Pam Webb
a writer's journey as a reader
Archive for the tag “children’s books”
Reader Round Up: February, March, April
That’s a big oops. My carefully planned blogging schedule has blown up due to malaise. I admittedly got caught up in the Winter Slumps and thought about posting but didn’t. I did read, though, which helped keep me occupied during the looonnng evenings (dark at 4 pm is cruel). Spring is now here and that means sunshine has restored my energy levels.
In order to get caught up I will select the favorites reads from the last three months to review. These are all five star reads.
Once upon a time, in the land of Russia, lived a charming count by the name of Alexander Rostov. And while it might seem demeaning to compare A Gentleman in Moscow to a fairy tale, Towles has deftly tweaked all the elements of that endearing (and enduring) genre into a sophisticated story that is enthralling, entertaining, enlivening, and quite satisfying. The bonus is once I learned Kenneth Branagh was Rostov in the planned series, the enjoyment became doubled as Branagh fleshed out Rostov’s appearance in my mind’s eye. One of the best reads I’ve experienced in quite a long time
The Art of X Ray Reading reminds me of Thomas Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor. Both books prompt me to practice closely reading the book in hand. While Foster provides a magnifying glass, Clark provides a kaleidoscope to better see the rich colors within the writing. His choice of books are hit or miss with me, but he did touch on a couple of favorites that I will absolutely pay more attention to on the next reading. The writing lessons alone are worthwhile and are inspiring. I applied the X Ray lens to an AP Lang lesson and brought new meaning to the piece. I look forward to my next AP Literature class and seeing how students pick up The Great Gatsby clues. Makes me wish I could teach Creative Writing once again.
Shades of The Maltese Falcon drift through this tribute to the 1940’s detective novel. Instead of a tough private investigator who runs with fast women and drives a faster car, readers contend with the “Princess P.I., a savvy socialite who has earned a reputation for being one of the best in the business. At first the cliche phrases and situations were off-putting, that is until I accepted them as pastiche. A solid plot worthy of a Bogart film, intrigue and humor, and a double storyline create a fast-paced read and an anticipation for the second book.
An amazingly positive story of how one man turned trash into a treasury of music. The story and colorful illustrations blend and harmonize as the background story of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra is told through Ada and her violin. Truly inspirational how beauty was found among the tons of garbage and how a dream became a reality that changed lives.
As a tribute to the recent passing of Beverly Cleary I grabbed Henry and Ribsy off the library shelf since she was an author I appreciated growing up. Granted, some of the situations and attitudes are a bit dated; however, kid and dog antics run true and are timeless.
When I first read F451 back in my twenties I no doubt appreciated Bradbury’s lyrical warning of a supposed future. This last read is a revisit due to both curiosity if it’s as good as I remember and because we are studying it as a class in AP Lang. Yes. It’s still as good. Wait–it’s much, much better due to Bradbury’s future coming fast upon us.
Books like The Borrowers, a tiny family in a big world, enthralled me as a child. Somehow, The Return of the Twelves, which echoes believing the unbelievable, escaped my reading attention. As an adult, and a “brontyfan,” I appreciate this story so much more. It’s rather a back door introduction for young readers to the brilliance of Charlotte and her Bronte siblings. The story itself is typical of the sixties, where children are precocious and are possessed of much more independence than their contemporary readers. Parents are presented as absent-minded, patronizing, or clueless of their children’s lives. Clarke’s story presents a likable cast of characters, particularly Max, who becomes protector of the Twelves or Young Men. His responses to their animation have a sense of verisimilitude as he both indeed at their existence while remaining fiercely protective of them. The plot cleverly provides the actions of the Twelves through a combination of the present and through Max’s imaginative efforts. At times the plot wobbles on timeworn, but will suddenly turn the corner with a refreshing twist. A satisfying read for those who like adventure and can still believe at least six impossible things before breakfast.
A quirky book difficult to place genre-wise. Love story? Quest? Mystery? Not muchly magical realism? In some ways it reminds me of Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist in that an ordinary young man begins to discover the extraordinary by stepping out of his comfort zone. Love In Lower-Case explores how it is too easy to fall into a routine, desiring for a change and when change begins to happen, it is difficult to accept. A likable character, odd circumstances, a mysterious cat, an annoying stranger, and a Yoda neighbor all mix together for a satisfying, though not earthshaking weekend read.
