Family Friday

Family Friday is a composite of the books my wide-range of readers in my family are reading.  There's a tween with a love for realistic and fantasy fiction, a teen who could read dystopian novels all day long, a husband who loves his nonfiction and myself, the Teacher Librarian by day and lover of all books by night.

For the tween, she is reading ...

 

We have enjoyed reading this sweet book together during our transition to Quito while we have been waiting for our own new kind of normal.  Addie, the main character, has struggled in her own nonchalant way to create her own "family".  Her mom is absent...she comes home infrequently and spends the time watching a "Judge Judy" type of show and chatting on the computer.  Addie cares for her both physically and emotionally.  All Addie wants is to have a "normal" life.

Goodreads Summary:
Addie is waiting for normal.

But Addie's mom has an all-or-nothing approach to life: a food fiesta or an empty pantry, jubilation or gloom, her way or no way.

All or nothing never adds up to normal.

All or nothing can't bring you all to home, which is exactly where Addie longs to be, with her half sisters, every day.

In spite of life's twists and turns, Addie remains optimistic. Someday, maybe, she'll find normal.

Leslie Connor has created an inspiring novel about one girl's giant spirit. waiting for normal is a heartwarming gem.

The teen in our life has been reading...



Not exactly dystopian, for once, The Adventures of Alfred Kropp, is more like a dooms day adventure book. Alfred Kropp is an awkward teen with a strange and sad family history trying to find his "talent".  In comes an opportunity to help his uncle, and now he is involved in a "King Arthur-esque" adventure.  This is a hard one to put down.  Now we are on our own search for the next book in the series.

Goodreads Summary:
Alfred Kropp was just trying to survive high school when his guardian uncle gets him roped into a suspicious get-rich-quick scheme that changes his life forever: stealing Excalibur—the legendary sword of King Arthur. But after Alfred unwittingly delivers the sword into the hands of a man with enormously evil intentions, he sets off on an unlikely quest to try to right his wrong and save the world from imminent destruction. This gripping, fast-paced, hilarious novel is both a thrilling adventure story and an engaging account of one boy’s coming of age.

  

The nonfiction lover is reading... 

 


 








My husband loves books about outdoor activities and adventures.   This intense book does just that and gives wonderful science to back up the story.  The PE teacher and coach in him is getting new information to teach students about how their bodies work. 

Goodreads Summary:
Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, Born to Run is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt? In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.

Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.

And for me...




I just finished the best book that I have touched in a long time.  I actually found it through my public library's online ebook library and read it on my Kindle.  It mesmerized me with the background story of a world that is altered by longer days and nights.  The unpredictability of this new world has everyone scrambling to adjust.  Julia and her family show us how a marriage, a child going through puberty and their surrounding community deal with these new challenges.  This book definitely stretched the power cord at night when I couldn't put it down errr turn it off.

Goodreads Summary:
On a seemingly ordinary Saturday in a California suburb, 11-year-old Julia and her family awake to discover, along with the rest of the world, that the rotation of the earth has suddenly begun to slow. The days and nights grow longer and longer, gravity is affected, the environment is thrown into disarray. Yet as she struggles to navigate an ever-shifting landscape, Julia is also coping with the normal disasters of everyday life--the fissures in her parents’ marriage, the loss of old friends, the hopeful anguish of first love, the bizarre behavior of her grandfather who, convinced of a government conspiracy, spends his days obsessively cataloging his possessions. As Julia adjusts to the new normal, the slowing inexorably continues.

With spare, graceful prose and the emotional wisdom of a born storyteller, Karen Thompson Walker has created a singular narrator in Julia, a resilient and insightful young girl, and a moving portrait of family life set against the backdrop of an utterly altered world.

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Happy reading,
Mrs. G-M

Friday Five Book Fix...Current Family Reads

This week's Friday Five Book Fix is all about our family's current reads.  With Spring Break in full swing, we are enjoying some quality reading time.



Rae-the 11 year old

My daughter and I have enjoyed this sweet story about a sister and brother and their cat Zook.  Their lives are told through the lives of their cat who is sick and staying at the veterinarian's office.

