Piglet and Papa
by Margaret Wild. No one loves Piglet as much as his Papa. Even if Piglet does bite his Papa's tail!
Tickle the Duck
by Ethan Long. He doesn't want to be tickled, except that he does. Hoo haw hee hee.
Edwina, The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct
by Mo Willems. (*****)
Before Green Gables
by Budge Wilson. Two thumbs up from this Anne fan. (****)
Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance
by Atul Gawande. A book of non-fiction that focuses on the idea that doctors (and others) can make a radical difference in the world just by doing things better. Excellent read. One worth buying. (*****)
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
by Gregory Maguire. Quite political. A bit racy. Very long. Not as good as I hoped. I prefer the musical and its Hollywoodized ending. (***)
The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History
by Molly Caldwell Crosby. Amazingly researched. Well written. An excellent narrative non-fiction about the yellow fever viral epidemic that still continues. (*****)
Astrid and Veronika
by Linda Olsson. It was okay. The characters not always sympathetic, though the storyline was poignant enough. (***)
Were You Raised by Wolves?: Clues to the Mysteries of Adulthood
by Christie Mellor. A great graduation gift. In fact, I got one for my brother. (****)
An Act of Vengeance
by Erik Larson. My cousin wrote this novel, a tale of suspense and revenge. The style is reminiscient of turn-of-the-century detective novels: detailed, mysterious, straight forward prose. (****)
Eat, Pray, Love
by Elizabeth Gilbert. While Ms. Gilbert's worldview is quite different from my own, I find her writing to be lovely and her personal adventure to be inspiring. (****)
Small Surrenders: A Lenten Journey
by Emilie Griffin. A wonderful and inspiring addition to the Lent season. (*****)
A Thousand Splendid Suns
by Khaled Hosseini. The most emotionally moving book I have read in years. I cried the last 100 pages, and for days afterwards. Incredible. Hosseini captures motherhood, the bond between women, and the struggle of Afghanistan in a powerful way. Please read this book. (*****)
Steering the Craft
by Ursula K. Le Guin. Wonderful writing prompts and literary snippets.
Teaching Writing in Middle and Secondary Schools
by Margot Iris Soven. Theory, Research and Practice well worth reading if you teach writing.
In the Middle
by Nancie Atwell. Greatly influenced how I taught writing when I was in the secondary classroom. Even though some aren't keen on the workshop method, this book still has some great ideas.
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
by Michael Pollan. Engaging. Fascinating. Convicting.
« The Beginning of the Middle | Main | Week 182: Homework is finished »
Sunday afternoon in the kitchen
Fingers sticky with molasses
Countertops dusty with flour
The sound of the rolling pin clunking the dough
The oven softly clicking as the temperature rises
Daddy's hands guiding little ones
to press the shapes into the soft dough
She laughs and says, "I'm making gingerbread."
And the kitchen warms even more.
Becoming the Parent You Want To Be: A Sourcebook of Strategies for the First Five Years
by Laura Davis. I just got this textbook-sized book from the library, but I've heard good things about it, so I'm seeing what it's all about.
Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery. In honor of the 100th anniversary of this classic, I'm spending the summer working through the series (again).
Jane Clarke: Stuck in the Mud
Can't go wrong with farm animals.
I love the times when Jason helps the kids do things. So very precious!
Sydney is so cute, I just love her curls and her glasses. She's a doll.
Posted by:Leslie | Sunday, November 18, 2007 at 11:26 PM
These are the times you just want to freeze and never forget. I love these family times.
Posted by:kristan | Monday, November 19, 2007 at 09:54 AM
yummy! Red Robin now has gingerbread milkshakes and they are soooo good!
Posted by:Amy | Monday, November 19, 2007 at 01:22 PM
So sweet! (Are you lending him out for the holidays?...'cause I could really use some gingerbread...)
Posted by:Marilyn | Wednesday, November 21, 2007 at 10:29 AM
Awww, this picture is so sweet. And congratulations on reaching a new milestone in the backyard-renovation process!
Posted by:Jess | Monday, November 26, 2007 at 11:05 AM