catching up with more mini-babble

What I read the past few weeks:

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd.

*As I just read and reviewed this a couple years ago, there's really no need to say much now. But it might be worth mentioning that I loved this book even more this time around. Not sure I would have thought that possible.






Fables: March of the Wooden Soldiers by Bill Willingham.

*Damn. This series just keeps getting better and better!
*These books are making me want to delve deeper into the world of fairy tales and folktales. Occasionally I come across a character that I have no idea who it is. While this doesn't detract from the story, I know that I would likely get even more from the books if I had more background knowledge. And not only that, these characters are just so dang interesting that I want read more, more, more. (And many thanks, Nymeth, for continually answering my questions, and never making me feel like a pest.)
*Misc. thoughts: I would occasionally like to smack Prince Charming across his smug pretty face. I hope we get to see a lot more of Rose Red in the future; I've missed her since she's been more in the periphery. The wooden soldier "assembly line" cracked me up. Frau Totenkinder can kick ass, huh?

The History of Us: Reconstruction and Reform, 1865-1896 (Book 7) by Joy Hakim.

*I know I don't usually talk about the books we use for homeschooling. (Well, with the exception of the ones we read for "literature" units, that is.) But I just felt the need to mention this series, because it is just so awesome! And I was confident they would be as it was Dewey who recommended them to me. I don't know that anyone who reads this will be in the market for middle grade U.S. history books, but if so, you just can't go wrong with these.
*A few of the things I love: They cover more obscure pieces of history, along with the more well-known events. They look at things from various points of view. They don't try to cover up or put a pretty face on the uglier parts of this country's past.

Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee by Dean Cycon.

*To be honest, when I read the introduction, I worried. Despite the fact that I already fully support Fair Trade, I worried that Dean Cycon was going to come across as "holier than thou." Happily, I was wrong! Is he passionate about making sure farmers get fair prices for their labor? Yes! Is he passionate about preserving indigenous cultures around the world? Yes! Is he passionate about taking care of the Earth? Yes! But he is not in any way condescending or arrogant. In fact, he's really quite a goofball. (And I have a very soft spot for goofballs.)
*This book is full of the stories of unfairness. I won't lie, some of these stories break the heart. But it doesn't stop there...from these heartbreaking stories come stories of hope. Beautiful, touching stories of hope. Does he claim that Fair Trade can solve all the problems of the world? Of course not. But in countries around the globe, we hear stories of creative solutions and of differences made.
*Yes, I did just say that this book is full of heartbreak and hope. But it's also full of humor. Often at the author's expense...he's definitely not afraid to laugh at himself. I found myself smiling often, and one time laughing heartily aloud.
*And on top of all that, this book provides a fascinating look at several cultures around the world. We visit countries as diverse as Guatemala, Ethiopia, Sumatra, and Papua New Guinea (and others, too).
*Though the copy I read was from the library, I'm hoping to have a giveaway later when things settle down around here (please, please, please let that be soon). In the meantime, if you'd like to see what this fellow Dean Cycon and his company Dean's Beans are all about, visit here.

No More Strangers Now: Young Voices from a New South Africa, interviews by Tim McKee, photographs by Anne Blackshaw.

*One thing I love about homeschooling is the amount of wonderful books I read that I otherwise probably wouldn't. (Of course, in a way, it's one of the things I hate, too...as I'm left with so little time for spur of the moment fun reading.) Anyway, this is one of those books that I probably wouldn't have read on my own, and well, that would have been my loss.
*This book features interviews of twelve teenage South Africans, each with a very distinct background. Among others, we meet a teen born in exile as her mother worked for the ANC, a Afrikaner teen living the rural life, a teen living in a small village that is still ruled by a chief.
*These interviews were done just a few years after Nelson Mandela was elected president. The varying viewpoints were fascinating. The one thread that seemed to run through them all was hope. Not naivety. But hope. I would so very much love to see a follow up to this book, to hear what each of these teens thinks now that another decade has passed. How their lives and views have changed since then.
*Oh, and I also wanted to mention that this book is filled with truly lovely black and white photos.

