books and paper

some books by Kevin Henkes

2012-02-10T16:25:00.002-06:00

This week my students and I read a bunch of books by Kevin Henkes. He was our author of the week. He does the illustrations for many of the books as well. A favorite of my students this week was Old Bear. While Bear hibernates, he dreams of a variety of things. The brief text would make it a good read aloud for a preschooler, but older children will like it as well. A Good Day is another book that Henkes has written for the younger audience. It has great illustrations and tells the story of a bird, dog, squirrel, and little girl.Lilly's Chocolate Heart is a board book, making it ideal for little hands, but children familiar with Lilly's Big Day and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse would enjoy it as well. Lilly gets a chocolate heart and needs to decide what to do with it.
I also liked Little White Rabbit, Kitten's First Full Moon, and Chrysanthemum. Have you read any of his books? Which ones do you like?

cozy ragtime quilt

2012-02-03T16:04:00.005-06:00

This is my latest quilt. It is the first time I made a ragtime quilt. It isn't something I thought about making until I saw the one my sister made last March (click here to see the picture). I like it because it is not flannel fabric. This is a closer view of the front, and below is one of the back. The squares are 4 inch finished with half inch seams for the frayed part.I washed it once, but the quilt does leave strings everywhere it goes. It should get better after a few washings. This one is a keeper.

Start Something That Matters

2012-01-27T16:12:00.006-06:00

Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie is the book I finished this week. Mycoskie tells the story of how he started Toms Shoes. The remainder of the book gives advice for starting a business or nonprofit, along with other people's stories. I liked the chapter titled 'Keep it Simple' because I strive for that in my own life. Other chapter titles include Find your Story, Face your Fears, Be Resourceful without Resources, Build Trust, and Giving is Good Business. If you like reading nonfiction or you are thinking about starting a business, this would be worth picking up at your library.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

2012-01-23T17:17:00.003-06:00

I finally made it through this book. This isn't the first time I tried to read it, and about one hundred pages in, I wondered why I was trying to read it again. I persisted though and finished the book last night. It isn't an easy read, but it does give a person perspective by reading about such difficulty. I can't imagine living in a few rooms with little to do and nearly constant conflict with the people whom you are with. I would not recommend this book despite the high acclaim it has received. Have you read it? What did you think?

Microcrafts

2012-01-07T11:26:00.000-06:00

Microcrafts compiled by Margaret McGuire, Alicia Kachmar, Katie Hatz, and Friends is a book I recently picked up while I was at the library. The title is apt, as all the crafts are quite tiny and cute. There are directions for making twenty five different projects. Some are animals like dogs, owls, and teddy bears, all which are smaller than a matchbox. Another project is a greeting card smaller than one by one and a half inches. The one project I plan to make is the little book, which is also smaller than one by two inches. If you like to look at craft books, I would recommend looking at this one even if you don't want any tiny crafts.

good books of 2011

2011-12-31T14:43:00.000-06:00

Each year I read about 60 books for grown ups and who knows how many books for children. Here are some of the more interesting ones I read or liked in 2010.

Betrayal in Paris by Doris Elaine Fell is a suspense filled novel our book club read back in April. Adrienne Winters is in search of something to help her understand her dead brother's past. Her search takes her to places and situations she would never have imagined being part of.
Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas is the book our book club read in June. It is set in Colorado in the 1930's. Eighty six year old Hennie Comfort is the main character. She has a sign outside her house that says Prayers for Sale, which brings young Nit Spindle to her door. It is a great story of friendship. Quilting is part of the story, as Hennie works on quilting to pass the time with Nit and others.
I picked up The Prayers of Agnes Sparrow by Joyce Magnin because of it's title. My grandma's name was Agnes, and it talked about prayer. I read it around the same time I read Prayers for Sale, and it was much different, but thought provoking. Agnes is an extremely overweight woman who prays for the townspeople when they need it. The people in Bright's Pond are convinced God answers Agnes' prayers more than others.
The 100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno was a book that made me think. Bruno decided to live for one year with just 100 personal possesions. It is something almost anyone COULD do, but there are so many thing that I like, I am not sure I would WANT to do it.
Other novels that I have already written about on my blog and would put on my list of favorites for the year would be Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock.

For children's books, I discovered the poem book Falling Down the Pages: A Book of List Poems collected by Georgia Heard. It is a different style of poetry than I am accustomed to, but it made me think more about writing some of my own poetry. Some of my students really enjoyed it as well.
Other children's books I discovered this year and really like are A is for Autumn by Robert Maass, Guyku by Bob Raczka, and Ling and Ting by Grace Lin.
Did you read anything noteworthy in 2011?

False Pretenses

2011-12-29T11:45:00.000-06:00

False Pretenses by Kathy Herman is the book my book club is reading for January. It is a suspenseful story that tells about Zoe Broussard. Zoe is living a life she enjoys but has lots of secrets from her past. She begins getting mysterious notes that make her worry her whole life is going to collapse around her. There are characters from Herman's Sophie Trace trilogy in the story, which I didn't know until after reading this book. If you like inspirational suspense novels, you would enjoy this book. I am also looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Christmas is Here

2011-12-21T18:33:00.001-06:00

Christmas is Here is my pick of the year for children's Christmas books. The text is taken from Luke 2:8-14 of the King James Bible. Illustrations are by Lauren Castillo. Castillo has done an excellent job with the artwork in the book. I will be looking for more books that she has illustrated. Have you found any new children's Christmas books you would recommend?

another quilt

2011-12-16T17:40:00.000-06:00

I finished this quilt on Sunday night. It is a lap size quilt I gave away as a special birthday present. The picture doesn't show the quilt colors as well as I like, but I guess lighting and the camera can make a big difference. The pattern for the star block I got from my sister's blog and can be found here. I like how putting blocks together without sashing makes another pattern. It makes me want to try doing that again (maybe with a different block pattern).

Charlotte's Web

2011-12-05T16:56:00.008-06:00

I reread Charlotte's Web by E.B. White over the weekend. My nephew was reading it on Thanksgiving, which made me pick up my copy and reread it. A good story that doesn't disappoint. It goes without saying that it is way better than the movie. Do you have any favorite classics?

The Muppets

2011-11-28T18:48:00.007-06:00

I went to The Muppets movie last night. It was silly. Which is what you would expect from the Muppets. I enjoyed watching The Muppet Show as a kid, though this puts the Muppets in part of the real world. It is not a movie I would pay to go see again, but I might want to watch it with my nieces and nephews when it comes out on video. I enjoyed SOME of the music, and parts of the movie reminded me of a musical. Have you seen it? Do you think you might?

making things

2011-11-21T19:00:00.003-06:00

Making things makes me happy. Here are a few things I have made lately. Above are two blank books I sewed together. I LOVE making books cause you can choose the size and color to fit anything.

