23 books in 23 days, Library Loot

Library Loot January 14-20

How did I forget about Eva and Alessandra’s great meme? After waiting a long five days I went to my local library and picked up all the books on hold for my middle baby and myself. Never mind that I still haven’t cracked open even one book from last weeks’ Library Loot.

Since school started this week and a required reading of at least 200 pages a week, my personal reading has slowed to almost a complete stop. I’m trying though. If I can get in one hour a day to myself, I will be a very happy girl.


Don’t you just love the Trina Schart Hyman’s cover for Little Red Riding Hood? I discovered this version of the fairy tale last year and fell in love with it. Little Red is beautiful. Happy readings!

23 books in 23 days, fiction, reading challenges, reviews, Young Adult

Day Seven’s Summary

I finished reading Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan this morning. What a great read! It’s marketed towards the high school crowd, but after several references to the sitcom My So-Called Life, I knew this book is really for my generation.

The book is about the “five-minute” relationship between two strangers that turns into an unforgettable first date complete with great music, drunk loyal friends, ex-girlfriends from hell, and the possibility of new love.

I also finished Patti Digh’s Life is a Verb: 37 Days to wake up, be mindful, and live intentionallyy. It’s a great self-help book with tons of stories, exercises, examples and laughs to get you going. The inspiration for the book come from Digh’s father. Her father was diagnosed with lung cancer and died just thirty seven days later. This is not a book of sadness or grief, but one that celebrates life and the human potential fully. I cannot say enough about the book, but I can say this: go out and buy it now. Also go and check out Patti’s blog: http://37days.typepad.com/37days/
23 books in 23 days

Day Six Summary

Right now I’m reading the young adult novel Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. I wanted to see the movie, which is currently out, but it’s not playing in my area. The book is great so far! Don’t you feel lucky when you read one great book after the other? Yesterday I didn’t get much reading done, but maybe today will be better.

Happy Holidays!

23 books in 23 days

Day four’s summary, a library visit, and some books thrown in

Instead of giving you a million posts in one day, I’ll just make this one a little longer than usual. I ended up finishing Savvy by Ingrid Law hours after I wrote day two’s summary. I took the book to bed with me and stayed up until the last page was read. With three kids I’m strict about getting every hour of sleep that I can get, so it’s the ultimate compliment.

Savvy starts with Mississippi (Mibs) Beaumont two days away from her thirteenth birthday, wondering about what “savvy” she will receive. A savvy is the special powers Beaumonts receive on their thirteenth birthday. With an older brother who can almost instantly make hurricanes, a mother who is perfect at everything she do, and a grandfather who can cause earthquakes, Mibs knows her savvy will be special. But when her father is hospitalized after a car accident, Mibs knows that her savvy will help her heal him and bring him home. The problem is how to get to the hospital. She finally sneaks on the bus of a bible salesman’s, going on a road trip that’s filled with adventures. A great coming-of-age story.

Yesterday I didn’t read anything. Instead I spent the day hunting through new and used bookstores for great finds. Unfortunately I didn’t find even one book, something that rarely happens to me. Maybe next time . . .

Today I read Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. I’ll review it later this week, but for now: it’s a great read.

At my visit to the library in between readings of Stargirl, I picked up more books, ignoring what’s already on my bookshelf.

Classics for Pleasure by Michael Dirda. A collection of essays about Dirda’s favorite classics.

Rumi: The Book of Love.

Great Books by David Denby. A memoir about Denby’s year at Columbia University as an adult, rediscovering the classics all over again.

An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken

23 books in 23 days, children's books, fiction, reviews

Day one summary

In total I read four books today: The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling, The Pocket Muse by Monica Wood, Not a Stick by Antoinette Portis, and I know an old lady who swallowed fly guy by Tedd Arnold.

The Pocket Muse: Ideas and Inspirations for Writing (2004)
Monica Wood
256 pages

I received this book just yesterday from paperbackswap. The Pocket Muse is filled with exercises, quotes, and advice on writing. I read this in almost one sitting. Before I started I had a new pack of post-its for pages I liked. When I finished the book I had went through all of my post-its tagging page after page. One of my favorite exercises was “Inventing an Opposite” (what’s the opposite of a kiss?). Included also are black and white photos and fill in the blank sentences to inspire.


Not A Stick (2007)
Antoinette Portis
32 pages
2008 Cybil Nominee for Fiction Picture Book

I had to read this sequel to Not a Box. This time there’s a little pig whose imagination takes a stick and makes it so much more like a paintbrush and sword among other things.

There was an old lady who swallowed Fly Guy (2007)
Tedd Arnold
2008 Cybil Nominee for Easy Reader

A funny read about Fly Guy being swallowed by an old lady along with several farm animals.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)
J.K. Rowling
112 pages

Part of the world of Harry Potter, this book is a great addition for any HP fan’s library. My favorite stories were “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” and “The Tale of The Three Brothers.”

Now four down and nineteen to go.
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