Thanks Cassandra!

Thank yew Style Expert!

I am so honored!

How does this work?

Every new Superior Scribbler will name 5 other Super Scribblers. If you are so honored, link to the author and the name of the blog that gave you the award. Then you display the graphic above and link to this post, which explains the award. Finally you must visit this post and tell your name to Mr. Linky list. Then they will have a record of all the people who are super scribblers!

I hate to do this, you know, point out people that write way better than I, but here it goes! (1) Sage at Musings (2) SFP at Pages Turned (3) Jenclair at A Garden Carried in the Pocket (4) Bookfool at Bookfoolery and Babble (5) Eva at A Striped Airchair.

Thanks Cassandra!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/12/thanks-cassandra.html

The Wall (copy)

This week I read an excellent juvenile picture-book. Most teachers and parents of middle grade students can tell you this is not possible. A picture book is for toddlers through eight-year-olds because the format is oversized with illustrations and usually minimum words. They are meant to be read-aloud to an audience or one-on-one such as father and son, and the vocabulary is easy.

Children who grow up with this format remember these books with fond memories. When asked to move to the next level in reading your child may balk. Chapter books can look boring in comparison to a picture book. This is why the “Frog and Toad” series is so popular. Author Arnold Lobel fills his chapter books with illustrations that help the new reader gather clues from the pictures.

What if your child returns over-and-over to picture books even though he can read chapter books? This might be an indication that he is bored with his chapter books, or a little uncomfortable in his reading. It is time to head to the library or bookstore for some more chapter books and juvenile level picture-books.

There is such a thing as a harder picture book. Peter Sis, author and illustrator, has a collection of biographies that demand the reader expand her vocabulary. The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin and Starry Messenger: Galileo Galilei are two I wrote about in 2005.

Sis now challenges young readers with his autobiography The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. This picture book contains words like Soviets, Czechoslovakia, militia, indoctrination, defecting, nuclear, Vietnam, realism, revolution, etc. all appearing in the margins.

If a teacher or parent wants to read it as a picture book alone, each page contains one sentence about the author. For instance, the story begins, “As long as he could remember, he had loved to draw.” Next page continues, “At first he drew shapes.” Within the margins of the first page are definitions that frame a self—cartoon—portrait of Sis. The words are Iron Curtain, Cold War, and Communism. Not baby definitions either, “Cold War – The geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged between capitalism and communism from 1945-1991.”

This inside look into the Cold War is a Caldecott (2008) Honor book and a Robert F. Sibert (2008) Information Medal winner. It is perfect for that reluctant—to move up to the next level—reader. Many will delight as they learn The Beatles became a huge crack in Sis’s The Wall.

The Wall (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/12/wall-copy.html

Monday Morning Cartoons!

Monday Morning Cartoons!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/12/monday-morning-cartoons.html

Bookworm Award and Meme

Two fabulous women have graciously awarded me the Bookworm Award and Meme. Much thanks to Wisteria at Bookworm's Dinner and Lynne at Lynne's Little Corner of the World.
I am so honored!

Like I wrote, this is an award and meme. For the meme one must pick up the closest book near them and turn to page 56. Once there, skip to sentence five and write it down; plus, a few more sentences as they occur in order to tempt other readers. Pretty easy-peasy!

I am currently reading a nonfiction book for juvenile readers. The title is Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! written by Laura Amy Schlitz and illustrated by Robert Byrd. Page 56, sentence five reads as follows:

My mother –
what would she say
if she knew
I wasted time in the
woods with a Jew?

The book is a unique study of Medieval Times using children to portray members of society such as Otho, the miller's son, and Lowdy, the varlet's child. On page 56 we encounter a play involving Jacob Ben Salomon, the moneylender's son, and Petronella, the merchant's daughter. This book won the prestigious Newbery Award in 2008.

Now I need to tag others for this award and meme. You needn't participate if you would rather not do this type of thing, but I thought you might have fun; plus, I like keeping up with your readings.. I am thinking…

Rick at Rick the Librarian, Sage at Musings, Nan at Letters from a Hill Farm, Mo at Inside Mo's Mind, and Vixen at Vixen's Daily Reads

Bookworm Award and Meme

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/bookworm-award-and-meme.html

The Good Good Pig (copy)

It was a crisp winter day when they brought Christopher Hogwood home. Weighting seven pounds, he was the runt of the litter and he was sick. “His breathing was wet and noisy. His eyes were runny, and so was his other end.” The couple was unsure he would live through the night.

Runts are dangerous to have in a litter. They make a noise unlike the other piglets—Nynh! Nynh! Nynh!—and if in the wild will attract predators. The mother may bite a runt and tear him in half to stop the cacophony, but sometimes they accidently choose the wrong sibling. Another method used to silence the noise is to stomp the runt, but again other healthy piglets might get in the way.

In this farrow Chris was the odd piglet out. His mother possessed ten teats but only eight were in working order. Chris was unlucky number nine. To protect this litter Chris would have to die, but the farmer thought him too cute to kill. He was rather good-looking as pigs go with “enormous ears and black and white spots, and a black patch over one eye like Spuds McKenzie, the bull terrier in the beer commercial.”

Instead they sequestered Chris and watched as he went from one disease to another, but still clung to life. “The wormer didn’t do a thing for him,” the farmer told the family who agreed to take the sick piggy. “He probably had a touch of every disease in the barn—he had worms, he had erysipelas, he had rhinopneumonitis—and yet he wouldn’t die.”

It was with great hope, Howard and Sy, laid Chris in his makeshift sty in the barn that night. He was safe. With Sy being a vegetarian and Howard Jewish, the pig was sure to live a long life unlike his farrow. A pig’s average life span is six months. Exactly, the length of time it takes for a pig to gain 250 lbs and become perfect eating material.

“That first night, we couldn’t picture him growing much bigger than the shoe box in which we carried his shivering, emaciated form,” said Sy.

To everyone’s delight, Chris stood on wobbly hooves the next morning, and again the next day until he reached the staggering weight of 750 pounds. This is the story of The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary life of Christopher Hogwood by Sy Montgomery which proves to be a massive good read.

The Good Good Pig (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/good-good-pig-copy.html

This is the Feast (copy)

For centuries humans have celebrated the harvesting of crops. America, being a rather newcomer to history, uniquely celebrates harvest on the fourth Thursday of November thanks to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Historians are unsure the exact date the first feast took place, but it is believed to be between September 21, and November 11, 1621. Before President Roosevelt’s proclamation, Thanksgiving was celebrated whenever presidents deemed an appropriate time.