I made the pillowcase last evening and it might be a Christmas present. Pillowcases are easy and this kind only takes a yard of fabric and less than an hour if all goes well. Not a bad investment for a handmade gift.

The card is small (less than three inches by three inches) but will make a nice gift tag or little note for someone. I like projects that can be done in just one sitting, but I probably won't give up making quilts, cause they make great gifts for big occasions. What do you like to make?

My Sister Dilly

2011-11-14T18:46:00.008-06:00

My Sister Dilly by Maureen Lang is the story of two sisters. Despite the title referring to Dilly, the story is really about her sister Hannah. Dilly is getting out of jail, so Hannah quits her job in California to return to Illinois to help her sister. Hannah feels guilty for leaving Hannah behind so wants to redeem herself by being there for Dilly now. This story deals well with the complexities of family relationships and how personal perspective makes us think as we do. It would be a good book to discuss in a book club.

If You Give a Dog a Donut

2011-11-02T16:00:00.004-05:00

If You Give a Dog a Donut is Laura Numeroff's most recent book. It is an enjoyable story about what happens when you give a dog a donut. If you or your child are a fan of Numeroff's other books, this book is for you. I liked it better than her last one, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake. My students sure enjoyed this book as well. Have you read any notable picture books lately?

A is for Autumn

2011-10-25T16:13:00.000-05:00

A is for Autumn by Robert Maass is a fun alphabet book. If you like fall, alphabet books, or photographs, I recommend this book. The text is brief enough for a preschooler, yet engaging enough for an elementary aged child. It could even be used for older students learning English. Reading it more than once to different children didn't make me tire of the text. The photographs are enjoyable as well. My favorite pages in this alphabet book are for Q and Z. Q is for quilt, and Z is for zipper. What do you like about fall?

The Silver Sword

2011-10-18T15:57:00.000-05:00

I read The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier over the weekend. It is a children's book that was published first in 1954, though the first time I heard of the book was in the last couple months. The story takes place in Europe during World War II. The story starts with a family-the mother, the father, and three children living in Warsaw. The father is sent off to a prison camp, the mother is arrested, and the three children are left to fend for themselves. The bulk of the story focuses on the three children Ruth, Edek, and Bronia, along with their friend Jan, trying to get to Switzerland from Warsaw to be reunited with their father. The book reminded me some of other children's novels about World War II like Twenty and Ten by Claire Bishop, Number the Stars by Lois Lowry, and Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. The difference is the characters in this book have very little direction from adults in their task. It is a story I would recommend reading. It would be a good book for a student studying World War II. It has also been reprinted under the title Escape from Warsaw.

A Sound Among the Trees

2011-10-14T16:39:00.007-05:00

I finished this book, A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner, yesterday. The novel has some rather distinct characters-Adelaide, Susannah, and Marielle. Adelaide and Marielle are in the present day, Susannah is Adelaide's great grandmother. Some people think that a ghost haunts Holly Oak, where Adelaide and Marielle now live, though neither of the residents are certain. The part that I enjoyed the most were Susannah's letters to her cousin in Maine. She wrote the letters from Virginia during the Civil War. The letters could have been a story in themselves. One thing I liked was how Meissner didn't intersperse the letters throughout the story. Instead she told much of Adelaide and Marielle's story, then put all the letters together in the middle, then ended with Adelaide and Marielle's story. If you haven't read any of Meissner's books yet, I would recommend this one.

One World, One Day

2011-10-08T11:07:00.005-05:00

One World, One Day by Barbara Kerley is a book that I would recommend reading to any child. There are pictures of children from all over the world doing everyday things...eating breakfast, going to school and playing with friends. No matter where a child lives, he or she would be able to identify with the daily activities. It is simple, but could be used for any age because at the end there are more details telling exactly where the children in each picture was taken along with more details.

desert quilt

2011-10-03T15:59:00.000-05:00

This is a quilt I made this summer for my friend who lives in the desert. If the quilt had stayed in Minnesota, I would have probably called it a fall quilt. The idea for the pattern was inspired by a quilt I saw on the movie Saving Sarah Cain. My first attempt to make a quilt with triangles like this resulted in a quilt top I gave to my sister and she finished. You can see it here.

winner

2011-09-30T16:55:00.002-05:00

The winner of the giveaway for September is Melissa. I will get the bibs and bag in the mail to you soon.

National Sewing Month

2011-09-22T16:01:00.007-05:00

September is National Sewing Month. To commemorate this, I am giving away the two baby bibs above and the bag shown below. The baby bibs are quilted and washable, the bag is made of cotton fabric and is machine washable as well. The bibs and bags are both things I make for gifts because they go together fairly quickly and are functional. If you want a chance to win, leave a comment on any of my posts from this month. A winner will be chosen sometime after school on September 30. One entry per post, and like my last giveaway, open to people I know. If you won something on my blog already this year, you are not eligible for this one.

three books

2011-09-13T15:57:00.010-05:00

Stash Happy Patchwork by Cynthia Shaffer is a fun book to look at if you sew. It has a twenty five different projects. An apron, nesting fabric bowls, clothespin caddy, a quilt, and a log cabin bucket are just a few of the things that are in this book. I bought the materials to make the log cabin bucket, which uses canvas and burlap. The other night I also paper pieced three hexagons (with plans for more) using the directions in the book. I also came across a blog, Stumbles and Stitches, that is giving a copy of this book away here.
The newest Brownie and Pearl book is Brownie and Pearl Grab a Bite. It is another cute story about the two pals' adventures. If you have a little preschool girl to read stories to, I would recommend any of the Brownie and Pearl books.Canary Island Song is Robin Jones Gunn's newest novel. It tells the story of Carolyn going to the Canary Islands to see her mother. Although she is there to see her mother, she also runs into someone she knew from long ago. Like Gunn's other books, it makes me want to travel to the places talked about in the book. At the beginning of each chapter was a proverb...one I really liked was along the lines of "speak only if it improves the silence".

Have you come across any noteworthy books lately?

ocean breeze tumbler quilt

2011-09-02T21:32:00.003-05:00

The ocean breeze tumbler quilt is what I gave my sister for her birthday. The idea for the name came from my friend Jill, but when she mentioned the words ocean breeze, it seemed to fit well. Maybe she and I should quit our jobs and work for a paint company naming colors.

winner

2011-09-01T16:55:00.002-05:00

Anita is the winner of the giveaway. I counted comments on all the posts for July and August and then used the random number generator. Fitting, as it is her birthday tomorrow. Thanks for all of you who commented...I'll have another giveaway in the next month or two.

back to school giveaway

2011-08-30T17:06:00.005-05:00

I am having a back to school giveaway! You can win the above items-two birthday cards, two blank books, and the book Frederick by Leo Lionni. The blank books and cards were made by me. You are eligible to win if you live in the United States and I know you. For each comment you make on one of my July or August posts you will be entered once in the drawing. I will pick a winner sometime after work on Thursday, September 1. How is the back to school season treating you?

cards

2011-08-26T15:15:00.004-05:00

Here are a few cards I made recently. My friend sent me the stickers for my birthday, and with a little bit of ribbon, cardstock, and adhesive I put these together. My favorite is the red one in the lower right corner. Do you have a favorite?

