a pathway into empathy

John Green talks about reading. Awesome!

Summer Reading for Book Enthusiasts

Today I read an article posted on NPR's Monkey See Blog: The Muscle-Flexing, Mind-Blowing Book Girls Will Inherit The Earth by Linda Holmes. I have been trying to compile a Summer Reading List worthy of #WeNeedDiverseBooks and this was just the push I needed.

I'm not sure I like the term Book Girls… as many of the Book Girls traits are not limited to a specific gender. I prefer the term Book Enthusiasts or Book Aficionados.

It's awesome that these Book Enthusiasts have created a market and community for what they love, and that they take their passions to heart.

So, to all those #WeNeedDiverseBooks fans out there, here's a summer reading list to ponder.

The Best Book In The World by Rilla Alexander may be the perfect gift for all Book Enthusiasts. (pre-order)

If you found the best book in the world, would you stop reading? Could you stop reading? If you had homework to do, or dinner to get through, could you put the book down? On a train to the zoo or on a flight to Kalamazoo, would that break the spell? If in a forest you walked, while scary monsters stalked… would that be enough? If every animal in the land were to be led by a big band, in a grand parade in your honour made… would you put the book down?

What could possibly be so good about a book? Well, open me up and find out for yourself!

Alexander’s superb artwork makes this an unforgettable and magical tale that encourages children to read. The Best Book in the World draws young readers into the richly rewarding world of books.

The List below advances from Middle Grade up through Young Adult. Here are some favorites to look forward to reading this summer …


The Return of Zita The Space Girl by Ben Hatke

HeroBear and the Kid by Mike Kunkel

The Platypus Police Squad: The Ostrich Conspiracy by Jarrett J Krosoczka

Timmy Failure: Now Look What You've Done by Stephen Pastis

Flora and Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Mountain Dog by Margarita Engle

Goblins by Philip Reeve

Scary Tales: Home Sweet Horror by James Preller

Hokey Pokey by Jerry Spinelli

The Witch's Curse by Keith McGowan (a great read aloud)

Penelope Crumb Never Forgets by Shawn K Stout

The Weight of Water by Sarah Crossman

The Misadventures of the Magician's Dog by Frances Sackett

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

The Last Wild by Piers Torday

Thickety by J.A. White

Threatened by Eliot Schrefer

Arlene, The Rebel Queen by Carol Liu with Marybeth Sidoti Caldarone

Courageous Women Rebels by Joy Crysdale

Peace Warriors by Andrea Davis Pinkney

Be A Wilderness Detective by Peggy Kochanoff

Ouch! By Joe Rhatigan

Spending Spree by Cynthia Overbeck Bix

World War II Spies by Sean Stewart Price

Our Rights: How Kids Are Changing The World by Janet Wilson

A History of Just About Everything by Elizabeth MacLeod and Frieda Wishinsky

Why Do We Fight: Conflict, War and Peace by Niki Walker

The Dolphins of Shark Bay by Pamela S Turner

Hero on a Bicycle by Shirley Hughes

Tandem by Anna Jarab

Being Henry David by Cal Armistead

The Theory of Everything by Kari Luna

More Than This by Patrick Ness

Eleanor and Park and/or Fangirl and/or Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski

Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington

Fourth Down and Inches by Carla Killough McClafferty

We Were Liars by e. lockhart

The Here and Now by Ann Brashares


Other books to keep an eye on:

The Fall by Bethany Griffin a psychological thriller and a remaining of Edgar Allan Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. Due out in the fall of 2014

Beware The Wild by Natalie C Parker this debut novel looks like a scary, mysterious, swoon-worthy romance.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab won't be released until February of 2015, but I already have my pre-order in. The ability to travel between parallel universes sounds amazing.

The Adjacent by Christopher Priest is a book where history and fiction intersect.

And, because you've surely already read The Fault In Our Stars by John Green, read Paper Towns this summer.

And, because it is so good… you should read the adult novel, All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. If you are under 16, just skip the chapter entitled Berlin. You will love this book!

I wish you a summer 

filled with Happy Reading!

Summer Reading

For those who have asked…

I am working on a Summer Reading List.

It should be up shortly.

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 :)