MAGAZINE WEEK

Just another break in the usual blogging as our household adjusts to summer! This week I will highlight some magazines that I enjoy. [In keeping with the usual weekly schedule, Monday and Tuesday will be about kids, Wednesday about faith, etc.]

So, what are some of your favorite magazines?

BOOK RESOURCES: mini notebooks

One final tool that I use are mini notebooks I can keep in my purse. I have three.

1. Upcoming Releases - this one is organized by month. When I know a book or DVD is coming out that we might buy, I write it under the month of release along with the date of release. Then, when I go to the bookstore, I pull out my book and see if anything new has come out that I might want to get.

2. Library Series - this one is organized by series. There are several series that I get from the library, either because I started reading it from the library or because I have decided I don't love the series enough to keep buying it, but I want to keep reading it. I write down the title of the new release and its release date and then watch the library online catalog to see when it becomes available.

3. Notes - this one I use to write down titles I see at the bookstore that I want to read, but not to buy. Those titles get transferred into my three journals (see yesterday's entry). I also use this mini notebook if I am on the hunt for a particular book or magazine at the bookstore. I transfer the title and author from my journals to this mini notebook to take to the store.

Okay - those are the primary resources I use to find books and to keep track of books! I hope you have found an idea or two that you can use.

BOOK RESOURCES: Keeping track

One of the things I struggle with is that I have almost too much material - too many resources. My book budget isn't what I wish it were, so I try to get a lot of books at the library. I get easily overwhelmed with magazines and scraps of paper listing books I want to read. Some people might develop a database on their computer to keep track of their list. I tried that, but it didn't work for me. I am a big fan of trying different systems until I find one that works with the way I am wired so that's what I did. My system may be complicated for others, but it works for me.

I have three wire-bound journals I got at a bookstore on clearance for $5 each. I am a paper-crafter, so I decorated them. (This way I can buy the ugly stuff on clearance and make it useful!) One is for kids books, one is for non-fiction and one is for fiction. Then I made letter tabs every few pages - this was the fussy part of the system, but I didn't mind. Once the tabs were in place, I could start entering books by author in the appropriate notebook.

One drawback to the system is that I chose to only write down the title and author. No description. I have a decent memory, though, so the books I am most interested in, I remember. I also make stars for the ones I want to find right away. Periodically I will sit down at the computer and look up the latest additions on the library's system. If it is a nonfiction book, I write down the call number so I can find it without looking it up again. If it is fiction, I write down where to find it at the library (14 day books, paperback, etc.) I check off books when I read them. I can use the notebooks to make a list of books I want to get from the library, or I can mark when I submit a request for a particular title.

As I said, it may not be a system that works for other people, but it works for me. I can set it aside for several months if I am busy and pick it back up any time. It has helped me make my book resources more manageable.

BOOK RESROUCES part 3: Romantic Times Book Reviews and Mystery Scene

There are two other magazines that I have gotten at times in the past that have given me book recommendations: Romantic Times Book Review (RTBR) and Mystery Scene.

RTBR includes reviews of other genres of books, not just romance. But the articles tend to be about romance books. They have an annual conference, so there is often information about that. They have a book contest every year, so some issues include snippits of the books in the competition. There is a regular column from a young woman writing an inspirational book that talks about writing the book, finding an editor and the work she is doing to make the novel ready to submit to publishers. Another column critques the first chapter of a story or a query letter submitted by readers who are aspiring authors. The reviews cover romance (with a rating for how explicit they are), mystery/suspense, inspirational, paranormal/urban fantasy, and sci-fi. Sensitive readers should know that there are also reviews of "adult" books and some of the ads include pictures I don't want to leave around for my family to see. Because of the adult content, you may not be able to find this one at your local library....

Mystery Scene doesn't just look at mysteries in print. It often has articles about mystery movies and plays in addition to reviews, author interviews, etc. Mysteries range from the "cozies" that I prefer to the more suspenseful "thriller" genre. They also review non-fiction titles about mysteries. Sometimes there is information on mystery conventions, mystery book awards, and mystery bookstores.

Each magazine also has some online content available - blogs, message boards, search options, etc.

BOOK RESOURCES part 2: BookList and BookPage

Two resources I enjoy are Booklist Magazine and BookPage.

Booklist is a magazine geared to librarians from the American Library Association. It releases 22 issues a year with tons of reviews for upcoming books. Each issue also has a special focus, like historical novels, nonfiction, mysteries or science fiction. It reviews books for adults as well as children and teens. I first found the magazine at the local university library and I fell in love with it. I worked my schedule to go every couple weeks to read the latest issue. I also signed up for their online site. There is some content that is free and other content available only by subscription. I was offered a deal on a print subscription last year and I jumped on it (thanks for the birthday gift, Dad!).

