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Monday, October 21, 2013

Odd Reads & Sweet Sixteen’s

Is it just me, or do a lot of the new books out there seem rather odd?  Not sure  if quirky is the new trend.  Not that I mind a little unique and different, but lately I find myself getting stuck in the story, while trying to get in the author’s head.  Maybe I should just take it for what it’s worth!  Even though, a few reads in this weeks batch were so far out in left field, they’re not worth the paper they were written on.   

Yes, often it's the unusual weird people that can effectively put creativity into a good story.  And then there’s those that can't.   For example, why was there a child running completely naked through the desert in Tulip Sees America?  - I’m puzzled!  And let’s not even go into what my reader brought home from the school library. 
Is it just me or is this inappropriate? 
 
On a Birthday With a Sweet Sixteen birthday on the horizon, where to start or should I even begin?  Thinking a visit to Carlos Bakery in New Jersey would be easier, but she has moved on to something more complicated.  - Not that this would be any less involved or expensive to boot.  And why do we do sweet sixteen's to begin with?  I think of it as a right of passage into officially being a teenager,  and they are also legally able to get behind the wheel.  Guess I've talked myself into this.  Looks like the theme is a Masquerade Ball, and now to the difficult part of putting it all together.  Is there a book or even an app for Hosting A Sweet Sixteen Bash On A Shoestring Budget? 

And where does the time go?  Is there a pause button in life, as my kids are growing up too fast?  I have to remind myself daily to live for the moments and take the time we have now, instead of focusing on the fact that it’s going to end someday soon.  You know the saying, “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”

Her Story: At three days old, our baby girl was admitted to the NICU with RSV & collapsed lungs.  She was not expected to pull through, but today this almost sixteen year old has the same strong drive just like when she was a six pounder fighting for her life.  And while her doctors were amazing, they were not the biggest John Denver fans.  But this mamma ignored the doctor’s request to turn off his music, and “Baby Denver” prevailed. 
 
Check out what we got from JD's  publisher after sharing her story.
 
So there are a few changes on the horizon, as I’m going through a blog re-design phase.  Now that I’m not working, I have more time to do what I love.  My unemployment is simply by choice, while the tolerance for the dim-witted ran out.   But back to the blog, the interface will change, content will remain, comment section will post, and more Kindle books will soon be available.  As for my writing, this takes time and currently I’m up to my ears in library books and Kindle downloads.   But sure enough when I think I’m ready to submit one of my children’s stories for publication, I’m pulled in another direction.  I’m on to exploring the inner self and bringing positive changes into our everyday lives.  Meaning how to bring it, success that is!

The Good, Bad, & the Ugly

The Runaway Dinner
By Ahlberg, Allan
 
 
Oddly amusing! .̃ A random take on the Gingerbread story, with a little genius and spoonful of sillies.  When Banjo the little boy looses his runaway dinner sausage, he goes on pursuit along with other amusing objects joining the chase.  “These sentences are long!” She’s right, Ahlberg’s sentences are lengthy but they do bring energy and humor to the story.  She just couldn’t get enough of the funny faced food and kitchen utensils running all over town!   And now, some of our utensils seem to be looking back at me.  Must we always bring the books to life around here, literally? 
 
How Roland Rolls
By Carrey, Jim
 
 

I usually don’t do celebrity written books, but I couldn’t pass the random bumblings from the world’s biggest kid.  If you’re curious as to where Carrey went with it, here’s a glimpse.  Roland the wave believes his life will end after washing up on shore.  But there is much more to it than this, amusingly giving the notion that he’s not just “a wave” but the whole ocean.  My Little Reader liked finding the eyeballs floating in the water, and you’ll see Jim Carrey’s expression in the waves.  Too funny, and the best part was that my teenagers even read it.  So now go put it on library loan, read it, take pictures of your silly Roland faces, then go to How Roland Rolls and upload them on Jim Carrey’s website.
Our Roland Faces!
    
Nutmeg
By Lucas, David
 


 
A little eccentric, with a dash of spice.  What would you wish for if you found a magic genie?  If you lived on a pile of wreckage like Nutmeg and her family, you would probably wish for palatable food, especially if your diet mainly consisted of cardboard and sawdust.   I was waiting for the magic to unfold, but it stayed tied up.  The ending comment, “What, that’s lame!”   This could have been a top read, but either it’s a case of missing pages or the author fell asleep?

Sophie’s Squash
By Miller, Pat Zietlow
 
 
 
Truly one of our best reads ever.  While at a framers market, young Sophie finds an “unusual” and soon to be best friend.   But mom has other plans for this perfect squash, like dinner.  We could all use a friend like Bernice the squash.  But when it starts to show signs of spoiling, luckily the farmer has a solution.  And boy does it work, just not in the way you would expect.  It’s the unexpected things in life that bring great rewards, and in Sophie’s case twice as much! 
 
After reading to it, she decided that a squash might not make the best of friend.



 
So this squash became dinner!  But the family had different plans and ordered a pizza.  Sadly, my oldest daughter and I were the only squash takers.   How could anyone pass up acorn squash stuffed with cinnamon apples?  YUM!

 
The Dollhouse Fairy
By Ray, Jane




When a messy fairy moves into Rose’s doll house, it takes away the worry of her father’s illness.   A father daughter story that’s okay, not too bad, but felt it could have delivered more than it did.  Somewhere we got lost in the story, but did manage to find our way back in the end. Lengthy text, but my seven year old now likes longer more involved stories.  When it comes to books with a just few words per page she passes them up. 

On a somewhat related but random off topic note, our fairy garden produced mostly wilt this summer.  Our hotter n’ hell summers are to blame, but today we dropped to a whopping 85.  So I think we will attempt making fairy pumpkins - found stencils at Michaels.  But tonight my little one is busily working on Halloween fairies for our front porch.   Looks like fairies will be joining the bats. 

Tulip Sees America
By Rylant, Cynthia


 

Here a boy decides to follow his dream, and travels the United States when he grows up.  On his journey to Wyoming, Iowa, and I don’t remember where else his dog Tulip accompanies him.  And WTH!   Why did the boy take his clothes off and go traipsing through the desert?  Other than the pictures, it’s un-engaging and why on earth did the author choose these States?   Don’t say I didn’t' warn ya!

Sidney Won’t Swim
By Schumans, Hilde

 

A supposed to be sympathetic and comical text about a little mouse’s fear of swimming.  But the author’s attempt at reaching out to reluctant swimmers here fails miserably.   Poor storyline, overuse of “swimming is stupid”, and why was the boy named Sydney?  Another ugly read.  ๏̯͡๏



"The more that you read, the more things you will know.
The more you learn the more places you'll go."

-  Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"


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