Goodreads Summary:

n this warmhearted middle-grade novel, Oona and her brother, Fred, love their cat Zook (short for Zucchini), but Zook is sick. As they conspire to break him out of the vet’s office, convinced he can only get better at home with them, Oona tells Fred the story of Zook’s previous lives, ranging in style from fairy tale to grand epic to slice of life. Each of Zook’s lives has echoes in Oona’s own family life, which is going through a transition she’s not yet ready to face. Her father died two years ago, and her mother has started a relationship with a man named Dylan—whom Oona secretly calls �the villain.” The truth about Dylan, and about Zook’s medical condition, drives the drama in this loving family story.



Reid, a 13 year old boy, is becoming more and more curious about history.  We just finished Bomb, a nonfiction book about the building of the atomic bomb.  I wanted to share a WW II fiction book, and Once was featured on a fellow school librarian/blogger blog, The Styling Librarian.  I loved it with its depth and sense of humor while Reid wasn't as engaged.  I hope to read the other books in the series.

Goodreads Summary:

Felix, a Jewish boy in Poland in 1942, is hiding from the Nazis in a Catholic orphanage. The only problem is that he doesn't know anything about the war, and thinks he's only in the orphanage while his parents travel and try to salvage their bookselling business. And when he thinks his parents are in danger, Felix sets off to warn them--straight into the heart of Nazi-occupied Poland.
To Felix, everything is a story: Why did he get a whole carrot in his soup? It must be sign that his parents are coming to get him. Why are the Nazis burning books? They must be foreign librarians sent to clean out the orphanage's outdated library. But as Felix's journey gets increasingly dangerous, he begins to see horrors that not even stories can explain.
Despite his grim surroundings, Felix never loses hope. Morris Gleitzman takes a painful subject and expertly turns it into a story filled with love, friendship, and even humor.



Have you ever mourned the end of a book?  Wished it could continue for another 100 pages or so?  I just finished this book and LOVED it...maybe it was the setting being in a neighboring state or the time period which was the beginning of the 20th century.  It totally engaged me and is lingering in my mind throughout my busy day.

Goodreads Summary:

At the turn of the twentieth century, in a rural stretch of the Pacific Northwest in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, a solitary orchardist named Talmadge carefully tends the grove of fruit trees he has cultivated for nearly half a century. A gentle, solitary man, he finds solace and purpose in the sweetness of the apples, apricots, and plums he grows, and in the quiet, beating heart of the land-the valley of yellow grass bordering a deep canyon that has been his home since he was nine years old. Everything he is and has known is tied to this patch of earth. It is where his widowed mother is buried, taken by illness when he was just thirteen, and where his only companion, his beloved teenaged sister Elsbeth, mysteriously disappeared. It is where the horse wranglers-native men, mostly Nez Perce-pass through each spring with their wild herds, setting up camp in the flowering meadows between the trees.

One day, while in town to sell his fruit at the market, two girls, barefoot and dirty, steal some apples. Later, they appear on his homestead, cautious yet curious about the man who gave them no chase. Feral, scared, and very pregnant, Jane and her sister Della take up on Talmadage's land and indulge in his deep reservoir of compassion. Yet just as the girls begin to trust him, brutal men with guns arrive in the orchard, and the shattering tragedy that follows sets Talmadge on an irrevocable course not only to save and protect them, putting himself between the girls and the world, but to reconcile the ghosts of his own troubled past.



I just enjoyed listening to this audiobook with a 12 year old girl.  We laughed, cried, sat on the edge of our car seats and just enjoyed being transported into a crazy road trip told by one of my favorite authors, Gary Paulsen and his son.

Goodreads Summary:

Dad and Ben haven't been getting along recently and Dad hopes a road trip to rescue a border collie will help them reconnect. But Ben is on to Dad's plan and invites  Ben's thuggish buddy, Theo. The family dog, Atticus, comes along too and the story is told by Ben and Atticus. When their truck breaks down, they commandeer an old school bus, along with its mechanic, Gus. Next, they pick up Mia, a waitress escaping a tense situation. Only sharp-eyed Atticus realizes that Theo is on the run—and someone is following them.



My daughter and my latest favorite picture book...yet another fractured fairy tale of Goldilocks and the 3 Bears.  This is a modern version with some charming pictures.

Goodreads Summary:

In this award-winning author/illustrator’s witty sequel to the traditional Goldilocks story, Little Bear is all grown up and Goldilocks is a distant memory. One day, Little Bear wanders out of the woods and finds himself lost in the Big City. Will he find the city too noisy? Too quiet? Or just right? And what are the chances of him bumping in to someone who remembers exactly how he likes his porridge?

