5 Things: Countdown to Summer

5 Things to Brighten Your Day

Despite the BS that May Get in Your Way

1.  So far May has been perfect weather wise, and it's the same today.  Warm and sunny and lovely and perfect.  

2.  Our mythical bathroom is now finished, and I need to take some pictures and write a whole post about it because it is just so awesome!  But for now, it's one of the things that makes me happy.

3.  Coffee.  I'm always a little sad after that last sip.

4.  Morning baby cuddles!  Ali has become a good sleeper, but she's a morning person.  Like 5:30 am kind of morning.  But we let her talk in her crib until 6:00 am on the off chance that she'll understand that anything before that time is just ridiculous.  Even so, after you feed her, she's the sweetest little cuddle bug.  I'm not a morning girl, actually I love my sleep more than coffee, but I love my morning cuddles.

5.  School is winding down, so there is basically only one week left before summer break starts.  Which is great because I will be volunteering at two different libraries in June and running VBS, and taking a long vacation that involves driving through five states.  Bring on July!

Book Review: Inkspell

Inkspell
By Cornelia Funke
Scholastic, 2005
Reviewed e-Book
Audience: Grades 5 to 8
ISBN:  9781904442721
Publication Date:  October 5, 2005

Following the conclusion of Inkheart, all seems well for Meggie and her family.  Her mother is back, her family has found a home at Elinor's and everyone seems to be happy.  Except for their longing to visit the land in Inkheart.  Meggie constantly begs her mother for stories of this magical land and even Resa misses her former home.  Then, with the return of Farid telling an amazing story of a reader that read Dustfinger back into the book, Meggie tries it herself and finds her own way to Ombra.  Next Mortimer and Resa go back courtesy of Mortola and now people that were never meant to be in Ombra are affecting the story, a story that has gotten away from Fengolio.  

The Laughing Prince is now the Prince of Sighs, the Adderhead is in control, and the Black Prince quietly administers justice when he can.  It's a wonderful and dangerous world, made all the more so by the meddling of Fengolio and Meggie.  Supposed fix after fix only serve to further ruin the story and even once Meggie's family is reunited, it's under the threat of war, setting up an exciting finale.

I loved Inkheart, which I think I made pretty clear.  If Inkheart was a love letter to the written word, Inkspell is a warning that words can get away from you.  Fengolio has the best of intentions, but he never dreams that his story can take on a mind of its own.  He never imagines that his creation continued to evolve and grow, and trying to tame it again only leads to more pain.  

In some ways, isn't this fan fiction?  A series wraps up, but the story doesn't end as long as their are others that want to continue.  A story never truly dies as long as someone remembers it and adds to it.  Pretty heavy stuff.  What if there is a whole universe out there continuing the Sweet Valley High stories.  What are the Wakefield girls up to now that they are in their 40's?  I think I want to know!

Back to the point.  While I loved Inkheart, Inkspell read like any other fantasy novel to me and it honestly lost a little bit of the magic.  Plus I don't like Orpheus.  Just plain can't stand him.  I'm glad this is not an illustrated novel because I do not think I could look on his sneering, mousy face without vomiting.  Boo to his ending.  I hope he falls in a pit.

Now to Inkdeath.  Reading a series after it is finished is a double-edged sword.  On one hand, you can read it all at once, no waiting in suspense.  But on the other hand, you can read it all at once, and get a little burned out by it.  I'm feeling the burn quite frankly.  I'm not as engaged as I was with Inkheart, so don't expect my review of Inkdeath right away.  I'm going to give myself some time and read some other things first.  Mostly board books.  And occasional baby sleep guides.  That's my life now!

Happy Reading!

Happy Children's Book Week!

How do you celebrate Children's Book Week when you are a secretary?  Bring books to the office of course!  I've wanted to bring books to the office for a while now.  I figure that it will be a great distraction from the stress of finals week, and that CBW falls so closely to finals is just a great excuse.  My theory is that students can read a book, reminisce and relax for 5 minutes.  I haven't had any takers yet, but my display has only been up for about 2 hours.  It is right next to the candy basket, and I usually have a lot of people looking for candy in the afternoon, so I am excited to see what happens.

You got a glimpse of Ali Pie's bookshelf yesterday, so you know that this is only a fraction of her collection.  And some of these came from my collection in the basement library bar.  Our library bar is a very diverse collection striving to serve the needs of children, civil engineers, and soccer fans.  The Erickson Library has a very odd collection development policy.

I'll let you know how my experiment goes later in the week.  Hopefully I'm able to brighten some students day with a little nostalgia.

Happy Reading!

Baby Bookshelf

This is the bookshelf in Ali Pie's room.  You would probably guess that as a librarian's daughter, she'd have quite a few books.  And you would be right.  I've been hoarding review books, sale books, and other randomness for years for just such an occasion.  

Well, actually I've been buying books for myself, but it's nicer to say that I've been planning my baby's library instead.

This is a bookshelf that my dad made for me in college.  It suits the purpose of baby bookshelf pretty nicely since that top shelf is short-perfect for board books. 

The second shelf is taller, just right for those picture books.  I have some odd ones in here left over from reviewing.  If you look really, really closely, you'll see a children biography on Derek Rose of the Chicago Bulls.  I noticed it a couple of months ago while pulling a book to read to Ali, but I left it, because, why not?  She might love sports as much as her daddy.

So far, her bookshelf is not dominated by any one thing.  There are picture books and board books.  Books on animals and people and construction and pigeons and cupcakes.  It's not too girly or too masculine.  It's such a great balance.  

