Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Knuffle Bunny Free
Thank you for your Knuffle Bunny books. Tonight when we read Knuffle Bunny Free we were sad and mad. We can't believe Knuffle Bunny is over. We can't believe Trixie gave her prized Knuffle away. We are mourning in our household, while still enjoying the final book in this series. Please keep writing such wonderful books!
Big Sister, Middle Sister, and Little Sister
When I stopped by Barnes and Noble today I couldn't resist picking up Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems. I loved Knuffle Bunny when it first came out and read and re-read it to my oldest daughter who quickly memorized it and read it herself repeatedly. The second book offered up more entertainment. As did the stuffed Knuffle Bunnies we bought. And now, this third book has summed everything up quite nicely. Readers will still appreciate Mo's awesome photography with artwork on top, still enjoy the love Trixie feels for Knuffle Bunny, her stuffed animal she has grown up with, and will appreciate that Trixie is truly growing up, and perhaps is not quite as reliant on Knuffle.
We read Knuffle Bunny Free just one time tonight. My oldest daughter, who has grown up with Trixie, and invested the most time in the Knuffle Bunny books had a hard time with the way things ended. She still sleeps with "Puppy," a gift given to her on the day her little sister was born, and has a deep understanding of what Knuffle meant to Trixie. Right now she isn't happy with Mo. However, she did take Knuffle Bunny Free to bed with her - probably to read again and look things over more slowly and with more attention than we can when I am reading aloud to three children.
While I am sad that this is it for Knuffle Bunny and Trixie, I love, love, love these three books, and recognize Knuffle Bunny as the book that first turned me on to Mo Willems' work. I can read and re-read these books to my own children, or my students at school, and know immediately that they will love them, too. We have been awaiting the publication of Knuffle Bunny Free for a while - and as usual, are happily entertained.
Waiting on Wednesday
Product Description from Amazon:
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Healer
Sunday, September 26, 2010
This Is Where We Live
An Important Reminder
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Bamboo People
Friday Five
I'm always a little late with my Friday Five, but I love reading Kate's post at Kate's Library, so I hope she will forgive my tardiness each and every week!
1. Just this week I started my fifth grade book clubs. As usual, I have one group reading The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis. This always ends up being a huge favorite when we recall books at years' end. My other group is reading The Cay. This is totally different for me, and honestly, if it hadn't been for my friends' endorsements of it, I never would have picked it. My students looked at the cover picture and were not impressed. I can talk until I am blue in the face about not judging a book by it's cover, but I am guilty of it, too, and the cover on our version of The Cay stinks. Anyway, Jim at TeacherNinja has an interesting post on the covers of The Cay that I will have to share with my book club.
2. Pragmatic Mom has a great post about the ten top children's books featuring teachers. I love her choices, but I have a few more I might add.
3. Each Tuesday night my girls have gymnastics. This eats up our entire Tuesday, and I (of course) bring a book along. I hardly ever get to read, though, because someone (the daughter(s) not taking a lesson at that particular time) is always talking to me. This week we discovered a kids sudoku puzzle book. Perfect. And, when I got home, I discovered a great online site. My oldest daughter is all over it, and I am impressed with how much my seven year old gets it, too.
4. Several years ago I knew of and used a wonderful website for book clubs. For the life of me,I could not recall it or find it. Just this morning I happened to be browsing through a book club book I own, Goodbooks Lately by Ellen Moore and Kira Stevens, and found the url. Awesome. I can't wait to explore.
5. Another great article that Pragmatic Mom has posted from the School Library Journal blog is talking about the 2011 Newbery winner candidates. I love looking over these lists, and can add a few more titles to my wish list.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Silencing Sam
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Book Blog Hop
This week's question:
When you write reviews, do you write them as you are reading or wait until you have read the entire book?
I usually try and write my reviews within a day of finishing a book. If I wait much longer, I forget some things, and have usually completed another book that is a bit fresher in my mind. When I type up my monthly list of books that are linked to my blog, I am always kind of amazed at the number of books I don't even write a review on. Usually, even as I am reading, I am also thinking about what I want to say about the book when I blog. Right now I have 2 books I finished and have not yet written about, so we shall see if I end up reviewing them or not. Another book is already underway.
Thanks for hopping by! I can't wait to visit some blogs and find some new to me sites to visit, and books to read.
Ninth Ward
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Fragile
Monday, September 20, 2010
Scaredy-cat, Splat!
Ruby's School Walk
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Sunday Salon
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Stiltsville
Friday, September 17, 2010
For Freedom: The Story of a French Spy
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Still Missing
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday
This week's pick: Cleopatra by Stacy Schiff
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Perfect Reader
Monday, September 13, 2010
Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives
Enshala a female tiger at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is another memorable character, a true queen, who is able to dominate males and is truly a huntress. Lex Salisbury, the CEO of Lowry Park is responsible for the zoo's rise in popularity and status, yet events force a close inspection of the zoo and its safety, leaving Lex to ponder some of the decisions he has made.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Juliet
Friday, September 10, 2010
Seattle Blues
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Blog Hop!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Waiting on Wednesday
Due out October 1, 2010
In Balzo's delightful sixth Maggy Thorsen mystery (after March 2010's From the Grounds Up), Maggy, the co-owner of Uncommon Grounds, a gourmet coffeehouse, which was destroyed during a freak snowstorm, is planning to celebrate the opening of her rebuilt shop at the same time that the town of Brookhills, Wis., dedicates the new Milwaukee commuter-train line. Maggie is pleased with the giant inflatable coffee cup she hired for the occasion, until it accidentally deflates and reveals the body of missing Brookhills event manager JoLynne Penn-Williams sprawled at the bottom. When amateur sleuth Maggy begins to investigate, she's dismayed that clues point to her boyfriend, county sheriff Jake Pavlik, as the killer. Devastating innuendos that Jake has been unfaithful shatter Maggy, but don't prevent her from seeking the truth. As ever, Maggy's wit and wisdom help keep the pages turning through this lighthearted cozy. --Publishers Weekly, 16th August 2010
I have enjoyed the others in this mystery series and am looking forward to this newest installment.