Peaceful Reader

Seriously Selling Books

(My organic, buy-local hero, Alice Waters)

One of my dear friends is the brains behind our (now 2nd) annual Christmas Bazaar. Last year she made me make chocolate covered pretzel sticks and cookies. This year she asked if I would be in charge of a used book sale as part of the bazaar. Well, that is right up my alley so it took about two seconds to say yes.

So here I’ve been for the last three hours, selling books at rock-bottom prices. We are a church filled with readers so the book selection is stellar-really! I have a stack right next to me of excellent titles I just couldn’t pass up. Two are cookbooks: Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Remolif Shere with a preface by Alice Waters and illustrated by Wayne Thiebaud. I’m buying it because I trust Ms Waters so much but also because it has recipes like Nutmeg Geranium Ice Cream, Langues De Chat and an entire chapter on just chocolate.
The other cookbook is a spiral-bound book called Screen Cuisine with a really silly illustration on the front. I couldn’t find an image of it and I don’t have a fancy phone to snap a picture to share. I happened to browse through it and discovered it was published by the National Film Society. The list of recipes arefrom a cornucopia of famous people such as Rosemary Clooney’s Viennese Goulash, Newman’s Own Marinated Steak, Carol Burnett’s Fresh Peach Souffle and Dean Martin’s “Dean’s Chix Dish.” Wow-this is a classic. After each recipe is their “signature.” I have to buy it just for the amusement. Only at a church bazaar could you find two such amazing recipe books. My husband, of course, rolled his eyes at the amount of books I brought home! You can’t beat 50 cents a book.

This post is part of Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking. She reviewed The Wine Trials; 2011-a fantastic book about blind taste testing a variety of wines and their rankings. I know it is a useful book because I have the first edition-2008. My thoughtful husband gave it to me as a birthday and I still use it. A gift that keeps on giving! Even though I haven’t tried all the wines in my version I’d love to take a look at this newer version. Thanks Beth Fish for a great reveiw!

The Missing Chick by Valeri Gorbachev

A few years ago while shopping at Target I lost my Groovy Girl for about 8 minutes. I was terrified! I think it happens frequently to mothers out shopping. I was busy reading the label on something and she was jabbering away at me in her 5-year-old voice and I was uh-huh’ing her but my mind was elsewhere. My son was close by looking at something else when suddenly it occurred to both of us that she was no longer there and jabbering! Oh, how I suddenly missed her sweet voice. We called her name and walked around in the general area but could not spot her. When a Target employee walked by me I said “I can’t find my daughter.” I could feel my chest tighten and my thoughts were going crazy.

That feeling is brought to life so well by Mr. Gorbachev in his picture book, The Missing Chick (2009). Mother Hen is hanging her laundry on the clothes line when Mrs. Duck stops by to chat. Mother Hen says “My seven chicks are very good helpers!” Only six chicks are helping though-OH, NO! One chick is missing and Mother Hen, her neighbors, the police and firemen all help her look. Mrs. Duck eventually finds the missing chick in the laundry basket, asleep! I adore Valeri Gorbachev’s illustrations and this one is no exception. Mrs. Duck looks lovely in her polka-dot hat, dress and petticoat. Mother Hen in her apron and slippers looks so relieved when her little chick is uncovered and brought to her. Gorbachev leaves a little surprise ending that children will love to discover because they will have to find it with their eyes.

Thankfully, my little chick was located just moments away as well-not sleeping but admiring accessories in the girl’s section. She clearly stated she was just looking at the pretty purses! I felt as happy as Mother Hen did when the Target employee walked her to me. BTW: if you say to a Target employee that your child is missing they immedietely walkie talkie the front door area and lock down the store. I was freaked and grateful by how quickly the store responded!

Read Planet Esme’s blurb about The Missing Chick.
and Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast talks about Valeri’s work.

Have you ever lost track of your own little chicks?

What Should I Make?

by Nandini Nayer
illustations by Proiti Roy
(2009)

This book was originally published in India, in English and in Hindi. Neeraj’s mother is making dough, rolling it into chapatis and hands him some dough to play with. Neeraj is a cute boy with hair going everywhich way and he takes that dough, uses his imagination and makes all kinds of creatures.
“Neeraj rolled th edough back and forth, back and forth, into a long rope. At one end of the rope, he poked two tiny eyes. The other end became a pointed tail. ‘A snake! A snake!'”

Even though we never see all of Neeraj’s mother we can tell she is dressed in a flowing green sari and with bangles at her wrists. She has few lines in the book as well but they are playful as she encourages him to play with the dough. I’m happy the author choose to make the main character a boy, crossing the stereotype of girl’s helping mother’s in the kitchen.

I love the heck out of this book, especially the back section, which provides directions for making chapatis. The recipe is simple and I think we will make them some time soon.