Legend of Chun Hyang by CLAMP.

*To be perfectly honest, the reason I read this book right now was because I still needed a book for the folklore category of the Once Upon a Time challenge, and the cover of the book said, "The Legend of Chun Hyang is one of Korea's most enduring folktales..." I'm not at all familiar with Korean folklore, and I have no idea how much this book reflects the original folktale. But now I am really interested to find out, because I fell in love with the spitfire heroine, Chun Hyang.
*This is the first manga by CLAMP, of whom I've heard such good things. And I did enjoy this book, but I didn't out-and-out love it. Honestly, it could be that I still need more exposure to manga in general, as it at times felt a little disjointed to me.
*The art in this book is beautiful.



The Sandman: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman.

*I've finally figured out which, The Sandman or Fables, is my favorite. Whichever I'm reading at the time. ;)
*I have really, really loved this series from the beginning, even Preludes and Nocturnes, which I know some people aren't overly fond of. But I think this may be my favorite book so far. I so adored these characters! I liked Barbie far more sans Ken (not that I disliked her previously, but I didn't feel like I knew her all that well before). And Wanda, and Hazel, and Foxglove...how could one not love them?!! And Thessaly...well, she's definitely left me wanting to know more about her, that's for sure.
*It may take some effort not to have nightmares of George's face on the wall...shudder.
*I really wish I could say something about the end, but I don't want to give any spoilers. Let's just say that Death allowed me to end the book with a smile, when I had been seething over ignorance and intolerance.

we interrupt this blogging break...

to do some mini babbling...

Because I'm using these books for challenges, I feel I have to say something about them. In other words, this is my pathetic attempt at assuaging my guilt.

Shakespeare Wrote for Money by Nick Hornby.

*I did a really good job at doling these out sparingly (like one a week) for a while. Then I chucked all willpower straight out the window and simply devoured the rest in one sitting. Oh well. I am somewhat comforted by the fact that I have Songbook sitting on the shelf waiting for me.
*I totally lost count of how many times I laughed out loud.
*An unforeseen event: I am now thinking about NOT reading a book I had long planned to read. And it's not even that Mr. Hornby didn't like the book. He did. But in speaking of The Road, he said, "There are some images now embedded in my memory that I don't especially want there."
*At first I was rather proud of myself for keeping down the number of books to add to my wishlist. By the end, though...well...
--Tender Hooks by Beth Ann Fennelly
--Digging to America by Anne Tyler
--Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning by Jonathan Mahler
--Stasiland: Stories from the Berlin Wall by Anna Funder
--Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow
--Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block
--A Disorder Peculiar to the Country by Ken Kalfus
--The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta
--The Ghost by Robert Harris

Looking for Bobowicz and The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Daniel Pinkwater.




*Our first venture into the books of Daniel Pinkwater. Won't be our last. While not our favorite ever read-alouds, they were still nonetheless very enjoyable.
*Written decades apart, these two books follow the stories of two different generations of kids and their relationships with a 266-pound chicken named Henrietta. Yes, a 266-pound chicken can cause a great deal of mayhem. But trust me, she's a very sweet chicken.
*These books have a wonderful, almost-but-not-quite old-fashioned feel to them. Maybe it's just the way Pinkwater very much captured the feelings of my own childhood, the freedom to explore, the need for adventure. Of course, those things haven't gone out of style (just ask my kids!) so I'm not sure why I used the term old-fashioned. I just can't quite capture the feeling I'm looking for here. Oh well.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding.