The Amish Nanny

2011-08-13T11:32:00.005-05:00

The Amish Nanny by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould is the second book in the Women of Lancaster County series the two women have written. This book tells the story of Ada Rupp, a young Amish women. In the story, she travels to Europe with another woman and child to help save a historical site in Switzerland. This is an intriguing story which is characteristic of Clark's other novels.

easy as pie quilt

2011-08-08T15:12:00.004-05:00

This is a quilt I finished this summer. I got the pattern from my sister's blog (click here for directions). It isn't a quilt I planned on making, but after seeing the pattern and directions for it on her blog, I kept thinking about it and the scraps of fabric that I had in my closet. It went together quickly-I cut out the pieces and sewed it together in one weekend. The quilting took an afternoon, and the binding a couple of hours. It would be a great quilt for a beginner because of the big pieces and not needing to match corners exactly.

The Persian Pickle Club

2011-07-21T12:35:00.000-05:00

I read The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas last week in one day. It is about Queenie Bean and her quilt club, The Persian Pickles. They live in a small community in Kansas during the Greet Depression. It is a story about friendship which I enjoyed. The story was short (under 200 pages) and had enough surprises that made me keep wondering what would happen next. Did you know that Persian pickle is actually another name for the paisley design? Just one thing I learned from reading the book.

Fresh Fabric Treats

2011-07-16T11:06:00.005-05:00

My sister Amanda has a pattern for a quilt in this book, Fresh Fabric Treats. To see a picture of the quilt she made for it, click here. I got to see the book last time I was at her place, and it is a fun book. Seven of the sixteen projects are quilts. Among the other projects in the book are several kinds of bags and a pillow. If you don't quilt, you still might enjoy flipping through the book and seeing the different things people made.

A Secret Gift

2011-07-13T15:25:00.006-05:00

I put A Secret Gift by Ted Gup on my reading list at the recommendation of a friend and former roommate. It took two months to get it from the library because there were so many people waiting for it. The story itself is inspiring-a man decided to place an ad in the paper at Christmastime in 1933 saying he would give money away to people from Canton, Ohio who were in need. The book was not as interesting to read as I had hoped. There were many details about the lives of people during the depression. I finished reading it but at times it felt more like homework-it took me over a week to read it. Anyone else have an opinion about the book?

Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch

2011-07-07T16:31:00.000-05:00

Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch by Jennifer Rofe is a book I saw at my sister's house this week. The picture book is for preschoolers, but my older nephews seemed to like it as well. Two pigs take a walk around the farmyard and run into several problems. The pictures are simple but well done, and inside the cover there is a map of the farm showing the route the pigs chose. It was a short book that I could read quite a bit before I grew tired of it. Read any noteworthy picture books lately?

strawberries

2011-07-01T16:04:00.009-05:00

One of the only good reasons I can think of to get up early in the summer is to pick strawberries. This is just a portion of the ones I picked this morning. Yum!

(thanks to my brother for the picture, thanks to my friend Cathy for inviting me to go with her)

June winner

2011-06-30T14:29:00.001-05:00

The winner of the Flabbergasted book giveaway is Kendra from the blog Motherly Advice. Thanks to all of you for participating in the giveaway!

A Walk in the Woods

2011-06-27T18:08:00.008-05:00

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson is the book I finished reading today. Bryson tells the story of hiking on the Appalachian Trail, interspersed with history and facts about the trail. The best part of the book are the snippets of description of people he met on the trail, they made me laugh. There are also some funny interactions he and his walking partner experience. After reading it, I am pretty sure I would not have the stamina to hike the whole thing, but it does make me want to go on at least part of it someday, and maybe even do a stretch where I would have to sleep outdoors and walk from place to place without seeing much sign of civilization. Has anyone ever been on the Appalachian Trail?

photo Friday

2011-06-24T12:43:00.002-05:00

My brother sent me this picture which he took somewhere in Iowa. This picture looks like it would make the great cover for a book, or a story starter for my students. What do you think is at the top of the stairs?

summer book giveaway

2011-06-15T19:15:00.001-05:00

Flabbergasted by Ray Blackston is a book I have read several times, and when I found a copy on clearance, I picked it up to give to someone. So if you are reading this, you might be that someone. You can see what I wrote about it here. Even though I have read it several times, I may read it (and the following two books in the series) again this summer.To have a chance to win, post a comment on any of my June posts. Generic comments like 'I want to win' will not be included. If I don't know you personally, also leave a way for me to contact you if your name is chosen. Each comment (one per post) is a chance to win. On June 30 one name will be chosen as the winner. This is open to anyone living in the United States.

three books

2011-06-11T10:55:00.000-05:00

I read two novels this week. The first was Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder. It is about a year in the life of Almanzo Wilder. When I finished, I wondered why Laura Ingalls didn't write another book about her husband's life. The second novel I read was The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould.
The story has lots of characteristics of Clarks's others books-many unexpected turns in the story line, significant characters who are Amish, and a main character who is searching for the truth. Lexie is a nurse midwife who goes to Pennsylvania to find her birth family. She finds some of her relatives and learns a lot about her early life. I am looking forward to reading the next book they have written which comes out in July.
I also started reading the Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas and quit after forty pages or so. It isn't a book I want to finish reading.

Little Pink Pup by Johanna Kerby is a fun picture book that came in at the library this week. I hadn't heard of it until it won an award for Children's Book Week in May. It is based on a true story of a family who had a runt pig, Pink, that was adopted by their dog. The photographs are fun, and children that like animals will enjoy this book. I read it to my three and a half year old nephew more than once. My brother had heard of it as well.

summer reading

2011-06-03T15:45:00.011-05:00

It's the last day of school for me today. That brings mixed feelings, but I am looking forward to sleeping longer in the mornings. As the summer goes on, I usually stay up later and later because I don't have to be at work by 7:30. Sometimes my late nights are because I am so into a good book and I want to know what is going to happen next. Which means I stay up until I finish reading the book. Here are 5 books I hope to read this summer. The Amish Midwife by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould is one I am looking forward to reading. Clark has written some novels I have really liked, including Whispers of the Bayou.