I would like to think as a young reader I would have appreciated the skillfully crafted story of a young Jewish man who discovers that love is stronger than hate, especially when facing such a fearsome enemy as the Romans; however, I doubt that I would have. I am ever so impressed with The Bronze Bow—its plot, setting, details, message. And the ending. The ending is absolutely stunning. As an adult I am absolutely impressed and moved, and I would like think my young reader self might have recognized the value of Speare. Maybe.
So many good reads kept my wits from dullifying totally through this last long winter. I can’t imagine not having a book to read.
Let me know if you’ve read any of these, or if I have tempted you to plump out your TBR list.
Happy reading!
It’s Time for an Update…
Have I mentioned lately how much I appreciate my local library? If I haven’t, then I am remiss, because it is one special place staffed by the most amazing people.
They have been very supportive with my debut picture book Someday We Will published by Beaming Books. On a sunny Friday a trio of library folk met up with me at a local park, launching the first of their local author spotlight series. Marcy, (PR maestro), was our moderator, and Kimber, (amazing youth librarian), as the interviewer, and the intrepid Mike, (life-long learning coordinator), acting as our camera crew passed an hour discussing the book, addressing how children are separated from loved ones, like grandparents, and we even covered the mystery of the publishing process. We had a great time! Here is the link to the interview:https://m.facebook.com/marcy.timblin/videos/4408356815902483
The best part was being presented with my book fashioned into a clock!
Another activity the library provides for the community are the story walks. This is gaining popularity in different areas, especially since storytime is not available yet to share books.
Another update is finding reviews popping up on different websites. I do enjoy those surprise finds! Here’s a recent one from Big Books for Little Hands:
Someday We Will – Beaming Books has so many great titles for families and this one does not disappoint. A sweet book about all of the fun things that grandparents and grandkids do together, from going on road trips, and playing outside, to eating ice cream before dinner. I love the way this book brings to life the excitement and anticipation of visiting grandparents, who live far away, after a time apart. This book reminds me so much of the way my sisters, brother and I counted down the days until we visited our grandparents each summer.
And Ms. Emily from the Harrisburg Library in Illinois selected my book as her pick of the month:
Ms. Emily’s Pick of the Month
And the Seattle Book Review gave it a 5/5 review, saying: ” I felt as if I was being transported to this beautiful world that the grandparents and grandchildren are having together. The illustrations were beautiful and whimsical.“
Trying to promote a debut picture book during the pandemic has indeed been challenging. An author has to persevere and be creative, and also rely on the strength of the book to gain momentum among readers.
If you haven’t yet checked out Someday We Will, I hope you will, especially if you and your family are separated from loved ones, because Someday We Will be together again.
Even though Grandparents Day was Sunday, September 13, Grandparents are special everyday. Wouldn’t this be a great book to share with grandparent you know?
Reader Round Up: August
Ah, August—the last month of summer. The weather is still amazing with its warm days and blue skies, essential ingredients for reading in the backyard hammock. I made good use of blogger suggestions and kept my library busy with hold requests. Unfortunately, the library has returned to only providing curbside service which means I no longer can browse the shelves and can request an unsatisfying six books at a time. *Sigh*
Some incredibly fun reads in August:
Frindle by Andrew Clements ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
How Penguins Saved Veronica by Hazel Prior ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Coffee with Shakespeare by Stanley Wells ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Dragonwyck by Ana Seton ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Onion John by Joseph Krumgold ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
The View from Saturday by E.L. Koningsburg ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Call It Courage by Armstrong Sperry ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
Carry On, Mr Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
The Summer of the Swans by Betsy Bears ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyeau ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
I’d Rather Be Reading: The Delights and Dilemmas of the Reading Life by Anne Bogel⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️
Yes, there were quite a few kid selections this month. I am trying to read all the Newbery winners, many I have read, but I have missed a few over the years. It’s never too late to enjoy a well-written kids’ book!
An update in statistics:
- Hit my Goodreads goal of 101 books
- I have read most of the Newberry winners
- Read 55 books this summer (a number of them were children’s books, I grant that fact)
WONDERFUL UPDATE:
The library is opening its doors once again on September first!
