Game Night- Tigris & Euphrates

by Carol1 Comment
Tigris & Euphrates Designer: Reiner Knizia Manufacturer: Mayfair Games Artist: Stephen Graham Walsh Year: 2008 Players: 3 - 4 Time: 60 - 120 minutes Ages: 12 and up Step back to the dawn of recorded time. Take command of a young dynasty in fertile Mesopotamia. Here, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, lies the cradle of civilization. Here, as the Bible tells, rose man's first cities: Ur, Nineveh, and fair Babylon. The game of Tigris & Euphrates lets you play a part in the epic saga of the rise of these great urban centers. Your dynasty struggles to develop and control the most vibrant culture in the rich land between the two rivers. Create the best balance between markets, temples, settlements, and farms, as you and your people try to forge your own new civilization and dominate the storied valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates. My thoughts: I would consider this one of the newer classic board games. You have four different leaders: farming, trading, religion, and government, each a different...
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Giveaways in Blogland

by Carol2 Comments
I thought I’d let you know some of the giveaways I ran across this week. As always, my current giveaways are listed on my sidebar and make sure you check out West of Mars- Win a Book! where there's always a ton of links to great contests, interviews and guest posts. The White Queen by Philippa Gregory, at Melody's Reading Corner (ends August 17, International) The Crowning Glory of Cally Lily Ponder by Rebecca Wells, at She Is Too Fond of Books (ends August 21, US and Canada) Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink, at Pure Imagination (ends August 25) Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz by Belinda Acosta, at Drey's Library (ends August 27, US and Canada, no PO boxes) Damas, Dramas and Ana Ruiz by Belinda Acosta, at Peeking Between the Pages (ends August 30, US and Canada, no PO boxes) 360 Degrees Longitude by John Higham, at Book Blab (emds September 1, US and Canada) The Only Alien on the Planet by Kristin D....
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Book Blogger Appreciation Week Meme

by Carol4 Comments
My Friend Amy put together a short BBAW meme. Since this my first year joining in, I'm answering the questions for new participants. 1)  What has been one of the highlights of blogging for you? Just joining this great community of readers is the highlight for me. I had no clue when I started my blog how many wonderful people I would "meet" and I love sharing my thoughts on books with people who actually care. 2)  What blogger has helped you out with your blog by answering questions, linking to you, or inspiring you? Kathy, from Bermudaonion's Weblog, is so great at commenting. In the beginning, especially, it was nice to know that people were actually reading what I wrote. 3)  What one question do you have about BBAW that someone who participated last year could answer? I don't really know enough yet to think of any good questions. I may come back to this one....
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Update- Wally the Walking Fish by Gary Lamit

by Carol1 Comment
If you read my review of Wally the Walking Fish Meets Madison and Copper by Gary Lamit the other day, you'll know that I mentioned it was sometimes confusing to know immediately who was speaking. It was a drawback in a book that was perfect to be read aloud to younger children. I'm one of those goofy adults who changes her voice a little with the different characters, and it's tough to do if you don't immediately know which character you're supposed to be. Anyway, following my review, I received a comment and e-mail from the author. I'm sharing the e-mail with his permission. Hello Carol,   I took your and another reviewer's criticism to heart and reworked the book to have an identifier before all lines of dialog.   Since the book is self-published through BookSurge I have the luxury of quickily adding these to the book.   All printed copies will immediately be printed with the update since they are print on demand and there...
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Extreme Animals by Nicola Davies

by CarolNo Comments
Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Neal Layton Are you ready for the competition? From the persevering emperor penguins of the South Pole to the brave bacteria inside bubbling volcanoes, from the hardy reptiles of the driest deserts to the squash-proof creatures of the deepest seabeds, animals have adapted to survive in conditions that would kill a human faster than you can say "coffin." Discover how they do it in this amazing natural history book from a celebrated team — and find out who wins the title of the toughtest animal of them all! My thoughts: Amber and I have been reading a lot of shorter books in the evening lately, ones from her shelves, like this one, which is why I've had several kids books reviews lately. Don't worry, I do still read "adult" ones. I've got at least one review scheduled for part of a blog tour next week and will hopefully finish a couple other...
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Wally the Walking Fish by Gary Lamit

by Carol3 Comments
Wally the Walking Fish Meets Madison and Cooper by Gary Lamit From the back: Get ready for fun and laughter as three very unusual friends seek adventure, in education Gary Lamit's Wally the Walking Fish Meets Madison and Cooper. Madison is a pig-tailed little girl and one day, she  and her huge, hungry , yellow lab named Cooper discover a marvel at the local pond: a walking fish! They've never heard of a walking fish, but even more wonderful, this critter is also a talking fish whose name is Wally! As the group explores their pond, dunes, and forest they all begin to understand the world around them a little better.  My thoughts: This is a cute little story about three friends learning about the natural world around them. The fantasy aspect of talking animals is great for kids. Amber and I loved the dog, who was always hungry and grumbling about it. The pastel illustrations are beautifully done and go with the text perfectly. I also like the...
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