Strega Nona’s Harvest by Tomie dePaola

by Carol3 Comments
Strega Nona's Harvest by Tomie dePaola (Reading Level: Ages 4-8) Who doesn't love Strega Nona? This story begins in spring when Strega Nona plants her garden. O Bella Luna, smile on me, And on the seeds I sow, And let the moonbeams shine from thee, To make my garden grow. Big Anthony plants a garden, too, but keeps it a secret. He wants to prove that he can do something right, but of course his plan goes awry. At harvest, both gardens provide a bounty, although Anthony's vegetables are a little harder to pick. In the end, Strega Nona shares their harvest with the entire village. Amber (9) and I found the story is delightful and the illustrations charming. A touch of magic, being together with family and friends, the spirit of helping and sharing make this a wonderful book to read aloud with a child, especially at this time of year. My copy was borrowed from the library and the above is my honest opinion. I am an...
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Mailbox Monday and Library Loot

by Carol8 Comments
Thanks to Marcia at The Printed Page for hosting Mailbox Monday. I got one book in the mail this week, which I won in a giveaway. Whom God Would Destroy by Commander Pants (Thanks, Michele!) I picked up a couple of seasonal childrens books at the library this past week,too. Library Loot is co-hosted by Eva and Marg. Strega Nona's Harvest by Tomie dePaola Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson What books found their way to your house?...
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Winners!

by Carol3 Comments
Congrats! You won Permission Slips by Sherri Shepherd. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. a real librarian blueviolet Melissa Dawn M. Deidre I will be e-mailing you all tonight or tomorrow. I just need your mailing address to pass on to the publisher. My copy was provided by the publisher for review. I am an Amazon Associate....
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Game Night – Abalone

by Carol2 Comments
Abalone Designers: Michel Lalet, Laurent Levi Manufacturers: FoxMind Games Year: 1999 Players: 2 Time: 30 minutes Ages: 8 and up I played this last weekend with my brother and sister-in-law. I had honestly forgotten how much I enjoy this game. Of course, it helps that I won. Basically each player has a set of marbles and they take turns pushing the marbles around the board. The goal is to push six of your opponent marbles off.  But there is a catch. It takes two marbles to move one, and three to move two. With six possible directions, it's difficult to defend yourself perfectly. This is a fun game that I wish I played more often. It's a balance between being of the offensive and making sure your troops aren't separated too much. My husband's not a fan. He doesn't like other people pushing his marbles around, which is the whole point of the game. It's a very easy game to learn, with only a couple...
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Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

by Carol6 Comments
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley I think this is the first time I've actually sat down and read Frankenstein, but I had the story all mixed up in my mind with the various movie interpretations I've seen, either whole or in part. I didn't even know that it was a story being told by Frankenstein to a ship captain, and that part of that story had been told to Frankenstein by the monster himself. Captain Robert Walton, who is on a voyage of discovery in the North Polar Seas, takes on board his ship a man who is on the verge of death. This man is Victor Frankenstein and before his death he tells Walton his whole, unbelievable story. Frankenstein relates to Walton that, as a student, he became passionate about the natural sciences. So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein,—more, far more, will I achieve: treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers, and...
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