Throughout the summer I appreciated the library’s curbside and inter-library loan service. I’m not sure what I would have done without the availability of books to checkout.
Reading Round Up: January
January. If I could somehow whisk myself away to a warmer clime, one with no snow, and a proclivity towards blue sky. Just for January. That’s right–January is my least favorite winter month. The day job requires I stick around, so I combat my winter blues with copious book reading. January racked up 17 books. I’ll highlight the hits.
Excellent Sheep: The Miseducation of the American Elite and the Way to a Meaningful Life by William Deresiewicz
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Absolutely provoking, yet falls short of being truly inspirational due to a tendency to bring in too much personal angst. While the author’s experience has meritable points, that an elite education tends to prepare graduates for being stellar at certain aspects, such as being lawyers or being English professors, it falls short at mundane abilities i.e. talking to tradesmen. But that isn’t everyone’s experience, and the point he makes unravels into an unfortunate profanity-laced rant in the last few chapters.
The first half of the book is the most effective, and by the numerous sticky notes I flagged in this section, made the most impact. An abundance of worthy passages on what a college education should be in found the first half; however, the second half of the book becomes more or less conjecture, and loses traction.
Overall, an effective thesis concerning the value of an elite education, give or take a few moments of ranting. No shame in a state university diploma after all.
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Continuing right from where the first book left off, Ada relates her story of adjusting to life in Kent during WWII. Much stays the same, the hardships of war, the loss, the deprivation; however, Ada sees many changes as well: her foot surgery is successful, Susan becomes her legal guardian, they must live with Lady Thornton in one of the estate cottages, and Ruth, a German Jewish girl, comes to stay with them.
Ada still struggles with the shadows of her past life in London, but is slowly learning to open her heart to the good things that come her way.
A bit faltering in the beginning, yet once the strong characterization and plot take hold as in the first book, Bradley’s sequel is just as riveting. It’s hoped Ada’s story will continue.
The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
A reimagining, rather than a retelling of the Chinese folktale of Mulan, Dickerson’s version is set in 15th century Lithuania.
In this version, Mulan is the illegitimate daughter of Mikolai, a warrior father who has died. Mulan serves as a warrior to save her mother from becoming homeless, and to escape from an unwelcome arranged marriage.
The first half of the plot relates Mulan’s adventures as a soldier. With realistic detail, Mulan struggles to meet the demands of fighting amongst men, while trying to hide her identity. During battle she meets and becomes friends with Wolfgang, a duke’s son. Inevitably their friendship develops into something deeper once Wolfgang discovers why he is attracted to and is protective of the young soldier known as Mikolai.
Unfortunately, the second half of the story becomes enmeshed in being more of a romance novel than the adventure story of the first part. Attention to historical detail and the smooth rendering of the multiple points of view, tip this more towards a four star than a three star review.
This story refers to characters from the previous book in the Hagerheim series, yet it can be read as a standalone.
The publisher provided a free copy in exchange for a review, with all opinions being mine.
Eye of the Crow by Shane Peacock
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
What of the boy Sherlock Holmes? So little is known of who or what he might have been like, that it is fair game to improvise, and maybe take liberties in creating his backstory.
This is the case in Eye Of The Crow, the first in a series about Sherlock Holmes as a boy. Shane Peacock, an obvious admirer of Doyle’s famed detective, has provided a fast-paced supposition of young Holmes.
Smartly written, and full of action, as well as memorable characters, Peacock provides a worthwhile read.
Prince Not So Charming by Roy L Hinuss
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
What happens when you cross a reluctant prince with a reluctant dragon? Answer: You get a book that fractures the fairytale motif with humor and fast action.
Mike Allegra, writing under the nom de plume of Roy L. Hignuss, presents the first book in a series highlighting Carlos, a prince of a kid who would rather grow up entertaining the court than ruling it.
Throw in some potty humor (because what kid doesn’t appreciate how “duty” sounds like, well you get the idea) and a dragon who shirks his fiery calling, along with royal parents who totally don’t get their son, and a new favorite is shelf ready.
This is a recommendation for those young readers transitioning from early readers to chapter books. A fun read with whimsical drawings.
