Inkheart and other Juvenile Fiction

“It was too long,” my friend Jo protested of Inkheart.  ”I am just so discouraged by the state of juvenile fiction these days!”  I was only halfway through the book myself, and thought this rather a strong statement.  Although Jo is the Ph.D. I’m not always ready to defer to her literary assessment.  When Dd1 [...]

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Prize Fight

It was the fight of the century…well, at least the year.  In one corner, weighing in at about 65 lbs., quick, wiry, and cocksure sat the challenger–Dd1.  In the other corner, standing at 5′8″ (weight insignificant), the undisputed, undefeated, champion reader–Mom.  The competitors enter the ring, having just finished City of Ember the first book [...]

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“Cinder” Ella

I’ll admit it.  I am an American Idol fan.  From the beginning stage of watching the rise and fall of people’s hopes for stardom to the transformation of really good singers with enormous potential into verifiable superstars, the show has me hooked.  I always like to compare my critiques with the other judges, knowing full well [...]

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This Book is Sooooooooo…

It was a beautiful 72 degree December day, and no, I don’t live in Florida, whilst driving down the road with my children I commented on the unusual yet welcome weather. 
Dd1 agreed.  “Yes,” she said, “it is sooooo Barbara Robinson.”  
“Barbara Robinson” I said incredulously.  “What are you talking about?”
She smiled and chuckled, “You knooooooooow, the [...]

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Color Blind

My girls love the American Girl book series.  If you don’t have young girls, or have never heard of these books, they are historical novels written about young girls from different backgrounds, living through different time periods in American history.  The authors (which are varied) do a great job of describing the different environments, socio-economic situations, [...]

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