She’s Too Fond of Books loved this book as well.

On the other end of the spectrum we read an awful picture book during storytime. The cover is attractive but it ends there. This book scared Groovy Girl right before sleeping. Should I have to preview books before bedtime? No. The illustrations are like clay puppets; think Coraline in the “other world”. The second disturbing thing was the text is scrawled in cursive. She was supposed to be reading it to me but she handed it to me and said “I can’t read that!” I said but you are learning cursive…She said “Not like that.” So I read and well, we finished it but are both unhappy for it.

The Look Book: Two siblings are bored on summer break and their mother sends them outside. Outside they see different things, in contrast.
One page:
“Ann saw a whole pie.”
Next page:
“Ian saw a pie hole.”

farther along:
“Ian saw a car get towed.”
“Ann saw a car get a toad” (picture of blood stained road after the car has passed)
“Ian saw a bird soar overhead”
“Ann saw a bird with a sore head.” ( an axe in a stump next to a chicken head, a chicken’s body running in front of Ann)
After many weird and scary homonyms they return home and tell their mother they saw nothing…there I’ve ruined the end for everyone. This is a perfect book for someone with a wry or slightly twisted sense of humor. Creative-Yes, Perfect storytime book-Nay!

The images and the text are disturbing and I’m not sure who made the decision to market this for children. Boo.
If It’s Hip, It’s Here has another take on the book.

I came home early from work, scratchy throat, monster headache. Dear Daughter made me a snack of honey toast, a chocolate kiss and a glass of rasperry-flavored Emergen-C all on a tray with a note that says she loves me. Now she is going to read to me for storytime instead of the me reading our book, Evangeline Mudd, together. I need to sleep really well tonight so I can go back to work tomorrow. I have Vick’s Vapor Rub all over me, I’ve tea’d myself with Gypsy Cold Care and I made myself some onion, garlic miso soup when I first stumbled home.

I hope it is enough to scare away the cold germies!!

It is rather nice to have my children take care of me and I did finish A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce.

Good things abound.

Ear Candling-Do You Do It?

Years ago, while living in Denver, Colorado, one of my dear friends candled my ears. It was cool and felt good. For years I’ve been candling my children’s ears. I candled both children’s ears tonight as per their request. They ask for it when they feel stuffed up or ear waxy. Luckily our small organic store still carries ear candles-though they come at a price. I’ve heard and read lots of negative about this practice but as of yet we’ve never had a problem. We only do it maybe twice a year. My kids have never had any ear infections or even get sick that often (knock on wood) so I consider it to be just a bit of preventive medicine. We can’t get around the fact that our ears feel better afterwards. Right now is the perfect time as we took a long road trip, the weather is changing and we are running on low energy-all factors which contribute to getting sick.

Have you ever had you ears candled? Would you?

Bookclub Discussion

Some of us started discussing our pick for November, My Abandonment by Peter Rock even before we’d filled our plates (the food was delicious) or accepted a glass of wine from the hosts. This is what happens when a book is well-written but controversial. What was the author’s purpose for leaving us dangling so much? Had Caroline been kidnapped or was she this man’s daughter? After his death why does she continue to live on the fringe of society? We tossed the questions around, snapping answers back and forth but with no real answers-we just all had our own opinions. Some never once thought about a kidnapping scenario and one couldn’t stand the father character, even though she believed he was the real father. If she had been kidnapped, why didn’t the social service agency who worked so hard to get them settled on the farm, ever come up with this evidence? Why is Elizabeth Smart thanked in the back of the book? I love when a book brings out so much passion!!

If you’ve read this book I am interested to know your thoughts. My idea is that Peter Rock purposely leaves us dangling and questioning their relationship. I’ve searched other blog posts about the book but didn’t find any further insight. I’ve moved on to Elizabeth C. Bunce’s A Curse Dark as Gold, which is good but thankfully, is not as thought-provoking.

Here is a great video of Peter Rock describing his inspiration for the story:

My Abandonment

by Peter Rock

(2009)

I finished it yesterday which gave me some time to knit and start the third book I brought on our trip to Oberlin. My new book is A Curse as Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce. I am reading it for my long distance book club and it is on my reading from my own shelves challenge, which I am wayyyy behind on.

My Abandonment is still twisting around in my brain, which I always take to mean well-written-the characters are often still poking me. I do think this is a literary story but I am left with questions.

Good Reads Synopsis:

A thirteen-year-old girl and her father live in Forest Park, the enormous nature preserve in Portland,Oregon. They inhabit an elaborate cave shelter, wash in a nearby creek, store perishables at the water’s edge, use a makeshift septic system, tend a garden, even keep a library of sorts. Once a week, they go to the city to buy groceries, attend church, and otherwise merge with the civilized world. But one small mistake allows a backcountry jogger to discover

them, which derails their entire existence, ultimately provoking a deeper flight.

