makes me feel peaceful." I read it, too, and I think it's the London atmosphere -- "Let's have elevenses!" -- she's describing. Pretty sweet!
Other highlights this season were the Babymouse graphic novels and Bailey School Kids books for quick reads. She loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid and read it in one afternoon. She also enjoyed a re-read of Bunnicula.
~ The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, Jeanne Birdsall
~ Esperanza Rising, Pam Munoz Ryan
~ The Mysterious Benedict Society, Trenton Lee Stewart
We recommend them all!
On her own, Skye read Lunch Money by Andrew Clements, which inspired her to open a savings account and think of money-making tasks she could do. She also enjoyed Paddington Here and Now, the only book on the Roald Dahl Funny Prize shortlist that we could find at our library. She said, "This book is a very calming one to read, Mom. It makes me feel peaceful." I read it, too, and I think it's the London atmosphere -- "Let's have elevenses!" -- she's describing. Pretty sweet!
Other highlights this season were the Babymouse graphic novels and Bailey School Kids books for quick reads. She loved Diary of a Wimpy Kid and read it in one afternoon. She also enjoyed a re-read of Bunnicula.
Friday, January 02, 2009
Felix recommends... (Summer '08)
This summer, the kids and I read lots of books together. We did some themes (caterpillars/butterflies, chickens & ducks, birds) and Felix found a few favorites in these categories:
~ Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel & Nick Bruel
~ the Duck in the Truck books by Jez Alborough
~ Little Red Bird by Nick Bruel
We read a lot from the 20th Century Children's Book Treasury, and everything Mo Willems was a reading staple. (He's got some great beginning reader books now featuring Elephant and Piggie.)
More of Felix's summer faves:
~ The Little Cat Baby by Allan Ahlberg
~ Silly School by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
~ Max's Bunny Business by Rosemary Wells
~ the Skippyjon Jones books by Judy Schachner
~ Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel & Nick Bruel
~ the Duck in the Truck books by Jez Alborough
~ Little Red Bird by Nick Bruel
We read a lot from the 20th Century Children's Book Treasury, and everything Mo Willems was a reading staple. (He's got some great beginning reader books now featuring Elephant and Piggie.)
More of Felix's summer faves:
~ The Little Cat Baby by Allan Ahlberg
~ Silly School by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
~ Max's Bunny Business by Rosemary Wells
~ the Skippyjon Jones books by Judy Schachner
Skye recommmends... (Summer '08)
This summer, Skye browsed through books about pet birds (she really wants a bird!), beginning knitting books (she's hoping to learn soon), Garfield comics, joke and riddle books, and books of magic tricks. She read easy series chapter books (Beast Quest, Pokemon), Warriors graphic novels, and a couple of titles nominated for the Maud Hart Lovelace award (Three Good Deeds and Punished!).
Together, we read Forest of Secrets, the third Warriors cats book. For me, this was the best one yet. I just checked, and it looks like this one was written by a different author from the first two, so maybe this is why. (The Warriors books are written my several writers; go here and click on "Meet Erin Hunter" to learn more about them.)
Our most exciting reading news this summer is that we started a mother-daughter book group! We are both really enjoying it. All of the titles we read and discussed this summer were excellent and made for great gatherings:
~ Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
~ Frindle by Andrew Clements
~ The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
(More later on these titles and our meetings!)
Together, we read Forest of Secrets, the third Warriors cats book. For me, this was the best one yet. I just checked, and it looks like this one was written by a different author from the first two, so maybe this is why. (The Warriors books are written my several writers; go here and click on "Meet Erin Hunter" to learn more about them.)
Our most exciting reading news this summer is that we started a mother-daughter book group! We are both really enjoying it. All of the titles we read and discussed this summer were excellent and made for great gatherings:
~ Project Mulberry by Linda Sue Park
~ Frindle by Andrew Clements
~ The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
(More later on these titles and our meetings!)
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Readolution #12
12. I will organize my book shelves, and find a new home for some of my books.
This was my last readolution for 2008. What a fun one! I didn't find much time for it, but this is a great task to carry over into 2009.
