Awards and a Picture

Freda of Freda’s Voice passed the Let’s Be Friends Award back to me. Thanks so much. I’m glad to “know” you.

Blodeuedd from The Book-girl of Mur-y-Castell gave me the Sisterhood Award, which I really appreciate it. You’re so kind and thoughtful.

I picked the Kreative Blogger Award up over at Freda’s Voice, too.

Now I need to list 7 of my favorite things and pass this award on to 7 other bloggers whose sites I love.

 

1. spaghetti and sauce
2. peppermint hot chocolate
3. my library card
4. scrapbooks
5. forsythia
6. Christmas carols
7. sapphires

I’m not passing this on to anyone in particular. If you want to join in, please do and leave me a link to your faves.

And a picture. My mom took David, Amber and me to see STOMP earlier this week . The show was fabulous and this is a picture of Amber and me with one of the performers.

One Hundred Butterflies by Harold Feinstein

One Hundred Butterflies by Harold Feinstein

“The earth laughs with flowers, but it dances with butterflies.”
- Harold Feinstein (from the front flap)

I don’t usually post such large images of book covers, but I wanted to give you an idea of how absolutely dazzling the photos in this books are. Feinstein has captured the beauty and brilliance of these ornate insects and reproduced it in a oversized format, allowing us to appreciate the details. The photos of butterflies from around the world are mesmerizing, the vivid colors shown off to perfection by the black background. The intense blues of the African Blue Salamis and the luminous oranges of the Monarch took my breath away.

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun
And find your should to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches
Today, tomorrow and beyond.

Irish Blessing, – pg. 96

Butterfly lovers would treasure this book, as would art lovers. After all, butterfly wings are as magnificent as any painting or stained-glass window. You can see more of Feinstein’s butterfly images at his website.

My copy was provided by the publisher for review and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrations by Dave McKean

(Reading level: Ages 9-12)

I just finished The Graveyard Book, and no one warned me. No one told me how attached I would become to the graveyard residents and Bod’s life there that I would end up crying when Bod had to leave.

A little boy’s family is killed, but he escaped and wandered to the graveyard at the top of the hill. The ghosts who live there decided that he can stay and he takes the name Nobody Owens. The Owens become his parents and Silas, who is neither dead nor alive, his guardian. The ghosts are his friends and Silas his protector. He is safe in the graveyard, but no where else, as the killer is still out there.

I enjoyed this a lot, more than I expected. I liked meeting all the people and reading about Bod’s adventures both in the graveyard and in the real world.  One of his closest friends is a witch who was drowned and burned. Silas provides food, teachers, books and as many answers as he can. Bod knows young ones and old ones and seeks advice from a poet.

Really, he though, if you couldn’t trust a poet to offer sensible advice, who could you trust?

I don’t read many coming of age stories, but this was magical, a treat to read. There were situations where I was scared for Bod and times when he made me smile.  And, like I mentioned, moments that made me cry. I guess I was more emotionally involved in the story than I thought, but Bod leaving his home and his family, even if they were ghosts in a graveyard, was sad. Of course, he didn’t see it entirely that way. Life, to Bod, was and would be an adventure, with new experiences always just around the bend.

“Face your life
It’s pain, it’s pleasure,
Leave no path untaken”

By the way, this is not one I shared with Amber (9). It would be perfect for her, but she has enough trouble sleeping lately without thinking about vampires and ghosts and graveyards.

My copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.

Women Unbound Challenge

I can’t resist. I’m joining the Women Unbound Reading Challenge, reading nonfiction and fiction books related to  ‘women’s studies.’ Yes, that’s broad, and encompasses biographies, memoirs, essays by women, classics written by women, and topics like motherhood and body image. I’m not putting together a reading list, at least not yet, but I’m choosing the Bluestocking level, reading 5 books, at least two of which will be non-fiction. The challenge began on November 1 and will end November 30, 2010. I think this’ll be it for challenges though, at least for now.

To start the challenge, there were a few questions.

1. What does feminism mean to you? Does it have to do with the work sphere? The social sphere? How you dress? How you act?
2. Do you consider yourself a feminist? Why or why not?
3. What do you consider the biggest obstacle women face in the world today? Has that obstacle changed over time, or does it basically remain the same?

I don’t know the answers to those questions, but for me, I guess it boils down to respect. I believe that women should be respected as being equal to men, but the differences between the sexes should be respected, too. Women’s individual choices need to be respected, both in their personal and public lives and we need to respect each other, especially. Sometimes I know I judge other women harshly, quickly, for not living up to who I think they should be.

Am I a feminist if I want a man to open the door for me, but to know that he knows I am perfectly capable of doing it myself?