I read about When Sparrows Fall by Meg Moseley on Susan Meissner's blog. I don't read everything Meissner recommends, but I have read all of her novels.

A former roommate of mine recommended this book, A Secret Gift, by Ted Gup. It is nonfiction, but the story sounds compelling. During the depression a man decides to give away some money to people who are in need.

How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish is another book I read about on Meissner's blog. It is under two hundred pages and since I teach English, it should be relevant.My book club chose to read a different Sandra Dallas book, Prayers for Sale, for the month of June. I finished reading it and thought I would try reading another of her books, so I picked up Alice's Tulips at the library.

This is not all I plan on reading this summer, but it is a start. What books do you want to read this summer? Do you have any recommendations for me?

The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book

2011-05-20T16:11:00.005-05:00

The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book by Barbara W. Ellis is a book I have been looking at this week. There are several parts that are general in nature at the beginning-how to prepare your garden spot and composting are two of them. There is a question and answer section about specific vegetables. At the end of the book, she has suggestions of how many plants you need per person for each kind of vegetable. This is a book that would be helpful to beginning gardeners like me, but seasoned gardeners may also learn something from it. I found it at the library and may have to renew it so I can keep it an additional three weeks.

birthday quilt

2011-05-15T20:06:00.001-05:00

This is my recently completed quilt. It is for my friend's birthday, which is today.I used my sister's Juki TL-98Q to quilt it and I might just have to buy a machine like it. I didn't have any puckers til I got to the binding. The stitches are very even, and I didn't have to do any stitch ripping. The only problem was that the quilting went so well I didn't take any breaks and my back hurt like crazy for several days because of it.

a dozen quilts

2011-05-13T16:25:00.011-05:00

Above is a picture of my current quilt collection.
1. my bull's eye quilt
2. soft and snuggly
3. sunflower quilt
4. quilt of hearts
5. red, white and blue
6. my first quilt
7. fall looking quilt
8. red, white and blue quilt from my sister
9. farm quilt
10. tumbling towers
11. blue and yellow sampler quilt
12. the quilt my grandma gave me

Clicking on any of the highlighted names of the quilts will show you a bigger picture of the quilt.

Ten of the twelve I made. I actually use all of them in the winter when one of my sisters comes over to spend the night with her family. Many are used as play things when my nieces and nephews come over for Camp Clair.

My favorites are soft and snuggly, quilt of hearts, and the red, white and blue quilt I made. I do like them all, except the fall looking quilt. It is probably going on the giveaway pile once I complete my next quilt. Which are your favorites?

This Plus That

2011-05-02T18:49:00.006-05:00

This Plus That: Life's Little Equations is Amy Krouse Rosenthal's newest book. It doesn't tell a story as much as write things as equations. The pictures are great, and my students enjoyed the format of the book. Some of the equations made me smile and it made me think my students and I should try to make up some of our own equations like Rosenthal did. The pictures by Corace are great, too. Though I still like her book Little Pea the best of all her books, this is definitely worth reading and rereading.

Promises to Keep

2011-04-25T18:16:00.003-05:00

Promises to Keep is Ann Tatlock's newest novel. The story is told by 11 year old Roz. She lives in the late 1960's. Roz, her mother, brother and sister have just moved from Minneapolis to Mills River, Illinois to get away from her father. Promises to Keep is well written, but covers some issues that don't have easy answers. I would recommend it if you like reading serious stories.

Guyku

2011-04-13T19:02:00.008-05:00

Guyku by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds is my new favorite picture book. The subtitle for the book is a A Year of Haiku for Boys, but I enjoyed the book immensely even though I am a grown up. Raczka writes haiku poems describing different outdoor activitites many children enjoy. He starts with spring and goes through each season using words to create images that made me smile. Reynolds also has great illustrations to go with the haiku. I read it to some of my students and they enjoyed it because of the words and pictures. It is a book I may have to go out and buy for myself. There is also a website that goes along with the book at www.guykuhaiku.com.

Poetry Matters

2011-04-11T15:59:00.003-05:00

Poetry Matters by Ralph Fletcher is a book I read for a class I took last summer. I picked it up at the library again because it is National Poetry Month. It is written for older elementary or middle school students. Fletcher gives some tips and suggestions that help students become better writers of poetry. This book was written for students, but I think teachers and writers might enjoy it as well. Reading this book made me want to write a poem or two about some of my favorite things. Have you ever written a poem by choice?

someday

2011-03-29T16:02:00.001-05:00

Last week in school one of the stories was about collage art. So I assigned my students the task of making a collage. I also made the collage above. It is a picture of where I would like to live someday-in a neighborhood that is walking distance to my sisters' ( Amanda and Anita) houses and a library.

from fabric to quilt

2011-03-26T15:49:00.002-05:00

A common question I get from people is "How long did it take you to make that quilt?" Normally I can just tell them when I started it and when I finished it, which is anywhere from one week to six years. So I kept a record of how long this one took and it turned out to be about 27.5 hours. The part that took the longest (around 17 hours) was the hand quilting around each picture twice-once on the picture itself, and another time on the bordering fabric. There are a total of 28 blocks, each measuring 12 by 16. It is long enough to sleep under and will likely be popular with my nephews when they come sleep over.

Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile

2011-03-17T16:50:00.000-05:00

Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile by Gloria Houston is a picture book that would be great to read to children in elementary and middle school. The book is based on the life of a woman the author knew when she was a child. Miss Dorothy loved books and loved sharing the books with others. I like this book just as much (or more) than her book, My Great-Aunt Arizona. Even though this book's intended audience is children, most adults that love reading would enjoy this story as well.

A Chair for My Mother

2011-03-07T18:02:00.002-06:00

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams is a great story to read to grade school children. A girl, her mother, and her grandmother work together to save money for a chair for their apartment. It sends a great message about saving for something and community. The more I read the story, the more I like it.

The Lightning Thief

2011-03-04T16:17:00.006-06:00

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a book I picked up to read because my nephews are reading the series. It took me awhile to get into the book, but after I got into it, there was plenty to keep me engaged in the story. Percy is a boy that is thrust into a world he never thought was real-the world of mythology. He finds out at the beginning of the story that he is the son of a god. He encounters all kinds of strange things in his quest to stop the Greek gods from starting a war. The strength of the story is in the many twists and turns in the plot. Having Greek gods as some of the characters seems like it would be confusing to children reading the book, but hasn't stopped the Percy Jackson series from being a bestseller. I don't think I am interested in watching the movie, and may not read the other books anytime soon. Has anyone read the book or watched the movie?