The first feasts were not known by the term Thanksgiving, either. To the pilgrims, Thanksgiving was a religious celebration spent in church to thank God for victory on the battle field or rain after a drought. The original feast in 1621 celebrated the pilgrims’ first harvest in the new world, but the next year they did not celebrate. In 1623 they met again to pray for rain after a month long drought, and when the event occurred during the prayers it was truly a Thanksgiving.

Another misconception about Thanksgiving is the actual food eaten. Pilgrims did not dine on ham, sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, cranberry sauce, or pumpkin pie. They feasted on an assortment of wild fowl, game, and seafood. The corn was a dry snack and the fruit (plums and grapes) were eaten raw without the trappings of sugar and flour. This entire trivia is gleaned from the History Channel’s website, history.com.

While reading this week’s book, This is the Feast by Diane Z. Shore and illustrated by Megan Lloyd, I was struck by its historical accuracy. The pilgrims are wearing clothes with color not the black-white drab depicted in my youth. They are sick in the Mayflower as they sail towards America, and they set to work building houses as soon as they come ashore.

This is the Feast is a brightly colored picture-book for children, ages three to eight. Although, it is too wordy for toddlers to sit still through, it is the perfect companion for parents to read or paraphrase annually for the holiday season. The words have a delightful singsong quality such as “This is Thanksgiving, a time to remember the friendships and freedoms we all share together.”

Illustrator Megan Lloyd uses her paintbrush to create mood. The pilgrims’ sickness and toil is depicted with somber colors, and daily life is illustrated with bright oranges and yellows typical of a fall celebration. The feast scenes are the best with tables full of oysters, clams, lobster, fish, and cheese. Can someone pass me a plate?

I hope all have a Happy Thanksgiving with plenty happy reading.

Please stop by any of these fine blogger participating in the Kidz Book Blog Tour! the 160acrewoods, A Mom Speaks, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschool Buzz, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Maggie Reads, Maw Books Blog, Never Jam Today, Olive Tree, Our Big Earth, Quiverfull Family, Reading is My Superpower, SmallWorld Reads

This is the Feast (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/this-is-feast-copy.html

Twilight (copy)

The countdown begins! Twilight, one of the hottest teen books by Stephenie Meyer, will be debuting on the big screen November 21, all over the United States. The first movie trailer appeared just last night on television, and Edward is even more gorgeous than my reader’s eye imagined.

Twilight was published in 2005 with little fanfare. The book’s first-time author, Meyer, took only 6 months to conceive, write, and publish the story. She said the story first appeared as a meeting in her dreams. She dreamt a regular, plain-jane girl and a drop-dead gorgeous, vampire boy, were in deep conversation in the middle of a meadow. They were discussing how wrong they were for each other. She being human, and he particularly attracted to the scent of her blood, were creating friction in their budding relationship.

For most readers, I am a little late talking about Twilight. This book and the following books in the Twilight series, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, have a hard time staying on any library or bookstore shelf. Her latest book Midnight Sun appeared on the internet weeks ago as an unscrupulous friend took advantage of a pre-published copy. It was immediately pulled, but Meyer claims that it is just one of many copies she has written. She has yet to decide Edwards’s fate.

I quickly picked Twilight up to read before the movie’s release. I want to have a clear reader’s vision, and not cloud my head with directorial meddling. I am particularly engrossed by the book’s setting. Meyer chose the real town of Forks, Washington, because it is the wettest area in America. This natural creepiness adds drama to the story. When the main character, Bella, walks into the woods I can hear the creepy music queuing up in the background.

Oh, but I have not told you the opening story yet! Isabella Swan is living with her father, the Chief of Police in Forks, now that her mother has a traveling boyfriend. It is Bella’s decision to live with her dad, and finish her school years in one area instead of on the road. On her first day she is assigned Edward Cullen as her biology lab partner, and she can see by his mean nature he is not happy with the arrangement. Oh, but he is easy on the eyes.

As you can guess, this is a romance in bloom. There is quite a bit of play and banter between the main characters, but it is the onrush of certain doom that propels readers to the end. This book will certainly warm your blood.

Twilight (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/twilight-copy.html

No Gaps in My Teeth Either!

There Are 0 Gaps in Your Knowledge

Where you have gaps in your knowledge: No Gaps! Where you don't have gaps in your knowledge: Philosophy, Religion, Economics, literature, History, Science, Art

Do You Have Gaps in Your Knowledge?

Thanks Erica! This was fun!

No Gaps in My Teeth Either!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/no-gaps-in-my-teeth-either.html

USA Today Meme

USA Today's Top Selling Books of the last 15 years Meme!

Got this from J.Kaye’s Book Blog.

Here are the rules: Bold what you've read, italicize what you own, star* books on your TBR list!

