HBRC Day 11

The 26th line on page 26 "...wire, storage batteries, and electricity."
Ray Bradbury's FAHRENHEIT 451

I finished this just last night.  I get the literal but please help me with any "hidden meanings".  I don't see how an 8th grader is going to understand this on their own.  I sure hope my son's teacher does a good job of teaching it.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Challenge #10

Christmas day is winding down.  We had gifts at "Grandma's" house (my mom), helped prepare for and clean up after lunch at my brother's house (40 family members this year), and now sitting in the RV taking a break.

I have never received a book for Christmas other than one asked for...usually the Martha Stewart latest from mom.  This year, although I did mention it, my son and his girlfriend (the sweetest!) surprised me with Hugo Cabret AND Wonderstruck by Selznick.  These are special because it shows me my kids really do listen to me sometimes (or at least the girlfriends do!).

HBRC day 7 Challenge

My favorite book character this year has to be Firestar, the kitty-pet turned warrior and leader of Thunderclan.  Yes, most days he drove me crazy not seeing what was right in front of him but I do have to remember he was just a cat afterall.  I read all six of the WARRIORS series by Erin Hunter between February and April of this year on my kindle.  One day I will continue with the next two series.

Quilt side of my hobbies...

Thought I better add something to my blog about my #1 hobby of quilting.  These are some dresden plates I am working on for a block exchange with some online friends.  After all, I did name my blog with both quilting and children's literature in mind.

Fahrenheit 451

Started reading Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury last night.  My 14 year old son has to read it for school in the spring so thought I would get a jump on it. 

Also just submitted the HBRC day 6 challenge to Karin and Julie...woohoo!  Now I have a few more books on my "to read" list.  Thanks, girls!

HBRC Day 5 Create a Cover

ANSWER by David E. Link

Miss Lilly had all the answers for her clients until she met Meg.  Lilly had found her calling as a fortune teller and had some fairly impressive and accurate answers for her clients most days.  When Meg walked through her door that rainy morning with tear stained red cheeks everything changed.  Meg had run away from her abusive adopted parents and was determined to find her birth family.  Lilly couldn't see Meg's past or future and became obsessed with helping Lilly the old fashioned way.  Neither girl had any idea they would become linked the way they did.

http://www.edifyingandedgy.com/

Challenge

Sounds like a true challenge, especially during the holidays.  Hope I can stay involved with all the holiday activities.

The Magician's Elephant

Like almost any book...I am glad I read it, but, I didn't really care for it.  It was a 99 cent Amazon Kindle offer.

When a fortuneteller's tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller's mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, here is a dreamlike and captivating tale that could only be narrated by Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo. In this timeless fable, she evokes the largest of themes — hope and belonging, desire and compassion — with the lightness of a magician’s touch.  (Goodreads)

My Life in Dog Years

This is one of those books I always intended to read but never made the time.  I sat down one afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed Paulsen's stories about his life with his dogs through the years.  There is not a minute of my life when I have not had a dog in my life.  Right now there are 7 and when they are all out running together I feel like Cesar, the dog whisperer, with my pack.  The lastest, a stray we named Sassy, is great and never leaves my side when I am outside.  I think she is probably about a year old now and I pray for the day she stops destroying everything she sees.

My Thirteenth Winter

I chose this book at the book fair at my son's school this year.  I usually prefer fiction but decided I needed to broaden my horizons with a biography.  My Thirteenth Winter by Samantha Abeel turned out to be a very good read.  She writes about her life dealing with dyscalculia, a learning disability that makes it hard to understand and grasp sequential ideas (many math related things), between age 13 through college graduation.  What had the most effect on me was the fact that as an elementary student she didn't have problems or at least they were not noticeable.  For anyone dealing with kids I guess you need to keep that in mind.

The Lying Game

THE LYING GAME by Sara Shepard has mystery and suspense that would interest the high school age reader.  Revolves around the "mean girl bully" theme.  The occasional mild profanity might be an issue for some.  I read it in two days, interesting enough to not put it down.  I will look into the second book of the series because ... the first kind of leaves you hanging.