Rewired by Ajay Seth
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Providence can be the only explanation for the series of events that starts with an infected raccoon bite and leads to an experimental procedure that changes the field of prosthetics.
Dr. Ajay Seth. a professed small town surgeon from Ohio, relates the case of Melissa Loomis through a conversational narrative which includes personal anecdotes that add a warmth to his story. What really stands out is the quiet faith that radiates through Dr. Seth’s writing, as his patient puts her trust in him, and as the doctor acknowledges how the events were beyond coincidence.
More than another medical miracle book, this is a story of exploring options and celebrating victories when defeat seems imminent.
Disclaimer: The publisher provided this book exchange for a review, with all opinions being mine.
Debatable: Worst Picture Book. Ever.–Recap
My first Debatable argument that Gene Wilder was such a vastly superior Willy Wonka than Johnny Depp, as suggested by Mike Allegra, won so amazingly, so soundly, that I felt uber confident I would easily win the second round.
I did not.
See–even the Cat is sad he didn’t win about being such a loser.
Mike questioned my acknowledged labeling of Love You Forever against The Cat in the Hat as the worst picture book ever as a frumpled win. No, I am not a “sore” loser–just a bit of a hair splitter. After all, even Mike admitted LYF isn’t a children’s picture book in that it is more of a picture book written for mothers.
Well, I shall not sour grapes the issue (a shameless plug for my monthly DOWO post). A win is a win. Congrats, Mike.
Next month we go Round III of Debatables. We hope you will continue to bear with our quibbling. Maybe you can help us figure out what to take on next for a topic. Here are the guidelines:
- Being children’s book writers, we are trying to keep topics close to books children read–picture books up to YA (Willy Wonka actor sparring was inspired by Dahl’s book)
- The more improbable the better–none of the usual Narnia vs Hobbit fare. Go for the silly, the extreme, the profound. Mike especially likes a challenge.
Do you have an issue of children’s bookery you would like to see Mike and I tackle? Send in your suggestions to either Mike or me in comments.
We’ll post the top picks and see what happens from there.
Children’s Books for Forever
I don’t think I will ever outgrow my liking of children’s books. At one point I began collecting them as I came across them in yard sales, thrift stores, and the cast offs from the public library. I probably would have done better to start my collection after I had done my college moving days. Carting crates of books during a year of several moves created in me to appreciate children’s books in a different fashion. I no longer have my collection, and I don’t terribly regret the decision to dissemble it. I still am a confirmed reader, promoter, and writer of children’s stories. They remain my fave. Here’s a hint–if you are feeling somewhat blue about the edges, go grab a kid’s book and read it. Better yet, grab a kid and a book and read the book to the kid. No more blues.
With all that being said it gives me great smiles to present the New York Public Libraries first ever 100 Top Children’s Books of the Last 100 Years. First posted on School Library Journal’s site September 30, 2013 (I am a bit behind in my inbox readings).
In alphabetical order by title, this list is as follows:
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Judith Viorst. Illus. by Ray Cruz. (1972)
All-of-a-Kind Family. Sydney Taylor, illustrated by Helen John. (1951)
Amelia Bedelia. Peggy Parish, illustrated by Fritz Siebel. (1963)
The Arrival. Shaun Tan. (2007) Bark, George. Jules Feiffer. (1999)
Because of Winn-Dixie. Kate DiCamillo. (2000)
Ben’s Trumpet. Rachel Isadora. (1979)
Big Red Lollipop. Rukhsana Khan. Illus. by Sophie Blackall. (2010)
The Birchbark House. Louise Erdrich. (1999)
The Book of Three. Lloyd Alexander. (1964)
The Borrowers. Mary Norton. Illus. by Beth Krush and Joe Krush. (1953)
El Gallo De Bodas: A Traditional Cuban Folktale. Lucía M. González. Illus. by Lulu Delacre. (1994)
Bread and Jam for Frances. Russell Hoban. illustrated by Lillian Hoban. (1964)
Bridge to Terabithia. Katherine Paterson. (1977)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Bill Martin, Jr. Illus. by Eric Carle. (1967)
Caps for Sale. Esphyr Slobodkina. (1938)
The Cat in the Hat. Dr. Seuss. (1957)
Chains. Laurie Halse Anderson. (2008)
A Chair For My Mother. Vera B. Williams. (1982)
Charlotte’s Web. E.B. White. Illus. by Garth Williams. (1952)
Chato’s Kitchen. Gary Soto. Illus. by Susan Guevara. (1995)