BookPage is a similar concept in a smaller form. BookPage is printed on newsprint rather than glossy magazine paper. It comes out every month and includes reviews of a few books in various genres, interviews with authors, etc. I get my copy free from my local library - if I can get there before the copies are all gone! I have also seen it in some bookstores where the retailer has its own front page with store events, etc. and then the regular monthly content inside. You can also subscribe for $30. They have a free online component you can sign up for at their website.

BOOK RESOURCES part 1: Amazon

One of my main resources for book information is Amazon.com. The first way I use Amazon is to check out a book (or DVD or CD) that I have heard about somewhere else. There are reviews and product descriptions to help me decide if this is something I want to read and if I want to buy it or get it from the library.

The second way I use Amazon is to look for upcoming books from favorite authors. If you do a search for an author, then sort the search results by publication date, you can see if there is something new coming out and when it is supposed to be released. Sometimes the list will include things that don't seem related to your author. If that happens, pick a previous book, then follow the author link on the book's page. That will usually weed out the extra things.

The third way I use Amazon is to save books in my wish lists. You can make several, so I have one for upcoming releases - books that I am interested in that haven't been published yet. I also have one for the other members of my family so I have somewhere to tuck away gift ideas when I come across something I think someone might like. I also have a list for educational books and one for just Star Trek books, etc. That helps me keep each list relatively small and easily organized.

Amazon will also use your ordering history to make recommendations. Since we use Amazon a lot, this is a good feature for us. Every month or so I will go and check out the recommendations to see if there is something new coming out that I might like. You can also flag some purchases that you don't want used to make recommendations. That means that I can buy my husband a book about World War II but not get 50 recommendations for similar books when I really want to read about mysteries!

Finally, when you find a book you really like, you can go to its page on Amazon and scroll down to see other books that you might like that are similar to the one you just read.

Amazon is a fantastic resource for readers! I have found all sorts of new "favorites" just from using these tools.

HOLIDAY WEEK - BOOK RESOURCES

Since this is a holiday week, I will be doing a little something different with my blogs. Instead of reviews, this week I want to talk about where I get my book information and what tools I use to find books that I want to read. So, check the entries out this week, and share your own tips for finding books that you love!

FRIDAY: Oolong Dead

Oolong Dead is the tenth book in the Tea Shop series. Theodosia is building a new romantic relationship with Parker, but her old flame, Jory, is back in town. He wants Theo to look into the murder of his sister, Abby, a reporter who did not have a good relationship with Theo.... Oh, and Theo happened to be the one to find the body in the first place.

I had read mixed reviews on this book, but I found the mystery to be good - good twists at the end. I do get pretty annoyed with this love interest, Parker. I found his character distracting not only in this book but in the last one as well.

THURSDAY: Don't Bet Against Me

I first picked up this book because of the author, Deanna Favre, wife of former-Packers Quarterback, Brett Favre. As a Packer fan, I was aware of Deanna's fight with breast cancer and I was curious to know more about her story. And the story was fascinating, not just about her cancer but also about her relationship with Brett and what made them they couple they are today. Her story is touching and I recommend it for anyone looking for some inspirational reading.

WEDNESDAY: Blog On! (series)

If I had a daughter, I would have bought this whole series by now, even though it is for ages 8 to 12. As it is, I bought the two about Jazz, because they are my favorites. Grace Notes is the first in the series and there are two books that center on each of the girls. I am not sure many 8 year olds will get the blogging aspects of the stories, and I would probably recommend these more for 9 or 10 year-olds and older readers.

In the series, the four girls are friends who run a secret blog together. Each person uses her own gifts on different parts of the blog. Then each individual story focuses on something that girl is dealing with in her own life and how her friends and her faith help her work things out. I think the author does a great job of portraying real emotions from these girls; I found myself empathizing with them and remembering what it was like to be their age. I think they send a great message to girls that we can be real with God and He can handle all of our "darkest" moments.

TUESDAY: The Westing Game

[9 -12 year olds] This is another book I loved as a child. In fact, when I got married, my husband and I each brought a copy of this book into our new family. It is a great mystery/puzzle book with twists and turns that keep readers guessing - something I have said before that I love.

Sam Westing is dead and his nieces and nephews have been called together for a contest - a race to see who can figure out who killed him. The characters are quirky and no one is who he/she seems to be at first. The heirs are paired up and given cryptic clues and sent out to find the answers to the mystery. Some will even find themselves in the process. A great story with a surprising and satisfying conclusion.

MONDAY: Duck! Rabbit!

