Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant [and] Scranimals by Jack Prelutsky

5 stars (each)

Like Stardines, these books of poetry combine animals and objects and hilarity ensues.

All of my kids have really enjoyed both of these titles.

Scranimals is a touch long for the younger crowd and overall they are both better for preschool/elementary kids rather than toddlers.

Really really entertaining, though.

I would say these are a good recommendation for a reluctant reader. :)

Random Musings and Lots of Links

First off, have you read this piece by Alice Walker's daughter??
How my mother's fanatical views tore us apart- Rebecca Walker

If you haven't, I highly recommend it. I found it very interesting, especially seeing it so soon after finishing Family Secrets, which talks a lot about movements like the more extreme feminism and the idea that the nuclear family had become obsolete.
What a strong women to be able to overcome that kind of an upbringing and learn the value of motherhood!


Second, you may or may not know- I have clinical depression and anxiety.  It's something that I've learned to be really open about... and yet still don't necessarily talk about.
Anyway, I came across a couple of posts recently that I think are just dead on (no suicidal puns intended there) and wanted to share them:
Adventures in Depression (Hyperbole and a half)
Depression, Part 2 (Hyperbole and a half)

Now, just in case you're concerned, this is not a cry for help.  I'm actually amazing healthy right now. But I haven't always been.  And I probably won't always be.  And what she says is just so true... so real... so accurate.

Hmmm, so I'm realizing now that this could be kind of a depressing post...  so here's a couple of links to the pinterest boards where I post funny stuff... just to lighten the mood. ;)

Makes Me Smile

Queen of My Own Little Nerd-dom

Family Secrets: Shame and Privacy in Modern Britain by Deborah Cohen

(Copy received for review)

5 stars
nonfiction

Oh my gosh.  This may be the most fascinating and compelling work of nonfiction I have read.  Possibly ever.

Combining history and psychology, this work takes us through various areas where families have felt compelled to keep secrets and why.  And how it's all changed.

I almost didn't take this one when offered a review copy and I am sooooo glad I decided to read it.

I read it in just a couple of days, which is impressive since usually nonfiction is a much slower process for me than fiction.

I've read some reviews that pointed out the epilogue (about genealogy) and saying that it felt tacked on... like it didn't fit, but I disagree.  I think it was the perfect continuation.

Maybe it's just because we Mormons are a little obsessed with genealogy, but I thought it felt very natural to take the book there.

Overall- read it.  Period.  Now.

Princess Academy [and] Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale

5 stars each
YF

Princess Academy:
I read this years ago and thought I'd reviewed it, but apparently I read it before starting this blog!
Anyway, I reread it to remind myself about the characters before reading the sequel.
And once again I quite liked it.  It's a great story with fun characters.
It's cute.
I wish Boo would stop being a booger about things that I recommend and just read it, but whatever.
Highly recommended.

Palace of Stone:
This one I struggled with at the beginning.  I wasn't feeling it.  I didn't know that I wanted to deal with the political aspect.
My friend promised it got better.
And it did.
In fact, I almost think this one was a stronger novel.  A stronger story.
I really enjoyed it.

Overall- BOTH are totally recommended.  Read them in order though. :)

Let's Go For a Drive by Mo Willems

5 stars

We all know how I feel about Mo Willems.

Okay, maybe if you're new to the blog you don't.  Just a quick recap for you, then: THE MAN IS A FREAKIN' GENIUS.

There.

So, this new Elephant and Piggie book certainly does not disappoint!  Oh my gosh, so funny!!

You need lots of things to go for a drive....

Like a car.  LOL

But, **spoiler alert** a pig with a car? That would just be silly!

Awesome.

We need to buy this one, I think.

Notes of a Tourist on Planet Earth by JD Smith

Copy received for review

3 stars
R-4

This one was actually hard to rate.  It's a little book made up of poems, essays, stories, etc... and some totally deserve 5 stars... and others I didn't get.

And I didn't read the one on bestiality.

So yeah, definitely a lot of "adult content" though the one about visiting a dominatrix was actually a) not really dirty and b) really kind of interesting.

The section of stories people have told him in his travels felt confusing because there's no context.  And they're written in the first person.  So that just threw me off a bit.

My favorite page, hands down, was "Rejected Menu Item Proposals for Disney World".  Hilarious.

And what were the proposals? you ask.

Crab Sebastian

Hakuna Frittata (I LOVE that one.  Too funny.)

Jasmine Rice

Pocahummus (I also really love that one.)

Mickey Mousse (They should totally name a dessert Mickey Mousse!)

The other odd thing about this little volume-- I actually had to look up words.  I never have to look up words.

Granted one that I looked up also had dictionary.com stumped, so I still don't quite know what that was all about.

Overall, it was a mixed bag for me.

Once Upon a Baby Brother by Sarah Sullivan

4 stars

This is a cute book, especially for a child having a hard time adjusting to a new sibling.

The little girl is upset when her baby brother starts ruining everything... and she's thrilled that he'll be gone for a while...
but then finds that it's just not the same without him!

Told with interspersed stories by the little girl, this book is just really really adorable.