The Scholastic Book Club flyer was one of my first loves.
A Very Large Expanse of Sea Read-Along Part 1
Come join in our discussion/read-along of Tahereh Mafi’s A Very Large Expanse of Sea.
National Women Physicians Day 2019 and Dear Girl
Dear Girl is a love letter to all the little girls out there, to let them know that they are not alone. To let them know that it’s okay to say no, to let them know that it’s okay to be strong, to cry, to be themselves.
First Pages: Shatter Me
“I’ve been locked up for 264 days.
I have nothing but a small notebook and a broken pen and the numbers in my head to keep me company. 1 window. 4 walls. 144 square feet of space. 26 letters in an alphabet I haven’t spoken in 264 days of isolation.
6,336 hours since I’ve touched another human being.”
~ Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
Multicultural Children's Book Day 2019: Alabama Oh
For Multicultural Children’s Book Day this year, Dr Bookworm reviews the Alabama Oh picture book trilogy, written by Andi Cann and illustrated by Micaela Stefano. #readyourworld
My Own Ten Year Challenge
If I posted pictures of me compared to ten years ago, I may not look younger or more fit, but I am just as content.
Content is a mild word, but only because today is the day that my middle child would be turning ten years old.
The Great TEN BOOK birthday Giveaway
Every year, we celebrate Macy and her short life. She taught me so much about myself, though I’m not sure everyone would understand that. She also reinforced my love and respect for Mr. Bookworm, who has been a true partner to me every step of the way.
First Pages: The Lightening Thief
“Look. I didn’t want to be a half-blood.
If you’re reading this because you think you might be one, my advice is: close this book right now. Believe whatever lie your mom or dad told you about your birth, and try to lead a normal life.
Being a half-blood is dangerous. It’s scary. Most of the time, it gets you killed in painful, nasty ways.”
The LIghtening Thief by Rick Riordan
Lola's New Year (Book) Raffle
My Lola (my grandma on my mom’s side) and I were close. She had a special relationship with each of her grandchildren. Still, even after she’s been gone for 18 years, I can picture her smile (with bright red lipstick!) and hear her laughter and it makes me smile too.
How to Be a Viking
I love hearing ‘origin’ stories about books, especially about beloved series in our house. Cressida Cowell opens How to Be a Viking with an explanation that the series was inspired by a drawing she did in her sketch book about a little Viking prone to seasickness and his relationship with his father, who happens to be chief of their tribe. Thus Hiccup and Stoik the Vast are born (and later spun into the How to Train Your Dragon series).
TENTH Birthday Ten Book Giveaway
I thought back to my first year with Little Lion, my rainbow baby. Do I remember any of it?
Mostly no. I just remember sleepless nights and breastfeeding and holding her close. Plus the JOY JOY JOY that our rainbow baby brought into our lives. Always bittersweet.
Dragonology
If you haven’t guessed by now, it’s REALLY hard for me to resist buying books. Even as our house is overflowing with them.
So when Little Lion and I were out Christmas shopping last weekend and I was fairly good at convincing her to put most things back on the shelf, when it came time to put back Dragonology by Ernest Drake and Dugald Steer, I was torn.
First Pages: Anna and the French Kiss
“Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc De Triomphe, although I hav eno idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, ad a lot of kings named Louis. I’m not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day.”
~ Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
For Everyone
Jason Reynolds starts off For Everyone with the words “Dear Dreamer”. Not Dear Reader, but Dear DREAMER.
It’s a message straight to my heart.
Gold Christmas Trees
I likely wrote about this last year too, but this is the time of year when I freeze up in the aisles at Target. Why?
Because I feel at a loss at whether or not to buy a(nother) mini-Christmas tree for Macy.
Drawn Together
My Lola was one of my kindred spirits. I think she understood me in a different way than my mom does.
So you can imagine that when I heard that Dan Santat was illustrating a picture book about a boy’s relationship with his grandfather, I leaped at the chance to read it. I mean, it’s Dan Santat, right?
First Pages: Crimes of Grindewald
“Scene 1: EXT NEW YORK, AMERICAN MINISTRY OF MAGIC—1927—NIGHT
AERIAL of New York and MACUSA building.]
Scene 2: INT MACUSA BASEMENT, BARE, BLACK-WALLED ROOM, NIGHT
The long-haired, bearded GRINDEWALD sits motionless, partially fixed to a chair. The air shimmers, charged with spells.
ABERNATHY peers in at GRINDEWALD from the corridor.
A baby chupacabra—part lizard, part homunculus, a blood-sucking creature of the Americas—is chained to GRINDEWALD’S chair. “
~ The Crimes of Grindewald by J.K. Rowling
First Pages: Awkward
“Okay, so when you’ve just moved to a new town and are still a total outsider…
this…
…is not the best way to start life at your new school.
Hi! Penelope here. Peppi for short. It’s my first day at Berrybrook Middle School, and I just ripped over my own feet and dropped everything.”
~ Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
First Pages: How to Train Your Dragon
“Long ago, on the wild and windy isle of Berk, a smallish Viking with a longish name stood up to his ankles in snow.
Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Hope and Heir to the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, had been feeling slightly sick ever since he woke up that morning.”
~ How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell
Peaceful Days for a Mom
Dr. Bookworm talks about PEACEFUL mornings as a mother, and also about Special Delivery and the OC Walk to Remember.