Book Review: Fairest

Fairest:  The Lunar Chronicles
By Marissa Meyer
Fewiel and Friends, 2015
Reviewed from eBook
Audience: Grades 8 to 12
ISBN:  9781250060556
Publication Date: January 27, 2015


There is more to the evil Queen Levana than what meets the eye.  After the death of her parents, she bristled at her lower position to her sister Channery, whose lax attitude toward her rule annoyed Levana to no end.  Levana was actually interested in her country, as well as the experiment being run to create a deadly biological weapon and superhuman soldiers.  In her opinion, the only way to deal with the dwindling resources on Luna was to take them forcibly from Earth.  But ruling Luna wasn't the only thing on her mind.  She falls in love with a place guard named Jacin, but learns that he has a beautiful, if fragile, wife who is with child.  After his wife's death, Levana uses her glamour to seduce Jacin and make him hers, even going so far as to manipulate his mind.  Meanwhile, Channery is pregnant as well and gives birth to an heir, another hurdle to Levana's rise to power.  But this little child will not stand in her way, and the whole story begins to come together and show the reader the Queen Levana readers have known all along.

What was supposed to be a short background story spun into a novel all it's own.  I've read other reviews say that it's not as rich as the other books, and while that is true, it's very detailed in the creation of Levana.  Like all villains, she was not born evil, rather she was made that way, mostly by her own sister.  Her actions are not excusable, but become understandable, which makes you see the danger to Cinder and Winter even more.  

Levana is very shrewd and cunning in this story, a side of her that has always been apparent in the other books but was never explored.  This type of intelligence combined with a thirst for power and acceptance have made for a very deadly combination.  

Other lesser characters are also introduced like Thurmatage Sybil, but most importantly, Winter.  Very little is ever said about Winter in the other books, even though she will be the focus of the final book.  In Fairest at least the reader learns about her difficult childhood, which will very likely effect the events in the next book.

I loved it personally.  I didn't miss the action and adventure of the previous novels.  I found myself absorbed in Levana's struggle for power and presence.  

On a side note, I heard that the musician Sia didn't want her face to be shown during the Grammy's, which got me to thinking about other artists who disguise themselves during live performances like Daft Punk and the Gorillaz.  Are all of these artists really just Lunars in disguise?  Are they among us already?  Likely not, but fun to think about none the less.

Only eight long months until Winter.  I can't decide if I'm anxious to read the final book, or sad to see it come to a close.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Lunar Chronicles Shorts

Marissa Meyer has so far released four short stories set in relation to the Lunar Chronicles.  Technically, Fairest is also a short story, but it was a short story that spun out of control and resulted in another book.  An excellent book that I'll discuss tomorrow.  But first, the shorts.

In Glitches, we follow Cinder as she arrives at Garan's home and meets his family, what is intended to be her family.  Instantly sweet Peony is a friend to her, but Pearl and Adri are harsh.  Cinder tries to make herself useful to the family but seems to fail every time and Adri is determined to make her feel unwelcome.  

In The Queen's Army, Z, a boy of around 12, is selected for the Queen's army and is taken from his home in the middle of the night.  He tries to be brave because this is an honor, but going to the testing grounds sounds terrible.  It is indeed.  Z is turned into a wolf solider, like those featured in Scarlet.  What might be worse than his treatment is his brother's treatment when he joins the pack some years later.  

The Little Android is different from the others in that it's a story that takes place in the Lunar Chronicles universe, but does not effect any of the other stories.  But honestly, it might be my favorite.  A mech droid who works on ships and should have no feeling what so ever, falls in love with a mechanic named Dataran after saving his life.  After hearing that she will be scrapped for having a glitch that makes her feel human, she runs away and encounters Cinder, who takes pity on her and gives her an old escort droid body.  Mech then goes back to the shipyard to be close to Dataran, but he is already falling in love with Miko, the daughter of the ship's owner.  Miko is holding a terrible secret, one that Mech can understand, and both love Dataran so much, that one makes the ultimate sacrifice.

