Peaceful Reader

29 days of book love…

There is something special about stories that spread the joy of books and reading.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce is just one of these rare books. Beautifully told and illustrated it demonstrates the journey stories take us on and how we are better for choosing the love of reading.

Morris loves words and reading and he is transported into a new world. Kids love the illustrations by Joyce and the little light bulbs pop as the story unfolds.

And my assignment for this month is done. March will not be as fruitful because I go back to my own writing.

29 days of book love…

I stopped. Why bother, I thought, when no one is listening? It’s frustrating I admit it but do I want to admit defeat? No.

After that struggle I reassessed; I’m not really writing for anyone else. It’s important for just me. Do I want people to read? Absolutely. Do I want people to comment? Absolutely. Yes, please. Say something, tell me what you think. I love discourse and dialogue.

But even if I’m just talking to myself it’s okay.

So I cam back to book love. Barbara Kingsolver. Anyone else love her?
I’ve read almost all of her books.

Here are my favorites in reading order:

1. The Bean Trees (1988): Goodreads wasn’t around but I read this one first and fell in love with the way it was written and the characters. I kept reading the series as I found them.

2. Prodigal Summer (2000): An amazing character driven tale that takes place in Appalachia. I loved Lusa because she was struggling with her place in the world. I could relate.

3. The Poisonwood Bible (1998): Wow. Ten years after The Bean Trees and this is a big leap up. A totally different kind of story. Quite good and I made it through all 546 pages.

4. Animal Vegetable Miracle (2007): She said everything I wanted to hear about food. Changed the way I thought about meat. My son was so happy. Local, healthy food and funny stories along the way.

5. The Lacuna (2009): Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Harrison Shepherd jaunt through Mexico and the U.S. during the 1930s. Beautiful and 508 pages.

6. Flight Behavior (2012): Goodreads says it like this “Contemporary American fiction at its finest…” I agree. This story blends interesting characters with an environmental message that made it easily my favorite of all her books.

Thank you Barbara for writing. I love your work.

29 days of {bookish} love…

{James and his little sister with his research project}

No book talk today as I spent a good portion of my night at our school science fair. I saw many wonderful projects and a few that I would buy if they were available like a laundry sorter that also folds! I would be first in line for that invention.

Today I share a few of my favorite students with their projects:

{Amelia with her HFCS-free homemade ginger ale recipe}

[Varun with his sticky boots to prevent ice falls]

{India with her child-proof flip plug}

[Frances with her snow removal gates]

{Henry with his remote-controlled snow removal vehicle-every Iowa home needs one}

{And Lucas who investigated mold and bacteria on chip dip}

Such interesting projects.

29 days of book love…

Kate DiCamillo

Simply Kate

Beautiful writing

Everything by Kate

This is how my students and I speak of DiCamillo and her books. I pretty much read them in order because that’s how they came out for me but my school kids read them in any which order and they recommend them to each other. Teachers read them aloud and when I say a title the kids collectively swoon, as in “OOOhhhh, Mrs. Tjaden read that to us last year…AAhhhh, it was soooo goooood!” I’ve heard she has a new one just out. I’m sure we’ll love that one as well.

1. Because of Winn-Dixie (2000): Girl and her lovable adopted dog.
2. Tiger Rising (2001): Rob and Sistine make memories with a tiger.
3. The Tale of Despereaux (2003): Mouse + Princess Pea =charming!
4. Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2006): Stuffed rabbit journey.
5. The Magician’s Elephant (2009): Peter takes an unexpected chance.
6. Bink and Gollie (2010): Adorable quirky friends, easy reader style.
7. Flora and Ulysses (2013): Flora Belle and a squirrel, yes, for real.

Everyone should read Kate; you will be transported into whatever world she has created.

29 days of book love…

I read this book on a road trip and annoyed my family for many miles as I exclaimed and read paragraphs to them. And by them I mean my husband as I’m sure Groovy Girl and Teenage Boy had ear buds in. He liked what I read to him, thought it was also good but I think my exuberance for Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming was over the top for him.

