tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25994712376363717612024-03-17T20:02:26.260-07:00Library Matters"People think that stories are shaped by people. In fact, it's the other way around." Terry PratchettCheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.comBlogger945125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-35172924295325137542024-03-11T07:47:00.000-07:002024-03-11T07:52:01.997-07:00#IMWAYR MARCH 11, 2024<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at</span><span> </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Kellee and Ricki at</span><span> </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> </span><span>host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgVLggafMD-LW1n7W756GotJkmGlK_DjYWjoQzuiKIlNbBTUgjmNdobgnSrCsnbIGk-jhrIPts5mGgNI07qG8EjnJxRIB5a7Pe0ytb2wNPBrUq6MoAZISQuebujjWM_23UQUrI38HO9L_-UxzRHdaznUfZ0nmOTWIW0J4bDooVh8KLg98PLHT78aHUIkj/s1229/IMG_4543.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1229" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgVLggafMD-LW1n7W756GotJkmGlK_DjYWjoQzuiKIlNbBTUgjmNdobgnSrCsnbIGk-jhrIPts5mGgNI07qG8EjnJxRIB5a7Pe0ytb2wNPBrUq6MoAZISQuebujjWM_23UQUrI38HO9L_-UxzRHdaznUfZ0nmOTWIW0J4bDooVh8KLg98PLHT78aHUIkj/w640-h460/IMG_4543.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">My sister returned from galavanting around the world, so we started working on a quilt for one of our friends. Each May we go away for 4 days with a group of the same women. We have almost finished a quilt for each of them. This friend loves birds so we asked everyone what bird they most resonated with. This quilt is really pushing us way past our comfort zones since we are making our own paper pieced bird blocks. To make matters worse, I started working on these blocks last fall, and can't remember what I was doing. I think I am spending as much time picking out seams as I am sewing. </div></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The great <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/books/canada-reads-2024-watch-the-finale-replay-here-1.7131140" target="_blank">Canada Reads Debate</a> was last week, so I tried to keep on top of that even though I haven't read all the books. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Aside from that, I worked two days and spent one day travelling for an appointment a couple of hours away. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">All this means that I didn't finish a whole lot last week. I was almost finished <b>What Comes Echoing Back</b> by Leo McKay Jr. but my book expired and the library took it back. Now I will have to wait to get it again. After than I started a number of books, but abandoned them when I couldn't get into them. I ended up listening to Emily Wilde's Map of the Otherlands again after just finishing it. I also read, with my eyes, the scary bits of <b>A Good Girl's Guide to Murder</b> that I had skipped over in the audiobook. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I contemplated just leaving off posting this week, but two of our grandkids will be arriving to stay with us for the next 10 days, and next Sunday, another two will be joining in the fray. I don't expect to find much time for reading, never mind posting about what I am reading, till they have returned home. </span></p><div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhandgbp2ENbd0PrFaETn84_6-oOM-Gb3N46rYeCp4KwcsFhnbeiRu_222KicLsqbQAlpPQonhZ1x_jWD0W4Twd4E94UXRHHcWn975EZmgon6Pu0y2mqqPn9sVjiqtD9tR4iz_lT8WkukX27KeLXzavX96rXzbaNwWFBv9BBzCgCRQj_jKXl1qaesCWPdvT/s400/158649504.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="309" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhandgbp2ENbd0PrFaETn84_6-oOM-Gb3N46rYeCp4KwcsFhnbeiRu_222KicLsqbQAlpPQonhZ1x_jWD0W4Twd4E94UXRHHcWn975EZmgon6Pu0y2mqqPn9sVjiqtD9tR4iz_lT8WkukX27KeLXzavX96rXzbaNwWFBv9BBzCgCRQj_jKXl1qaesCWPdvT/s320/158649504.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />What You Need to Be Warm </b>by Neil Gaiman and illustrators: Yuliya Gwilym, Nadine Kaadan , Pam Smy, Daniel Egnéus, Beth Suzanna, Marie-Alice Harel, Petr Horáček, Chris Riddell, Bagram Ibatouilline, Benji Davies, Majid Adin, Richard Jones, & Oliver Jeffers <i>October 31, 2023</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i>Thanks to Myra @ Gathering books for the introduction to this one. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Neil Gaiman crowd sourced memories of what it means to be warm. He took these ideas and transformed them into a poem. Each page is illustrated by a different artist. Gaiman donated the poem to the UN refugee agency. Funds from the sale of the book go towards keeping people warm. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's a beautiful poem full of gorgeous black and white </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">images with touches of</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> reddish orange. </span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKx-DYMjn33qIzAx3qr2j-21jOaLbTebRk6_nU9nSQqdlXp9jH_53M9vFvXeFC_sMcKckKdKPSzfWRp9aI4Pp7-n2zI_17_p7Waq-T-ZuV6sKeEm_T6g9ZGYBivSMNzo8SIOkSqaeCbZt1_hoMM68vRO4ckk4qJJIGOOmmyRqu9-VmYly9ALxT_KIZngu/s400/61196288.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="348" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKx-DYMjn33qIzAx3qr2j-21jOaLbTebRk6_nU9nSQqdlXp9jH_53M9vFvXeFC_sMcKckKdKPSzfWRp9aI4Pp7-n2zI_17_p7Waq-T-ZuV6sKeEm_T6g9ZGYBivSMNzo8SIOkSqaeCbZt1_hoMM68vRO4ckk4qJJIGOOmmyRqu9-VmYly9ALxT_KIZngu/s320/61196288.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br />All the Beating Hearts</b> by Julie Fogliano & Catia Chien (Illustrator) <i>January 31, 2023</i></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've gone through this a number of times and with each reread, I find more beauty in both the poem and the images. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5owI0X6x7khxgh7nZlV9Bc5tzWTLZeTqWiYLAE5DWkw0uk6o2bZ0ZXvGcg-5bGM2ArP6pQth0UPCMjXxVizPafqiZ9yfkBfpzRB7rJZeHU6g8VkCsVaxaaXG6i1aTZdt4nWC8AyCA8E_xig9EuWAF5Yre8y1q7dfqnql7fAU503XNOmU7zTgElHa9nQqN/s2634/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%209.44.12%20AM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1506" data-original-width="2634" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5owI0X6x7khxgh7nZlV9Bc5tzWTLZeTqWiYLAE5DWkw0uk6o2bZ0ZXvGcg-5bGM2ArP6pQth0UPCMjXxVizPafqiZ9yfkBfpzRB7rJZeHU6g8VkCsVaxaaXG6i1aTZdt4nWC8AyCA8E_xig9EuWAF5Yre8y1q7dfqnql7fAU503XNOmU7zTgElHa9nQqN/w640-h366/Screen%20Shot%202024-03-10%20at%209.44.12%20AM.png" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HEJG-hBiFeZHg8wW2oEp-Pa35Rujf_FoacXQp4KFEHKcASwS8MZyPf3JzH4X0UiGErWbSQOS3Vy4MgHgSbN5WXFahdlr27p1S1uFSq4ZsT1JsEnQM64pzLtwoGOsmv-oJmW4NL8M1TyMWlGFBjmpfUs8yYhwNCf2FVtPkW-aL010n7_g213mrbc7hxof/s1001/63245114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2HEJG-hBiFeZHg8wW2oEp-Pa35Rujf_FoacXQp4KFEHKcASwS8MZyPf3JzH4X0UiGErWbSQOS3Vy4MgHgSbN5WXFahdlr27p1S1uFSq4ZsT1JsEnQM64pzLtwoGOsmv-oJmW4NL8M1TyMWlGFBjmpfUs8yYhwNCf2FVtPkW-aL010n7_g213mrbc7hxof/s320/63245114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ice Bears at Ice Edge</b> by Robert Burleigh & Wendell Minor <i>October 17, 2023</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thanks go to Linda Bai for introducing me to this absolutely stunning book!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This tale of a mother polar bear and her cub trapped on a disintegrating ice flow is riveting. Wendell Minor's illustrations are swoon worthy gorgeous. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I appreciated that two pages in the back matter include additional polar bear facts and details how the climate crisis make their survival as a species precarious.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><br /></div></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyrCuEWHWxdjOoetTaSDHqKnvFE_vYuo5TGBONbDejgENDCqhERyw-8Kh33Y76k7PNDqnSK6-7YWP_f5vR84JGjjNvyXfuxTWxo16Jud1AWyLDj0aQvZw-ST3I7UiN4NoYPfvGDLIg3V3DB4z2-ZuwTDW3ZRj2F0N0X_jMJbP5bH-CGnMpYdyBesVKLea/s500/54005204.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyrCuEWHWxdjOoetTaSDHqKnvFE_vYuo5TGBONbDejgENDCqhERyw-8Kh33Y76k7PNDqnSK6-7YWP_f5vR84JGjjNvyXfuxTWxo16Jud1AWyLDj0aQvZw-ST3I7UiN4NoYPfvGDLIg3V3DB4z2-ZuwTDW3ZRj2F0N0X_jMJbP5bH-CGnMpYdyBesVKLea/s320/54005204.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Slough House</b> by Mick Herron & Gerard Doyle (Narrator) </span><i>February 9, 2021</i></span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is the seventh book in the Slough House series. I somehow missed it and read number 8, Bad Actors, first. This one filled in a number of gaps. Dianna Taverner, head of MI5 has got herself into a complicated mess. Because of it, a murder team from Russia is trying to kill off the Slough House agents - present and past. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919398-unearthing#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Faint of Heart</b> by Kerilynn Wilson<i> June 13, 2023</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Cobalt: Cradle of the Demon Metals, Birth of a Mining Superpower</b> by Charlie Angus<i> February 1, 2022 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Grace of Things</b> by Heather Fawcett <i>February 14, 2023</i><br /><span></span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b><span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Besties Work It Out</b> by Kayla Miller</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I will continue to deal with the picture books pile.</span></div><div><div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustRead2024 3/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NonFiction 7/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 8/50 one on the go</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 4/25 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 40/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-34908608552001876542024-03-03T13:36:00.000-08:002024-03-04T19:32:22.930-08:00#IMWAYR March 4, 2024<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at <a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a>. Kellee and Ricki at <a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPMXjndL6h6SmuBl065w8Fso_K_ocRUDIyA6-NqS6qOA1UIz3CYkoli7xXJAE3KCfVWuR4cvatvLhkVcmg2SUa4TIQq1W7DqVV9y31PW1LPohRWAj9ruXA5V2gpf3dxFM3fY1oA6WF2mCurt13goIQMVXZcUn0B_-XLFAG3Ldx48b1InM7VvdoFL1RhYm/s1302/IMG_4540.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1133" data-original-width="1302" height="556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPMXjndL6h6SmuBl065w8Fso_K_ocRUDIyA6-NqS6qOA1UIz3CYkoli7xXJAE3KCfVWuR4cvatvLhkVcmg2SUa4TIQq1W7DqVV9y31PW1LPohRWAj9ruXA5V2gpf3dxFM3fY1oA6WF2mCurt13goIQMVXZcUn0B_-XLFAG3Ldx48b1InM7VvdoFL1RhYm/w640-h556/IMG_4540.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's been a packed couple of weeks. Last Monday I attended a quilting workshop and worked half a day. I ended up working three days last week, but managed to get the flimsy finished. I think I will send it off to be quilted. I worked more on my unicorn paper pieced quilt, and made more shoes for mice. I also spent time learning how I might make cowboy boots.... </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I did not get much reading with my eyes accomplished in the last couple of weeks. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I asked my partner to take some photographs of the two mice I created specifically for someone. The next thing I knew, we were having a photoshoot. I've posted some of those images onto the above page, <a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/p/stuffed-mice.html">Stuffed Mice</a>. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy making them. I might consider taking orders for them.... </span></div><div><div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial;"><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: black; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">PREVIOUS POST</span></b></div></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2024/03/first-friday-poetry-march-2024.html" style="color: #5dc2c0; text-decoration-line: none; text-decoration: none;">FIRST FRIDAY POETRY MARCH 2024</a></h3></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MG FICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/123675006-stazy-and-the-magic-list" target="_blank"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxm0mCbp6kmo5dCbRr29b189BLsfKMQBnQbDCuCg8Hzsyp7KNlsxtZA6jR41ODGcQb7e41XFvg5JLfi6wwVG_OdHM_bEvIfd7X1f8t8726YMZ8tPb44ynt_xfeRTwHg3XtzhEeSZwGBOiKk0i5EewotEAJqxIV-QwtqtpEDwfABfvgNTQdWx6VNd86ITV/s400/123675006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxm0mCbp6kmo5dCbRr29b189BLsfKMQBnQbDCuCg8Hzsyp7KNlsxtZA6jR41ODGcQb7e41XFvg5JLfi6wwVG_OdHM_bEvIfd7X1f8t8726YMZ8tPb44ynt_xfeRTwHg3XtzhEeSZwGBOiKk0i5EewotEAJqxIV-QwtqtpEDwfABfvgNTQdWx6VNd86ITV/s320/123675006.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Stazy and the Magic List</b> by Nancy Hundal</span><i> October 15, 2023 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></a></div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I plan to get a detailed review about these four magical friends published sometime this coming week. </span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61423997-funeral-songs-for-dying-girls" target="_blank"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV5d09EncBW2-LVp7QIr-9I6CrmNWlBtmcBaSXtOu1NRCgu5_feRMsgCaTL_1cjcgckpPjCFLtnsSZBtfzHVmYS-XPXg9UgCXAblW0N1SeQNz-xRCU72jzYiFPvdFipbTkW0qCpMMNcQFyvdDUbSJGTNnw6MKH1u7qjAhmzUwzJ0OTrPuEe-ltGOClGKK/s400/61423997.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhV5d09EncBW2-LVp7QIr-9I6CrmNWlBtmcBaSXtOu1NRCgu5_feRMsgCaTL_1cjcgckpPjCFLtnsSZBtfzHVmYS-XPXg9UgCXAblW0N1SeQNz-xRCU72jzYiFPvdFipbTkW0qCpMMNcQFyvdDUbSJGTNnw6MKH1u7qjAhmzUwzJ0OTrPuEe-ltGOClGKK/s320/61423997.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Funeral Songs for Dying Girls </b>by Cherie Dimaline</span><i> </i><span> </span><i>April 4, 2023 </i>🍁 </a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It took me a while to get into this one. It's a ghost story, but it's also about loneliness, friendship, love, grief, and figuring out who you are. </span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Winifred Blight and her father live in an apartment above a crematorium in a cemetery. Her Indigenous mother died when she was born, and is buried in the graveyard there. She and her best friend, Jack, grew up playing in and around the gravestones, even trying to photograph ghosts. As they entered their teen years, they remained connected, but he moved on to a wider group of friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When they have a falling out, Winifred ends up being haunted by Phil, a real ghost. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What I appreciated most about this book (and all of Dimaline's novels) is the richness of her characters. Each has a credible backstory. We are filled with empathy for all of them, especially Phil, who is one of the murdered and missing Indigenous women. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/134119076-emily-wilde-s-map-of-the-otherlands" target="_blank"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeI0AjfY3i2EcbF1njGLv-bUtcRu6Gky10buISRvpb5S17CQN9SH9F34yJ-g2Od0ylUlDomTO_uzKcbCcX6VVdxDaI7MDfIBMa4svCxwEKO5FFJgeTXTtiEmX6U-ptF9yzntWzwbPhLU8MNiEp4OpKx4wK7D5nSNhX1toiutS8r8T2lLtG3oFSi-aObhg/s2475/134119076.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2475" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeI0AjfY3i2EcbF1njGLv-bUtcRu6Gky10buISRvpb5S17CQN9SH9F34yJ-g2Od0ylUlDomTO_uzKcbCcX6VVdxDaI7MDfIBMa4svCxwEKO5FFJgeTXTtiEmX6U-ptF9yzntWzwbPhLU8MNiEp4OpKx4wK7D5nSNhX1toiutS8r8T2lLtG3oFSi-aObhg/s320/134119076.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Emily Wilde's Map of Otherlands</b> by Heather Fawcett & <i>January 10, 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />In some ways I liked this book even more than the first in the series. Emily really comes into her own as a strong, independent, indomitable heroine. I wished there had been more of Wendell Bambleby, but then, he has been poisoned and isn't really up to much of anything. I liked that in the last book, Wendell has to save Emily. This time round, it's Emily who is doing the rescuing. The important thing about their relationship, is that Wendell loves Emily just the way she is, and she, in spite of the dangers inherent in loving one of the fae, returns his regard. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This series is kind of like brain candy. It's a charming fantasy involving faerie worlds. There is enough adventure, terror, and just the right amount of romance to make for a satisfying read. It's a wonderful break from the complex nonfiction and more intense novels I've been reading. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I hate that I now have to wait until 2025 for <b>Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales</b>. </span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60182535-junie" target="_blank"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J129IvWWdNh1rnRBkoTWmxQQPC0LcA677ydT6WfqLFuQK1MZt6epzg6mg4rPJCd-ZNMVxNEf5tlrwu0f8t7HJZ44DIqP92KoLrA5-baL6sNAQn1tOSAe2hUe0dhx58Faz8N5iuzVo7uiO2suMbSfrvsO653AqWFWOvvAGo4Nmes-fa_QJF15jcp22-Jo/s1000/60182535.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="656" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4J129IvWWdNh1rnRBkoTWmxQQPC0LcA677ydT6WfqLFuQK1MZt6epzg6mg4rPJCd-ZNMVxNEf5tlrwu0f8t7HJZ44DIqP92KoLrA5-baL6sNAQn1tOSAe2hUe0dhx58Faz8N5iuzVo7uiO2suMbSfrvsO653AqWFWOvvAGo4Nmes-fa_QJF15jcp22-Jo/s320/60182535.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Junie</b> by Chelene Knight & Nneka Elliott (Narrator) <i>September 13, 2022 </i><i> </i>🍁</a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Hogan’s Alley was a thriving Black and immigrant community located in Vancouver’s East End. Junie is a girl growing up there in the 1930's. It's the story of her relationship with her mother. It's about enduring friendships and coming to terms with one's sexuality. <br />I confess that I did not finish this book. My failure to finish is all about me, and certainly not about the quality of the writing or the importance of the narrative. <br />I don't deal well with scary of any kind, especially when it can result in terrible things for a child protagonist. I find that listening to a book is worse than reading with my eyes. When I am reading with my eyes I can skim these sections. It's much more intimate and terrifying when the story feels like it's being streamed into your head through your ears.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60182535-junie?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ooI9yTK6kY&rank=1#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61358638-poverty-by-america" target="_blank"><span><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoER7OEvzVwfWVi4r5hLxADXoQULdavpt1BZnrmjDIZDtHFGTob6yCyUPFU8smmOXV98eZvIEl4-wVEy9E8ER9-U_YVmiCSTVIAuDFH1BvIe-sbeEeJIGqfC76n_OnfUxRqEuojA5NKRjUYBHe7jIOn4sG5yxQRuW36TvCqi_o9yOt0UYZRd7qxiT_LDjB/s2850/61358638.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2850" data-original-width="1875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoER7OEvzVwfWVi4r5hLxADXoQULdavpt1BZnrmjDIZDtHFGTob6yCyUPFU8smmOXV98eZvIEl4-wVEy9E8ER9-U_YVmiCSTVIAuDFH1BvIe-sbeEeJIGqfC76n_OnfUxRqEuojA5NKRjUYBHe7jIOn4sG5yxQRuW36TvCqi_o9yOt0UYZRd7qxiT_LDjB/s320/61358638.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Poverty, by America</b> by Matthew Desmond</span></span><i> &</i> Dion Graham (Narrator) <i>March 21, 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This a profound book about "how and why the rest of us abide poverty and are complicit in it." While Desmond shows us how so many extremely wealthy people and organizations can get away with not paying their fair share of taxes, he also articulates how and why the rest of us, mostly middle class folk, benefit from keeping the poor in poverty. It's not for the faint of heart. Be prepared to take an honest and clear eyed look at where your money comes from, and where it goes. <br />This book is primarily about America, and while he mentions some of the positive aspects to the Canadian perspective, (our higher unionization rate has kept salary rates higher for all workers - and we have a single payer medical system) much of this applies equally to us.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60198143-truth-telling"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGW8DYaVz5C97Qw_qKCFMb4PlZ9N2selTgCLbdbIDq6NdKtbSDoNUzwD06_4Oy9Dq2Rw7tO2klrvUZ4UpSDrvjjQAO-YvsXQiVzqaizl6-__n3Mjxg-dgPX5x-3EC08afZHkOnh_jyNJlGxEGfEI7cbHD9Yw_Xyn5fjN0ZcHgiYwK1ayV0FRFa2X7qcVVO/s400/60198143.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGW8DYaVz5C97Qw_qKCFMb4PlZ9N2selTgCLbdbIDq6NdKtbSDoNUzwD06_4Oy9Dq2Rw7tO2klrvUZ4UpSDrvjjQAO-YvsXQiVzqaizl6-__n3Mjxg-dgPX5x-3EC08afZHkOnh_jyNJlGxEGfEI7cbHD9Yw_Xyn5fjN0ZcHgiYwK1ayV0FRFa2X7qcVVO/s320/60198143.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Truth Telling: Seven Conversations about Indigenous Life in Canada</a> by Michelle Good & Megan Tooley (Narrator) <i> </i>🍁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In this collection of essays, Good introduces readers to historical and modern aspects of Indigenous life. She examines racism, broken treaties, cultural pillaging, the disregard for Indigenous lives, and the importance of Indigenous literature. She shows how colonialism underpins modern social systems that continue to have devastating effects for Indigenous people today. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If readers want to really understand the full history of what it means to be Indigenous here in Canada, I encourage them to read this one and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59793675-valley-of-the-birdtail" target="_blank">Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation by Andrew Stobo Sniderman & Douglas Sanderson.</a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919398-unearthing" target="_blank"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr_KzHVbyNHePYal1J_oJRHk08zUlCQy5kc8la7vwU20WgBY23z-YNcM-NrqqcpL6OeLjbP17H4BVpJaGQDrxPn16cmMZZeIRUhyphenhyphenjD6tZtWTxezh6ltWni47MldxMnWmVXtSQlMANx0GWP1yHHY988J0jn0pEQbV3ay7cHDCsvM9cahEeq0uFU-bi0m7n/s2146/62919398.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2146" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZr_KzHVbyNHePYal1J_oJRHk08zUlCQy5kc8la7vwU20WgBY23z-YNcM-NrqqcpL6OeLjbP17H4BVpJaGQDrxPn16cmMZZeIRUhyphenhyphenjD6tZtWTxezh6ltWni47MldxMnWmVXtSQlMANx0GWP1yHHY988J0jn0pEQbV3ay7cHDCsvM9cahEeq0uFU-bi0m7n/s320/62919398.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Unearthing: A Story of Tangled Love and Family Secrets</b> by Kyo Maclear <i> </i>🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">After her father died, a DNA test revealed that Kyo Maclear's father, was not her biological parent. As her world unravelled, she learned that both her parents were keeping all kinds of secrets. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While this memoir is about the unveiling of those secrets, it's also about being the child of immigrant parents, of being a biracial child and a member of the Japanese diaspora, and about caring for aging parents. It's also about gardening.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I suspect that as we age, we all learn to know our parents in new ways on an ongoing process. This is partly what this book shows, but it specifically addresses the last years when life for them begins to unravel. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Her attempts to discover more about her biological father are hampered by her mother's reticence to talk about her life, and by her increasing dementia. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What took me unawares, was is how deeply I connected to Maclear's experiences. There are pieces of it that are windows into a reality I've never encountered. Other parts are mirrors that reminded me of discovering my own parents secrets. I most profoundly related to the reality of looking after a brain addled and aging parent in the last years of her life. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Did I mention yet how exquisite the writing is? Seriously, huge chunks, if not all of this, are like listening to poetry read out loud. No wonder it won the 2023 Governor General's Literary Award for nonfiction! It's just stunning! </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you want to know more about this book, you can listen to Shelagh Rogers interview Kyo Maclear <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2199399491546" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919398-unearthing#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Sunshine Nails</b> by Mai Nguyen<i> July 4, 2023</i> <i> </i>🍁</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Faint of Heart</b> by Kerilynn Wilson<i> June 13, 2023</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b><span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Besties Work It Out</b> by Kayla Miller</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Slough House</b> by Mick Herron</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I will deal with the picture books pile this week or else!