The Westing Game

I just finished the Westing Game.  It was good but not great and not one of my top favorites.  I felt it was very confusing and hard to follow.  There were so many characters and they were all intertwined and hard to keep track of.  I like a good mystery, who-done-it, type.  I did enjoy the mystery.  My favorite character was probably Turtle.  She is a super smart stock-savvy ten year old.  She figures it all out and outwits, outlasts and outplays all the adults.  Hey it's the original Survivor.  Good, short read.

Up, Up and Away

I just finished "Twenty-One Balloons" by  William Pène du Bois, published in 1947 and awarded the Newbery Medal  in 1948.  I actually had listened to this on CD with the kids in the car while driving up to Bear Lake last year.  Because of many interruptions in the car, I wanted to read it again.  I had thoroughly enjoyed listening to it but I felt like I missed some of it with all the stopping and starting.  I don't know why kids have to talk to you so much, especially in the car. Anyway, I just finished and I still loved it.  It is a great book.  The imagery is so wonderful and the writing is amazing.  I loved how the descriptions caused such great pictures to appear in my mind.  I wish I was a screen writer so I could make this into a movie.  I think it would be fascinating.  I loved how they had a restaurant-style government, that each family changed their name to a letter of the alphabet, how each house was built after a theme of a country that started with the letter of their name.  The whole idea of balloon travel and the way it is described is, again, I will say, fascinating.  The imagery (I think I need a new word) of the island, as a volcano, and the ground rolling up and down was incredible.  It was entertaining for adults and kids.  I think it would be a good read-aloud for a class.  It is a short, quick read but thoroughly enjoyable.  One of my favorites.

Miss Hickory.... cookoo

Okay, this book was really weird... I can totally picture a Tim Burton animated film.  Let me explain.... Miss Hickory is a "person" made of an apple tree twig for her body, arms, legs, etc.. her head is a hickory nut.  She wears clothes and cans berries.  She starts out the story living in a house made of corn cobs, she talks to crows, her house is taken over by a chipmunk, but crow flies her up to a next and she turns that into a humble abode.  She somehow makes facial expressions even though her face is a hard nut.  She eats somehow even though, again her face and mouth are a nut and her body is a twig.  She also talks to pheasants and cows.  A fawn and a cow become friends.  I wonder where Miss Hickory finds her tiny little mason jars to do her canning.  This book was really short but I just couldn't finish it.  I read about 60 pages and I couldn't get where this story was going.  It eluded, at the beginning, that there was some little girl that had set up her house, and would bring her things, like a stove or a teapot, but then there was no more talk of the girl.  They thought she moved away.  I am all about fantasy, I know Harry Potter isn't real and I really shouldn't wonder how Hedwig can find anyone to deliver a letter. But, that story is all set up with explanation, it's MAGIC!  duh...  But Miss Hickory is just a lady made of a twig and a nut that cans and wears clothes.  It doesn't say it's a magical forest or anything.  I don't know I thought it was weird.

Here is a doll someone had made that LOVED the book.  A little creepy if you ask me, but hey this book was not my cup of tea.  I guess not every book can be a home run (as my Dad would say)

I have decided that if I attempt to read, and don't finish the book, it still counts and I can check it off the list.  I had to get confirmation from my sisters, Lauren and Adrienne on this.  I have on my Bucket List to read all of the Newberry Book Winners, and I didn't know if I didn't finish them if it would count.  They said YES so hallelujah, I don't have to finish the books for them to count.

"The Story of Mankind"

This is the first book to have been awarded the Newberry Medal. It was in the year 1922.  It is literally the story of mankind, the history of the world.  It is interesting, but I cannot quite figure out how this is a children/junior literature book.  It is written in simple terms, but what kid would read 500 pages of this.  I find it very intriguing but, even though I don't want to admit it, I am OLD... I  no longer fit into the junior category.  The author, Loon, has some weird ideas.  I say weird, because they are different than what I believe so maybe I should say different ideas.  The way he describes the Earth "appearing", the way people came to be on the Earth, the story of Jesus... different.  I don't know where he is getting his facts from but the title of the chapter about Jesus is "Joshua of Nazareth... The Story of Joshua of Nazareth, Whom the Greeks called Jesus"  I have never heard of Jesus being called Joshua.  I have asked around and no one else has heard of that either.  So, I am now wondering about some of his other information.  So far I have skipped the chapters on our earliest ancestors (the single cell swimming in the ocean that sprouted legs and "learned" to breathe air), The Setting of the Stage (how the earth was a flaming ball and it burned itself out and then the incessant rains caused cells to take root in the slimy sediments...).  I have read 28 of 77 chapters and some of my favorites have been about the rise and fall of Egypt, the Greeks, Rome vs. Carthage, Mohammed.  I have a long ways to go...400 more pages, but I think I will finish it.  It is pretty easy reading, but not as fun as "Bud, Not Buddy", but I feel like I am learning and relearning some history.