I'd love to have a place for books in each room of the house. I think I somewhat have that now, but I'd like to make these places more deliberate, as well as practical. Ah, that never-ending project: home organization!
This was my last readolution for 2008. What a fun one! I didn't find much time for it, but this is a great task to carry over into 2009.
I'd love to have a place for books in each room of the house. I think I somewhat have that now, but I'd like to make these places more deliberate, as well as practical. Ah, that never-ending project: home organization!
Readolutions #10 & #11
10. I will buy fewer books.
Ha.
11. When I buy books, I will do my best to buy independent/used, or to buy in support of a charity (public library, school, etc.).
I did quite well with this one. Always room to improve, of course.
I am going to reevaluate both of these goals for 2009. For one thing, I really don't believe there's anything wrong with aquiring books. It's a much healthier (and less expensive!) habit than lots of things I can think of. I love having lots of books around me; they are in integral part of my home. I also believe it's important, especially now, to support books and their authors, as well as libraries. Hmm. I'd like to come up with some readolutions around these thoughts for 2009.
Ha.
11. When I buy books, I will do my best to buy independent/used, or to buy in support of a charity (public library, school, etc.).
I did quite well with this one. Always room to improve, of course.
I am going to reevaluate both of these goals for 2009. For one thing, I really don't believe there's anything wrong with aquiring books. It's a much healthier (and less expensive!) habit than lots of things I can think of. I love having lots of books around me; they are in integral part of my home. I also believe it's important, especially now, to support books and their authors, as well as libraries. Hmm. I'd like to come up with some readolutions around these thoughts for 2009.
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Readolution #9
9. I will participate in BAFAB week at least once this year.
Receiving a book unexpectedly, chosen just for you, is one of the best feelings in the world. Buy a Friend a Book Week is a such brilliant idea. From the website:
I've done this twice now, and it's so fun! I did pick two friends who had birthdays in those weeks -- one in early October, one in early January -- but we hadn't exchanged gifts for ages and because they were on my mind, I chose them as recipients. (They are also two of the biggest book lovers I know.)
For Jennifer, I got a Persephone book. We'd been talking about these books for awhile, but she hadn't treated herself to one yet. I had her go to the website and pick out the one she wanted me to order for her, as I couldn't choose from all of the lovely books they have. And I wanted her to experience the fun of browsing the beautiful website and picking out a title she could anticipate receiving. (She picked Every Eye by Isobel English.)
For Michelle, I got The Soup Peddler's Slow & Difficult Soups: Recipes & Reveries by David Ansel. Michelle used to be my neighbor, and she was the person I could call up and say, "Have you got a cup of sugar? I'm baking and just discovered I'm all out!" And then we'd end up hanging out together for the rest of the afternoon with our kids. She always has great food ideas, and I thought she'd enjoy this fun recipe/story book.
Later, Jennifer and Michelle both surprised me with books during a BAFAB week: Jennifer with Eat, Pray, Love, and Michelle with The Creative Family. I didn't expect them to "spread the joy" back to me, but I'm not complaining! As I said at the start of this post, receiving a book unexpectedly, chosen just for you, is one of the best feelings in the world.
Receiving a book unexpectedly, chosen just for you, is one of the best feelings in the world. Buy a Friend a Book Week is a such brilliant idea. From the website:
Celebrating BAFAB is easy. Just get yourself to a real-life or virtual book store during Buy a Friend a Book Week (the first weeks of January, April, July, and October) and, well, buy a friend a book! But here's the fun part: you can't buy your friend a book because it's their birthday or they just graduated or got engaged or had a baby or anything else. You have to give them a book for no good reason. In fact, this present out of the blue from you should shock the pants off of whomever you decide to give it to. And it'll make them happy. And that's the point: promote reading, promote friendships. Just make sure to let them know about Buy a Friend a Book Week, so they can spread the joy in turn.
I've done this twice now, and it's so fun! I did pick two friends who had birthdays in those weeks -- one in early October, one in early January -- but we hadn't exchanged gifts for ages and because they were on my mind, I chose them as recipients. (They are also two of the biggest book lovers I know.)