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>FEBRUARY READING UPDATE:</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />books read: 19<br />graphic novels: 3</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">nonfiction: 3</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">nonfiction picture books: 2</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">adult/ya novels: 7</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MG novels: 0</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Chapter books: 1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Picture books: 1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors: 3</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Black Authors: 1</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors: 4</span></div><div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustRead2024 3/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NonFiction 7/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 8/50 one on the go</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 4/25 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 36/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-70689735339995817672024-03-01T17:23:00.000-08:002024-03-01T17:26:58.407-08:00FIRST FRIDAY POETRY MARCH 2024 <span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I'm joining <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a> & <a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a> in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when we, and anyone else who joins, writes a poem and pairs it up with a photo relating to it. <br /><br />I keep a Mary Oliver collection of poetry beside my recliner. Her work inspires me to find the sacred magic in the ordinary trappings of my life. My goal for this year is to write poems that celebrate this. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Occasionally I wake up early enough to watch the sunrise. No matter how it shows up, I am always filled with awe. Today's poem is about that. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">My partner doesn't get up early enough to take photographs of the dawn so I sent out a request for images. I was inundated with beauty. Unfortunately, no one takes pictures of those ordinary mornings when nothing flashy really happens. Yet ultimately, these are my favourite kind, reminding me that all of us are good enough just as we are. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: Times; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi8Mh1y1YmICY0sKJmoJ21Ae6k01G464CY0HZ75w97Se3fV9BR1hAF95MYvrjXRIOIsNJNglwRKCOsMy2fRBaAGYKKfSJ0wA0QKVVmqigMByYDYbqhXJrpCFI0pIWV1jeNv5Z9SffhDj3zQYmwUOJKfttqngR80TRF0GMRVEqK96VSlG38IHbPM248nV7/s2048/sheri3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzi8Mh1y1YmICY0sKJmoJ21Ae6k01G464CY0HZ75w97Se3fV9BR1hAF95MYvrjXRIOIsNJNglwRKCOsMy2fRBaAGYKKfSJ0wA0QKVVmqigMByYDYbqhXJrpCFI0pIWV1jeNv5Z9SffhDj3zQYmwUOJKfttqngR80TRF0GMRVEqK96VSlG38IHbPM248nV7/w640-h480/sheri3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Photo by Sheri Stelkia<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">daybreak benediction</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">some mornings</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">the deep indigo of night</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">transforms,</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">fluorescing the horizon</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">a spectacle of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">amethyst, coral and crimson</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">crowns the sky</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">some mornings</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">the dark firmament</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">cleaves from the earth</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">crepuscular rays</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">gild the clouds and hills</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">in a glory hallelujah</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">some mornings</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">there is no fanfare</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">the stygian sky</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">just disintegrates</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">delivering us </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">into the faded slate</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">of a new day</span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Times; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVDbxM9CnFWRO8LYpK9qs52orUShzin8S8xa2KRc57x_SxvSmbAIlQRQfNynELAsCfXYr4vw8gvHTJlusPfvKJJDlJJRfkC0hiJOP0ETxMXD6gsa54D1V9c3T9tTyLf96SouiX-n7rlm0y1HSw6ek3TxZHZ5zNqxttkhARvwXu6syX9tLbN_H-gFIO4lh/s1280/trevor-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVDbxM9CnFWRO8LYpK9qs52orUShzin8S8xa2KRc57x_SxvSmbAIlQRQfNynELAsCfXYr4vw8gvHTJlusPfvKJJDlJJRfkC0hiJOP0ETxMXD6gsa54D1V9c3T9tTyLf96SouiX-n7rlm0y1HSw6ek3TxZHZ5zNqxttkhARvwXu6syX9tLbN_H-gFIO4lh/w640-h426/trevor-3.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Photo by Trevor Reeves</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4GGc05j7DUfd0bbdK0GHlDrmSO3KhXYeXlQgB10aA8WwQ3yIj_fjpv5D1q2i1fD6tm51_YRPzavoxoEm4RfjfayUa66NCd-wmYEx46OCCzDhiejmez6YG5GVeJGILx6pBD_wt6L53rV0I-_Nr7jsscazIy0xbRL_4Mp1a8DE_aQSxK0twD2awShohOk7/s640/ron%20dawn2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="640" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4GGc05j7DUfd0bbdK0GHlDrmSO3KhXYeXlQgB10aA8WwQ3yIj_fjpv5D1q2i1fD6tm51_YRPzavoxoEm4RfjfayUa66NCd-wmYEx46OCCzDhiejmez6YG5GVeJGILx6pBD_wt6L53rV0I-_Nr7jsscazIy0xbRL_4Mp1a8DE_aQSxK0twD2awShohOk7/w640-h458/ron%20dawn2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Photo by Ron Peace<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQbo__HK12fCzm8H_yXi9IgjhB-yATd8LPgSnTIFTKVuzWOk5LhEp5oMCgIhluhgJT3JqFrNutk7OkoQgNir6xsHxbm-NlmBE9YGbGCMWiU_bJGV0EgeEPw90FD2y5db-y16qp4CRaLaE4Q-2a1L4oIIP0WTS8sao_m3U-oUSCwT8jniZKwgq4__2u0Xt/s1280/trevor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQbo__HK12fCzm8H_yXi9IgjhB-yATd8LPgSnTIFTKVuzWOk5LhEp5oMCgIhluhgJT3JqFrNutk7OkoQgNir6xsHxbm-NlmBE9YGbGCMWiU_bJGV0EgeEPw90FD2y5db-y16qp4CRaLaE4Q-2a1L4oIIP0WTS8sao_m3U-oUSCwT8jniZKwgq4__2u0Xt/w640-h360/trevor.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Photo by Trevor Reeves<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In case you are interested, the above photographs can be purchased from the photographers. Let me know if you want their contact information.<br /></span><div><br /></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-80263513613671970612024-02-19T06:22:00.000-08:002024-02-19T06:22:08.147-08:00#IMWAYR February 19, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMhgFGYKPWCwMSjchxcjVvQGQlcLTFifYRNslnYE_ujSBqoJ9yMDz_Uqe4PUdzIdfDO2yQsWhSKIuTCTIESvEPo3lbr73XDhMZgik7ZSSgOeoRjgCg0g9f6cDt6HAalbM2ILZYdcBKGQbnpTixA5A4ZjGV727ikj-u805bTUKEpsBfRevYCGK9henwZ4_/s1564/IMG_4531.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1257" data-original-width="1564" height="514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMhgFGYKPWCwMSjchxcjVvQGQlcLTFifYRNslnYE_ujSBqoJ9yMDz_Uqe4PUdzIdfDO2yQsWhSKIuTCTIESvEPo3lbr73XDhMZgik7ZSSgOeoRjgCg0g9f6cDt6HAalbM2ILZYdcBKGQbnpTixA5A4ZjGV727ikj-u805bTUKEpsBfRevYCGK9henwZ4_/w640-h514/IMG_4531.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Happy Family Day to everyone! Here in British Columbia, it's a day off. I hope you all find time to spend with the ones dear to you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><div style="color: black;"><section class="ReviewText" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.6rem; position: relative;"><section class="ReviewText__content" dir="auto" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="TruncatedContent" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;" tabindex="-1"><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">FICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div></section></section></div></h3></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokqt7C0fAx611VSRksc_I1t7vwuSS2HV3JTbdsanmMuTz84GF1EbYXxxiakFv5D-vRau6ARxOf2OcZXbl8RTspTRWqTEpgV8hV6HUVbYfil4nESo87bGs2NtsUeDblN69WESIdrSbCBJnQfOpl5vNjYzyPAwtRKT6osezIKlCtmp7jvTvYNEGwdOQaASZ/s2400/59959916.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1973" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokqt7C0fAx611VSRksc_I1t7vwuSS2HV3JTbdsanmMuTz84GF1EbYXxxiakFv5D-vRau6ARxOf2OcZXbl8RTspTRWqTEpgV8hV6HUVbYfil4nESo87bGs2NtsUeDblN69WESIdrSbCBJnQfOpl5vNjYzyPAwtRKT6osezIKlCtmp7jvTvYNEGwdOQaASZ/s320/59959916.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59959916-say-my-name" target="_blank">Say My Name</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59959916-say-my-name" target="_blank"> by Joanna Ho & Khoa Le (Illustrator) <i>September 26, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Six people from different corners of the world celebrate the history, culture, and beauty behind their names."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This summary from my library's website tells nothing about how gorgeous and important this book is. I struggled with the pronunciation of many of the names. It's a good thing Joanna Ho shares how to say them so people like me can practice them before reading the book to a group of students. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2Vm1mjYnA-Q?si=09DJASEmeTzbox_-" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaDO2tnfLUWvQesEhytK0KBEC69AX3lTdIlQbg0W1T6kb3U_812cQH-i2Y-GRxyPZFMLMiWJK1-g5Tg32Ygg_kRs8L7ZEoaC-imVU6USTh95wi-gTHAvkD-O0qO6eQmVVzBnteTvKw7joBY4dsOkSxV24Cjt4qReiyOX-r_RaCru6nVHhUJ8gtRonU-3E/s1741/101141349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1741" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvaDO2tnfLUWvQesEhytK0KBEC69AX3lTdIlQbg0W1T6kb3U_812cQH-i2Y-GRxyPZFMLMiWJK1-g5Tg32Ygg_kRs8L7ZEoaC-imVU6USTh95wi-gTHAvkD-O0qO6eQmVVzBnteTvKw7joBY4dsOkSxV24Cjt4qReiyOX-r_RaCru6nVHhUJ8gtRonU-3E/s320/101141349.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101020209-i-m-going-to-build-a-snowman" target="_blank">I'm Going to Build A Snowman</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/101020209-i-m-going-to-build-a-snowman" target="_blank"> by Jashar Awan <i> September 19, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A young boy wakes up to discover snow outside. As he waits to go out and play in it, he imagines himself going through the steps to build a perfect snowman. At last he is dressed and heads off to start. Things don't go as planned, but in the end he realizes that his creation is good enough. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As I read this book, especially the step by step snowman building process, I wished I was still teaching so I could use it as mentor text for procedural writing. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau9ttJ4cPUc6iRkkwG1k71pA5PtiaIXauA-UNBXBsPUDXWhrnigeAaTAc0KOYiRMMoq4IxharppAqo9gBRtzfC5wOrThELdgtA2lfsw2j-5l6DfqVnTnonrpoKWvNbMdsQDbcjeJOzG-z6QkqNov32LqhGpnzrPaTSaJ6nQYaeDZqfgy1jAoSBHo_Tur9/s400/61981121-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjau9ttJ4cPUc6iRkkwG1k71pA5PtiaIXauA-UNBXBsPUDXWhrnigeAaTAc0KOYiRMMoq4IxharppAqo9gBRtzfC5wOrThELdgtA2lfsw2j-5l6DfqVnTnonrpoKWvNbMdsQDbcjeJOzG-z6QkqNov32LqhGpnzrPaTSaJ6nQYaeDZqfgy1jAoSBHo_Tur9/s320/61981121-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61981121-thank-you-moon" target="_blank">Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature's Nightlight</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61981121-thank-you-moon" target="_blank"> by Melissa Stewart, Jessica Lanan (Illustrator)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This beautifully illustrated book taught me things I didn't know about the moon and how it influences different creatures on our planet. </span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHAPTER BOOKS</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqe8vEODgjX8FwjbyMQ_9MRotqbSFVAkB7c6-zcNVEC9oMSMJ9FggUiIqUSlrkSDCOSWro1cVxJemAWLgQMb6JbZ45iZ2HXrEQvN9vLTjj4YZVnAG3lB499YnRjDsWsu6BFHkxa1Est9a0wpEnS8oYOBkrNAcslmQP9y-FS-QR93YolwM_hVlxLKMnCR4/s1333/62058645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqe8vEODgjX8FwjbyMQ_9MRotqbSFVAkB7c6-zcNVEC9oMSMJ9FggUiIqUSlrkSDCOSWro1cVxJemAWLgQMb6JbZ45iZ2HXrEQvN9vLTjj4YZVnAG3lB499YnRjDsWsu6BFHkxa1Est9a0wpEnS8oYOBkrNAcslmQP9y-FS-QR93YolwM_hVlxLKMnCR4/s320/62058645.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62058645-henry-like-always" target="_blank">Henry, Like Always </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62058645-henry-like-always" target="_blank">by Jenn Bailey & Mika Song (Illustrator)<br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Henry likes routines. He likes things to stay the same. He likes to know what is going to happen when. So when their regular class schedule is disrupted and share time is switched to a different time to make space for a parade, he isn't happy. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Thankfully, Henry finds a way to participate in the parade on his own terms. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Henry's anxiety ratchets up as the week progresses and the day of change draws nearer. Bailey and Song show us how his dread affects him at a physical level. He has volcanoes in his stomach and not even his friend Katie can help him feel better. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I appreciate the diversity of Henry's classroom. I can't recommend this book enough!</span></div><div><section class="ReviewText" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.6rem; position: relative;"><section class="ReviewText__content" dir="auto" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="TruncatedContent" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;" tabindex="-1"><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red;">GRAPHIC </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">NOVELS</span></b></span></div></div></section></section></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZk1yVypaoGAFIY1oJqH2_hAFXXiNrr2kUa36AnTNqSwzL5H8AnmBNdkWu6fzL8jjAqu_gCeOu4-7ovVqLUj96MNXPB2UDjGMwexYIbC0KgHG-SeUwbof_IKYE5QvuXveCU9lg6OwGLA1M-9Hlj69Fr4vbuslLEXq1hK-ROnGFrRHVXKRXe7lZCvSk5wZ/s400/59406586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="283" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZk1yVypaoGAFIY1oJqH2_hAFXXiNrr2kUa36AnTNqSwzL5H8AnmBNdkWu6fzL8jjAqu_gCeOu4-7ovVqLUj96MNXPB2UDjGMwexYIbC0KgHG-SeUwbof_IKYE5QvuXveCU9lg6OwGLA1M-9Hlj69Fr4vbuslLEXq1hK-ROnGFrRHVXKRXe7lZCvSk5wZ/s320/59406586.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62058645-henry-like-always" target="_blank">The Librarian of Auschwitz</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62058645-henry-like-always" target="_blank"><span> </span><span>(Graphic Novel Version) by Antonio Iturbe, Salva Rubio (Adaptation), Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (translator) & Loreto Aroco (Illustrator)</span><i> January 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This is is a graphic adaptation of the book by the same name. It's a brilliant retelling of real-life Auschwitz prisoner Dita Kraus, who kept books alive while living at Auschwitz. The artwork is just brilliant.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I haven't read the original book, so I can't compare the two versions of the story. I really appreciated this one. Even though I have read many other narratives about the camps, I had no idea that the Nazi's kept a separate compound of Jewish prisoners to trick the Red Cross into thinking that all were being treated fairly. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY03A4K5m1migXz5tq6GWmzkpVDCQVuU_86lS_wdH21IjAsgyTapn80FU5-K8YxBQyYp2uSOmSuYpbyG7DtcK1HSLIAFXlE7ST5t3-G-HBDTKFAL1t0DfyBAqourV4NtYiXVFInwYXi2CovUINZR9OtCkqddvohiPLmDvFDDG5sppyxOxGetUf_e6SUu91/s400/63005199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY03A4K5m1migXz5tq6GWmzkpVDCQVuU_86lS_wdH21IjAsgyTapn80FU5-K8YxBQyYp2uSOmSuYpbyG7DtcK1HSLIAFXlE7ST5t3-G-HBDTKFAL1t0DfyBAqourV4NtYiXVFInwYXi2CovUINZR9OtCkqddvohiPLmDvFDDG5sppyxOxGetUf_e6SUu91/s320/63005199.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005199-things-in-the-basement" target="_blank">Things in the Basement</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005199-things-in-the-basement" target="_blank"><span> </span><span>by Ben Hatke </span><i>August 29, 2023</i></a></span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Milo and his family have moved into a new house. He's busy exploring when his mother asks him to check the basement for his baby sister's missing pick sock that their grandmother knitted.<br />To be honest, I was terrified along with Milo when he first went down those dark stairs. Then he sees a rat and freaks out for a bit. Soon he discovers a key and a doorway into a new room. He spies the rat with the sock and takes off after it. In the process he discovers it is a "really big basement!" It has multiple levels full of all kinds of treasures as well as a few horrors. He meets and befriends some strange creatures in this underground world. Together they help him search for the sock. One of those horrors is a slimy green gobbler that devours whoever it comes across. When it eats his new friends, he has to come up with a way to rescue them.<br />This is a brilliant yarn. (pun intended) I couldn't stop flipping through the pages to see what Milo would discover next. The levels are full of stunning replicas of famous artwork. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELLwRYij8S_pBET0gTGezIkLOYabQ-NnlDzePaTHEhqJuz61hyeTwpu_0lD0fRdgAnr5GWZ9tC3PjE4QagvegiZdL_pJqT_E6lx9gEeEUYn2OvQVuTLIRxaUD7CiOYcl9-Um6F-Guj6IN09-9H-rA4Bxx-xmlllUAvYEPrauzxtpSsNLU_qhJ7QR6JXoi/s400/57927145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgELLwRYij8S_pBET0gTGezIkLOYabQ-NnlDzePaTHEhqJuz61hyeTwpu_0lD0fRdgAnr5GWZ9tC3PjE4QagvegiZdL_pJqT_E6lx9gEeEUYn2OvQVuTLIRxaUD7CiOYcl9-Um6F-Guj6IN09-9H-rA4Bxx-xmlllUAvYEPrauzxtpSsNLU_qhJ7QR6JXoi/s320/57927145.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57927145-bad-actors" target="_blank">Bad Actors</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57927145-bad-actors" target="_blank"> (</a></span></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57927145-bad-actors" target="_blank"><i>Slough House 8</i>) <span>by Mick Herron</span><i> May 2022</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />When Dr. Sophie de Greer, a member of a government think tank goes missing, Anthony Sparrow, a bureaucrat close to the Prime Minister, accuses MI5 of disappearing her. Dianna Taverner, first desk of the agency, is their prime suspect. Meanwhile, the denizens of Slough House may or may not know where she is. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Confusion, mayhem, treachery, and the usual backstabbing shenanigans ensue. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am now almost caught up in Mick Herron's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/101326-slough-house">Slough House</a> series. I'm waiting for number 7, and then will have to wait along with everyone else for the next book to be published.<br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx3IUd0PX6XaRb5KeJrIERvifCpPd4-QIjTv3bS3u4qkp_JSjbwUlCMuVmAn4ask4GpAKDqevJ1rs2tupT2ud-EAdZhKKWymMqUqmIPmf1QYUqTqsclTDhOBFLKch5u3fnp3zhiZ0a0ZI1Lp8TgofhF2HL5SFU9FkMniN1MWqrrBWiQ97cg5poaqLfqXY/s1500/40916679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="987" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx3IUd0PX6XaRb5KeJrIERvifCpPd4-QIjTv3bS3u4qkp_JSjbwUlCMuVmAn4ask4GpAKDqevJ1rs2tupT2ud-EAdZhKKWymMqUqmIPmf1QYUqTqsclTDhOBFLKch5u3fnp3zhiZ0a0ZI1Lp8TgofhF2HL5SFU9FkMniN1MWqrrBWiQ97cg5poaqLfqXY/s320/40916679.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40916679-a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder" target="_blank">A Good Girl's Guide to Murder</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40916679-a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder" target="_blank"> by Holly Jackson, Bailey Carr (Narrator), Marisa Calin (Narrator) & Michael Crouch (Narrator) <i>May 2, 2019</i></a></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>To be completely honest, I did not read all of this book. I don't do thrillers well, and when I came to the part where Pippa (the teen protagonist) figured out who the murderer was, I was too terrified to listen any more. I skipped to the end of the book to see how it all turned out. I do have a reserve on a text version of it so I can skim through the harrowing pages. </div><div>Aside from that, I was completely invested in this debut novel. </div><div>Pippa, who plans to become an investigative journalist, decides to examine a five year old murder for her final high school project. As she digs into the case she discovers that Andie Bell, the murder victim, wasn't the innocent she was purported to be. She discovers that many people close to her are keeping dangerous secrets, and that lies, racism, and corruption flourish under the town's patina of wholesomeness. I adored Pippa, her family, her friends, and her budding romance with Ravi, brother to the alleged murderer. </div><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40916679-a-good-girl-s-guide-to-murder#CommunityReviews"></a></div><div><span><br /></span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NIY255BMCQuofDcs9ctTsSa1a2k4qBAc74pKR4wRfWd6eTRtKjgSJvR85VL4RZH6Wh6KwyG-GkkD1t5HWbkA4hYtzUUukGlXKLiiRi-L0UWg8jgdivOJ8gpIWbeG4PVHFY4NhpkJzcl2PBs_x69xbJwwsq-qyRCBuD_Ar16X6Dna7hap6JJnonj00Zw5/s400/60784604.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1NIY255BMCQuofDcs9ctTsSa1a2k4qBAc74pKR4wRfWd6eTRtKjgSJvR85VL4RZH6Wh6KwyG-GkkD1t5HWbkA4hYtzUUukGlXKLiiRi-L0UWg8jgdivOJ8gpIWbeG4PVHFY4NhpkJzcl2PBs_x69xbJwwsq-qyRCBuD_Ar16X6Dna7hap6JJnonj00Zw5/s320/60784604.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784604-of-manners-and-murder" target="_blank">Of Manners and Murder</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784604-of-manners-and-murder" target="_blank"> by Anastasia Hastings<i> &</i></a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784604-of-manners-and-murder" target="_blank"> Mia Hutchinson-Shaw (Narrator) <i>February 7, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This was a delightful respite following the previous novel. It's a mostly cozy historical mystery set in Victorian England. Violet and her sixteen year old half sister, Sephora, live with their Aunt Adelia. When she heads off to the continent with a new beau, she leaves Violet responsible for answering the<span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span>Dear Miss Hermoine letters for her published advice column. Luckily Bunty, their aunt's housekeeper is there to help her.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One of the letters troubles Violet so she heads off to the village of Willingdale to meet the author, Ivy Armstrong. She arrives in the village just in time to attend Ivy's funeral. Posing as a school friend, Violet determines that Ivy's death was neither accident nor suicide and sets out to uncover who murdered her. There are plenty of suspects.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Meanwhile, Sephora is having a clandestine relationship with a secret beau. When he disappears she sets off into dangerous part of London to find him.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The story is told from the perspectives of the two sisters. Whereas Violet is educated and studious, Sephora is a social butterfly. At first their two narratives seem unrelated, but eventually they weave together. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Even though this has a number of hair raising episodes, it's also full of humour. I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8EVPe4dKXQgnMtkX1FFhBUyZz8JUdWC29utZdBNRPYokuJVSJ52AHcOkNGYh1vg75VQbzBAKDW5vXNhc_weLkoDZ3996K7yUmpYGBp5z17yM8eDJGSmKYj3AesczlKZujuj80AUHvld1bMxvawBhOI6x8yfKwn01YTmhLuoYXpYE3SUdndY6NchyHm7y/s400/60657589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="266" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8EVPe4dKXQgnMtkX1FFhBUyZz8JUdWC29utZdBNRPYokuJVSJ52AHcOkNGYh1vg75VQbzBAKDW5vXNhc_weLkoDZ3996K7yUmpYGBp5z17yM8eDJGSmKYj3AesczlKZujuj80AUHvld1bMxvawBhOI6x8yfKwn01YTmhLuoYXpYE3SUdndY6NchyHm7y/s320/60657589.