What's In My Teapot?

Getting started can be the hardest part of writing- even when I sit down knowing what I am writing about- so today I decided not to take any chances... When I began staring at a blank screen, I got back up and put the kettle on! It may be a balmy 92 degrees outside, but very few things in life cannot be improved upon with a cup of tea. Even in July! Today I would like to introduce you to another great children's book author by the name of Peter Spier ! Unlike Robert McCloskey, whose books are a part of my childhood memories (see my review here ), I did not become aware of the works of Peter Spier until I was an adult, and now I have made sure to introduce them to my children! Several months ago I got Oh, Were They Ever Happy out of our church's library and Parker took an immediate shine to it! I have no idea how many times I read it to him before the book was finally returned, but it was a lot! Then last week, when I was considering doing these books for today...

The splendors of July are in full force and I am delighted by it all as though it were my first summer ever in one of the loveliest spots on earth (so call me prejudice!) There are so many things about this time of year that make me happy, from fresh blueberries, green beans and watermelon, to barefoot children and fireflies, that sometimes I get a hoarding instinct. How can I get the most out of this summer? I ask myself. How can I make the summer last longer? And yet, I know even before the questions take shape that the point is mute and that the best way to make the most of anything is to notice and participate in the simple pleasures and opportunities that are right in front of me... Blueberries on my yogurt. A bike ride on Rails to Trails. Extra reading with the children to fulfill their Summer Reading Challenges Morning walks with my sister. Muddy shoes in the green bean patch. A cup of tea at bedtime (Yes! Even in summer!) Fresh bouquets from the herb gar...

I am pleased to announce that the winner of the reading challenge give-away is:   CHRISTA!!! Who commented: I found "The Long Walk to Water" fascinating and edifying. Salva could have stayed in America and pursued the "American dream." Instead he returned good for evil. That is forgiveness. And think how it spoke to Nya, to have a man from the enemy tribe come give them water. That is love. He will certainly have his reward.  My 2nd book of choice was called " The Seamstress ." It was the true story of Sara, a Jew, who survived the hellish conditions of Ravensbruck during the Holocaust. Sara herself helped write the book. Although Sara never gave God the glory for enabling her to survive the camp, neither did she become a bitter person. I will not give too many details just in case one of you want to read her book. It is very worth your time.  Thanks, Joanna, for bringing "The Long Walk to Water" to my attention. I am happy fo...

There are two things I cannot even begin to imagine: walking for hours every day just to procure enough water for survival... being alone in the world and separated from all your family members... Both of these scenarios are played out in parallel stories in A Long Walk To Water , by Linda Sue Park. Based on a true story, this book is both vivid and moving, and while it may be written with a juvenile audience in mind, it certainly has a message worth reading for adults as well.  Reading about Salva brings this question to mind: how much can one human endure? Salva, a young boy in Southern Sudan, was in school one day when gunfire sounded nearby. It was rebel fighters, and the teacher sent his charges into bush and away from their homes, knowing that the rebels would be invading the villages. Salva fled into the bush and it would be years before he would see his family again. The hardships, losses and starvation that Salva endured while fleeing for his life ar...

I am not good at picking favorites- especially in the world of books- but if I had to make a list of ten of my favorite children's book authors, Robert McCloskey would definitely be right there at the top. Robert McCloskey's books take us back to an era referred to by many as the good old days , and yet they have a timeless quality to them as well that appeals to children of today with their sweet, funny and loveable stories. Who wouldn't love Lentil , the story of a boy who couldn't sing, so he learned to play the harmonica...and ended up saving the day for the town of Alto, Ohio, with his music? As a child, I listened to this book on tape, and now when I read the book I automatically hear the voices and sounds that were used by the man who read the book!  It was that good and memorable!!! Or Blueberries for Sal , where a young girl and her mother go berry picking and meet a mother bear and her cub who are out doing the same! I have always loved...

It is said that you learn something new every day. Well, today I learned that in the language of flowers, or floriography , a peony means anger! Funny, because I am writing in a kitchen scented with peonies and the last emotion I feel toward that lovely vase of blooms on my table is anger! Nor would I consider them a good flower of choice to give to someone I was angry with, so don't get worried if I show up on your doorstep with a vase of peonies!!! So I guess it can be deduced that not all flowers speak the same language! May's book of the month,  A Memory of Violets , by Hazel Gaynor, talked a lot about flowers, and, in particular, showed the contrast between the beauty of flowers and the poverty of the flower sellers of London. I must say that this book never become a favorite. While the history in the story was interesting, and I enjoyed reading about London and the flower sellers during the Victorian Era, I like a book that I can't put down, and...

I was scratching my head over what children's book to post this week when the thought occurred to me that I would just give you a peek at 5 of the most popular books on our shelves these days. Now when I say popular , you must understand that this means two things: 1. Popular is anything you read on an average of one or two times a day. 2. What's popular can change quickly. Especially if the book belongs to the library! This happens to be a benefit if they do, because then if they become too popular , there is such a thing as returning them!!! Probably if this list was about which titles I wished would be popular for my children, it would look a little different, but even in book choices my children have a lot to teach me. Even if the first lesson is patience over the 17th reading... Elasa found  Ripley's Fun Facts & Silly Stories 2   at the library last week and has been reading it and blessing me with little tidbits such as, some clouds weigh as...