Amelia's Notebook

By Marissa Moss (except for words and pictures by Amelia. Just finished reading four of these books...all very cute. The cover looks like a composition notebook and inside are the writings and drawings of Amelia, a nine year old who has to move. She doesn't want to leave behind her friends and everything she knows. She writes about her trip to the new house, starting a new school and meeting new people in a very cute way. She makes little notes and pictures and attaches items in the notebook to remember things she did. I know when I was a kid I really enjoyed HARRIET THE SPY by Louise Fitzhugh...because Harriet wrote in a notebook. This is neat because kids can see what Amelia is writing, in her handwriting and her pictures. There are several more than 4 in this series that address other issues, vacation, boredom, family life. It is a very good series and made me think back to being 9 or 10.

Ranger's Apprentice Book One The Ruins of Gorlan

by John Flanagan...so most of the kids in the library where I work RAVE about this series. So this weekend I decided to read the first book in the series. It is one of several books and most of the series was printed in Australia before here in the US. I felt it was a pretty good book. It kept me entertained. It did have similarities with other fantasy/adventure/etc that I have read in the past...but I liked that it did take until page 189 to reveal a fantasy side...long enough I believe to hook a reader who may or may not like the fantasy. Excellent fight scenes and suspense for a younger reader as well.

Jamie Lee Curtis - Books for kids AND adults

Okay, on Sept 30th Jamie Lee Curtis was on the Rachael Ray show...she was promoting her new book BIG WORDS FOR LITTLE PEOPLE and talking about being 50. I thought it was an incredible interview and she read part of the book! I loved it!! About two months before I had read her book HUMAN RACE and I loved it. It talked about how we are all part of the race and is it a footrace? Are their winners or losers? It was really good and made you think. The illustrations are great as well. Check out her website http://www.jamieleecurtisbooks.com/ and learn more about her books. Well, in the meantime I have been reading her other books.

WHERE DO BALLOONS GO? - a mystery for kids about where balloons go if they loose their grip on one...it takes you to other places, possible outcomes for the balloon and learning about life along the way.

TELL ME AGAIN about the night I was born - A really cute story about an adoption and how the little girl likes to hear the story of how she came into this family over and over again.

I'M GONNA LIKE ME - a book about self esteem...from both a boy and a girl's point of view, liking themselves whether they succeed or fail, not being a afraid to be who they are. I really liked the message of this one because so often even adults are afraid to be themselves. You should be who you are and people will like you (if they don't, they aren't worth your time or worry).

IT'S HARD TO BE FIVE - a cute book about getting older and starting to realize that you're not a kid anymore...you can't grab things and run around in your birthday suit, you are learning things like please and thank you...there are expectations like sitting in a classroom and being a little bit more responsible. Not too much so...just a little more so. It is a fun book for kids going into preschool or kindergarten...and maybe a first manners book as well.

I still have a few more to read...WHEN I WAS LITTLE, TODAY I FEEL SILLY, and BIG WORDS, but I am sure when I do I will like them as much as these!!

Wesley the Owl

The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien, to continue with my reading books about animals and their owners. This one is about a girl who works for Caltech who takes on the raising of a four day old barn owl. She didn't just randomly rescue it, but some nerve damage had been done to his wing and he would never be able to survive in the wild. Follow their many adventures as the owl and Stacey bond, get into some interesting situations and feel a little teary eyed as their relationship grows and develops. If you like animals and enjoy a good story, this is the book for you...also check out the website for some more information http://www.wesleytheowl.com/ is a true story and definitely worth the read!

Skipping Christmas

So...I haven't read it recently, but today I thought about this book a lot. Many people I know, and maybe even people you know are making themselves nuts this Christmas...I wish people would chill and let things happen, or not happen. Anyway, this book by John Grisham is just that...what happens when two people who normally go all out for Christmas decide they aren't doing ANY of it this year. No presents, no decorations, no parties, no donations, no nothing...instead using their money to go on a cruise. They figure their daughter will be gone and so it isn't really necessary to go all out for just them. Hilarity ensues as their neighbors, friends, co-workers, etc all are upset about their lack of participation. Oh, and for those of you who saw CHRISTMAS WITH THE KRANKS and thought that was it...well, it was an okay movie, but the book is 100 times better (isn't it always that way?). Read it, listen to it and be inspired!! I have to say I laughed hysterically!!