For Jennifer, I got a Persephone book. We'd been talking about these books for awhile, but she hadn't treated herself to one yet. I had her go to the website and pick out the one she wanted me to order for her, as I couldn't choose from all of the lovely books they have. And I wanted her to experience the fun of browsing the beautiful website and picking out a title she could anticipate receiving. (She picked Every Eye by Isobel English.)
For Michelle, I got The Soup Peddler's Slow & Difficult Soups: Recipes & Reveries by David Ansel. Michelle used to be my neighbor, and she was the person I could call up and say, "Have you got a cup of sugar? I'm baking and just discovered I'm all out!" And then we'd end up hanging out together for the rest of the afternoon with our kids. She always has great food ideas, and I thought she'd enjoy this fun recipe/story book.
Later, Jennifer and Michelle both surprised me with books during a BAFAB week: Jennifer with Eat, Pray, Love, and Michelle with The Creative Family. I didn't expect them to "spread the joy" back to me, but I'm not complaining! As I said at the start of this post, receiving a book unexpectedly, chosen just for you, is one of the best feelings in the world.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Felix recommends... (Spring '08)
My three-year-old's favorites:
~ Kitten's First Full Moon, Kevin Henkes (Great illustrations -- won a Caldecott Medal -- and Felix loves the happy ending.)
~ What a Treasure!, Jane and Will Hillenbrand and Little One Step, Simon James (Felix had to act these stories out after reading them.)
~ SuperHero ABC, Bob McLeod (So much fun!)
~ A Visitor for Bear, Bonny Becker and Kady Macdonald Denton (A very cute story, with beautiful illustrations.)
~ Knuffle Bunny, Mo Willems (Thanks to our library, we also recently found the Scholastic animated version, which features the voices of Mo, his daughter and his wife. Very cute!)
~ Here’s a Little Poem, complied by Jane Yolen (What a great anthology! Although the poems are collected with very little ones in mind, both of my kids enjoyed this together.)
~ Kitten's First Full Moon, Kevin Henkes (Great illustrations -- won a Caldecott Medal -- and Felix loves the happy ending.)
~ What a Treasure!, Jane and Will Hillenbrand and Little One Step, Simon James (Felix had to act these stories out after reading them.)
~ SuperHero ABC, Bob McLeod (So much fun!)
~ A Visitor for Bear, Bonny Becker and Kady Macdonald Denton (A very cute story, with beautiful illustrations.)
~ Knuffle Bunny, Mo Willems (Thanks to our library, we also recently found the Scholastic animated version, which features the voices of Mo, his daughter and his wife. Very cute!)
~ Here’s a Little Poem, complied by Jane Yolen (What a great anthology! Although the poems are collected with very little ones in mind, both of my kids enjoyed this together.)
Skye recommends... (Spring '08)
Here is a summary of my then eight-year-old daughter's reading adventures from last spring:
~ Thanks to a friend, she discovered Sharon Creech. She read Granny Torrelli Makes Soup and Pleasing the Ghost. The second was her favorite.
~ For her school book club, she read The Westing Game and The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen Raskin. Such neat puzzle mysteries! Raskin is lots of quirky fun, and very clever.
~ From a stack of Maud Hart Lovelace Award 2007-08 nominees, she chose Lulu’s Hat by Susan Meddaugh. It's a short chapter book with a great, magical story.
~ We discovered a new Gail Carson Levine book: Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand. We read the first Levine fairy book together and really enjoyed it. She read this one on her own. Levine is a wonderful storyteller.
~ Read-aloud with me: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. We both absolutely loved it.
~ Thanks to a friend, she discovered Sharon Creech. She read Granny Torrelli Makes Soup and Pleasing the Ghost. The second was her favorite.
~ For her school book club, she read The Westing Game and The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen Raskin. Such neat puzzle mysteries! Raskin is lots of quirky fun, and very clever.
~ From a stack of Maud Hart Lovelace Award 2007-08 nominees, she chose Lulu’s Hat by Susan Meddaugh. It's a short chapter book with a great, magical story.