Finally, Carswell's Guide to Being Lucky features everyone's favorite captain at 13-still running the ladies wild, and driving the men crazy with his slickness.  Carswell wants to escape his parents perfectly manicured world and be useful, so he's running several scams in order to save enough money to buy a Rampion ship and take off on his own, but he doesn't expect to start caring for a girl that he is trying to scam.  Especially not one as plain as Kate Fallow.

I'm not a big fan fiction person, but this isn't fan fiction necessarily, it's extra content.  However, Marissa Meyer got her start writing fan fiction, so there is something to writing fan fic.  I didn't realize how much I enjoyed being in this world until I read these stories.  I started to really miss the characters, because each of these stories is only enough to give you a taste.  It's only enough to make you really long for the release of Winter.  Again, The Little Android was my favorite, but the Little Mermaid has always been my favorite fairy tale, even with the tragic HCA ending.  The Carswell story did make me laugh.  His character really comes off the page.  

To read these stories, head over to Marissa Meyer's Wattpad page.  You will have to sign up for Wattpad (which is free) in order to read them all.  Then, to read the Carswell story, you'll have to sign up for Meyer's fan club.  Which only made me realize I should have done that ages ago!  

Tomorrow, I'll post about Fairest.  Until then, catch up on your short stories!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Greenglass House

Greenglass House
By Kate Milford
Clarion Books, 2014
Reviewed from Netgalley
Audience: Grades 4 to 8
ISBN:  9780544052703
Publication Date:  August 26, 2014


Milo lives in the Greenglass Inn, an inn for smugglers, and since smuggling tends to be a more fair weather trade, it's usually empty in the winter, but not today.  Five mysterious guests show up just days before Christmas and can't say exactly when they'll leave or why they are there.  Making up the five guests are a professor, a wealthy woman, two spry young women, and a dark stranger.  Milo's parents call in extra help in the form of a cook and baker, and a young girl comes with them.  Milo and the girl Meddy strike up a friendship and begin a role playing game to find out why everyone is here.  In the game they are Negret and Sirin, two characters that are much more than themselves, but still very much the same people.  As items start going missing, and even more guests show up, the mystery grows, until finally, Milo asks everyone to tell a story for entertainment and legends of the smuggler Doc Holystone start to collide with myths of the roamers and many other odd tales until, at last, everyone's motivations are revealed and Milo, or Negret, must find a way to save them all.

I'd seen advertisements for this book here and there, but it wasn't until I read a review on A Fuse #8 Production that I really took notice.  Elizabeth Bird likened it to The Westing Game.  I personally love The Westing Game, and I've heard of several mystery books before that it's like The Westing Game, but all fall short, until now.  Greenglass House is a mystery in the vein of TWG, and so much more.

Milo is a great character.  He's shy and anxious and really needs to be the brave and daring Negret.  He learns so much about himself as Negret, and lets himself explore his familial heritage while he's playing Negret without guilt.  See, Milo is adopted, he's Chinese and his parents are Caucasian, so it's obvious that he's adopted, and while he loves his parents, he can't help but wonder about his birth family.  As Negret, he builds a rich backstory without feeling like he's betraying his parents.  And he gains confidence by playing this role.  

Aside from the main plot of so many guests, so little information, there are rich myths woven within the story.  I am a big sucker for the story within a story and Milford does this masterfully.  It's much like Where the Mountain Meets the Moon in that all of the stories seem random at first, but the reader starts seeing connections and I was getting really excited to see just where they would all connect.  

SPOILER ALERT BELOW!!  Please if you plan on reading this book, skip the next paragraph.

The one thing that bothered me was the ghost.  I caught on pretty quick about the ghost and it made me so angry.  It felt like a really trite plot device.  I don't consider myself the most savvy reader, after all, I was floored by the ending to We Were Liars and after finishing that book, I felt silly for not seeing the ending sooner.  No, I felt like this ghost was too simply drawn and it bothered me.  I wasn't supposed to catch on this quickly!  I was mad for maybe 100 pages, then the story became too good and I let it slide, and in the end, I understood and appreciated why it was done that way, although I still say that it good have been a little more vague.

SPOILER ALERT FINISHED!!