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.
Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move? (Goodreads)

Weekend Trip to San Antonio

Thanks, Tracy, for going with me.  I had a great time working at the Sam Houston State University Jan Paris Bookfest this past weekend.  Being able to meet authors and illustrators is a wonderful experience and most people don't get that chance in their lifetime.  It was nice to meet all those SHSU professors that I have worked with over the last few semesters and they are so kind to host the bookfest and give their students this opportunity.  Thanks, Dr. Kuon!

Jan Paris Bookfest

What a guy! David Dias was so fun to watch and he was so kind to share his talent with us.  I think I giggled the whole time.  Should he be a comic, also?



                                                                                   I was so lucky to meet Jeanne Birdsall. I can relate to her story about enjoying those books for 9-12 ages. Her Penderwick girls are great and Jeanne is very kind.

Naomi Shihab Nye is a quiet unique lady.  I loved her book Going, Going which brought back a lot of San Antonio nostalgia for me.  I could see myself sitting with her on the River Walk having a cup of coffee and I so enjoyed listening to her read her poems.

Ah, yes, the vampires and werevolves

My first blogs have been for a school assignment and they were great to do because it made me produce my own blog.  Since school has slowed down a bit I am finally able to do some leisure reading and chose the famous Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and, yes, I have to agree they were great.  I watched the movies on dvd because that was more doable at the time.  It's a good thing, too, because I couldn't put these books down and read all four in a matter of a couple of weeks.  I read them on my kindle and my iphone so always had one or the other working every spare minute.  Love story to beat all love stories in my opinion.

Benito's Dream Bottle

Haunting illustrations evoke the mystery of dreams, in an imaginative tale centering on Benito's efforts to help his dreamless grandmother fill up the magical bottle that pours dreams into us.  (Goodreads)

I find a common thread in Naomi Shihab Nye's literary works whether it is through her poetry, novels, or picture books.  I feel she likes to share and show her readers the importance of different cultures.  I found her story a bit confusing reading it the first time but then tried to look at it with more innocence and simpler life of a child and grandparent.  I look at this book more as confusing poetry than a straightforward story.

Baby Radar

A baby's view of the world from her stroller as she encounters people, animals, and other things around her.

I enjoyed Baby Radar and having my eyes opened to the fact that everyone sees the same world through different eyes and different views.  I thought it was fun to travel in the stroller with the baby but had to wrap my mind around the structure of the words throughout the book.  More poetic than narrative.

19 Varieties of Gazelle, Poems of the Middle East

Award-winning poet Naomi Shihab Nye has brought together a collection of her poems about the Middle East, shedding powerful, tender light on a region filled with rich history and much turmoil. Nye, who is of Middle Eastern descent herself, speaks from the heart, capturing an entire culture in strong images -- especially in "Biography of an Armenian Schoolgirl," "Rock," and the poem that gives the anthology its title. Both remarkable and enlightening, this collection of poetry will help foster understanding in young and old alike for an area of the world most of us know only through nightly news broadcasts.  (Goodreads)

Poetry is not my favorite reading.  But I did enjoy those that were easier to interpret and understand.  I appreciate the fact that Nye is trying to introduce and expose the reader to Middle Eastern culture through poetry and literature.