~ We discovered a new Gail Carson Levine book: Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand. We read the first Levine fairy book together and really enjoyed it. She read this one on her own. Levine is a wonderful storyteller.
~ Read-aloud with me: Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh. We both absolutely loved it.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Coming Soon: Book Stacks!
I couple of years ago, I came upon an article describing the wonderful idea of book stacks. (I wish I remembered when I originally found the link.) The general idea is that books are such wonderful, important, essential things to have in a home, it only makes sense to have a stack of them under the tree for each of your children on Christmas Day. Of course, this was a bandwagon made for me, and I jumped on. I told a couple of book-loving friends about it, too, and both of them immediately ran off to join the book stacking circus.
My friend Michelle has just started a book blog, Fond of Books, and her first entry is about the books stacks she made for her kids this year. As she notes, it's nice to learn of these ideas early enough to have time to do them. I will post our 2008 book stacks as soon as they are complete.
My friend Michelle has just started a book blog, Fond of Books, and her first entry is about the books stacks she made for her kids this year. As she notes, it's nice to learn of these ideas early enough to have time to do them. I will post our 2008 book stacks as soon as they are complete.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Readolutions #7 & #8
7. I will keep a "books purchased/received" list.
I started doing this in 2007, and I did pretty well with it that year, so I decided to continue. Well, I haven't done it at all this year. I really enjoyed keeping this list and looking back at it, so this readolution may reappear on my 2009 list.
8. I will keep my Amazon wish list updated.
I started an Amazon wish list in 2007, I believe, and it was really nice to have. I liked being able to look back at books I'd considered buying for whatever reason. I started gift idea lists, too -- it's really easy to do, and you can make several of them. I made one for my kids and one for extended family. I have just recently peeked at them again (the holiday season and all) and I'm making updates and resolving to again use these great Amazon features.
I started doing this in 2007, and I did pretty well with it that year, so I decided to continue. Well, I haven't done it at all this year. I really enjoyed keeping this list and looking back at it, so this readolution may reappear on my 2009 list.
8. I will keep my Amazon wish list updated.
I started an Amazon wish list in 2007, I believe, and it was really nice to have. I liked being able to look back at books I'd considered buying for whatever reason. I started gift idea lists, too -- it's really easy to do, and you can make several of them. I made one for my kids and one for extended family. I have just recently peeked at them again (the holiday season and all) and I'm making updates and resolving to again use these great Amazon features.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
What I Read in 2007
1. The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street (Helene Hanff)
2. Celebrations (Maya Angelou)
3. Suite Francaise (Irene Nemirovsky)
4. The Inimitable Jeeves (P.G. Wodehouse)
5. Fables #2: Animal Farm (Bill Willingham)
6. The Goose Girl (Shannon Hale)
7. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (Winnifred Watson)
8. Girls of Slender Means (Muriel Spark)
9. Housekeeping vs. the Dirt (Nick Hornby)
10. The Tent (Margaret Atwood)
11. Fables #3: Storybook Love (Bill Willingham)
12. Fun Home (Alison Bechdel)
13. Round Ireland with a Fridge (Tony Hawks)
14. Fables #4: March of the Wooden Soldiers (Bill Willingham)
15. Enna Burning (Shannon Hale)
16. The Sandman #1: Preludes and Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman)
17. Fables #5: The Mean Seasons (Bill Willingham)
18. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
19. Brain, Child magazine, Winter 2007 issue
20. River Secrets (Shannon Hale)
21. The Enchanted April (Elizabeth von Arnim)
22. The Yiddish Policeman's Union (Michael Chabon)
23. Nine Stories (J.D. Salinger)
24. Brain, Child magazine, Spring 2007 issue
25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)
26. Princess Academy (Shannon Hale)
27. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
28. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling)
29. Warriors: Into the Wild (Erin Hunter)
30. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
31. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
32. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