Happy Reading,

Friday Five Book Fix...Spring Break with Oregon Guidebooks

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Spring Break is coming to Oregon!  This Friday's theme honors the state's incredibly diverse and jaw-dropping beautiful scenery as well as cultural, historical and culinary delights!  The following five books are my favorite go-to resources for traveling the city and back roads of the "platypus" state.

1. 

Amazon description:

A complete and updated guide to traveling and hiking in Eastern Oregon, this book includes everything you'll need to plan a trip to the Wallowa Mountains, Steens Mountain, the high desert country near Bend, the Ochocos, or Hells Canyon. Travel guide information includes where to stay and what to see, including museums and bed & breakfasts, with up-to-date prices. Trail information covers virtually every route in the area, with special symbols identifying the best paths for hikers, equestrians, mountain bikers, and backpackers. GPS readings are given where useful. Sixteen pages of color photos include a guide to the wildflowers of Eastern Oregon. An appendix of 100 More Hikes in Eastern Oregon covers remote paths where you can get away from it all.

2. 

Public Library Summary:

The Pacific Northwest teems with colorful history and unique legends—and this tour of the Beaver State is no exception! Check out the gas station restroom that looks like cowboy boots as you search the skies for a man flying across the state in a lawn chair tethered to helium balloons. And how about visiting that �city” in eastern Oregon with a year-round population of zero to two, depending on whether anyone gets trapped in the snow? Can it get any weirder than this!

3. 

Goodreads Summary:

Recounted in a fresh style that's fun for armchair travelers and hikers alike, this guidebook tells the stories behind 56 of Oregon's most scenic historic sites. Come follow Lewis and Clark's trail across Tillamook Head. Ride with Chief Joseph on his tragic retrat through Hells Canyon. Discover paths to fire lookouts, lighthouses, and abandoned gold mines. Relive legends, discoveries, scandals, and triumphs that rocked the West. Come hike Oregon's history!

4. 

Goodreads Summary:

A guide to Oregon's wilderness areas, including newly designated areas as well as old favorites from Mt. Hood and the Three Sisters to the Wallowas and Steens Mountain. Includes 70 pages of maps, 40 pages of color photos, and more than 200 b/w photos.

5. 

Goodreads Summary:

In this economy it's all about local, and Portland has developed a beautifully creative and bountiful food and drink ecosystem. This book is the indispensable access guide to it all. Portland, the little foodie town that could, is quickly becoming the national capital for all things edible and artisan. For cooks, tourists, people who love to eat, localtarians, wine lovers, cheese freaks, Parisian ex-pats in search of a decent baguette, cocktail hounds on a 100-mile diet -- this is the guide to the goods.

[youtube=http://youtu.be/Ei_jA-RQ9GE]

Happy reading and exploring,

Friday Five Book FIX

My five book fix is like me... all over the place.  This week's features are a bit of this and that...something for everyone.

1. 

My son, a 7th grader, and I have learned so much from this nonfiction marvel.  Steve Sheinkin deservedly won multiple book awards last month for his well-researched account of how the Atomic Bomb came to be.  I did not know that:

• the bomb began in Germany during WWII.


• Albert Einstein wrote a letter to FDR persuading him to put money and effort into the U.S. creating a nuclear bomb program.


• Convicted U.S. spies for the Soviets were only given 13 years if their espionage activity happened during WWII.

Goodreads Summary:

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned 3 continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb.

2. 

Yep, it is as good as all the hype.  Oprah and I could be good buddies...we both love dogs, books and a good steady man.  This book choice is hard to believe it is the author's first published novel...excellent writing, creative format, and leaves me wanting to know more about each of these twelve carefully crafted characters.

Goodreads Summary:

In 1923, fifteen-year-old Hattie Shepherd flees Georgia and settles in Philadelphia, hoping for a chance at a better life. Instead, she marries a man who will bring her nothing but disappointment and watches helplessly as her firstborn twins succumb to an illness a few pennies could have prevented.  Hattie gives birth to nine more children whom she raises with grit and mettle and not an ounce of the tenderness they crave.  She vows to prepare them for the calamitous difficulty they are sure to face in their later lives, to meet a world that will not love them, a world that will not be kind. Captured here in twelve luminous narrative threads, their lives tell the story of a mother’s monumental courage and the journey of a nation.

3. 

