If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON'T! by Elise Parsley

If You Ever Want to Bring an Alligator to School, DON'T! by Elise Parsley was published in 2015, and while the story is fun and very cute, the pictures alone are worth the price of this book. Oh, my word, every once in a while an illustrator comes along who completely delights me, and Elise Parsley does just that. Even her name is cool.

Your older children will laugh with the words and all of you will love the illustrations. There is so much emotion and detail in these pictures. You could use the characters in her pictures to create all new stories. Even the end flaps tell a story.

The kids in this classroom have been asked to bring something from nature for show and tell and Magnolia, the protagonist, tells you that the teacher means a hollow stick, a nest, or some sparkly rocks. Magnolia of course brings her alligator and it proceeds to get her into all sorts of trouble.

I can hardly wait to share this one with all of the grandkids.

I looked for Elise Parsley on Goodreads.com and found she is the author of two other books and has illustrated a fourth book by another writer. I'll be on the lookout for more of her books.

Yesterday was a good day for the NICU book project. My good friend and neighbor, Alysen, brought over five brand new board books for the babies. She is such a sweetheart and has so much going on in her life right now, but she still thought about the babies. I love board books for little hands.

Michelle, the one person in the world who probably has more books than I do, brought four books for my personal library, and she brought all these lovelies for the babies. I was pretty excited about the Spanish Caps for Sale. I love that book.

I appreciate each and every book that is donated to the babies. Your donations help us give the gift of words to more littles.

Read and laugh with a child today even if that child is you. 

Where I Belong by Mary Downing Hahn

In case you didn't know, Mary Downing Hahn doesn't only write scary stories, she also writes realistic fiction. Where I Belong is the story of a young boy, Brendan, who was abandoned at birth by a drug addicted mother. He hasn't been adopted and is in yet one more foster home.

He is failing school and is friendless, but he is okay with failing school as he is terrified of going to the middle school and being picked on by even more bullies. He feels that if he stays where he is, he will be too big to get bullied.

Brendan's foster mother is frustrated with is lack of motivation. He spends as much time as possible in the woods, and when he is forced to attend summer school, a girl follows him to his tree house in the woods and they become friends.

This story reminded me a bit of Bridge to Terebithia with two friends enjoying the magic of the woods. Brendan tries hard to find his place in a world where he doesn't feel he has a home. This is a book about friendships, about what we tell our friends to make sure they like us, and about what we withhold from the telling or lie about in order to keep our friends.

Read to a child today to help them understand how to be a good friend. 

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe was first published in England in 1958. I love learning about belief systems and cultures that differ from my own. This book is for adult readers.

I've read several books that paint the belief systems of those in Africa as silly and superstitious, so I enjoyed this book because it didn't cast that judgement. I love authors who trust their readers and allow them to make their own judgement calls.

This story follows Okonkwo, the son of a lazy farmer who is determined to be brave, masculine, strong, and more than his father. Although Okonkwo is a strong man, he is often unkind because he fears being viewed as weak. Many of his decisions are based on him doing all he can to be unlike his own father.

In his culture, a man can have several wives. The better crops he can grow, the more he is respected in his village - a place where twins are put out to die in the evil forest because twins are an evil thing.

I enjoyed the explanation about why the village believed what they did. I enjoyed learning why some of the people discarded their beliefs and converted to Christianity. My own muddled history of religious practices makes this type of book enjoyable for me.

This book is the first of a three book trilogy and although this one ends at a natural stopping place, I will probably read the others. I enjoyed the writing style of this novel.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden was published in 1960 and won a Newbery Honor. I read this story often when I was in grade school, but I haven't read it since then and wanted to revisit it to see if I still found it as delightful as I once did.

This is the story of a poor family who owns a newspaper and magazine stand. The mother, father, and son all work here. One day the son finds a cricket and wants to keep him for a pet. His mother is against this idea as she doesn't like bugs, but he is allowed to keep the cricket.

This is where the magic comes in. The cricket, Chester, makes friends with a mouse and a cat and shares his story with them. Chester is a cricket with a strong sense of what is right and wrong. When he walks in his sleep and chews up a two dollar bill, he feels guilty and wants to make it up to the family. Tucker, the mouse, tries to convince him to blame someone else, but Chester refuses. He wants to do something to help the family.

This story is sweet, magical, teaches good values without being didactic, and leaves the reader feeling happy. I listened to the audio version and the narrator was wonderful. Garth Williams is the illustrator for the print version, and his artwork adds to the story. This books makes a fun read aloud.

Read an old favorite to a child today even if that child is you. 

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams

The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams was published in 2009, and I won a copy at an educator's conference. I put off reading it as I am from a polygamist cult and reading stories about this topic depresses me.

I listened to the audio version and the narration was good. Yes, it depressed me because I know how hopeless a person can feel once they make the decision that they want to get out. Williams' inspiration for this story was my cousin's story. She ran from the uncle she'd been married to and was badly beaten by her father for leaving. The case was highly publicized. Williams set her story in a more closed society than that of the Kingston's.

