Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

The smallest bookstore still contains more ideas of worth than have been presented in the entire history of television. ~ Andrew Ross

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

A book is like a garden carried in the pocket. ~ Chinese Proverb

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
~ Groucho Marx

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.
~ Anna Quindlen, "Enough Bookshelves," New York Times, 7 August 1991

Merry Christmas!

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~ Charles W. Eliot

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~ Toni Morrison

Happy Holidays

I will be taking a blogging break to enjoy the holiday season with my family. I will leave you with some thoughts on books. I will be back to blogging on January 4, 2010.

Book quotes come from The Quote Garden.

Anyone who says they have only one life to live must not know how to read a book. ~ Author Unknown

TUESDAY: Holiday Books for Kids

The Last Holiday Concert is a Christmas story in the usual style of Andrew Clements. I have made no secret of my love for his books geared to the 9-12ish age range, and this one is a great one.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a classic. No description needed.

The Christmas offering from the Magic Tree House series is part of the Merlin portion of the line, #29 in the series over all. My MTH reader has given it his stamp of approval as well.

Phineas and Ferb's Oh Christmas Tree is a stand alone Christmas story. I expected it to be a book version of the special that has aired on Disney XD and the Disney Channel, but it is not. If you have a P&F fan in your house, check out this Christmas adventure.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

MONDAY: Holiday Books for Young Children

Just a few Christmas title for young readers to kick off the holiday week.

The 12 Days of Christmas is a pop-up book. My son loves to look at it every year. The cut outs are simple and beautiful. The text will have you singing the song for weeks afterwards.

The Stable that Bob Built is a personal favorite. It works like The House that Jack Built, but it is all about a Christmas pageant that tells about the birth of Christ.

Auntie Claus is a picture book I fell in love with last Christmas, buying it for one of my nieces. Great pictures, fun story.

And you can't go wrong with a Christmas Mouse book by Laura Numeroff. This one is a circular story just like the others, but the trek to the movies leads to decorating trees and other Christmas time activities.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: Rhett MacPherson Geneology Series

Torie O'Shea is genealogist in a small community in Missouri. During her adventures, her research into families - either her own or those of friends or clients - usually digs up something that helps her solve the latest mystery. Although, in some cases, it is Torie's digging that brings about the mystery when someone doesn't want long-buried secrets brought to light.

Torie is a fun character, and she is surrounded by a great supporting cast including her husband, children, mom, nemesis/step-father/Sheriff, and the people who work with her at the historical society. There are 11 books in the series, but the last one came out in 2008. I would love to read more in this great cozy mystery series.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

THURSDAY: Star Trek Voyages of Imagination

Yep, I am one of those people. I am a "geek." I like Star Trek and Star Wars. I watch The Big Bang Theory and get most of the jokes. When I saw that there was going to be a book, cataloging the books written in the Star Trek Universe, I had to buy it. It is a big, chunky book - well worth the money.

Ayers puts the books in order by series (The Original Series, The Next Generation, etc.), and gives a synopsis of the story. I have read quite a few of the Star Trek books and I wished for years that someone would make a list and put them in order. There are few things I dislike more than starting a book and feeling lost because I didn't read what came before it. I did find this great website that does a lot of that in addition to documenting what books are coming out in the months to come. But I like the structure of a physical book where I can check off books I've read and mark ones I want to read next.

If you are a Star Trek fan - especially a fan of the books - or if you have one in your life, this book is a great resource.


[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

WEDNESDAY: From Ordinary to Extraordinary

This is the devotional that my husband and I received this year for Christmas. Every year, my aunt and uncle send us a book for the holidays (along with new Christmas ornaments - and this year the box was full of holiday chocolate candy! Much better than packing peanuts!)

The devotional is based on two books by John MacArthur - Twelve Ordinary Men and Twelve Extraordinary Women. Both books are on my list of books to read, but I haven't gotten to either one yet. I think the devotional will be a great way to get into the material in smaller chunks.

