heart Home About Me Contact Reviews Friday Contests heart

Monday, January 31, 2011

Picture book review: Cows Can't Jump

Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman, illustrated by Jason A. Maas

Published: October 19th, 2008 by Jumping Cow Press
Genre: Picture Book / Beginner Reader (what kids use when they're learning to read independently - will sometimes have a "levels" system, but not always)
Binding: Paperback and boardbook (hard cardboard pages, designed for children under 3 - more about this later)
Page Count: Goodreads says 44, but they're not numbered so I'm not sure. That's what the book's website says, too, though, so I'm inclined to believe that.
Part of a series? I don't think so, no.
Amazon link.

Summary (from goodreads): Is it really true that cows can't jump, gorillas can't swim and sloths can't leap? Yes, but discover what these and other animals can do, as they swing, scamper and glide through Cows Can't Jump! In this humorous and inspirational adventure, animals focus on what they do best, comfortably aware they can t do everything, but proud of their own special skills.

Review: I'll admit, I'm a tiny bit conflicted on this one. I think Cows Can't Jump would be a good addition to any growing beginner reader collection, say for someone with a child just learning to read. That's who I would recommend this one for. It works very well as a beginner reader book, with big, active text that would help inspire print awareness, one of the steps of early literacy. The illustrations are great, hilarious at times, and I think kids learning to read would love that.

But as a beginner reader book, I would worry a bit about the use of contractions. The thing about kids who are just learning to read is that they probably haven't figured those out yet. I mean, how do you sound out "can't"? They can be confusing for kids. One of my favourite blogs has a post that goes a little more into depth about this. Compare Elephants Cannot Dance! The book also uses quite a few words that might be new to a young kid, like leap, trample, glide, canter, scurry, and I might worry that the reader would get frustrated at not knowing the words and quit reading. However, vocabulary building is always a good thing. But other than those issues, I think this works well as a beginner reader book.

I would not, however, use this is a Storytime. There isn't enough... story. With only a few words per page, this wouldn't be a good fit for my group. Even with a larger number of pages, it's way too short and there isn't enough of a flow to hold their attention for a long time. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, and it's true of many beginner readers, but it's something I always consider when I'm reading picture books.

My biggest criticism is that I don't really know if this works entirely as a boardbook. I like the boardbook, but I don't think it's the best medium for the story. Boardbooks are generally for children under three and meant to be gnawed on, thrown around and loved before kids are ready for paper picture books. They work best with bold, bright colours, repetition in the prose, sometimes way to interact with the book (textures, holes in the pages, that kind of thing). The shape is also a bit strange... it's long and skinny, and most boardbooks are square and smaller to accommodate small hands.

However, I could be totally wrong in my idea of what makes a good board book. I'll take it to work with me next week and see if it catches the attention of any of the little kids.

One more thing: Part of the summary on goodreads that I omitted is about inspiring and teaching messages and things and I... don't like that. I don't think you need to try and actively teach children messages, especially in picture book. Just tell the story. If there's a lesson, they'll learn it. So this is something that rubs me the wrong way. But that's a personal preference.

All in all, I did enjoy this one despite my issues with a few things and love the illustrations. It's worth checking out, in my opinion, but not one of my favourite books.

(No rating because I don't have a picture book rating system.)

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Friday, January 28, 2011

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! (56)

Fun Friday: Give Me Something to Sing About! is where you guys get to see a song or two I like or that I want to talk about each week. Thanks as always goes to J.J. at Random Musings for help with the title.



Nothing Could Come Between Us by Theory of a Deadman. Older song, but I'm only just discovering it. Enjoy!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (71)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Did you guess the theme last week? Pink covers! Yeah, I'm not deep.

No theme this week, but here are the books I'm waiting on:

Flawless by Lara Chapman - To be released May 10th, 2011

Sarah Burke is just about perfect. She's got killer blue eyes, gorgeous blond hair, and impeccable grades. There's just one tiny-all right, enormous-flaw: her nose. But even that's not so bad. Sarah's got the best best friend and big goals for print journalism fame.

On the first day of senior year, Rock Conway walks into her journalism class and, well, rocks her world. Problem is, her best friend, Kristen, falls for him too. And when Rock and Kristen stand together, it's like Barbie and Ken come to life. So when Kristen begs Sarah to help her nab Rock, Sarah does the only thing a best friend can do-she agrees. For someone so smart, what was she thinking?

(Summary from amazon because I didn't love the goodreads one.)

Why I want this: I think it sounds sweet. Maybe not the most life-shattering book ever, but a good read nonetheless. Also, I really like the cover.

Next up:

Memento Nora by Angie Smibert - To be released April 1st, 2011

Nora, the popular girl and happy consumer, witnesses a horrific bombing on a shopping trip with her mother. In Nora’s near-future world, terrorism is so commonplace that she can pop one little white pill to forget and go on like nothing ever happened. However, when Nora makes her first trip to a Therapeutic Forgetting Clinic, she learns what her mother, a frequent forgetter, has been frequently forgetting. Nora secretly spits out the pill and holds on to her memories. The memory of the bombing as well as her mother’s secret and her budding awareness of the world outside her little clique make it increasingly difficult for Nora to cope. She turns to two new friends, each with their own reasons to remember, and together they share their experiences with their classmates through an underground comic. They soon learn, though, they can’t get away with remembering.

(Summary from goodreads.)


Why I want this: I love the futuristic thing and this one sounds really, really good. And I love the cover!

Alrighty, that's everything.