I received this book from NetGalley, but not as a Kindle download that will stay with me until my Amazon account dies.  Nope, I had to download this on my computer, and those downloads only last 55 days-random I know.  Smart move publisher.  I feel so in love with this book and everything about it that I must own it.  That's how good it is.  I've read it, but I want to read it again, and again, and listen to the audiobook just for fun.  Just like The Westing Game.

For a great mystery with twists, turns, legends, and heart, Greenglass House is complete perfection.

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Dreams of Gods and Monsters

Dreams of Gods and Monsters
By Laini Taylor
Little, Brown, and Company, 2014
Reviewed from ebook
Audience:  Grades 9 and up
ISBN:  9780316134071
Publication Date:  April 8, 2014

Days of Blood and Starlight left us in a cave with chimera and seraphim in an uneasy peace, Mik playing the violin with Zuzana by his side and no mention of the relationship between Karou and Akiva.  Dreams of Gods and Monsters backs up a little bit to give this moment more context.  Angels descend on earth.  It is a sight met with curiosity and wonder, but the seraphim are uneasy, and Karou and the chimera army, not to mention Akiva and the Misbegotten know what Jael is really up to.  Meanwhile, Eliza, a runaway from a religious cult, is wondering how this angel invasion relates to her, the supposed chosen one of her former faith.  She ends up in Morocco studying a mass grave of chimera hosts, and inadvertently meets Zuzana and Mik, who manage to heal her after running a bait and switch on Karou's nefarious "aunt".  Then there are problems between the Misbegotten and Chimera as they try to unite to fight a common enemy, another brewing seraphim and chimera romance, rifts in Eretz that could bring everything crashing down, and more small plot lines that will confuse, delight, and enrapture readers.  

It's all a little much.

But it's like eating a death by chocolate cupcake.  It's too much, but it's glorious and you can't stop, and is that another cupcake?  Yes please!

Just know this:  If you enjoyed Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and Days of Blood and Starlight, you will be satisfied.  You will be drunk on chocolate cupcakes and begging for more.  You will question the ending because it's resolved but open, and you hear that Laini Taylor is working on another project, when there is still material in Eretz that could be explored.  Maybe she is leaving that for the fan fiction writers, of which I assume there are many.  Not being a fan fiction girl myself, I don't know.  But I might have to check it out in the future.  

Looking back on the whole series now, I would have to say that I am pleasantly satisfied with it.  In so many series, there are multiple ways that it could have worked out, and while that is the case here, I feel that it was always running toward this type of ending for Karou and Akiva.  The final book delved deeper than I imagined it could, but I loved it.  I loved learning more about the seraphim and the war they were fighting on the edge of Eretz that had nothing to do with chimera.  I loved learning about the first fall to earth, and seeing all the minor players in the final book get what was coming to them, especially the "aunt".  Oh, I hated her!  Just remembering the whole thing now makes me want to go back and start over.  

I'll be looking forward to whatever Laini Taylor has in store for readers next.  Until then, I'll just have to gaze longingly at the amazing vacation photos on her blog.

Happy Reading!

I Thought This Day Would Never Come

Just in case you are new here, my favorite book series is wrapping up today.  It's a bittersweet time, but I'm very exciting to get home tonight and tuck into Dreams of Gods and Monsters!  

Here's a round-up of posts leading up to this momentous occasion:

Impatiently waiting for Days of Blood and Starlight
Days Release Excitement
Days Review
Fan Girl Jewelry
Book a Vacation to a DSB Location
Night of Cake and Puppets Review
DSB Fan Girl
Impatiently Waiting for Dreams of Gods and Monsters
Dreams Teaser

Or, just click the Fan Girl label and you'll be led to all of my Daughter of Smoke and Bone related posts.

So far this day is living up to all of my expectations:  It's spring-ish outside, my five year wedding anniversary on Friday was lovely, I made it through three big work events in five days without punching anyone, I got to Skype (via sonogram) with my little biscuit who is growing every day, and my favorite book arrived on my Kindle at 11:48 pm last night without a hitch.  Had I known it would hit my Kindle before midnight, I would have waited up, but this little biscuit likes to sleep, so mama had to get to bed.  My husband was actually a little surprised that I wasn't going to wait up, like I might have in my younger days.

