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.
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Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart. ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
My heart is full.
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.
Your life is blessed. Good for you for seeing the beauty in front of you.
Posted by:raehan | Monday, January 21, 2008 at 10:47 PM
that coat rocks, there really should be more bear coats out there for all people to enjoy!
Posted by:Sarah | Monday, January 21, 2008 at 11:36 PM
Gorgeous!
Posted by:Heather | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 06:10 AM
How Beautiful!!
Posted by:Crystal | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 09:36 AM
So gorgeous. Wow. You are a lucky woman to have such lovely daughters.
Posted by:Goslyn | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 11:14 AM
I love the curl of hair on Sydney's forehead. Both are so beautiful.
Posted by:Alida | Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at 11:22 AM
So gorgeous! You should go into business too . . . nice camera, cool software, excellent eye, and lovely models. Your girls are so very sweet.
Posted by:Inkling | Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 05:44 AM
Lucky, lucky girl!
Posted by:Rachel | Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 05:41 AM
Wow! These are both lovely, but I think that top picture of Sydney is one of the cutest things I've ever ever seen.
Posted by:Jess | Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 07:33 AM