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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