I'm afraid that this will be another slow week for posting, but at least this time it is because I will be reading myself into a tizzy, which of course I will then share with you.  It's seriously taking all of my will-power to not download this book onto my computer and spend all day reading covertly.  It will be hard, but I can do it!

Happy Reading!! (and if you're reading Dreams of Gods and Monsters, call me in two days and we'll discuss!)

Well, that was a bad idea

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor will be released on April 8.  There are several wonderful and beautiful things about April 8.  One, Dreams of Gods and Monsters will be released that day (I can't say that often enough).  Two, with any luck, it will be spring-ish by that time and that will make me very happy.  Three, I will have been married for five years by then! (What?!  That's a post in the making.)  Finally, the previous week will have been crazy busy for me at work, so April 8 is my reward for all of the long hours, maybe I'll just take it off entirely.

But April 8 is still six weeks away.  Six Weeks!  Six weeks until it's properly spring (hopefully), I've hit a marriage milestone, my big work events are finished, and six weeks until Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor is released!

And just today I found out that you can read the first two chapters at Entertainment Weekly.  I check it out even though I knew I would regret reading those two chapters because I would still have six more weeks to wait until I could get the whole story.  It's like that rare 50 degree day you get before getting six more weeks of 20 degree temperatures.  (Can you tell my life is being ruined by weather right now?)

Here's what amazing about this book:  It doesn't open with Karou or Akiva or Zuzana or any seraphim or chimera.  It opens with Eliza.  Who's Eliza?  I don't know!  But she's important, or will be over the course of the story.  Those two chapters raise so many questions and don't do a thing to check in on the biggest characters in the series.  Well played, Laini.  

For anyone out there that is just a glutton for punishment, go read the first two chapters.  You'll regret it, but in a good way.  In a this-is-going-to-be-incredible-but-I'll-just-have-to-wait kind of way.  Or, if you're the kinda person that hates spoilers and just wants to devour the book all at once, then wait until April 8.  Either way, you'll love the newest Daughter of Smoke and Bone book.

Happy Reading!

The Most Magnificent Thing

The Most Magnificent Thing
By Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press , 2014
Reviewed from NetGalley
Audience:  Preschool to Grade 3
ISBN:  9781554537044
Publication Date:  April 1, 2014


A girl and her very best friend, her dog, love to create things, and one day she sets out to create the most magnificent thing!  She sets to work interviewing an assistant, also her dog, and sets up shop in a little out of the way place, the city sidewalk.  But her thing isn't magnificent.  She fixes, and prods, and pulls, and works until she is furious, but her thing remains un-extraordinary.  Finally, she takes a walk with the dog and calms down.  When she comes back to her workshop, she sees that each prototype has a magnificent component, and when put together, makes a pretty magnificent thing.  

I'm a little head over heals for this book.  It had me from the dedication:  "For all the little perfectionists in the world".  This girl wants so badly to succeed, and without realizing it, she does.  All of her prototypes are the perfect thing for her friends and neighbors as they pick them up for their own needs.  Plus all those failures led her to her final creation, which is a great lesson for any reader, no matter the age.  

And the illustrations!  The dog is adorable in each spread has he "helps" her work, sometimes by chasing squirrels away from the work site.  Readers will also clearly see her frustration as the project fails, but joy as it comes back together.  

I'm a big fan of Ashley Spires Binky books because they are expressive and a little subversive.  They have something for kids and adults to chuckle about.  The Most Magnificent Thing is exactly like that, plus there is a great message about not giving up on your dream.  I want to buy so many copies of this book and distribute them at every baby shower I attend.  So much better than some sappy old copy of Love You Forever.  

For more fun with girl inventors, be sure to check out GoldieBlox, a whole toy line with the dream of inspiring girls to put down the dolls and pick up a socket wrench.  You might have seen their commercial during the SuperBowl and trust me, their product looks amazing.  And I love their tag line--"More than just a princess".  That is the perfect message to send to little girls everywhere!