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Monday, January 24, 2011

Contest! Guest post + Giveaway by Michelle Moran - CLOSED

Remember the September before last when Michelle Moran guest blogged here? Well, she has a brand new book coming out February 15th that looks divine. Michelle was kind enough to provide a little bit of the history behind the book.

* * *
MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

* * *

Isn't that the coolest? And here's your chance to get to check out Michelle's new novel, Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution.

You could could win this gorgeous book, plus...

These. Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings. I am incredibly jealous that one of you will be getting these, because I think they are so cool and adorable.

So here are the details:

It's international. (Thanks Michelle!) You'll receive a hardcover copy and the earrings pictured above if you win. It will end February 21st, 2011. Feel free to enter the day of the 21st. I have a post scheduled to announce when the contest is over, so unless you see that, it's still open.

To enter, comment. I tried to make a google form, but they apparently hate me and it didn't work.

In your comment, please include:

Email (This is required. No email, not entry. This is what I will use to contact you to let you know you have won.)
Follower? (Not required to enter. New follower +1. Old follower +2.)
Linked to this contest somewhere? (Also not required to enter, limit three places. For example, a blog sidebar, a post, and a tweet, but by no means are you limited to those. +1 entry per link.)
Add them up for me? (Not required to enter, either. +1 entry. Your email counts as your first entry. Min=1. Max=7. Please don't cheat. I won't delete your entry if you get the count wrong or anything, but I will correct the entries. This is just to help me out.)

Please format your comment like this:

Comment

+1 Youremail@email.com
+2 Old Follower
+1 http://Ilinkedhere.com
+1 - 5 entries total

Thanks!!

If you are not comfortable with your email being public, you can email your entry to me at Laina1312@gmail.com

Sorry I couldn't give you guys a form. I like those, too. But I spent like 30 minutes making one that was all pretty and stuff, then something weird happened and all my questions disappeared. I couldn't bring myself to make a new one. Next contest we'll try again.

Oh, and don't forget to check Michelle's website and blog out. She's giving away signed bookplates right now, too!!

Alright, enter away!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Sunday, January 23, 2011

In My Mailbox (34)

In My Mailbox is brought to us by The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea.

For review:

I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells - Paperback

John Cleaver has called a demon—literally called it, on the phone, and challenged it to a fight. He’s faced two of the monsters already, barely escaping with his life, and now he’s done running; he’s taking the fight to them. But as he wades through his town’s darkest secrets, searching for any sign of who the demon might be, one thing becomes all too clear: in a game of cat and mouse with a supernatural killer, the human is always the mouse.

In I Am Not a Serial Killer we watched a budding sociopath break every rule he had to save his town from evil. In Mr. Monster we held our breath as he fought madly with himself, struggling to stay in control. Now John Cleaver has mastered his twisted talents and embraced his role as a killer of killers. I Don’t Want to Kill You brings his story to a thundering climax of suspicion, mayhem, and death.

It’s time to punish the guilty.

And in a town full of secrets, everyone is guilty of something.

(Summary from goodreads.)


This is one of those books that I name "mystery books". Not because of anything inside the pages, but because I don't know how I got it. Same as my copy of Mr. Monster. They just show up. I don't email anyone or get emailed... so it's weird. But I appreciate them greatly!!

The Lost Saint by Bree Despain - ARC

A family destroyed. A love threatened. An enemy returns.

Grace Divine made the ultimate sacrifice to cure Daniel Kalbi. She was infected with he werewolf curse while trying to save him, and lost her beloved brother in the process.

Desperate to find Jude, Grace befriends Talbot, a newcomer to town. But as the two grow closer, Grace's relationship with Daniel is put in danger -- in more ways than one.

Unaware of the dark path she is walking, Grace begins to give into the wolf inside of her -- not realizing that an enemy has returned and a deadly trap is about to be sprung.

Bree Despain delivers sizzling romance and thrilling action in the heart-pounding sequel to the The Dark Divine.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I actually got 2 copies of this!! I will be giving one away... soonish. Once I get paid. Alright?

Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman - Paperback and boardbook

Is it really true that cows can't jump, gorillas can't swim and sloths can't leap? Yes, but discover what these and other animals can do, as they swing, scamper and glide through Cows Can't Jump! In this humorous and inspirational adventure, animals focus on what they do best, comfortably aware they can t do everything, but proud of their own special skills.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I'll review this one soonish. It's a picture book, so those don't take quite as long to review.

Um... that's everything I got bookwise this week/last while. What'd you get?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Me at the YA Lit Six

I don't think I've specifically talked about this on the blog before. A while ago, Harmony asked me if I wanted to work on a group writing blog with her and four other girls.

I had no idea why she asked me, mind you, but I was excited to be part of something where I could talk about my writing because I find I don't want to talk about that so much here. Don't ask me why. I guess I'd rather keep those seperate... even though they're really not.

If you've been wondering why it's been quiet around here, you might want to consider reading this post. There's a glimpse into the insanity that is my mind.

So, to wrap things up, I write on Saturdays, I'm insane, and you guys should check it out. (And follow us on twitter!) I'm a little caffinated and bouncy because of something I can't quite talk about yet, so I'm blogging. That means there will be posts again! No actual reviews because I haven't been reading much (see above post for the why), but posts nonetheless!

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (70)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This is another guess the theme week!