The Wonderful Book

2011-02-28T19:15:00.000-06:00

The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore is an engaging story to share with preschool and elementary aged children. Animals find a variety of uses for a book and at the end a boy finds the book and reads it to all the animals. The story is brief and the pictures are appealing. I have read it several times in the past month to different groups of students and have not grown tired of it.

bookgirl

2011-02-25T16:05:00.005-06:00

Today I dressed up as Bookgirl, a character I made up, for I Love to Read month. I wore a cape and carried a bag with books to read and some to give away. The second and third grade students LOVED it. Since I don't usually wear glasses, a cape, or pigtails some people had to look twice to know that it was me.

handmade book

2011-02-15T16:08:00.000-06:00

I made this accordion book at a library program last week. The program was directed by artist Marie Olofsdotter. Now I just need to come up with a story to put in it.

bags

2011-02-07T18:02:00.005-06:00

Here are two bags that I made following a pattern I found at morsbags.com. I adjusted the pattern a bit so I only need a half a yard of fabric. If you are an experienced seamstress, you could probably get one of these bags done in less than an hour. There are some French seams so there are no raw edges exposed when it is complete. This bag is a great quick project to make for a gift for a friend.

some books by Grace Lin

2011-02-04T16:44:00.001-06:00

This week in my class we focused our reading on books written by Grace Lin. Below are a few of my favorites. The Ugly Vegetables is the first book Lin had published. It is a great story about gardening and sharing with others. A little girl wishes that her garden had something pretty in it instead of plain green plants. Her neighbors all have flowers and she thinks growing vegetables is terrible. As the story progresses, she realizes the good things about the vegetables growing in her garden, including being able to make a great smelling and delicious tasting soup. There is a recipe for the soup at the end of the book.

Lissy's Friends is the story of Lissy. She is new at school and is having a hard time making new friends. She eats lunch alone. Lissy ends up folding paper cranes to keep her company. A sweet short story. When my students voted for their favorite book by Grace Lin, this was the one that was in second place.

Ling and Ting: Not Exactly the Same! is Grace Lin's newest book. It is a 2011 Geisel Award Honor book. Ling and Ting are identical twins that share some fun experiences together. The book is divided into six short chapters, but the first one is my favorite. This is a great book for children just learning how to read because the word choice reflects what a new reader might be able to tackle. Children that are always compared to their siblings will be able to identify with the story found in this book. This was the most popular book among my students this week.

Some of Lin's other books focus more on aspects of Chinese culture like food and different holidays. If you are more interested in Grace Lin you can also look at her blog here.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

2011-01-26T18:04:00.010-06:00

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford is the book I read last weekend. I am not sure where I first heard about it...it looks like something you might see in the book section at Target. Young Henry Lee is a Chinese American boy living in Seattle during World War II. He becomes friends with a Japanese American girl, Keiko. It goes back and forth from the 1940's to the 1980's. It made me think a lot about how minorties have been treated in the past by others...and maybe are still are. If I taught high school English I would encourage my students to read it.

The Handiest Things in the World

2011-01-18T16:32:00.000-06:00

The Handiest Things in the World by Andrew Clements with photographs by Raquel Jarmillo is a great picture book to read to preschool or school age children. The book shows how people use hands. It then shows what people have created to do the same job. The text is brief so it could engage very young children, and the subject matter is definitely appropriate for elementary age children. The photographs are fantastic and make the book appealing.

National Letter Writing Week

2011-01-11T16:08:00.001-06:00

January 9 through 15 is National Letter Writing Week. I realize many of those of you who read this blog do write letters and even send them in the mail because I am the recipient of some of those letters. If you don't write letters often, I would encourage you to do so this week. I'm not sure how I became enamored with letter writing, but it probably helped that people I wrote letters to responded by sending letters of their own or postcards (my aunts and uncle). Some of my friends, my sisters and I still write letters. Some of the letters I recieved in college are worth saving-my grandmas, dad, and younger brothers and sister wrote letters that brightened my day. Some of the more memorable ones included sketches or song lyrics written on the envelopes.

Monopoly Deal

2011-01-04T16:15:00.003-06:00

Monopoly Deal is the game I got for some of my nephews for Christmas. We tried playing it on Christmas and it didn't go so well because we did not read the rules very carefully. When I played it with my other nephew and his family, it went much better. I would buy it again for a gift. The game is much faster than regular Monopoly, but it is probably takes closer to 30 minutes than the 15 minutes that it says on the box. I like it because it isn't a lengthy game and of course the size is nice because you could tuck it in your bag while traveling without taking a lot of space.

quilts of 2010

2010-12-30T15:36:00.002-06:00

This year I completed 6 quilts-5 for gifts and one for me. The quilt above I made for my brother's fortieth birthday. It has some Minnesota fabric from the 2009 Minnesota Quilt Shop Hop. I made three different baby quilts-one for a friend (click here for picture), one for my nephew born in August(click here for picture), and one for my cousin's son. I also made a quilt for my aunt's 60th birthday. It is a nine patch in red, white, and a bit of orange. The flannel quilt I made for myself can be seen here. My two favorites are my quilt and my nephew's quilt.

books

2010-12-27T14:30:00.002-06:00

I read 58 books this year. Above is a stack of some of the good books that I read. The ones that have the titles listed below have a link to what I wrote about them after reading them.

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements

Listen by Rene Gutteridge

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge

Saving Sailor by Renee Riva

I don't think that I could choose just one favorite out of the books, but there is a good chance I would read any of them again.
If you like mysteries read Listen or Anathema or The Thirteenth Tale. If you like adventure, read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader or The Mountain Between Us. I had to read Poetry Matters for one of my classes this summer and would recommend it to anyone that wants to get better at writing.

What good books did you read this year?

baby quilt

2010-12-21T16:03:00.007-06:00

This is the baby quilt I made this weekend. The front is flannel, so it is nice and soft. Though I am happy with the finished product I don't like working with just pastels. I prefer bright and bold colors for baby quilts, like the one I made for my nephew this summer(click here for picture). Since I didn't know if the baby is a boy or a girl, I put in a little of both blue and pink.

books about Christmas

2010-12-13T18:15:00.000-06:00

Voices of Christmas is a book by Nikki Grimes that gives a two pages to each character from the Christmas story. Each character talks about their experiences of the first Christmas. It would be a great book to read with a child and talk about what really happened at Christmas. I enjoyed the pictures.I'm Not Santa by Jonathan Allen is a silly story about Owl and Hare. Hare sees Owl when he is wearing a Santa hat and thinks that Owl is Santa. This one was a fun one to read to my second grade students.

The Little Red Elf by Barbara Barbieri McGrath is a Christmas story that is modeled after the little red hen story. The hare, penguin and reindeer don't want to help Little Red Elf, and always find an excuse to get out of the work. The first time I read it, the last page made me laugh. I really enjoyed the illustrations too.
Duck and Goose, It's Time for Christmas by Tad Hills is a cute board book for young children. If you have liked any of the other Duck and Goose board books, this one would be one to look for. A short simple story with great illustrations that I enjoyed.