I like to look at the entry for my birthday when looking at a new devotional. Since I have a December birthday, I wasn't surprised to see an entry about Mary, the mother of Jesus. In a very short entry, the devotion for the day reminds us of Mary's humble beginnings and also her great devotion to God. Thinking of what God did through Mary - a willing servant - I am reminded that God can work through me when I make myself available.

If you are looking for some devotional reading for the coming year, consider From Ordinary to Extraordinary.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

TUESDAY: The Secret Science Alliance

Julian is a geek - a science-loving, gadget-inventing, brilliant, unpopular geek. His existance is so miserable, he is actually thrilled when his family has to move mid-semester. He's convinced that if he plays dumb and pretends to be interested in sports, he will have friends.

Ironically, Julian doesn't pull it off, and because of that he makes two new friends - Ben and Greta - who are also inventors. Together they are the Secret Science Alliance. In their secret lab, they develop all sorts of ideas and prototypes. When their idea book is stolen, they are equipped with all sorts of crazy contraptions to help them foil the villain.

This is a great graphic novel. The illustrations really caught my son's attention and he kept asking me about the book and what was happening in the story. Kids will love the clever gadgets the SSA creates.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs, and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

MONDAY: Book Fair Day

Dewey is ecstatic about book fair day. He even brings a wagon to school to help him carry home all the books he plans to buy with the money in his special book worm bank. The only problem is, his class is going at the end of the day, and Dewy is afraid all of his favorite books will be gone. Will Dewey get the latest Dinosaur Detectives or Private Eye books?

This is part of a series by this author which includes School Picture Day, Science Fair Day and Teacher Appreciation Day. I have read some of the others in the series, but they stress me out. In each one a particular student in the class (and each book is about the same class, so the characters are in each story) becomes the over-the-top focus of the particular day in question. I guess Dewey doesn't stress me out because I identify with him too much! This is a great book for kids, but also a great book to read at schools when it is book fair time.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I recieve a percentage of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: On Strike for Christmas

This is a fun holiday book that I stumbled on last year. I really enjoyed it. In the book, a group of wives and mothers determines that they are tired of running themselves ragged for the holidays, trying to do everything themselves - decorate, buy gifts, plan elaborate parties, take the kids to Santa, bake, etc. So they go on strike, leaving their husbands gaping in surprise and plotting disasters that will draw their wives back into the holiday preparations. If you are looking for a fun, light book to read through the holiday season, this is one I would recommend.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

THURSDAY: MotherStyles

This book covers two of my favorite non-fiction topics in one - the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and parenting. A test is not included, but for those unfamiliar with personality type, the author describes the four main areas - Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/iNtuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving - and the 16 types to help readers find a starting point.

Next, she talks about the strengths and struggles of each half of the four main areas and gives examples that readers can rate for their own lives. Then she talks about different letter combinations and how those deal with the everyday ups and downs of motherhood. Finally, she looks at personality differences between parents and children.

Because these are topics that interest me, I loved this book. I think more casual readers will enjoy it as well. There is a lot of insight to be gained from this book that can help mothers feel more prepared for the parenting journey.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

WEDNESDAY: Parallel Study Bible

This is not my usual sort of book to review, but I am really excited about this particular Bible. I don't need a new Bible - I have more than I could ever use to their fullest. I bought a Serendipity Bible back with my husband and I were in a small group. Since we aren't in a small group any more, I don't use it. I have two pocket-sized Bibles that I use quite a bit because they are wonderfully portable (and one of them is a pretty pink NT), but I miss the study notes and commentary of my larger, more cumbersome Bibles. We have a few in translations other than the NIV, but frankly, NIV is what I go back to time and time again. I would have to carry around two large Bibles to do what I want.

Not any more. This parallel Bible, while not small, does have the NIV and The Message side by side. I love it. I could totally see myself sitting down with all my other Bibles, and transferring all my highlights and notes into this one and then reading my favorite verses from The Message right alongside my NIV versions.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift for a loved one, or a new Bible for yourself, check out this option - the NIV/Message Study Bible.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

TUESDAY: Mike Stellar: Nerves of Steel

Mike is just a regular kid in the year 2174. He likes video games, deals with an annoying older sister, has a best friend (named Stinky).... Oh, and he just found out he's moving to Mars!