Karma by Cathy Ostlere - To be released March 31st, 2011

On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi is gunned down by two Sikh bodyguards. The murder sparks riots in Delhi and for three days Sikh families are targeted and killed in retribution for the Prime Minister’s death. It is into this chaos that sixteen-year-old Maya and her Sikh father, Amar, arrive from their home in Canada. India’s political instability is the backdrop and catalyst for Maya’s awakening to the world. KARMA is the story of how a young woman, straddling two cultures and enduring personal loss, learns forgiveness, acceptance and love.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: I'm not sure if you can see it when the cover is smaller, but it says "a novel in verse", which is always cool. I just think this one sounds really good.

Vicious Little Darlings by Katherine Easer - To be released June 21st, 2010

Sarah Weaver wasn't looking forward to starting at an all-girls school. But that was before she met Maddy. Maddy and her best friend, Agnes, are fun and rich and interesting—and for some reason, they seem to really like Sarah. Before long, Maddy and Agnes have moved Sarah into a big house off campus, where they cook together, buy each other presents, and share each other's secrets. So why does Sarah feel like something's bizarrely wrong? As more and more cracks start to show in Maddy's and Agnes's perfect veneers, Sarah notices some strange and disturbing things: Maddy's compulsive lying, Agnes's obsession with Maddy, and the deterioration of their friendship. And just when Sarah begins to question her own sanity, things turns deadly.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: While not my usual thing, I think it sounds interesting.

Okay, so did you guess the theme?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (69)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Did you guess last week's theme? It was girlslyingdownonthegroundorotherflatsurfacewiththeirarmsovertheirhead. *inhales* Yeah.

The Hunt of the Unicorn by C.C. Humphreys - To be released March 8th, 2011

Elayne thinks the old family story that one of her ancestors stepped through a tapestry into a world of mythical beasts makes a great fireside tale. But she lives in the real world. In New York City. And she's outgrown that kind of fantasy.

Until she finds herself in front of a unicorn tapestry at the Cloisters museum and sees her initials woven into the fabric. And hears a unicorn calling to her. And slips and falls—into that other world.

Suddenly the line between fantasy and reality isn't so clear. But the danger is real enough. Almost before she can think, Elayne is attacked by a ferocious beast, rescued by a unicorn, and taken prisoner by a tyrant king. Each of them seems to have an idea about her—that she's a hero, a villain, dinner!

But Elayne has a few ideas of her own. She wants to overthrow the king; she wants to tame the unicorn. She wants to go home! And she's willing to become both hero and villain to do it.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: UNICORNS. (Even though I am a little more Team Zombie than Team Unicorn.)

On the Volcano by James Nelson - To be released March 31st, 2011

Katie and her widowed father have always lived on their own, high up in a place few intruders would dare approach: alongside the crater of a collapsed volcano. They've built a simple but happy life for themselves, far from the frontier perils of the world below - until a long-promised birthday trip to the rough-and-tumble town of Badwater takes an ugly turn and brings the outside world much too close. With it comes grave danger and unimaginable loss, but also something Katie had barely dreamed possible for herself: a heart-pounding but tender romance, the kind to build a life on.

(Summary from amazon because I didn't love the goodreads one.)

Why I want this: VOLCANO. And, hello, romance!! Plus the cover is gorgeous. :)

Er... not really a theme here, but unicorns and volcanos are an interesting mixture, aren't they?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Picture books read in 2010

So I only read 66 novels, but I figured I'd type up my picture book list and see how many that got up to. This isn't actually accurate because I didn't start keeping track until February 2nd. (If there are any double mentions, sorry! It usually means I ordered it twice. I've read most of these at least two or three times, some far more.)

