Children's Books

I know not all of us have kids, but we all love to read. I thought I would post some of our favorite kid's books and then hopefully get more from you to add to our reading repertoire.
Right now my kids (ages 3 and 5) really love "I Spy" books, Arthur, Franklin, and Megan (3) loves anything Princess or Ballerina. We recently found "Belinda the Ballerina" books by Amy Young about a ballerina with big old feet who can still dance and both my kids love them. Here is a list of some more favorites. Please share your faves!

-Hooway for Wodney Wat, by Helen Lester
-Knuffle Bunny, by Mo Willems
-Click, Clack, Moo Cows that type, by Doreen Cronin
-Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton (most of her books are great)
-Good Night Gorilla, by Peggy Rathmann
-The Pigs's Picnic, by Keiko Kasza
-If you give a pig a pancake, by Laura Numeroff (all the books in the series are good)
-Dog's Colorful Day, by Emma Dodd
-Are You My Mother?, by P.D. Eastman
-Corduroy, by Don Freeman
-Tacky the Penguin, by Helen Lester (ALL the Tacky books are HILARIOUS!)
-Story of Ferdinand, by Munro Leaf
-Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer
-Eric Carle books (these are great because they usually have an interactive element at the end, like a click beetle and then the book has a clicking sound, etc)
-Arthur books by Marc Brown
-Franklin books by by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark

More more more!

I have read everything on my list, and now need more books. I just recently re-read (actually listened on my Zune) "The Poisonwood Bible" and loved it even more. I almost wanted to go to the Congo, but am afraid of the green mamba.

I am waiting for "Unaccustomed Earth: Stories" by Jhumpa Lahiri to come in at the library for my next read. I loved her book "The Namesake." (the movie, not so great)

So....let's get some more recommendations going!

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer

I just finished this true story about several teams of climbers who ascended Mount Everest led by guides. I really enjoyed it but I also have a certain fascination with why people would want to climb Mount Everest.

The man who wrote the book was part of the expedition and gave a very detailed account including dates, times, locations, and even the elevation.

It was very well written and while it was sad that so many people died, it was interesting enough to keep me captivated for a good portion of it.

But I still don't understand why anyone would want to climb that death trap of a mountain.

I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and ended up with 10 books in my arms (no joke!). I finally had to narrow it down......and bought 3!!

THE KITE RUNNER

OK....So now right up there with the rest of my favorite books is "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini. I really loved this book. When I take stock of all my favorite books, the highest percentage of them involve characters from the Mid-East. It's about a young boy growing up in Kabul, Afghanistan right before the fall of the monarchy when the Russians take over. After living in America he returns to Afghanistan during the Taliban take over. He has some major regrets in his life and is always seeking redemption. My favorite quote from the book is

"...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night."

Isn't that great....I love it!

Welcome Maresa!

My friend and kindred spirit Maresa is going to start blogging on here!! She loves to read and I've gotten a lot of my book recommendations from her!! Love you Maresa!!

Isable Allende

Has anybody ever read anything by Isabel Allende??

Also- Shiloh what is your email address and I'll add you to this blog so you can write about books too! :)

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I just finished this book and I'm having mixed feelings. The character development is pretty incredible especially since includes several different characters who need that specific development.

It was an enjoyable book to read but the aspect of her love stories and love triangles that seem to be standard in every book she writes gets a little obnoxious. She did balance it out well in this book, but better than in the Twilight Series, I thought.

I would recommend this to anyone who thinks that science fiction has never and will never be up their alley. She does a good job helping you feel like the main character isn't an alien at all but an actual human you can relate to.

I am glad to be done with it and if you live near me you are more than willing to borrow it.

Hmmmm

Well apparently everyone is currently reading a book and has no time to write about it - including me. :) I'm reading The Kite Runner right now. Its fabulous - heart wrenching, eye-opening, tender and inspiring.

A Memoir

Falling Leaves
by Adeline Yen Mah

"The Memoir of an Unwanted
Chinese Daugher"

I absolutely loved this book. I like memoirs and this fit the bill. I could hardly put it down. It is the story of a child born in 1937 in China. She was the youngest child of an affluent Chinese family. She suffered appalling emotional abuse from her Eurasian stepmother. She was determined to survive and struggled for independence from her family. She moved to Hong Kong, and then to England and finally to the U.S. where she became a physician and a writer. Most of the book takes place during the "Cultural Revolution" in China (Communist take-over). It was fascinating to find out how this all took place and how the people lived at that time. It is especially significant because of what's going on in China now because of the Olympics. After reading this book you'll appreciate your life in America so much more, and any problems you might have in your family pale in comparison to the Yen family. I loved this book almost as much as "Stolen Lives" and "Memoirs of a Geisha".

Caution: Do Not Read

I just finished this book today and I honestly have not read a more depressing book in my life. Every page is filled with pain, dissappointment, hope, and anger. Sure, you learn about meth and what a horrible addiction it is but it's not worth reading the whole thing. I did get a couple pages highlighted of information to be able to show to Gracie one day, but that is it.

The author used so many unknown words, I had to look them each up in the dictionary as I read along. No one should have to read a book that way. The story ends openly with an epilogue. It's only an overly dramatic and extended version of what he feels he's learned and that it's basically nothing. Living through something hard that doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Everyone already knows that. It doesn't do anyone any good to read the anguish in every page of this book.

Bottom line: Meth is currently the most dangerous and most addictive drug out there and no matter how many rehab attemps and years of sobriety someone has, relapse is always, always possible.

Enough said. Don't read the book.

LOOOONG list

I now have a very long list of books. I came home with a bag of about 10 books and 20 magazines from the library last week, and haven't even had a chance to read any! I am trying to start with "My Forbidden Face." I just keep falling asleep out of sheer exhaustion. I guess that's what 3 kids does to you!