*One day, after telling Annie to read the next two chapters of this book, she said, "Good. I love this book...it's so creepy!" And that is exactly how I remember feeling about it when I first read it in middle school. When I read it as a kid, I saw myself on the island and found it very scary. Reading it now, I couldn't help but picture my kids on the island. And that's even more disturbing. A lot more disturbing. One more example of how motherhood impacts my reading. And of course, that's not just true of motherhood but of all our experiences--they all play a part in how any book might affect us.
*I know a lot of people hate this book, but I just can't help but like it. I admit that I'm much more of an emotional reader than an intellectual one. Not that those two things are mutually exclusive by any means. But what I mean is that I'm not all that adept at analyzing what I read. I just go with my gut and my heart. But reading books with Annie tends to make me search a little deeper, and we definitely had some great discussions during this book. Are people born "good" or "evil"? What does it take to be a good leader? What does it mean to be "civilized"? How responsible are we for the well-being of others? Discussions about mob mentality. Racism. Symbolism.
*There were times when the writing frustrated me. Not that it's difficult reading. More that at times I had a tough time visualizing his descriptions. Likely that was just me. At other times, however, I liked the writing a great deal, as here: "He forgot his wounds, his hunger and thirst, and became fear; hopeless fear on flying feet, rushing through the forest towards the open beach." This sentence, in context, was extremely vivid in my mind.
*All in all, while this book may not make my top 5 reads of the year, I really do think I liked it as much this time around as I did as a kid.


Fables: Animal Farm and Fables: Storybook Love by Bill Willingham.

*The Farm really can't be all that far from here...if only I could find my way through their protective spells.
*What are the chances of reading about a pig's head on a stick in two different books on the same day?!!
*Goldilocks--a fomenter of revolution...who'da thunk it?

*As much as I loved Animal Farm, it pained me horribly to see Shere Khan die. In fact, I'm having a hard time accepting it when any of the characters die. I mean, they're just not supposed to, right?!!

*Okay, in moving on to Storybook Love, I have to say I've changed my mind about that last statement. I was more than happy to see a couple someones bite the dust. If they really did. Yeah, I can't really say anything more for fear of spoiling.
*This one started and ended with little side stories that didn't have much to do with the main story arc. While I honestly did enjoy them, especially "Bag O' Bones," I do prefer the main story. And I'm eager as hell to crack open the next one to see what's going to happen with Snow and Bigby!
*Despite the fact that I'm now just through #3 in the series, I'm already soooo sad thinking about getting to the end. I hope no one will hurt me, but I think I may just like these more than The Sandman. Then again, maybe not. That's a very tough call. Especially since I'm not even half way through either series yet.



The Stuff of Life: A Graphic Guide to Genetics and DNA by Mark Schultz.

*This book totally rocked! (Yes, I think my lovable science nerd husband is rubbing off on me.)
*Seriously, if you'd like to learn about genetics, DNA, inheritance, etc., I just can't recommend this book highly enough. It's extremely accessible. In one way, it's a tad cutesy, but it is by no means simplistic.
*Because I read this for the science challenge, I wrote a short review here if you're interested.

Chew On This: Everything You Don't Want to Know about Fast Food by Eric Schlosser and Charles Wilson.

*Yep, same guy who wrote Fast Food Nation, which by the way, I am even more anxious to read now.
*This book made me sad. It also made me mad. Usually at the same time.
*Had I not already joined Annie in the meat-free lifestyle, this book surely would have done it. Not that this book is any way, shape, or form an attack on people who eat meat. Honest.
*Frankly, I think this should be required reading in schools. It is that good. And it is that important.

*****

and while I'm at it, I might as well get caught up on meting out the blame...

from the library:


*Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World of Fair Trade Coffee by Dean Cycon (point for Eva!)
*No More Strangers Now: Young Voices from a New South Africa interviews by Tim McKee
*The Sandman: A Game of You by Neil Gaiman
*The Sandman: Fables & Reflections by Neil Gaiman

from PaperbackSwap:



*Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger (point for Eva!)
*Feed by M.T. Anderson
*Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books by Francesca Lia Block
*The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (point for Chris!)

bought with gift card:



*Once Upon a Marigold by Jean Ferris
*Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story by Carolyn Turgeon (point for Melody!)
*Lux the Poet by Martin Millar
*The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (point for Becky, who first made me add it to my wish list, and point for Chris, who shoved me right over the edge and made me buy it!)