My thoughts:

I enjoyed Caroline’s narrator voice and the in-the-present-moment telling of this tale. The father obviously has had trouble fitting back into society after his soldier experience. He is paranoid and has taught his daughter how to stay below the radar in any given situation. I’m torn as to whether this is really his daughter. Rock has left it up to the reader to decide and I feel like I’ve fallen into a paranoid trap by thinking automatically that she has been kidnapped. Why do we assume the worst? It is perfectly logical that a father, having experienced war at it’s worst, would lose his daughter to a foster situation but then still want her back. When the police do pick them up they must run her picture, right? If she truly were a kidnapped child wouldn’t it show up then.

Beyond these questions my heart felt a deep sadness for Caroline. She wants a friend and liked thinking about a regular life (riding a bike is a big one) she misses out on making choices for herself. I do like how she is changing her path by the book’s end but she will always be on the perimeter, always having a difficult time forming friendships and trusting. I will recommend this book, can’t wait to hear what my book club has to say about it tomorrown night and would love to know other’s thoughts on whether this is her father or not?? Read it.

Oberlin, Part Two

We took a fascinating tour focused on Oberlin’s history with the Underground Railroad. Groovy Girl is sitting on a bench donated by author/poet Toni Morrison Society Bench by the Road Project. The walking tour given by the Oberlin Historical Society was filled with good information and was made even more enjoyable by the beautiful summer-like weather. We spent tons of time outside because it was so gorgeous but G. Girl and I did fit in some shopping while the boys went to a Yeoman vs. Allegheney Gators football game. We had fun shoppiing for yarn, used and new books.

One Room Ungraded School for Girls on Underground Railroad Tour

Main St of Oberlin is a cool hot spot of chic boutiques, an old movie theatre and interesting eateries plus a large Ben Franklin with a used book store inside. Ben Franklin fun finds on one side and high shelves with so many used and new books on the other side was a little bit of shopping heaven for me and the girl. She found a stuffed saddle horse and I found a used book to buy. We had a great time browsing there as well as the Oberlin Book Store, the official college book seller, with an excellent children’s section. I heard author, Lynn Powell read from her new book, Framing Innocence; A Mother’s Photographs, a Prosecutor’s Zeal, and a Small Town’s Response. She was very interesting to listen to but we had to leave before I had a chance to buy it or have her sign it.

Browsing at Oberlin Book Store

400

Posting tonight on my continued effort to blog everyday in November I will have written 400 posts. I’m feeling good about that-I love writing and sharing but I try not to get too crazy/obsessed about it because it is just a hobby. But 400 posts is cool.

Parent’s Weekend has just begun and we’ve been to a Wine and Cheese party with a steel drum band playing away, we went to a great little diner for dinner (I had the Sunshine Salad) and we watched an improv troupe do their funny thing. Tomorrow there are many events planned but for awhile we are just going to relax at the hotel. No bed bugs so far. Woo hoo!

I am on page 98 of My Abandonment by Peter Rock, which is told from a 13-year-old’s point-of-view. It is well-written and I’m fascinated enough to keep reading along because I keep thinking there is going to be a major revelation-that and the writing is good. I am enoying the character, Caroline but I’m not sure how I feel about her dad. I think his intentions are good but feel like his fear of the outside world is shutting out choices for Caroline. I do enjoy how well the author can speak through a young female character.

Watch this video of Peter Rock discussing how the story, My Abandonment, came to be.

***My baking experience this morning (see yesterday’s post) was great. I was up early and my friend, Barb, and I made wheat bread, sweet bread, blueberry muffins, iced some scones and rolled some sugar cookies in pink sprinkles. It was a really fun two hours, spent working, baking and talking. We did sit and have some Chai tea and scones before my family picked me up. What more can you hope for when spending time with long-time friends? It was a quick but blissful visit.

Cheers to 400 posts-even if I’m just at the party myself!!

Oberlin, Ohio

(The Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies)

     We’re on the road again, headed to our first college Parent’s Weekend for daughter, Kaylee. Last Spring we spent time in Oberlin for a quick weekend initial visit and we loved this little town. It has a book store, knitting store and great little restaurant within walking distance of the campus. And the campus is beautiful and very eco-friendly. I’m listening to the train whistle outside of Chicago, in a small town called Hobart, where one of my closest friends live.

     Early in the morning I’m going to get up and help her make bread at her bakery, Marilyn’s and by 8:00 we’ll be heading to Oberlin-a mere four (or so) hours away. I have a guest teacher doing my job tomorrow-so all day I will feel a little like I’m playing hookey! I finished rereading Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins on the drive and start My Abandonment by Peter Rock as I crawl between the sheets. Happy Reading everyone!