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault. Illus. by Lois Ehlert. (1989)
Corduroy. Don Freeman. (1976) Curious George. H.A. Rey. (1941)
D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. Ingri D’Aulaire and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire. (1962)
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Mo Willems. (2003)
Esperanza Rising. Pam Muñoz Ryan. (2000)
Freight Train. Donald Crews. (1978)
Frog and Toad Are Friends. Arnold Lobel. (1970)
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. E.L. Konigsburg. (1967)
George and Martha. James Marshall. (1972)
The Giver. Lois Lowry. (1993)
Go, Dog. Go! P.D. Eastman. (1961)
Goodnight Moon. Margaret Wise Brown. Illus. by Clement Hurd. (1947)
Grandfather’s Journey. Allen Say. (1993)
The Graveyard Book. Neil Gaiman. Illus. by Dave McKean. (2008)
Green Eggs and Ham. Dr. Seuss. (1960)
Harold and the Purple Crayon. Crockett Johnson. (1955)
Harriet the Spy. Louise Fitzhugh. (1964)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. J.K. Rowling. (1998)
Hatchet. Gary Paulsen. (1989)
The Hobbit. J.R.R. Tolkien. (1937)
Holes. Louis Sachar. (1998)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Brian Selznick. (2007)
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. Simms Taback. (1999)
Jumanji. Chris Van Allsburg. (1981)
Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. Yuyi Morales. (2003)
Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes. (1996)
The Lion and the Mouse. Jerry Pinkney. (2009)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. C.S. Lewis. (1950)
The Little House. Virginia Lee Burton. (1942)
The Little Prince. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. (1943)
Locomotion. Jacqueline Woodson. (2003)
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story From China. Ed Young. (1989) 
Madeline. Ludwig Bemelmans. (1939)
Make Way for Ducklings. Robert McCloskey. (1941)
Matilda. Roald Dahl. Illus. by Quentin Blake. (1988)
Meet Danitra Brown. Nikki Grimes. Illus. by Floyd Cooper. (1994)
Millions of Cats. Wanda Gág. (1928)
Miss Nelson is Missing! Harry Allard. Illus. by James Marshall. (1977)
Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Richard and Florence Atwater. Illus. by Robert Lawson. (1938)
Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. Robert C. O’Brien. (1971)
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale. John Steptoe. (1987)
My Father’s Dragon. Ruth Stiles Gannett. Illus. by Ruth Chrisman Gannett (1948)
My Name is Yoon. Helen Recorvits. Illus. by Gabi Swiatkowska. (2003)
Olivia. Ian Falconer. (2000)
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. (2010)
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales. Virginia Hamilton. Illus. by Leo/Diane Dillon. (1985)
The Phantom Tollbooth. Norton Juster. Illus. by Jules Feiffer. (1961)
Pierre: A Cautionary Tale in Five Chapters and a Prologue. Maurice Sendak. (1962)
Pink and Say. Patricia Polacco. (1994)
Pippi Longstocking. Astrid Lindgren. (1950)
Ramona the Pest. Beverly Cleary. (1968)
Rickshaw Girl. Mitali Perkins. Illus. by Jamie Hogan. (2007)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Mildred D. Taylor. (1976)
Rumpelstiltskin. Paul O. Zelinsky. (1986)
A Sick Day for Amos MCGee. Philip Stead. Illus. by Erin E. Stead. (2010)
The Snowy Day. Ezra Jack Keats. (1962)
Starry River of the Sky. Grace Lin. (2012)
The Stories Julian Tells. Ann Cameron. Illus. by Ann Strugnell. (1981)
The Story of Ferdinand. Munro Leaf. Illus. by Robert Lawson. (1936)
Strega Nona. Tomie dePaola. (1975)
Swimmy. Leo Lionni. (1963)
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. William Steig. (1969)
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Judy Blume. (1972)
The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. Julius Lester. Illus. by Jerry Pinkney. (1987)
Tar Beach. Faith Ringgold. (1991)
Ten, Nine, Eight. Molly Bang. (1983)
Tomie dePaola’s Mother Goose. Tomie dePaola. (1985)
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. Jon Scieszka. Illus. by Lane Smith. (1989)
Tuesday. David Wiesner. (1991)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle. (1969)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963. Christopher Paul Curtis. (1995)
The Westing Game. Ellen Raskin. (1978)
When You Reach Me. Rebecca Stead. (2009)
Where Is the Green Sheep? Mem Fox. Illus. by Judy Horacek. (2004)
Where the Wild Things Are. Maurice Sendak. (1963)
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears. Verna Aardema. Illus. by Leo/Diane Dillon. (1975)
Winnie-the-Pooh. A.A. Milne. Illus. by Ernest H. Shepard. (1926)
A Wrinkle in Time. Madeleine L’Engle. (1962)
So many wonderful friends. I love a great list filled with great books. I hope you found some good old friends as well.