from the little closeout books store:



*The Midnighters: Blue Moon (book 3) by Scott Westerfeld
*The Magic Thief: Book One by Sarah Prineas (point for DesLily!)
*The Treasures of the Weatherby by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
*The Epidemic: A Global Story of AIDS by Jonathan Engel

and last, but not least, the books I just wanted so bad I had to order them:



*Bad Science by Ben Goldacre (point for Nymeth!)
*The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For by Alison Bechdel

*****

I will publish May's wrap-up tomorrow, but other than that I'm still on my mission to get through this school year. Will hopefully be back in a few weeks. 'Cause damn, do I miss you all!

The Tale of One Bad Rat...random thoughts

The Tale of One Bad Rat by Bryan Talbot.

There are times when I am rendered speechless by an author's ability to tell a tale so effectively. And there are times when I am rendered speechless by the sheer magnitude of the tale being told. This book hit me on both accounts. It is the story of a teenage girl. A girl who has suffered abuse at the hands of her father for years. A girl who runs away from home to escape the abuse. Helen's story, while fictional, plays itself out countless times in the real world. I sometimes felt nearly suffocated by the pain...because I knew that as I read this story there were thousands upon thousands upon thousands of flesh-and-blood Helens hurting at that very moment. Having said that, it may now seem odd to say, but this book was truly a book of hope. Of healing. Helen's abuse was shown in flashbacks during her journey forward to a new life. This journey forward wasn't an easy one for Helen, as I imagine no journey out of pain ever is.

Since I am so inadequate in my ability to share my thoughts, let me just share some words of others...

"This book is a gift to humanity." (Chris at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On)

"There are many ways to fight child abuse and incest. The important thing is not how you do it, but that you do it, and The Tale of One Bad Rat does it." (Andrew Vachss, from the book cover)

"What Helen went through is expressed in a subtle but absolutely clear way. Most of all, it’s her emotions that are addressed. This is not a book that tries to simplify things. We get the whole thing – all the difficult and contradictory feelings..." (Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot)

"...the book is one that stays with you..." (Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf

"So, yes, there's more than one layer to appreciate..." (Valentina at Valentina's Room

"The more child abuse is discussed in society or fiction in whatever medium, the more likely it is that the victims will realise that it is something that happens all the time, that they can speak out, be believed, and get it stopped." (Bryan Talbot)

The Sandman: Dream Country...random thoughts

The Sandman: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman.

While not my favorite of the Sandman volumes that I've read so far, I'd be lying if I said I didn't love it. As opposed to following a continuing storyline, Dream Country is more of a collection of short stories.

In the first, "Calliope," we watch Richard Madoc, a once successful novelist, buy his way back to success and fame through enslaving a muse. It's an ugly look at the lengths some will go to to get what they want. Of the four stories in this volume, I believe this one and the one following are probably my favorites. "A Dream of a Thousand Cats," is a clever imagining of the power of dreams of all living creatures. Maybe not a cat story to share with Max, while at the same time, I think even he, at age six, could appreciate the underlying "justice" in the idea of turning "power" on its head. The third story, "A Midsummer Night's Dream," lets us in on the secret reason behind Shakespeare's writing of his delightful masterpiece. We watch him traveling with a theatrical troupe, and witness their performance before a very "special" audience. I'm glad I finally got around to reading Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream last year, or this story would have been much harder to follow. The very best part of this tale for me was the very last line...still makes me smile when I think about it. And finally, in the last story, "Facade," we meet Urania Blackwell, an ex-CIA agent who had to leave "the Company" after she was given an unwanted gift by the sun god Ra. This gift has left her a prisoner in her own home, and she wants desperately to die. But this gift has left her physically incapable of suicide. For me, this story seemed to end too quickly, and thus was probably my least favorite of the bunch. It's one incredibly saving grace is that Death reappears.

