The Runaway Mummy by Michael Rex

by Carol4 Comments
The Runaway Mummy by Michael Rex When a little mummy gets in trouble, he begins an imaginary game of chase with his mother. When her child becomes a serpent, gargoyle, or huge bat, the mother becomes the sea monster, dragon, or ancient cathedral necessary to be with her child. Only when the little mummy becomes a boy (actually a bunny) who takes karate and learns to play piano does his mother have to use her most savage, awful, terrible, bloodcurdling shriek to save him. Amber (9) and I read this adorable picture book last night. It's a little young for her, but perfect for the season and she liked it, especially the great illustrations. A dragon, a sea monster, a giant bat, how could she resist? The creatures the two mummies imagine themselves as are a little on the scary side, but bright, colorful and fun. It's a perfect Halloween book for the younger set. Even a mummy's mommy loves him, no...
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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

by Carol10 Comments
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis I don't know how many times I've read this book. My copy is from a box set that was bought sometime in the 80s, but this is the first time Amber (9) and I have read it together. The story is always magical. Four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, are sent to a Professor's house in order to avoid the London bombings. While there, they discover a wardrobe that leads to the land of Narnia, which is under the spell of the White Witch. She make sure it always winter in Narnia, but never Christmas. The four children help the mysterious, powerful Aslan defeat the Witch and bring spring to Narnia. They then become kings and queens, fulfilling an ancient prophecy. There is a lot of Christian symbolism throughout the story, which I enjoy and appreciate more, I imagine, as an adult than I did when I was younger. Amber recognizes...
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol9 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: "He'll put all to rights as it says in an old rhyme in these parts:— Wrong will be right when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death And when he shakes his mane we shall have spring again. You'll understand when you see him." -pg. 74, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. My copy is from a box set purchased in the 70s or 80s. I am an Amazon Associate....
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Dan and Judith Greenburg

by Carol2 Comments
Each year, Amber's school has an author come visit to talk about their books and about being a writer. They do assemblies for each of the elementary schools in the district and then have an evening program for the kids, parents, and friends. This year the guest authors were Dan and Judith Greenburg and we headed over to school last night to hear their presentation and have some refreshments. No photos, because Amber wouldn't let me. Sorry. Dan Greenburg is the author of The Zack Files (the main character is loosely based on his son), and he discussed how he came to write children's book. It sounded like a long path, from being in art school, to selling pieces to Esquire, to working in an advertising company. Eventually, he decided that writing is what he loved and he could actually make a career of it. I guess during his talk at the assembly earlier that day, he had also told the...
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Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains by Dawn Mende

by Carol3 Comments
Queen Vernita Visits the Blue Ice Mountains by Dawn Menge, illustrations by Bobbi Switzer Queen Vernita is visiting the Blue Ice Mountains and each month she invites a different friend to join her. She and her friend then spend the month doing special things together. Amber and I were actually pleasantly surprised by this book. First the illustrations are bright and charming, but beyond that the book does teach a lot. It covers the months of the year, how many days are in each month and the days of the week. For us, though, the highlight was how much we learned about plants and animals from such a short, simple little book. It could be a great "interest sparker," encouraging a child or parent to want to learn more about some of the subjects, like whales, wildflowers, or the aurora borealis. It was educational, but in a fun way. "The whales are so huge and magnificent. Isn't nature incredible?" exclaimed Judy. "I could...
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Charlie and Mama Kyna by Diana Rumjahn

by Carol3 Comments
Charlie and Mama Kyna by Diana Rumjahn This cute story starts when Charlie, an adorable frog, breaks his mom's favorite vase. Instead of telling his mom, he runs away. He meets Leo, a lion, and Joe, a giraffe, and the three of them live in a tent outside a bakery. Eventually Charlie decides that he wants to go back  home and his new friends accompnay him on the journey. When they get back to Charlie's house, his mom, Mama Kyna, is thrilled to see them and invites the two friends to live with them, too. Of course, they all celebrate and in the end Charlie promises never to run away again. This delightful book is geared for kids ages 3-8. Amber, my daughter who is 9, said it would be good for younger kids even though she found it a little boring. The book itself is a sweet story, but it felt disjointed at times. It touches on some good lessons, like...
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