Warning: This is a LONG list. You can skip to the end if you want.
  1. Queen Nadine by Maryann Kovalski
  2. Witches Four by Marc Brown
  3. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners by Erica Silverman
  4. Cows in the Kitchen by June Crebbin
  5. Pandora by William Mayne
  6. Pirate's Treasure by Macy Kelman
  7. The Three Little Pirates by Georgie Adams
  8. J. A. Teddy by John Alfred Rowe
  9. Dirty Joe the Pirate by Bill Harley
  10. Would You Spread a Turtle on Toast by Viki Woodworth
  11. Ice-Cream Cows and Mitten Sheep by Jane Belk Moncure
  12. Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo
  13. Cowboy & Octopus by Jon Scieszka
  14. The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman
  15. The Cow in the House by Harriet Ziefert
  16. Grandma and the Pirates by Phoebe Gilman
  17. Class Three at Sea by Julia Jarman
  18. I Love My Pirate Papa by Laura Leuck
  19. The Mouse, the Cat, and Grandmother's Hat by Nancy Williard
  20. How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
  21. Belly Button Boy by Peter Maloney
  22. Bigbeard's Hook by Evan Solomon (Nathaniel McDaniel and the Magic Attic #1)
  23. Who Owns the Cow? by Andrew Clements
  24. Pet of the Met by Lydia and Don Freeman
  25. Mortimer's First Garden by Karma Wilson
  26. When Dinosaurs Go Visiting by Linda Martin
  27. A Boy Wants a Dinoaur by Hiawyn Oram
  28. The Dinosaurs Are Back and It's All Your Fault, Edward! by Wendy Hartmann and Niki Daly
  29. James and the Dinosaurs by Doug Johnson
  30. Tiffany Dino Works Out by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
  31. There's a Dinosaur in my Room by Elaine Sharfe
  32. I Can, You Can, Toucan! by Sue Mayfield
  33. Splash by Ann Jonas
  34. Tomorrow, Up and Away! by Pat Lowery Collins
  35. Raising a Little Stink by Collen Sydor
  36. Good Thing You're Not an Octopus! by Julie Markes
  37. Jazzmatazz! by Stephanie Calmenson
  38. Darlene Halloween and the Great Chicago Fire by Peter J. Welling
  39. Turtle's Penguin Day by Valerie Gorbachev
  40. Albert's Gift for Grandmother by Barbara Williams
  41. Red Red Red by Valerie Gorbachev
  42. Mr. Tall and Mr. Small by Barbara Brenner
  43. The Girl on the Yellow Giraffe by Ronald Himler
  44. Carlo Likes Colors by Jessica Spanyol
  45. Carlo Likes Counting -//-
  46. Webster J. Duck by Martin Waddell
  47. In the Rain with Baby Duck by Amy Hest
  48. Once Upon a Time, Upon a Nest by Jonathan Emmett
  49. Ducks Don't Wear Socks by John Nedwidek
  50. Stanley's Party by Linda Bailey
  51. Biscuit's Picnic by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
  52. Skelly the Skeleton Girl by Jimmy Pickering
  53. The Frog Who Wanted to See the Sea by Guy Billout
  54. Oscar and the Frog by Geoff Waring
  55. The Great Poochini by Gary Clement
  56. Turtle Splash! by Cathryn Falwell
  57. Foo, the Flying Frog of Washtub Pond by Belle Yang
  58. Sophia, The Alchemist's Dog by Shelly Jackson
  59. Bella and the Bunny by Andrew Larsen
  60. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems
  61. Knuffle Bunny: A Case of Mistaken Identity -//-
  62. Clickety Clack by Rob and Amy Spence
  63. Animals Aboard! by Andrew Fusek Peters
  64. All Aboard! by Mary Lyn Ray
  65. Terrific Trains by Tony Mitton
  66. The Biggest Easter Basket Ever by Steven Kroll
  67. Easter Mice! by Bethany Roberts
  68. Queen of Easter by Mary Engelbreit
  69. Milo, the Really Big Bunny by Stephen Krensky
  70. Danny's First Snow by Komako Sakai
  71. Harry and Lulu by Arthur Yorinks
  72. Dragon Tooth by Cathryn Falwell
  73. This is the Dog by Sheryl McFarlane
  74. Wow! It's Great Being a Duck by Joan Rankin
  75. That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell
  76. Lou Goes Too! by Jacqueline Sweeney
  77. The Tale of Pip and Squeak by Kate Duke
  78. One Smart Goose by Caroline Jayne Church
  79. Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
  80. Looking For Easter by Dori Chaconas
  81. The Squeaky Door by Laura Simms
  82. Cowboy Kid by Max Eilenberg
  83. Tucker's Apple-Dandy Day by Susan Winget
  84. Otis by Loren Long
  85. Farmer Ham by Alec Sillifant
  86. On the Farm by Anna Milbourne
  87. Rabbit's Wish by Paul Stewart
  88. One Rainy Day by M. Christina Butler
  89. Harriet Dancing by Ruth Symes
  90. Easter Bunny in Training by Maryann Cocca-Leffler
  91. Here Comes T. Rex Cottentail by Lois G. Grambling
  92. Ouch! by Ragnhild Scamell
  93. The Happy Hedgehog by Marcus Pfister
  94. I Want a Hug by John A. Rowe
  95. The Happy Hedgehog Band by Martin Waddell
  96. The Biggest Bed in the World by Lindsay Camp
  97. Lucy Goosey by Margaret Wild
  98. Big Bad Bunny by Alan Durant
  99. One Snowy Night by M. Christina Butler
  100. You're Somebody Special, Walliwigs! by Joan Rankin
  101. Bugtown Boogie by Warren Hanson
  102. Barn Dance! by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault
  103. Dancing Matilda by Sarah Hager
  104. I am a Ballerina by Valerie Coulman
  105. Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith
  106. How Do You Wokka-Wokka? by Elizabeth Bluemle
  107. Barn Dance! by Pat Hutchins
  108. Hilda Must Be Dancing by Karma Wilson
  109. Martha in the Middle by Jan Fearnley
  110. Up, Down, And Around by Katherine Ayres
  111. What Does Bunny See? by Maggie Smith
  112. Harriet and the Garden by Nancy Carlson
  113. A Garden of Opposites by Nancy Davis
  114. Zinnia's Flower Garden by Monica Wellington
  115. The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen
  116. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
  117. Hello, Calico! by Karma Wilson
  118. Uh-oh, Calico! -//-
  119. Friends for Calico! -//-
  120. Octopus Protests by Jacquelyn Reinach
  121. In the Night Garden by Barbara Joosse
  122. When I Visit the Farm by Crystal Beshara
  123. Dance by the Light of the Moon by Joanne Ryder
  124. Dancing Granny by Elizabeth Winthrop
  125. Chicka, Chicka, Boom Boom by Bill Martin J. and John Archambault
  126. I Want My Light On! by Tony Ross
  127. I Am a Dancer by Pat Lowery Collins
  128. Frank & Izzy Set Sail by Laura McGee Kvasnosky
  129. Olivia by Ian Flalconer
  130. Stella, Princess of the Sky by Marie-Louise Gay
  131. Goat and Donkey in the Great Outdoors by Simon Puttock and Russell Julian
  132. Duck Tents by Lynne Berry
  133. Fancy Nancy: Halloween... or Bust! by Jane O'Connor
  134. Farmer Brown by Debbie Knill
  135. Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann
  136. Purplicious -//-
  137. Goldilicous by Victoria Kann
  138. When Poppy and Max Grow Up by Lindsay Gardiner
  139. Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson
  140. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
  141. Olivia Counts by Ian Falconer
  142. Olivia's Opposites -//-
  143. Josh and the Whoo Whoo by David Bedford
  144. Oh Yeah! by Tom Birdseye
  145. Otis and Rae and the Grumbling Splunk by Laura Espinosa