Being thoroughly comic-illiterate, I've often wondered how all the people, author, artist, letterer, etc. work together to put out a finished book. In a wonderful addition to the end of this compilation, I had some of my questions answered. For included is a script of "Calliope." And while Neil Gaiman is quick to point out that no two authors may work in quite the same way, I still found this a fascinating glimpse into the making of a comic.

*****

Other thoughts:

*Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot ("A Midsummer Nights Dream" from Dream Country)
*Kim at Bold. Blue. Adventure. (The Absolute Sandman: Volume One)
*Rhinoa at Rhinoa's Ramblings (The Sandman: Dream Country)

I know there must be more reviews out there, so if you've got one to share please leave me a link in the comments and I'll add it here. Thanks.

*****

Been so dang busy the last few days that I've had to stay away from blog world. Am hoping to catch up a bit today...hope everyone's been having a wonderful weekend!

American Born Chinese...random thoughts

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang.

To be perfectly honest, this book is so incredible that I'm pretty much at a loss for words. I really don't know how to do this book justice...and I really wish I did, because if I could convince even one person who hasn't yet read this book to do so, it would make me very happy.

The book is three stories in one, told in alternating chapters. The first story is that of the Monkey King, a Chinese legend. The Monkey King of Flower-Fruit Mountain isn't happy being a monkey, and he works very hard trying to turn himself into a god, The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven. Second, there is the story of Jin Wang, who moves from his apartment near San Francisco's Chinatown and finds himself the only Chinese-American kid at Mayflower Elementary. It's not an easy place to find oneself. And finally, there is the story of Danny, an American teenager. Each year his Chinese cousin, Chin-Kee, comes to visit for a few weeks, and Danny finds his life so ruined that he transfers schools. Chin-Kee is the epitome of a negative Chinese stereotype. Eventually the three stories mesh into one. And maybe I'm just slow on the uptake, but the way this happened took me by surprise...it was simply brilliant.

In fact, the whole book was simply brilliant. Deceptively simple to read. For it is truly so sophisticated. It contains so much depth. To be perfectly honest, I suspect that if I read it again, I would discover things I'd missed. And if I read it again after that, I would find even more. The book addresses many themes: identity, racism, friendship, self-acceptance, and how these things play off of one another, how they affect one another. It was humorous, and it was painful. Bottom line, it was amazing.

*****

Want to read what others thought?

Dewey at The Hidden Side of a Leaf
Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot
Alison at So Many Books, So Little Time
Chris at Stuff As Dreams Are Made On
Ali at Worducopia
Kailana at The Written World
Joy at Thoughts of Joy

And if you've read and reviewed this book, please feel free to leave a link in the comments, and I'll add it here. Thanks.

just some odds 'n' ends

I didn't forget to draw a winner for 50 Reasons to Buy Fair Trade. Well, actually I did forget. But I'm not really that late, am I? Anyway, Chris, you're the lucky winner...and I shall get it out to you soon. Hope you enjoy it!

*****

If you happen to be doing Annie's challenge, you might want to pop over as she finally announced her first contest. (She was going to do it on the first month, but seems we're running behind on everything here, huh?)

*****

And now for this week's Library Loot. Many thanks to our lovely hostesses, Eva and Alessandra. Now as much as I love, love, love the library, I told myself that I was NOT going to get any books this week...because I really, really, really need to get some of the books off my own shelves! Well, this is what "NOT going to get any books this week" looks like:






















I am so damn pathetic. But, hey, it does mean I have points to award.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. I've been tempted by this book for a long time, and yet reluctant. Mostly afraid that I'd have a hard time with the dialect. But Trish's and Eva's reviews pushed me over the edge. Point for each of them!

Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism by Ha-Joon Chang. I was delighted to read that Eva enjoyed this one, because I'd actually been looking for a good book on the subject. Another point for Eva!

City of Oranges: An Intimate History of Arabs and Jews in the Jaffa by Adam LeBor. Oh yes, you guessed it...Eva strikes again. I'd actually asked her for a recommendation on the subject earlier and she'd told me about this one. But her review is really wonderful, too, of course! Point number three for Eva!