1 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - J.K. Rowling
2 Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution - Robert C. Atkins
3 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
4 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling
5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling
6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J.K. Rowling
7 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Rowling
8 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rowling
9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rowling
10 Who Moved My Cheese? - Spencer Johnson
11 The South Beach Diet - Arthur Agatston
12 Tuesdays With Morrie - Mitch Albom
13 Angels & Demons - Dan Brown
14 What to Expect When You're Expecting - Murkoff, etal.
15 The Purpose-Driven Life - Rick Warren
16 The Five People You Meet in Heaven - Mitch Albom
17 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - Stephen R. Covey
18 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
19 Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus - John Gray
20 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne
21 Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert T. Kiyosaki
22 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
23 Don't Sweat the Small Stuff - and It's All Small Stuff - Richard Carlson
24 The Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd
25 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert
26 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
27 The Notebook - Nicholas Sparks
28 The Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards
29 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
30 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
31 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle
32 Oh, the Places You'll Go! - Dr. Seuss
33 The Four Agreements - Don Miguel Ruiz
34 Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
35 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
36 Body-for-Life - Bill Phillips, Michael D’Orso
37 New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
38 Night - Elie Wiesel
39 Chicken Soup for the Soul - Jack Canfield, etal.
40 The Greatest Generation - Tom Brokaw
41 Breaking Dawn - Stephenie Meyer
42 The Celestine Prophecy - James Redfield
43 Wicked - Gregory Maguire
44 Good to Great - Jim Collins
45 Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer
46 Eragon - Christopher Paolini
47 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Rebecca Wells
48 Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen
49 In the Kitchen With Rosie - Rosie Daley
50 Simple Abundance - Sarah Ban Breathnach
51 A Child Called It - Dave Pelzer
52 A Million Little Pieces - James Frey
53 The Testament - John Grisham
54 Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul - Jack Canfield, etal.
55 Deception Point - Dan Brown
56 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho
57 Marley & Me - John Grogan
58 Dr. Atkins' New Carbohydrate Gram Counter - Robert C. Atkins
59 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
60 The Brethren - John Grisham
61 The South Beach Diet Good Fats Good Carbs Guide - Arthur Agatston
62 The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town - John Grisham
63 For One More Day - Mitch Albom
64 The Polar Express - Chris Van Allsburg
65 The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald
66 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow
67 What to Expect the First Year - Arlene Eisenberg, etal.
68 Love You Forever - Robert Munsch
69 Green Eggs and Ham - Dr. Seuss
70 A Painted House - John Grisham
71 The Rainmaker - John Grisham
72 Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
73 Cold Mountain - Charles Frazier
74 The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night-Time - Mark Haddon
75 Life Strategies - Phillip C. McGraw
76 Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
77 The Summons - John Grisham
78 Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
79 The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien
80 The Runaway Jury - John Grisham
81 Goodnight Moon - Margaret Wise Brown
82 The Perfect Storm - Sebastian Junger
83 Snow Falling on Cedars - David Guterson
84 The Giver - Lois Lowry
85 Embraced by the Light - Betty J. Eadie
86 The Chamber - John Grisham
87 You: On A Diet - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
88 The Prayer of Jabez - Bruce Wilkinson
89 Holes - Louis Sachar
90 Digital Fortress - Dan Brown
91 The Shack - William P. Young
92 The Devil Wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
93 Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen
94 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
95 The Seat of the Soul - Gary Zukav
96 Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul - Jack Canfield, etal.
97 The Partner - John Grisham
98 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
99 Eldest: Inheritance, Book II - Christopher Paolini
100 The Broker - John Grisham
101 The Street Lawyer - John Grisham
102 A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snicket
103 The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
104 Into the Wild - Jon Krakauer
105 The King of Torts - John Grisham
106 The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
107 The Horse Whisperer - Nicholas Evans
108 Hannibal - Thomas Harris
109 The Audacity of Hope - Barack Obama
110 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs
111 The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Jeannette Walls
112 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
113 The Last Juror - John Grisham
114 The Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
115 Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
116 America (The Book) - Jon Stewart
117 The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
118 John Adams - David McCullough
119 The Christmas Box - Richard Paul Evans
120 The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants - Ann Brashares
121 Sugar Busters! - Leighton Steward, etal.
122 Blink - Malcolm Gladwell
123 The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
124 90 Minutes in Heaven: A True Story of Death and Life - Don Piper
125 The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R. Tolkien
126 1776 - David McCullough
127 The Bridges of Madison County - Robert James Waller
128 Where the Heart Is - Billie Letts
129 The Ultimate Weight Solution - Phillip C. McGraw
130 Protein Power - Mr. & Mra. Michael R. Eades
131 Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul - Jack Canfield, etal.
132 Into Thin Air - Jon Krakauer
133 *Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
134 Three Cups of Tea - Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
135 You: The Owner's Manual - Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet C. Oz
136 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler’s Life List - Patricia Schultz
137 Self Matters - Phillip C. McGraw
138 She's Come Undone - Wally Lamb
139 1984 - George Orwell
140 The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
141 The Millionaire Next Door - Thomas J. Stanley
142 The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
143 The Zone - Barry Sears, Bill Lawren
144 The Pilot's Wife - Anita Shreve
145 The Lost World - Michael Crichton
146 Atonement - Ian McEwan
147 He's Just Not That Into You - Greg Behrendt, Liz Tuccillo
148 Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury
149 The World Is Flat - Thomas L. Friedman
150 Cross - James Patterson

Look at all the Grishams! I also see a lot of weight loss - which I’ve read - and business books. I can tell by this list that I'm not reading as many new Oprah books, either. Which ones have you read? Any on your TBR pile?

USA Today Meme

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/usa-today-meme.html

Dewey (copy)

The year was 1988 and the town of Spencer, Iowa was experiencing a bitterly cold winter. While Vicki Myron entered the library that Monday morning, she reflected on the weekend’s average temperature of minus 15 degrees with a visible shiver. She flipped the lights on and headed back to the break room to start coffee. Other employees filtered in as another work week began.

Vicky walked the aisles of books as the coffee perked then made her rounds into the backroom. There she found library assistant, Jean, standing in front of the book drop box. Instead of opening the lid of the hinged box and gathering books, Jean stood motionless. She had heard a noise and was afraid an animal might be trapped inside.

When it happened again it did not sound like an animal, but “an old man struggling to clear his throat.” This was impossible. Whatever manner of animal, it had to be small. The book slot was only a few inches wide to discourage people from throwing anything other than books and videos inside; although, occasional firecrackers made it through.

They tentatively raised the lid together and a gush of arctic air blew past. Normally, the metal box was cold during the winter, but this was wrong. It felt colder than the outside air since someone had jammed a paperback sideways forcing the return slot open. Vicki later said, “You could have kept frozen meat in there.”

Tucked in the corner, amongst the books, was a small gray animal. As the ladies peered closer the animal raised its head and took a look before lowering it again. It was a kitten, and it was extremely cold and weak.

As Vicki lifted it from the metal container, the kitten began to shake violently. They tried wrapping him in towels, but he still shook. Believing a warm bath might help, they filled the kitchen sink and slowly lowered his body into the water. The cat showed no resistance and Jean began to massage soap into his fur.

The water shown gray as Vicki lifted the kitten from the sink and began to dry him with a hair dryer they use for hot glue projects. “Within thirty seconds, I was holding a beautiful, long-haired orange tabby.”

This is the true story of Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with help from Bret Witter.

Another excellent review can be found at Nonanon's new blog Citizen Reader.

Dewey (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/dewey-copy.html

New Web 2.0 for Travelers!

create your own personalized map of the USA
or write about it on the open travel guide

I thought this a neat concept. Blog about where you have been and where you want to go. I'm going to play around with it and see if I can get quality recommendations from other members.