If you want even more ideas, you can look at other years suggestions by clicking on any of the links below.

2007

2008

2008 (part 2)

2009

Extra Credit

2010-12-09T16:25:00.011-06:00

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements is the book I finished last night. This novel is about Abby Carson. Abby is in danger of having to repeat sixth grade. She is willing to do almost anything so she doesn't have to stay back. Her teacher gives her an extra credit assignment to write to a student in another country. She chooses Afghanistan, and ends up writing letters to Amira and Sadeed. If I still taught fourth grade, I would consider using it as a read aloud and would add it to my bookshelf for students to read. If you haven't read anything by Andrew Clements, this book or Frindle would be a great place to start.

Secrets of Harmony Grove

2010-12-03T16:40:00.005-06:00

Secrets of Harmony Grove by Mindy Starns Clark is a novel that I read recently. This is the fourth novel I have read by Clark, and I still like her first one the best. In this book, Clark again does a lot to make the mystery engaging, with many things going on that the main character doesn't know. The primary location of the novel is in Lancaster County, where Sienna owns a bed and breakfast. There are seemingly unrelated stories in the book, but as the novel progressed I could see how some things were related. At the end of this book, it made me wonder how the author could think of such a plot. Anyone read it? If you like fast paced mysteries that keep you guessing, you might enjoy this book.

snow day and a winner

2010-11-30T13:07:00.003-06:00

I am off school today for a snow day. It is a nice surprise to find out in the morning that you get the day off. I shoveled snow this morning and made some cards as well.

Congratulations to Cyd! She is the winner of the November giveaway.

soft and snuggly

2010-11-26T14:46:00.000-06:00

This is my newest quilt. I finished it on Saturday, just in time for winter. This is the fifth quilt I made this year, but the first one for me. It is a lap quilt, and long enough to cover up with if I am taking a nap. The top was pieced by machine, but I hand quilted an X in every square. It took about three months to complete.

giveaway

2010-11-23T16:02:00.001-06:00

It is time for a giveaway. I am giving away the things in the above picture-6 handmade cards, 3 mini cards, and the notepad.

You are eligible for this giveaway if you live in the United States AND you know me. To enter, leave a comment on any blog post from the month of November. If you want to enter more than once you can leave a comment on each post from November, but multiple comments on a single post does not count as more than one entry. I will be choosing a winner on November 30.

Bink and Gollie

2010-11-13T10:50:00.015-06:00

Bink and Gollie is a new book written by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile. If you have enjoyed work by any of these people, I think you will also enjoy this book. DiCamillo and McGhee did a great job of using words and the sense of humor in the book made me laugh. The pictures are great too. This picture book is for elementary age children, and even fourth and fifth grade students would like it. Bink and Gollie are great friends, even though they don't agree on everything. Parts of the book remind me of my relationship with my younger sister when we were kids. There is even a fun website devoted to this book which you can find by clicking here.

teacups

2010-11-09T16:30:00.002-06:00

This is one of three teacups that I got when we cleaned out my grandma's house several years ago. My teacups are out for display on a shelf. My grandma kept hers on the buffet, but used them as well. With winter approaching, I will have to make it a point to use one of my teacups when I sit down to have a cup of tea or hot chocolate.

Brownie and Pearl See the Sights

2010-11-06T11:36:00.006-05:00

Brownie and Pearl See the Sights by Cynthia Rylant is a great book for a preschool girl. It is the third Brownie and Pearl book, and it is my favorite of the three. In this book, Brownie goes shopping with her cat Pearl in the city. Just a fun book that almost any girl would enjoy reading.

a little Sunday boredom...

2010-11-01T18:12:00.007-05:00

A little Sunday boredom can lead to unexpected results...namely that I went trick-or-treating this year. Yes, me, even though I do not like Halloween AT ALL.

I don't buy candy to pass out to children, and it being Sunday, there was nowhere in town to go in the evening besides the grocery store or a fast food place. So after I got up from my afternoon nap, I walked to the grocery store to get some molasses and made gingersnaps. Then I put on my walking shoes, and took off on an evening walk with baggies of four to six cookies each. I stopped at a half dozen friends' homes and rang the doorbell. Most were surprised to see me, then even more surprised I was there to give them homemade cookies. It was a great way to avoid having to answer the doorbell and I got in an hour walk.

And just in case you like to sew, my sister is hosting a giveaway on her blog.

One-Dog Canoe

2010-10-30T12:29:00.005-05:00

One-Dog Canoe by Minnesota author Mary Casanova is a fun picture book. If your child likes animals and the outdoors, he would enjoy this book. The girl goes canoeing with her dog. As she is out on her canoe, one animal at a time decides to join the canoe ride. It doesn't take long for it to get out of hand. My niece and nephews enjoyed the book when I read it to them this summer.

meet Violet

2010-10-26T16:06:00.000-05:00

Meet Violet. She's a doll one of my sister's blogger friends made. I named her Violet because my niece has a similar doll that she named Pink. And I couldn't quite bring myself to name the doll Blue or Yellow.

a card

2010-10-16T20:55:00.002-05:00

Simply Sara

2010-10-07T17:39:00.006-05:00

Simply Sara by Hillary Manton Lodge is the novel I read most recently. It is the story of Sara, who decided to leave her Amish family to do something in the fashion world, which she could not do if she stayed Amish. It made me wonder why the Amish people are so hardline about keeping their people Amish and generally will not associate with the people who have chosen to leave. Losing a family member because they will not adhere to a group's standards seems harsh. I enjoyed the book, but liked her first novel Plain Jayne better.

perspective

2010-09-23T17:13:00.007-05:00

I read a book yesterday, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. No, I wasn't home sick, but my evening was free...and I had even exercised and run errands after school. It was an well written story, but I don't know if I would recommend it. The story revolves around the life of Amir, a young Afghan. It sure does bring a unique perspective to read about people so different than me living a life I cannot quite imagine. It made me feel that people that don't read miss out because reading is a great way to broaden your perspective of life and the world. What do you think? And have you ever read The Kite Runner? I am rather certain the movie would be difficult to watch and have no plans to do so.