Every once and awhile, I need a good mystery to take me away from all the wackiness of everyday life.  My mom, a mystery only kind of reader, introduced me to this series which takes place in Venice, Italy.  The seduction of good food, wine, scenery and the debate on who did it has me hooked.

Goodreads Summary:

There is little violent crime in Venice, a serenely beautiful floating city of mystery and magic, history and decay. But the evil that does occasionally rear its head is the jurisdiction of Guido Brunetti, the suave, urbane vice-commissario of police and a genius at detection. Now all of his admirable abilities must come into play in the deadly affair of Maestro Helmut Wellauer, a world-renowned conductor who died painfully from cyanide poisoning during an intermission at La Fenice.

But as the investigation unfolds, a chilling picture slowly begins to take shape--a detailed portrait of revenge painted with vivid strokes of hatred and shocking depravity. And the dilemma for Guido Brunetti will not be finding a murder suspect, but rather narrowing the choices down to one. . . .

4. 

If you have not experienced the coconut pie from the Dahlia Bakery in Seattle, then you have not tasted heaven on earth.  At one of our dear friend's wedding a few years ago, they had pie instead of cake and my life will never be the same after that taste of coconut-induced nirvana.  Now, I have the recipe and I know of someone's birthday in about a month...and it's no joke.  (The bane of having an April Fools birthday.)

Goodreads Summary:

When it comes to delectable, freshly baked cakes, pies, cookies, and muffins, nobody beats the world famous Dahlia Bakery of Seattle, Washington. Owner, Iron Chef, and James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Tom Douglas offers up the best loved recipes from this incomparable bread and pastries mecca in The Dahlia Bakery Cookbook--featuring everything from breakfast to cookies and cake to soups and jams and more--demonstrating why the West Coast wonder has long been a favorite of foodies and celebrities, like Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis and Serious Eats founder Ed Levine.

5. 

The cover grabbed my eye due to my love of yellow houses and I am so glad that I checked it out.  Hildy Good epitomizes the addict with her ability to reason away the addiction, to try and control the desire, and to deny the consequences on her and others lives.  With all the frustration that comes with seeing into the mind of an addict, my heart also hurt for the struggle that she encompassed in her battle to overcome.  Wonderful book well worth reading!!

Publisher Summary:

The Good House tells the story of Hildy Good, who lives in a small town on Boston's North Shore. Hildy is a successful real-estate broker, good neighbor, mother, and grandmother. She's also a raging alcoholic. Hildy's family held an intervention for her about a year before this story takes place--"if they invite you over for dinner, and it's not a major holiday," she advises "run for your life"--and now she feels lonely and unjustly persecuted. She has also fooled herself into thinking that moderation is the key to her drinking problem. As if battling her demons wasn't enough to keep her busy, Hildy soon finds herself embroiled in the underbelly of her New England town, a craggy little place that harbors secrets. There's a scandal, some mysticism, babies, old houses, drinking, and desire--and a love story between two craggy sixty-somethings that's as real and sexy as you get. An exceptional novel that is at turns hilarious and sobering, The Good House asks the question: What will it take to keep Hildy Good from drinking? For good.

Happy reading, cooking and playing,

Friday Five Book Fix...Basketball Mania

Being a girl from the basketball frenzied state of North Carolina, I LOVE me some basketball.  It was hard to not be brainwashed to love it when, in junior high, our classes were released to go to the media center to watch the ACC tournament and eat greasy chips and drink sugary-sweet RC Cola.  I loved NC State when Jim Vallvano took them all the way.  With the "Big Dance" just around the corner and my pickss already floating around in my mind, the focus this week is the sport with the big orange ball.

1.

Goodreads Summary:

Michael Jordan. The mere mention of the name conjures up visions of basketball played at its absolute best. But as a child, Michael almost gave up on his hoop dreams, all because he feared he'd never grow tall enough to play the game that would one day make him famous. That's when his mother and father stepped in and shared the invaluable lesson of what really goes into the making of a champion -- patience, determination, and hard work.

Deloris Jordan, mother of the basketball phenomenon, teams up with his sister Roslyn to tell this heartwarming and inspirational story that only the members of the Jordan family could tell. It's a tale about faith and hope and how any family working together can help a child make his or her dreams come true.

2. 

Goodreads Summary:

Young fans and old will find nothing but net with Mark Braught's dynamic illustrations as their many questions are answered -- What was the role of Dr. James Naismith in developing the game? Why do referees sometimes place their palm on their head? And who scored more points than any other NBA player?

