Review: Jamie O’Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola

by Carol1 Comment
(Suggested age range: 3 - 1st grade) I have to take a stack of books back to the library tomorrow, and as I was putting them in the car, I ran across this one. I read it several weeks ago, not long after St. Patrick's Day, but just never got around to posting any comments. To be honest, I tend to really like dePaola's books, but this one was just okay. The illustrations are his usual delightful, colorful, homespun style, but the story didn't charm me. Jamie O'Rourke is lazy, period. His wife does all the work around the house and in the garden until she hurts her back and is laid up. Jamie is sure he'll starve to death with his wife unable to get out of bed. Instead he stumbles across a leprechaun and catches him. The leprechaun talks Jamie out of taking the gold, and instead gives him a seed that is guaranteed to grow into the biggest potato in...
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Teaser from Caught by Harlan Coben

by Carol9 Comments
"Am I missing something?" she asked. "Like I said before." Grayson tossed the cigarette and never broke stride. "You don't have a clue." (pg. 212, Caught by Harlan Coben) Hopefully I'll have a review for this one up sometime in the next few days. Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along. The rules are easy and I only cheated a little. Grab your current read, open to a random page, and give us two teaser sentences. Remember, no spoilers. I borrowed my copy from the library....
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Short Story Monday: The Making of Mac’s by P. G. Wodehouse

by Carol5 Comments
"The Making of Mac's" by P. G. Wodehouse is a short story that made me smile. Mac's restaurant in Soho is popular, despite a lack of advertising and it being off the beaten track. The narrator learns that the head-waiter, Henry, had been at the restaurant since the beginning and asks Henry to tell him what gave the restaurant its start. Henry tells of Old Mr. MacFarland who started the restaurant, but died leaving a college-aged son, Andy, and adopted daughter, Katie. Andy comes home and takes over the restaurant, but shortly after Katie announces that she is going to dance on the stage. Andy forbids her, but she tells him good-bye and pursues her dream. She's a success and starts to bring the theater crowd to the restaurant for dinner in the evening, even though Andy totally ignores her. Mac's chef is delighted with the rush and cooks delicious food for them; Henry and his waiters provide excellent service; the...
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Review: Muppet Robin Hood by Tim Beedle

by Carol5 Comments
(Suggested reading level: Grades 4 and up) I actually learned one thing from this comic- I need to read Robin Hood. Apparently all I actually know about Robin Hood comes from cultural references and the Disney movie where Robin Hood is a fox. Of course, I'd like to see that movie again too. I wonder if our library has it. Anyway, the story was cute enough. Robin is of course Kermit and the merry men are an odd assortment of Muppets. Maid Marian could be none other than Miss Piggy. It's fun, but not my favorite of the Muppet graphic novels I've read. The art in this one, done by Armand Villavert, Jr., just wasn't my cup of tea. Some of the characters, especially Gonzo and Sam the Eagle, just didn't look right to me. It was an enjoyable read though. And I do love the Muppets. Muppet Graphic Novel 112 pages Published 2009 3 out of 5 stars Purchase at Amazon or an Indie bookstore. I borrowed...
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Complete: Fairy Tale Challenge

by Carol5 Comments
So, I've completed Tif's Fairy Tale Challenge. Here's the list of what I read/saw, but I'll definitely be sharing more fairy tales during my Friday posts. I'm hooked. "The Ice Maiden" by Hans Christian Andersen The Ballad of Belle Dorcas by William H. Hooks "Vasilissa the Beautiful" retold by Post Wheeler "Bearskin" by The Brothers Grimm "The Story of the Three Little Pigs" by Joseph Jacobs "The Gingerbread Man" "Beauty and the Beast" by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont "The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill" told by James Stephens Red Riding Hood (2011) "The Sea-Maiden" by Joseph Jacobs Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, translated by Malcolm Arthur "The Pedlar of Swaffham" by Joseph Jacobs...
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