I just can't say enough good things about this book.  Love, love, love it!  All aspiring inventors out there, or anyone with a dog, will absolutely adore this book.

Happy Reading!

Winter Blues

My central Illinois town is digging out from our fourth major snow storm this year.  Add to that sub-zero temperatures and you have some pretty miserable conditions.  And if school's call off anymore, I'm convinced they should just turn the kids loose and make them repeat a grade come August.  Let's just say that Illinois is lousy with snow right now.

Which got me thinking to one of my favorite Harry Bliss cartoons.  However, it's a little too much for this blog, so, if you're interested, click here to be redirected to his site and view it there.  But while I was searching for that cartoon, I came across another that is almost as good:

Click here to see this cartoon on Harry's website.  Yes, how does one look sexy in this weather without losing a limb to frostbite?  The world may never know.

If you're looking for something, anything, to brighten your ice cold day, check out the daily cartoon collection at Harry Bliss.  You'll be glad you did!

Happy Reading!

Let's Pretend It's Spring for a Minute

Let's face it, winter is a disaster this year.  Two polar vortexes (vortices, vorti?) in three weeks, buckets of snow, dead car batteries, puffy jackets, multiple pair of socks, I'm just over it.  But at least there are some great new releases coming this spring that I can look forward to.  And if I'm really lucky, I'll be able to read on the deck because it will be at least 50 degrees outside come April.  Actually, I would take 40 degrees right now, or a 32 degree day with no wind.  Or a plane ticket to somewhere warm.

Anyway, Dreams of Gods and Monsters will be released on April 8, and we all have to hope that the weather will be less strumpety by then.  (I'm not exactly sure why cold weather is so "strumpey", but that's my word of choice, and just know that it's a bad thing!)  Until then I think that I'll catch up on other reading and maybe reread Daughter of Smoke and Bone and Days of Blood and Starlight, or at least sections to get me back into the world seraphim and chimera.  Hopefully it's less cold there.

While you wait, I suggest that you check out Laini Taylor's latest blog post on what the internet is doing to our expectations.  Check out this line:  "I know there are no dragons, but I still want one. I know there is no perfect, rich, organized, effortless life, but I still want it."  Well said.

And I know there is no 70 degree, sunny, picture perfect Illinois reality in January, but I still want it!  

Until then, stay warm and happy reading!

Too Much Adorableness

I hopped on gap.com today just to check out the sales and see what's happening over there.  I'm a big fan of the Old Navy/Gap/Banana Republic family of stores.  My greatest wish is that somehow they would all end up in my tiny town-and that I made twice as much money to buy new clothes every season.  And while we're at it, could I get some superpowers over here, maybe the ability to read super fast and retain it all.  That would help out a lot!

But back to the Gap.  I got a little side tracked when I saw the Paddington Bear for Baby Gap collection.  Who wouldn't get side tracked by that kind of explosion of literary cuteness?

First row-girls, second row-boys, third row-day of the week onsies.  All images from gap.com

I think my favorites of the whole collection are the toggle coats.  Ridiculously adorable.   And so literary.  And you could put together a very warm and functional Halloween costume out of this stuff.  

What's bothering me most, however, is that there doesn't seem to be a Paddington shirt large enough for a 31-year-old woman.  Loving children's literature does not end with childhood, Gap.  Get on this please!  

If you need an insane dose of cuteness today, check out the Paddington Collection.  Meanwhile, I'm off to find a Paddington tee in my size.  I know it's out there!

Happy Reading!

Night of Cake and Puppets

Night of Cake and Puppets
Laini Taylor
Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013
Reviewed from e-book
Audience:  Ages 16 to 20
ISBN:  9780316369855
Publication Date:  November 26, 2013


Do you remember Karou mentioning in Daughter of Smoke and Bone that Zuzana lured Mik to her with a treasure map?  Well, this is that story.  Told from both Zuzana and Mik's perspective, the reader gets to tag along as these two crazy kids who are already in love with each other actually meet and talk for the first time.  Zuzan, the rabid fairy, is unusually shy when it comes to Mik, mostly because he is kissable, and she has never given that designation to anyone ever before.  Mik is equally nervous around Zuzana because he sees her as an adventuring girl that is completely out of his league.  The end result is perfect and the whole story will make readers long for the final part of the DSB trilogy, Dreams of Gods and Monsters, out in April 2014.  Until then, this makes a quick read that will keep readers satisfied.