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60657589-emily-wilde-s-encyclopaedia-of-faeries" target="_blank">Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60657589-emily-wilde-s-encyclopaedia-of-faeries" target="_blank"> by Heather Fawcett & <i>January 10, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am a huge fan of fairy tales of any kind. I tell you this so you know I was predisposed to enjoy this, and I did. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Emily Wilde is a adjunct professor at Cambridge who specializes in dryadology - faerie folklore. She travels to the Scandinavian country of Ljosland to be the first person to document the local faeries and complete her Encyclopaedia of these creatures. <br />She doesn't get off to a good start with the local townspeople of Hrafnsvik. (Emily comes across as someone who might be on the autistic spectrum, since as brilliant as she is, she doesn't do social interaction well.) Then one of her colleagues, the handsome and charming Wendell Bambleby, shows up and offers to help. He is much more than he first seems. The two of them seem like opposites so you know romance is in the offing. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What I like most about this book is the dark faerie lore and how it is integrated into the plot. It is full of changelings, enchantments, and all kinds of nasty faerie shenanigans. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While Emily deals competently with many aspects of faerie folk, she also ends up over her head. As experienced as she is, she ends up caught in her own kind of fairy tale nightmare and has to be rescued by Bambleby and the rest of the townsfolk. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm not happy with women needing rescue by men, but I'm still planning on reading the sequel. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><br /></div></span></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Poverty, by America</b> by Matthew Desmond</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Stazy and the Magic List</b> by Nancy Hundal</span><i> October 15, 2023 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Funeral Songs for Dying Girls </b>by Cherie Dimaline</span><i style="font-family: arial;"> </i><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">🍁</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><span><b><span><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Faint of Heart</b> by Kerilynn Wilson<i> June 13, 2023</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Besties Work It Out</b> by Kayla Miller</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustRead2024 3/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NonFiction 4/24 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 5/50 two on the go</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 2/25 one on the go</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 29/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-37497839665950651482024-02-05T06:54:00.000-08:002024-02-05T06:54:39.677-08:00#IMWAYR February 5th, 2024<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf1ePHDhw0Eo7XG1SSnly67Cyvc5IEZF4HyB_QZTnq65Mc4_9tXLF58kB0ermBVgpPOCFGCtPzSwbAiOcGsd27Foc36IjbJyUU1JxCAseFmGF_m36Xs1qXq0PyCOkEYm78F7ddHAcDEIAsKCaGZr2CmBk1mdTOLWy1pmK3abKWwKcpoA-UzY-EzTd6e4u/s1160/IMG_4528.jpeg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="1061" data-original-width="1160" height="586" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNf1ePHDhw0Eo7XG1SSnly67Cyvc5IEZF4HyB_QZTnq65Mc4_9tXLF58kB0ermBVgpPOCFGCtPzSwbAiOcGsd27Foc36IjbJyUU1JxCAseFmGF_m36Xs1qXq0PyCOkEYm78F7ddHAcDEIAsKCaGZr2CmBk1mdTOLWy1pmK3abKWwKcpoA-UzY-EzTd6e4u/w640-h586/IMG_4528.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;">Last Monday my specialist put me on antibiotics to treat my sinus infection. I've got another week to go. </span><span style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;">If you've ever had one of these, you know how hard they are to treat. He is sending me off for a scan to see what is going on in there before he repairs the damage done when I broke my nose in 2020. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium; text-align: center;">I did manage to work for 1 1/2 days last week although I was completely done in afterwards. </span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In my creative life, I'm continuing to work on a knitted sweater for my son. I've also been trying to finish up an order I took for two mice. I've finished up the clothing she wanted, and even though she didn't ask for it, am attempting to make shoes for them. It is really finicky given that the mice feet are at most, one inch long. I will make sure to share a picture of them when I am done.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span><br /></span></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><b style="background-color: transparent; color: red;">PREVIOUS POST</b></h3><div><b style="background-color: transparent; color: red;"><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2024/02/first-friday-poetry-february-2024.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;">FIRST FRIDAY POETRY FEBRUARY 2024</a></h3></b></div></span></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R82WFlGdLMsdP-slN1nwUPmqufXTHXy8_ShLur4u6_2qYhtRFpCinxqNI7YTV7E_ExkSXN4MxL5_kg3qmN1OIkZvzP9HLsGdHQOWlT2Me4gMkDBZG5WCuRPRc7cxgZjpt3p4xg3Me-esn9cCwfQZN9JHlfCmDQ-MxOzrNq4j6tdYpqrxdzZyABz9HZgo/s362/2841753.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8R82WFlGdLMsdP-slN1nwUPmqufXTHXy8_ShLur4u6_2qYhtRFpCinxqNI7YTV7E_ExkSXN4MxL5_kg3qmN1OIkZvzP9HLsGdHQOWlT2Me4gMkDBZG5WCuRPRc7cxgZjpt3p4xg3Me-esn9cCwfQZN9JHlfCmDQ-MxOzrNq4j6tdYpqrxdzZyABz9HZgo/s320/2841753.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2841753-crayfish" target="_blank">Crayfish</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2841753-crayfish" target="_blank"> by Lola M. Schaefer<i> January 1, 2002</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I was subbing for one of the local teacher librarians last week. She asked me to read a couple of books to the primary groups who would be coming in. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I came upon this book, I knew it would be one of them. When I was a girl growing up in this area, there were lots of crayfish (crawdads) in the river and other bodies of water. I haven't seen any in many years, but that might be just because I'm not looking for them. </span></div><div><section class="ReviewText" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1.6rem; position: relative;"><section class="ReviewText__content" dir="auto" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div class="TruncatedContent" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;" tabindex="-1"><div class="TruncatedContent__text TruncatedContent__text--large TruncatedContent__text--expanded" data-testid="contentContainer" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; overflow: hidden visible; word-break: break-word;" tabindex="-1"><span class="Formatted" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is "a basic introduction to crayfish, focusing on their physical characteristics, habitat, diet, and activities." I wish there had been more about how their eggs are fertilized.<br />It is a wonderful nonfiction title for beginning readers from prek to grade 2. I appreciate that it has all kinds of important nonfiction text features: labeled photographs, a table of contents, a glossary, an index.<br /></span></div></div></section></section></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">FICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1D4bbvptCR-_7LtDi6hpL2PTWVWQ5arBs-bjcXQTEmicb1tqWaLqjspF7gq1w-bIZW-QgNUIy5JChg8VHNBDk_OJ24amAByAHmpbcYWqDO-_uGPlL7w0RYQ5gEbqPmSMuS_ajZpkw-OQcUL9DQ3dUytWZOknvQz2mzmgw0V-vcDOX-8Cj-PnwxT23u2c/s400/7949530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="311" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK1D4bbvptCR-_7LtDi6hpL2PTWVWQ5arBs-bjcXQTEmicb1tqWaLqjspF7gq1w-bIZW-QgNUIy5JChg8VHNBDk_OJ24amAByAHmpbcYWqDO-_uGPlL7w0RYQ5gEbqPmSMuS_ajZpkw-OQcUL9DQ3dUytWZOknvQz2mzmgw0V-vcDOX-8Cj-PnwxT23u2c/s320/7949530.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7949530-children-make-terrible-pets" target="_blank">Children Make Terrible Pets</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7949530-children-make-terrible-pets" target="_blank"> by Peter Brown<i> September 1, 2010</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is the other book I read to those groups of primary students. If I had read it before, I didn't remember it although I did recall that it is a great read. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's a take on children wanting to keep wild animals for pets. In this case, a bear finds a boy in the bushes and convinces his mother to let him keep it as a pet. Like all the other Peter Brown books I've read, the art is charming, it's loaded with humour, and reveals an important lesson. </span></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">NOVELS</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94KleXP6QTDuWkVIIRhCv98_mHo2oJ4nW0KfTQUmZ1JgrsAhwge9YFFP3A4Hcb9Hn013PCB6tbLdPKXyS6n7TA6FgUljHi6-J6HQAw-S-V9JvlVHlQhXBUXhrzZ0HN3J_Ac5TOtlcnB6_7PxCrJu1k41EO5WH3OPO819E0ceENTeKCU0IlZfvXuGvwdr_/s400/60564453.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94KleXP6QTDuWkVIIRhCv98_mHo2oJ4nW0KfTQUmZ1JgrsAhwge9YFFP3A4Hcb9Hn013PCB6tbLdPKXyS6n7TA6FgUljHi6-J6HQAw-S-V9JvlVHlQhXBUXhrzZ0HN3J_Ac5TOtlcnB6_7PxCrJu1k41EO5WH3OPO819E0ceENTeKCU0IlZfvXuGvwdr_/s320/60564453.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60564453-lo-and-behold" target="_blank">Lo and Behold</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60564453-lo-and-behold" target="_blank"> by Wendy Mass, Gabi Mendez (Illustrator) & Cai Tse (Colorist)<i> May 2, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When I first finished this, I was left pondering VR (virtual reality). Part of me worried that spending time in VR is a way to avoid reality and thus, not trying to change negative aspects of it. However, as I reflected more on the book, I realized that in many ways spending time in VR is a lot like reading. Yes it has an escapist component, but sometimes, that's what you need. It's also a way to learn more about yourself and the world around you. Perhaps if we could spend time in an artificial world, we would be able to come back more aware of what is missing and be motivated to change our lives.<br />This is in essence, what this book is about.<br />Addie (named after a toirtoise) and her father travel across the country for his summer job, teaching university students working with VR. Her mother, for reasons that are not clear at first, is unable to come with them. After a rocky start, she ends up becoming friends with Mateo, a boy across the hall. The two of them come up with ways to use VR to help patients in the hospital where Mateo volunteers.<br />There is a lot going on in this book. At the same time as we learn about VR, we learn about space travel, the longest living tortoise, opiate addiction, death, grief, and forgiveness.<br />I really appreciated the diversity of the characters and the authenticity of the relationships between them.</span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE4OcW68sNdGBHjbW2jYKD5kVW-zngttV1GC1ssBuLI_6TPUKH0yPhuPup1Fb5D39kI9eF2mcFj5KqHH6pSNd26wnGKJ6NgSelMUESMbIBOQv4oTfRFkfgdbmh6iXT-_LTleN9aLZeHsVCadnYES9H_dXslivr3y2jscbkFvmVh3JiQK8RkPh_DedK8H6/s978/167067538.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="978" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtE4OcW68sNdGBHjbW2jYKD5kVW-zngttV1GC1ssBuLI_6TPUKH0yPhuPup1Fb5D39kI9eF2mcFj5KqHH6pSNd26wnGKJ6NgSelMUESMbIBOQv4oTfRFkfgdbmh6iXT-_LTleN9aLZeHsVCadnYES9H_dXslivr3y2jscbkFvmVh3JiQK8RkPh_DedK8H6/s320/167067538.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60024013-moon-of-the-turning-leaves" target="_blank">Moon of the Turning Leaves</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60024013-moon-of-the-turning-leaves" target="_blank"> by Waubgeshig Rice & </a></span></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60024013-moon-of-the-turning-leaves" target="_blank">Billy Merasty (Narrator) <i>October 10, 2023 </i><span>🍁 </span></a></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is a sequel to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39082248-moon-of-the-crusted-snow" target="_blank">Moon of the Crusted Snow</a>. In the first book we learn that something has destroyed the electrical grid, the world has gone dark, and is experiencing an apocalypse. A small Anishinaabe community in the north, after dealing with destructive outsiders and the deaths of many of it's members during the first winter, has survived. <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The remaining people decide that in order to survive they will need to move to where there are better food sources. A group of six set off south to find out if they will be able to return to their original territory on one of the great lakes. Their journey is fraught with all kinds of dangers. Some come from the land itself and others from the humans they run into on their journey. Not all of them make it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A couple of times I became so terrified for these characters that I had to skip forward in sections of my audiobook. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><div><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOXYrZKYFG5jQpR4Z4_KNt21gtkvw_udoSkA7653uN2hfEywe-NLvhrxBnlylPbja7vWHJkLe-5Kzu699lnFt58r94wbz7SrXW9oGUn8084yI3T6ynDYD0Xo9f2lWeKGIC8vX335rB-IpGmk2YCSbqi8mKIeRIf9alWwQ237D0clflT4cClJVJQ2WwjDM/s400/75494215.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZOXYrZKYFG5jQpR4Z4_KNt21gtkvw_udoSkA7653uN2hfEywe-NLvhrxBnlylPbja7vWHJkLe-5Kzu699lnFt58r94wbz7SrXW9oGUn8084yI3T6ynDYD0Xo9f2lWeKGIC8vX335rB-IpGmk2YCSbqi8mKIeRIf9alWwQ237D0clflT4cClJVJQ2WwjDM/s320/75494215.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75494215-eve" target="_blank">Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75494215-eve" target="_blank"> by Cat Bohannon (Author & Narrator) </a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/75494215-eve" target="_blank">October 2023</a></div><div><br /></div></span>So far this is one of the two best books (fiction and nonfiction) I've read this year. It's in a tie with <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83817782-determined" target="_blank"><b>Determined</b>: A Science of Life without Free Will by Robert M. Sapolsky.</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's a paradigm shift that takes a deep look into the evolution of our species from the perspective of women's biological needs and the role they play in society. It examines the intersection of biology, sex, gender, culture, and evolution.<br />The writing is brilliant - full of scientific information, but also cosy and intimate, like when she refers to a Morganucodon, a rodent that lived 200m years ago in the Jurassic period, as Morgie.<br />She's going to piss a lot of people off with some of her thinking, like the fact that trans women are really women, but who really cares.<br />Everyone should be paying close attention to the chapters on love, especially with regards to the nutritional needs of girls and women.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXz7dDzKW5oyJCKOP6DqTulY-4m4yjk7JiKk7eFVu8ywxtvs_AFz7l36oMxn1cdAjZWnRXh-eZGQm8ziRMKisQrCWD6JQGqkupj2RaInVoncdencfRrDeQFwKfOqu6dsDsZdoqlYVMFa_oZERS7J0u1ZHrh10b9ud2XaRkzkwxggp_J8PsoliziXzHLM9k/s400/66087876.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXz7dDzKW5oyJCKOP6DqTulY-4m4yjk7JiKk7eFVu8ywxtvs_AFz7l36oMxn1cdAjZWnRXh-eZGQm8ziRMKisQrCWD6JQGqkupj2RaInVoncdencfRrDeQFwKfOqu6dsDsZdoqlYVMFa_oZERS7J0u1ZHrh10b9ud2XaRkzkwxggp_J8PsoliziXzHLM9k/s320/66087876.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66087876-almost-brown" target="_blank">Almost Brown: A Mixed-Race Family Memoir</a></b><span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66087876-almost-brown" target="_blank"> </a></span></span></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/66087876-almost-brown" target="_blank">by Charlotte Gill June 6, 2023 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm really looking forward to talking to my book club about this book. Charlotte Gill writes about her life as the child of an English mother and Sikh father. <br />The book is both personal, and global. It addresses the reality of racism at both micro and macro levels. On the one hand it's an exploration of a family trying to navigate their way through the remnants of two worlds, and fit into a third. It's a tale of family and relationship dissolution. In the end it's about forgiveness. <br />It's also examines the impact of systemic racism in our cultural institutions and what that is like at a personal level. She writes about her experience of being half brown, of being a member of the diaspora and not really fitting in anywhere and of dealing with racist experiences associated with her skin colour. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Bad Actors</b> by Mick Herron</span><i> May 2022</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Librarian of Auschwitz</b> (Graphic Novel Version) by Antonio Iturbe, Salva Rubio (Adaptation), Lilit Zekulin Thwaites (translator) & Loreto Aroco (Illustrator)<i> January 2023</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Things in the Basement</b> by Ben Hatke <i>August 29, 2023</i></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><span><span style="color: red;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Of Manners and Murder</b> by Anastasia Hastings<i> February 7, 2023</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Faint of Heart</b> by Kerilynn Wilson<i> June 13, 2023</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Stazy and the Magic List</b> by Nancy Hundal</span><i> October 15, 2023 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><span><span style="color: red;">January Reading Update: </span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>I read 16 books (3569 pages)</span></span></div><div><span><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span>graphic novels 3</span></span></div><div><span><span>picture books 2</span></span></div><div><span><span>nonfiction picture books 2</span></span></div><div><span>middle grade novels 4</span></div><div><span>YA/adult novels 3</span></div><div><span>YA/adult</span><span> </span><span>nonfiction 2</span></div></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">BIPOC authors 7</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustRead2024 3/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NonFiction 4 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 5/50</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 2/25 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 19/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-36036488972479338212024-02-02T09:34:00.000-08:002024-02-02T12:10:38.726-08:00FIRST FRIDAY POETRY FEBRUARY 2024 <span style="font-family: helvetica;">Last year, I joined <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/">Beverly A Baird</a> & <a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/">Linda Schueler</a> in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joined, wrote a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.<br /><br />I've decided to join them again this year, even though there is no theme. </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I was given a Mary Oliver collection for Christmas. Reading her work has reminded me to make time to appreciate the world around me and rejoice in the pleasures of nature and ordinary things. Perhaps as I age, I was already on my way to this, but her work certainly reinforces it. <br /><br />So while there is no theme for this year, I'm thinking I'm going to write about the magic of ordinary life. Today it's about coffee. I didn't expect either of my photographers to have an image of this, so i tried to capture the process myself. I should probably have whittled the poem down more, but I ran out of time.</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQuUsR96ZiddHMblQbDz4JJGmmhv0aswhyphenhyphen48Eji1ZKNLn1DeZ9_OG6iTQRXl9wKohPMKr5RgHf3iBW0371EoZg9mx2l8yto_qufbPKvYLGWhpBFcw1K8oPfEvrw7JsH7r1YDRIcjqkEwQoTUC0Ff2fPXRw0CZG1cywzJS6qu_ePwUqgz98GpkhArlhqWN/s4032/IMG_2647.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWQuUsR96ZiddHMblQbDz4JJGmmhv0aswhyphenhyphen48Eji1ZKNLn1DeZ9_OG6iTQRXl9wKohPMKr5RgHf3iBW0371EoZg9mx2l8yto_qufbPKvYLGWhpBFcw1K8oPfEvrw7JsH7r1YDRIcjqkEwQoTUC0Ff2fPXRw0CZG1cywzJS6qu_ePwUqgz98GpkhArlhqWN/w640-h480/IMG_2647.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />alchemy<br /><br />have you ever,<br />i mean ever,<br />really paid attention to brewing coffee?<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">i concede<br />there are many methods<br />for making delicious<br />brews of this black elixir<br /><br />but none of them compare<br />to the intimate ritual of<br />a pourover pot of coffee<br /><br />i grind beans the night before,<br />some people think it’s a travesty, but<br />who wants that racket first thing?<br /><br />on occasion,<br />when i have to get up early,<br />i set everything up before going to bed<br />(purists insist that grind and water should be fresh)<br /><br />the truly important bit begins<br />once the kettle whistles, <br /><br />now,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />pay </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">close </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">attention <br /><br />as you pour the boiling water<br />to barely wet the grounds<br />observe how it blooms </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">into foam and large bubbles<br />as the carbon dioxide escapes<br /><br />pour more water,<br />watch as it steeps<br />over,<br />around,<br />and into the ground beans<br /><br />note the creation of caverns and crevices<br />see how they<br />crash and collapse<br />as the celestial liquid flows,<br />now transformed,<br />into the pot<br /><br />it’s not over yet<br />it’s barely begun<br /><br />peer closely<br />at the multitude of<br />tiny bubbles<br />glistening,<br />shimmering,<br />dancing brown jewels<br />refracting rainbows<br />of light<br /><br />pour more water<br />watch it all again<br /><br />as you </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">conjure up </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ordinary morning magic<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><br /></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-66891933875268679842024-01-28T17:54:00.000-08:002024-01-28T19:41:45.695-08:00#IMWAYR January 29th, 2023<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeAb0ED1wf6A_q5y6aWBeEpOvjWSbp1m6gG-nFozSRJcmRSsg9KgLyosRLRh84sA8Y05MF_xKqOxNUgwfkxtuqbaWHbPDd3cOjPp_HpMR4hY7XLJoGSlslsky4lh-X8tN_PQJAhFRusB67wT9XzX8n0y3sV-v2nHINpj5Hd4wi8uVbRebUrQLnu3noV4v/s1558/IMG_4524.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1558" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTeAb0ED1wf6A_q5y6aWBeEpOvjWSbp1m6gG-nFozSRJcmRSsg9KgLyosRLRh84sA8Y05MF_xKqOxNUgwfkxtuqbaWHbPDd3cOjPp_HpMR4hY7XLJoGSlslsky4lh-X8tN_PQJAhFRusB67wT9XzX8n0y3sV-v2nHINpj5Hd4wi8uVbRebUrQLnu3noV4v/w640-h490/IMG_4524.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Winter finally arrived and for two weeks we had snow and unusually cold weather. Then it warmed up. One day we had snow all over the ground and by the next afternoon it was almost gone. Now we have low cloud, fog, and rain. I'm not complaining. We need the moisture.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">According to Goodreads, I am two books behind schedule. I figure it's a small miracle that I'm only this far behind. Between having a houseguest for a week, and then coming down with a sinus infection, it's amazing I managed to read at all.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Because of the sinus infection I missed a quilting workshop, but luckily had all the information already so I just sewed on my own at home. The workshop taught a relatively easy strategy for creating bargello quilts. I made two cushion covers instead of a quilt. Now that they are finished, it looks like we need a new sofa. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gUgF_RZT36WOTbSozEc7nQTyWTXw_qChxd_J4CUDXyQRUYKG4TTotWDFAQWyuI26YxH2T7hPPSC7qxMl5PgwJYX0nNrata5lNRPkvE-RrfOOL_91pn9x0mmSfFpByXYhUjC2c5aP0RVGRY9EF5ZnTnAdPpzMtUXZsH7jxE4wulfndv7z0Had4AVsGBHO/s2048/421611290_10162383616586789_1980739964556567556_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="2048" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5gUgF_RZT36WOTbSozEc7nQTyWTXw_qChxd_J4CUDXyQRUYKG4TTotWDFAQWyuI26YxH2T7hPPSC7qxMl5PgwJYX0nNrata5lNRPkvE-RrfOOL_91pn9x0mmSfFpByXYhUjC2c5aP0RVGRY9EF5ZnTnAdPpzMtUXZsH7jxE4wulfndv7z0Had4AVsGBHO/w400-h272/421611290_10162383616586789_1980739964556567556_n.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9XBtf-Me7kxbIZ2H6TIbinEie-9sB5BSPK8lnagNQ0c87WLg2mWiSbKknaCGtIniouHMjDmtKJfNHPTlCST1sl0SwBjTuqZF98h9XgEKrBCsnlDJ87IFvDADc4J5R1LZhnusAMzEvKS11xAaWU4yT35V9SNB0-ZlIMbANYdI3uW8pRh3JYgLytPdgPSG/s1182/60310695.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC9XBtf-Me7kxbIZ2H6TIbinEie-9sB5BSPK8lnagNQ0c87WLg2mWiSbKknaCGtIniouHMjDmtKJfNHPTlCST1sl0SwBjTuqZF98h9XgEKrBCsnlDJ87IFvDADc4J5R1LZhnusAMzEvKS11xAaWU4yT35V9SNB0-ZlIMbANYdI3uW8pRh3JYgLytPdgPSG/s320/60310695.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60310695-no-said-custard-the-squirrel" target="_blank">NO! Said Custard the Squirrel</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60310695-no-said-custard-the-squirrel" target="_blank"> by Sergio Ruzzier</a></span><i><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> September 6, 2022</span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Don't ask me what this book is all about because I'm still trying to figure it out. I really wish my grandkids were here so I could read it to them and we could talk about what they think. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Custard the Squirrel looks a lot like a duck, but when asked all kinds of questions about his identity by a little rat in a diaper, he consistently replies no. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Is this a celebration of being who you truly are? Maybe. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo92wcZP0usuzdzpRlNsfZtJ9D5OD04h3heA9xeEc7FJEfRbgkfa8RETYXzKcJOtzOhlsN41WVkCy9InZhu7kk-7M06jVS1hjvNxm7SmD3QA1t2PndMoGbk-QD5YyxZ4CCBwSmLM1BnNuLdILUi7RvMspv8T3GOpaJzRgJaiVobo5U2BSFtd3bNBnSrcs8/s400/125070126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo92wcZP0usuzdzpRlNsfZtJ9D5OD04h3heA9xeEc7FJEfRbgkfa8RETYXzKcJOtzOhlsN41WVkCy9InZhu7kk-7M06jVS1hjvNxm7SmD3QA1t2PndMoGbk-QD5YyxZ4CCBwSmLM1BnNuLdILUi7RvMspv8T3GOpaJzRgJaiVobo5U2BSFtd3bNBnSrcs8/s320/125070126.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125070126-the-portal-keeper" target="_blank">The Portal Keeper </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125070126-the-portal-keeper" target="_blank"><i>The Misewa Saga #4 </i>by David Alexander Robertson<i> October 10, 2023 </i> 🍁</a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"Morgan and Eli are Indigenous children who discover a portal at their foster home to another world, Askī; there they discover talking animal beings who connect them to traditional ways, as well as help them deal with the challenges in the real world. A fantasy for readers aged ten and up, the Misewa Saga (“misewa” is Cree for “all that is”) series reflects stories of the sky and the constellations held within its great canvas."<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> Eli, Morgan, and her friend, Emily have located another portal into Aski. They end up in World's End, a different place than usual, and discover that something terrible is happening to the animal people there. Back in their own world they are horrified to discover what is going on and must come up with a way to save them. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This is my favourite series by Robertson. I like that we have two queer characters, but it's not all there is. I like the closeness of the two foster children. I like that Eli is coming into his own kind of super power. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF6iqqcXEllOyoU1JpwXjKVUxzBvwkvaVQeKXWdJSWlUG5UdI9TUG3foqzVzP-ZEmjjof-V4RqwMfBwzxQ-9DeSjUR0Mm-PuU5dDzSK3j4kVMhgSQ01oaxA7LNZ1KmNGdfr9SV1APM_-PIKr3uHyq47AxjBOXDxuLtsT4zi4V7d0MJ11v5ighcmm-Ysyk/s2550/35068414.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoF6iqqcXEllOyoU1JpwXjKVUxzBvwkvaVQeKXWdJSWlUG5UdI9TUG3foqzVzP-ZEmjjof-V4RqwMfBwzxQ-9DeSjUR0Mm-PuU5dDzSK3j4kVMhgSQ01oaxA7LNZ1KmNGdfr9SV1APM_-PIKr3uHyq47AxjBOXDxuLtsT4zi4V7d0MJ11v5ighcmm-Ysyk/s320/35068414.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068414-the-oceans-between-stars" target="_blank">The Oceans Between Stars</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35068414-the-oceans-between-stars" target="_blank"> <i>Chronicle of the Dark Star #2 </i>by Kevin Emerson & Kevin T. Collins (Narrator) <i>February 13, 2018</i><br /></a></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I read the first in this series ages ago and finally got around to reading the next one. <br />Liam and Phoebe are two teens who barely escaped with their lives when Mars, the planet they were living on, exploded. They are travelling in stasis with JEFF, their panda shaped robotic assistant, as they try to catch up to the main ship and reunite with their parents. When they finally arrive, they discover their family's starliner has been destroyed. <br />Phoebe has secrets of her own. In the prelude we learn that her real name is Xela and her family ended up on Mars when their planet of Telos was destroyed in a ball of fire by humans. She and her people want vengeance. At the same time, she and Liam have become close friends. He accepts her when she finally reveals her true self. Unfortunately she is still keeping some dangerous secrets. <br />I liked so much about this book. I appreciate that nothing about space and time travel is dumbed down for younger readers. I appreciate the connection between what happened on Telos and colonialism here on our real world. It feels realistic that the two children who want to end the conflict between their two peoples, are mostly ignored by the adults around them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">If I didn't already have so many books to read, I would probably have started on the final book in the trilogy right away. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="color: red;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">NOVELS</span></b></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjZFgmCaPCua4d4lSLb-bZD0naPjWfFU6cH6JHeQK1PUHXAIxn-3bwH0xWxfCIWYGmQVwZbp8oKR_tnhFEHrlSrIttHeBgJaDHWJjIUp82mVfPDpPnP_QriwSwkTp7FE-iwUpuoZWFpJBh5S4jri9kgt4hi8AUi34Vhio_y11OdXEbxWbXHNfet_1t4GE/s400/62296525.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpjZFgmCaPCua4d4lSLb-bZD0naPjWfFU6cH6JHeQK1PUHXAIxn-3bwH0xWxfCIWYGmQVwZbp8oKR_tnhFEHrlSrIttHeBgJaDHWJjIUp82mVfPDpPnP_QriwSwkTp7FE-iwUpuoZWFpJBh5S4jri9kgt4hi8AUi34Vhio_y11OdXEbxWbXHNfet_1t4GE/s320/62296525.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62296525-dear-rosie" target="_blank">Dear Rosie</a></b></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62296525-dear-rosie" target="_blank"> by Meghan Boehman & Rachael Briner</a></span><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62296525-dear-rosie" target="_blank"> July 11, 2023</a></i></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />This is a profound novel about losing a friend. When a member of close knit group of girls dies suddenly, the remaining girls deal with grief in different ways.<br />The story is based on the death of one of the authors’ friends. It’s set in the same town as where they grew up. I like that each character is based on one of the local animals of the area. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><span style="color: red;">YA/ADULT GRAPHIC </span></b><b><span style="color: red;">NOVELS</span></b></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBOoOkcUuPv3RScMHItXekiy8VJ9M6UWE9kdTJFdChDlPRdV1QW4Gpuar_0IYAmd_588MlWcEOb-UP3uOe5BQxS1UwkNmoMEvoaQ0z9iuQAX-fOJECF_9H3ISOO2OzwldjJKGiUVhwTR9LjvwTG72ZnFcNc2v-81PLTQQHYOcJA5TZCn9mTfNq4WjU9gz/s400/60316964.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMBOoOkcUuPv3RScMHItXekiy8VJ9M6UWE9kdTJFdChDlPRdV1QW4Gpuar_0IYAmd_588MlWcEOb-UP3uOe5BQxS1UwkNmoMEvoaQ0z9iuQAX-fOJECF_9H3ISOO2OzwldjJKGiUVhwTR9LjvwTG72ZnFcNc2v-81PLTQQHYOcJA5TZCn9mTfNq4WjU9gz/s320/60316964.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316964-in-limbo" target="_blank">In Limbo</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60316964-in-limbo" target="_blank"> by Deb J.J. Lee <span style="background-color: white; color: #4f4f4d;"><i>March 7, 2023</i></span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In this gorgeous, debut graphic memoir, Lee shares her story of growing up Korean in America. It's a painful story of trying to fit into a world where you are an outsider. While her mother was supportive of her desire to create art, she was prone to violence and physically abused Lee. Her father let it happen. As her close friend began to distance herself she became increasingly insecure and depressed. By the time she graduated from high school, she had attempted suicide twice. </span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><div><div><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJJiUZVIjB_IfrACvtxNcOavsKx467XDIegE9MTPybgqoSASB1i5_WxaZ2YnG0E5Z1GuiktYZ1zQ9DVV_xv9gQdVqdRUqRbxqp2TPmzMPFNGTo_5zIcBTyeeK7Hmf3SRUSoOGwRmShS53ndaK5r3pVYtOnUd3shDZxPIZWRh3sKAK7pIZ4CMct7XC4M-6/s1319/41810931.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzJJiUZVIjB_IfrACvtxNcOavsKx467XDIegE9MTPybgqoSASB1i5_WxaZ2YnG0E5Z1GuiktYZ1zQ9DVV_xv9gQdVqdRUqRbxqp2TPmzMPFNGTo_5zIcBTyeeK7Hmf3SRUSoOGwRmShS53ndaK5r3pVYtOnUd3shDZxPIZWRh3sKAK7pIZ4CMct7XC4M-6/s320/41810931.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41810931-shut-up-you-re-pretty" target="_blank">Shut Up You're Pretty</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41810931-shut-up-you-re-pretty" target="_blank"> by Téa Mutonji & Jemeni (Narrator) April 1, 2019 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For me, this Canada Reads title was a window into a world I scarcely new existed. It's a compelling narrative that reads like a collection of short stories with the same main character. It starts with a young Congolese girl, Loli, shaving her head in order to pass a boy so she can get into Canada. This sets the stage for a gritty exploration of gender, sexualization of girls and women, mental health, and poverty. It's also a story of resilience and overcoming. It isn't for the faint of heart. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK8EOm-wn3KZYjiKQtiFGANuCRSw8TR_gWn54drTWPNGMSPN3pcxlMIng81MMkQvlDozDl7VWz4NbWgJX_gz_XzuS2aWxfUQBY8zSXgA3PQEBo5NvLi7IrSOMSPwAAJjTbnjL6crTDNsr6o05PbQh_HitCHs-TVFHghstefkbxHCP0CXtwb6zLLvYjNgn/s400/48550232.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK8EOm-wn3KZYjiKQtiFGANuCRSw8TR_gWn54drTWPNGMSPN3pcxlMIng81MMkQvlDozDl7VWz4NbWgJX_gz_XzuS2aWxfUQBY8zSXgA3PQEBo5NvLi7IrSOMSPwAAJjTbnjL6crTDNsr6o05PbQh_HitCHs-TVFHghstefkbxHCP0CXtwb6zLLvYjNgn/s320/48550232.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48550232-the-catch" target="_blank">The Catch</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48550232-the-catch" target="_blank"> by Mick Herron<i> </i></a></span><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48550232-the-catch" target="_blank">January 28, 2020</a></i></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This continues the story of John Bachelor, a character first introduced in the novella, <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23636636-the-list?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=tFkHiLZAxc&rank=1" target="_blank">The List</a></b>. His many screwups have left him in financial straights. When a couple of Dogs (the service's internal security division) from MI5 rough him up and tell him to find one of the retired spies he's supposed to be minding, he thinks he might be able to find his way back into the good graces of the agencies leader. He's wrong of course, but the machinations of all the actors makes for a great read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution</b> by Cat Bohannon</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><b>Almost Brown: A Mixed-Race Family Memoir</b> by Charlotte Gill </span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /><b><span><span style="color: red;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><b>Moon of the Turning Leaves</b> by Waubgeshig Rice</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">#MustRead2024 2/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">NonFiction 1/25 one on the go</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Canadian Authors 3/50</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Indigenous Authors 1/25 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 13/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-39929695476904869162024-01-15T08:21:00.000-08:002024-01-15T08:27:05.322-08:00#IMWAYR January 15, 2024<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWyDI9ZcArSwjP7TQafr4EQdb7heJM6h4DpqFJF864jBLPtIEfAOSNlvpsdpkl5YY6hi-TFsKks4vFuYR70YvyU9_s2S1NykubnycpGdSoQVEmbfeLDydJHIeDWF826FdGV-BJC-_1pauwoOFiHlNZ-Yyefsmzbo9TkZLCeIHGVcMjAeztUpPN1meOVe9/s1477/IMG_4521.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1020" data-original-width="1477" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdWyDI9ZcArSwjP7TQafr4EQdb7heJM6h4DpqFJF864jBLPtIEfAOSNlvpsdpkl5YY6hi-TFsKks4vFuYR70YvyU9_s2S1NykubnycpGdSoQVEmbfeLDydJHIeDWF826FdGV-BJC-_1pauwoOFiHlNZ-Yyefsmzbo9TkZLCeIHGVcMjAeztUpPN1meOVe9/w640-h442/IMG_4521.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><b style="background-color: transparent; color: red;">PREVIOUS POST</b></h3></span><br /><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2024/01/first-friday-poetry-january-2024.html">FIRST FRIDAY POETRY JANUARY 2024</a><span><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div></div><div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayhe_pWAl654-yzbXBcORrV7fFAK8v3GqIwxgD-2PP31KRoJlOVfjC63FM40NBM11Nq5KJQfreSvMcg3GOI9RjQpfTcj8mnA5IGwB4rKZOF1kGBmHAEkd2dOoPVdynb6M_JAKviyTEDPHWQ2FwT5yWYOBN7ZN9JSVPyPnxxyhlVup5hQeqbeiJbJmWHtW/s648/62344856.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiayhe_pWAl654-yzbXBcORrV7fFAK8v3GqIwxgD-2PP31KRoJlOVfjC63FM40NBM11Nq5KJQfreSvMcg3GOI9RjQpfTcj8mnA5IGwB4rKZOF1kGBmHAEkd2dOoPVdynb6M_JAKviyTEDPHWQ2FwT5yWYOBN7ZN9JSVPyPnxxyhlVup5hQeqbeiJbJmWHtW/s320/62344856.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62344856-a-tulip-in-winter" target="_blank">A Tulip in Winter: A Story about Folk Artist Maud Lewis</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62344856-a-tulip-in-winter" target="_blank"> by Kathy Stinson & Lauren Soloy 🍁</a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Maud Lewis was a painter from Nova Scotia, Canada. The most important thing about her is that she found and brought joy into the world. Her life was hard, yet her art celebrates the beauty of the world around her. Her paintings might represent earlier times, but they inspire us to find the glory in our own everyday lives today.<br />I really appreciate that in the two pages of additional information in the back matter, Stinson addresses the complexity of Maud's relationship with her husband, Everett Lewin. She questions whether his insistence on continuing to live in poverty, even when they had enough money to make life easier for Maud, was with malicious intent, or if he was just one of those people who, for whatever reasons, couldn't handle change.<br />Lauren Soloy's art is so beautiful and true to Maud's own work, you would be forgiven for thinking she is channeling Maud's spirit.</span></div><div><div><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uMWVqd-IaaBjah9EYNFZhm1lIN_h7b6l3uNV2RPOxhTRLt6AWk94Ga9reduMqYiU54zQGZDCdKvSMnp2A8stTqxm9hh_MUDgfqWrp72fpA-vW4oMkdM1mbDOu30s3uDJiEwAYj1SLW8tl8o_SQN3nO3RnXHRQdF4G4XHJOzBqwh_qv_U5ifASvUtey_J/s451/102188892.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uMWVqd-IaaBjah9EYNFZhm1lIN_h7b6l3uNV2RPOxhTRLt6AWk94Ga9reduMqYiU54zQGZDCdKvSMnp2A8stTqxm9hh_MUDgfqWrp72fpA-vW4oMkdM1mbDOu30s3uDJiEwAYj1SLW8tl8o_SQN3nO3RnXHRQdF4G4XHJOzBqwh_qv_U5ifASvUtey_J/s320/102188892.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102188892-remember-us" target="_blank">Remember Us</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102188892-remember-us" target="_blank"> by Jacqueline Woodson (Author and Narrator)<i> October 10, 2023</i><br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am a hard core fan of Jacqueline Woodson. When I get a book of hers I stop reading everything else until I'm finished it. This was extra special to listen to because she narrated it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Sage and her mother live in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn in the mid 1970's. It's the time of fires. Tenement houses were being burned by owners for the insurance money and the local newspaper referred to their community as the matchbook. But they are much more than this. Sage likes to hang out with friends (boys) playing basketball. Her father, a firefighter who died on the job, taught her how to play. She's better than all of them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's a time of transition for Sage in multiple ways. She has become aware of being different from her other girl friends. Then, when she is alone on the court, a bully steals the ball her father gave her, and accuses her of not being a real girl. It's a traumatic event that sends her into a tail spin and she stops basketball.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Eventually she and her mom move to a brick house far from their neighbourhood. Over time she builds a new life and starts a group of girls who play basketball together. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What I liked most of this book is how it is a window for me. It's a look into the reality of students growing up about the same time as I was, but far away from me and dealing with different experiences. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_GIAHQZqqK0co-TSk09piHjiSoyIAFMK8nVOHgRSZEfMUNh4nOxOzchI8EfGCCkz0tR2dNG-fHKyYfs2DdmwVy3YhnFApZn3EqCmG0DRs7uKrSK8cB9h7_N-zCLfCnXlfUqYAKha_fVC-dnjamzl65K68qpYPkgtAgPjMt69VrCu8NH1lbdqWMuM3EfD/s602/51285821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="414" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_GIAHQZqqK0co-TSk09piHjiSoyIAFMK8nVOHgRSZEfMUNh4nOxOzchI8EfGCCkz0tR2dNG-fHKyYfs2DdmwVy3YhnFApZn3EqCmG0DRs7uKrSK8cB9h7_N-zCLfCnXlfUqYAKha_fVC-dnjamzl65K68qpYPkgtAgPjMt69VrCu8NH1lbdqWMuM3EfD/s320/51285821.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51285821-eva-evergreen-semi-magical-witch" target="_blank">Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51285821-eva-evergreen-semi-magical-witch" target="_blank"> (Eva Evergreen, #1) by Julie Abe & Caitlin Kelly (Narrator)<i> August 4, 2020</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="dataRow" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #181818;"></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This was delightfully entertaining even if I have a few quibbles with parts of it. <br />Eva Evergreen came into her magic late. Her mother is a high ranking witch with influence in high places. She is very supportive of Eva. Once the problem with her apprenticeship is sorted out, Eva ends up in a small town by the sea. She manages to get a guardian, but the local mayor won't sign her official papers unless she can find a way to protect the town from The Culling, a mysterious, cursed weather phenomenon. This is something that even the strongest witches in the country haven't been able to do.<br />I liked that this is set in Japan. I liked that Eva had such supportive parents. I liked that she made good friends in the town of Auteri and it's largely because of this friendship that she is able to achieve the rank of Novice Witch. Eva herself is a charming character. <br />I could have done without the conflict between Eva and the other witch candidate. I don't understand why the adults didn't address his bullying. The nastiness of his father, a witch equal to her mother, makes more sense to the plot, and especially with the tease at the end about his role in the bigger picture of the book's world, and what's coming up in the sequel.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC </span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NOVELS</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4gctBJZub1LyBfs72O3xYuOqZ4EiU2lBU8BaVawkvzYajor9K3womktpToK_sy9emuLalmuIORY16obhL4ulk-hP57IOIPKJtSCtA0mfqlqDFDcaZ-y68ZttkqBzg41VzJKYMY__QrS6ThV49L7Unfx5K5pVHCyu-wu_IJk-pgjG2BqtGSfR1KDldUg_/s400/59251234.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4gctBJZub1LyBfs72O3xYuOqZ4EiU2lBU8BaVawkvzYajor9K3womktpToK_sy9emuLalmuIORY16obhL4ulk-hP57IOIPKJtSCtA0mfqlqDFDcaZ-y68ZttkqBzg41VzJKYMY__QrS6ThV49L7Unfx5K5pVHCyu-wu_IJk-pgjG2BqtGSfR1KDldUg_/s320/59251234.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59251234-frizzy" target="_blank">Frizzy</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59251234-frizzy" target="_blank"> by Claribel A. Ortega, Rose Bousamra (Illustrator)<i> October 18, 2022</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is a novel about hair. Through Marlene's struggles to learn how to deal with her seriously curly hair, a whole world of cultural norms, and their impact on individuals is opened up. I loved how supportive Marlene's best friend and aunt are. I appreciated that her mother truly cares for her and does what she does out of love, even if it a large part of Marlene's struggle. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As someone with straight hair, I always envied people who have naturally curly hair. I had no idea about the racist connections to curly hair like Marlene's or how much work goes into looking after it.</span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfvORD0DVv4nPiU21T6f8lM5Uj6Vn9wJ_8J7an4ci6WHfumAKGqD3tZuSCbLMn5EsxhZe2xWVhYKVijeFUTfn-r_VXMrnVaLCi1_2VijCGxHyz5yFoC0sx8ZpAlVteQyB8mcLvEG1KJ1QIZYXhVCXmeo0P9b36EyAn-b5VcRRwiJco_8p144c4aJQ_EPP/s2550/42046728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPfvORD0DVv4nPiU21T6f8lM5Uj6Vn9wJ_8J7an4ci6WHfumAKGqD3tZuSCbLMn5EsxhZe2xWVhYKVijeFUTfn-r_VXMrnVaLCi1_2VijCGxHyz5yFoC0sx8ZpAlVteQyB8mcLvEG1KJ1QIZYXhVCXmeo0P9b36EyAn-b5VcRRwiJco_8p144c4aJQ_EPP/s320/42046728.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42046728-joe-country" target="_blank">Joe Country</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42046728-joe-country" target="_blank"> (Slough House #6) by Mick Herron & Gerard Doyle (Narrator) <i>June 20, 2019</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am completely taken with Mick Herron's writing. Seriously, how can you not want to read more with an introduction like this: </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">“The owl flew screaming from the barn, its wingtips bright with flame. For a moment, silhouetted against the blank sky, it was a dying angel, scorched by its own divinity, and then it was just a city husk, dropping like an anvil into the nearby trees.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The misfit crew of spies end up in Wales in the middle of snowstorm. Some of them die. There are evil machinations going on at MI5 headquarters that bode nothing but ill for the residents at Slough House. I can't wait to find out what Jackson Lamb will do about it.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've already put the next one on reserve. In the meantime, I've downloaded The Catch - a novella that follows this title. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJISKSyTNElys19Z9QK4RGMKSR0ireO2vs-qLnuak2Ef8xEeGfAUHPxkkT_RUzPS22aeloCBCNg3FVz3W8TeowysSZVXucKZzmILCedtfNqv8L8MsWINV8t5yFIBLhR0XceuWuvUJawP-RMn8UU_FGHR6NvSTQMpGm-k4MyPJHdrjWnErbq8Lz32g5LPC/s400/83817782.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguJISKSyTNElys19Z9QK4RGMKSR0ireO2vs-qLnuak2Ef8xEeGfAUHPxkkT_RUzPS22aeloCBCNg3FVz3W8TeowysSZVXucKZzmILCedtfNqv8L8MsWINV8t5yFIBLhR0XceuWuvUJawP-RMn8UU_FGHR6NvSTQMpGm-k4MyPJHdrjWnErbq8Lz32g5LPC/s320/83817782.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83817782-determined" target="_blank">Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83817782-determined" target="_blank"> by Robert M. Sapolsky & Kaleo Griffith (Narrator)</a></span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This book is brilliant. I say this even though, honestly, I'm not sure I really understood it all. I listened to some parts more than twice trying to figure it out. In spite of all that, my critical takeaway is this:"We are nothing more or less than the cumulative biological and environmental luck, over which we had no control, that has brought us to any moment."<br />If we accept that there is no such thing as free will, then we have to look at the real issues that cause people to do the things they do. We might not be able to predict exactly who will commit a certain crime, but we know that there are certain conditions that lead to antisocial behaviour. Belief in the concept of free will is just an excuse to not address the societal problems that influence who we become and the choices we make.