  146. There Is a Bird on You Head! by Mo Willems -//-
  147. I Am Invited to a Party! -//-
  148. I Love My New Toy! -//-
  149. My Friend is Sad -//-
  150. I Will Surprise My Friend! -//-
  151. Are You Ready to Play Outside? -//-
  152. Watch Me Throw the Ball! -//-
  153. Elephants Cannot Dance! -//-
  154. Pigs Make Me Sneeze! -//-
  155. Fancy Nancy, Exploer Extraordinaire by Jane O'Conner
  156. If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff
  157. Yours Tuly, Louisa by Simon Puttock
  158. Mechanimals by Chris Tougas
  159. Sally and the Some-Thing by George O'Connor
  160. Princess Penelope's Parrot by Helen Lester
  161. Papagayo by Gerald McDermott
  162. Good Night, Animals by Leno Arro
  163. One, Two, Buckle My Shoe by Jane Cabrera
  164. Humpty Dumpty Egg-Splodes by Kevin O'Malley
  165. Earth to Audrey by Susan Hughes
  166. Ready For Summer by Marthe Jocelyn
  167. A Little Kitty by Jane Feder
  168. Ella's Big Chance by Shirley Hughes
  169. Bill Grogan's Goat by Mary Ann Hoberman
  170. Winnie At the Seaside by Valerie Thomas
  171. Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies
  172. Bats at the Library -//-
  173. Marshmallow Kisses by Linda Crotta Brennan
  174. Nini Here and There by Anita Lobel
  175. Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat, Are You Waking Up? by Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson
  176. Tiger by Nick Butterworth
  177. ABC Letters in th Library by Bonnie Farmer
  178. Read It, Don't Eat It! by Ian Schoenher
  179. If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery
  180. Banana! by Jonathan Allen
  181. Sammy Salami by Jerry Smath
  182. A Box Full of Kittens by Sonia Manzano
  183. Clarence Goes Out West and Meets a Purple Horse by Jean Ekman Adams
  184. Pictures From Our Vacation by Lynne Rae Perkins
  185. The Best Book to Read by Debbie Bertram and Susan Bloom
  186. Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk
  187. Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale -//-
  188. The Christmas Kitten by Caroline Repchuk
  189. How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann
  190. Utterly Otterly Day by Mary Casanova
  191. The Big Bug Ball by Dee Lillegard
  192. Sweet Briar Goes to School by Karma Wilson
  193. Sweet Briar Goes to Camp -//-
  194. Olivia... and the Missing Toy by Ian Falconer
  195. Olivia Saves the Circus -//-
  196. Olivia Forms a Band -//-
  197. Think Cool Thoughts by Elizabeth Perry
  198. Monkey Monkey Monkey by Cathy MacLennan
  199. Where's My Mom? by Julia London
  200. Looking For Loons by Jennifer Lloyd
  201. Going on a Journey to the Sea by Jane Barclay
  202. The Bunnies' Trip by Lezlie Evans
  203. The House Takes a Vacation by Jacqueline Davis
  204. Harry and Horsie by Katie Van Camp
  205. The Perfect Pony by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
  206. Moonlight & Shadow by Elisabeth Jones
  207. How Hot Was It? by Jane Barclay
  208. Peter Spit a Seed at Sue by Jackie French Koller
  209. It's Summer by Jimmy Pickering
  210. Summer Beat by Betsy Franco
  211. Here Comes the Big, Mean Dust Bunny! by Jan Thomas
  212. It's Summer by Linda Glaser
  213. Summer's Vacation by Lynn Plourde
  214. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
  215. Are You A Horse? by Andy Rash
  216. Tickly Octopus by Ruth Galloway
  217. Sakes Alive! A Cattle Drive by Karma Wilson
  218. Daddy on the Moon by Cressida Cowell
  219. Dear Daisy, Get Well Soon by Maggie Smith
  220. Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy
  221. If The Shoe Fits by Alison Jackson
  222. Look Out, Jack! The Giant is Back! by Tom Birdseye
  223. Mayfly by Marthe Jocelyn
  224. Bubble Trouble by Joy N. Hulme
  225. Bubble Trouble by Stephen Krensky
  226. Rosie's Fishing Trip by Amy Hest
  227. Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
  228. The Old Woman & The Wave by Shelley Jackson
  229. Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems
  230. Math Curse by Jon Scieszka
  231. Science Verse -//-
  232. When Pigs Fly by Valerie Coulman
  233. Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems
  234. Wild Boars Cook by Meg Rosiff
  235. Seen Art? by Jon Scieszka
  236. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs -//-
  237. The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales -//-
  238. Brewster the Rooster by Devin Scillian
  239. Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell
  240. My Monster Mama Loves Me So by Laura Leuck
  241. Can I Bring My Pterodactyl to School, Ms. Johnson? by Lois G. Grambling
  242. Monster Mess! by Margery Cuyler
  243. Arthur's Off to School by Marc Brown
  244. Arthur's Homework -//-
  245. D.W.'s Guide to Preschool -//-
  246. Show & Tell Day by Anne Rockwell
  247. Silly School by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick
  248. Funny Fred by Peta Coplans
  249. There's a Witch Under the Stairs by Maggie Smith
  250. Big Bad Wolves At School by Stephen Krensky
  251. Snuggle Up, Sleepy Ones by Claire Freedman
  252. Bedtime in the Jungle by John Butler
  253. The Biggest Splash by Thomas Taylor
  254. The Noisiest Night -//-
  255. Sloop John B by Alan Jardine
  256. Willy's Silly Grandma by Cynthia DeFelice
  257. The Sugar Child by Monique de Varennes
  258. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems
  259. The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! -//-
  260. Dimity Duck by Jane Yolen
  261. There's No Such Thing as a Ghostie1 by Cressida Cowell
  262. Counting Our Way to Maine by Maggie Smith
  263. Scamper and the Horse Show by Jessie Haas
  264. Summer Wonders by Bob Raczka
  265. Sleeping Boy by Sonia Craddock
  266. Squids Will By Squids by Jon Scieszka
  267. The Sabre-Toothed Tiger by Evan Solomon (Nathaniel McDaniel and the Magic Attic #2)
  268. Baloney (Henry P.) by Jon Scieszka
  269. Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis
  270. Class Two at the Zoo by Julia Jarman
  271. The Awful Aardvarks Go to School by Peeve Lindbergh
  272. Tom Goes to Kindergarten by Margaret Wild
  273. Big Frog Can't Fit In by Mo Willems
  274. Give the Dog a Bone by Steven Kellogg
  275. Our New Puppy by Isabelle Harper
  276. Little Dog by Lisa Jahn-Clough
  277. Who Did This? by Poly Bernatene
  278. Chester, the Out-of-Work Dog by Marilyn Singer
  279. Tremendous Tractors by Tony Mitton
  280. Just So Thankful by Mercer Mayer
  281. Think Big! by Nancy Carlson
  282. That Toad is Mine! by Barbara Shook Hazen
  283. Snail Legs by Damian Harvey
  284. The Ballad of the Pirate Queens by Jane Yolen
  285. Santa Claws by Laura Leuck
  286. Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems
  287. The Turtle and the Hippopotamus by Kate Banks
  288. Turtle in the Sea by Jim Arnosky
  289. Turtle Girl by Carole Crowe
  290. The Thanksgiving Bowl by Virginia Kroll