The last mission to Mars ended in disaster, and everyone seems to think Mike's parents had something to do with that. When strange things start happening this time, Mike and his new friend Larc, will have to dodge their parents, the suspicious "Sugar Bear" (Mike's mom's assistant), and their teacher, Mrs. Halebopp (a teacher he didn't like on earth, much less in space!) if they are going to figure out what's really going on and save the day.

Fun, quirky little story that I think kids will love. I know the cover and jacket information got my son's attention. He can't wait to hear this one!

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

MONDAY: Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed

Wilbur the naked mole rat isn't supposed to wear clothes - he is supposed to be naked! But he likes wearing clothes, even though everyone looks at him like he is weird. See what happens in the naked mole rat community when Wilber asks "Why not?"

I love stories for kids that encourage them to be who God made them to be. This is one of those stories. The illustrations are fun and cute, and kids will love getting to read a story that says "naked" so many times!


[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

FRIDAY: Joanna Carl Chocoholic Series

Joanna Carl writes the Chocoholics series - a set of mysteries with chocolate as the "theme." How can you go wrong? These mysteries star Lee McKinney (Woodyard) who works with her aunt in the family chocolate shop in a small tourist town/resort town in Michigan. Each book highlights a different shaped chocolate - chocolate cats, dogs, frogs, bears, etc. and each one includes chocolate trivia. The mysteries are good and the primary characters are likable. The latest story has Lee helping with an "underground railroad" that hides women from abusive spouses/significant others. One woman in particular is hiding out at the chocolate shop (or Chocolade), but someone seems to have found her and bodies start to pile up. Check out this great mystery series with your favorite sort of chocolate nearby!


[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

THURSDAY: Reading Together

Two things help children develop a love of reading - books they are ready for, and conversation about what they are reading.

First of all, children who try to read books above or below their reading level (and maturity) are frustrated. Either they get caught up in trying to decipher the language instead of the story or they are bored out of their minds. When they find a story that is a good fit for them, they need someone to talk to them about what they are reading. Ask them questions about what they thought or how they felt. Ask them what they think happens next? Engage with them about the story and it will come alive.

I loved the structure of this book. I think it could be a great resource for homeschooling families. The books she references are presented with summaries, questions about the story, application and thought questions, and recommendations of books that are similar in topic or tone or type so you can find others if your child likes a particular book. She also includes other sets of recommendations like books for developing readers, mysteries, books about sports, true stories, etc. I think this is a great resource for parents, teachers, and librarians.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs, and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

WEDNESDAY: Let Go

Targeted to women, Walsh addresses issues that get in the way of us enjoying life and enjoying our relationship with God. She starts each chapter with a story which I found very engaging. Each chapter ends with questions and prayer. She covers things such as shame vs. guilt, God's role in our every-day lives, exclusion from the Christian community, moving beyond our past, unforgiveness, temptation and accepting yourself.

The book was affirming and encouraging, but readers could also find it challenging at times, depending on what the reader is dealing with in her own life.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]

TUESDAY: Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One

Alternating point of view stores from The Great One - Abigail, a third grader - and The Pain - Jake, a first grader. In this volume, The Pain loses a tooth, deals with a bully, The Great One chases a boy, Bruno the stuffed elephant goes to school, The Great One tries out a new name, and the first grade has a restaurant. The final chapter is told from the perspective of the family cat, Fluzzy.

These were very cute stories. I especially liked the ones about the bully and Bruno the elephant. The interplay between the siblings is fun and reminded me of the Judy Moody and Stink books. Bite-sized stories seem just the right size for early readers. I would read more of the books in this series.

[I am an Amazon Affiliate. If you click to Amazon from one of my blogs and buy something, I receive a percentage of the purchase price.]