Of course I pre-ordered this title the minute I found out it was being published, but it's still taken me two weeks to read it!  Life can be an evil strumpet sometimes.

Moving on.  What started out as a short story I'm sure, actually became quite long.  It might actually be qualified as a novella, since it's around 100 pages.  Zuzana's whole courting strategy does make complete sense.  She can't talk to the guy, but she makes herself the treasure in this treasure hunt.  The whole story is rife with the type of lyric writing that Taylor is known for and that I can never give justice to.  For instance, once Mik and Zuzana have found each other and they are frozen from the adventure, Mik says this:  "I want to warm my face against her neck and steam her up like a mirror and write my name on her with my fingertip."  How lovely is that?  Excuse me while I go open a window!

As much as I love Karou and Akiva (and I do), Mik and Zuzana were the comedy relief that was necessary in Days of Blood and Starlight.  And you can already see that he is favorable toward the type of magic and mystery that Zuzana drags him into by taking him to Marrakech.

It's all so lovely!  The falling snow on a bridge in Prague, the hot tea from Poison, the rich chocolate cake, the puppets, the legends, and of course the kiss.  Just wonderful.

It's becoming a growing trend that authors release short stories or bonus scenes between books in a series.  I've read a few for the Lunar Chronicles, and Divergent.  What do you think?  Do you enjoy that authors are giving readers bonus content?  I have to say that I enjoy it.  Especially when it involves a biting puppet and cake.

Happy Reading!

Bookish Fashion

I love Kate Spade.  I personally love all things Kate Spade and if I ever win the lottery and get to be a ladies that lunches, I'll wear nothing but Kate Spade.  But today I'm a secretary, and not a prim and proper 1950's secretary that wears a hat, just a run of the mill boring secretary in khakis and a polo, so I am not decked out in Kate Spade finery everyday.  But I do have a couple purses, and a few wallets, and some bangles, and a necklace, and a couple pair of earrings.  Actually this might be an addiction for which I should seek help.

But not yet because Kate Spade just released a very bookish new fall line!  I'm excited, but not so excited that I am reaching for my credit card.  I wait for things to go on sale, then I grab my credit card. Here's what I'll be stalking!

Above is the Required Reading Tote inspired by an old-fashioned card catalog.  It's so pretty!  A little out of my price range, and likely even on sale it will be a wish item, but I can appreciate it from afar.  Also, if anyone knows where I can purchase an old card catalog, let me know.  You see them all the time on Pinterest-where are they getting this stuff?

Boys Make Passes at Girls in Glasses tee.  Yeah they do!  How do you think I landed my hubby?  I was the hottie wearing khakis, a polo, and glasses!  I'm kinda offended that this model isn't wearing glasses.  I would feel weird wearing this shirt without glasses on.  This phrase is splashed all over the new Kate Spade line for fall-on bags, totes, iPhone covers, and bangles.

I love both of these scarves.  One is all glasses, the other all books.  I don't know if these will ever make my price range, but I'll be on the look out for look-a-likes.

I don't own an iPhone-ANDROID FOR LIFE-but I do like this little iPhone cover that looks like an old fashioned check out card.  You know, back before borrower privacy was an issue and stuff.  It's so retro and I love it.  But Kate Spade is all Apple now.  What happened to those darling first generation Kindle covers, why didn't you stay with Amazon?

I feel like jewelry is where you can actually get some deals.  True, these necklaces are nearly $100 now, but by Christmas, they might be in range for gift giving.  And by gift giving, I mean for my husband to give to me!  Like last year when he bought my the Take Note pencil necklace.  I've been on the look out for a look-a-like of the Goreski Glasses necklace for a while, but I love the little By the Book necklace too.  It might be in my future-right Doug?