The Sharper Your Knife

The Less You Cry...Love, Laughter, and Tears in Paris at the World's Most Famous Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn. Just finished this book last night before I went to bed. I have been reading it off and on for about a week...but it is hard to read because it makes you hungry. At the end of every chapter there are recipes for a variety of foods. I was especially excited about the Onion Soup and the Cassoulet since that is what we are making for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The other recipes sounded good as well. Our main character (this is nonfiction) goes to France to learn the art of French cooking at Le Cordon Bleu. She is a little whiny, but no more so than Julie in Julie and Julia. You meet some great people, see some great places and experience some of the less glamorous life of a cooking school student. I recommend it for you foodies out there and for those of you who have always wanted to go to cooking school...you can live vicariously through Ms. Flinn.

Brisingr and while I am at it Eragon and Eldest

Okay, I admit skimming over Eragon a while back...when it first came out. I watched the movie and thought, entertaining...and didn't think much about this series for a long time. Well, this summer, knowing that Brisingr was coming out, I decided to do the whole series...I listened to ERAGON...and I loved it. I will admit, if you have read a lot of fantasy you may see some themes or situations that look familiar to you...but it is good. Then, I thought, I will watch the movie again. Now I think the movie was HORRIBLE. No where near the book and no way of redeeming itself to go on to be a movie series. Someone will have to remake the first movie to get that to happen. Then I half listened to and half read ELDEST, also good...last night I finished BRISINGR and LOVED it!! I am saddened only by one thing...I have to wait for book four. The young man who wrote this series meant it to be a trilogy in the beginning but...it looks like a fourth will be coming. I don't want to give away the plot line...but for those of you reading the series...Eragon learns who his father really is...which was pretty amazing!! For you fantasy readers out there looking for a good series...this is it. You don't have to be a kid to enjoy it! It has dragons and magic and evil sorcerers and all of that fun stuff...you also have a kid who is growing up being a dragon rider, unlucky in love and learning about the world around him...I highly recommend this series!

Love, Stargirl

by Jerry Spinelli, just finished it this morning, I really loved it. I think I liked it even better than STARGIRL! I love her, the characters, her adventures, her love life...I loved it all!! It makes me want to be a strong woman, and I am nearly 40. I think being independent is great! So many characters in novels are swept back and forth by the people in their lives. This girl, she is who she is no matter what and people still accept her! Imagine that! I guess this book could encourage anyone to be you...and people will like you! If they don't, they aren't worth it. I can only hope it inspires teens to do the same!

Keeping with the girl theme I also read THE DARING BOOK FOR GIRLS by Andrea Buchanan...which made me want to go out and camp, jump rope, build things, and lots of other really fun facts and ideas of things to do. I wish I had this book as a girl...I think it would have inspired me to use my already active imagination for good instead of for evil (I kid) anyway, if you have a girl in your life, of any age and haven't found the perfect Christmas present yet...this may be in. I purchased the boys version for my husband a couple years ago and he loved it!

TWEAK

By Nic Sheff...the subtitle is growing up on methamphetamines...I read this book because someone recommended it to me. I have read several similar type books...anyone who thinks that drug use is glamorous, needs to read this book and others like this. This boy (and this is a true story) starting drinking at age 11 and soon starting smoking pot...which lead to using cocaine, heroine, and meth...he struggles with being sober and living the life of drugs. I wish kids would read books like this before even thinking of experimenting. Most of the kids I have known both when I was younger and ones I have met now feel like experimenting is a phase you go through...not a lifestyle that you become shackled with. This boy, Nic, struggles with being clean and wanting to die doing drugs...he has other issues, with his family, his friends, but it is really about what he thinks of himself. What people never know, kids especially, is that you won't know what things will effect you and how they will effect you. The other thing is that parents don't know...they all think that their kid won't do it...or that they aren't exposed to it. They couldn't be more wrong. Everyone has encountered it at one point or another, whether they admit it or not...and some kids say no and the situation passes...but others think about it, some even try it...and most of them think, oh this is a one time thing and won't effect me at all. Tell that to Nic...

And, I recommend this to everyone!

You are a Dog

Life through the eyes of Man's best friend by Terry Bain. This funny and quirky look at life through the eyes of a dog had me laughing and yes...I shed a couple of tears. The author writes from the point of view of a dog...for anyone who has a dog or has had a dog this is a must read! I especially liked the names that the dog has for people...He who leaves the seat up so That you might drink, or the dog's total war with the vacuum. It is incredible, especially when the dog describes the relationships with all of the other animals.

I have also read the juvenile version of Marley and Me called Marley a dog like no other by John Grogan, which was really good. I can't wait to see the movie version. The book version makes you laugh and cry as a family tries to deal with a very headstrong dog! Anyone who has had a dog that seemed untrainable or drooled on everything would LOVE this book!