From the bottom up...

So, I requested the three oldest books on the Newberry list.  The first book was from 1922.  I think this is my new plan to read them in sequential order.  I haven't picked them up from the library yet but am anxiously awaiting their arrival. I don't know how I should feel that no one else is requesting these books, I was #1 in line.  I am not letting that cloud my judgement before I even read them.  Hopefully it is not some kind of a sign.

I think I might be the sole survivor... do I win a million dollars?

I don't know if I outwitted, outlasted or outplayed anyone but maybe outread newberry books.  Too bad that doesn't qualify you for anything.

I just read "The Whipping Boy"... very short but a good one.  The premise of the story is quite a barbaric one.  It is illegal to lay a hand on the prince so they have a whipping boy to take his lashings if the prince misbehaves.  The two run off together and have all sorts of problems and realizations.  It wasn't funny like some of the others but I still liked it.

I reread "A Wrinkle in Time"... even though all my sisters said YUCK...once was enough for me on that book.  I remember having my 4th grade teacher read it outloud to us but I didn't remember the book.  I thought it was okay actually but I don't have a desire to read it again.

I listened to "21 balloons" with the kids while we were driving to the cabin.  Loved, this one,and I probalby will get the book and actually read it. There is something to reading the words and visualizing the things in your head.  Listening to it is fun too but I prefer to read.  I loved the clever descriptions and settings the author uses. 

Walk Two Moons...

So, this was Cole's pick and I finished it last weekend. I really liked this one. I loved the Grandma and Grandpa...again, I know I said with the last book that I need to write down the funny stuff because I crack up out loud and then i can't remember exactly what was funny...just that it was funny. The one part that stuck out in my mind was something the Grandma said about her granddaughter's friend's mother. The friend's Mom had two daughters (17 and 13) and she stayed home. She was doing some wacky stuff according to the daughter and seemed to be trying to "take care" of her family still but they were acting like they didn't need her and it was messing wtih her. So the Grandma said that when someone only has two kids it doesn't take up all your time and love so it leaves empty parts of you. I can't remember exactly how she said it but I thought it was something good to think about. We are made to have families...women are made to take care of them and when you don't have someone to take care of it can leave you empty...So wether your kids are grown and gone or you don't have kids or they grow up (like mine) and don't require as much attention (especially during the day when they are at school) it's probably a good idea to occupy your time "taking care" of someone! Yourself, friends, neighbors, students (a shout out for you teachers:) I guess that's a good reason to become really involved in the church, it allows you to serve and fill up any empty spots so we don't get wacky! Anyway, I really loved this book and am curious to see what the rest of you think about it.


I think Alli has the next pick. Cole's b-day is in May and he picked Walk Two Moons, so with a June b-day she will be next!

Happy Reading!

I also found a winner at the DI the other day...I usually am browsing for kids books but Michael Crichton book jumped out at me...it was called A Case of Need. I really liked it too.

A Year Down Yonder

I finished this book a while ago but keep forgetting to post! I love this book. It was a fun read. My favorite character was the Grandma and her quirky ways of helping people. My favorite was getting people to pay what they really could for the stew and getting the walnuts out of the tree so they could get the walnuts that were on the ground!

Who is supposed to pick next - we will have the next book be for March? Does that give everyone enough time to catch up?

Slacker...

So, the bucket list creator is now the slacker! I still haven't finished Bud, Not Buddy.... I know kids books go fast, but I just need more time to sit down and actually get into the book! I am planning on reading a lot in St. George next weekend- goal: finish Bud, Not Buddy, and A Year Down Yonder (is that it?) Also, what is the next book so I can get crackin?
I know some of you (cough, Lindsay!) have been lovin the reading lately, so here are some suggestions of some other great reads that are not on the Newberry Medals: (they are all kids books cuz that's all I know!)
-Because of Winn Dixie
-The Sister's Grimm
-Princess Academy
-Watsons Go to Birmingham
-Frindle
-Ella Enchanted (stupid movie, awesome book)
-Mrs. Piggle Wiggle :)
Happy Reading!
P.S.- I just saw a FANTASTIC movie that was made from a book that I now have to read because the movie was so so so good! It's called "the secret life of bees"... Has anyone else seen the movie? Or read the book? I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE MOVIE, and I'm sure I'll recommenc the book once I read it!!!

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Toulane

I just finished this book today, and no, it is not a Newbery book or it wasn't on the "list" of books to read, but I read it anyway. It was really good. The story was short, but had a lot of deep meaning. I highly recommend it.