3. 

Goodreads Summary:

There's a reason teammates call him "True." Because for basketball phenom Drew Robinson, there is nothing more true than his talent on the court. It's the kind that comes along once in a generation and is loaded with perks--and with problems.

Before long, True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy's head grounded--and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court and takes True under his wing.

In this age of street agents promising riches to kids barely out of elementary school and college programs being taken down because of recruiting violations, True Legend is a resonant and inspiring novel in the Lupica tradition.

4. 

Goodreads Summary:

When you’re the smallest kid playing a big man’s game, the challenges never stop—especially when your name is Danny Walker. Leading your travel team to the national championship may seem like a dream come true, but for Danny, being at the top just means the competition tries that much harder to knock him off. Now Danny’s leaving Middletown for the summer and heading to Right Way basketball camp, where he’s out of his element and maybe out of his league. The country’s best ballers are in attendance, and Danny will need to raise his game if he wants to match up. But it won’t be easy. Old rivals and new battles leave Danny wondering if he really has what it takes to stand tall

5. 

Goodreads Summary:

What happens when the mightiest of mortals take on the greatest of gods in an apocalyptic basketball showdown?

Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and the rest of the Gods' squad have all the powers of the universe at their disposal-which makes for a deadly defense and an unstoppable offense. But those "pesky Mortals" are always causing trouble, and with hunky Hercules at the top of his game and Achilles' heel healing nicely after his surgery, the Mortals manage to stay alive until halftime. Who knows what mythological magic the Gods will have to conjure up to win this Hellenic heart stopper?

Complete with toga-clad announcers and a halftime report on the wonders of ancient Greece, Kevin O'Malley's Mount Olympus Basketball makes learning about ancient Greek myths more exciting than March Madness.

As punishment for acting out in class, Kevin was often sent to the library for a "timeout". Resigned to his fate, he grudgingly started to leaf through a pile of picture books. There were pictures of cute little ponies, cute little puppies, and cute little children with smiling parents beaming behind them. Yuck, yuck, and double yuck! Then, just when he thought he would fall off his chair and die of cuteness, Kevin came upon a picture of a boy in a wolf suit who was threatening to eat his mother. In another picture he was chasing his dog with a fork. This was somebody Kevin could relate to. He kept reading as the boy cavorted through the forest with big hairy monsters. Kevin loved it! The book was, of course, Where the Wild Things Are. From then on, Kevin wanted to illustrate children's books. Not cute children's books, but books for kids like him.

Happy Reading, Watching and Playing,

Fiction vs. Nonfiction Smackdown Monday...President's Day

Borrowing the title from Jay Matthews of the Washington Post, I am posting 5 fiction and 5 nonfiction books of a certain topic every Monday.  this week the focus is on today's holiday...President's Day.

Nonfiction--

1. 

Goodreads Summary:

This new version of the Caldecott-winning classic by illustrator David Small and author Judith St. George is updated with current facts and new illustrations to include our forty-second president, George W. Bush. There are now three Georges in the catalog of presidential names, a Bush alongside the presidential family tree, and a new face on the endpaper portraiture.
Hilariously illustrated by Small, this celebration by St. George shows us the foibles, quirks and humanity of forty-two men who have risen to one of the most powerful positions in the world. Perfect for this election year--and every year!

Hilarious video of book:

http://teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=54178&title=So_You_Want_To_Be_President_

2. 

Goodreads Summary:

There are two sides to every story. Rosalyn Schanzer's engaging and wonderfully illustrated book brings to life both sides of the American Revolution.

3. 

Goodreads Summary:

From the time he was a young boy roaming the forests of the unsettled Midwest, Abraham Lincoln knew in his heart that slavery was deeply wrong. A voracious reader, Lincoln spent every spare moment of his days filling his mind with knowledge, from history to literature to mathematics, preparing himself to one day lead the country he loved towards greater equality and prosperity.

4. 

Goodreads Summary:

Abraham Lincoln is one of the first giants of history children are introduced to, and now Maira Kalman brings him to life with her trademark style and enthusiasm. Lincoln's legacy is everywhere - there he is on your penny and five-dollar bill. And we are still the United States because Lincoln helped hold them together.

5. 