Hubby and I spend a couple of weeks exploring new destinations each year. Why not share our best haunts with others. I can gain 20lbs in two weeks with all the restaurants we visit, and would it not be great to tell people about our best meals.

One restaurante in Piza, so exclusive it seats 20 people, became our secret pleasure. Our first night, right off the 13 hour flight, we found ourselves lost in the maze of old town. We weren't frantic, but we were hungry. So hungry that the horrid calf nerves appetizer had a certain warm tang which in any other establishment would have been luke-warm snot. That night we stumbled into a local favorite, the kind of place locals don't tell touristas about, and we ate our most exquisite meals in all of Italia. We ate there three more times, when we found ourselves in the area. Our last night we joined the college kids in the tiny piazza 12 feet from the door in a wine tasting event. Our experience might be just what a new traveler to Italy wants to hear.

As you can guess, we have toured these states, provinces, and countries.

New Web 2.0 for Travelers!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/11/new-web-20-for-travelers.html

Sherman Alexie on the Colbert Report!

Oh, he is stylish! Look at the pocket square! :D

Sherman Alexie on the Colbert Report!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/sherman-alexie-on-colbert-report.html

Poor Man's Provence (copy)

After hearing Rheta Grimsley Johnson speak last week on her new book Poor Man’s Provence at the Mississippi Library Association’s annual conference in Natchez, I really cannot wait to visit the region. I find myself fascinated with the Cajun lifestyle and swamps which shelter the culture.

It all began when Rheta accepted an assignment from her Atlanta newspaper editor to cover a wild boar hunt. Within 1,500 acres of wooded, hurricane-fenced Louisiana, Rheta, along with husband Don and a group of hung-over young men, proceeded to hunt the elusive boars. In this “glorified hog pen” they walked in a guided circle until they came upon a sleeping sounder.

They began to realize the cheesy situation as the guide commenced to jabbing at the snoring razorbacks. One-by-one the reluctantly groggy hogs began to stand and scatter through the woods. As the last one shook off sleep, the men allowed one virile hunter to take aim.

Like watching a golfer make a hole-in-one, the group stood stunned as the lone arrow sliced completely through one boar and into another. With one shot the hunt was over. The young men had hoped to bag a trophy boar at $325, but instead got two “meat” hogs at $165 apiece. They had spent the limit.

It was still early morning; therefore, Rheta and Don decided to explore the southeastern part of the state. They both love the water and boats and thought this a fun way to kill time. It was in the small town of Henderson, right beside the little marina, where they spotted a “pale lime vinyl” houseboat. Above the entrance hatch a piece of driftwood proclaimed, “The Green Queen.”

A nice man showed them around the little boat, and with a car dealer’s grin he said, “This is one heckuva deal.” They smiled, but neither showed any interest. The couple then pondered the boat all the way back to Atlanta without ever voicing aloud their secrets dreams. Rheta envisioned a quiet place to read, and Don saw a duck hunter’s paradise.

After unloading the car and sitting down to dinner, it took one quizzical look between them and Don was on the phone to the salesman. In the background he could hear the townies laughing as he reluctantly resigned to the fact that he was the fish on the hook and this salesman was reeling.

I cannot tell you how much fun this book is to read as Rheta and “One Duck Don” become residents of Henderson. They find a little slice of heaven in the swamps, and readers will too.

Poor Man's Provence (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/poor-mans-provence-copy.html

Blog Tour Second Stop!

Something Wicked by Alan Gratz is the second book in his contemporary, Macbeth murder-mystery series for young adults. For a limited time (Till Nov. 30) one can read Something Rotten for free! Go visit Gratz here, and be sure to visit his active blog co-written by wife, Wendi.

Others participating in the tour can be found at The 160 Acre Woods, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Hyperbole, Kidz Book Buzz, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today, Reading is My Superpower

Blog Tour Second Stop!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-tour-second-stop.html

Blog Tour First Stop!

Something Wicked by Alan Gratz is our featured book this week at Kids Book Buzz!

First line of the book states, "History is full of guys who did stupid things for women."

What a wondeful line!

Others participating in the tour can be found at The 160acrewoods, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Dolce Bellezza, Hyperbole, KidzBookBuzz.com, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today, Reading is My Superpower

Blog Tour First Stop!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-tour-first-stop.html

Uncle Tom's Children (copy)

This year marks the centennial of Richard Wright’s birth. In celebration the “Mississippi Reads” program, sponsored by the state, features his book, Uncle Tom’s Children. All across Mississippi curious citizens are opening his works and joining in heartfelt discussions.

Just last week, I bumped into my friend and neighbor at the local grocery store. As we were sharing good news, she told me she was currently reading Wright’s Black Boy. Not only was she reading it for an Ole Miss class, but her youngest was reading it for Senior's English! How exciting to hear two unrelated schools are reading Wright as part of the curriculum.

Uncle Tom’s Children is an accessible read for most adults and upper level students. Readers are treated to a short autobiography in Wright’s essay “The Ethics of Living Jim Crow” which was not included in earlier versions but opens this book. (If one has read “Black Boy” it will seem familiar, although the tone is harsher.) Then readers face five short stories that emphasize the Jim Crow lifestyle. Each story is heart-breaking. Readers can discern early on that the main characters are all doomed.

In “Big Boy Leaves Home,” Big Boy and buddies skip school and trespass on property in order to swim in a pond. A white woman wanders down to the water. Within seconds, she lets out a scream as she perceives these naked boys running towards her as a threat. In reality, they are running to get their clothes which happen to be within six feet of her. Fiancée, with rifle in hand, comes to her rescue.

In “Down by the Riverside,” Mann’s pregnant wife is in labor as high waters threaten to cut them off from civilization. Uncle Bob is sent to trade the mule for a boat when the midwife declares she must have a doctor’s help. Bob returns with a stolen boat, and the family departs for the hospital. They get lost, and stop at one of the only homes with lights to ask for directions. It is the home of the white boat owners.

The violence that ensues makes this inaccessible to younger readers. May I suggest, Haiku: This Other World by Wright. In the tradition of real Japanese Haiku, Wright writes of the seasons and not racism. The 817 poems are perfect for teaching the art, and exposing young readers to a Mississippi treasure. Teachers could ask students to design a birthday card for the author with their own Haiku inside.

Uncle Tom's Children (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/uncle-toms-children-copy.html

The Shack (copy)

Mackenzie Allen Phillips “Mack” is troubled. He spent his life serving God, married a better Christian than himself, and raised his children in the church. Why was he the target of such pain?

