KidPages: Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli

I was going to save this book for a later post and feature it with a couple other winter-themed picture books. But today the weather dictated a change in my plans.

We woke up to an abundance of snow--at least 12 inches of beautiful, powdery fluff. I was supposed to teach a couple of piano lessons this morning before school. I didn't. Maxwell was supposed to go to preschool. He didn't. Mike was supposed to take the bus to work. He didn't.

The snow is so thick and so deep that as Mike trudged back home from the bus stop, he had to dig out two cars (in less than two blocks). The roads are so slippery, people are abandoning their vehicles because they can't make it up the dips at the road intersections. And here it is, nearly 1:30 in the afternoon, and it's still coming down, slowly but steadily.

Sorry for the less-than-lovely picture of our recycling can, but it was the best way to show the depth of the snow.

Many schools closed, including Weber State University and Salt Lake Community College. I kept expecting Salt Lake School District to cancel (since the roads were so backed up that traveling even a couple of blocks was nearly impossible), but they never did. Sometimes people should just listen to Mother Nature and hole up in their homes while she has her say.

Which is exactly what we did.

And what's more appropriate on a day like today than cozying up on the couch with a frigidly snowy picture book? Luckily, I happened to have one on hand (hehe).

In Cold Snap, the town of Toby Mills has been hit hard by a winter storm (hmmm, sounds familiar...). For days, the snow falls, the temperature drops, and the icicle on the end of General Toby's nose gets longer and longer. (I should probably mention that General Toby is a statue.) The townsfolk try to make the best of it (the Sullivan sisters knit mittens for all the children, Millie Moffat makes a snow angel, and Pastor Pickthorn takes a nap with hot-water bottles taped to his feet), but in the end, everyone begins filing complaints to the mayor (as if he can do anything about it). In the end, it's the mayor's wife who saves the day and helps all of Toby Mills warm up.

This is such a cute book. The cover biased me from the start (it's covered with glitter, for crying out loud!), but the inside was just as good.

I felt like I had just been plunked down in the town of Toby Mills and it was just assumed that I would already know who everyone was: Millie Moffat and Franky Tornetta and Stix Hartman and Miss Dove and Pastor Pickthorn. This might have been annoying except that it was this assumed familiarity that gave the story an instant homey feel and made me love it right from the start.

The illustrations are done by Marjorie Priceman (of How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World and Zin! Zin! Zin! a Violin fame). She is so good. I love her soft lines and bold textures and beautifully subtle shadings. I would say her illustrations are detailed in a loose kind of way (you can't see every pine needle on the trees and every person has the same black dots for eyes, but she has a way of adding just the right somethings to make you feel like you're on the page yourself.)

Take this one, for example:

See what I mean about the pine tree and the people's faces? But at the same time, can't you practically feel the icy wind whipping around you? Notice the snowy swirls, the flying trash can lid, the scarf caught in the tree and the blowing hair. Brrrrr! (Oh, and in case you're curious about General Toby, there he is on the right side of the page, with his icicle hanging down to his waist.)

At the end of the story, Miss Dove drizzles hot maple syrup over bowls of clean snow, which hardens into delicious candy. At the back of the book is the recipe for "Miss Dove's Sugar-on-Snow Candy." It called for "fresh, clean snow," and since we happened to have an abundance of that...

...we decided to give it a try.

The boys put some snow into bowls (and I noticed that they sampled it to make sure it was cold enough) while I boiled the maple syrup until it reach 250 degrees F.

Then I drizzled it over the snow (without the finesse of Miss Dove), handed out some forks, and the boys dug in. Even Bradley was a huge fan.

It's pretty sweet (what would you expect from pure maple syrup?), but my favorite part of the recipe is the note at the bottom: Some people follow the candy with a bite of sour pickle or a saltine cracker or a doughnut. What? I assume they're trying to cut through the sweetness, but a doughnut? That, I don't understand.

So if you're trapped inside or maybe longing for a little snow of your own, I'd recommend this as a great wintery read.

This post is linked to The Children's Bookshelf and the Kid's Co-op. If you're looking for more great ideas, these are the places to go!