Goodreads Summary:

Caldecott medalist Mordicai Gerstein captures the majestic redwoods of Yosemite in this little-known but important story from our nation's history. In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt joined naturalist John Muir on a trip to Yosemite. Camping by themselves in the uncharted woods, the two men saw sights and held discussions that would ultimately lead to the establishment of our National Parks.

Fiction--

1. 

Goodreads Summary:

Once there were four lads...
John [Hancock],
Paul [Revere],
George [Washington],
and Ben [Franklin].
Oh yes, there was also Tom [Jefferson], but he was annoyingly independent and hardly ever around.
These lads were always getting into trouble for one reason or another. In other words, they took a few...liberties. And to be honest, they were not always appreciated.
This is the story of five little lads before they became five really big Founding Fathers.

2. 

Goodreads Summary:

The year is 1816. Abe is only seven years old, and his pal, Austin, is ten. Abe and Austin decide to journey down to Knob Creek. The water looks scary and deep, and Austin points out that they don’t know how to swim. Nevertheless, they decide to traverse it. I won’t tell you what happens, but let’s just say that our country wouldn’t be the same if Austin hadn’t been there to help his friend.

3. 

Goodreads Summary:

From award-winning author Margaret McNamara and New Yorker artist Barry Blitt comes this partly true and completely funny story of George Washington's 7th birthday. In this clever approach to history, readers will discover the truths and myths about George Washington. Did George Washington wear a wig? No. Did George Washington cut down a cherry tree? Probably not. Readers young and old who are used to seeing George Washington as an old man, will get a new look at the first president—as a kid. Perfect for classrooms, Presidents' Day, or as a birthday gift.

 

Happy Reading,

Family Friday Bob Dylan, Bats and Poetry

Last night I was in a land of serendipity where picture books, poetry and music collided.

Adele singing Bob Dylan's Make You Feel My Love



Mary Oliver's A Thousand Mornings with the poem "And Bob Dylan Too"

Listen Here

And lastly, a Picture Book Party with my daughter at bedtime infused with 6 wildly different books with each enjoyable in their own right.  The coincidence of singing and Bob Dylan ended with a book titled Nightsong by Ari Berk and illustrated by Loren Long.  Chiro, the baby bat, who is flying far away from his mother for the first time, states...

But he followed his own song.  In the sky behind him flowed a river of whispers, fading away.

...eventually he is led back to the safety of his mother and yet another happy ending.

Here are the Goodreads summaries for the books mentioned above and our Picture Book Party selections...



Goodreads Summary:

In A THOUSAND MORNINGS, Mary Oliver returns to the imagery that has come to define her life’s work, transporting us to the marshland and coastline of her beloved home, Provincetown, Massachusetts. In these pages, Oliver shares the wonder of dawn, the grace of animals, and the transformative power of attention. Whether studying the leaves of a tree or mourning her adored dog, Percy, she is ever patient in her observations and open to the teachings contained in the smallest of moments.



Goodreads Summary:

Sense is the song you sing out into the world,
and the song the world sings back to you.

With these words, Chiro’s mother sends him off into the night for the first time alone. It’s an adventure, but how will he find his way? And how will he find his way home? As the young bat discovers, navigating the world around him is easy as long as he uses his good sense.

This beautiful and touching coming-of-age story, with mesmerizing artwork from New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long and lyrical text from Ari Berk, conveys a heartwarming and universal message: No matter how far away you go, you can always find your way home.



Goodreads Summary:

When Lucy is adopted from the local animal shelter, her new family thinks that they have chosen a perfect pet. And she is, right up to the minute she starts to howl, and howl, and howl some more. Treats, tricks, a soft red bed, lullabies, and even doggy therapy cannot stop her "Wah-ooo-ooo-roo!" It is the little girl figures out that Lucy needs a comfy friend (her own stuffed animal) and Lucy who figures out that she needs as many as she can get her paws on. And then, all is well.



Goodreads Summary:

Who will help Mossy return home to Lilypad Pond?

Mossy, an amazing turtle with a gorgeous garden growing on her shell, loses her freedom when Dr. Carolina, a biologist,  takes her to live in her Edwardian museum. Visitors flock to see Mossy, but it is Dr. Carolina's niece, Tory, who notices how sad Mossy is living in a viewing pavilion. She misses the outdoors and her friend, Scoot.

Dr. Carolina finds a way to keep the spirit of Mossy alive at the museum. She invites Flora and Fauna to paint Mossy's portrait. Then she and Tory take Mossy home, where Scoot is waiting for her.