  291. Hurry and the Monarch by Antoine Ó Flatharta
  292. Swimmy by Leo Lionni
  293. Gus is a Fish by Claire Babin
  294. The Fish Who Cried Wolf by Julia Donaldson
  295. The Fish Who Could Wish by John Bush
  296. I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry
  297. Dogfish by Gillian Shields
  298. Hooray for Fish! by Lucy Cousins
  299. You're Weird! by Kevin Luthardt
  300. Emma's Turtle by Eve Bunting
  301. Gotta Go! Gotta Go! by Sam Swope
  302. Arabella Miller's Tiny Caterpillar
  303. Penguin and the Cupcake by Ashley Spires
  304. Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules
  305. Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano
  306. Over the River by Derek Anderson
  307. Turkey Surprise by Peggy Archer
  308. Thanksgiving Mice by Bethany Roberts
  309. Thank You, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim
  310. Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett
  311. Fall Leaves Fall! by Zoe Hall
  312. The Busy Little Squirrel by Nancy Tafuri
  313. Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
  314. Let It Fall by Maryann Cocoa-Leffler
  315. Kitten's Autumn by Eugenie Fernandes
  316. Leaves by David Ezra Stein
  317. It's Fall! by Linda Glaser
  318. Inside a Barn in the Country by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
  319. The Sheep Fairy by Ruth Louise Symes
  320. Beware of the Frog by William Bee
  321. Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
  322. My Closet Threw a Party by Robyn Parnell
  323. Beautiful Bananas by Elizabeth Laird
  324. Gus, the Pilgrim Turkey by Teresa Bateman
  325. The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
  326. Vampire Boy's Good Night by Lisa Brown
  327. Halloween Night by Elizabeth Hatch
  328. Boo, Bunny! by Kathryn O. Galbraith
  329. Halloween Mice! by Bethany Roberts
  330. Somethin' Pumpkin by Scott Allen
  331. Scaredy-cat, Splat! by Rob Scotten
  332. The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll
  333. The Three Bears' Halloween by Kathy Duval
  334. Trick or Treat, Smell by Feet by Diane de Groat
  335. Harriet's Halloween Candy by Nancy Carlson
  336. Clifford's Halloween by Norman Bridwell
  337. Pete's a Pizza by William Steig
  338. Curious George and the Pizza by Margaret and H. A. Rey
  339. Pizza Kittens by Charlotte Voake
  340. The Princess and the Pizza by Mary Jane Auch
  341. The Little Red Hen (Makes a Pizza) by Philemon Stuges
  342. Pizza at Sally's by Monica Wellington
  343. "Hi, Pizza Man!" by Virginia Walter
  344. The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton
  345. Fall Is for Friends by Suzy Spafford
  346. Round is a Pancake by Joan Sullivan Baranski
  347. Ready for Autumn by Marthe Jocelyn
  348. The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman
  349. Lunch by Denise Fleming
  350. Sausages by Jessica Souhami
  351. Yum Yum! What Fun! by Mara Bergman
  352. The Pea Blossom by Amy Lowry Poole
  353. Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
  354. Eat Your Peas, Ivy Louise! by Leo Landry
  355. Meet Wild Boars by Meg Rosoff
  356. I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
  357. Dog Biscuit by Helen Cooper
  358. Pumpkin Soup -//-
  359. Delicous -//-
  360. The Trouble with Cauliflower by Jane Sutton
  361. The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! by Mo Willems
  362. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed -//-
  363. I Am Going! -//-
  364. Can I Play Too? -//-
  365. We Are in a Book -//-
  366. How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? by Jane Yolen
  367. Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
  368. 10 Minutes til Bedtime by Peggy Rathmann
  369. Goodnight, Gorilla -//-
  370. Go to Bed, Monster! by Natasha Wing
  371. Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! by Mo Willems
  372. The Sleepy Little Alphabet by Judy Sierra
  373. Shhhhh! Everybody's Sleeping by Julie Markes
  374. One Winter's Day by M. Christina Butler
  375. Snow Friends -//-
  376. Tiger in the Snow by Nick Butterworth
  377. Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton
  378. Geraldine's Big Snow by Holly kELLER
  379. Snow Day by Lynn Plourde
  380. The Snowchild by Debi Gliori
  381. Stella, Queen of the Snow by Marie-Louise Gay
  382. A Little Bit of Winter by Paul Stewart
  383. Mouse's First Snow by Lauren Thompson
  384. Saturday Night at the Dinosaur Stomp by Carol Diggory Shields
  385. The Super Hungry Dinosaur by Martin Waddell
  386. Ten Terrible Dinosaurs by Paul Stickland
  387. Dinosaur Train by John Steven Gurney
  388. Dinosaur Roar! by Henrietta Stickland
  389. If the Dinosaurs Came Back by Bernard Most
  390. When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach
  391. Punk Farm on Tour by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  392. Farmer Joe and the Music Show by Tony Mitton
  393. Animal Band by Christopher S. Jennings
  394. Punk Farm by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
  395. Jazz Baby by Liza Wheeler
  396. Boom Boom Go Away! by Laura Geringer
  397. Chuck's Band by Peggy Perry Anderson
  398. Mole Music by David McPhail
  399. Sing, Sophie! by Dayle Ann Dodds
  400. How the Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Suess
  401. Merry Christmas, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
  402. How Santa Got His Job by Stephen Krensky
  403. The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
  404. An Elf for Christmas by Michael Garland
  405. Harvey Slumfenburger's Christmas Present by John Burningham
  406. That's Good! That's Bad! On Santa's Journey by Margery Cuyler
  407. Santa Duck by David Milgrim
  408. Santa Duck and His Merry Helpers -//-
  409. Auntie Claus by Elise Primavera
  410. Auntie Caus and the Key to Christmas -//-
  411. Auntie Claus: Home for the Holidays -//-
  412. Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson
  413. Two Christmas Mice by Corinne Demas
  414. Mouse's First Christmas by Lauren Thompson
  415. Who Will Help Santa This Year? by Jerry Pallotta
  416. Bear Stays Up For Christmas by Karma Wilson
  417. Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Flaconer
  418. Eddie's Little Sister Makes a Splash by Ed Koch
  419. Pajama Day by Lynn Plourde
  420. Snow Bear by Jean Craighead George
  421. The Polar Bear Paddle by David Bedford
  422. Crazy Hair by Neil Gaiman
  423. Knuffle Bunny Free by Mo Willems
  424. Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz
  425. Multiplying Menace: The Revenge of Rumpelstiltskin by Pam Calvert
  426. Jitterbug Jam by Barbara Jean Hicks
  427. Crepes by Suzette by Monica Wellington
  428. The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket
Jeez, 428 books. That's a lot, even if it is picture books! Plus there are the ones I read in January when I wasn't keeping track. So that would probably have put me at 450 or so.