After Hello by Lisa Mangum

I know just a few days ago I listed all of the self-improvement, inspirational, and soul-stretching books I was going to read this month. But when it was time for our drive back to Utah, all I wanted to read was some chick-lit. And so I read After Hello.

Sara is in New York City for the day with her dad. He is finalizing the sale of his business, and Sara is looking forward to seeing all the sights. Plus, after his meeting is done, they'll be able to have a few hours of quality, one-on-one time, which is definitely something that has been lacking in their relationship. Sam has lived in New York for 18 months. In that time, he has become very familiar with the city and the people in it, to the point of being able to find (and get) practically anything. The morning that Sara is in New York, she sees Sam coming out of a bookstore, and something about him grabs her attention. Before long, their lives become impossibly tangled as they share their heartaches and secrets from the past and try desperately to complete a nearly hopeless assignment.

The story is told from two perspectives: Sara's, in first person and Sam's, in third person. They alternate back and forth with each chapter. I liked this format very much. I usually enjoy stories told from multiple viewpoints, as long as the voices are well-defined and there aren't too many of them to keep track of. Changing between first and third person definitely kept the two characters separate. At first I thought it was a bit of a cop out, like the author didn't know any other way to make them sound different. But in the end, I actually liked it. It made the story distinctly Sara's while still letting me see Sam's angle.

I thought Mangum described the little details of emotion and movement really well, like, for example, when Sara says: "His body was tall and straight, but I saw the exact moment when he shifted his weight forward on his toes. He was ready to run." Very subtle, but also realistic. By the end of the book though, her descriptions had become a bit too much for me; her descriptions were still fresh and new and creative, but they all seemed to contain too many vibrant and vivid synonyms. For example, here's one that I loved about halfway through the book: "I felt like our conversation was suddenly as precarious as the landing beneath my feet. It looked solid enough, but there were dangerous gaps between the rails, places where uncertain feet or unspoken words could slide through." By the end, these types of intense descriptions made me feel worn out.

The next paragraph refers to some important plot details, so consider yourself warned.

The story itself was cute. I love one-day romances. There's something so unbelievable and ridiculous about them that just makes them fun. In this story, I thought there were a lot of other things that were unbelievable, too, not just the romance: Sara's point-and-shoot camera (I'm just thinking that if you're really into photography, it doesn't matter how good you are at composing photos, you're not going to get the kind of quality you want from a point-and-shoot); the fact that she only took 12 photographs during the day (even though she loves photography and she's in New York City where there are a million and one things to take a picture of) and that those 12 photographs were all perfect and exactly as she wanted them; that she was able to not only edit and arrange her photos at Vanessa's house but also print the finished collage (she was really able to print something that was the size and quality that Piper would accept?); that Piper accepted the collage and gave Paul back his job (seems very unlikely judging from Piper's previous selfish and irrational and completely psycho behavior). So yes, a cute story but you definitely have to read it with a bit of a blind eye.

Also, if you've read any of my other reviews, you'll know I don't really like circular conversations, and this book was full of them. Sam and Sara begin broaching difficult subjects again and again, only to move the conversation "to safer ground." That's probably the way we humans converse in real life, but it's still tedious to read.

By this time, you probably are thinking I didn't like the book. But I did. It was clean and cute and well-written and perfect for a nine-hour drive home. Was it my favorite book ever? No. But I definitely enjoyed it, and sometimes that's all I want.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

I read this book for the first time several years ago. I adored it. And at the time, I thought, I cannot wait to read this to my kids someday.

So once we had a few honest-to-goodness chapter books under our belt, I brought out my "baby."

And, unfortunately, it was not met with the same kind of unwavering high regard and love I held for it. The themes were just a little mature for a four-year-old and a two-year-old. I'll explain in a minute.