Goodreads Summary:

When the house was new, not a single tree remained on its perfect lawn to give shade from the sun. The children in the house trailed the scent of wild trees to neighboring lots, where thick bushes offered up secret places to play. When the children grew up and moved away, their father, alone in the house, continued his battle against blowing seeds, plucking out sprouting trees. Until one day the father, too, moved away, and as the empty house began its decline, the trees began their approach. At once wistful and exhilarating, this lovely, lyrical story evokes the inexorable passage of time — and the awe-inspiring power of nature to lift us up.



Goodreads Summary:

Breathtaking oil paintings bursting with energy pull readers along into Big Lake, the home of Jangles, the biggest fish anyone has seen. Fishing alone at dusk, a boy feels a tug on his line and comes face-to-face with the gigantic  trout--whose enormous jaw is covered with so many lures and fish hooks that he jingles and jangles when he swims. Terrified by the sight, the boy is shocked when Jangles befriends him and takes him on an adventure to the bottom of the lake. A surprise ending will leave readers laughing and shaking their heads. Here is Shannon at his very best-in a wild and witty story that begs repeated reading.

AND OUR FAVORITE>>>



Goodreads Summary:

The Twilight Zone comes to the carrot patch in this clever picture book parable about a rabbit who fears his favorite treats are out to get him. Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.

He eats them on the way to school.

He eats them going to Little League.

He eats them walking home.

Until the day the carrots start following him...or are they?

Celebrated artist Peter Brown’s stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold’s text in this hilarious eBook with audio that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy.

 

And lastly if you would like to see the playlist, listen to the songs and add to your iTunes collection of music, Click here  for the Bob Dylan Amnesty International Benefit songs.

Happy reading,

Family Friday--24-hour bookstores...book burning...and international schools!

FAMILY FRIDAY Reading Fest is a weekly update showcasing the wide variety of books our family is reading.   Due to our different ages and reading preferences, I hope blog readers will find something that interests them.  Enjoy a dip into the Millis home of books!

RAE--THE ELEVEN-YEAR OLD REALISTIC FICTION READER



Bloomability by Sharon Creech

My husband and daughter started this book together  about a girl who moves to Switzerland to attend an international school.   There is a possibility that our family might be overseas next year and our daughter's top country to visit/move is ...you guessed it-SWITZERLAND!!  And as you may remember from last week, Rae's favorite author is Sharon Creech.

Goodreads Summary:

When she is whisked away to an international school in Switzerland, Dinnie Doone discovers all the "bloomabilities" that life has to offer. From Newbery Award-winning author Sharon Creech is a story about everyday joys.
bloomability



Heartbeat by Sharon Creech

Yep, Sharon Creech. again.  I love that Rae is searching everywhere...public library, school library, bookstores, friend's bookshelves, thrift stores, crack in the sidewalk ( : for her favorite author's books.  This is her read to self book which she is devouring like that hot chocolate we had at Timberline Lodge...rich hot chocolate topped with cascade of whipped cream, caramel and fudge sauce and broken bits of a toffee bar on top.  Oh my!!

Goodreads Summary:

Newbery Medalist Creech ("Walk Two Moons") masterfully weaves this story, told in free verse, about a young girl finding her identity and learning how it fits within the many rhythms of life.

Run run run.

That's what twelve-year-old Annie loves to do. When she's barefoot and running, she can hear her heart beating . . . thump-THUMP, thump-THUMP. It's a rhythm that makes sense in a year when everything's shifting: Her mother is pregnant, her grandfather is forgetful, and her best friend, Max, is always moody. Everything changes over time, just like the apple Annie's been assigned to draw. But as she watches and listens, Annie begins to understand the many rhythms of life, and how she fits within them.

Twelve-year-old Annie ponders the many rhythms of life the year that her mother becomes pregnant, her grandfather begins faltering, and her best friend (and running partner) becomes distant.

REID--THE 13-YEAR OLD SCIENCE FICTION FANATIC WITH A MOM FORCING A HISTORICAL FICTION BOOK




Fahrenheit 451 Graphic Novel by Tim Hamilton

Reid LOVES Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Graphic Novels...that's about it when it comes to books.  So, while subbing at a middle school I came upon this fantastic combination.  With To Kill a Mockingbird, The Hobbit and now this book, he is getting his Classic food oops book group also.