Before “The Great Sadness” overtook Mack, he thought his life blessed. A beautiful wife who loves him no matter his gruffness. Five children who are truly beautiful inside and out. He likes to joke, “They took his good looks because Nan still has hers.” Oldest sons are out making a living and his two middle kids, Josh and Kate, are getting good grades in college; although, they still live at home. And then there is Missy, the late in life little surprise.

It happened at the family’s last-hoorah camping trip before three of Mack’s kids had to return to school. Mack rose early to prepare a pancake breakfast in the wilds of Oregon for the crew. His wife Nan was still at work and would try to join the family later that day.

It wasn’t long before everyone was out of the tents and rubbing their eyes. Apparently, the cakes became stuck to the griddle and Mack burned two fingers trying to save them. His expletives could wake a hibernating bear, no wonder everyone was up.

While cleaning up his mess the group wondered off to the river for some canoeing. Mack joined them just in time to see the canoe capsize with Kate and Josh entering the water. He felt okay, they had on life jackets, but Josh didn’t surface!

Mack didn’t waste any time. He took two big strokes and was on the scene and under the water. Josh was pinned down between the canoe and a log which held his jacket. Mack surfaced for another breath then went back under to force the canoe over.

Josh popped out, but unconscious. It took a few seconds of Mack administering CPR and Josh was throwing up this morning’s eggs to everyone’s relief. Okay, Mack stood back and regrouped. Kate is fine. Josh is fine. Where is Missy?

The Shack, written by William P. Young, is an incredible story. The plot combines a modern day mystery with biblical theology that has America talking. The shack of the title is a metaphor for that which is our “great sadness.”

The controversy evolves from one man’s fictional opinion of the Holy Trinity. Readers may not like his choice of characters to depict the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; although, they will not forget them. I personally love the book and thought Young’s voice refreshing.

The Shack (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/shack-copy.html

Wesley the Owl (copy)

Two nights ago I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed when I heard a loud Whoo-Whoo-Whoo. The windows of our house were closed tight yet the noise felt like it was behind my back. I called hubby into the bathroom to confirm my hearing.

Of course, it was an owl in one of our willow oaks communicating with its mate. Somewhere in the darkness, possibly a block away, we heard the return hoot of another owl. We have barn owls in our neighborhood, but these were commuters who only stopped by for 20 minutes. What fascinating creatures!

Born February 10, 1985, Wesley the owl suffered nerve damage in one of his wings. Meaning, this barn owl would never be able to fly for long periods of time before succumbing to exhaustion. Wesley would never be able to hunt for himself and without a mother he would surely die.

Biologists at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) considered Wesley’s lot a great chance for someone to raise him as a pet. Enter Stacey O’Brien. New to the Caltech staff having only worked a year as a biologist, her superior called her to his office four days later to discuss the owlet’s fate. She enthusiastically agreed to take on the possible 15 years of research this little ball of down might provide.

Stacey considered this her opportunity to study a single animal on a 24/7 schedule just like her heroine, Jane Goodall. Little did she know Wesley Valentine, having entered her life that Valentine’s Day, would change it dramatically.

For the first six months he was taken everywhere Stacey went. He needed her warmth to survive. Thus, she wrapped him in blankets like a newborn when going to work or on little errands. One such errand to the grocery shocked an over-eager shopper when they pulled back the covers and asked, “Is that a dinosaur?!?”

Stacey is seen as a mother figure in the first couple of years, but as Wesley turns 3 she becomes his mate. Owls mate for life and Wesley is no exception.

For this Halloween season pick up Stacey O’Brien’s Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl. It is full of photos as Wesley goes from newborn to the ripe old age of nineteen.

Another excellent review of Wesley can be found at Sam's Book Chase.

Wesley the Owl (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/wesley-owl-copy.html

Black Boy (copy)

I finished Richard Wright’s Black Boy last week and just shook my head. I kept coming up with one word to describe his life: hunger. He hungered for food, he hungered for love, he hungered for attention, and he hungered for knowledge.

Richard Nathaniel Wright was born September 4, 1908 near Roxie, Mississippi on Rucker’s Plantation. His family, gripped with poverty, was constantly moving from state to state in order to find work. Wright’s mobile lifestyle allowed for three months of school in Memphis, one large gap, then some more school in Arkansas, another gap, and finally graduated ninth grade at the age of 17 in Jackson, MS.

Through this autobiography and his other writings such as Native Son, I am convinced he was a genius. His early education was too sporadic to attribute to his speech and grammar skills. It was his hunger for knowledge that improved his life. One of America’s many self-taught men.

Wright began his self education with a burning desire to know more and the use of a white man’s library card. While working in a Memphis optical shop, he would come in early to read the complimentary Commercial Appeal in the lobby. One day he ran across an editorial denouncing H.L. Mencken with one short sentence, “Mencken is a fool.”

Who was this Mencken and how did he raise the ire of a normally even tempered editor? Wright needed to know, but the Memphis Public Library was for whites only. One of his many errands for the optical company included picking up books for fellow workers at the downtown library. He thought how easy it would be for him to check out books on one of those cards if he could only get the owner’s permission.

Wright talked a nice Irish Catholic—long forgotten his name—into sharing his card, but the plan still had obstacles. He would have to write a convincing note and the smart librarian would have to be duped.

With a humble face, Wright stood at the circulation counter watching the librarian’s reaction. She quizzed him, “What books does Mr. X want to read by Mencken?”

“I don’t know, Ma’am.”

“Are these books for you?”

“No, Ma’am.”

“Well, tell Mr. X to include a list next time.”

Pshew!

Kids have it so easy today in Mississippi with excellent public schools and libraries. Oh, how I wish I could give them Richard Wright’s hunger for knowledge.

Note: Richard is the older child on the left side of the cover. You can read an excellent review of Black Boy at Just a Reading Fool's blog.

Black Boy (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/10/black-boy-copy.html

Need Cash Now?!?

$10,000 Reward
To anyone capable of documenting a live Ivory-bill Woodpecker!
Good Luck!

Need Cash Now?!?

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/need-cash-now.html

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (copy)

It was known by many different names: Kent, White-Back, Pate, Poule de bois, Van Dyke, etc.. It depended on which part of the South one dwelt. In the late 1800s one name began to take prominence. From the Eastern seaboard to the Mississippi Gulf it became known as the Lord God Bird after one dumbstruck observer announced, “Lord God, what a bird!”