Edward Tulane is a exquisitely handsome china rabbit. He is owned by Abilene, a small girl who treats him as a real person and her very dearest friend. She loves Edward so much. But Edward is selfish and conceited and doesn't care one bit for Abilene's love. In fact, he finds it rather stifling. Then one day, an unfortunate accident takes place which lands Edward at the bottom of the ocean, permanently separating him from Abilene. Over the years, Edward gets passed from owner to owner, and each time, his heart opens up a little more until he finally understands what it means to truly love someone. But then he also learns what it means to have your heart broken.

I loved this book just as much as when I first read it.  Edward is such an interesting main character, partly because he really is a toy. He doesn't come to life when the humans are out of sight. He is stiff and immovable and doesn't talk (but the reader does know his thoughts). And yet, he is still very real with his own emotions and weaknesses and personality.

My boys didn't hate it by an means. They just didn't love it as much as Charlotte's Web or The Cricket in Times Square (which have been their two favorites, so far). Here are some of the reasons why it was a harder book for them:

1. They would have liked more pictures. There was a small picture at the beginning of each chapter, but it was often something not terribly interesting (an empty highchair or a hat or an umbrella). Then there was a full page picture every 2-4 chapters. So, not terribly often, and I think it was especially difficult for Maxwell to focus without something to train his eyes on. However, I definitely don't pick the books we read based on the number of pictures, and several of the ones we want to read next don't have pictures any more frequently. That's okay, they're getting better at visualizing on their own, which is what I want anyway.

2. The china rabbit was difficult to conceptualize, especially for Max. It would have been much easier for him to think of Edward as a real rabbit, which I think is how he thought of him most of the time anyway.

3. The themes of love and loss were a bit mature. At the beginning of the story, Abilene's grandmother, Pellegrina, tells a story about a princess who loved no one and consequently ended up being turned into a warthog and butchered by the castle's cook. The story is told for Edward's benefit because Pellegrina can see that, just like the princess, he also doesn't love anyone. Edward doesn't understand the story at first, but after he loses Abilene, he begins to see the value of love. With each subsequent owner, he loves a little bit more, and each time he is separated from the one he had grown to love, the pain hurts a little bit more as well.

My boys are young. Their experience with love and loss is limited. They feel the love of many around them, and they definitely love their family and friends, but thankfully, they haven't had to cope with much loss. So I don't think they could really understand or appreciate the beautiful pacing of this book as Edward's character grows. Nor did they feel their own hearts tugged with similar emotions the way I did.

4. There are also some mature scenes. These were things I never even thought of when I was reading it myself, but suddenly, reading it to my little boys, I wanted to shield them from the brutality and neglect of the alcoholic father, soften the sadness of Sarah Ruth's death, hide the hurt of Bryce's extreme poverty and loneliness, and keep them safe from the violence of the diner's owner. This is a children's book, so all the events I just mentioned are told about in a simple way with very little description, but sometimes, even with few words,  it is hard to mask the harsh realities of life.

Beyond these things though, we had some really fun moments while reading this book, particularly while we were in Colorado with my family and had enough time to snuggle up and read several chapters at a time. While we were reading, there were a couple of funny moments I can't help sharing:

At the end of one chapter, after Edward has just been kicked out of a train and had a tumble down a long hill, there was this sentence: "A lone cricket started up a song." Max piped in to ask, "Was that Chester?" (meaning, Chester, from The Cricket in Times Square). I just thought that was such a cute assumption.

And then, one of Edward's owners is a little boy named Bryce. For some reason, Max became fixated on this name, and he didn't like it. Anytime I said his name, Max had to add his two cents: "Bryce is a yucky name. I don't like it." Kids are so funny sometimes.

But speaking of Bryce, let me tell you, practically nothing tugs on my heartstrings more than a little lonely boy, especially a little boy with too much responsibility on his shoulders and not a friend in the world, which is what Bryce is. It's always been this way for me, even before I had little boys of my own. I have wanted to weep on more than one occasion when I have observed young boys who have been given a hard lot in life.

Anyway, I would still recommend this book. It is for sure one of my favorites of all time. But I would say, if you want to read it to your children, it might be good to save it until they are at least in kindergarten.

