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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Ansel Adams in Color

by Carol8 Comments
Ansel Adams in Color edited by Harry M. Callahan with John P. Schaefer and Andrea G. Stillman I'm sure most everyone in America is familiar with Ansel Adams' work, whether they recognize it as his or not. His gorgeous black and white scenic photographs are simply breathtaking. This book, however, contains a collection of his color images and I think they're beautiful, too. The colors are vivid in some, more subtle in others. However, color in itself has a profound emotional potential.  (pg. 154) This book includes an essay discussing Adams' sometimes conflicting views on color photography and a selection of Adam's writings on the subject in the back. These were fascinating and gave me a better perspective on photography in general and Adams in particular. I also didn't realize that Adams was a pianist, either, which I found particularly interesting. Toward the end of his life, Ansel wrote a letter including some thoughts on color photography. I can truthfully say I can remember...
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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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J is for Jacob

by Carol7 Comments
Vicki of Reading At The Beach hosts A-Z Wednesday. Today's letter is J. I read this book in May of 2008. At the time I wrote, "I honestly couldn't put this book down. I loved it- sex, love, adventure, danger, magic, all rolled into one." Jacob (The Nightwalkers, Book 1) by Jacquelyn Frank Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers——the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer. Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He's heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total...until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York street. Saving her life wasn't in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses...
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Briar Rose by Jane Yolen

by Carol13 Comments
Briar Rose by Jane Yolen Becca has been enchanted by her Grandmother Gemma's story of Briar Rose since she was a child. At Gemma's deathbed, Becca makes a promise to her, a promise leads Becca to Poland, discovering Gemma's past and the truth behind Gemma's claim to be Briar Rose. "That castle is yours. It is all I have to leave you. You must find it. The castle in the sleeping woods. Promise me." (pg. 19) This is a powerful, touching retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story. Before reading it, I couldn't imagine how Yolen would connect the fairy tale with the Holocaust, but the wall of thorns becomes barbed wire, the prince has a real-life counterpart and the truth of the sleeping spell is a horrible reality. I shy away from Holocaust literature in general. I'm always worried that it will be too depressing, although so many of the stories, like Briar Rose, end in redemption and  hope. Gemma, as the princess, is...
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Teaser Tuesday

by Carol13 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: I took my leap when my friend told me, "If it was all about stability, you wouldn't need faith." Your dreams might be different now than when you were a kid, but they're still there, waiting to be believed in. -pg. 96, Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd with Laurie Kilmartin Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along....
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