Family Books

How to Be Lovely: The Audrey Hepburn Way of Life

2009-10-07T22:34:00.000-07:00

by Melissa Hellstern

I came across this book while window shopping at Anthropologie. I looked it up as soon as I got home and reserved it from the library. I didn't think this would be a book I'd read straight through but I did. It took me a couple of evenings to read it.

It is just a cute little book broken up into chapters such as Happiness, Success, Love, Family, Style, ect...... Each chapter is filled with quotes from Audrey Hepburn herself, and those who knew her. There are even a couple of quotes taken from lines from some of her movies.

Recommend - Yes, I really enjoyed reading this book and it was full of quotes and little tid-bits.
Who - Possibly teenage girls, moms, and basically anyone who liked Audrey Hepburn.

Favorite Quote - I found a bunch of quotes I liked but I narrowed it down to two.

Audrey Hepburn on home-
"It's the flowers you choose, the music you play, the smile you have waiting. I want it to be gay and cheerful, a haven in this troubled world"

on age-
"Getting older doesn't frighten me, but I wish I didn't have to, because I like life a lot."

ok, one more

on love-
"When flirting, be subtle"
"Sex appeal is something that you feel deep down inside. It's suggested rather than shown. I'll admit that I'm not as well-stacked as Sophie Loren or Gina Lollobrigida, but there is more to sex appeal than just measurements."

Stella Star of the Sea

2009-10-07T22:26:00.000-07:00

by Marie-Louise Gay

This is a great little book for the family with the kid who asks all the questions and the older sister who has all the answers.

The story takes place at the sea, and has beautiful watercolor illustrations.

Recommend - Yes, great to read to young ones just before a trip to the ocean.
Who - Preschoolers up to grade school age. Both boys and girls would enjoy this one.

Favorite Quote -
"Where do starfish come from?" asked Sam. "From the sky," answered Stella. "Starfish are shooting stars that fell in love with the sea."

Angelina Ballerina

2009-10-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

story by Katharine Holabird
illustrated by Helen Craig

Every once in a while there is a children's book that is full of beautiful detailed pictures and a simple, yet enchanting story that pulls you into an imaginative world. The quaint details of Angelina's house and the beautiful world created in these books let children, girls especially, just sit and enjoy them.

The original books are the best. The later books seem to be based on the television series, and are not a good as the orginals.

Recommend - Yes, especially if you have a little dancer. Or a little one that loves animals, because the mice really are adorable.
Who - A little more for girls, but boys will listen to the stories. Ages preschool and up.

Favorite Quote -
"The next morning at breakfast Angelina found a large box with her name on it."

There is nothing quite as exciting as an unexpected box with your name on it.

The Frog and Toad Treasury

2009-10-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

by Arnold Lobel

We are huge Arnold Lobel fans in our house. We discover these books around the time our oldest was in preschool. The kids love the humor. Frog and Toad stories have everything the kids like, funny situations, a little mystery, friendship and the simplicity that kids crave.The kids relate to both optimistic Frog and cranky Toad.

The two favorites in this collection are "A Swim" and "Icecream". Both of these stories are wonderful, I even laughed out loud the first time I read "A Swim".

Recommend - Yes, these books are delightful to read and a must for a family library.
Who - Both boys and girls, from preschool on up to early grade school.

Favorite Quote - Toad's list of things to do blows away.

"Hurry!" said Frog. "We will run and catch it." "No!" shouted Toad. "I cannot do that." "Why not?" asked Frog. "Because," wailed Toad, "running after my list is not one of the things that I wrote on my list of things to do!"

Peter and the Starcatchers

2009-09-30T14:06:00.000-07:00

by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

We have such a difficult time getting my son really interested in books. My sister in-law's mother in-law Davine recommended and let us borrow this book. And it was a huge hit. We read it to our 9 year old son every night for about 2 weeks. Sometimes it can be really tiring to read out loud every single night. But, this book was a lot of fun for my husband and I as well.