This post is linked to The Children's Bookshelf and the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

My Birthday

Today is my birthday. With it coming a mere two weeks after Christmas, it becomes a kind of extension of the holiday season. In fact, I feel like my life has been a constant stream of celebrations for at least the entire last month. It's going to be a bit disappointing to wake up tomorrow and not find any presents waiting to be opened, cards in the mail, or family dinners to go to. Ah, well, real life must return at some point, I suppose.

I received a lot of nice gifts, most of them practical and needed (new shirts!--to replace some that I've been wearing for the last ten years) (new pillows!--can't wait to go to sleep tonight) (new sheets--ditto what I said about the pillows), but the one gift that was a true and shameless splurge was a book bag. Have you ever visited the website Out of Print? They make T-shirts, tote bags, notebooks, and other things, all featuring old book covers, usually with a slightly retro flavor. I have wanted one of the tote bags for a long time for no other reason than because I liked them. So I was excited to see that one of our local bookstores (Weller Book Works) carried most of them (especially since I had a Groupon there, so it was like it was 50% off). I tried to pick it out myself, but I still wanted it to be somewhat of a surprise, so I told Mike I wanted one and made him do the actual choosing.

Here it is:

It's Jane Eyre! I should have photographed the back of it, too, because the picture wraps around the other side.

 

I actually have a really hard time with my birthdays, mainly because I really don't like getting another year older. But between the celebrations with my family, Mike's family, and our own little family, I had so much fun I was almost able to forget the reason for the celebrating.

Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

I fully anticipated reading this book as soon as it came out. I had anxiously awaited its publication, re-read Princess Academy in preparation, and even went to a signing with Shannon Hale. But then, other books crowded for my attention, and it kept getting pushed aside--until this week when I was visiting my family, and my mom's copy was ready and waiting, and I was very much available.

All my waiting was not in vain because Palace of Stone did not disappoint. Not one bit.

The story begins several months (maybe even a full year?) after Princess Academy ended. Miri has received letters from Katar and Britta in Asland, inviting her, as well as several of the other academy graduates, to come stay for a year. Miri has the opportunity to attend the Queen's Castle, the prestigious university where she can continue her studies. The other girls will help Britta prepare for her upcoming wedding. Peder gets to come, too, and apprentice a stone sculptor. But once Miri arrives in Asland, she encounters political unrest, traitorous plots, an intelligent, good-looking boy, and a wealth of knowledge--all things she was not expecting.

I didn't read too many reviews ahead of time, but from what I did read, the general feeling seemed to be one of satisfaction but not adoration. People said it was fine but not as good as Princess Academy.

This was not my feeling at all.

In fact, if I had to put one over the other (which I would hate to do since I loved them both), I would surely say that I liked Palace of Stone more.

First of all, it didn't take away any of the things I loved about Princess Academy. Miri is still her intelligent, kind, and strong-willed self. Linder and quarry-speaking still play a huge part in the story. Peder is still there, quiet and strong. Miri and her friends still pull together to solve many of the problems. (I was so glad there were a couple of instances in this book where they all told a story together, each taking up where the other one left off, just like in Princess Academy.) Doter's bits of wisdom are still sprinkled throughout. And it still has some exciting, nail-biting moments.

But then on top of all the things I already loved, it also added some depth and dimension that I didn't find in the first story.

For example, the threatened revolution provides a lot of parallels to actual historical events (such as the French Revolution) and also raises a lot of moral and ethical questions. As a smaller example, linder is explained in greater detail and Miri learns how quarry-speaking is possible and how the linder stone can affect even those who did not grow up cutting it out of the mountain. And then, even deeper than those two examples is Miri's own personal growth as she asks herself difficult questions and decides what she really wants in life. I also thought that life on Mount Eskel and life in Asland contrasted and intertwined and complemented each other in a beautiful way.

One of the big questions Miri asks herself is whether or not she should return to Mount Eskel and the life she left behind. At first, she thinks she should because Mount Eskel has always defined who she is and what she can do. But then a friend tells her, "You are not bound by your birth. You can be who you will." And then Miri thinks: "Is that true? I am not simply Laren's daughter or Marda's sister or the girl my mother held for a week before she died. I am not formed from the mountain alone. I am the girl who left the mountain. I am the face in the mirror, the thoughts in my head. I am not made of them. I am me." I thought this really captured so well the essence of Miri's growing maturity throughout the story.