And these aren't all of her books.  There's a bin of board books in the living room, and I guess if I'm sharing, there are shelves of Mo Willems and Dr. Seuss books in the basement.  Do I have to share those?  I guess, but I'm not quite ready.  Then if you take into account all the chapter books lying about, and the adult novels and non-fiction, she's going to be really well read.  And very into environmentally sustainable construction techniques.  Thanks for busting the curve, daddy!

I love this bookshelf.  It sits right across the room from the chair I feed Ali in every day (and night).  It's a nice colorful thing to look at while I'm singing to her or just rocking her.  Now most mornings after I get her dressed, we grab a book and read before going on with our day.  It's just me, Ali and our dog Lucy hanging out with a book.  It's the perfect way to start the day.

Anyone else wanna share their baby bookshelf.  Check out my Instagram for some other bookshelf pics, because, like I said, this isn't the only place Ali has books!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Inkheart

Inkheart
By Cornelia Funke
Scholastic, 2003
Reviewed e-Book
Audience: Grades 5 to 8
ISBN:  97800439852708
Publication Date:  September 23, 2003


Meggie enjoys the simple life that she leads with her father surrounded by books, although they do move rather suddenly on occasion.  She barely remembers a life with her mother, but never asks what happened to her.  Then a strange man baring a stranger name shows up at their door and tells her father, Mo that Capricorn is hunting them.  This begins a long tale of flight, fancy, and fairy tales.

Meggie, Mo, and the stranger Dustfinger flee to their bookish relative, Elinor.  But her high power security system does not keep them safe, and Capricorn's men capture them and take them to a remote village.  Once there, Meggie learns that Mo, or Silvertongue, has read Dustfinger, Capricorn, and heartless Basta out of a book called Inkheart, and accidentally read her mother into it.  Mo has a fascinating and terrible gift of being able to bring characters out of a book, but it is a gift that he can barely control.  After a harrowing escape from Capricorn's village, Meggie, Mo, and Elinor track down the author of the book Fengolio, but are once again captured and now Mo must use his gift to bring down Capricorn.

I was told to read this book by a student that I was interviewing at a scholarship weekend this winter.  We asked everyone for their favorite book and he went on so enthusiastically about Inkheart that I had to give it a try.  (But to be fair he was a very enthusiastic guy.  His energy was infectious, but just a tad exhausting).  However, after reading Inkheart, I think I'm a convert.  I adored it!  To me, it was a love letter to the written word and the power of books.  Every chapter begins with a book quote, books that are now on my mile-long to-read list.  So many of these quotes describe a love of books and reading.  

I knew of these books, naturally, while I was a librarian.  However, with all of the other series coming out at the same time, I didn't bother with this one that was already mostly underway when I started my job.  I regret that now.  Also, as an import, I wonder if Inkheart got the attention that it deserved, although the movie starring Brenden Fraiser hardly helped.  He should really stick to killing mummies.

The text was quite engaging, although it took me a great deal of time to get through the whole book.  I just can't stay up all night reading like I used to, but it was easy enough to read for a bit and come back later.  

This is entirely the type of book that I would love my little Ali Pie to stumble upon later.  It is full of magic, wonder, and heart.  

For all those fantasy fans, Inkheart is a natural choice.

Happy Reading!

Every Day in May

Since the birth of my baby, and countless other things that consume my time, this blog has become neglected.  What was once a fun way to express my thoughts about books and life is now a sad reminder of everything that I no longer do for fun.  And it makes me feel guilty.  Like looking at an unused treadmill guilty.  You know you should be using that thing.  It would be good for you, but you just can't muster up the energy at the end of a long day.  Miss Tiff Reads has become that for me.

But no more!  I know that I have made may sweeping declarations in the past.  It's what I am best at.  This time I come at you with a plan.  I give you

Every Day in May!

Yes, after not posting in almost two months, and having never posted every single day of the week before, I intend to post every day in May.  I know what you are thinking.  I'm nuts.  I'm setting myself to fail.  I need to learn to crawl before I run a marathon.  Why not every day in February?  Because that doesn't rhyme!

It's Every Day in May.  31 posts in 31 days.  And because I am a glutton for punishment, I will also be dusting off my sadly neglected Instagram account (misstiffreads) and my barely used Twitter account (@misstiffreads).  See how easy I have made this for you!  Or myself.  Who has time to remember all of those usernames?  I can barely remember Ali's birthday, although I was pretty busy that day.

So, who's with me?  Cheer me on or wait for me to fail, either way, you know you're hooked!

Happy Reading!

5 Things: Ice Storm (you read that right)

5 Things to Brighten Your Day

Despite the BS that May Get in Your Way

1.  Yep, you read that title right.  We had a small ice storm here (in March no less) which meant that we had a weather advisory at work.  I'm a big wimp when it comes to ice, so I said yes please to the weather advisory and spent two extra hours with my little biscuit this morning.  She took a nap, I took a shower, then we read some books.  Great morning!

2.  I drank real coffee this morning.  So good.  Not something I normally do, but Ali has taken to waking up early, 5:15 am this morning, so real coffee was necessary.

3.  The Ericksons have a new workout plan.  We alternate nights of exercise and washing bottles/dishes.  Last night was my workout night while Doug did the washing.  It's great because that way we each get a little alone time to workout without the guilt of neglecting each other, and we also share the dishes burden.

4.  I scored a great little dress online at Land's End today.  With tax, shipping, etc. it came to $30!  Check it out here.

5.  Ali is a big splasher in her infant tub.  It might be time to wash her right in the bathtub since she's a good sitter.  I think I would get much less wet that way.  It's like I'm in the front row at a Sea World show every time I give her a bath.  Lucy won't even hang out in the bathroom anymore when Ali gets a bath because she hates to get wet.

Not much reading getting done these days, other than my Booklist reviews, but I'll share my new reading strategy soon.  And I do have a review to share, but I am still wrapping my head around the book I read.

Happy Day!