The Dead & The Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Impulse grab. Loved Life as We Knew It so much that I knew I'd eventually get to this one.

Streets of Babel by Carol Blum-Ucci. Just looked so good, I couldn't bring myself to put it down once I'd picked it up.

The Mystery of Mary Rogers by Rick Geary. Yay...our library just bought this one! I've wanted to read more of this series ever since reading The Borden Tragedy. And Joy's review had my craving it even more. Point for Joy!

The Sandman: Dream Country by Neil Gaiman. Seriously, I really don't need to explain this one, do I? ;) I was sooooo excited to see it there though...it's been checked out for ages.

The Last Temptation by Neil Gaiman. Probably shouldn't admit this, but I'd never heard of this one before. But does one say "no" to a Neil Gaiman graphic novel when one sees it? I think not.

*****

The Plain Janes by Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg.

Yes, and finally a mini dose of book babble. This book first entered my radar screen with Carl's and Dewey's reviews. Sounded like a book that both Annie and I would very much enjoy.

The book starts with Jane being hurt when a bomb explodes in a terrorist attack in the city where she and her parents live. Her parents react to their fear by moving the family to the suburbs. Not a choice Jane is happy about.

Prior to the attack, Jane had been a popular girl in her school in the city. But on her first day at her new school, Jane makes a conscious decision to avoid the "in" crowd, despite their overtures to her. The attack has Jane questioning a lot of things. Instead, Jane tries to befriend "the misfits" of the school. Each fills a stereotypical niche in your average high school. And I have to say it was here where I was at first feeling a bit let down with the book. But I'm glad I stuck with it, because the story and the characters really grew on me. I hate to tell too much more about the story, but I will say that it's got a lot more going on than a "new kid in school" story. It's about learning to deal with fear, about trying to figure out what really matters in life, about acceptance and stretching one wings.

One small complaint...to me, it seemed to end too abruptly. But really, all in all, I ended up enjoying the book a great deal. And I am definitely glad that I finally got around to reading it. And yes, I'm definitely hoping Annie will read it before we have to return it to the library.

babbling about graphic novels

Amulet: Book One The Stonekeeper by Kazu Kibuishi.

This was one of those total impulse grabs from the library. Had never heard of it before, but it looked fun. And it was fun, but certainly won't make my top ten reads of the year or anything.

The story begins with a terrible accident in which Emily's father is killed. A couple of years later, Emily's mother moves the family (herself, Emily, and Emily's brother, Navin) to an old family home. She claims that she's just still trying to give them a fresh start. But we come to wonder if, unbeknownst even to her, there's something more going on with this move. The family arrives at the home, and on the very first night, events spiral out of control. The children find an amulet, their mother is kidnapped by a strange tentacled creature, and they all find themselves in a world completely foreign to them.

The downside: The story just doesn't have a lot of depth. But I would like to hope that maybe that will come as the series continues. (And there are hints that this may well be the case.) I realize that this is a series aimed at younger children, but I don't believe that means it needs to be overly simplistic. (I'm actually hoping that I can convince Gray to read this, so I can get him opinion.)

On the positive side: I love the art! I found the "creatures," both the good ones and the bad ones, to be utterly adorable. And I don't quite know how to explain it, but I love the coloring of this novel. I hesitate to use the word "pretty," but I honestly can't think of a better word. It is both subtle and vibrant all at the same time. Oh crap...I'm making no sense at all here. Suffice it to say that I really enjoyed looking at this book.


Rose by Jeff Smith and Charles Vess.

I've actually had this on my wish list ever since I read my first graphic novel, Alice in Sunderland. (Talbot spoke of a number of books in Alice in Sunderland that got added to my wish list.) Anyway, when Rose was finally available at the library, I of course, snatched it right up.

It's a beautiful little fantasy story. Just read it's beginning words:

When the world was very, very new, and dreams had not yet receded from the waking day...