I know I seem like I'm giving my hubby a hard time about gift giving, but he started it.  My first real Kate Spade purse came from him on our first Christmas together.  He set the bar pretty high, but I knew he was a keeper.  Now he says that buying me presents is easy because he just hits the Kate Spade sale site and clicks away.  I've loved everything he's bought me so far, but why not give him a little guidance for this year?

Which piece is your favorite?  What bookish fashion trends are you loving?  Go check out the New Arrivals at Kate Spade for yourself and see what you think.

Happy Window Shopping!

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween

Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween:  A Safety Guide for Scaredies

by Melanie Watt

Kids Can Press, Ontario, Canada, 2013

Format:  Picture Book

Ages:  Elementary School

ISBN:  1894786874

Publication Date:  August 1, 2013

Scaredy Squirrel has tackled many frightening events, but none as terrifying as Halloween!  He takes readers through all of the basics like costumes and decorations and through some more advanced tips like party games and candy transportation in a effort to make this Halloween the best and least surprising Halloween ever.  As always, Scaredy Squirrel's fears are unfounded, but he does add a spooky new twist to playing dead.  Since Halloween books are popular all year long, and Scaredy Squirrel is a delightful character, this is sure to be a hit.

You know by now that I love Scaredy Squirrel, see the round-up here, the Christmas review here, and the camping review here.  His over-the-top safety lessons are funny to readers and leave the impression that you need to be careful, but not that careful.  Personally, I wish that I had his tips for going through a haunted house when I was a kid.  

Again, there are some great programming possibilities here, especially since Scaredy Squirrel walks you through planning a non-threatening Halloween party.  You can start by taking the scaredy quiz, then work through some decorating, attempt to crave a pumpkin with a plastic knife, then do a real jack-o-latern craft and finish up with a costume parade and games as described in the book.  

Or, you could just recommend this book to every child that walks into your life.  That's my plan at least.

Now that Scaredy Squirrel has made Halloween completely safe and harmless, I'm wondering what holiday he will tackle next?  Valentine's Day?  Mother's Day?  Talk like a pirate day?  I could personally use some help getting through Arbor Day, but I might be the only one.

Did you notice all of the official publication information?  Things are starting to look very professional around here!  

Happy Safe and Non-Frightening Halloween!

Book a Vacation

Reality has been a heartless strumpet lately.  (Strumpet is my latest vocabulary word from Seraphina.  It's just a great word that I am trying to work it into daily conversation more.)  The weather here is rainy and cold, then add to that flooding and numerous boil orders and you have a reality that I would rather escape.

This has me dreaming about vacation.  But right now is not a great time to take a vacation, and I just don't have the financial resources to run off to Italy or Hawaii or Toronto, so I have to make due with books.

I know that I likely won't go to the places in my favorite books, but realistically, if I could, if I had a time machine and all that too, where would you really want to go?  Most historical fiction settings are out for me because I truly love indoor plumbing and electricity.  I might make it in the 1920's New York of The Diviners, but that's as far back as I would go.

This also means that most dystopian books are also out of the question.  I do not want to visit the Chicago of Divergent or try my hand at The Hunger Games.  Similarly, most fantasy destinations are out too.  It's constantly snowing in Narnia, no thank you, and there are a lot of monsters involved at Hogwarts and Camp Half-Blood, so I think I'll pass.  I'm not brave, I love showers, and I would prefer someplace with amazing food.  Let's see what I'm left with.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt set in Savannah, Georgia.  I have been to Savannah for a quick day trip about seven years ago.  But one day in Savannah is not good enough.  The setting of this book is so rich, and still very much alive in the South.  There are whole tours and shops dedicated to this book, which they refer to simply as "The Book".  I should reread this one just to soak in the setting.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor mostly set in Prague.  I'm a fan girl, so you really should have seen this one coming, but Prague just seems so ridiculous.  I saw an Anthony Bourdain show on it and it sounded incredible, although I'm convinced that Anthony Bourdain could make my small town seem interesting.  Still, Taylor paints Prague so beautifully that I would entirely go there.