This book is more of a prequel to Peter Pan, and really sets up everything that you know about Neverland. It is full of humor and imagination. My son loved the pirates and the star stuff with all of it's magic. We also listened to the book on cd read by Jim Dale(the same reader as the Harry Potter books) and that is really fun to listen to as well. I know I used fun a lot for this entree but that really is the best adjective I can think of for this book: fun.

Recommend - Yes
Who - Grade school age boys, my daughter listened but my son really enjoyed this one.

Favorite Quote - Captain Black Stache sensing his men are close to mutiny, after having tried to kill a couple of them, finally convinces them he's really trying to look out for them.

"Pirates .... it's a good thing they're idjits. "

Jane Austen Ruined My Life

2009-09-30T13:34:00.000-07:00

by Beth Pattillo

My sisters in-law, Monica and Aimee recommended this book. Well to be honest Monica really liked it but Aimee didn't care for the ending. And to quote them on the ending without giving anything away. Aimee said "it's not a Jane Austen ending" and Monica said "I thought it was a open ending and it did have a Jane Austen ending". Hmmmm, doesn't that just peek your curiosity?

I did really enjoy this book. It was a lot of fun having a modern day character try to figure out who Jane Austen really was. The reader is able to visit and learn about the sites where Jane Austen lived and walked. It was a lot of fun reading who all the great Austen character could have been based on. And it's all tied up in an interesting story so it doesn't feel as if you're reading a biography.

Recommend - Yes, but it's good to remember the author wrote it to have the main character's life parallel with Austen's real life.
Who - Grown ups. I wouldn't have my teenager read this one, there's nothing inappropriate at all. However, the main character is just getting over a failed marriage, so I thought it was a little too emotionally heavy for a teenager.

Favorite Quote - Emma, the main character goes into the books store Hatchards, the same book store Jane Austen would go to while in London.

"My life was a disaster, but there were still books. Lots and lots of books. A refuge. A solace. "

Emma

2009-08-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

by Jane Austen

Emma is always a fun read. I just finished reading it again. I thought it was interesting how different my perspective was from reading it while in my twenties and now again in my thirties. I think in my twenties I was a lot like Emma, certain my opinions were always correct. I've discovered in my thirties, there is much more humility and the world is not as cut and dry as I once suspected it to be. So I guess I relate more to the Emma at the end of the book now.

Emma is a delightful book to read. Emma is practically perfect. She's smart and funny, she loves her family, and usually remembers to treat others with grace. And Mr. Knightly is close to perfect himself. He is full of common sense and sincerely cares about others. All in all it's a fun book to read.

Recommend - Yes, yes.
Who - Teenage girls on up.

Favorite Quote - After Mr. Knightly declares his love to Emma.

"What did she say? - Just what she ought, of course. A lady always does. - "

Junie B. Jones

2009-08-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

by Barbara Park

What can I say about Junie B. Jones. The kids love these books. And I admit they are fun. They are especially fun to read out loud, the characters really lend to doing crazy voices.

However, my big problem with these books would be the incorrect grammar. You find passages like "I standed in line". Because of that, I don't think they are the best books for beginner readers. But, my daughter reads them faithfully. And whenever I hear her imitating Junie B. Jones I make a silent wish that the author and her editors will one day have to read War and Peace, with the same type of grammer.

Recommend - Yes and No. If you are looking for something entertaining that is fairly short, this is a good choice. The stories are funny. If you are having any problems with a bad attitude or have a stuggling reader there are better books out there. I also think reading them out loud and putting in the correct grammer yourself or even listening to the books on cd is a good option.
Who - Girls and Boys like the stories.

Favorite Quote - This is my 7 year old daughter's favorite Junie B. memory.

In Dumb Bunny she got the golden egg and she gave it to one of the shy kids.

Richard Scarry's Best Counting Book Ever

2009-08-13T08:45:00.000-07:00

by Richard Scarry

I think the title says it all. This really is the best counting book ever!

I suppose because it is so repetitive, the kids start to pick up on the idea of counting pretty fast. My kids have all loved this book. They love all the little stories going on with the pictures too.

I also like that it is a pretty big book so it keeps the kids looking at all the details and pictures.