Honk If You Love Books
That’s right…Honk if you love Books!
Passing through a town I spotted this in a parking lot:
And what made it extra delightful was how a Goodwill store was just one parking lot over, a bit of a conceptual juxtaposition tickle to see a promotion to recycle used reads instead of used clothing and sundries, a new way of thinking against the standard. I looked up the site and discovered a few things from their FAQs:
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Discover Books? Discover Books is a for-profit corporation with a social mission. They are in the business of collecting used books from thrift stores, library discards, residential curbside pickups and collection boxes located throughout North America. They sell used books online at discounted prices to be read again, or donate them to literacy-based or community service organizations greatly in need of free reading materials. When books cannot be sold or donated, they are recycled, diverting millions of pounds of books from landfills each year.
What will happen to the books placed in my hosted bin? The books placed in the collection boxes have always followed three pathways: they are resold to other readers, donated to children, families and literacy organizations in need, or responsibly recycled. This has always been the case and will not change. If you would like to talk to a Discover Books representative to learn more, please email us at info@discoverbooks.com or call us toll-free at 888-402-BOOK(2665).
All this brought to mind my original idea back in February when I began blogging how I wanted to gather a cavalcade of readers, those folks who promote books through voracious reading and reviewing. Book Boosters was born and although I had hoped to have 500 BBs by June I can’t complain about having 35 so far. Especially since I haven’t done any active promoting (I don’t Tweet, Face, Stumble, Link or such–old-fashioned, maybe–time deprived, very much so).
So if you are reading this and find you fit the Book Booster profile and don’t see your name on the list, please let me know and voila, you will be added. There are no dues, annoying ads, or newsletters. I am working on a secret handshake.
Happy Pages,
CricketMuse
Are you a Book Booster?
- Do you love books?
- Do you have favorites you read, recommend, and even re-read?
- Are you a frequent flyer at the local library?
- Are you an on-line regular of book sites, be they promoting to buy, review, or boast books?
- 1001 Children’s Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Perchance you operate on a need to read basis–you have to have a book in hand, by the bed, stashed in the car, or have one nestled in the backpack.
You then, my friend, are a Book Booster. And you are in good company. Add your name to the list and welcome to the shelf of those who appreciate and advance the cause of books.
Join the continuing ranks of Book Boosters:
1. www.BookWrites.wordpress.com
2. www.eatsleeptelevision.wordpress.com (adambellotto)
3. www.homeschoolhappymess.com
4. www.carolinareti.wordpress.com
5. www.opinionatedmama.wordpress.com
6. www.jessileapringle.wordpress.com
8. www.spookymrsgreen.wordpress.com
9. www.cecileswriters.wordpress.com (Samir)
10. www.HannahBurke.wordpress.com
11. www.thecoevas.wordpress.com
13. www.collecthemomentsonebyone.wordpress.com
14. http://scriptorwrites.wordpress.com (scriptor obscura)
15. http://jinnyus.wordpress.com/
16. http://1000novelsandme.wordpress.com/
17. http://literarytiger.wordpress.com/
18. http://chicandpetite.wordpress.com/ (Bella)
19. http://booksandbowelmovements.com/ (Cassie)
20. http://bookrave.wordpress.com/
21. http://fromagoraphobiatozen.wordpress.com/ (Marilyn Mendoza)
22.http://bibliophiliacs.wordpress.com/
23. http://thoughtsonmybookshelf.wordpress.com/
24. http://shelovesreading.wordpress.com/
26. http://artsandyouthlove.wordpress.com/
27. http://readingreviewingrambling.wordpress.com/
28. http://365amazingbooks.wordpress.com/
29. http://beckysblogs.wordpress.com/
30. http://bookpolygamist.wordpress.com/
31. http://aliciadevoursbooks.wordpress.com/
32. http://readinginterrupted.com/
34. http://bitsnbooks.wordpress.com/
35. http://justonemonkeytyping.wordpress.com/
I hope your peruse the above blog sites, especially if you favor reading, and adore books. And next time you are done with that read, consider donating it to the friendly little parking lot box.