Did you ever take a psychology class where they showed you a picture that was actually two different pictures, depending on how you looked at it? Some of the classics are the young woman/old woman or the vase/two faces. Depending on where your eyes focus, you see one image or the other.

Duck! Rabbit! works on the same principle. Even from the cover you can see either the long ears of the rabbit or the long beak of the duck. In the book, two off-stage speakers argue over whether or not the figure is a duck or a rabbit. It is a fun and clever idea that kids will enjoy.

FRIDAY: Cursed

Number 12 in the Reagan Reilly series. Reagan Reilly is all alone in wintery New York while her husband is at a conference. So it doesn't take much to convince her to go to LA to help an old friend. Abigail loaned her boyfriend $100,000 and then he disappeared for several months. She needs the money back and someone has spotted the cad in town. She is hoping Reagan can use her PI skills to help her find him.

I like how Clark structures her stories. They usually have 10 to 15 characters that seem unconnected at first. But as the story grows, pieces start to tie together little bits until the climax when everything finally makes sense. I also like that they are lighter in tone than books by Clark's mother, Mary Higgins Clark. I like my mysteries "cozy."

THURSDAY: Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters

This book focuses on girls and women between the ages of 9 and 29 and their feelings about themselves and their bodies; experiences with eating disorders, perfectionism and other trials; and the impact of the current culture on these women. The author also shares her own struggles and experiences. While the author's generation is younger than mine, with cultural influences I didn't deal with as a young woman, her observations make me wonder about the experiences of the college-aged women we know. I also wonder about the little girls in my life and how they will fare in this culture and how we can help them to love themselves just as they are. Very thought provoking. I found the sections on perfectionism especially interesting in my own life.

[For more sensitive readers, there is some language in the book.]

WEDNESDAY: The Blogging Church

This is a good and easy to read book about how churches and people of faith can use blogs fora variety of purposes - providing information about community events, sharing testimonies of God's faithfulness, sharing pictures, connecting staff or volunteers to one another, sharing a vision for a church or ministry with a community, etc. It also shows what to do - and what not to do - with examples from blogging churches.

When I read this, I couldn't help but think of ways my own congregation could use the internet and blogs to connect to the people in our community and to the things that are important to us here and around the world. For pastors and lay leaders looking for ways to make new connections, this book provides good information in a very user-friendly way.

TUESDAY: No Talking

[grades 3-6] Dave has been reading about Gandhi and decides to try to go for a day without talking. And he is making good progress, too, until the incessant chatter by Lynsey irritates him so much he blurts out a challenge - a boys versus girls contest for the whole fifth grade to not talk for 48 hours. That means no talking to parents, teachers, coaches, or friends for two whole days. What might seem difficult for most fifth graders is even harder for the group dubbed "the unshushables" by school personnel. In fact, the group is normally so noisy that their silence is alarming to school personnel. When the principal orders the students to end the game, the battle of wills begins.

This is probably my favorite Andrew Clements book - right up there with Frindle. Another great school story with creative, likable students and school personnel who just want what's best for them. I especially liked the different teacher reactions to the students' silence. Some see it as a frustration while others see it as an opportunity. The "unshushables" have finally gotten shushed, and people want them to go back to talking - what a paradox!

I do feel a little nervous reading this to my students, imagining what it would be like to be the teacher in this scenario. I hope I would have the grace shown by some of the teachers in the story.

MONDAY: Little Pea

This is a clever story about a little pea who doesn't want to eat his dinner.... of candy. Candy, candy, candy - all the time, and Little Pea can't stand any of it. But he will eat it to get to his dessert... spinach!

Kids and parents will see themselves in this twist on the reality of dinner tables everywhere. Kids will love listening to grown ups read this book and make the sounds and faces of disgust for Little Pea as he chokes down five pieces of candy in order to get his dessert.

BONUS BLOG: Children's Book Week

This week is Children's Book week. The Children's Book Council has a list of their finalists for The Children's Choice Book Awards here. They will give out the awards on May 12.

In honor of Children's Book week, leave a comment about your favorite children's books. What did you read as a kid? What do your kids like to read?

My favorites as a kid were mysteries - Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew. I also remember loving a book called P.S. I Love You but I don't remember the author. I read a lot of Lois Duncan books, too. And two of my all time favorites were/are The Phantom Tollbooth and The Westing Game.

My son loves all things Star Wars and Transformers right now. We have also been enjoying several series - Jack Stalwart, Jigsaw Jones, Stink Moody, and Roscoe Riley.

I'd love to hear what children's books you love. Enjoy Children's Book Week!