Recommend - Yes, even if it weren't for the counting, the pictures are a lot of fun.
Who - Preschoolers and young school age

Favorite Quote - I think the funniest quote is when Willy the bunny is counting up to 14 travelers (I have a suspicion that when it came out in the 70's it said hobo, they don't really look like your typical traveler) and 4 of them are playing a card game.

"Here! Here! Stop fighting over the cards, you rascals!"

I am a Bunny

2009-08-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

by Ole Risom
Illustrated by Richard Scarry

This is one of our all time favorites. I first found it in a compilation book, but by our 2 or 3rd child I realized it just wasn't cutting it. I ordered the sturdy book version of it and have been so glad I did.

My kids love this book. I even catch my older kids listening as I read it to my younger ones.

The pace is perfect for young ones, and the pictures are bright and colorful.

Recommend - Yes, an absolute for first time moms.
Who - Baby and Toddler

Favorite Quote - This page is a favorite of my kids because they like to act out parts of the story.

"I blow the dandelion seeds into the air."

Little Women

2009-08-13T08:11:00.000-07:00

by Louisa May Alcott

I've tried to start reading this a couple of times and always get side tracked. I finally decided to listen to the unabridged book on tape from the library. I just finished it, and I loved it. I loved it so much that I already started the book just so I can read and mark all of the great quotes.

It made me wish I had read it for the first time when I was younger. I thought there was a lot of wisdom sprinkled through out and great advice for girls. I think I'll try to encourage my daughters read it around late high school or early college.

I was surprised how much seemed completely relevant to today, the different problems the girls ran into, the mother's advice to Meg as a young mother, Jo missing out on something she really wanted because she couldn't hold her tongue and not complain (I'm forever saying things that I later regret).

Recommend - Yes, absolutely worth the time and energy.
Who - I think girls would like it more than boys, and like I said probably girls that are more mature.

Favorite Quote - There were so many great quotes it's hard to choose, but here's one. Jo goes to her mother, upset because of her uncontrollable temper and the consequences that came from it. Mrs. March lets her know that she too struggles with a quick temper and how she works to control her own.

"The patience and the humility of the face she loved so well was a better lesson to Jo than the wisest lecture, the sharpest reproof. She felt comforted at once by the sympathy and confidence given her; the knowledge that her mother had a fault like hers, and tried to mend it, made her own easier to bear and strengthened her resolution to cure it"

The Puffin Baby and Toddler Treasury

2009-08-13T07:46:00.001-07:00

This book is one of our family favorites. All of my children have grown up on it.

It's filled with poems, nursery rhymes, and stories. Each page is dedicated to one poem or rhyme and an illustration. So the book has a large, comfy feel to it rather than a rushed, jumbled look that can be distracting to younger children.

Here are a few of the pages that are well worn in ours; The Incy Wincy Spider, Hey Diddle Diddle, and The Wheels on the Bus.

Recommend - Yes, I like having all the songs and verses of early childhood in one book.
Who - Baby on up.

Favorite Quote - This is from one of the poems towards the end of the book, it's a nice slow pace just in time for bed.

"I saw a ship a-sailing.
A-sailing on the sea,
And oh, but it was laden
With pretty things for thee!"

Fablehaven

2009-08-12T23:35:00.000-07:00

by Brandon Mull

I read this to my son when he was 8 years old. We had so much fun reading it together.

It was so fun and imaginative. I thought it was a great book to introduce and talk about consequences for our mistakes. The little boy in the book is full of the dickens and constantly getting into mischief. Then, he and his sister have to deal with the aftermath of his mistakes.

The flow of the book is pretty fast, it goes from one imaginative scene to the next. My son normally has a hard time getting interested in books and this one kept him not only interested but laughing and by the last scene he was jumping up and down.

Recommend - a great big YES
Who - about 8 and up. Both boys and girls.

Favorite Quote - My son had a favorite part rather than a quote.

When Seth got chased by the fairies and what they did to him. The last battle was awesome too.

My Book Blog

2009-08-12T21:34:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to start a book blog for a while now. I'm always interested in what others are reading both for themselves and for their children. So I decided to go ahead and just write about the different books that are being read in our house. Basically books for toddlers on up to adults. Hope you enjoy and maybe even start your own ..... hint, hint.