Williams did her research, and I found the fictionalized story she wrote believable with the exception of Kyra's escape. Skip the rest of this paragraph because of spoilers. I found it hard to believe that the cult would murder an outsider because that would bring too many people to investigate. This is something the cult would avoid at all costs. In reality, they would have let her go and gotten her back using their lawyers since she was underage, but it made for good drama. These cults thrive on secrecy and keeping things in the cold hard dark.

No more spoilers. I liked that Williams showed how nearly impossible it is to get out of these cults, as the cults control everything - your housing, your job, your families. People who leave have not had to open bank accounts, get jobs on their own, and many haven't finished school.

This book is well written, and if you find yourself asking why more people don't leave these cults, this book will answer your questions. In getting out, you risk everything. I'm thankful my family didn't disown me. They kept truth from me and lied to me about what was happening inside the cult after I left, but they still loved me and had contact with me. But from the day I left, I was an outsider, and yes, that did hurt. I am lucky that most of my immediate family have left the Kingston cult in the years since I left. Now there are no secrets, no fear of eternal damnation if the wrong thing is said, no mind control, and a great sense of freedom.

Read today even if what you read is hard for you emotionally. This book was hard for me to read, but I'm glad I did. I'm thankful for the freedoms I enjoy. 

Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord

I've read two books by Cynthia Lord and enjoyed both of them. I read Rules several years ago, and last week, I read Half a Chance. 

Lucy is the main character in this novel. She is a budding photographer who has just moved to a lake in New Hampshire. Her father is a photographer who travels frequently for his job. Right before he leaves town, he tells her about a photo contest that he is judging when he gets back. Lucy wants to enter this contest but she wants to do so anonymously so her father judges her pictures by their merit, not because they are hers. 

I like how the contest makes the reader think about right and wrong. Lucy wants to the win the money to help her neighbor, but is it okay to do the wrong thing for a good reason? This book has the characters making many judgment calls which would bring up great discussion points in a classroom.

I also like the list of topics for the pictures Lucy needs to take as I would love to see how my students would interpret this list. 

One character is dealing with his grandmother losing her memory. Lord handles this with grace and realism. 

She has joined the ranks of authors whose books I will buy just because they wrote them. 

Read to a child today to help them know how to solve problems. 

The Good Earth by Pearl Buck

The Good Earth by Pearl Buck is a classic that was first published in 1931. This is the first book of a trilogy, and although I enjoyed it and found the writing beautiful, I don't feel compelled to read the other two books. This book ends in a good place, and the lives of the characters I cared about were covered. I felt it was complete.

The story begins with Wang Lung's wedding day. He is a poor farmer and his father has arranged for him to marry a slave - one who is neither small nor comely, but she is selfless and faithful.

The story takes place in pre-revolutionary China, and Pearl Buck gives the reader a portrait of customs, practices, and prejudices of the time.

The main character, Wang Lung is for the most part a decent person, but he is at times a puppet to the practices of his time period. The story begins with his marriage and ends with him as an old man whose sons don't value the same things he does. This sets up the next book if you desire to go forward with the series. I may or may not read the next two books.

This book would be an excellent choice for a book club as there are so many choices and customs that would make for great discussion points: foot binding, the value of men children, girls viewed as slaves, opium, the responsibility of taking care of extended family members, polygamy, fidelity, hard work, entitlement, death customs, birth customs, how women found power, and many more.

This book will make you think about what you have and what you value.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Book Display for the Grandkids

Yesterday, I found this book at the library book sale: I Hate Picture Books by Timothy Young and it inspired my new display for the grandkids.

This is a story about a boy who is getting rid of all his pictures books because they get him into trouble. When his mom read Harold and the Purple crayon to him, he drew on the wall and got into trouble. When he ate green ham from the fridge, it made him really sick. 

There are so many great books that show up in this cute story. I pulled as many as would fit in my display area. All of the picture books in my display show up in this one book. If you are a book lover, you will enjoy this storybook. 

Michelle brought a few more books for the NICU. Thanks go to Michelle for giving the gift of reading to so many families. 

Read an old favorite to a child today even if that child is you. 

Graphic Novel: The Hammer and The Anvil by Dwight Jon Zimmerman

The Hammer and The Anvil: Fredrick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and the End of Slavery in America by Dwight Jon Zimmerman and illustrated by Wayne Vansant is a graphic novel biography of how Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln helped end slavery.

I love graphic novels as they are perfect for teens who don't really enjoy reading but are forced to read by their crazy book lady mothers (meaning my son and myself). There are many good graphic novels available about many different topics.

The book switches back and forth from Douglass's and Lincoln's stories, and Vansant does this switch well by showing Lincoln's story in sepia tones and Douglass's story in grey tones. I learned new things about our nation's history by reading this book and feel it would work well in a classroom environment by bringing up many discussion points and topics for further research.

