if I had a dog...

Dog by Nat Johnson.

If I had a dog, I'd call him to me
And we would forget about work and everything.
And I would run, and he would run.
And I would call, and he would come.

If I had a dog, I'd tell him my name
And we would forget about money and everything.
And I would throw, and he would go.
And I would talk, and he would know…

It's important to walk;
There are friends yet to meet.
My dog says forget about it.
My dog says let's run in the woods.

I will run, and he will run.
I will call, and he will come.

Such a lovely sentiment. Have you ever loved a dog? Has a dog ever loved you?

Help a person find a dog, or a dog find a person… Donate to the Idaho Humane Society.

women have always been ingenious

Do the girls you know tinker? Are they builders and thinkers and creators? Then, have I got the book for you…

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women written by Cathering Thimmesh and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

This clever, compelling book shows that women have always been inventors whether out of necessity or curiosity or sheer will to get something done; women have always been ingenious.

This book opens up the amazing stories of women and their influence on society. It ends by encouraging girls to follow their dreams and ideas.

I loved this book. First, because it was a kind gift from a friend. Second, because it included Grace Murray Hopper who I love. And third, because it also includes my favorite Grace Hopper quote:

“It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.”

Buy this book for the girls you know, because it should be reinforced that we don't always need permission. Reject the idea of being picked: pick yourself. There are problems to be solved. Get to work. 

pick your poison

"To sell a book, you need a description on the back. So here's mine: My name is Fiona Loomis. I was born on August 11, 1977. I am recording this message on the morning of October 13, 1989. Today I am thirteen years old. Not a day older. Not a day younger."

The Riverman by Aaron Starmer is the first book in a three book series. It's about alternate worlds, a magical land called Aquavania, where the villain is The Riverman. It's about what we think is real and what we think is imaginary. And…when given the chance to create anything, would you recreate the reality you know?

It's dark and creepy, and teens will get more out of it than middle grade readers.

Our narrator, Alistair Cleary 'pens' Fiona's fantastical tale. Alistair comes to the conclusion that Fiona is attempting to cope with her deranged Uncle, who rumor has it has returned from the war a bit damaged. Also, Alistair sees the Riverman as not only a physical person threatening Fiona but as a metaphor for those who take that which we most need in our lives. Happiness? Love? Friendship? Pick your poison.

The book takes place over the course of 6 weeks (and, as a twist, also several years).

I am looking forward to book 2. Although, The Riverman, stands on its own just fine.

Classic Lemony Snicket

I have been listening to Lemony Snicket's new audiobook, File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents.  

I don't usually listen to audiobooks, but this book is read by an all-star cast of 13 suspicious and talented people: Ira Glass, Sarah Vowel, Terry Gross, Rachel Maddow, Chris Kluwe, and Libba Bray to name a few.

For security reasons, the conclusions to the mysterious incidents are separated from each story (report). This way, it is impossible for the conclusion and the report to be in the same place at once.

Classic secret organization stuff.

Lemony Snicket, aka Daniel Handler, has some of the best word play and off beat humor. His wit is so charming and clever. We are big fans.

When Harry and Victoria got to meet Daniel Handler, Harry handed his book "All The Wrong Questions" over to be signed. 

"It's so nice that you brought your wife with you tonight," Mr. Handler said to Harry. 

"She's my sister, Victoria," Harry interjected.

"You married your sister?!" Mr. Handler exclaimed.

Classic Lemony Snicket :)

the best friends lie just beyond our imagination

So, I got this lovely picture book the other day: The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat. Dan Santat is one of those awesome authors who is also an amazing illustrator. You should follow him on twitter @dsantat

The art is as magical as the story.

If you were an imaginary friend waiting to be imagined… would you have the courage to do the unimaginable? Could you venture forth on your own?

"Sometimes the best friends lie just beyond our imagination."

Beekle, is a beautiful story of friendship, and an affirmation that you need to be a friend to have a friend.

Be sure to watch the book trailer on YouTube.

I'm willing to do the unimaginable and give away my copy of Beekle. Leave a note in the comments, and I'll pick a winner on Monday, April 14th.

a spirit of resistance

Yesterday I read Hidden by Loïc Dauvillier,  with art by Marc Lizano and Greg Salsedo.

It's a difficult subject covered in a way that only a graphic novel can do… amazing.

Get this book for the children you know.

A grandmother tells her granddaughter the story of how, as a young Jewish girl in Paris, she was hidden away from the Nazis.

It's a child's story of the Holocaust.

It includes best friends…

And unfairness…

And confusion…

But it also shows the good in people. It shows how brave people rejected racism and hatred, and formed networks of resistance that saved eighty-four percent of the Jewish children living in France. 

Be sure to read the 'Afterword'. It ends with:

We hope that Dounia's story will inspire young people to fight against injustice and abuse of power and keep alive a spirit of resistance, so that our world will never again see a holocaust like the one that lead to the murder of 11,400 French children during the Second World War.

the beauty of narration

I just read Half Bad by Sally Green. It is the first book in a three book series.

It's a book that a lot of young adult readers will love. Here's the jacket summary:

In modern-day England, witches live alongside humans: White witches, who are good; Black witches, who are evil; and fifteen-year-old Nathan, who is both. Nathan’s father is the world’s most powerful and cruel Black witch, and his mother is dead. He is hunted from all sides. Trapped in a cage, beaten and handcuffed, Nathan must escape before his sixteenth birthday, at which point he will receive three gifts from his father and come into his own as a witch—or else he will die. But how can Nathan find his father when his every action is tracked, when there is no one safe to trust—not even family, not even the girl he loves?

It was an exciting story, filled with action. But the part I found most fascinating was the narration. Part One of the story is told in second person narration (You), and Part Two of the story is told in first person. From there it alternates. Part One, in second person narration, was a great way to grab the reader. Very clever!

The story leads us down the path of fear and prejudice, showing us that violence does not always have a point. That even though the White witches believe themselves to be good, they are still capable of horrible acts.

Young adults will love the coming-of-age story of Nathan, a boy who must grow up as an outsider and learn to survive the best way he can. And despite what Nathan has been told his whole life, there is never anything as simple as "good" and "evil".