N is for Night

Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today’s letter is N.

I read this one in May of 2008. It’s actually the second in the series. The first is The Patient’s Eyes. I’m a big Holmes fan and this fiction series takes a different twist on the original, with Doyle as the narrator and Dr. Bell as the model Holmes was based on.

The Night Calls by David Pirie

Inspired by the discovery that Sherlock Holmes creator Arthur Conan Doyle attended medical school in Scotland with one of the 19th century’s most notorious serial killers, David Pirie’s The Night Calls reels out a grim but engrossing tale that suggests a model for Holmes’s foremost adversary, Professor James Moriarty.

A series of bizarre assaults on women in the brothels of 1878 Edinburgh draws the attention of Dr. Joseph Bell, a surgeon, charismatic teacher, and forensic expert who periodically applies his deductive skills to solving crimes. Together with a young Conan Doyle, his “trusted clerk and pupil,” Bell follows the trail of an elusive attacker who leads them on crepuscular chases through gloomy Victorian streets and to a blood-filled room where the puzzle of his motive becomes deeper. However, Conan Doyle is occupied with other matters, as well. He’s fast developing a fondness for fellow student Elsbeth Scott, whose interest in promoting educational rights for women has made her many enemies, and whose sister, the wife of a hypocritical philanthropist, grows sicker by the day–either as a result of disease or deviousness. The future author is disturbed, too, by his father’s deteriorating mental condition. Assisting Bell offers Conan Doyle some release from worry–at least until their controlling quarry becomes a threat to Miss Scott. Pirie’s plot only gains more perplexity and darkness as its action shifts to London, forcing the logical Bell and his impetuous amanuensis to contend with opium fiends, disappearing corpses, a severed head with “horrifying power,” and continuing taunts by a murderer who believes that “evil is freedom.” (Goodreads.com)

At the time, I said this is a very “dark” novel. There are two mysteries, one of which is solved. The other mystery is solved, but the offender is not brought to justice. I love the atmosphere of this series and the Doyle and Bell characters are fascinating. Of course, I’m a Holmes fan, so I may be biased.

 

X Marks the Spot by Margaret Hall

X Marks the Spot: Mapping the World
by Margaret Hall

(Reading level: Ages 9-12)

This book traces the history of cartography, map-making, from thousands of years ago with a photo of a clay map, to modern times, discussing GPS units.  Maps have been and still are important to travelers, traders and explorers. Navigation tools, like compasses, sextants, chronometers were also described.

It was really interesting and I actually learned a lot. For example, I didn’t know that Ptolemy was a.) a cartographer or b.) the first to put north at the top of the map. I didn’t realize that the first aerial photographs used by mapmakers were taken from hot air balloons, even though it makes sense. The history is told simply with important words in bold and defined in a glossary. The photos of maps through the ages are fascinating. I also like the list at the back of books to read to learn more. This is a great book for middle grade kids who enjoy non-fiction.

My copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.

Teaser Tuesday

• Grab your current read.
• Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from…that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given.
• Please avoid spoilers!

My teaser:

There was a witch buried at the edge of the graveyard, it was common knowledge. Bod had been told to keep away from that corner of the world by Mrs. Owens as far back as he could remember.

-pg 99, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along.

My copy was borrowed from the library. I am an Amazon Associate..

Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola

Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola

(Reading Level: Ages 4-8)

Who doesn’t love Strega Nona? This story begins in spring when Strega Nona plants her garden.

O Bella Luna, smile on me,
And on the seeds I sow,
And let the moonbeams shine from thee,
To make my garden grow.

Big Anthony plants a garden, too, but keeps it a secret. He wants to prove that he can do something right, but of course his plan goes awry. At harvest, both gardens provide a bounty, although Anthony’s vegetables are a little harder to pick. In the end, Strega Nona shares their harvest with the entire village.

Amber (9) and I found the story is delightful and the illustrations charming. A touch of magic, being together with family and friends, the spirit of helping and sharing make this a wonderful book to read aloud with a child, especially at this time of year.

My copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an Amazon Associate.

Mailbox Monday and Library Loot

Thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday. I got one book in the mail this week, which I won in a giveaway.

Whom God Would Destroy by Commander Pants (Thanks, Michele!)

I picked up a couple of seasonal childrens books at the library this past week,too. Library Loot is co-hosted by Eva and Marg.

Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson

What books found their way to your house?

Winners!

Congrats! You won Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

• a real librarian
• blueviolet
• Melissa
• Dawn M.
• Deidre

I will be e-mailing you all tonight or tomorrow. I just need your mailing address to pass on to the publisher.

My copy was provided by the publisher for review. I am an Amazon Associate.