Dog Loves Books

2010-09-10T17:29:00.006-05:00

Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates is a great picture book. If you have a child who loves books, or you love books, you will enjoy this story. Dog loves books so much he decides to open his own bookstore. He reads so much that he can recommend books to others when they want to know what to read. This is a brief story without a lot of words, so it is a read aloud that would work for preschool children and elementary aged children as well. Have you read any good children's books lately?

places I went this summer

2010-09-03T16:49:00.007-05:00

This summer I was able to go to a half dozen places that I have never been before. They are...
1. Amana Colonies in Iowa
2. Herbert Hoover birthplace in West Branch, Iowa
3. Laura Ingalls Wilder place in Burr Oak, Iowa
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Niagara Falls
6. Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio to watch a Indians-Twins game

My favorite was Niagara Falls...we took a ride on the Maid of the Mist and got quite close to the waterfall, which was amazing. The waterfall doesn't seem that impressive until you get really close. But all the places were fun to visit and I would probably go back to all of them, except maybe the Laura Ingalls Wilder place in Iowa. It was smaller and less developed than some of the other Ingalls places I have been to.
Where did you go this summer?

boy quilt

2010-08-30T18:20:00.007-05:00

I made this quilt last week for my newest nephew(see here for picture). My quilting fanatic sister quilted it for me, which made it possible for me to complete it in four days. I have never finished a quilt in such a short time, but deadlines (summer almost being over and the baby being here already) sure have a way of making me get things get done.

looking for a good book

2010-07-30T16:23:00.002-05:00

Anyone read any really good books lately? I am looking for some books to bring for the choices for our next book club meeting. We read lots of novels, but nonfiction that is easy reading isn't out of the question. I am even just looking for books for me to read...seems like lately I haven't come across anything too interesting.

Renee Riva

2010-07-23T16:21:00.002-05:00

This is a trilogy of books by Renee Riva. I am not sure how I came across them, but the three were definitely worth reading and may be books that I will reread some day. This set of books follows the growing up years of AJ. She comes from a Catholic Italian family-one older sister, several brothers and her parents, and an extended family that includes grandmothers that don't get along. The first story is of AJ and her dog Sailor. She and her family live on an island in the summer taking care of things.

Taking Tuscany occurs several years later, where AJ is living in Tuscany, Italy with her family. She doesn't feel like she fits in and longs to be back in the States. AJ becomes friends with several nuns, another classmate, and realizes her extended family isn't all that she expects. This is the one I probably enjoyed the most.

In Heading Home, AJ is 18 years old and returns to the US. Danny, her island friend, is still there. This book has lots of ups and downs and continues the story of AJ growing up.

Riva does a great job at making her characters seem real. There are parts that made me laugh in each book, partly because of the absurdity of the characters behaviors, but also because I can imagine people actually doing some of the things that the characters did. These books are something that I would recommend for anyone that is middle school age or older. If you grew up Catholic or loved having pets as a child, you would enjoy these books.

Plain Jayne

2010-07-17T11:46:00.006-05:00

Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge is the novel I finished reading yesterday. Jayne is a newspaper reporter that is put on a leave of absence by her boss, and ends up going to Amish country. She ends up spending time with an Amish family and it affects her life in ways that she didn't expect. Her believable characters end up in some expected and unexpected situations but not always with the solutions you might expect, so that made the story interesting. Some of the references to Jayne's life as a teenager were a bit vague...just that she had been a rebel and wore hard rock t-shirts and had colored hair. So throughout the book I was expecting perhaps some deep, dark secret to come to light, but it never did. Lodge has a refreshing spin on the Amish novel, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens in her next novel, Simply Sara, which will be coming out in September.

Camp Clair 2010

2010-07-08T17:40:00.009-05:00

Camp Clair is over for the year...my house is going to seem quiet without four pairs of feet running around from the living room to the porch back to the living room and then outside. No one asking "Clair, can I ...?" or one child yelling another child's name. It is lots of fun, but I can tell when it is time for them to go home because one or more find something to do alone instead of joining in the chaos or someone tells one of their cousin's to quit being so bossy. When I asked them what they liked about Camp Clair there were lots of answers-making books, going to Grandpa's, going to the museum, making pictures. I think some of them would want to stay forever if they didn't miss their parents.

On another note, I am not much for pictures of me, but my sister Amanda took this picture of us on our birthday earlier this week. We celebrate together most years...don't think it is the same any other way. This year we went out for lunch at Baja Sol. For supper we had grilled hamburgers, but that is almost a given for the fourth of July. We had ice cream a couple times too.

busiest place in town?

2010-06-25T14:32:00.001-05:00

What a busy day. A somewhat rainy Friday afternoon and the library is full of people.

baby bibs

2010-06-19T10:27:00.005-05:00

I am on summer vacation, but I seem to have plenty to do. Part of it is self-inflicted because I want to feel like I am doing something with all my time. And really, when I am not working it is a good chance to get some projects done. So one of my goals is to complete 10 baby bibs. Then when I need a baby gift I have something to pull out of my box to add to a children's book or two. These are two baby bibs I made this spring...so when I get done with my ten (I have five finished already) I will have a dozen. The bibs aren't hard to make if you have sewing experience. The thing that takes the longest is the binding. If you like to sew you can look at this link on my sister's blog and get the directions to make them yourself.

Do you have any summer projects?

The Mountain Between Us

2010-06-05T12:41:00.010-05:00

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin is the book I stayed up until midnight reading the other night. I had gotten to a part where I really wanted to know what happened and didn't want to skip ahead just to find out what happened. The story is about Ben Payne and Ashley Knox. Ben and Ashley want to get home, but it is January in Utah, and there is a winter storm. Ben finds a pilot with a charter plane that will fly them out. After the plane crashes, Ben has to figure out how to survive and get out of there. At first, the story reminded me of The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen, but as I continued reading it is really more about Ben's life. Not my favorite book by Martin, but it was a good story, and I would recommend it. It would be a good book to read with a book club as well.

love

2010-05-24T19:28:00.000-05:00

Saving Sarah Cain is a great movie based on a novel written by Beverly Lewis. It is a story about love and forgiveness that could make you cry. I watched it over a year ago and then I watched it again last Friday. It might be one of those movies that I will watch every year or so.

some quotes from the picture book Love is a Good Thing to Feel by Barbara Joose
"Love is a good thing to feel. It makes a party in your heart." and "Loving someone is like a maraschino cherry. It makes everything just a little bit better." and a card made by Clair

flower

2010-05-20T16:12:00.000-05:00

Children's Book Week

2010-05-15T11:05:00.006-05:00

May 10-16 is Children's Book Week. Even if you don't have children, these are some books you might enjoy reading.All the Places to Love by Patricia MacLachlan is a fantastic picture book. I happened upon this book when I was teaching fourth grade in California, and then my friend gave it to me for my birthday. The illustrations are painted by Mike Wimmer. Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan is a novel. Ryan writes about Naomi who lives in California and doesn't have a perfect family. She wishes things were different but finds some contentment in the way life is. Journey by Patricia MacLachlan is the story of a boy named Journey and his sister Cat. MacLachlan weaves together the story of Journey, his sister, his grandparents, and his absent mother. The characters are strong and believable. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan is a book I could read over and over again. If you have only watched the movie, you are missing the strength of the story that MacLachlan conveys in words.

