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.