Going Going

Sixteen-year-old Florrie turns political activist when she takes notice of the changing landscape of her beloved San Antonio hometown. Upset by the loss of small independent businesses to money-hungry corporations, she first begins her grassroots campaign with her family, who own their restaurant, encouraging them to support other local businesses and to avoid the chain stores. Supported by her family and a few close friends, she organizes rallies and calls for her fellow residents to refuse to patronize all franchises for the last 16 weeks of the year. The boycott begins strong with support from local businesses, but eventually wanes at what seems like an impossible task. However, Florrie never gives up her fight to preserve the past and encourage independent retail. The plot offers a good look at the life of a high school activist and all the work involved in fighting for something one believes in.  (SLJ)

This book had me hooked only pages into it taking me down memory lane.  Being raised in San Antonio for the first 15 years of my life, I found myself recognizing many names, places, and streets that Naomi Shihab Nye mentioned.  My mom would be able to give details of each place and street mentioned and I suppose that is where I got my knowledge.  San Antonio was struggling during my time there so we did not venture into downtown very often but since, the city has been partially restored to its glory.  While reading I felt I could walk along with Florrie as one of her friends and support her cause.

A Maze Me, Poems for Girls

Familiar thoughts of young teen girls written through poetry, easy to read and understand, inspired by girls' thoughts, feelings, and changes through this time in their life.

The poems read like short stories of life covering all kinds of things you find in your daily common experiences.  I especially like that the poems are easy to read and understand.

Habibi

Fourteen-year-old Liyana Abboud loves to hear her father call her habibi--Arabic for "darling". But she's not prepared for her family's decision to move from St. Louis to Jerusalem. This provocative first novel from the acclaimed poet builds a bridge to the Arab world, introduces a family readers won't soon forget, and offers a hope for peace.  (Goodreads)

It is hard for any teenager to move away from friends, school, and all that is familiar especially when moving to another country.  She is thrown into a culture and land that is foreign to her but she learns to love her father's homeland and her family she has never met before now.  This book also helps the reader see and understand that not all people and cultures are stereotypical of what they see in the media.

Going Home

Although a Mexican family comes to the United States to work as farm laborers so that their children will have opportunities, the parents still consider Mexico their home.  The children do not consider Mexico home but come to realize and love their heritage during their Christmas visit.  They realize their parents have made great sacrifices and left the home they love to give their children a chance for a better life.

Illustrator, David Diaz, uses his distinguishing artwork and features to add life and love to Going Home.  His bold colors and black outlined drawings support the story by showing so much detail.  The background to the text and illustrations are collages of Mexican Christmas culture.

The Pot that Juan Built

Quezada creates stunning pots in the traditional style of the Casas Grandes people, including using human hair to make brushes and cow dung to feed the fire. This real-life story is written in the form of "The House That Jack Built," and relays how Juan’s pioneering work has changed a poor village into a prosperous community of world-class artists. Illustrated by Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz.  (Goodreads)

David Diaz incorporates a second style of artwork for a few of his illustrated books.  This book does not have the typically seen black outlines of his drawings but Diaz still uses wonderful color to complement the cultural background of the story.  Although not black, the use of lines in the illustrations still have distinct characteristics.

Wilma Unlimited

Before Wilma was five years old, polio had paralyzed her left leg. Everyone said she would never walk again. But Wilma refused to believe it. Not only would she walk again, she vowed, she'd run. And she did run--all the way to the Olympics, where she became the first American woman to earn three gold medals in a single olympiad.  (Goodreads)

I have a difficult time trying to change my description of David Diaz's illustrative style.  I could probably open a book now and determine whether he is the illustrator.  I do like how the black outlines of his artwork makes the details of his illustrations clear and stand out.  His work is very striking and bold even though it is similar throughout the books he illustrates.

Smoky Night

This is a story about cats -- and people -- who couldn't get along until a smoky and fearful night brings them together.
The Los Angeles riots made author Eve Bunting wonder about what riots meant to the children who live through them -- and what we can all learn from such upheavals. She has written more than 100 books for children and young adults, including Night Tree and Summer Wheels, and many deal thoughtfully with difficult issues.
Smoky Night was the winner of the 1995 Caldecott Medal; an American Library Association Notable Children's Book; a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year; and a Parent's Choice Award.  (Goodreads)

David Diaz's artwork in Smoky Night is not atypical of his style of illustrations but he has captured the mood of the story with his color choices.  The collage backgrounds are very distinctive and interpretive of each page's text.  I can understand why this work above his others earned him the Caldecott.