Notice, I am using the past tense, for this bird is now extinct. The last official sighting of an Ivory-Billed Woodpecker or Campephilus principalis was 1944. Local ornithologists were checking on a female daily at John’s Bayou in the Singer Tract of Louisiana when a windstorm blew down her ash tree home, and she was never seen again.

There were two main factors which led to the demise of this magnificent species. One factor was attributed to the bird itself. If only its plumage and size were not so incredible. Ladies wanted to decorate their hair and hats with the long black and white feathers as was the style. The other factor was our growing need in America for wood. The rebuilding of Chicago after the 1871 fire left only 10 years of lumber in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. The Yankees looked southward for the housing boom.

To some extent, the researchers also played a role in the bird’s extinction. In the early years of birding, scientist had to kill the birds in order to study them. They did not have the luxury of photography, moving pictures, or recorded sound. Hunters were paid four or five dollars for a specimen by a middleman who then charged 10 to 12 dollars to scientists or curators. The white-bill brought in many greenbacks which led to hundreds slaughtered in a week’s time. John James Audubon once took delivery of an adult male and female, plus juvenile along with the tree trunk and nest in which they lived.

I gleaned all this knowledge and more from Phillip Hoose’s The Race to Save the Lord God Bird. Written for high school students, the book is filled with over 70 photographs including one taken of Audubon’s painting of the woodpecker family mentioned earlier.

According to this book, published in 2004, the bird is extinct, but some birdwatchers feel differently. There are three books written on an adult level dealing with this subject: Ivorybill Hunters by Geoffrey E. Hill, Stalking the Ghost Bird by Michael K. Steinberg, and The Grail Bird by Tim Gallagher.

How nice it would be to rediscover this bird in the wilds!

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/race-to-save-lord-god-bird-copy.html

Mississippi Autobiographies (copy)

Reading Richard Wright’s autobiography Black Boy this week, I was suddenly hit with an epiphany. Many writers have found their upbringing in Mississippi as either idyllic or horrific, but all have written excellently about their experience; thus, the state of Mississippi produces quality autobiographies!

As a new manager of the Como Public Library in 1996, I found myself in uncharted waters. I grew up in Tennessee and was unfamiliar with my new adopted state. To gain knowledge, I decided to ask patrons about Mississippi authors or books about the state. A lovely woman suggested Mildred Topp’s Smile Please.

What a state treasure! Mildred’s mother found herself a widow after only five years of marriage and forced to move back to her hometown of Greenwood, MS, in 1907. In order to support herself and her two girls, she opened a photography shop using her late husband’s equipment.

Little Mildred had a keen eye for the characters of Greenwood. Nowhere else will one read about a conjure woman named Mammy Lou, or a cowboy who came to town to steal a widow’s heart. Published in 1948, copies are rare but still available at your public library. Within the book’s cover, readers will be rewarded with photos taken at the studio.

Another excellent autobiography is Eudora Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings. Eudora was that little fly on the wall constantly hiding under tables, behind chairs, and in closets waiting for the chance to hear adult conversation. She took those forbidden stories and created the truest characters in the South. Plus, who would not enjoy skating up and down the halls of our state’s Capitol along with young Eudora.

Anne Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi will have you on razor’s edge as she fights for her rights. I consider Anne, a humble sharecropper’s daughter who raised attitude to a new level, to be a modern day hero. Many Mississippian’s can learn from her experiences as she faces the harsh realities of being black and female during the Civil Rights Movement in Woodville, MS.

Two newer autobiographies worth mentioning are Mississippi Sissy by Kevin Sessums and The Peddler’s Grandson by Edward Cohen. Kevin speaks of growing up gay in Forest, MS, and Edward writes of his experiences feeling like the only Jewish man in Jackson, MS.

What would your Mississippi story be if you could write one?

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Mississippi Autobiographies (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/mississippi-autobiographies-copy.html

A Guy, A Rope, & A Redwood Tree

Jim plays a small part in The Wild Trees. The unnamed naturists, of which he speaks, play an important role in the book. Michael and Chris hike into the unknown almost every weekend in search of the tallest tree. If one finds an undiscovered giant they are allowed to name it. Michael has probably named the most!

Watching this National Geographic segment will introduce you to the main characters mentioned in The Wild Trees. Enjoy!

A Guy, A Rope, & A Redwood Tree

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/guy-rope-redwood-tree.html

The Wild Trees (copy)

Open season starts September 16 for climbing trees. Not just any trees, but giant coastal redwoods, or Sequoia Sempervirens as they are known to the handful of scientist who currently study in them. Things were different in 1987 when a group of college students ascended one of these giants on a dare. As far as anyone knew, the redwoods had never been climbed.

Brothers Scott and Steve Sillett and best buddy Marwood Harris were on fall break in 1987 from their respective universities. Traveling the National Parks of Oregon and California in a beat-up, blue Honda Civic, they stopped for a break in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. This trio, as always, was low on funds. They decided to ditch the car to avoid permit fees, and hiked into an unpopulated part of the park.

When the meager trail narrowed, Steve ran ahead and began bushwhacking a new path. By the time the others caught up, Steve was staring at one of the largest trees he had ever seen. Marwood and Steve began circling the tree as Scott scouted out a campsite in the redwood grove.

With a little nod between men, Steve murmured, “I’m lusting for this tree.” He took a running jump and landed 8 feet into a neighboring redwood. This redwood was young and it took Steve ten minutes to reach the top as Marwood followed suit.

Transitioning to the giant tree would be tricky. Steve began to sway on the smaller tree’s leader, a top part of any redwood which resembles an arm stretching to the sun, with the idea to catch a limb on the giant’s trunk.

Scott was in a panic at the bottom. He understood a man might die from a 15 foot fall, and here was his brother and friend 50 feet in the air. At this height a falling man will become an inverted arrow with no way to protect his head or spine from certain tragic consequences.

Scott was now out of his mind as he watched his brother swing the smaller tree close and jump 8 feet of open space. Steve grabbed onto an epicormic branch (a flimsy, fan-shaped spray of needles) that developed out of a scar on the larger tree’s trunk. It held.

Once aspiring botanists Steve and Marwood entered the redwood’s canopy, they recognized it as a never before seen habitat.

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston is a remarkable piece of narrative nonfiction from the author of The Hot Zone.