33. Brain, Child magazine, Summer '07 issue
34. A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (Dana Reinhardt)
35. Born on the Wrong Planet (Erika Hammerschmidt)
36. Mommy Tracked (Whitney Gaskell)
37. Kabul Beauty School (Deborah Rodriguez)
38. Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them (J.K. Rowling)
39. Harmless (Dana Reinhardt)
40. The Sandman #2: The Doll's House (Neil Gaiman)
41. Special Topics in Calamity Physics (Marisha Pessl)
42. Fables #6: Homelands (Bill Willingham)
43. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
44. A Great and Terrible Beauty (Libba Bray)
45. Forever... (Judy Blume)
46. Leap Days (Katherine Lanpher)
47. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Brian Selznick)
48. Scary Stories (three volumes) (Alvin Schwartz)
49. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
50. The Agony of Alice (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
51. Starting with Alice (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
52. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie)
53. Rebel Angels (Libba Bray)
54. The Higher Power of Lucky (Susan Patron)
55. The Basic Eight (Daniel Handler)
56. Adverbs (Daniel Handler)
57. Watch Your Mouth (Daniel Handler)
58. The Wide Window (Lemony Snicket)
59. Warriors: Fire and Ice (Erin Hunter)
60. The Miserable Mill (Lemony Snicket)
61. The Austere Academy (Lemony Snicket)
62. The Ersatz Elevator (Lemony Snicket)
63. The Right Attitude to Rain (Alexander McCall Smith)
64. Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine)
2. Celebrations (Maya Angelou)
3. Suite Francaise (Irene Nemirovsky)
4. The Inimitable Jeeves (P.G. Wodehouse)
5. Fables #2: Animal Farm (Bill Willingham)
6. The Goose Girl (Shannon Hale)
7. Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day (Winnifred Watson)
8. Girls of Slender Means (Muriel Spark)
9. Housekeeping vs. the Dirt (Nick Hornby)
10. The Tent (Margaret Atwood)
11. Fables #3: Storybook Love (Bill Willingham)
12. Fun Home (Alison Bechdel)
13. Round Ireland with a Fridge (Tony Hawks)
14. Fables #4: March of the Wooden Soldiers (Bill Willingham)
15. Enna Burning (Shannon Hale)
16. The Sandman #1: Preludes and Nocturnes (Neil Gaiman)
17. Fables #5: The Mean Seasons (Bill Willingham)
18. Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone (J.K. Rowling)
19. Brain, Child magazine, Winter 2007 issue
20. River Secrets (Shannon Hale)
21. The Enchanted April (Elizabeth von Arnim)
22. The Yiddish Policeman's Union (Michael Chabon)
23. Nine Stories (J.D. Salinger)
24. Brain, Child magazine, Spring 2007 issue
25. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (J.K. Rowling)
26. Princess Academy (Shannon Hale)
27. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (J.K. Rowling)
28. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (J.K. Rowling)
29. Warriors: Into the Wild (Erin Hunter)
30. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
31. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
32. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling)
33. Brain, Child magazine, Summer '07 issue
34. A Brief Chapter in My Impossible Life (Dana Reinhardt)
35. Born on the Wrong Planet (Erika Hammerschmidt)
36. Mommy Tracked (Whitney Gaskell)
37. Kabul Beauty School (Deborah Rodriguez)
38. Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them (J.K. Rowling)
39. Harmless (Dana Reinhardt)
40. The Sandman #2: The Doll's House (Neil Gaiman)
41. Special Topics in Calamity Physics (Marisha Pessl)
42. Fables #6: Homelands (Bill Willingham)
43. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
44. A Great and Terrible Beauty (Libba Bray)
45. Forever... (Judy Blume)
46. Leap Days (Katherine Lanpher)
47. The Invention of Hugo Cabret (Brian Selznick)
48. Scary Stories (three volumes) (Alvin Schwartz)
49. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou)
50. The Agony of Alice (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
51. Starting with Alice (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor)
52. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Sherman Alexie)
53. Rebel Angels (Libba Bray)
54. The Higher Power of Lucky (Susan Patron)
55. The Basic Eight (Daniel Handler)
56. Adverbs (Daniel Handler)
57. Watch Your Mouth (Daniel Handler)
58. The Wide Window (Lemony Snicket)
59. Warriors: Fire and Ice (Erin Hunter)
60. The Miserable Mill (Lemony Snicket)
61. The Austere Academy (Lemony Snicket)
62. The Ersatz Elevator (Lemony Snicket)
63. The Right Attitude to Rain (Alexander McCall Smith)
64. Ella Enchanted (Gail Carson Levine)
What I Read in 2006
I started this blog in 2006, and for over two years, used it mainly to keep a running list in the sidebar of the books I read. Since my sidebar is getting unwieldly, I thought I'd turn my past year's lists into posts instead.
