Writings, Wanderings

Four more books made it to my finished list this month. Unfortunately my read for my book club did not make this list. I have stalled out about halfway through it at the moment but am determined to finish it some time in March... My first completed read for February then was  Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich. I'm really enjoying this part of the series and Stephanie's adventures. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles, so I like that things with Morelli seem to be settling. Hidden Love by Cara Putnam. With geocaching as the background, this novella mixed elements of romance and suspense. While it did feel too short and not as fully-fleshed out as I would have liked, it is the best geocaching story I've read so far. Sweetly Seeking  by Sarah Dickey is a physically gorgeous book. The pages were gorgeous with their mixing of photographs and design elements. The message was inspirational but at times began to feel repetitive. And Then You Die of Dysente...

My top two non-children book reads for January were For Everyone by Jason Reynolds and The Girls by Abigail Pesta. For Everyone is a poetry book that takes an honest look at life. I gave it 5 stars and its own blog entry . The Girls by Abigail Pesta. Wow, this was a tough one, but I do not regret one bit picking it up from the local library. I have loved watching gymnastics my whole life, even did a two-month stint back in elementary school at the local Y on the four apparatus that female gymnasts conquer. The unfolding of the abuse scandal over the last few years has been gut-wrenching. I hate what these young woman have been through but applaud their courage in standing up and testifying. This book documents many of their stories. The focus in on the girls not their abuser nor the system that protected him. Yes, he is a character but the protagonists are the women and the events they chose to share, some of them for the first time with the public. I believe the author h...

For Everyone  by Jason Reynolds This book really resonated with me. As an adult you're expected to have it all together and yet there are those moments where to paraphrase a popular meme, you find yourself looking around for a more adultier adult. Other days you just don't feel as though you are where to want to be. And some days, you simply feel lost. This collection of poems addresses these emotions in honest, reflective verses. I felt like I was part of a conversation as I paged through the four parts of the book, the words pulling me along. One of my favorite segments was when he talked about how creativity was for everyone, not just the typical artists. Jason's words were encouraging and also motivating. The writing wasn't just to make you feel ok about where you were in life but to keep moving forward, no matter the stage or walk you were in. I recommend this book "for everyone" but especially anyone who's searching for the n...

Three more children's books with activities to share!  If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle was a delightful read that I highly recommend for any mid-elementary kid. It has a nice pattern to the words, and I love how it hits on so many mythological creatures across the world. Make sure to turn to the last page for a fun surprise. This book lends itself to a variety of activities including more in-depth research on lesser-known creatures mentioned or brainstorming other problems to go along with a specific mythological pet. (Could you imagine taking a unicorn to the veterinarian for a check-up?) A Song in Bethlehem took a unique look at the night of the Christ Child's birth. It had lovely illustrations that mixed the ethereal and the realistic. This book would work well for a read-together in early elementary or even a read-alone if the child has good reading skills. The story connects to music, so an extension activity could be to sing favorite Christmas carols o...