Bonus Blog - Star Trek Update

The Star Trek movie was amazing. Before it was even finished I leaned over to my husband and told him I wanted to go see it again. At the end he asked me to rate it on a 5-star scale and without hesitation I gave it 6-stars! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

FRIDAY: Star Trek: Countdown

When this entry posts, I will have already seen the new Star Trek movie by J. J. Abrams. Star Trek: Countdown is a graphic novel explaining the backstory for the movie. The movie takes place when James T. Kirk is a young man, but the graphic novel takes place in the Star Trek future, several years after the last movie (Star Trek Nemesis). Familiar faces include Spock, Data, Picard and Worf.

A star is about to go supernova and take out the Romulan home planet. Ambassador Spock tries to warn the Romulans but they won't listen. Only one Romulan, a miner named Nero, believes Spock. Together they travel to Vulcan to get technology to collapse the star into a black hole. But the Federation Ambassador to Vulcan, Picard, cannot convince the Vulcans to help the Romulans. Spock works with Captain Data of the Enterprise (B-4 from the Nemesis movie, with Data's memories) and Picard on the black hole while Nero returns to Romulus to save his wife and unboard child. But he is too late. This sets him on a course of vengence that leads to a final act propelling him to the events of the movie.

I have high hopes for this movie. I still love the Star Trek universe and characters from the TV shows, movies and books.

THURSDAY: You Can Do It!

On one level, this is a book that shows women how to do different things from the "everyday" like managing money to the "extraordinary" like how to skydive. On another level it is about encouraging women to pursue their goals and dreams, no matter what they are. This would be a fun book to read more than once, at different stages in life in order to try different activities to liven up life.

Follow the link to Amazon to see some of the "badges" and read about some of the categories in the book. You can also see some of the author's story - she got the idea for this book, but was killed aboard United Flight 93 on 9/11 before she could finish it. Her husband and sisters finished putting the book together. I think it is an inspiring reminder that life is short and we should enjoy it while we have it.

WEDNESDAY: The Amethyst Heart

Miss Amethyst is 93 years old and her son is trying to sell her house - and family heritage - out from under her. She is sharp and independent and not about to let him get away with anything - even if she has to pull out her double-barreled 12-gauge shot gun! Maybe her great-granddaughter and namesake, "Little Am," will care about the family legacy if Amethyst can engage her in the story of their ancestors.

This is a story that goes from the present, and the fight over the house, to the past as Miss Amethyst relays the story of the Noble family - how the house was built and the stories of those who lived there. The past is engaging on its own, but also informs the present situation. Sit down with The Amethyst Heart and enjoy a few hours with the two spunky Amethysts!

TUESDAY: Frindle

[grades 4-6] By fifth grade, Nick Allen has become a master of the "teacher stopper," the comment or question that can pull a teacher off topic for just enough time to avoid unpleasant lectures or even homework assignments. But Nick Allen has met his match in Mrs. Granger. She takes his teacher stopper and turns it into extra homework for Nick! Nick has to research the origin of words. Through his research, and some of Mrs. Granger's comments in class, Nick starts to question why things are called what they are - who says a pen is a "pen?" Why couldn't it be a "frindle?" This idea sets Nick, Mrs. Granger and the entire school on a course that will take "frindle" so much farther than anyone ever expected.

I love a good school story. Especially ones with curious and creative children and teachers who give them space to explore. I have read this book countless times. I am reading it to my family for the first time and I think my husband is enjoying it as much as my son!I especially like how the relationships grow and transition throughout the story. Andrew Clements is a master of the school story. If you love Frindle like I do, you'll want to try some of his other school stories.

MONDAY: The Monster at the End of this Book

This was one of my favorite books as a kid, and now my son has been able to enjoy it as well. Grover (my favorite muppet) has heard that there is a monster at the end of the book and he tries to enlist the reader's help to keep from getting to the end of the book. He tries to tie the pages down or use bricks, to no avail. He becomes flustered with the reader who keeps "breaking" through his safety measures, but everything turns out okay in the end when he discovers that he, Grover, is the monster at the end of the book.

This is a classic book that will keep the kids giggling every time they read it!

FRIDAY: Fatally Flaky

Fatally Flaky is the 14th book in a series about Goldy Schulz, Colorado caterer. All the series regulars are back - Goldy's assistant, her husband and son, and her best friend. This time it is wedding season for Goldy. But while she's juggling menus and schedules and brides, her godfather, Jack, and his best friend, Doc Finn, are in big trouble. When Finn's car is run off the road and he is murdered, not even Bridezilla can get in the way of Goldy finding out what is going on.

This was a great addition to a fun series that always makes me hungry with its descriptions of the yummy creations Goldy serves in her catering business.