Here's what I read in 2006:
1. Akimbo and the Elephants (Alexander McCall Smith)
2. March (Geraldine Brooks)
3. The Bookseller of Kabul (Asne Seierstad)
4. Address Unknown (Kathrine Kressmann Taylor)
5. The Reptile Room (Lemony Snicket)
6. The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton)
7. Thimble Summer (Elizabeth Enright)
8. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
9. Akimbo and the Lions (Alexander McCall Smith)
10. The Confessions of Max Tivoli (Andrew Sean Greer)
11. Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (Ayelet Waldman)
12. When the Emperor Was Divine (Julie Otsuko)
13. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
14. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Muriel Spark)
15. The Polysyllabic Spree (Nick Hornby)
16. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows Of Josephine B. (Sandra Gulland)
17. Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi)
18. Postmark Paris (Leslie Jonath)
19. The Comforters (Muriel Spark)
20. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
21. Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro)
22. The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
23. Bet Me (Jennifer Crusie)
24. The Masque of the Black Tulip (Lauren Willig)
25. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See)
26. Bye-Bye, Black Sheep (Ayelet Waldman)
27. Memento Mori (Muriel Spark)
28. Where Books Fall Open (Bascove, ed.)
29. Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg (Gail Carson Levine)
30. Gaudy Night (Dorothy L. Sayers)
31. Testing Kate (Whitney Gaskell)
32. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
33. Fables #01: Legends in Exile (Bill Willingham)
34. The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog (Dave Barry)
35. Unzipped (Lois Greiman)
36. A Christmas Memory (Truman Capote)
37. 84, Charing Cross Road (Helene Hanff)
Here's what I read in 2006:
1. Akimbo and the Elephants (Alexander McCall Smith)
2. March (Geraldine Brooks)
3. The Bookseller of Kabul (Asne Seierstad)
4. Address Unknown (Kathrine Kressmann Taylor)
5. The Reptile Room (Lemony Snicket)
6. The Age of Innocence (Edith Wharton)
7. Thimble Summer (Elizabeth Enright)
8. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
9. Akimbo and the Lions (Alexander McCall Smith)
10. The Confessions of Max Tivoli (Andrew Sean Greer)
11. Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (Ayelet Waldman)
12. When the Emperor Was Divine (Julie Otsuko)
13. Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
14. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Muriel Spark)
15. The Polysyllabic Spree (Nick Hornby)
16. The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows Of Josephine B. (Sandra Gulland)
17. Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi)
18. Postmark Paris (Leslie Jonath)
19. The Comforters (Muriel Spark)
20. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (J.K. Rowling)
21. Never Let Me Go (Kazuo Ishiguro)
22. The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
23. Bet Me (Jennifer Crusie)
24. The Masque of the Black Tulip (Lauren Willig)
25. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (Lisa See)
26. Bye-Bye, Black Sheep (Ayelet Waldman)
27. Memento Mori (Muriel Spark)
28. Where Books Fall Open (Bascove, ed.)
29. Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg (Gail Carson Levine)
30. Gaudy Night (Dorothy L. Sayers)
31. Testing Kate (Whitney Gaskell)
32. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
33. Fables #01: Legends in Exile (Bill Willingham)
34. The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog (Dave Barry)
35. Unzipped (Lois Greiman)
36. A Christmas Memory (Truman Capote)
37. 84, Charing Cross Road (Helene Hanff)
Readolution #6
6. I will keep a TBR list.
I imagined that this year I would keep a running list (a "To Be Read" list) on the computer of all the books I'm interested in reading, maybe organized into categories and in priority order. Of course, I pictured this list being pages and pages long, including every book I'd read about or heard about that sounded vaguely interesting, and adding in my towering piles of shelf-sitters.