I didn't know if I was going to like a book about revolution, but I did, and I think the main reason it worked for me was because Shannon Hale took this large event that was affecting thousands of people and brought it down to the level of one. There is a moment in the story where Miri is thinking about how some things can never be replaced. She thinks of an ancient king's diary and the history of Mount Eskel (tying the two places together and also contrasting one person to many over the generations). And then she thinks of her mother and Esa's fat-cheeked baby brother, who both died, and I think at that moment she really begins to realize that you can't measure the value or worth of something based solely on how far their influence reaches. Not all authors can pull a story together so neatly and perfectly. But Shannon Hale did in this one.

I also liked Peder's more active role in this story. I liked having him in the same city as Miri where she could stop by and visit him and watch him in his work. I liked watching their sweet friendship and romance. And I liked adding Timon, another Queen's Castle scholar, into the picture and creating a little love triangle, at least for a short time.

And of course, as always, I loved Shannon Hale's beautiful language. Here is one of my favorite descriptions: "And the strange spring snow fell only in that golden moment of dawn, the turning of the page between night and day." Beautiful.

From the reviews I read, it seems like some readers don't think this has any Newbery potential, and I don't understand that. It seems like an exceptional contribution to children's literature. It is not only beautifully written but really shows how different cultures and people and classes can come together.

I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone (so stop reading now if you haven't read the book), but I loved the way the book ended. After Miri decides her life does not have to be comprised of constantly choosing between two different things she loves, she realizes she can choose both. She takes Peder's hand and the book says they "walked toward home." Since she is walking in the direction of Asland, and if she kept going she would also reach Mount Eskel, the word "home" can literally mean both of those places. What a perfect way to end a perfect story.

Reading With the Seasons: New Year's Edition

With all my fluffy reading in December, I always feel the need come January for something with a little more substance to it. Plus, the rushing desire for self-improvement hits me full-force. So I tend to gravitate towards books that will improve my parenting, cooking, cleaning, or organizational abilities. Also, books that will help me be more healthy--physically, mentally, or spiritually. And books that will stretch my brain and teach me new things.

With that introduction, here's the line-up for this month:

Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin
Ever since reading (and loving) The Happiness Project last year, I have been dying to read Gretchen Rubin's new book which came out last September. This one focuses more on being happier at home, finding joy and feeling satisfaction with the little things, which is exactly what I need right now. I started it last night and went to sleep with my head full of goals and lists and ambitions. It was great. (I just hope it doesn't drive me crazy that this time, she begins her project in September instead of January.)

A Thomas Jefferson Education: Teaching a Generation of Leaders For the Twenty-First Century by Oliver DeMille
As Aaron approaches Kindergarten, I find myself more and more caught up with the many questions that surround education. I have tried to keep an open mind as I have explored all my options: public school, private school, charter school, homeschool, as well as language immersion programs, gifted programs, accelerated programs, etc. In November, I was blessed to be introduced to an education group in my area, consisting of parents from all walks of life (many of them much more seasoned and experienced than me) with similar questions, seeking a variety of answers. Anyway, in November, we discussed the first half of this book. And now, at our January meeting, we will discuss the second half. I am so excited for this. This book provides a lot of personal insight, but it is so much more beneficial to be able to discuss it with other individuals.

The Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program by Stanley D. Frank
Okay, I feel kind of cheesy putting up this title, but the truth is, I still really want to increase my reading speed. (See my previous post: Like a Tortoise With a Lame Foot.) My brother used this book in a speed reading class he took in college, so I feel like it's fairly legitimate. I'm not interested in the really fast skimming and layered reading because I still want reading to feel like leisure and a relaxing experience (although I think this type of reading would be great if I were still doing a lot of academic reading). I just want to increase my words-per-minute average.