Cesar Si, Se Puede Yes, We Can!

Born in 1927 in Yuma, Arizona, César Chavez lived the hard-scrabble life of a migrant worker during the depression. He grew to be a charismatic leader and founded the National Farm Workers Association, an organization that fought for basic rights for his fellow farm workers. In powerful poems and dramatic stylized illustrations, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and David Díaz pay tribute to his life and legacy.  (Goodreads)

David Diaz complements the biographical story of Cesar Chavez with his artistic interpretation using color and lines.  He still makes his artwork stand out using a outlining glow behind his characters instead of the bold black lines you often see in his work.  Colors are bold but also have a soft quality about them.

Anansi's Narrow Waist

David Diaz's artwork brings to life this African folktale about why spiders have eight legs and a narrow waist.  Bold colors with black outlines, typical of Diaz's work, add to the interest of the reader.

Colors and black outlines typical of David Diaz's artwork show the comical features of the spider along with the African folktale.  He gives a clear interpretation of the text through his illustrations.

Flora's Very Windy Day

When Flora and her pesky little brother, Crispin, are whisked away by a swirling and swooping wind, she gets the opportunity of a lifetime: the chance to give her brother away. With tempting offers from a dragonfly, the man in the moon, and even the wind itself, she will find it difficult to choose. But Flora would do anything to get rid of Crispin, wouldn’t she?  (Goodreads)

Jeanne Birdsall must like the theme of family and adventure.  You can find similarities in her picture book with the Penderwick family of her novels.  It is refreshing to see the picture book and the imagination of Flora while taking care of her little brother.  She struggles with wanting to leave him elsewhere but in the end the love for family and responsibility wins out and they are home.

The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind... and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their old friend, Jeffrey.

That leaves Skye as OAP (oldest available Penderwick) - a terrifying notion for all, but for Skye especially. Things look good as they settle into their cozy cottage, with a rocky shore, enthusiastic seagulls, a just-right corner store, and a charming next-door neighbor. But can Skye hold it together long enough to figure out Rosalind's directions about not letting Batty explode? Will Jane's Love Survey come to a tragic conclusion after she meets the alluring Dominic? Is Batty - contrary to all accepted wisdom - the only Penderwick capable of carrying a tune? And will Jeffrey be able to keep peace between the girls . . . these girls who are his second, and most heartfelt, family?  (Goodreads)

Off on summer vacation once again but with a few members of the family missing.  This third book of Birdsall's series is still capable of finding more adventures and problems to solve for some of the Penderwick sisters and their friend Jeffrey.  Everyone is growing up and changing whether they want to or not.  The girls are getting a bit predictable, though.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

THE PENDERWICK SISTERS are home on Gardam Street and ready for an adventure! But the adventure they get isn’t quite what they had in mind. Mr. Penderwick’s sister has decided it’s time for him to start dating—and the girls know that can only mean one thing: disaster. Enter the Save-Daddy Plan—a plot so brilliant, so bold, so funny, that only the Penderwick girls could have come up with it. It’s high jinks, big laughs, and loads of family warmth as the Penderwicks triumphantly return.  (Goodreads)

After spending summer vacation with the Penderwick family in the first book of Jeanne Birdsall's series I was glad to be able to go home with them to Gardam Street and see what their everyday lives were like.  Not much different from their vacation, they were able to find adventures on their very own street.  The sisters are still working together to solve problems and support each other.  A lot seems to happen to the family in the short time covered within the pages of the book.

The Penderwicks

While vacationing with their widowed father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters, ages four through twelve, share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.  (Goodreads)

What adventurous sisters.  The loss of their mother to cancer after Batty was born has taken its toll, but their father has managed to raise four daughters who stick together through thick and thin.  Many lessons are learned throughout the book but all in a lighthearted way that will appeal to the younger reader capable of tackling a YA novel.  It is a timeless story that any family can relate to.  Well deserving of the National Book Award received.