I think I intimidated myself into not even starting this project.
I have kept a list of books I'd like to get to each month, listed in the monthly section of my reading calendar. I do this each month, and try not to foresee what the next month will bring. This has been fun; I've learned a lot about my reading habits by setting these goals and seeing what happens with them. I started doing this in 2007, and although my lists started out as being very unrealistic (too many books, too many "I really should read..."s), I've noticed I'm better at predicting what I will want to and be able to read each month.
I imagined that this year I would keep a running list (a "To Be Read" list) on the computer of all the books I'm interested in reading, maybe organized into categories and in priority order. Of course, I pictured this list being pages and pages long, including every book I'd read about or heard about that sounded vaguely interesting, and adding in my towering piles of shelf-sitters.
I think I intimidated myself into not even starting this project.
I have kept a list of books I'd like to get to each month, listed in the monthly section of my reading calendar. I do this each month, and try not to foresee what the next month will bring. This has been fun; I've learned a lot about my reading habits by setting these goals and seeing what happens with them. I started doing this in 2007, and although my lists started out as being very unrealistic (too many books, too many "I really should read..."s), I've noticed I'm better at predicting what I will want to and be able to read each month.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Felix recommends... (Winter '08)
(In this blog, my four-year-old son will be referred to as "Felix," after one of his favorite Rosemary Wells characters.)
Felix loves books. He loves it when anyone reads to him, and I often find him paging through books on his own. Here are a few of his favorites from last winter:
~ Anything Rosemary Wells. Particular favorites are the McDuff books, the Max and Ruby stories, and, as I mentioned above, Felix Feels Better.
~ Toot and Puddle, the first in the series by Holly Hobbie. These two little characters are lovely friends to get to know.
~ Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library, especially Chicken Soup with Rice. Flashbacks to my childhood!
~ Lynley Dodd's Slinky Malinky and Hairy Maclary books. The rhymes and great illustrations make these extra-fun read alouds.
~ I Love My Little Storybook by Anita Jeram. Reading this one with him was a huge treat. He really connected with the theme: Books are wonderful company!
~ Baby Bear's Chairs and the How Do Dinosaurs... books by the prolific Jane Yolen. What a fun author to get to know.
Felix loves books. He loves it when anyone reads to him, and I often find him paging through books on his own. Here are a few of his favorites from last winter:
~ Anything Rosemary Wells. Particular favorites are the McDuff books, the Max and Ruby stories, and, as I mentioned above, Felix Feels Better.
~ Toot and Puddle, the first in the series by Holly Hobbie. These two little characters are lovely friends to get to know.
~ Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library, especially Chicken Soup with Rice. Flashbacks to my childhood!
~ Lynley Dodd's Slinky Malinky and Hairy Maclary books. The rhymes and great illustrations make these extra-fun read alouds.
~ I Love My Little Storybook by Anita Jeram. Reading this one with him was a huge treat. He really connected with the theme: Books are wonderful company!
~ Baby Bear's Chairs and the How Do Dinosaurs... books by the prolific Jane Yolen. What a fun author to get to know.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Readolution #5
5. I will post on this blog regularly, perhaps weekly.
I think it's fairly obvious how I've been doing on this one. I'll spin it in a positive light: Since October, I've been doing pretty well. Ha.
I hope to continue posting on this blog regularly. I think the key is just doing a short post (like this one) when I have a moment. Because the more I blog, the more I want to blog, and the more time I find to do it.
I think it's fairly obvious how I've been doing on this one. I'll spin it in a positive light: Since October, I've been doing pretty well. Ha.
I hope to continue posting on this blog regularly. I think the key is just doing a short post (like this one) when I have a moment. Because the more I blog, the more I want to blog, and the more time I find to do it.
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