Bringing Up Bebe: One American Mother Discovers the Wisdom of French Parenting by Pamela Druckerman
My parenting tactics have become a bit stale. I feel like I'm not as focused or consistent with providing good discipline and education and love to my children as I have been in the past. This is not a parenting manual per se, more of a memoir, but I think it will be just the breath of fresh air I need.

I'm still reading The God Who Weeps by Terryl and Fiona Givens. It is truly excellent and has really rejuvenated me spiritually. Highly recommend.

And finally, in case I need a little break, I might listen to Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George. Doesn't that title just sound like a good one to read in January?

What about you? Do you have some books you're reading this month that will help you be a better you? Or just a good cozy, winterish read? Please share! (I really mean that. I know sometimes it's hard to break the comment barrier, but please do it! I want to hear your ideas!)

P.S. Do you like the picture at the top of this post? My brother, Gordy, took it. I'm kind of in love with it.

Reading Goals for 2013

Happy New Year! I love making goals, and even though there is never a wrong time to want to make changes or reach for something new, there is something so fun and invigorating about doing it at the beginning of the year. I've had some reading goals in the back of my brain for the last several months. Every time I thought of a new one, I tucked it away for the coming new year.

Well, now the new year is here, and so I don't want to waste a day before sharing all that I have planned. (I'm pretty excited.) (Oh, and any suggestions/recommendations for how to meet these goals are welcome/appreciated!)

1. Read a new genre
For a long time, I had no interest in graphic novels. (And before that, I didn't even know what a graphic novel was.) But now, I think I'm ready to try one. What should I start with? I want to give it a fair chance, so I want my first one to be really good.

2.  Finish a series I already started
I am notorious for reading the first book in a series and then leaving it for a long, long time; so long, in fact, that I usually give up on the series entirely because by the time I'm ready to read the second book, I've forgotten the first book, and I just don't have the heart to start over. I usually read what I'm in the mood for, so I have a hard time reading five books in a row that have all the same characters and setting and general plot line. Here are a few of the series I have started:

Fablehaven by Brandon Mull (I've read the first three.)
Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery (I've read the first one.)
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (I have read this entire series before, but recently, I've reread the first four.)
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (I've read the first two.)
The Queen's Thief by Megan Whalen Turner (I've read the first one.)
Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear (I've read the first one.)
Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley (I've read the first two.)
Matched by Ally Condie (I've read the first one.)
The Chronicles of Narnia (I've read the first three.)
Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix (I've read the first four.)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (I've read the first one.)
Little House on the Praire by Laura Ingalls Wilder (I've read the first four.)

So you can see, I have a lot to choose from (and I didn't even list them all). I think I'm leaning towards Emily or Peter or Little House.

3. Begin and finish a series
I don't know if I'll make myself read the entire three or five or seven or however many books in a row, but I do want the continuity of reading an entire series start to finish during the course of one year. I don't have any immediate ideas for this one, but trilogies definitely count.

4. Read and reread a book
I'm becoming more of a rereader (which is funny since I have so many new books I want to read), but something I haven't done is reread a book soon after finishing it the first time. I want to see what things I can glean from it the second time around while the first time is still fresh in my mind. I'm not sure which book this will be. I'm sure I'll know it when I read it. If I had made this goal last year, I most certainly would have reread either The Happiness Project or Edenbrooke.

5. Read something less well-known by an author I like
I have several ideas for this one: I loved Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. All of these authors have written other books, and both Creech and Hesse each published a new book in 2012. It seems a shame that some of their other books are brushed over in favor of the more well-known titles (as good as they are), so I want to give something else a chance.

6. Read two classics from the 19th century and two classics from the 20th century.
This is broad and a tad vague on purpose. I definitely want to read some classics, but I want to keep an open mind throughout the year so I can read what sounds interesting to me. But one that I will definitely be reading is The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Feel free to give me other ideas! There are many very well-known classics I have not read yet.

7. Read at least four Newbery candidates for 2014.
I can already tell you what one of these four will be: Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool.

8. Read Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson
Because it is very important that this book not be missed.

I will update this list as I complete these goals, and if I think of any others in the next couple weeks, I will add those, too.

What are your goals (reading or otherwise) for 2013?