Hit it

We hit the library mother lode on our last trip. Checked out seventeen books, and all of them gold. In so much that we were through them in just over a week. Zizza read all of hers within a matter of days and I was forced to offer up the books I'd selected for the two of us to read together in order to keep her in reading material.

Here's what we've been reading

Eva-

Faerie Rebels-Spell Hunter- I spotted this on the self on the JUV section while browsing for Ziz. I mistook it for this book which I remembered my sister Becca reading way back when. I always wanted to read it too, don't know why I didn't. I seem to remember that she (Becca) was a little disturbed by the book (not having read it I remain unaware of the reason) You might think this makes a good explanation for why I never read it. At least you might if you weren't acquainted with the two of us as children/adolescents. Generally speaking Becca's discomfort with an item (such as a book) would fuel my desire to seek out that item and triumph over it.

Anyway, The book I wound up with, albeit accidentally, was a joy to read. Compelling, entertaining, well paced, and I didn't even guess the ending.

Star Girl- Long ago, my mama told me I ought to read Star Girl. I planned to read her copy when I came to visit but when I arrived I found out she'd read a library copy. Then I largely forgot about it. A few months ago I remembered and looked it up at my local library but all copies were checked out so I submitted my name to the waiting list and this week it was (finally) my turn.

Gosh, I really loved Star Girl.

I also realized that Jerry Spinelli, Star Girls author, wrote Maniac Magee one of my long time favorites. Funny how that works, isn't it?

39 clues- The Mr gave me the first book for Mothers day and I was a little perplexed as to why. The covers of these cooks are not at all attractive. In fact, they look like a marketing ploy aimed at the elementary school aged boy set, dressed up as literature so as to sell the parents on the scheme. But I was pleasantly surprised. The story is entertaining, the writing is good. The books make for a nice afternoon's diversion. I've read books two and three courtesy of the library and have four and five checked out and at the ready.

Zizza-

Clementie, friend of the week- We've got Clementine and The Talented Clementine in our own library and were happy to stumble upon this fresh story. We like her she fits well among the precocious and quirky little girls about whom series of books are written. I haven't read this particular adventure. Zizza read it to her self first thing, and I forgot to have my turn before we turned it in.

Maybe my favorite thing about Clementine is how I'm pretty sure she's got a crush on her best friend's brother but it's real subtle. Ziz won't notice the crush references for a while yet.

Magic Tree House - Girlfriend eats these up. Checks out four at a time. Enzo likes them too...when he can sit still long enough.

Eva and Zizza together-

Frindle- This was a lucky grab. I was plucking books off the shelf sort of willy nilly looking for things to read to Zizza at bed time. The title/cover art caught my attention and into the "check out" stack it went.

I think I liked this book better that Ziz did. It's about a fifth grader, so the social dynamic of the book was a little advanced for her.

I loved Mrs. Granger. I wish she was my fifth grade language arts teacher.

The Princess Tales- I heart Gail Carson Levine big time. She is a fairy tale superstar. We've read 3 of her princess tales in the past few weeks. Zizza likes figuring out how the characters are related to each other through out the history of Biddle.

I start out reading just a chapter or two per sitting, as is our routine, but a day or two into these I end up just finishing them off. For one thing, they're not long at all and for another, I can't make myself stop.

Enzo-

Down Girl and Sit - These are stories told from the perspective of a dog. They're funny stuff. The chapters are only three or so pages long which is perfect for Enz. He likes the idea of listening to chapter books but he lacks the attention span.

He got a magic tree house book in his Easter basket last spring. The three kids sneaked down stairs and snooped the baskets before the Mr and I got up. 
From my cocoon of blankets in my as-comfortable-as-is-possible-while-eight-months-pregnant state, I heard him exclaim when he spotted it "A chapter! a chapter! I got a chapter!" Then we told them they had to wait to touch anything until they were dressed.

He we still thrilled about his new "chapter" later on when, all spiffed up in his too small Easter finery he was granted access to it.

He wouldn't let me read it to him though. He finally heard it when my parent's came to visit and each took a turn reading it aloud to Zizza.

Moo-

Girlfriend loves anything with The Cat in the Hat on it. I just stroll over to the easy reader section, pluck any random publication with the "I can read it myself" seal on the top right corner and she's enchanted. Most recently we're been reading "Green Eggs and Ham"

Creature ABC- Enzo and Moo both ate this one up like cake. We talked about the creatures, we talked about the letters, it was a jolly good time. I'm thinking of buying a copy!

Now then, I thought this was going to be a really fast as lightening post. A few words, a few links, I'll have some time to start the new books I picked out at the library this evening. Oh well, I guess I got carried away. Now it's time for bed.