So! That took forever and now I'm out of ideas. Oh, do you guys want me to keep a list of picture books I read in 2011?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday (68)

Waiting on Wednesday is, of course, brought to us by the lovely Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Let's play guess the theme!

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes - To be released March 1st, 2011

Theia Alderson has always led a sheltered life in the small California town of Serendipity Falls. But when a devastatingly handsome boy appears in the halls of her school, Theia knows she's seen Haden before- not around town, but in her dreams.

As the Haden of both the night and the day beckons her closer one moment and pushes her away the next, the only thing Theia knows for sure is that the incredible pull she feels towards him is stronger than her fear.

And when she discovers what Haden truly is, Theia's not sure if she wants to resist him, even if the cost is her soul.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: Dreams. Souls. CAY-OOT BOY. Plus a gorgeous cover. Seriously, look at that girl's hair. It's so curly and pretty and want.

Next up is:

Chime by Franny Billingsley - To be released March 17th, 2011

Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment.

Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Why I want this: Besides the obvious, cayoot boy, gorgeous cover, ect, I think the whole stepmother thing would be very interesting, and that Briony would be a very interesting character.

Okay, so time to guess. What was the theme?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

2010 Reading Challenge update and 2011 challenge post

So apparently I had Doritos in 2009 when I typed my first challenge post and now I want Doritos. XD (Update: I went to the store. No Doritos by themselves, but I got a snack mix thing with them in it. So yay!)

On the 100+ Reading Challenge:

I flunked miserably. I think... do picture books count? Because I read a LOT of those... but I didn't read 100 novels, so I didn't meet my goal. If you wanna see my list, go here. So I read 66 novels and 428 picture books (sorta... I'll post my list on Thursday.)