Goodreads Summary:

For Guy Montag, a career fireman for whom kerosene is perfume, this is not just an official slogan. It is a mantra, a duty, a way of life in a tightly monitored world where thinking is dangerous and books are forbidden.

In 1953, Ray Bradbury envisioned one of the world’s most unforgettable dystopian futures, and in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, the artist Tim Hamilton translates this frightening modern masterpiece into a gorgeously imagined graphic novel. As could only occur with Bradbury’s full cooperation in this authorized adaptation, Hamilton has created a striking work of art that uniquely captures Montag’s awakening to the evil of government-controlled thought and the inestimable value of philosophy, theology, and literature.



The Devil's Paintbox by Victoria McKernan

The teacher and lover of history in me chose this one for our reading time.  We are both enjoying traveling on the Oregon Trail in a higher level book.  A few years ago, we read Westward to Home and Apples to Apples which inspired us to follow the trail through Oregon.

Goodreads Summary:

When orphans Aiden and Maddy Lynch first meet trailrider Jefferson J. Jackson in the spring of 1865, they’re struggling to survive on their family’s drought-ravaged Kansas farm. So when Jackson offers an escape—a 2000-mile journey across the roughest country in the world—Aiden knows it’s their only choice.

They say there are a hundred ways to die on the Oregon Trail, and the long wagon journey is broken only by catastrophe: wolf attacks, rattlesnakes, deadly river crossings, Indians, and the looming threat of smallpox, “the devil’s paint.” Through it all, Aiden and Maddy and a hundred fellow travelers move forward with a growing hope, and the promise of a new life in the Washington Territory. But one question haunts them: who will survive the journey?

ED--THE LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH ANOTHER ADVENTURER'S LIFE



In Search of Captain Zero by Allan Weisbecker

Our nonfiction reader is thoroughly enjoying the Outdoor Adventure book award choices.  He reports that "they tell about an adventure with some soul and depth attached to it."

Goodreads Summary:

In 1996, Allan Weisbecker sold his home and his possessions, loaded his dog and surfboards into his truck, and set off in search of his long-time surfing companion, Patrick, who had vanished into the depths of Central America. In this rollicking memoir of his quest from Mexico to Costa Rica to unravel the circumstances of Patrick's disappearance, Weisbecker intimately describes the people he befriended, the bandits he evaded, the waves he caught and lost en route to finding his friend.

In Search of Captain Zero is, according to Outside magazine, "A subtly affecting tale of friendship and duty. [It] deserves a spot on the microbus dashboard as a hell of a cautionary tale about finding paradise and smoking it away."

AND ME--



Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker

I am trying to return to my former habits of reading a kid book and then an adult book.  Pickle was a quick read about some middle schoolers who join together to perform pranks.  Clever storyline...would have loved to have seen some recipes for the pickle and other preserved veggies.

Goodreads Summary:

This is the story of THE LEAGUE OF PICKLE MAKERS.

Ben: who began it all by sneaking in one night and filling homeroom with ball-pit balls.

Frank: who figured out that an official club, say a pickle making club, could receive funding from the PTA.

Oliver: who once convinced half of the class that his real parents had found him and he was going to live in a submarine.

Bean: who wasn't exactly invited, but her parents own a costume shop, which comes in handy if you want to dress up like a giant squirrel and try to scare people at the zoo.

TOGETHER, they are an unstoppable prank-pulling force, and Fountain Point Middle School will never be the same.



Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

I just started this book that has received tremendous reviews.  I am hoping it will lead me to my serendipity!!

Robin Sloan, the author, stayed up for 24 hours when the book was launched.

Goodreads Summary:

The Great Recession has shuffled Clay Jannon out of his life as a San Francisco Web-design drone—and serendipity, sheer curiosity, and the ability to climb a ladder like a monkey has landed him a new gig working the night shift at Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. But after just a few days on the job, Clay begins to realize that this store is even more curious than the name suggests. There are only a few customers, but they come in repeatedly and never seem to actually buy anything, instead “checking out” impossibly obscure volumes from strange corners of the store, all according to some elaborate, long-standing arrangement with the gnomic Mr. Penumbra. The store must be a front for something larger, Clay concludes, and soon he’s embarked on a complex analysis of the customers’ behavior and roped his friends into helping to figure out just what’s going on. But once they bring their findings to Mr. Penumbra, it turns out the secrets extend far outside the walls of the bookstore.

Happy Reading,