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- Inspiration: (cricketmuse.wordpress.com)
Musings of a Voracious Reader: Children’s Authors
Do you remember when you opened the door to reading? When all those dark squiggles on the page made sense as they revealed themselves as words which you slowly understood when connected with other words formed entire ideas known as sentences leading into paragraphs filling the entire page? The bumbling, stumbling, tumbling of phonetics to get it all to connect. Then suddenly it became less work and it seamlessly flowed until it happened without you realizing it how the true joy of opening a book and falling in love with the story within suddenly filled your days. You had become a reader.
As you discovered reading, you found certain books appealed to you for some reason. Those first authors, those books of our childhood, are the ones we tend to remember forever. Who doesn’t always remember his or her first love? Below are some of my favorite children’s authors, a mixture of classics and newly established. I hope you will add your own.
wikipedia.com
http://www.goodreads.com
(all further images from goodreads)
Whew! That’s barely a thimble full of books and children’s authors that have left an impression on me as a reader. While I could fill pages upon pages of children’s authors musings, I must give credit for where it all started:
So, Book Boosters and other voracious readers–what books do you remember from your childhood?
A few contributing suggestions:
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- remembering childhood: an introduction (rememberingchildhood.wordpress.com)
The Baby Robin Song
American Robin — Humber Bay Park (East) (Toronto, Canada) — 2005, by User:Mdf (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
As we have been watching the last batch of robins readying for their imminent departure I found myself humming a tune:
There were four robins in the nest
and the little one said:
“I’m squished. Move over.”
So they all moved over and one flew out,
and there were three in the nest
and third one said:
“I’m squished. Move over.”
So they all moved over and one flew out,
and there were two in the nest
and the second one said:
“That’s better. You good?”
And the first one said,
“Yup. Works for me.”
At least that’s what I think is going on. I had received an update on the baby birds whilst out shopping yesterday (we take our baby birding seriously) and contemplated rushing home to watch the event. Costco won out and by the time I got home one of the birdies had flown. Towards the evening it looked like another might be heading out but then all three hunkered down into the nest so only the tips of the beaks were sticking up.
Smart birds.
A summer storm kicked in an hour later and that birdie knew the nest was the best place to be if being a baby bird.
This morning I heard a cacophony of cheeping outside my bedroom window. Upon checking I found the third baby robin just below the nest and forlornly indicating its angst of separation anxiety. When it saw me approach it flew up into what I call the launching pine (it’s where all the robins seem to fly from the nest). It hung out there for the longest time. It’s still there and I still hear its lamentable cheeps. I wonder if it’s having second thoughts about leaving the nest?
As I listen to its pitiful cheeps this book came to mind
I think our little bird is saying, “Mom? Mom?” And I hope mom bird stops by and encourages her baby to find flight, grab a worm, and enjoy the sights. At least that’s what I’d recommend.
UPDATE: the birds are gone. Rats. I came home from morning appointments and the nest was empty. I hear scattered cheeps up in the pines and I hope to spot them on the lawn learning how to get their own grub. A couple of pics to share:
Getting Ready
I’m out…now what?
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- The Robins Are Gone (oldthingsrnew.wordpress.com)
- Baby Robin Perches on Fairy’s Head While Fairy Holds a Bird in Her Hands (chandrasherin.wordpress.com)
- Badminton, barbecue, and Baby Birds (cricketmuse.wordpress.com)
Pam Webb aka Cricket Muse
A writer's journey as a reader
Recent Award
Pam Webb 