Oh good gosh, I wanted to read 150 books this year. That really didn't happen.

Anyways, my goal for 2011 is 100. Anything over that is extra.

(For more information, go check out this post.)

2011 Reading Challenge List:
  1. -
  2. -
  3. -
  4. -
  5. -
  6. -
  7. -
  8. -
  9. -
  10. -
I'm going to try to update my gadget of my list every month. Would you guys be interested in a picture book list as well? Not in a gadget, that'd be too long, but in a post?

Okay, well, that's everything. How many books did you guys read this year?

Peace and cookies,
Laina

Monday, January 3, 2011

Things I Talk About on Twitter (5)

Being sick. I've been sick twice in the last two months. (This is a lot for me. I work with kids, so if I got sick easily, I'd always be sick. And I stay sick for a loooong time, like a full two weeks. But I'm better now!)

Anyways, when I'm sick, especially if I have a fever, I can't go on the computer because it hurts my head so badly. So I pretty much hole up in my room. My bed usually looks something like this:

Books, movies, a notebook in case I decided to take review notes, my Elle Canada was there somewhere... and of course, tissue. Usually, though, I tend to avoid these boxes:

Because when I'm feverish/on cold meds, the cats creep me out.

I'll also sometimes do some work stuff, so there might be some picture books, too, but usually I just watch movies and read novels.

Hope none of you are sick now, but what do you guys like to do when you're sick?

Peace and cookies,
Laina
(Also, hello 2011!!)

Sunday, January 2, 2011

In My Mailbox (33)

In My Mailbox is brought to us by The Story Siren and was inspired by Alea.

For review:

The False Princess by Eilis O'Neal - ARC

Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia's led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it's revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she's ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins - long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control - she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor's history, forever.


(Summary from goodreads.)

I actually Wow'd this one!! How cool is that? Can't wait to read it. :)

Bitter Melon by Cara Chow - ARC

Frances, a Chinese-American student at an academically competitive school in San Francisco, has always had it drilled into her to be obedient to her mother and to be a straight-A student so that she can go to Med school. But is being a doctor what she wants? It has never even occurred to Frances to question her own feelings and desires until she accidentally winds up in speech class and finds herself with a hidden talent. Does she dare to challenge the mother who has sacrificed everything for her? Set in the 1980s.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Hey, I WoW'd this one, too... What can I say, I love Egmont books. :)

Human .4 by Mike A. Lancaster - ARC

Humanity, like computers, can be upgraded. And old versions disappear...

At some unspecified point in the future, when technology is as advanced as possible and we are a race of super beings, some old audio tapes are discovered. On the tapes is the story of fourteen-year-old Kyle Straker.

Hypnotized, Kyle missed the upgrade of humanity to 1.0. He isn't compatible with our new technology. And through the recording, he narrates what the upgrades really mean. And it's absolutely terrifying.

(Summary from goodreads.)

Yeah... Wow'd this one, too. Cool!!!

Drought by Pam Bachorz - ARC

Ruby Prosser dreams of escaping the Congregation and the early-nineteenth century lifestyle that’s been practiced since the community was first enslaved.

She plots to escape the vicious Darwin West, his cruel Overseers, and the daily struggle to gather the life-prolonging Water that keeps the Congregants alive and gives Darwin his wealth and power. But if Ruby leaves, the Congregation will die without the secret ingredient that makes the Water special: her blood.

So she stays.

But when Ruby meets Ford, the new Overseer who seems barely older than herself, her desire for freedom is too strong. He’s sympathetic, irresistible, forbidden—and her only access to the modern world. Escape with Ford would be so simple, but can Ruby risk the terrible price, dooming the only world she’s ever known?


(Summary from goodreads.)

Didn't WoW this one, breaking my streak, but wow (ha) does it look awesome!!

Won:

The Dark Divine by Bree Despain - Paperback

A Prodigal Son

A Dangerous Love

A Deadly Secret


Grace Divine—daughter of the local pastor—always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared and her brother Jude came home covered in his own blood.

Now that Daniel's returned, Grace must choose between her growing attraction to him and her loyalty to her brother.

As Grace gets closer to Daniel, she learns the truth about that mysterious night and how to save the ones she loves, but it might cost her the one thing she cherishes most: her soul.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I won the epic rat's Monthly Grab a while ago and I picked this one because, well, first of all I REALLY want to read it, and second I'm (fingers crossed) getting The Lost Saint, so it all worked out nicely.

The Insider by Reece Hirsch - Paperback

First corporate attorney Will Connelly's colleague hurtles to his death outside his office window. Within days, Will is a prime suspect in a murder, the target of an S.E.C. insider trading investigation, and a pawn in a complex criminal scheme involving the Russian mafia and a ruthless terrorist plot. Now, to top things off, he must ensure a deadly enemy doesn't gain access to the nation's most sensitive and confidential information-that has the power to do incalculable, irrevocable harm.

(Summary from goodreads.)

I won this from Goodreads, actually. Their contests are cool, and really easy to enter. I get a little bit carried away with entering them, but yeah, it's cool. :)


Last, my extra-special Christmas present from Mireyah:

Today I Will Fly by Mo Willems - Hardcover

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.

Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.

Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

Today, I Will Fly! is the funny introduction to the characters. Piggie is determined to fly. But Gerald the elephant knows that's impossible--isn't it?

(Summary from goodreads.)

I LOVE these books. Love love love, and this is one of my favourite of the series.

Okay, that's all the books I've gotten... recently.

Peace and cookies,
Laina