<br />When a crime is committed, it's turtles all the way down.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I started listening to <b>Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst </b>by Robert M. Sapolsky but at 790 pages (24 hours of listening), decided to save it for the Big Book Challenge this summer.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b>Dear Rosie</b></span> by Meghan Boehman & Rachael Briner</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Portal Keeper</b> by David Alexander Robertson<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125070126-the-portal-keeper?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Bijp2Gj9cV&rank=1#CommunityReviews"><br /></a><br /><b><span><span style="color: red;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>In Limbo</b> by Deb JJ Lee</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Catch</b> by Mick Herron</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustRead2024 2/25</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">NonFiction 1/25</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 1/50</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors /25 one in progress</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 7/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-62625429903262707782024-01-05T20:04:00.000-08:002024-01-05T20:04:37.807-08:00FIRST FRIDAY POETRY JANUARY 2024 <p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> <span>Last January, I joined</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a> &<span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joined, wrote a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I've decided to join them again this year, even though there is no theme. I was given a Mary Oliver collection for Christmas and this first poem was inspired by her. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This photograph is mine. Perhaps next month I will convince my partner and friend to join in with their artwork. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu-sERP8HELQj13_GIYTcK9OK0HLHNeqnxwH8g8gRMGCSoHoDodOLYl4uDjWqZ6nF67f76LTH-hwuU7P-37a09OxsTdt2vmYLamA8jgd2LvwpFm5TI-hCXKJ39ICP9WTnjFSQq4tBnBw62wvOBCahPTX7Orivn4RJ-PdKTYuFg95ZimcnMsCSdPgEyKRm/s3264/IMG_0207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxu-sERP8HELQj13_GIYTcK9OK0HLHNeqnxwH8g8gRMGCSoHoDodOLYl4uDjWqZ6nF67f76LTH-hwuU7P-37a09OxsTdt2vmYLamA8jgd2LvwpFm5TI-hCXKJ39ICP9WTnjFSQq4tBnBw62wvOBCahPTX7Orivn4RJ-PdKTYuFg95ZimcnMsCSdPgEyKRm/w640-h480/IMG_0207.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />inspired by The Pond by Mary Oliver<br /><br />january of another winter<br />and once again,<br />i long for snow<br /><br />fog locks us into<br />another overcast sky</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />one<br />dreary<br />day<br />drags on<br />after<br />another<br /><br />meanwhile<br />weeds flourish<br />in the still green grass</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />snap dragons<br />bloom bright pink<br />against the south facing<br />wall of the house<br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">their cheerful stamina<br />warns:<br />too warm! too warm!<br />foretelling of<br />what’s to come<br /><br />parched spring seedlings<br />early forest fires<br />smoke filled summer days<br />and barren autumn baskets<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's been a very mild winter here so far. The last time we had snap dragons blooming in January, we ended up with a heat dome in June that killed hundreds of people here in BC. We desperately need a snow pack so that there will be water come summer. </span></div><div><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-89917586566999290762024-01-01T09:06:00.000-08:002024-01-01T09:10:31.100-08:00#IMWAYR January 1, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFosYJLOz8ccgB3bLyeAKX17zBZvOx9GB9ybuhFqT2Etoa_rrAnbSDo5w_pvL6c4gP2ZJoTiDffPrhB0o_ZX-c6VEufK1n64T1UZkObBaVJIn9x04fh8-MPmz7PK4JCKNP8od_JzGlw5N5GX5Zz1YTfUxifR-cFcLp4qcbqtmK2Y1Rr_FnP4dXRv1Ip35E/s1642/IMG_4519.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1276" data-original-width="1642" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFosYJLOz8ccgB3bLyeAKX17zBZvOx9GB9ybuhFqT2Etoa_rrAnbSDo5w_pvL6c4gP2ZJoTiDffPrhB0o_ZX-c6VEufK1n64T1UZkObBaVJIn9x04fh8-MPmz7PK4JCKNP8od_JzGlw5N5GX5Zz1YTfUxifR-cFcLp4qcbqtmK2Y1Rr_FnP4dXRv1Ip35E/w640-h498/IMG_4519.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Happy New Year Everyone!</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Christmas was chaotic around here with a house full of guests that included four grandkids. Whew! <br />On a positive note, the grandkids all loved their little mice! I have continued to sew and knit little outfits for them. I have one adult who wants to purchase one. I'm just not sure I want to go there. How much would I charge? They might be small, but they are still a lot of work!</span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y014dOvWR5sqv4jToV8NNqGbLt3HsMrDVUzQBokhQZ_iQTUJs-wB1sDU-riLt_Ink5GOvLbIWEFxQhvMffW5rEbSn9F4AHLR7rwWed1VY4Lt3nZtX-PbOMkRyMbEVOaRqG4qhLy6ZbBR_zCImNFxJXvV_y5Am3-KM1i6wjhM6yhKZsqoHWUDuNU_EsZm/s4032/IMG_2590.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2278" data-original-width="4032" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4y014dOvWR5sqv4jToV8NNqGbLt3HsMrDVUzQBokhQZ_iQTUJs-wB1sDU-riLt_Ink5GOvLbIWEFxQhvMffW5rEbSn9F4AHLR7rwWed1VY4Lt3nZtX-PbOMkRyMbEVOaRqG4qhLy6ZbBR_zCImNFxJXvV_y5Am3-KM1i6wjhM6yhKZsqoHWUDuNU_EsZm/w640-h362/IMG_2590.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As I write this on New Year's Eve day, I'm looking forward to a quiet evening with crab cakes, oyster stew and a couple of glasses of bubbly. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm now contemplating what I want to have on my 2024 Must Read lists. I'm even contemplating having no list at all. On the other hand, the <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/books/the-canada-reads-2024-longlist-is-here-1.7056323" target="_blank">Canada Reads Longlist</a> has been published and I will be trying to read as many of those as I can. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I ended up reading a lot with the grandkids while they were here, but am only writing about books that were new to us. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br /></span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>BOARD BOOKS</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZggv3kpBFclcZYQ2kS8sZJMHQ0OL6qmPSWgY5j5TaIZffYIHkCaDv269MCfReu8zV4U1zKdeZxqzZjRNuEc5_HzOPVgz5tXjzx0QgSWjCH3_G1p8GOnzI_oxHhmwtyIZ7RQvLJsx516ORmnN9eekXVxy3GjeCuT1GSQlQGbxoqQyTLxpIdAnZPSPcYT-/s400/51137919.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsZggv3kpBFclcZYQ2kS8sZJMHQ0OL6qmPSWgY5j5TaIZffYIHkCaDv269MCfReu8zV4U1zKdeZxqzZjRNuEc5_HzOPVgz5tXjzx0QgSWjCH3_G1p8GOnzI_oxHhmwtyIZ7RQvLJsx516ORmnN9eekXVxy3GjeCuT1GSQlQGbxoqQyTLxpIdAnZPSPcYT-/w320-h320/51137919.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51137919-i-am-scary" target="_blank">I Am Scary</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51137919-i-am-scary" target="_blank"> by Elise Gravel<i> March 17, 2020</i></a><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is part of Gravel's Funny Little Book series. They are perfect for 3 year olds (and their cool older siblings end up enjoying them too) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In this one, a monster tries to frighten a girl and her little dog. Not only is she not afraid, she thinks the monster is cute. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAvXzSA0OT3WCkh3FrrLLtHfmNDpSRBA-zhB3jzzfikm_9ah-GhAlhm_EhEw8P5yYfuUwE8JRp0wxpuKjP0m2VNw-0BLScQvBbEYEdrgGbVCjcMZmh_UKy6usS_qhhyqSwtxR5Zn5oP4gWVtvCGrNQqOEOySDXEguEmcgXDXJ1LsQC6FWLfo1jwV67Ks6/s400/43865522.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAvXzSA0OT3WCkh3FrrLLtHfmNDpSRBA-zhB3jzzfikm_9ah-GhAlhm_EhEw8P5yYfuUwE8JRp0wxpuKjP0m2VNw-0BLScQvBbEYEdrgGbVCjcMZmh_UKy6usS_qhhyqSwtxR5Zn5oP4gWVtvCGrNQqOEOySDXEguEmcgXDXJ1LsQC6FWLfo1jwV67Ks6/s320/43865522.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43865522-a-potato-on-a-bike" target="_blank">A Potato on a Bike</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43865522-a-potato-on-a-bike" target="_blank"> by Elise Gravel<i> March 17, 2020</i></a><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is the first in Gravel's Funny Little Book series. Each two page spread begins with an inane question and matching illustration. The first page starts with the question, Have you ever seen a Carrot taking a Bath? On the responding page in large letters the answer is No Way! This pattern continues with zanier and zanier questions. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdSy0Wrpx0sBHkSsyP1_AzSpoY87CtF9QaeMdr30txncY-GqZUvLwla08w1pjJh4JRTzGh4_ATfiumAPOE8gS9D6hQ4ecgXHzaPqwzmb7pYq-t2gCaWhbBBqrxJqvhBR7ImvugCbAhOoAI7xebQ_xTbZ_d9BMw5SVXDHG4i01XPc71Tb2dXWuFVH4mFUN/s964/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-31%20at%203.08.05%20PM.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="964" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdSy0Wrpx0sBHkSsyP1_AzSpoY87CtF9QaeMdr30txncY-GqZUvLwla08w1pjJh4JRTzGh4_ATfiumAPOE8gS9D6hQ4ecgXHzaPqwzmb7pYq-t2gCaWhbBBqrxJqvhBR7ImvugCbAhOoAI7xebQ_xTbZ_d9BMw5SVXDHG4i01XPc71Tb2dXWuFVH4mFUN/w400-h199/Screen%20Shot%202023-12-31%20at%203.08.05%20PM.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51137919-i-am-scary?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=8rCaVH2o2a&rank=1#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>READERS</b></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQypXh92zI8Xd7Tux-4CshJoNw0FBxs36PrGWxctPjMLcIglbHgNs3DMlND8HAhEJdKpT-46InlWV-XpNqLLDy1m4qoWh1XVIW2jGCb8MqtC_RF0nBPTueTtX2wIP7d_y19a5s4k8TS9hOvNPYxzrb3y8Pqzgnnw5YzSNpd8hxD5Ir_sHCObAi4dKdQpDm/s475/300395.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQypXh92zI8Xd7Tux-4CshJoNw0FBxs36PrGWxctPjMLcIglbHgNs3DMlND8HAhEJdKpT-46InlWV-XpNqLLDy1m4qoWh1XVIW2jGCb8MqtC_RF0nBPTueTtX2wIP7d_y19a5s4k8TS9hOvNPYxzrb3y8Pqzgnnw5YzSNpd8hxD5Ir_sHCObAi4dKdQpDm/s320/300395.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscGmxP8t9e6IrY-pAMhUA4UgPaW_hrPqoGZg9dXrFmgLhrLyrH5jaHO3FtRNm8IUfSEwm2-mjk2OAReIQ6JikBLNrw9vPhalmcRNSfZ7cKRa6lzhpwTUFq1RdandkU6rMPWchj7n8tm2XDqkz-SmGN7KL9ARwTgmqqCeFS1Y3qpQ40I1ZYyL99PT9w-zE/s475/8618142.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscGmxP8t9e6IrY-pAMhUA4UgPaW_hrPqoGZg9dXrFmgLhrLyrH5jaHO3FtRNm8IUfSEwm2-mjk2OAReIQ6JikBLNrw9vPhalmcRNSfZ7cKRa6lzhpwTUFq1RdandkU6rMPWchj7n8tm2XDqkz-SmGN7KL9ARwTgmqqCeFS1Y3qpQ40I1ZYyL99PT9w-zE/s320/8618142.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/300395.Hi_Fly_Guy" target="_blank">Hi! Fly Guy</a></b><i> (September 1, 2005) </i>& <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8618142-buzz-boy-and-fly-guy" target="_blank">Buzz Boy And Fly Guy</a></b><i> (September 1, 2010)</i><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4f4f4d;"> </span>by Tedd Arnold - 4 stars each</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Earl @ <a href="https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.wordpress.com/" rel="home" style="box-sizing: inherit;" target="_blank">THE CHRONICLES OF A CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER</a> recommended this series for my sweet grandson. Thank you Earl, they were a huge hit! We read them numerous times. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>PICTURE BOOKS</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptn0sNBjM_CajfRmY4HPIiqsnY0R9e_HHN32mR6fTkwE_YI2mX3I_zDfuJAWYzEjK7oFOzDZBRflgozdVwXvvLKvkCwcEpCDjD7aQXi9bwNj7PSXiIEk6wFZLy6ru8TfEeusUlODdga0UKG4iHoH29ET_BvIuomM3dXs3nWYIc4uQ0n5zip6TKxVjIx7s/s446/83823711.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="446" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptn0sNBjM_CajfRmY4HPIiqsnY0R9e_HHN32mR6fTkwE_YI2mX3I_zDfuJAWYzEjK7oFOzDZBRflgozdVwXvvLKvkCwcEpCDjD7aQXi9bwNj7PSXiIEk6wFZLy6ru8TfEeusUlODdga0UKG4iHoH29ET_BvIuomM3dXs3nWYIc4uQ0n5zip6TKxVjIx7s/s320/83823711.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823711-dasher-can-t-wait-for-christmas" target="_blank">Dasher Can't Wait for Christmas</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823711-dasher-can-t-wait-for-christmas" target="_blank"> by Matt Tavares<i> September 5, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Matt Tavares' artwork will make having to read this again and again worthwhile. I read it a couple of times with the grandkids. It wasn't a favourite, but that's probably because we have so many seasonal books to read.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxtGoi0ihcRyuEo45smT7w65TqjmSIOYuiPMQR5uiVX7BBYIEuesLY9uGQYRkCvkmRYDtdWOvnCw4oXAYF7ROE6ZK8aUETCbJJfJ4eMzbGhc4dkyhaLlHAsf9eKr5iNqK6j7jw_uqnzJWUsUYepv2Tmv5_EYO70ZOlZz4t1QUYF2hmJR7R6QIljFxVbGa/s1726/127877606.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1726" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqxtGoi0ihcRyuEo45smT7w65TqjmSIOYuiPMQR5uiVX7BBYIEuesLY9uGQYRkCvkmRYDtdWOvnCw4oXAYF7ROE6ZK8aUETCbJJfJ4eMzbGhc4dkyhaLlHAsf9eKr5iNqK6j7jw_uqnzJWUsUYepv2Tmv5_EYO70ZOlZz4t1QUYF2hmJR7R6QIljFxVbGa/s320/127877606.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127877606-do-you-remember" target="_blank">Do You Remember?</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/127877606-do-you-remember" target="_blank"> by Sydney Smith<i> October 3, 2023</i></a><span> 🍁</span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A boy and his mother lie on a bed and share poignant memories of other times. We don't know how it happened that just the two of them are now living in an apartment in a city, but those memories are of a time in the country with a father who no longer there.<br />As usual, Sydney Smith blows me away with this intimate glimpse into these character's lives. Of course the dreamy artwork is just stunning!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeOG-zpGTEx7qh3Sk_2s5K4ZgTsgELut3QMvMNb4eE34t5oKXe0nnlLwlrHft6hzJ9jMIy7z9v9SaV8inMLvAFbWy53dMkzJf0Q3UoPISTM7SOpfHdJ2dIkY_njB-03mMm_K5ntYtHv2WdewzS2_Q3ujTnSK6w4w2_ddljx4_M8QVNxCVWqAAPpPewLG7/s400/60980155.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="329" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeOG-zpGTEx7qh3Sk_2s5K4ZgTsgELut3QMvMNb4eE34t5oKXe0nnlLwlrHft6hzJ9jMIy7z9v9SaV8inMLvAFbWy53dMkzJf0Q3UoPISTM7SOpfHdJ2dIkY_njB-03mMm_K5ntYtHv2WdewzS2_Q3ujTnSK6w4w2_ddljx4_M8QVNxCVWqAAPpPewLG7/s320/60980155.jpg" width="263" /></a></div><br />Just Like Grandma</b> by Kim Rogers & Julie Flett (Illustrations)<i> January 24, 2023</i> 🍁<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60980155-just-like-grandma#CommunityReviews"></a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I had two strong grandmothers who I was close to when I was growing up. Now that I am a grandmother myself, I hope my grandkids feel as close to me as I did to them.<br />In this gorgeously illustrated picture book, we see a young girl learn many different things from her grandmother. In turn, the grandmother ends up learning from her.<br />I loved this book, so this little quibble I have is nothing in the great scheme of things, but it irks me. There is a part where the focus is on the grandmother winning against women half her age. It feels superfluous to me, but that just be because at this time in my life, I'm finally coming to understand that it's the doing and participating that is most important.</span><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>CHAPTER BOOKS</b></span></div></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOJUQocTlo41LEnQa7dCUS_FhGeIoHY7Ez0-W5_oknarIIVN48cuLoDU_rZ2HUqVIMjEPKRDRdwhssOvkeLV9Qmj9XveDZd0kg2GlvGDwwovXumavwSwYhLRt4akjiBzvVFXw3FFT_0-hgvBD0Br787R8VOQbsOjbnX0I-rUimcTl3yEWL0EUJLOx7sHi/s400/83823720.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="257" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOJUQocTlo41LEnQa7dCUS_FhGeIoHY7Ez0-W5_oknarIIVN48cuLoDU_rZ2HUqVIMjEPKRDRdwhssOvkeLV9Qmj9XveDZd0kg2GlvGDwwovXumavwSwYhLRt4akjiBzvVFXw3FFT_0-hgvBD0Br787R8VOQbsOjbnX0I-rUimcTl3yEWL0EUJLOx7sHi/s320/83823720.jpg" width="206" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823720-merry-christmas-anna-hibiscus" target="_blank">Merry Christmas Anna Hibiscus</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823720-merry-christmas-anna-hibiscus" target="_blank"> by Atinuke & Lauren Tobia (Illustrator) <i>September 26, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I've been wanting to read an Anna Hisbiscus chapter book for a very long time. I downloaded this one to read to my two oldest grandkids in the evening when the little siblings had gone to bed. I knew it would take a few days, but we never got it finished. I hope it has inspired them to read more Anna Hibiscus books. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Anna is about to leave the family compound in Nigeria to head off to visit her Canadian grandmother, Granny Canada.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canada is very different from Nigeria - especially at Christmas time when the land is full of snow. Anna has to learn to deal with this new culture - waking up in her own bed in her own room, befriending a dog, and making new friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm thinking I should zoom with my grandkids to finish reading this. It is just delightful. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I love the comparison between cultures. I love Anna's spirit and energy. If you haven't met Anna Hibiscus yet, you should remedy that ASAP.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS</b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBASjPMAkU2uH9RKbmEANCgcz6Kz3KQoavJKwz_jutWps8JlZ_SU_bO40USudLio7viG4bwRd08kJ-WxtNVZt8k469CLpsCVlsrd7fks5bucRK3veBNZxd4jo3z6Dl95u2pfQO8mH4IeJH7hWthb_SJc2EDqNENMy-ocLu9se_5gfZfXaakBOxriNMxEgA/s400/59440721.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="328" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBASjPMAkU2uH9RKbmEANCgcz6Kz3KQoavJKwz_jutWps8JlZ_SU_bO40USudLio7viG4bwRd08kJ-WxtNVZt8k469CLpsCVlsrd7fks5bucRK3veBNZxd4jo3z6Dl95u2pfQO8mH4IeJH7hWthb_SJc2EDqNENMy-ocLu9se_5gfZfXaakBOxriNMxEgA/s320/59440721.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59440721-jumper" target="_blank">Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59440721-jumper" target="_blank"> by Jessica Lanan<i> April 11, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i>I wanted more from this book, but it is still wonderful just as it is. One of my granddaughters got a stuffed spider for Christmas so it was opportune that I got myself this as a gift. All of the kids enjoyed learning about the life of a jumping spider. It does a great job of showing the differences between a spider's life and ours - especially with regards to perspective. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrhqq7sqqhW7o7J5Q7TYe9B82E2NJ4WeSiZiFVe1FKm0GJ3CzJRRWAjvi7OruWN2y2OrSaF6a7wpvOt_UliFlnvJupmVH3xhN18Pw4hYy7uedEXlxKudF02ew_OFbCuqo-_Wyc6ljaWBEnQRHRQB9dkk2SKW-etqNcE6gJk1X1d3s0RjUmLoKnKNs8UHE/s400/31309942.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="313" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSrhqq7sqqhW7o7J5Q7TYe9B82E2NJ4WeSiZiFVe1FKm0GJ3CzJRRWAjvi7OruWN2y2OrSaF6a7wpvOt_UliFlnvJupmVH3xhN18Pw4hYy7uedEXlxKudF02ew_OFbCuqo-_Wyc6ljaWBEnQRHRQB9dkk2SKW-etqNcE6gJk1X1d3s0RjUmLoKnKNs8UHE/s320/31309942.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31309942-the-street-beneath-my-feet" target="_blank">The Street Beneath My Feet</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31309942-the-street-beneath-my-feet" target="_blank"> by Charlotte Guillain & Yuval Zommer (Illustrator)<i> March 1, 2017</i></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This wasn't available in my local library to preview, but I ordered it for my grandson because it had such high praise on Goodreads. When it arrived I discovered why it's not a common library book. The pages don't fold over, but rather open up into a long - very long tapestry that reveals the layers of the earth. It begins with under a city block, goes deep into the earth's core and then, on the other side of this tapestry, travels back up until it emerges in a country side on the other side of the planet. Not only did he love it, he and his cousin spent hours poring over it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Yuval Zommer's detailed illustrations are a brilliant complement to Charlotte Guillain's spare text. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsEruZKn4lYZqM_6gOMgGuqXiuQo2SeMxTPqiIB6-Y4W2Ys3sOtt8LzXhE9g_TCnptQSQiDmNhielWb2v0RSes4hxt-vejmi3-QoIMmhofn9xxLet9q9w8WHz5IhcwHKr7RE-UQVEKxLt5iuiZ0E1zOvovvJ080va5sM4-sO1rzbOPJtnCA3TdNyqjaYe/s500/125768752.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="388" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzsEruZKn4lYZqM_6gOMgGuqXiuQo2SeMxTPqiIB6-Y4W2Ys3sOtt8LzXhE9g_TCnptQSQiDmNhielWb2v0RSes4hxt-vejmi3-QoIMmhofn9xxLet9q9w8WHz5IhcwHKr7RE-UQVEKxLt5iuiZ0E1zOvovvJ080va5sM4-sO1rzbOPJtnCA3TdNyqjaYe/s320/125768752.jpg" width="248" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4 stars</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125768752-more-than-words" target="_blank">More than Words: So Many Ways to Say What We Mean by Roz Maclean <i>September 5, 2023</i><span style="color: black;"> 🍁</span><br /></a><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is an important book that shows readers that there are many different ways to make meaning and communicate with each other and the world.<br />I appreciate the diversity in this book. There are two pages full of additional information in the back matter.<br /><br /></span><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqUY_mIrlRvcccWb2vDrr67swDra4dFEvD0I8vaJ0pwKrgiMfBsDrrBiMLuo7vyvSvFvBFcVflyvHP90NygPmYqbbvMvUVol9CuGyhygwrxOF-_f6ir355Wk61u7IRWIn1fhJx5PMheMqHUZpVp8p9dY75QM1zBMHHgvhupIpJQt7-DwA6Zrb7FRlZFtP/s400/60833948.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAqUY_mIrlRvcccWb2vDrr67swDra4dFEvD0I8vaJ0pwKrgiMfBsDrrBiMLuo7vyvSvFvBFcVflyvHP90NygPmYqbbvMvUVol9CuGyhygwrxOF-_f6ir355Wk61u7IRWIn1fhJx5PMheMqHUZpVp8p9dY75QM1zBMHHgvhupIpJQt7-DwA6Zrb7FRlZFtP/s320/60833948.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60833948-what-happened-to-rachel-riley" target="_blank">What Happened to Rachel Riley? </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60833948-what-happened-to-rachel-riley" target="_blank">by Claire Swinarski & various narrators <i> January 10, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm certain I read positive reviews of this book because rather than just adding it to my want to read list, I actually put my name on a list for it at my local library. Thank you to whoever wrote about it.<br />Anna Hunthas just moved from the city to a smaller community. She want to be a podcast journalist more than anything. At her new school, the current events teacher gives the class an assignment to do a project on some kind of social issue. Anna decides she decides she wants to find out how and why Rachel Riley became a pariah. Even after she is told her idea is inappropriate, she continues since Rachel Riley herself gave her permission to find out what happened.<br />It turns out to be all about a toxic game the boys at her school have been playing. It isn't until she herself becomes a victim and tells her parents, that cultural change at the school becomes possible.<br />To be honest, I don't know if this kind of behaviour is going on in schools today, but I remember this kind of stuff when I was Anna's age. If I was still working in the library I would give this to grade 7 teachers and recommend they do it as a read aloud. It's a book that's important for girls and boys.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS-5raDrgzv-cAVwja4lUfaBSlEz8O-cdqK5uUbyIyktEfPvubgB5H3qYr3X6fsqfooyaRyJHEwa5RV2Ih5AzL4sjx8C_zIweGofeKtW1jUjnrUXytbniypWhyBf68DIwL1G90R9lIMFoWDz1hXnjjgLwDYp94NRzeqn7OyQ94dBB8SxstmHCTC2q3wIp/s400/63291995.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfS-5raDrgzv-cAVwja4lUfaBSlEz8O-cdqK5uUbyIyktEfPvubgB5H3qYr3X6fsqfooyaRyJHEwa5RV2Ih5AzL4sjx8C_zIweGofeKtW1jUjnrUXytbniypWhyBf68DIwL1G90R9lIMFoWDz1hXnjjgLwDYp94NRzeqn7OyQ94dBB8SxstmHCTC2q3wIp/s320/63291995.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63291995-dogtown" target="_blank">Dogtown</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63291995-dogtown" target="_blank"> (Dogtown, #1) by Katherine Applegate, Gennifer Choldenko, Wallace West (Illustrator) & Cassandra Morris (Narrator)<i> September 19, 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Dogtown is a shelter for dogs. What makes this one unique is that it includes ordinary dogs and robotic ones.