I am thankful for these two men and the courage they had to fight evil in a time when so many were fine with the status quo. I would love to be in heaven some day and sit in on a conversation with Lincoln, Douglass, and Martin Luther King JR.

This book was published in 2012 and annoyingly is already out of print. Boo, Hiss. You can still find it at a reasonable price on line, but it being out of print means that classrooms won't be able to get it. I sincerely hope this book gets reprinted at some point.

Read to a child today so that may know and understand the history of our nation. 

The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed

The Rainbabies by Laura Krauss Melmed and illstrated by Jim LaMarche was published in 1992. I remember seeing this book years ago, somewhere, and being delighted with the illustrations. I'd forgotten about it until my sweet friend, Michelle gave me a copy of the book last week.

In The Rainbabies, an older couple who were never able to have a child discover a dozen tiny thumb sized babies in the grass after a rainstorm. They tenderly gather the babies and care for them. The babies face many dangers, yet the couple risk their own lives to see them safe.

When faced with a woman at the door who longs to purchase the babies from them, will they make the right choice?

The story is very sweet and the illustrations alone are worth the purchase price of this book.

Read to a child today even if that child is you.

The Principal's New Clothes by Stephanie Calmenson

The Principal's New Clothes by Stephanie Calmenson and illustrated by Denise Brunkus is a fun take on the Emperor's New Clothes.

In this story, the principal, Mr Bundy, is snappy dresser. His students never miss a day of school because they want to see what he will be wearing. A couple of tricksters come to town and tell him that they will make him a suit out of a special fabric that "is invisible to anyone who is no good at his job or just plain stupid."

The principal tells people about this and no one, including himself, will admit that they cannot see the fabric because they don't want to be seen as no good or stupid.

The pictures by Denise Brunkus are quite fun in this story that shows that it is best to be honest.

This book is currently out of print, but you can still find it online for a good price. Michelle provided a copy for me. Thank you, Michelle.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Wordless - The Silver Pony by Lynd Ward

The Silver Pony by Lynd Ward is an older wordless book published in 1973. Ward tells the story of a young farm boy who sees a Pegasus in the clouds. He tries to show his father, but when is father can't see the horse, he gives his young son a spanking.

The Pegasus comes back and takes the boy on many adventures. This is a sweet story with wonderful art and so much to see in each picture. Each adventure helps the boy to learn about other people in far off places.

This book has been reprinted in paperback format, but  my sweet friend, Michelle, found an original 1973 hardback for me. It is such a beautiful book. Thanks, Michelle.

Michelle also brought some more books for the NICU. I am thankful for her help on this project. 

Read a book without words to a child today even if that child is you. 

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath was a Newbery Honor book for 2002. This book reminded me a lot of the Trixie Belden book I recently read.

This is the story of Primrose Squarp, an accident prone girl whose parents are lost at sea. Everyone in the town believes her parents are dead, but Primrose cannot accept this.

This book is fun, action packed - mainly because Primrose can't seem to keep herself out of trouble. This book contains a recipe at the end of each chapter.  I like the message of this book that sometimes we believe something to be true even when all the evidence is against us. This is a reoccurring theme throughout the book. When is it okay to trust your instincts, and when should you believe the evidence?

Read to a child today even if that child is you.

Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell

My friend, Michelle, recommended  Trixie Belden: The Secret of the Mansion by Julie Campbell to me quite a while ago. I recently listened to the audio version and enjoyed it. This is book one in the series. In it, we meet, Trixie, a girl who speaks her mind, is prone to finding trouble, but is also smart enough to think her way out of problems. She has two living parents - quite a find in a children's book.

We meet her friend, Honey, who is rich but dissatisfied with her life as her parents ignore her more than they should. She is a good friend to all.

We meet Jim, an orphan who is battling a wicked step-father. He is also a good friend, and with Trixie's and Honey's help, he may be able to save his inheritance.

If you were born in the 50s, 60s, 70s, or 80s, this book will take you back to a time when children were more likely to roam free, do dangerous things, get hurt but survive, and have a lot of chores and responsibilities.

This book was first published in 1948 and is still in print - this shows you how popular this series is.

Today, read a book from your childhood to a child even if that child is you. 

Cars! Cars! Cars! by Grace Maccarone

Cars! Cars! Cars! by Grace Maccarone and illustrated by David A. Carter is a book about cars told in a Seuss kind of way.

The pictures are fun, the colors bold and bright, and the words simple enough for little ones. The pages of this book are not quite board book thick, but they are plenty sturdy for little hands.

Both Vincent and Aria loved this book over the weekend. This is a perfect book for a toddler who is learning to count or learning their colors. The little ones also love the doggies that are pictured driving the cars.

This book is out of print, but you can find it used for a good price online.

Michelle brought more books for the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit). She found some real treasures for the babies. We are always accepting books for the NICU book project.

Read to a child today even if that child is you.