Actually, I would recommend any novel that MacLachlan has written. She does a great job of telling stories and making the characters believable.

Do you have any favorite children's novels that appeal to adults as well as children?

Listen

2010-05-03T17:58:00.000-05:00

Listen by Rene Gutteridge is a novel I read back in March. It is about a small community, Marlo, where someone is eavesdropping on private conversations and putting them online for the entire town to read. It causes all sorts of problems between friends and neighbors and no one is sure if they can trust their friends. A captivating story that makes you think about the power of words. This is not a lighthearted novel like some of other Gutteridge's books, but definitely worth reading. This would have been a great book to read and discuss with my book club.

project

2010-05-01T12:28:00.002-05:00

We made these in my third grade class. Funny thing is, I don't see my students wearing them.

a quilt and a book list

2009-12-31T16:34:00.018-06:00

Here is my latest finished quilt. I hand quilted around each block and could be a handquilting convert. This is a quilt that was inspired by Amanda's pattern on Moda Bake Shop. It is a full size quilt for my own bed. It is the sixth quilt I finished in 2009 and probably my favorite quilt.

It is the end of the year, and my book recommendations from this year's reading are:

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

Words Unspoken by Elizabeth Musser

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler

The Bible

This is likely my last blog post. I have other things that I have to do with my time...read, write, make cards, sew, quilt, and spend time with people. Happy 2010!

The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble

2009-12-30T22:26:00.001-06:00

The Lightkeeper's Daughter by Colleen Coble is a historical novel set in California in 1907. Addie Sullivan's life changes one day when an unknown man shows up and tells Addie that she is really someone else. She has spent her life living in a lighthouse and learning how to help take care of it. Her life is changed drastically when she goes to this new home and meets the people that live there.

When I started the story I had difficulty keeping the different characters straight. The characters were a bit unbelievable in some respects, but the strength of the book was the unexpected twists and turns that made the story suspenseful. This book would probably be classified under mystery and romance, though Coble did better on the mystery end than on the romance end. It is another book that is a good reminder that keeping secrets can really affect a person's life. If you like historical fiction and mysteries, this would be a good book for you to read.

This book review is part of Thomas Nelson's book reviewer program.

more Christmas books

2009-12-19T11:25:00.028-06:00

Here are three books that you might enjoy reading with or to children this Christmas season.The first is The Twelve Days of Christmas in Minnesota by Constance Van Hoven. It talks about lots of things that are important to Minnesotans-hotdish, Holsteins, and loons. There are actually two stories in one, one the twelve days of Christmas, the other a series of letters written by a girl to her parents that explains a lot about things and places in Minnesota. It would make a great gift for any family that lives or has lived in Minnesota

Fancy Nancy Splendiforous Christmas by Jane O'Connor is a book any Fancy Nancy fan would enjoy. Nancy loves Christmas, and loves everything that goes with it. I read this to my some of my second and third grade students and they enjoyed it.
Stable in Bethlehem, A Christmas Counting Book by Joy N. Hulme is another great book I came across this year. It is short and counts backwards from 12 to 1, including all the important things about Christmas, like the shepherds, the three kings, and of course, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The illustrations are very well done, too. If you are a stickler for accuracy like my dad, you might not like it, though. It mentions dogs (we don't know if they were part of the Christmas story) and gives a number to both shepherds and kings, which we also don't know. It is great for younger children because it is a short story.

A few more books if your children are fans of certain characters:

Merry Christmas, Ollie by Olivier Dunrea

Mrs. Wishy Washy's Christmas by Joy Cowley

Minerva Louise on Christmas Eve by Janet Morgan Stoeke

If that isn't enough ideas for Christmas books, you can click here or here to see past year's book recommendations. Happy Christmas reading!

diligence and activities make me tired!

2009-12-18T16:31:00.004-06:00

I am done handquilting my full size quilt. I made a simple quilt top in three days and basted it. Today and tomorrow I am going to quilt it. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I attended different Christmas related activities. Last night it was a Sara Groves Christmas concert. I bought her CD to add to my collection of Christmas music. I like all the songs except "Toy Packaging." Now I am tired. Why does there have to be so many Christmas events?

an eventful and productive weekend

2009-12-08T17:09:00.011-06:00

Some weekends I take naps on both Saturday and Sunday and wonder what to do with myself. This weekend wasn't the case...

Friday night I went with my eight year old nephew to a dinner theater performance called In Bethlehem Inn. It had been over ten years since I had seen it and we both enjoyed it. When I took him back home, I wrapped a bunch of books for an advent calendar substitute (see this post for a better explanation).

Saturday a friend I work with came over for over 7 hours and we stamped cards. I got done with 30 and will likely use a good portion of them for a gift for my sister-in-law.

Sunday I went to church and my dad and two brothers met me there. I asked them over for lunch after. My dad said it had to be fast...which I expected...but they were out of there in 15 minutes. Good thing it was just sandwiches. I had eaten less than half of my sandwich when they left. (For those of you that don't know, my dad and brothers work and live on a dairy farm.)

I worked for a long time on my quilt and got 41 blocks done and finished reading The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck.

To take a break from quilting at the end of the day, I read half of How Sweet It Is by Alice J. Wisler. I would recommend this book (I finished it last night). It is the story of Deena, a cook/cake maker that moves to the mountains to live in her grandfather's cabin. I would not recommend The Christmas Sweater. The story by Beck has a worthy message but it was rather sad and the story seemed preachy.

What did you do this past weekend?

Sisters

2009-12-03T16:35:00.001-06:00

Sisters by David McPhail is a picture book for anyone that has sisters. It is about two girls that are typical of most sisters that I know. The girls have lots of differences, but they also have plenty of similarities. This could be used as a discussion starter with kids about family relationships, or a springboard for a writing assignment. McPhail does a great job with the illustrations, too.

Knitting Nell and quilt progress

2009-11-27T16:16:00.008-06:00

Knitting Nell by Julie Jersild Roth is a picture book I read to my students this week. Even if you are not a knitter, you would probably enjoy this story. It is not the first time that I have read it, but this week it made me wish that I could knit my own sweater. Upon further thought, maybe I just want a hand knit sweater...cause I am not sure I would have the patience to knit such a big project, and it would be foolhardy to think it would be a good project to start with if I actually want to learn how to knit. My one sister crochets various things, including bags and Christmas ornaments. My other sister does knit hats, scarves, and socks. Maybe if I ask her...

My quilt progress is going fairly well. I am over half done quilting my quilt with 242 completed blocks out of 480. Hopefully I will get some more done this evening, and though I am glad with the result so far, I do NOT plan to make hand quilting a regular habit.