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The Wild Trees (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/wild-trees-copy.html

Mule Time!

Hubby blurted out, "Five!" on his way to the volunteer fire fighters meeting tonight!

Congratulations, Wisteria of A Bookworm's Dinner! You are the winner of a slightly read, first edition Dirty Work by Larry Brown.

When hubby gets back we will draw for Southern books! Stay Tuned!

Mule Time!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/mule-time.html

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (copy)

22nd May, 1946

Mr. Sidney Stark, Publisher
Stephens & Stark Ltd.
21 St. James’s Place
London S. W. 1
England

Dear Sidney,

There is so much to tell you. I have been on the island less than 20 hours, but needn’t introductions. Everyone looks as I pictured them through their letters and have been able to call them by their first names without err. Our new friend Dawsey, the Charles Lamb reader, actually favors the great writer. Oh, and the eccentric Isola, wore a glittering brooch, purple shawl, and mad hat worthy of any respectable witch. She jumped the gang plank and gave me the biggest hug!

Why, why, do I not listen to people? The crossing was a harrowing experience with seas high and boisterous. The mail boat, a mere cork bobbing to and fro in our English Channel, was rather uncomfortable. I can only guess to the lovely shade of green I must have presented the welcoming party. Remind me, when someone says take the ferry to heed, indeed.

The most amazing experience happened as we entered the harbor. The dull gray clouds and mist which seemed to follow me all the way from London lifted, and a ray of light shone on the cliffs of Guernsey. It was like God himself opened the door and welcomed me into the fold.

Thank you for this opportunity. I am sure the book will benefit greatly from the personal interviews this trip will allow. Already, the stories from my correspondence with islanders have added an intriguing air to the German Occupation of Guernsey during the war.

Thanks again and love,
Juliet

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is not the suburban, wine-drinking bored housewives of other similarly titled books. The book, told through letters, begins with main character Juliet researching an article idea for The Times when a letter simultaneously arrives appropriate to the subject. As the article blossoms into a book, readers will fall in love with the characters and their island home.

Don't take my word for it! Read these fine reviews: A Book Lover Forever, Book Fan, CaribousMom, Lesley's Book Nook, My Random Acts of Reading, Reading Adventures, Stuck in a Book.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/09/guernsey-literary-and-potato-peel-pie.html

God's Debris (copy)

A professor on campus handed me a book the other day with the comment, “I hand this to promising students.” The title is God’s Debris: A Thought Experiment by Scott Adams. The same Scott Adams that creates the weekly, Dilbert comic strip, but this book is totally different.

It is so different that the first book was only available in e-book format. Publishers were afraid a print source would not sell to the average Dilbert reader. Now, one can get it in print form thanks to positive word-of-mouth reviews.

Author Adams takes on the age old debate, science versus religion. If one is scientific in nature others around generalize that the person is less likely to believe in God. One of my heroes, Galileo, endured Catholic persecution because of this general attitude; although, he professed to embrace the Catholic Church and its teachings his entire life.

In the book the author presents a theory which I find comforting. It all begins with a conversation between delivery man and wise recipient. During the discussion, they both agree that God is omnipotent and knows the future. With this in mind, they begin to theorize that God might be bored. If he knows the future, nothing is left to chance.

What if God tries to destroy his omnipotence and start again from scratch? In order to do this they feel he will have to blow himself up and return to Earth in billions of little living cells. In essence, the Big Bang Theory, but here is the comforting part. God becomes a part of all of us, and the animals, and the plants, rocks, etc.

I need to stop here before I divulge the whole story. Oh, but I do so want to tell you more!

I see why the professor encourages his students to read this book. There is an in-your-face discussion on two subjects that tend to mix like oil and water. It is an encouraging conversation though, and one many students might be struggling with as they prove facts through scientific methods and mathematics.

One of the ongoing discussions through the story centers on mathematical probability. It is my conviction 50 percent of the readers will either love or hate this book. Adams’ follow up book is oddly titled, Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!

God's Debris (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/gods-debris-copy.html

USA vs. UK

Which is your favorite Yankee Girl book cover?

I love the American cover on the left, but the Europe cover stirs more emotion in me. Wonder why they opted for the kinder gentler cover for Americans?

USA vs. UK

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/usa-vs-uk.html

Jimmy's Stars (copy)

It was a crisp September morning when I had the uncontrollable urge to pop Victoria. I had truly had enough. Enough of the “my brothers are all Marines,” or “the real fighting is in the Pacific,” or “I bet one of my brothers did something heroic today.”

Yeah, yeah, the big blabber mouth, but then she turns to me and calls my brother a slacker! What! My brother is no slacker. Jimmy is a hero. When dad broke his leg, Jimmy stepped in and began to deliver the mail. It was our family’s only income, and Jimmy never missed a beat.

Being a blabber mouth, Victoria had no idea when to stop. She got all snobby and said, “Well, your dad’s been back to work for three months. I call that a S – L – A – K -…” I didn’t let her finish the spelling bee. I shut her up with a right to the source of blab, but missed and got the corner of her eye and nose instead.

In the long run, I got it back two-fold. See, Victoria is a rather big girl who can carry her weight with four older brothers. I don’t know what I was thinking other than she was wrong. Jimmy didn’t need some stinking war to prove his bravery. He is, and will always be, my hero.

It gave me a little secret pleasure knowing Victoria would have to walk around with a shiner like mine. I hope she saw stars. Four stars to be exact. One for every brother in the service, like the service flags that sprung up after Pearl Harbor.

Although, these stars kind of give me the creeps. You know the blue stars for each member serving in the forces and gold for those whom will not return, I consider them bad luck. I have a little routine I do when passing a flag hanging in a window or on a porch. I like to cross my fingers and spit in the gutter; although, my mother would die of shame if she saw me.

I was right about the bad luck. When I got back home, in the mailbox was an official letter from the Selective Service for a Mr. James Armstrong McKelvey. Jimmy was being drafted, and I had no say.

Author Mary Ann Rodman has written a timeless character in Ellie McKelvey. This 11-year-old gives an honest, through the eyes of one figuring it out, look into World War II. From the title, Jimmy’s Stars, one may guess the ending will require tissues.



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Jimmy's Stars (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/jimmys-stars-copy.html

The Bus Rolls in...