I was ready to make it into a play. Even though the book is fiction it is her account of growing up and it’s told in beautiful poetry. I’m not a fan of books told in verse but this one I loved. Her poems really spoke to me. Her family stories move between South Carolina and NYC during the 1960’s.

Now that I’ve reminded myself about how much a loved reading every page of the book I may have to pick it for my 6th grade book club. I’ll have to wait a book or two as we are just finishing up The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, another strong female character historical fiction for every one to read. So much book love…

and look the awards on both books.

29 days of book love…a true classic

The first children’s book I fell in love with as an adult but before I had children of my own was A.A. Milne’s The House at Pooh Corner; a philosophical romp in the woods with stuffed animals that has real meaning.

There are many versions of this book and I happen to own a vintage 1950’s copy thanks to my sister-in-law’s love of old shoppes.

A lazy Sunday afternoon is the perfect time to read a little Pooh with someone you love. Read with me…

“One day when Pooh Bear had nothing else to do, he thought he would do something, so he went round to Piglet’s house to see what Piglet was doing. It was still snowing as he stumped over the white forest track, and he expected to find Piglet warming his toes in front his fire, but to his surprise he saw that the door was open, and the more he looked inside the more Piglet wasn’t there.

‘He’s out,’ said Pooh sadly. ‘That’s what it is. He’s not in. I shall have to go for a fast Thinking Walk by myself. Bother!”

And then he hums to keep warm…tiddly Pom.

Delightful. If you’ve never read this you must. With a friend, a little one or big, or by yourself, you will make new friends as you read about their adventures together.

TTFN…

29 days of book love…

Inkheart

Cornelia Funke

(2003)

originally published in German

This book is a thrilling ride crafted for fantasy lovers and book readers of every kind. Imagine how it would change your reading style if your reading abilities could change the story as it does for Meggie and her dad Mo. Mo loves books and is good at fixing them. He was also a very good storyteller at one time. Soon after her mother’s disappearance though Mo won’t read to Meggie and she doesn’t understand why. Mo has such incredible reading abilities that even a few bad guys are interested in his talents.

What if, I as a librarian, read in such a way that my library patrons one-by-one began disappearing as I was reading? Would you want to send your child to the library anymore? Meggie and Mo’s journey and the unique cast of characters smattered along the way make this an incredible story worth sharing. I once read it aloud to a class of 5th grade students in Little Rock. Their teacher and I were friends and she struggled with readalouds so I agreed to help her by modeling. This is the book I chose, I went every afternoon to read to them, and they were mesmerized by the story. It was one of the best experiences I had of transporting children (and their teacher) to another land far, far away…

The movie is not worth it and even the second book not so much. This book is a stand alone for me. It’s so good it doesn’t need anything more.

29 days of book love…

Finding Fortune

Delia Ray

2015

An almost ghost town mixed with the long gone button factories that lived along the Mississippi River and you have just two parts of Delia Ray’s new story for elementary and middle school students.

12-year-old Ren is fascinated by the old school in the almost empty next town over curiously named Fortune. An older woman is fixing up the school as a boarding house and a button museum and Ren gets mixed up with their stories instead of her own.

Her dad, serving in Afghanistan, will be home soon and Ren feels like her mother needs to be more excited about his upcoming arrival. Her older sister is busy working and dating a French foreign exchange student. It’s easy for Ren to find life a little more thrilling with Hugh, Hildy, Mime, and the rest of the museum characters.

Mystery and intrigue-perfect for kids wanting just a bit of a scare.

29 days of book love…

Beatrix Potter-need I say more? I love everything she did. She was talented and wanted to distribute a pocket size so anyone could afford her little stories. I have this large paperback at home that I’ve enjoyed for years. At school we still have a large collection of the minuture books and some young readers are drawn to them; quaint and sweet.

2016 marks 150 years for Beatrix Potter, cause for great celebration in the book world and beyond. A new website is being rolled out plus you can find her on twitter and Facebook! I’m sure Ms. Potter would have loved her social media presence. Hopefully it might mean a whole new generation will love her work. Enjoy this delightful Peter Rabbit video-my favorite-that naughty little adventurer! Share it with a little person in your life, both books and video! Enjoy.