Days of Blood and Starlight by Laini Taylor mostly set in Morocco.  This is the only vacation I would take that I might have to give up some of my comforts, like showers and such.  Morocco seems amazing with the kasbahs, and marketplaces.  I might not want to visit the particular kasbah that Karou inhabits, because again, I'm afraid of monsters (I'm nothing like Zuzanna who thinks they are entertaining and wonderful), but I still think Morocco would be doable.

   

From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg set in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  If there was a way to spend an entire New York vacation in the Met, I would sign up tomorrow.  Not only is it a kid's dream to spend a night in a museum exploring every little exhibit, but I would love it too.  I think I would start by sleeping in the little prayer room that they shipped in from Europe, or maybe the temple in the Egyptian wing.  See, I'm already planning it!!  And did you know that E. L. Konigsburg passed away Friday?  It's so sad to lose such an amazing, touching author.

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass set in a giant chocolate factory.  I know that this factory doesn't exist, but imagine if it did!  Imagine that you could make a chocolate harmonica, or any of the other creations they try.  This whole book was so descriptive and delicious that I found myself wanting M & M's by the bagful.  Maybe a compromise would be Hershey, Pennsylvania.  I'd take that vacation.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgensten set in a magical circus.  Again, this isn't real, but I would love to visit the Night Circus.  I can just imagine the lovely clothes I would wear, and the food, and the cloud room.  Maybe I should reread this one because there's nothing like magic to take your mind off flooding.

Those are my top book-inspired vacation picks.  Seraphina is proving to be a very nice escape but between boiling water, cleaning my dog's muddy paws, and cleaning up our leaky basement, I haven't had a ton of reading time.  What vacations are you planning-real or imaginary?  Are you looking to escape from the heartless strumpet as known as reality?  Are you loving the word strumpet?  Let me know!

Happy Reading!

The Wonder Reading List

As you well know I am completely taken with Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  Not only is the story fantastic and hopeful, but it weaves in all of these little song lyrics and book references that add another layer to the plot.  For fun, I pulled all the mentioned books and list them here, just in case you find yourself in need of more reading!

Auggie Reads:

 Mr. Tushmen, principal of Beecher Prep is impressed that Auggie has already read Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke.

Auggie thinks the Plague game that the other kids are playing is like the Cheese Touch from Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

Via mentions that Miranda would talk to Auggie about the different books he was reading, like Bone by Jeff Smith.

Auggie and his mom are reading The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien before bed at the beginning of the book, when Auggie admits that he likes his parents to tuck him in, even though it's a little childish.

Auggie tells him mom that he would like to read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by himself before he goes to sleep one night, just before his nature adventure, then he also reads the book while on the trip.

Via reads:

Via is a grown-up and able to take the subway by herself because she reads War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy.  She really is an adult because she actually likes it!

Summer reads:

While talking about Halloween costumes, Summer mentions that in grade school everyone had to dress as a book character and she dressed as a character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.  She then had to remind Auggie that it was a book first!  Always read the book before you see the movie!

Mentioned in Mr. Browne's English class:

When not writing precepts, it looks like Mr. Browne's students will be reading A Wrinkle in Time by Madeliene L'Engle and Shen of the Sea by Arthur Bowie Chrisman.

The high school play fiasco:

After Miranda convinces the play director Mr. Davenport to toss The Elephant Man by Bernard Pomerance, so he chooses the classic Our Town by Thornton Wilder and Via steals the show.

Quoted by Mr. Tushman in his graduation address:

 Mr. Tushman forsakes Peter Pan in favor of a lesser known J. M. Barrie book, The Little White Bird, and he also quotes Under the Eye of the Clock by Christopher Nolan to express his feelings about this eventful school year.

Mentioned at random:

Finally, the author chooses a passage from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery to open the section told by Jack and then uses a passage from Hamlet by William Shakespeare to open a section by Auggie.  These little notes give hints about the character and what lies ahead.

Now that you have this list, use it with a reader.  Why do you think the author chose these books?  What do the selected passages add to the story?  What books would you recommend to Auggie and his friends?

I always love when I read a book about a character that loves to read.  It makes me feel like I can get to know them even more.

Happy Reading!