The First ever Kidz Book Buzz Blog Tour is underway featuring author Mary Ann Rodman. An up-and-coming author with five books on her resume: Jimmy's Stars, Yankee Girl, My Best Friend, with First Grade Stinks coming out next month, and Surprise Soup coming out in the Spring of 2009!

I first read Yankee Girl for a mock Newbery Award class in 2005. I enjoyed it tremendously and bought a copy for the Como Public Library. It is nice to have the perspective of a white female, student narrator relating the story of Mississippi's school integration. So many of the black students come away from a civil rights unit thinking all whites are racist. Through the narrator, they explore the thoughts of a girl not from there, dare-I-say, a Yankee!

Please visit other tour participants for reviews and book giveaways. The bus stops at these blogs: 01 Charger, A Childhood of Dreams, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, A Mom Speaks, All About Children’s Books, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, By the Book Reviews, Dolce Bellezza, Fireside Musings, Homeschool Buzz, Looking Glass Reviews, Maggie Reads, Maw Books, Small World Reads, The Friendly Book Nook

The Bus Rolls in...

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/bus-rolls-in.html

Want to hear a true Southern Voice?

I went to a workshop last October in which the leaders stressed creating ADA compliant blogs. I started at 11:00 this morning and here is the final result. The picture is a little too much, but podOmatic has only one widget. My goal is the small Odeo widget at the bottom of posts. I would love any help or tips y'all might want to send my way.

Wonder if you can edit my drawl out?!?

Want to hear a true Southern Voice?

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/want-to-hear-true-southern-voice.html

Cheers Y'all!

Don't bother just to be better
than your contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself. ~ William Faulkner

Congratulations to all southern readers.
I raise my glass to y'all!

Cheers Y'all!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/cheers-yall.html

E-Booktalk (copy)

Driving into work this week, I happened to see the oddest thing. Among a group of school children waiting for the bus stood a scrawny child of eight or nine. Her small frame wobbled as she precariously balanced a backpack that looked like it contained four bowling balls. I imagine with a little help, one could empty the bowling balls and have her step in and zip it with ease allowing another child to carry her to school.

Ugh, the back trouble she will face as an adult has my librarian brain stirring. Thirty years from now, she might need exercise books to strengthen weakened muscles, books on spinal health, lists of chiropractics in the area, ratings on the best orthopedic shoes, diet books to keep excess weight off, and peeks into one of our Merck manuals.

What if we could combine all those textbooks into one handy, paperback-size wireless device? The time is approaching with the internet bookstore Amazon’s electronic book called Kindle.

I sound like a commercial, but at this juncture I am not advocating readers run to the nearest computer and order one. I, myself, have held out purchasing the rather expensive $360 e-reader that allows one to download a popular book for $9.99. I am really waiting on Santa.

Electronic books have been on the market for years. I first looked at software which allowed one to download a book onto her computer in 1999. Since that time, Sony has cornered the market with the eReader. The Sony eReader downloads pages through Portable Document Format (PDF) files for $12.95.

There are many reasons to be excited about Amazon’s Kindle. First, it is wireless. Not paid, subscription wireless, but walk anywhere cellular-phone wireless; plus, one need not buy a phone package to use. Second, the display monitor is not backlit like a computer. One actually has to treat Kindle like a real book by searching out a light source to read the text. Third, the size of the font can be changed to six different (one smaller and four larger than default) sizes. An older reader who enjoys large print books now has an unlimited selection from which to choose. Last, one can carry over 200 books within the 10.3 ounces a Kindle weighs.

As a librarian, I am delighted this product is on the market. Just think of all the backs and weary eyes Kindle will relieve. Oh, and the day textbooks become available, the world will change. All I can say is come on Christmas.

Have you tried Kindle?

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E-Booktalk (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/e-booktalk-copy.html

Four More Days!

Awraight people!

Time to get busy and give away some pecans and a southern book!

April at Cafe of Dreams won the autograph copy of Finn by Jon Clinch in the Name Your Blues contest with this entry Moody An Lovin Mama! Congrats Gurl!

The last time my hubby drew names for the pecans was July 11, so I'm way behind. Shame! I need to draw four names, and I thought I would go ahead and draw for this coming Friday's too.

1. #46 Jmnlman at Strategist's Personal Library
2. #12 Becky at Becky's Book Review
3. #35 TX Mommy at Too Many to Count
4. #37 Patti at Books Make Life Better
5. #24 Mary at Bookfan

Congratulations Y'all!

Four More Days!

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/four-more-days.html

Confederates in the Attic (copy)

Was it possible to fall asleep in 1997 and arise in 1865? Tony Horwitz stood frozen in awe by his second-story bedroom window. Rubbing the sleep away from his eyes, the dream persisted. Below, on his manicured Virginia lawn, Rebel forces seemed to be winning as the Yankees backed away from the sea of gray. Then, without the slightest warning, the spell was broken by a brash director yelling “Cut!”

Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz, is the result of this early morning invasion. After winning the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 1995, Horwitz moved to Waterford, Virginia, to focus on an unrelated book project. It was this spontaneous Civil War scene in his front yard that awakened distant boyhood dreams.

As a child, Horwitz delighted in spending time with his Poppa Isaac and the book of Civil War sketches. The obsession continued to grow as little Tony listened to his father read every night from a ten-volume set The Photographic History of the Civil War.

Horwitz writes, “For me, the fantastical creatures of Maurice Sendak [Where the Wild Things Are] held little magic compared to the man-boys of Mathew Brady who stared back across the century separating their lives from mine.”

Out amongst the morning revelers that day laid another man who grew up dreaming in blue and gray. Robert Lee Hodge, a waiter during peacetime, displayed a rare talent for rolling over and playing dead. Literally, Hodge was being paid by the movie company to do the “bloat,” a maneuver he learned through studying Mathew Brady’s famous Civil War photographs depicting death from battle aftermaths.

Horwitz recalls, “Hodge clutched his stomach and crumpled to the ground. His belly swelled grotesquely, his hands curled, his cheeks puffed out, his mouth contorted in a rictus of pain and astonishment. It was a flawless counterfeit of the bloated corpses photographed at Antietam and Gettysburg that I so often stared at as a child.”

It is the friendship between Horwitz and Hodge that provides comic relief throughout Confederates in the Attic. Readers will find the humor sustains their disbelief during the racism encountered as an uncivil war between black and white emerges.

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Confederates in the Attic (copy)

http://maggiereads.blogspot.com/2008/08/confederates-in-attic-copy.html