The first dragon was a queen named Mim. And Mim was the keeper of all who dreamed.

She cared for the dreaming by encircling the world and holding her tail in her mouth...

As long as Mim held her tail in this way, balance was maintained.

And balance is most important, for the dreaming is a thing of great delicacy.

I don't want to give any of the story away, but I'm sure you can easily guess that something happens to this balance. A balance is regained, but again disrupted. And it eventually falls upon Princess Rose to right things. I love Princess Rose...she's young, a bit naive, a bit impulsive...and who wants a princess that is too perfect, right? It's a story about dreams, and growing up, and hard choices. I really, really enjoyed it.

And hey, it doesn't hurt that Charles Vess created the artwork, huh? It is stunningly beautiful.

I didn't realize until after I'd finished the book that is a prequel to BONE. From the little I know about BONE, I believe this prequel is a bit darker in nature. But I plan to find out for sure...after finishing this book, I had to immediately go and order BONE: One Volume Edition.

Castle Waiting by Linda Medley.

Oh my, what can I say? This is easily my favorite of the three. I absotively, posolutely adored this book! Delightful. Beguiling. Captivating. Enchanting. (O.K., O.K., I'll stop now before I feel the need to dig out the thesaurus.) This was a book that just made me happy. The only other recent book I've read that I can remember making me feel this way is The Goose Girl. Not that the two books are alike, they just made me feel the same. I wish I was better with words so I could explain what I mean. It's just sort of a happy innocence. A being fully transported away into a land of pure magic. Of course, that's not to say that either book is all lightness and fluff. Anyway as I said, the two books really aren't all that similar, other than the fact that a review of each would likely contain the words "fairy tale" at some point. Castle Waiting has much more depth. There are layers upon layers, stories within stories. And OMGosh, is this book funny! And bottom line, it's about how anyone can come together and become a family.

Ahhh, I seriously want to read it again already!

*****

Other viewpoints:
*Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot (Castle Waiting)
*Eva at A Striped Armchair (Castle Waiting)
*Susan at You Can Never Have Too Many Books
*Kailana at The Written World (Rose)

I'd love to add your two-cents, so if you'd reviewed any of the above, please feel free to leave me a link in the comments. Thanks.

The Doll's House...random thoughts

The Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman.

Okay, so I'm using this book for a challenge, which sort of requires one to say something about it, right? But I don't have a clue how to talk about it coherently. It's just so freakin' good!

I adored Gilbert. The Corinthian gave me a serious case of the creeps. The serial killer convention cracked me up, in a very warped sort of way. Desire left me feeling extremely nervous. I missed Death.

Bottom line...The Sandman is crack in handy book form.

*****

Other opinions:
*Rhinoa at Rhinoa's Ramblings

Read and reviewed it? Feel free to leave a link in the comments, and I'll add it here. Thanks.

The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation...random thoughts

The United States Constitution: A Graphic Adaptation by Jonathan Hennessey and Aaron McConnell.

I can't believe it's only been a little over a year since I read my first graphic novel. I am continually amazed and surprised by this new-to-me medium of expression. The variety is simply astounding.

When I happened upon this book in the store, I knew nothing about it. But as Annie and I are studying the U.S. Constitution, I figured it was worth a try. And in this instance, I was right. It's really a great read. It doesn't go into nauseating detail, but it does give a full look at the document that guides this country. It begins with some brief background on the American Revolution and on the Articles of Confederation, and then moves on to the Constitution itself. It discusses each of the seven Articles, as well as all 27 Amendments. And it doesn't just explain what each of them says, it explains the "whys" in how they came to be.

The text in this book is good, but what really struck me was the art. The way the story was portrayed in the pictures. It was not all literal; a great deal of symbolism was used, and used quite effectively in my opinion. I think this is a book that every middle school and high school library ought to carry, as I can really see visual learners gaining a lot from this little book. And let's be honest, I suspect a lot of us grown-ups could use a refresher course as well, huh?