<br />Chance is a three legged mutt who has the run of the place. The shelter has a reading buddies program that brings students into the shelter to read to the dogs. Quentin, a young boy who seems to have some kind of issues, bonds with one of the robotic pets who is able to help him learn to read.<br />I adored this book. It's full of tenderness and humour. I'm not really a dog person, but I would have taken Chance home in a heartbeat.<br />There is a lot happening here. It's a story about friendship between these different kinds of beings. It's about the important roles dogs play in children's lives. It's about abuse, loss, and finding a place to belong.<br /><br /></span><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFRcglHlZWvpRYW3LY5TRY8jSk4ViHetqR7-L9kY1fxvNk9aWYvtK8JK8my0j4d8lXrwe4fvmRN5Bkp7uT_69giEQ437PcMrNLns5bDyf8kCBySGWRParAE0DnLgAXdhXjUoVLgUlz5RW0CGUieT1Xkwpd9ryT4YJQH_2Badk20T3A2h5D0-WoimesKhR/s281/22358131.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="186" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXFRcglHlZWvpRYW3LY5TRY8jSk4ViHetqR7-L9kY1fxvNk9aWYvtK8JK8my0j4d8lXrwe4fvmRN5Bkp7uT_69giEQ437PcMrNLns5bDyf8kCBySGWRParAE0DnLgAXdhXjUoVLgUlz5RW0CGUieT1Xkwpd9ryT4YJQH_2Badk20T3A2h5D0-WoimesKhR/s1600/22358131.jpg" width="186" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22358131-nobody-walks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nobody Walks</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22358131-nobody-walks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> by Mick Herron & </a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22358131-nobody-walks" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span class="ContributorLink__name" data-testid="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; flex-basis: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;">Gerard Doyle </span><span color="var(--color-text-subdued)">(Narrator)</span><i> February 17, 2015</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />When Tom Bettany's son dies from a fall from a window, the retired spy returns home to say the final goodbye and find out what really happened and who, if anyone, is behind his son's death. <br />This book takes us behind the scenes of the gaming industry and into the higher echelons of MI5. It's a dismal story where the puppet manages to turn against the puppeteer, but at a gruesome price.<span style="text-align: center;"> </span></span></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jbGkRAyL1sK5VaQvqxIPABg9RUkgJY3a92rMxJiDOSm8FK13TK86KVxgecGWXMvWD4ki0OElqE5ZHpAPPJAsrXDv2zWQhC54dP7VR44n8o6I0lDP91_3YNMENdPyJddW0p4zd54sEKFwDk3D-R274n4AZXbB63EqeZ9Z9Z_FeQtIsI2Jp95o3K5f4hwv/s1500/60784549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="965" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jbGkRAyL1sK5VaQvqxIPABg9RUkgJY3a92rMxJiDOSm8FK13TK86KVxgecGWXMvWD4ki0OElqE5ZHpAPPJAsrXDv2zWQhC54dP7VR44n8o6I0lDP91_3YNMENdPyJddW0p4zd54sEKFwDk3D-R274n4AZXbB63EqeZ9Z9Z_FeQtIsI2Jp95o3K5f4hwv/s320/60784549.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784549-in-the-lives-of-puppets" target="_blank">In the Lives of Puppets</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60784549-in-the-lives-of-puppets" target="_blank"> by T.J. Klune & Daniel Henning (Narrator)<i> April 25, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This book just gobsmacked me. (Honestly, just about every T.J. Klune novel does.) </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I loved this book so much, as soon as I finished it, I started listening to it all over again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's a story of hope, of found family, of love, loss and starting over again. It's kind of a cross between Pinocchio and Wizard of Oz, but it's oh so much more! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As usual, Klune crafts unforgettable characters. You really have to read this tale for yourself to fully appreciate their sweetness and laugh out loud hilarity. The book is loaded with both. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When his father is kidnapped, Victor Lawson and his collection of AI friends: Rambo, an anxiety ridden robotic vacuum cleaner; Nurse Ratchet, an AI health practitioner: and Hap, a refurbished killing machine with amnesia, set off to get him back. Their journey is fraught with terrifying and at the same time, madcap adventures. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/t7PovryI6FY?si=sgwuvvnnO0IE6dmo" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><br /></div></span></span></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Determined: A Science of Life without Free Will</b> by Robert M. Sapolsky<br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person</b> by Frederick Joseph</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Dear Rosie</b> by Meghan Boehman & Rachael Briner</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 23/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 14/20 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 58/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 22/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 213/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-33936928898456268132023-12-11T07:36:00.000-08:002023-12-11T07:36:10.073-08:00#IMWAYR December 11, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1juvPb2B68KGVDSrzhkbebn-0jgpzldHUB4I3_erBCTdpwxDundVSAaTQ97L0qI_sh4aFnW993YyQ-u6rU57pGHUenQnFmjI1OnHmgTOELJ89S5ozdeUcHu4Z7CxlopqIXLlH2qpX0KDeQM6ccbOazy4S4upb0Vqa43eRKLsAqP9LeaK59bxNWGT8S4F/s1451/IMG_4515.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1451" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp1juvPb2B68KGVDSrzhkbebn-0jgpzldHUB4I3_erBCTdpwxDundVSAaTQ97L0qI_sh4aFnW993YyQ-u6rU57pGHUenQnFmjI1OnHmgTOELJ89S5ozdeUcHu4Z7CxlopqIXLlH2qpX0KDeQM6ccbOazy4S4upb0Vqa43eRKLsAqP9LeaK59bxNWGT8S4F/w640-h484/IMG_4515.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This is what I have been working on in my sewing life. I've finished three mice and sewn, but not yet stuffed, three more. I've finished up a few outfits and hope to have at least two for each mouse by Christmas. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LH6oXtll6tFyzbCFOFT1joBv90W_ayNKwk-UZIfrqdtgBxjHAJVVzRbuKIN8QfHXTySExv5INf1B0LGfFsZjL8U23cscvGC4p6LrgZdjxxQajbvnY_H_A4V3yYTLcP9rHQu0H2aQsbbgBebbO3OpmI4ScimD1Ah1NbBVBZZA8EmQ6PxC46nvEd0n4SCt/s3287/IMG_2579.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="3287" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_LH6oXtll6tFyzbCFOFT1joBv90W_ayNKwk-UZIfrqdtgBxjHAJVVzRbuKIN8QfHXTySExv5INf1B0LGfFsZjL8U23cscvGC4p6LrgZdjxxQajbvnY_H_A4V3yYTLcP9rHQu0H2aQsbbgBebbO3OpmI4ScimD1Ah1NbBVBZZA8EmQ6PxC46nvEd0n4SCt/s320/IMG_2579.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br /></span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><b>CHAPTER BOOKS</b></span></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28686885-the-infamous-ratsos" target="_blank"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHTgb7zt0D0M7hOxwm0W8nBMdnMfwP8_v0YGIDHQjjFThgaEI_ZAnISeQIkfurUHHAOUxSrRi6OuBr37V5HIERAuDpIC5qWmoo9LxRviHFaF5GU55rzIqXClkySuoQA5Ikre5ggMtwoHQwJBDEvVoPdbZb3v4HXulOWYZbzCjJ-MkFYUv5WO_WYL90QBJ/s320/28686885.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The Infamous Ratsos</b> by Kara LaReau & Matt Myers (Illustrator) <i>August 2, 2016</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Last week I asked Earl Dizon @ <a href="https://thechroniclesofachildrensbookwriter.wordpress.com/" rel="home" style="box-sizing: inherit; outline: 0px;">THE CHRONICLES OF A CHILDREN'S BOOK WRITER </a>for some help choosing books for my six year old grandson. This is one that was on his list. I downloaded and devoured it. Then I ordered it and the other books he recommended (except for the ones I already purchased for him) from my local bookstore. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ever since losing their mother, the two Ratso brothers, Louie and Ralphie, try to be tough just like their father, Big Lou. They do their best to get into trouble and show everyone how harsh they can be, but all their attempts end up backfiring. They try to cause trouble, but end up doing good in the world. This book is full of tenderhearted sweetness and humour, just like my grandson. I'm looking forward to reading more. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></b></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8_uvhTXy_c8ssN9Zz7m2LsOodp9O_jG1taH6BGrR-cOlPbWCA_Xj4Sq6v2aUyz1lKfKjGn5YUr0PgWnJKcjb_aGu8shPgeXDR6E3SaHfQSCVwJuqq7Ur3Xo3b2sYaS4XHlHilG3Qtc_1R36-nqBitqG_maFfPxsC_8V1Vh7o6F0VRNZy09fpp-rvb3xW/s400/63391906.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8_uvhTXy_c8ssN9Zz7m2LsOodp9O_jG1taH6BGrR-cOlPbWCA_Xj4Sq6v2aUyz1lKfKjGn5YUr0PgWnJKcjb_aGu8shPgeXDR6E3SaHfQSCVwJuqq7Ur3Xo3b2sYaS4XHlHilG3Qtc_1R36-nqBitqG_maFfPxsC_8V1Vh7o6F0VRNZy09fpp-rvb3xW/s320/63391906.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63391906-two-tribes" target="_blank">Two Tribes</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63391906-two-tribes" target="_blank"> by Emily Bowen Cohen <i>August 15, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is based on the author's experience growing up the daughter of a Jewish mother and and Muskogee (Creek) Nation father. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mia lives with her Jewish mother, but longs to spend time with her Native American father. She uses her bat mitzvah money to purchase a ticket to go for a visit while her mother thinks she is at a school based weekend retreat. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course she ends up getting found out, but her consequences end up turning into a learning opportunity for her, all her parents and even their rabbi. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><span style="color: red;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></span></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfHmPxQ6gMuXwVF5DaThLtFz0c9zpByQ5zTk60cG8l0XZzj-1r4ZFNS96hOMNZ8wsgxL0pdQjHjR0OZ_QgKMZppRK2SniLtdwAT2__WnlO9hOGh8sgozOHxFIuulvom7UYYc-yWu5qfUP7l2AqejxjzYWQdnrDX-O_EjGSYAtDGM3b3FkEu3A8hCfaScq/s400/system%20collapse.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="250" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfHmPxQ6gMuXwVF5DaThLtFz0c9zpByQ5zTk60cG8l0XZzj-1r4ZFNS96hOMNZ8wsgxL0pdQjHjR0OZ_QgKMZppRK2SniLtdwAT2__WnlO9hOGh8sgozOHxFIuulvom7UYYc-yWu5qfUP7l2AqejxjzYWQdnrDX-O_EjGSYAtDGM3b3FkEu3A8hCfaScq/s320/system%20collapse.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65211701-system-collapse" target="_blank">System Collapse</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65211701-system-collapse" target="_blank"> (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) by Martha Wells &</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/65211701-system-collapse" target="_blank"> Kevin R. Free (Narrator) <i>November 13, 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Honestly, if you are not a Murderbot fan, you are living a deprived life. Murderbot is a rogue security unit who hacked their governor model and is now a free agent. Murderbot is plagued with the two f words - feelings and friends. They are now connected to the people on Preservation Moon, a liberal planetary community in a universe mostly controlled by nefarious corporations. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This novel continues the story after <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52381770-network-effect?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=PAedI2mTQt&rank=1" target="_blank"><b>Network Effect</b></a>. It's set in the same planet, but in a different community. Murderbot and friends are on a contaminated planet where they are attempting to rescue the inhabitants from future corporate slavery. Unfortunately, after their previous contamination, Murderbot is not up to par, and is experiencing strange kinds of flashbacks that might impair their ability to keep their humans safe.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">While each of these novels or novelas are full of adventure and humour, it's really the character of Murderbot that keeps me coming back for more. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136890-the-list-of-last-chances" target="_blank"><span><b></b></span></a><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfGrenNN5uv_8Rq5ZBU0z-aSszAvaQLsjs8pQvXz881kqpfdLxlyd7qk_wJBGEoqQ0GWMWVXg3yODz-bhDIvEhlKYE15LyQYexJOjkNk2WijGZ6ib4ZOz_omQey40Y_Rug9elUnxsZbXnKK_bTSl50ej7WJj5G2PpE8WMlw1KUfxGawAKUVxXW_WYfQAy/s2400/57136890.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1650" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfGrenNN5uv_8Rq5ZBU0z-aSszAvaQLsjs8pQvXz881kqpfdLxlyd7qk_wJBGEoqQ0GWMWVXg3yODz-bhDIvEhlKYE15LyQYexJOjkNk2WijGZ6ib4ZOz_omQey40Y_Rug9elUnxsZbXnKK_bTSl50ej7WJj5G2PpE8WMlw1KUfxGawAKUVxXW_WYfQAy/s320/57136890.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136890-the-list-of-last-chances" target="_blank"></a></div><br />The List of Last Chances</b> by Christina Myers</span> 🍁 </span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Ever since finding her partner in flagranti delicto, 38 year old Ruthie has lost her job, been sleeping on her friend's couch and downing a bottle of wine every night. Then her friend finds the perfect job for her. Ruthie is reluctant, but applies and gets it. All she has to do is help Kay, an elderly woman, pack up her house and drive her across the country from PEI to Vancouver. She also has to keep Kay's good looking son, David, updated on their progress. Once they are on their way, Kay reveals that never mind what David thinks, she has her own bucket list of where to go and what to do along the way. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">If you like feel good novels with friendship between generations, smidgeons of romance, road tripping, and plenty of humour, then this book is for you. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9q58YCjPP5dXwk2res4KrkokyMnlJWyYNGSujfL_lY3RCJOktFEu9Fuz2s5kS3lOjEQY_Jt0yf7gJrBYBaWU7KBvqdt49CffTvk0q8BLbqidXdMAi1VusUR0JuMVUyTmaS_aUpQ2FwXKwLLHBHO1B3fxWTLOvDT3NQrCu3h-iS_6xxpWh8Mge6rzJD07/s400/58330567.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv9q58YCjPP5dXwk2res4KrkokyMnlJWyYNGSujfL_lY3RCJOktFEu9Fuz2s5kS3lOjEQY_Jt0yf7gJrBYBaWU7KBvqdt49CffTvk0q8BLbqidXdMAi1VusUR0JuMVUyTmaS_aUpQ2FwXKwLLHBHO1B3fxWTLOvDT3NQrCu3h-iS_6xxpWh8Mge6rzJD07/s320/58330567.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136890-the-list-of-last-chances" target="_blank">Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57136890-the-list-of-last-chances" target="_blank"> by Brené Brown (Author and Narrator) & Gavin Aung Than (Illustrator)<i> November 30, 2021</i></a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As soon as I finished listening to this, I started all over again. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I fell in love with Brené Brown's work after reading Daring Greatly. I'm not a fan of self help books, but I find her work to be invaluable for helping me to live more honestly in relationship with myself and the people important to me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In this book she unpacks emotions and experiences that enable us to have richer understanding of who and why we are who we are. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She narrates this, and it's like having her explain it directly to you. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism fo</b><b>r the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto 🍁 I keep adding this book to my list because I started it, but I seem to have misplaced it. </span></div></span></span></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Nobody Walks</b> by Mick Herron</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person</b> by Frederick Joseph</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution</b> by Cat Bohannon</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">#MustReadFiction 23/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>#MustReadNonFiction 14/20 one</span> in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Canadian Authors 55/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Indigenous Authors 21/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Goodreads Reading Challenge: 196/200 </span></span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-10625986604704103712023-12-04T08:59:00.000-08:002023-12-04T08:59:47.313-08:00#IMWAYR December 4, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnnbtpbZMATFQy__C5-J0ttPBYn0e8D_8G-e1j5jByAmWs3_o_oA1U-wdkDT2qyoRL27DCVtdABzROxwWHfkfE8NQvyg73aN3GNk0ZDqFO8zabojr68gCa1p-SqPk9so8-zl_8wZ8vyXRVBxLgV2V8gXMiZ6AAN50vHQ_fPdiLr9sVzJX3dW1jcr0Z174/s1620/IMG_4513.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1620" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKnnbtpbZMATFQy__C5-J0ttPBYn0e8D_8G-e1j5jByAmWs3_o_oA1U-wdkDT2qyoRL27DCVtdABzROxwWHfkfE8NQvyg73aN3GNk0ZDqFO8zabojr68gCa1p-SqPk9so8-zl_8wZ8vyXRVBxLgV2V8gXMiZ6AAN50vHQ_fPdiLr9sVzJX3dW1jcr0Z174/w640-h480/IMG_4513.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>The get ready for Christmas buzz has begun around here. I managed to get the advent calendar gifts wrapped and sent off to the grandkids in time. Hurrah for Canada Post! I'm working on some stuffed mice projects that I'll share next Monday. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br /></span><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>PREVIOUS POSTS</b></span></div><div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/12/free-verse-friday-12-december.html" target="_blank">Free Verse Friday #12 December: Celebration</a></span></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2BpocolUjXR5nDVfFstYOeuBg-_x1p4qBhkkomfuvtKlZ6Nx2YALE-r24Ku3j4F135NIZHacfrvDhga99VW7aH2Gt0yRGy4Hiri7sDnIF1mW_mE7PtbT7svyX9HyNsKMoFLoTzr9aNY09I1zogW6Al06txAF3A-7FXaOEQqQUkQprwwFSd-x1Ovykdk5/s1058/61484878.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1058" data-original-width="828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2BpocolUjXR5nDVfFstYOeuBg-_x1p4qBhkkomfuvtKlZ6Nx2YALE-r24Ku3j4F135NIZHacfrvDhga99VW7aH2Gt0yRGy4Hiri7sDnIF1mW_mE7PtbT7svyX9HyNsKMoFLoTzr9aNY09I1zogW6Al06txAF3A-7FXaOEQqQUkQprwwFSd-x1Ovykdk5/s320/61484878.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61484878-julie-and-the-mango-tree" target="_blank">Julie and the Mango Tree</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61484878-julie-and-the-mango-tree" target="_blank"> by Sade Smith & Sayada Ramdial (Illustrations)<i> August 8, 2023 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span><br /></a><br />Julie really wants her mango tree to drop one mango for her. She waits patiently, cajoles the tree, and even tries trading four plums for one mango. Alas, she ends up going to bed empty handed. When a storm blows an over abundance of mangos into her yard, she has to come up with a plan for what to do with them.<br />I loved so much about this book. I loved the generosity, Julie's patience, and her attachment to her tree.<br />This book made me wish I wish I had a mango tree in my back yard. After looking at the recipes in the back matter, I might have to add mangos to my shopping list.</span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGv_q095_xcvbkYrs8HEoHFSyg1MQQbhlmhNF76DERQlgy1PdUCMzXq4-WnaUpV_hnBe47b1DKQxi2LnRkKYGjzLPvSIKWCgm8Pw7GRBf81hce3j-zLYYq4ycF96_BmxBZuxEb8TDYbRnUsmhPc3_xAUX-Rt3kRUT96BJHenKhbAo9tfGktphC7iek7Etn/s500/63206256.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGv_q095_xcvbkYrs8HEoHFSyg1MQQbhlmhNF76DERQlgy1PdUCMzXq4-WnaUpV_hnBe47b1DKQxi2LnRkKYGjzLPvSIKWCgm8Pw7GRBf81hce3j-zLYYq4ycF96_BmxBZuxEb8TDYbRnUsmhPc3_xAUX-Rt3kRUT96BJHenKhbAo9tfGktphC7iek7Etn/s320/63206256.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63206256-dear-polar-bears" target="_blank">Dear Polar Bears</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63206256-dear-polar-bears" target="_blank"> by Gabrielle S. Prendergast & Marcus Cutler (Illustrator)<i> February 14, 2023 </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span><br /></a><br />What happens when some penguins from the Antarctic invite some polar bears from the arctic to come for a visit?<br />Will they accept? How will they get there? How well will these two different species get along?<br />Some lines I liked. "The party will be during the day so it could go on for weeks."<br />It looks like there are some tense moments when the bears first arrive, but luckily, the cache of fish seems to tame them down.<br />There are two pages of nonfiction text related to the animals, their environments, and the seasons.<br />Marcus Cutler's artwork is beautiful.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="color: red;"><span>CHILDREN'S NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhygscSG3xoN7tD1jGoxPYjSK_YLyynLmJZN0-otqT9_j-8x8Qy3FHMj3J34xzDYv08xa-pPLSV7mZf0_b_UP3moZXA2KbkMHSnWZyZ5Ix-LNYUGC9boIeJxUAWKqDo1gXTXTwMG-ElPWo7bM62qXXBuTpbmtjdPpzqqn8JGrBn-T_uRLHFh7cxJ1k3of/s900/86298457.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUhygscSG3xoN7tD1jGoxPYjSK_YLyynLmJZN0-otqT9_j-8x8Qy3FHMj3J34xzDYv08xa-pPLSV7mZf0_b_UP3moZXA2KbkMHSnWZyZ5Ix-LNYUGC9boIeJxUAWKqDo1gXTXTwMG-ElPWo7bM62qXXBuTpbmtjdPpzqqn8JGrBn-T_uRLHFh7cxJ1k3of/s320/86298457.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86298457-kimiko-murakami" target="_blank">Kimiko Murakami: A Japanese-Canadian Pioneer</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86298457-kimiko-murakami" target="_blank"> by Haley Healey & Kimiko Fraser (Illustrator) <span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4f4f4d;">May 9, 2023</span><i> </i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This picture book biography is created by the same people who wrote <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60433433-her-courage-rises">Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and Yukon</a>, a book I wrote about last week. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kimiko Murakami deserves her own book. She was born in Steveston and was five when her family moved to Salt Spring Island just off the coast of British Columbia. They ran a successful farm and were integrated into their community. Kimiko grew up, got married and started a family. Then WW2 was declared, Canada passed the the Canadian War Measures Act, and the internment Japanese Canadians began. Kimiko and her family were taken from their home to live under untenable conditions. Even when the war was finally over they were not allowed to return home. Still, Kimiko was a strong woman who never gave up. She and her husband worked hard to save up enough money to return to Salt Spring Island. When they arrived they discovered that their farm had been sold without their permission. They purchased another and started to build a new life all over again. <br />I appreciate that this story highlights the life of one person at the same time as it educates readers about the circumstances for Japanese Canadians at this time. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Kimiko Fraser's gorgeous illustrations enhance the text and add emotional context to the experiences of Kimiko and other Japanese Canadians. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIkfyTSaX9dnym3nCRXpfELZ93r-6MrXSa6i65kLpaiTaTcrotueqamYauRZkIcPIZA28tgfLW-bzb_9unBYCi2fd_SG2i9eYavPgU2NlbWCvQiqI1evUJaXpmbePXGA_BwGjabH1zJ63copMua2R1PrDxfhY-031ODI7W-1YbvubTte3twKj8hCJnMU1/s475/37732.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLIkfyTSaX9dnym3nCRXpfELZ93r-6MrXSa6i65kLpaiTaTcrotueqamYauRZkIcPIZA28tgfLW-bzb_9unBYCi2fd_SG2i9eYavPgU2NlbWCvQiqI1evUJaXpmbePXGA_BwGjabH1zJ63copMua2R1PrDxfhY-031ODI7W-1YbvubTte3twKj8hCJnMU1/s320/37732.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37732.Are_You_There_God_It_s_Me_Margaret" target="_blank">Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37732.Are_You_There_God_It_s_Me_Margaret" target="_blank"> by Judy Blume & Laura Hamilton (Narrator) <i>January 1, 1970</i></a></span></div><div></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Since I finished <b>Forever</b> last week, I decided to read this other Judy Blume book that has had people up in arms ever since it was published.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Reading this book was a kind of time warp for me. The most important thing about Blume's writing is how authentic her characters are. She manages to capture the essence of childhood - no matter the age of her protagonists. I'm pretty sure I went to school with the preteens she writes about here. I suspect preteens today might say the same thing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Margaret is a delightful young girl learning to navigate her way around a new community, a new school, a new teacher, and new friends. She is trying to figure out what religion she might want to join - Christian, like the faith her mother was raised in, or Jewish like her father's side of their family. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I loved the Jewish grandmother in this book and am sorry for the rigidness of the Christians ones. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWpOUpH_1qi34btbvRRiVinK-70Q9X-7gHdJH1rFxxiaVb3khQNSSOzn0Hm7FTXDw0Bm5CHds-hYL8TO9XbCJzX8uSeFk4MFnyJLN-nUbZ-pGlgGENF-lFnGZq-DiZPEmgWqP0pIpgi49naFpPa_o9H8C80Nhd5D1JMdwB52jHHixn4_QyVXdH6VqD7cm/s2560/62226126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1696" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUWpOUpH_1qi34btbvRRiVinK-70Q9X-7gHdJH1rFxxiaVb3khQNSSOzn0Hm7FTXDw0Bm5CHds-hYL8TO9XbCJzX8uSeFk4MFnyJLN-nUbZ-pGlgGENF-lFnGZq-DiZPEmgWqP0pIpgi49naFpPa_o9H8C80Nhd5D1JMdwB52jHHixn4_QyVXdH6VqD7cm/s320/62226126.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62226126-the-last-devil-to-die" target="_blank">The Last Devil to Die</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62226126-the-last-devil-to-die" target="_blank"> (Thursday Murder Club, #4) by Richard Osman & Fiona Shaw (Narrator) </a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Reading another Thursday Murder Club mystery is like visiting with old friends and meeting new ones. Learning that they are involved in a new murder mystery - this time, one of a friend of a friend, is just par for the course. It's remarkably comforting to listen to their wild adventures because you know they will all come out ok in the end.<br />Richard Osman's character's are completely authentic. Just like in real life, every visit with them reveals more about their personalities. I can't help but adore them.<br />This novel was more poignant for me than the earlier ones. Watching a close friend deteriorate from the curse of Alzheimer's has made me more sympathetic to the plight of Elizabeth and her husband, Stephen. I ended up weeping for them, for my friend, and for myself.<br />I enjoyed listening to the interview between Richard Osman and Fiona Shaw at the end of the audiobook.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFylb-pYXCBMcK6JcmQV8Zb00WlSW5wcCyleXQS_UcBDirDB5RTW6ehuY3NMZE-grP_CmN3-6us3j8iCL5SjAm025WBY5CATcMFCRCyV04hzEEbB57G-f7SKngKoWxkVJ_ZVj2-hLxBWyRtuR8WaUj_ojpnxN8yNpdGh4j5MfUIuYQfMC0ZrYmgm9yvUO8/s450/23636636.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="297" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFylb-pYXCBMcK6JcmQV8Zb00WlSW5wcCyleXQS_UcBDirDB5RTW6ehuY3NMZE-grP_CmN3-6us3j8iCL5SjAm025WBY5CATcMFCRCyV04hzEEbB57G-f7SKngKoWxkVJ_ZVj2-hLxBWyRtuR8WaUj_ojpnxN8yNpdGh4j5MfUIuYQfMC0ZrYmgm9yvUO8/s320/23636636.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23636636-the-list" target="_blank">The List (</a></b></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23636636-the-list" target="_blank">Slough House #2.5) <span>by Mick Herron</span></a></span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This novella is set in the space between Herron's second and third novel in his Slough House series. <br />John Bachelor, minder of aging spies, finds himself in trouble when one of his aging assets, Dieter Hess, dies and is found to have had a secret bank account. Bachelor soon discovers that Dieter Hess had a secret list of his own assets.<br />It was a delight to be entertained by Diana Taverner up to her usual nasty shenanigans. When she and Dieter come up with a plan to turn one of those assets, you know it's all going to go terrible wrong.<br />I'm always happy to see Jackson Lamb in action again and it was interesting to learn more about JK Coe's back story.<br />Now I can't wait to read Nobody Walks.<br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8h9fDZTt-QrRSYwocpUt51iRcgL-dH_LX2jVkhsxLg5HUTrAGtfsy6tYyGSDXr8iRozIOhmsDR68UtenMHMVKatRGzSm0ZiFaIVk2IGw__R2n_5v7foKFJ397yh2fZRdf6_DLflDxh73mnZW8NN4djErRHNS6mDtbBdaEvFWq01Chm3IrhZohp6cYk6Ji/s400/58678656.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8h9fDZTt-QrRSYwocpUt51iRcgL-dH_LX2jVkhsxLg5HUTrAGtfsy6tYyGSDXr8iRozIOhmsDR68UtenMHMVKatRGzSm0ZiFaIVk2IGw__R2n_5v7foKFJ397yh2fZRdf6_DLflDxh73mnZW8NN4djErRHNS6mDtbBdaEvFWq01Chm3IrhZohp6cYk6Ji/s320/58678656.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58678656-generation-dread" target="_blank">Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58678656-generation-dread" target="_blank"> by Britt Wray</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58678656-generation-dread" target="_blank"><i> May 5, 2022 </i><span><span>🍁</span></span></a></span></div></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: medium;">"Britt Wray is a science writer who focuses on the intersection of mental health and climate change."</span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I struggled at first with this book. I already feel anxious about the state of the planet and what kind of world we are leaving for our grandchildren. Also, when I started it, I had my grandkids visiting and reading in general is a challenge when they are around. Reading something this intense is impossible. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div>I'm so glad I went back to it. </div></span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>I have become more and more aware of how my generation's descent into consumerism in all it's aspects continues to exacerbate the problem. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Some days I'm wracked with guilt that I didn't do more - that my generation didn't do more, that even those of us who understand the implications of the climate crisis haven't really changed our behaviour.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I feel helpless to do anything about the corporate entities who are not only responsible for the majority of carbon now spewing into our atmosphere, have also fomented the spread of enough misinformation that climate crisis deniers continue to flourish. It seems like environmentalists, scientists, and ordinary people of all ages have lost. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Britt Wray explains what this existential dread is like for people of her generation and younger. According to research she sites, more than half of teens now contemplate not having children because of fear of the state of the planet they are growing up into. Suicide ideation among these youth is higher than it has ever been. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>I thought this book would focus on this, and while the grim reality is certainly acknowledged, this book is also about how to survive in the face of such an uncertain future. It's full of strategies</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> for how to live your best life on the cusp of catastrophic environmental change.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Throughout the book Wray explores her own eco anxiety with respects to her conflicts about becoming a parent. Along the way she has created a guidebook for</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> how to use our dread as a force for good in the world.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxSShlwbfI1nvhyphenhyphen5xrEiOycrxuhIvDm2U-nL73AFVZO4ME5n5s46D2yEeTn-UdO4adVyd-3Q2SJj2HHb8Nw2wQwCFA2muF44Zns9UM6CxnMMtt2d-4uKqfRJRFF8mx9I1STQWemttE4jsCS-DvXnoS4qVdgouz_EIluytMZzzMpvzXF0H9R5qmDf0zXTZ/s906/138505710.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoxSShlwbfI1nvhyphenhyphen5xrEiOycrxuhIvDm2U-nL73AFVZO4ME5n5s46D2yEeTn-UdO4adVyd-3Q2SJj2HHb8Nw2wQwCFA2muF44Zns9UM6CxnMMtt2d-4uKqfRJRFF8mx9I1STQWemttE4jsCS-DvXnoS4qVdgouz_EIluytMZzzMpvzXF0H9R5qmDf0zXTZ/s320/138505710.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138505710-doppelganger" target="_blank">Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138505710-doppelganger" target="_blank"> by Naomi Klein<span> </span><span>🍁</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've read some brilliant books in 2023, but this is the best of the best. I'm not sure how to begin to explain it. Klein's writing is honest, sharp and brilliant. This is a comprehensive analysis that shows us that we are more connected to one another than we might want to imagine. Beginning with her personal history of being confused with Naomi Wolf, she makes profound connections across political and cultural spectrums. Ultimately she shows us that the polarization we see around us at a macro level, exists also at the micro one. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I know this will be a weird connection for some people, but there were numerous times when I couldn't help but think about Tiffany Aching, my favourite Terry Pratchett protagonist. While learning to be a witch she must strive to act ethically at all times. This involves making hard decisions which entails layers of thinking. She has her first, her second, her third and sometimes even her fourth thoughts before she is finished. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Naomi Klein reveals she is capable of at least four layers of thinking here. <br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><span><span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism fo</b><b>r the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto 🍁</span></div></span></span></span><b>System Collapse</b> (The Murderbot Diaries, #7) by Martha Wells </span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The List of Last Chances</b> by Christina Myers</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution</b> by Cat Bohannon</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Black Friend: On Being A Better White Person</b> by Frederick Joseph</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 22/24 one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>#MustReadNonFiction 13/20 one</span> in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 54/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 20/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 192/200 </span><br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-60433178795016354852023-12-01T21:13:00.000-08:002023-12-02T09:32:08.112-08:00Free Verse Friday #12 December: Celebration<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>Last January, I joined</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a> &<span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joined, wrote a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can find out more about this <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/free-verse-friday-1-beginning/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I really enjoyed participating in this project with these two remarkable women. I appreciated the framework. </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I want to spend more time writing, but I have a lot of projects (of all kinds) on the go, all the time.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> This</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> gave me a focus and forced me carve out time to write. I am especially thankful to not have the stress of having to do this everyday, like when I participate in the April Poem a Day challenge.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">The first time I participated, I didn't get the photograph first bit. I let the theme percolate throughout the month before posting and the poem more or less wrote itself. When I realized my mistake, I sent a half decent draft of it to my partner, Randy Rotheisler, and a friend, <a href="http://www.ronpeace.ca/">Ron Peace,</a> both gifted photographers, asking for images to accompany it. We continued this process, except of course for the last couple of months when they sent me images and I wrote poems based on those. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This month I'm back on track for writing the poem first and sending it off to my two favourite photographers for an image to accompany it. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhNGdVe2YWLZCPTFl8jvIfTOnPbdNqlYBM1NKOSYBN-jkkMj8Csfdh6QrP04MSny5vsd4iHhsKzWMhQELs5ISFqh6hkP6Wk_oW-WeoyrObxn8MAKhlT1n6Unsk5ZOB5FBKNkh8Q78QckJi1mwWHM7g70ZLgKb_w4q4f_tSrkUOa_TKsfVbACbtYerPma8/s3828/lights.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3828" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvhNGdVe2YWLZCPTFl8jvIfTOnPbdNqlYBM1NKOSYBN-jkkMj8Csfdh6QrP04MSny5vsd4iHhsKzWMhQELs5ISFqh6hkP6Wk_oW-WeoyrObxn8MAKhlT1n6Unsk5ZOB5FBKNkh8Q78QckJi1mwWHM7g70ZLgKb_w4q4f_tSrkUOa_TKsfVbACbtYerPma8/w640-h362/lights.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">image by Randy Rotheisler</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />these days, </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">dark<br />comes early</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">last night<br />we turned<br />the christmas lights on</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />these bright bulbs<br />clinging to the eaves<br />across the seasons,<br />wait</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">to remind us that</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />small things</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">bring bea</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">uty </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">and light</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">into our lives<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQI9WDZ-TAPyWHPvXI0JIsn34_bqB-xYBBtec_ma-2Sy51J4c2K0JmCJ2nESTag41zDUSaYIDwRz5PF9fQ7fLuJCKb3pA87uiWpJlerTHrM-2Z8qOQWM3YEJ6ybGfwyiVqvVH2jxzyvP94V0NsdhaETc0dlGe77juzsJ5PnbR7_EikYubGsDkQU8FxxY-/s720/IMG_0120.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSQI9WDZ-TAPyWHPvXI0JIsn34_bqB-xYBBtec_ma-2Sy51J4c2K0JmCJ2nESTag41zDUSaYIDwRz5PF9fQ7fLuJCKb3pA87uiWpJlerTHrM-2Z8qOQWM3YEJ6ybGfwyiVqvVH2jxzyvP94V0NsdhaETc0dlGe77juzsJ5PnbR7_EikYubGsDkQU8FxxY-/w640-h426/IMG_0120.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Christmas Lights on the Spirit of Summerland 3716 by Ron Peace</div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>In case you are interested, the above photographs can be purchased from the photographers. Let me know if you want their contact information.</span><br /></span></div><br />Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-21670217114983956032023-11-26T17:57:00.000-08:002023-11-27T07:07:36.248-08:00#IMWAYR November 27th, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgk80TfGSCoqOpmMGyEU5BwmfdRQgKoRZ1zjuY6zHC72QCnB5DTewKzMForuhZoyGKkm2hDBZ8d0qHTiRzAuaExS4bCwUP_5DTqECJE7K4aFhoo2IzHMmsx7O7Y9jgrvJ4teHGzol9uj-uBmqWOTz5KhADKCP_1pw-bZv9S8nj9fwNlBQ_IJg1t3kIQyzP/s1649/IMG_4512.jpeg"><span style="font-family: arial;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1649" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgk80TfGSCoqOpmMGyEU5BwmfdRQgKoRZ1zjuY6zHC72QCnB5DTewKzMForuhZoyGKkm2hDBZ8d0qHTiRzAuaExS4bCwUP_5DTqECJE7K4aFhoo2IzHMmsx7O7Y9jgrvJ4teHGzol9uj-uBmqWOTz5KhADKCP_1pw-bZv9S8nj9fwNlBQ_IJg1t3kIQyzP/w640-h478/IMG_4512.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope that all my American friends and family have enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast and weekend. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is now ok to put up Christmas decorations - but no music until December first please. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">November has been busy with grandkids coming to visit, then their parents and more grandkids and finally, cousins. I started writing a post a couple of times, but life and work got in the way of finishing. I haven't included all the picture books I read with the grandkids - just the ones they adored. This is mostly because I didn't keep track and if I don't make a note of them, I just don't remember. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also been working on a quilt and other sewing projects. I just managed to get all the advent calendar gifts wrapped and ready to drop in the mail Monday. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><b>PREVIOUS POSTS</b></span></div><div><h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0.75em 0px 0px; position: relative;"><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/11/free-verse-friday-11-november-splash-of.html" style="color: #249fa3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">FREE VERSE FRIDAY #11 November A Splash of Colour</span></a></h3></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><br /></span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2hJxG2ox-tlXG4S5YC-ue7dinq42h8Wh3quciNJzNULMb4bBX2OP_Wc01FOipHTXpKcui2Xa96IHVE_G_06EOBrlJSyLDCDjtp10h0OgpV2KxQMurUDIADVn3rLb5_6lhegfSm-Jn2dww_7ybPLikaH8qmgKXqmT5PkBwFe8m-3oLA7AF6RwuMGfnJB4/s2560/55977832.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1991" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2hJxG2ox-tlXG4S5YC-ue7dinq42h8Wh3quciNJzNULMb4bBX2OP_Wc01FOipHTXpKcui2Xa96IHVE_G_06EOBrlJSyLDCDjtp10h0OgpV2KxQMurUDIADVn3rLb5_6lhegfSm-Jn2dww_7ybPLikaH8qmgKXqmT5PkBwFe8m-3oLA7AF6RwuMGfnJB4/s320/55977832.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55977832-our-table?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YvnlUCrn1y&rank=5" target="_blank">Our Table </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55977832-our-table?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=YvnlUCrn1y&rank=5" target="_blank">by Peter H. Reynolds <i>November 2, 2021</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This is an important picture book showing readers how much we lose when we become immersed in technology of all kinds. A table, that once was the centre of family life, is abandoned and grows smaller and smaller until it disappears completely. Violet, a young girl, engages the rest of her family to build a new and even stronger table. </span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVluX9m45ASgaZ13kfOHXMnbXqMQnYE2Gk7Hn8Mf-pkWrZpNLI2pwK1ZkqLdWIy-RjZw07bEM0BL59Qhk5DTzghYbtXlt26Z5fxEwmPMNL2yQ8zgEO-N9r-m3WtEDRLuoYKW2TZdwkTaZInNPtYZMaN4P831PuTY1ZG_U2Ggjnn693VYCipxFJnxOA18c/s400/138715025.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuVluX9m45ASgaZ13kfOHXMnbXqMQnYE2Gk7Hn8Mf-pkWrZpNLI2pwK1ZkqLdWIy-RjZw07bEM0BL59Qhk5DTzghYbtXlt26Z5fxEwmPMNL2yQ8zgEO-N9r-m3WtEDRLuoYKW2TZdwkTaZInNPtYZMaN4P831PuTY1ZG_U2Ggjnn693VYCipxFJnxOA18c/s320/138715025.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138715025-i-m-hungry" target="_blank">I'm Hungry! </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/138715025-i-m-hungry" target="_blank">(Funny Little Books by Elise Gravel, 4) by Elise Gravel <i>September 12, 2023 </i> 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">A little monster eats their pizza, but is still hungry. They go on to eat the plate, the pizza box, and larger and larger things until noticing a child. You will have to read the book to find out what happens next. <br />This book was an absolute hit with my grandkids. The six year old granddaughter read it by herself again and again. Because of the repetitive language, her three year old sister was able to read it to the rest of us all by herself too. When their two cousins arrived, they loved it just as much. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I can't wait to read the rest of this series. I might even purchase sets for my youngest grandkids for Christmas. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">GRAPHIC FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuu8vBpys2u2JEvhY8H3pFAklvjuQf9zBECkb10xosMQu0vlbSmGCjyHvEJujfWdt3U43H76Nj0T92cOOIfXR_TLRTLdVfktsQH3BhFlyq5fQyRfXw41oc5wp5LcuSiZW1u3dmut3CwTg93Mu0IeIhQpLFYioHSuJ4vh04InSpp9G9J8bn0jKN3ug7zYe/s500/86490931.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuu8vBpys2u2JEvhY8H3pFAklvjuQf9zBECkb10xosMQu0vlbSmGCjyHvEJujfWdt3U43H76Nj0T92cOOIfXR_TLRTLdVfktsQH3BhFlyq5fQyRfXw41oc5wp5LcuSiZW1u3dmut3CwTg93Mu0IeIhQpLFYioHSuJ4vh04InSpp9G9J8bn0jKN3ug7zYe/s320/86490931.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86490931-pup-and-dragon" target="_blank">Pup and Dragon: How to Catch an Elf</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86490931-pup-and-dragon" target="_blank"> by Alice Walstead & Paul Gill (Illustrator)<i> September 5, 2023 </i>🍁</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This didn't enthral me as much as it did the grandkids, but since they are the target audience, I guess that's all that really matters. I concede that it is pretty funny in places and that I didn't really mind reading it more than once.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Pup and Dragon learn that trying to catch an elf is a lot more work than they anticipated. Along the way they wreck havoc across neighbourhood homes and shops. </span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4t_R65Al2wkio0nGzUzmCUIO_MaicyWxZBjcCt4Nt_0sIZv-Cw8X_d8P9YS8x5KTvLh-tH4b5WsjsIn3BTaDzhlozkR7kSpx6ET9FmLdpFsNstCBSwc3Y0K4Jp9sSRiZfffk40n9W2EwVg-d5I5Rjc2y5XffRbJm89W0gq_Co6Mj132YK2k8H7xjCyUGC/s2550/60907385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4t_R65Al2wkio0nGzUzmCUIO_MaicyWxZBjcCt4Nt_0sIZv-Cw8X_d8P9YS8x5KTvLh-tH4b5WsjsIn3BTaDzhlozkR7kSpx6ET9FmLdpFsNstCBSwc3Y0K4Jp9sSRiZfffk40n9W2EwVg-d5I5Rjc2y5XffRbJm89W0gq_Co6Mj132YK2k8H7xjCyUGC/s320/60907385.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60907385-narwhalicorn-and-jelly" target="_blank">Narwhalicorn and Jelly</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60907385-narwhalicorn-and-jelly" target="_blank"> by Ben Clanton</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60907385-narwhalicorn-and-jelly" target="_blank"> </a><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60907385-narwhalicorn-and-jelly" target="_blank">October 4, 2022</a></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My six year old granddaughter adored this book. She took it to bed with her every night she was here with us. It might be because Narwhal transforms into a unicorn and that is her favourite thing these days. I hope it's mostly because it's full of humour and has important messages about friendship. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">You can read the full review I wrote when it was first published <a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/01/narwhalicorn-and-jelly-narwhal-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiQ5fJUz07X3eCAs3mCLG9bO5Ysh7zGd0exbbDUViHGHigif2ZRYf6Q7XVIrh37GzM4V4YV6zZh1dnjG8PyKeSzLJPakWyKyHGFuzoL93l9Q3LNmlHXayT1wuMJpCMUsSvwIEkuzPqzXUhkgoPKe2LAXMm4MPCW5F5HySNvRnu3XbFevcZNPbhu86slTC/s400/63005179.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="282" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHiQ5fJUz07X3eCAs3mCLG9bO5Ysh7zGd0exbbDUViHGHigif2ZRYf6Q7XVIrh37GzM4V4YV6zZh1dnjG8PyKeSzLJPakWyKyHGFuzoL93l9Q3LNmlHXayT1wuMJpCMUsSvwIEkuzPqzXUhkgoPKe2LAXMm4MPCW5F5HySNvRnu3XbFevcZNPbhu86slTC/s320/63005179.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005179-hockey-girl-loves-drama-boy" target="_blank">Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005179-hockey-girl-loves-drama-boy" target="_blank"> by Faith Erin Hicks<i> October 3, 2023 </i> 🍁<br /></a><br />Alix blows up at the mean girl on her hockey team and puts her potential hockey career in jeopardy. She asks Ezra, a popular theatre boy, who remains calm even when dealing with bullies, for help controlling her temper. Like everyone else in their school, she assumes Ezra, who has had relationships with boys, is gay. As the two of them get to know each other a friendship develops and then something more. <br />I liked a lot about this book. I liked that Ezra thinks his sexuality is nobody's business but his own. I liked that Alix cares about Ezra because of who he is. I like how they go out of their comfort zones to learn more about each other's worlds. <br />I liked their relationships with all the parents. I appreciate that at the same time as the teens are learning more about them selves and growing and changing, so do the adults. I liked that when Alix asked her father for help to pay for hockey camp, even though he could afford to, he wouldn't go against his ex-wife's decision.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8FvbMFITVQGNUGmk_-B7AVEZFZq3P7BAc_wpLwKg8FUp3B1z1YZC_wjwykdqniTQzPHyG7gMzOaIDbxJfpLbDsiqxqb3x5aw2k8FUpTjTUJfELxGmRl3vWdLOWw_3ad6vpL6iTpIOoW4jFQOZmJMiS2N1EOHDvwR18wRN75t3FwqhX-ufiZEFaMBcQFq/s400/61135259.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc8FvbMFITVQGNUGmk_-B7AVEZFZq3P7BAc_wpLwKg8FUp3B1z1YZC_wjwykdqniTQzPHyG7gMzOaIDbxJfpLbDsiqxqb3x5aw2k8FUpTjTUJfELxGmRl3vWdLOWw_3ad6vpL6iTpIOoW4jFQOZmJMiS2N1EOHDvwR18wRN75t3FwqhX-ufiZEFaMBcQFq/s320/61135259.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61135259-mindy-makes-some-space" target="_blank">Mindy Makes Some Space</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61135259-mindy-makes-some-space" target="_blank"> by Nathan Fairbairn & MSASSYK (illustrator)</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61135259-mindy-makes-some-space" target="_blank"><span> </span><i>November 15, 2022 </i> 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">Mindy and her two best friends have a dog walking business. Her life is almost perfect. Then her single mom meets a nice man, and their home life changes. A new girl starts school and her friends start paying attention to her. Mindy feels abandoned, and takes it out on everyone. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I like that when Mindy finally talks about her feelings to her mother and her friends, things start to get better. Her life might even end up being better than it was before all the changes. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVsSe8KW-8Y81ZteYR4NDtB199zlXliic-ka6ISsDIHyM-Cc0W7inwv3x7uUFCSs0AuHrg_AKmqEK4qc3V8BD6Q6ArszsTg83b21S7ME5R_iinynP4sd5mhXfXsP4XaX6D2efgHpPLTyyCFbaWLprtDiUd8VwCoL-mtwpB8Iu9TrRAXAEZsR0OVY6Bd8a/s2745/40495957.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2745" data-original-width="1818" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVsSe8KW-8Y81ZteYR4NDtB199zlXliic-ka6ISsDIHyM-Cc0W7inwv3x7uUFCSs0AuHrg_AKmqEK4qc3V8BD6Q6ArszsTg83b21S7ME5R_iinynP4sd5mhXfXsP4XaX6D2efgHpPLTyyCFbaWLprtDiUd8VwCoL-mtwpB8Iu9TrRAXAEZsR0OVY6Bd8a/s320/40495957.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40495957-heartstopper" target="_blank">Heartstopper:</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40495957-heartstopper" target="_blank"> Volume One by Alice Oseman <span face=""Proxima Nova", Montserrat, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #4f4f4d;">October 1, 2018</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf lauded this series in October, so when I found a copy at my favourite used book store, I nabbed it. <a href="https://www.completelyfullbookshelf.com/2023/10/imwayr-more-heartstopper.html" target="_blank">Max</a> wasn't exaggerating. It's a sweet, adorable romance between two young men. The artwork is absolutely stunning! I can hardly wait to read the next in the series. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I donated my copy to a local high school where I sometimes substitute teach. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40495957-heartstopper?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=4YPAvhEyIz&rank=1#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="#"></a></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmENiruk7BWPW5Lg16tfI9PjkdWVaChTi8w8Gy5KKR4yN7kyRZzh7cVmuuKOdqeB0iVRMr8JFENHjeWaaGK0x2FYypnwK9avWCvbLxP74bejw2V14C8QZb5Di9qEFioBBVqiS2WKgst3Xi1gmNG4AFsBVR7xcRCvme8hFctJWjz396Pv1lkAMQ4lJrvD_M/s500/128125963.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmENiruk7BWPW5Lg16tfI9PjkdWVaChTi8w8Gy5KKR4yN7kyRZzh7cVmuuKOdqeB0iVRMr8JFENHjeWaaGK0x2FYypnwK9avWCvbLxP74bejw2V14C8QZb5Di9qEFioBBVqiS2WKgst3Xi1gmNG4AFsBVR7xcRCvme8hFctJWjz396Pv1lkAMQ4lJrvD_M/s320/128125963.jpg" width="217" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128125963-the-puppets-of-spelhorst" target="_blank">The Puppets of Spelhorst</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/128125963-the-puppets-of-spelhorst" target="_blank"> by Kate DiCamillo & Julie Morstad 🍁 (Illustrator) & Allan Corduner (Narrator) October 10, 2023</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This multilayered tale is the story of troop of puppets: a king, a girl, a boy, a wolf, and an owl. It also the story of two sisters who receive the puppets as a gift from their uncle. It includes the story of a housemaid with big dreams. The puppets have their own adventures and then get to be part of a story written by a young girl. Eventually they play an important part in the housemaid's life. <br />Like <strike>most</strike> all of DiCamillo's work, it's loaded with nuance and profound messages for readers of all ages. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I listened to this, so will have to find a hard copy to admire Julie Morstad's artwork. </span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGk2VQMYKPpcr_JvnyIiM8D7aC7N9WQiOrEBToRs6JjvHjRmYCGkUK7bV5SE8INrVN-qP6EULlCpZVdNBc3zh6f_3xbOR-LmNRFMfL74OodPMa3WKu9F0ucysb7QKRgnA-TXIHabuoZYbB9fFrtkWNgmD-3YGZY8XCJQVciYQHglryeN5urhTo1xR2Whj/s475/37743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaGk2VQMYKPpcr_JvnyIiM8D7aC7N9WQiOrEBToRs6JjvHjRmYCGkUK7bV5SE8INrVN-qP6EULlCpZVdNBc3zh6f_3xbOR-LmNRFMfL74OodPMa3WKu9F0ucysb7QKRgnA-TXIHabuoZYbB9fFrtkWNgmD-3YGZY8XCJQVciYQHglryeN5urhTo1xR2Whj/s320/37743.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37743.Forever_" target="_blank">Forever</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37743.Forever_" target="_blank"> by Judy Blume & Caitlin Kinnunen (Narrator)<i> January 1, 1975</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My son asked if I had read this book. I hadn't so he suggested I find a copy and then we could talk about it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's the story of a romance between two teens who fall in love and have sex. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It deals with consent and portrays a young woman as an active participant in their intimate relationship. Nobody dies. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I was kind of gobsmacked by this book. I really wish it had been published in the 1960's so I could have read it when I was a teen. It's full of important information about how to have a healthy, sexual relationship. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">My son felt that while consent was there, the boy still pressured the girl more than is acceptable by today's standards. I agree. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQEMYDDluUE_NIB5EnO8ItZrr3GpLFRe2SpSwQaC-y7HGdgY11oVvh9UT0d-G-XgoEKFMILPSJrxYZYjqU2KEUIWT-is2vX2pAvM4-Yg226IYZZHXBBMIbn6u4Z4awJU-33qLLsNXd2dwIuE9XiHI53sTslefZQ_O2wmwrDuaFnf5OJUXTwySBP57Umb6/s346/30282181.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="228" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQEMYDDluUE_NIB5EnO8ItZrr3GpLFRe2SpSwQaC-y7HGdgY11oVvh9UT0d-G-XgoEKFMILPSJrxYZYjqU2KEUIWT-is2vX2pAvM4-Yg226IYZZHXBBMIbn6u4Z4awJU-33qLLsNXd2dwIuE9XiHI53sTslefZQ_O2wmwrDuaFnf5OJUXTwySBP57Umb6/s320/30282181.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30282181-spook-street" target="_blank">Spook Street</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30282181-spook-street" target="_blank"> (Slough House #4) by Mick Herron & Gerard Doyle (Narrator)<i> February 9, 2017</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Imagine that one of the grandchildren of John Le </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Carré's </span><span style="font-family: arial;">characters followed the family tradition, and joined the secret service. Imagine this same grown child working with a compatriot of their forefathers. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In this novel someone posing as River Cartwright attempts to murder David Cartwright, an aging MI5 agent. Even though he is plagued with dementia, he is not fooled and ends up killing the assassin. His actual grandson, the real River, arrives soon afterwards. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">What unfolds is the discovery of an organization created to protect the western world from terrorists in the rest of the world. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSimsFE3YSQscCEycW6QHRdfxrRxM4eOi3Js-G4GRrxUMv2kJwcXUjwfAW6jNfR4JbcHlGZHhTByAeBfuPtzaUb2wdEKhOeyBhsPXKXi0oDdHO-j5LC-TFUoZm6BTK1cXsAY1COnU2B1_yF51NuGp1AXDzCl6dNCEsCgMeKJYuGTswzlwcLUfh3inAuO0/s499/83747617.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgSimsFE3YSQscCEycW6QHRdfxrRxM4eOi3Js-G4GRrxUMv2kJwcXUjwfAW6jNfR4JbcHlGZHhTByAeBfuPtzaUb2wdEKhOeyBhsPXKXi0oDdHO-j5LC-TFUoZm6BTK1cXsAY1COnU2B1_yF51NuGp1AXDzCl6dNCEsCgMeKJYuGTswzlwcLUfh3inAuO0/s320/83747617.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83747617-london-rules" target="_blank">London Rules</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83747617-london-rules" target="_blank"> (Slough House #5) by Mick Herron & Gerard Doyle (Narrator)<i> February 1, 2018</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial;">A terrorist organization is operating on British soil. Someone is trying to kill Roddy Ho, the computer nerd at Slough House. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It's up to the the rest of the disgraced crew at Slough House, under the auspices of the disreputable Jackson Lamb, to save him and the country, whether the powers that be at Regent's Park want them to or not. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Not only are these books screamingly hilarious (especially if you are a fan of black humour and satire), the world building and characters are brilliant. Herron's writing is exquisitely beautiful - often like reading poetry. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtizfpGvIJYYoJl6Znkfjm1amBcEkVgaCbm_sGv-MipJJkyZX3MFn5waGju4rX0fkZn_gAx7A4UTERL6f2Ofi7UvbtAJ7ITRqYpHJgNqodx9V4iktxy1Gpqo7OGWdBvu2SWXxzM0qe4a-M5ux85xoaDkNDt87bMCMRcF8sWTAIuOci1NgJH9jc4BJS8zy/s500/40725379.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="332" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCtizfpGvIJYYoJl6Znkfjm1amBcEkVgaCbm_sGv-MipJJkyZX3MFn5waGju4rX0fkZn_gAx7A4UTERL6f2Ofi7UvbtAJ7ITRqYpHJgNqodx9V4iktxy1Gpqo7OGWdBvu2SWXxzM0qe4a-M5ux85xoaDkNDt87bMCMRcF8sWTAIuOci1NgJH9jc4BJS8zy/s320/40725379.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40725379-animal-vegetable-miracle" target="_blank">Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40725379-animal-vegetable-miracle" target="_blank"> by Barbara Kingsolver</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I found this book to be comforting. The authors tell the story of one year in their lives when they mostly ate only food grown and raised locally. A lot of the produce came from their own farm and garden. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">She's probably preaching to the converted in my case. Like her family, we preserve as much as we can in the summer when food is plentiful. We grow as much as we can in our garden space. We have a cold frame that allows us to harvest lettuce at least until Christmas. We purchase locally farmed meat as much as possible. Given that there are over 30 wineries in our area, drinking locally is a no brainer. However, we are not nearly as hard core as they were. I had some quibbles about some things, (the carbon load from eating New Zealand raised lamb is the lowest in the world, and that includes it being shipped by boat to Canada.) Still, I am inspired to do more. Ultimately, all we can do is try to eat as ethically as possible. </span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2JFUB3XRK-x2vJU_OI6CxXU_IQAOADeVqgTStGK4Gyunl_NZSnrKSM3CZbO0DKaWJz1OdKfyYzd80ejbP6F-hH8KPOGZnB46TJNDMLCLYQAyMhsxAQQjsRUPcc4JMyO2fYR4jGl-VQsX6xUrprYagNqmlncjos9uBQeVTEpYEQfzuL7897N7op7y3C_g/s400/60433433.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu2JFUB3XRK-x2vJU_OI6CxXU_IQAOADeVqgTStGK4Gyunl_NZSnrKSM3CZbO0DKaWJz1OdKfyYzd80ejbP6F-hH8KPOGZnB46TJNDMLCLYQAyMhsxAQQjsRUPcc4JMyO2fYR4jGl-VQsX6xUrprYagNqmlncjos9uBQeVTEpYEQfzuL7897N7op7y3C_g/s320/60433433.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60433433-her-courage-rises" target="_blank">Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and Yukon</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60433433-her-courage-rises" target="_blank"> by Haley Healey & Kimiko Fraser (Illustrator) 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I enjoyed reading these mini-biographies about the many remarkable women of British Columbia. I liked the diversity in them. Each individual receives her own two page spread that highlights their achievements. The beautiful illustrations make the book worth picking up and just browsing. </span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto 🍁</span></div></span></span><b>The Last Devil to Die</b> (Thursday Murder Club, #4) by Richard Osman & Fiona Shaw (Narrator)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>The List</b> by Mick Herron</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">UP NEXT (MAYBE)</span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><b>A New Season</b> by Terry Fallis<span> 🍁</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis</b> by Britt Wray <span>🍁</span></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">#MustReadFiction 21/24 one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span>#MustReadNonFiction 13/20 one</span> in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Canadian Authors 49/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;">Indigenous Authors 20/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 183/200 <br /></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-61210886526198977222023-11-03T07:32:00.006-07:002023-11-03T07:32:43.098-07:00FREE VERSE FRIDAY #11 November A Splash of Colour<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>I've joined</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a><span>,</span><span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can find out more about this <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/free-verse-friday-1-beginning/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I usually write a poem and send it off to my two favourite photographers to come up with an image to accompany it. Last month as the posting date drew near, I hadn't written a thing, I begged them for inspiration. Each of them sent me an image so I ended up writing two poems! <br /><br />I was thinking of poppies with this theme, but neither of them were on the same page as I was. When I told my husband, Randy Rotheisler, the theme was 'a splash of colour' he told me he knew what he was sending me and it didn't matter what I wrote. I complained to Ron, and he also sent me a photo. Both images are of course, just bloody stunning! <br />I tried to write a poem that connects their two images, but gave up and ended up with two. I think they are sort of connected. Both are really about transformation and endings. </span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3WCdTwmaZeuK8pm4LVSllHshB00Bjk1XN30TITgf3N99ipkVUmK678oy_TSbl9gZoiDKKTnCGjtdlAM8yYLAjLlM2j7IngBjKyjHoeaiAHw-gjvfu4y0bRuLioYPyb6dEAEtLJbSL-dgFvxayYULIL1JcM3YdBgQOs7gBkr41ZvmZrO7i3P9_VS0BD2d/s640/IMG_0449.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="640" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3WCdTwmaZeuK8pm4LVSllHshB00Bjk1XN30TITgf3N99ipkVUmK678oy_TSbl9gZoiDKKTnCGjtdlAM8yYLAjLlM2j7IngBjKyjHoeaiAHw-gjvfu4y0bRuLioYPyb6dEAEtLJbSL-dgFvxayYULIL1JcM3YdBgQOs7gBkr41ZvmZrO7i3P9_VS0BD2d/w640-h504/IMG_0449.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">image by Ron Peace</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">last rites</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">autumn's</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">thaumaturgy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">conjures</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">variegated </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">iridescence</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">out of once</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">verdant </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">landscape</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">a final benediction </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">before the grim grey of winter</span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2f6qPloUN6odTcNaB5MKMkg_1FRdd51jzWfO2WeXtRY81VRzLTZQ6pzWX4yfCUUNatRxP8wAsScczcqmomDAEKoIGym5GiNgMWLgMAhxfbcWhdXKmPPon0Mb-4rNzStDRr6nninxu5cCOo_CsaNiQZVik8gmIWCfxEXqWR9undV3F-brsnqkE7TYMBS4/s1280/november.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1280" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT2f6qPloUN6odTcNaB5MKMkg_1FRdd51jzWfO2WeXtRY81VRzLTZQ6pzWX4yfCUUNatRxP8wAsScczcqmomDAEKoIGym5GiNgMWLgMAhxfbcWhdXKmPPon0Mb-4rNzStDRr6nninxu5cCOo_CsaNiQZVik8gmIWCfxEXqWR9undV3F-brsnqkE7TYMBS4/w640-h392/november.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image by Randy Rotheisler</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">in the evening,</span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">spirals </span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">of red </span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">luminesce,</span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">snake </span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">across </span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">the dark</span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">disappearing </span></div></div></div></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">into </span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span> </span>the maw </span></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: red; font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">of winter</span></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;">In case you are interested, the above photographs can be purchased from the photographers. Let me know if you want their contact information.<br /></span><br /></span></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-76936861096966546322023-10-29T20:59:00.002-07:002023-10-29T21:05:43.337-07:00#IMWARY October 30, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. </span><span>Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1jw16lKfoGNGxzNg1_vhxyxlSbqMnIIHzBqFBFsTVwU3x3V8EhEJlXgGO1tW1hXmgQNIqB9Cd3Eqhys-DXhx23_aSP5s6i3mFv6cVL-HAbwHmX-KDfpDiCbXm0uvgQHUcJMLQ-NRgKCoIqXW4q8He19CSk8f7BuwCHwFKMydpX1Sw8zgavekuYHQ1JIz/s1388/IMG_4443.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1127" data-original-width="1388" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_1jw16lKfoGNGxzNg1_vhxyxlSbqMnIIHzBqFBFsTVwU3x3V8EhEJlXgGO1tW1hXmgQNIqB9Cd3Eqhys-DXhx23_aSP5s6i3mFv6cVL-HAbwHmX-KDfpDiCbXm0uvgQHUcJMLQ-NRgKCoIqXW4q8He19CSk8f7BuwCHwFKMydpX1Sw8zgavekuYHQ1JIz/w640-h520/IMG_4443.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I had a great time at my quilting workshop last weekend. It turned out that I had cut some of my background fabric wrong, but it wasn't the end of the world. I just had to cut the rest of it to match. This meant that my blocks were smaller and that I had to cut out a bunch more pieces. (I still need to cut more) Ok, so it was a big deal, but it still wasn't the end of the world. I now have about 70 blocks made. I only need 26 more before I get to the fun part of arranging them. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red;"><b>I Read Canadian</b></span> day is coming up soon - November 8th of this year. I'm planning my reading life so that I will be only reading Canadian authors that whole week! What are you scheduling? </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S3mcVcWA7IvRwhGHHrHWXtWONkrF3coteHNc78gat_wE_qgrYtNO74_xdZGdHw8IidlE2wCYkGE_VdcpRLWCzW9SsCa-uSaYvywC7ht27JX5NoiKGRqlNhyphenhyphenpy4jGlyjV2r_ViwHIQ9c6eCbOQbEu2lEEO9qisrXcRtcT-uAHGHTpC90nU2TXwJxO7hdZ/s400/83823694.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="295" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6S3mcVcWA7IvRwhGHHrHWXtWONkrF3coteHNc78gat_wE_qgrYtNO74_xdZGdHw8IidlE2wCYkGE_VdcpRLWCzW9SsCa-uSaYvywC7ht27JX5NoiKGRqlNhyphenhyphenpy4jGlyjV2r_ViwHIQ9c6eCbOQbEu2lEEO9qisrXcRtcT-uAHGHTpC90nU2TXwJxO7hdZ/s320/83823694.jpg" width="236" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823694-how-does-santa-go-down-the-chimney" target="_blank">How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/83823694-how-does-santa-go-down-the-chimney" target="_blank"> by Mac Barnett, Jon Klassen 🍁 (Illustrator) September 12, 2023</a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While I was reading this, I really wished my 6 year old grandson could have been here with me. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It is hilarious!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Of course it is. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This duo create magic with everyone of their collaborations. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55UiUXVhxL2vOtHCeC3TdiZjEWexbMy0JXw7LLVgWoXtdDPsEgqtrJTDMBp3-tSvemmRrCH5GMafi41mdRfNHIsu-KiLen0xnIVlJRNhcGOHAZW-xNVz8ECqPLGUArDMeefHNeY77NdEBgR-d71iFhQRCm-2mHtke-P_9nvUtOmVRkkQw7QVXl34EmEG2/s2000/60168786.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="2000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh55UiUXVhxL2vOtHCeC3TdiZjEWexbMy0JXw7LLVgWoXtdDPsEgqtrJTDMBp3-tSvemmRrCH5GMafi41mdRfNHIsu-KiLen0xnIVlJRNhcGOHAZW-xNVz8ECqPLGUArDMeefHNeY77NdEBgR-d71iFhQRCm-2mHtke-P_9nvUtOmVRkkQw7QVXl34EmEG2/s320/60168786.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">5 stars</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60168786-the-pigeon-will-ride-the-roller-coaster" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Pigeon Will Ride the Roller Coaster</b> by Mo Willems<i> September 6, 2022</i></span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Is there anyone who doesn't just adore Pigeon? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Is there anyone who doesn't adore Mo Willems? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Will that Pigeon really ride the roller coaster? </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Can I can please, please, please keep this book checked out of the library until the grandkids come to visit again?<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC</span></b><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: red;"><b><br /></b></span><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQftWqrM6cjwiWQgH4J67TJwbgeYTu6C1tdjfCFYHMQFkWjvKlSoaZBdN6QD84tezydu28vAq4iOBbvWe8gQUWbRjF7b8ZSw0VEWMY32q3YhszghO-BP3Zie5hFFZG4kIfDRGeY3KUuSfKwleHVoJm-HEbgMIAfasA9aIc3xPKvctoiSlC4CiXpsJ7dZhO/s400/60017797.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQftWqrM6cjwiWQgH4J67TJwbgeYTu6C1tdjfCFYHMQFkWjvKlSoaZBdN6QD84tezydu28vAq4iOBbvWe8gQUWbRjF7b8ZSw0VEWMY32q3YhszghO-BP3Zie5hFFZG4kIfDRGeY3KUuSfKwleHVoJm-HEbgMIAfasA9aIc3xPKvctoiSlC4CiXpsJ7dZhO/s320/60017797.jpg" width="223" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60017797-besties" target="_blank">Besties: Find Their Groove</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60017797-besties" target="_blank"> by Kayla Miller, Jeffrey Canino, Kristina Luu (Illustrator)<i> September 27, 2022</i></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am thankful to Max @ <a href="https://www.inlinkz.com/displayurl.php?id=38569963">Completely Full Bookshelf</a> for writing about this mini series. It's a spin off from Kayla Miller's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/274891-click">Click Series</a>. I like that many of the characters from the main series are included here, but we are focused on two best friends, Beth and Chanda. A school dance is on the horizon and the two girls have to figure out how to make it their best night ever, navigate their way through the morass of what to wear and how to get a date. Do they even need a date? Both of the girls end up learning a lot about themselves and each other before it's over. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I like how Chanda ended up apologizing for her behaviour. I like how she listened to Beth who has her own issues. I liked that both have older sisters and that those relationships, while they don't always run smoothly, are supportive. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60017797-besties#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkER-fjHHOrJ_huFmB6o9nPvuAiDpzGzTaTX3m7zeFNa8SXu72c28-Sh1xirLWXZPvJqIqu75dwnHHNXsX_PKpbaLd4m_wkQd0JYYZUdjz8pNcMt_afFZVIHkV1tNY6x8OGbn6fxtBqGg4qW5XgX97gv48OdUQt-b9YBtPR5Q9TWMpYZPF6AAJ19OZxcTs/s2550/60658530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkER-fjHHOrJ_huFmB6o9nPvuAiDpzGzTaTX3m7zeFNa8SXu72c28-Sh1xirLWXZPvJqIqu75dwnHHNXsX_PKpbaLd4m_wkQd0JYYZUdjz8pNcMt_afFZVIHkV1tNY6x8OGbn6fxtBqGg4qW5XgX97gv48OdUQt-b9YBtPR5Q9TWMpYZPF6AAJ19OZxcTs/s320/60658530.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60658530-the-first-rule-of-climate-club" target="_blank">The First Rule of Climate Club</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60658530-the-first-rule-of-climate-club" target="_blank"> by Carrie Firestone & Courtney Lin (Narrator) J<i>uly 5, 2022</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When Mary Kate Murphy is accepted into a pilot class focussing on Climate Change, she has no idea that she is going to learn about a lot more than the climate. She soon learns that the climate crisis and social justice and interconnected issues. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There is a lot going on in this book. I really appreciated that the diversity of the ramifications of the climate crisis are explored. Mary Kate's best friend is ill and might be dying until her parents are persuaded to take her to a new doctor. She is finally diagnosed with a number of infections caused by a tick bite. She learns that tick numbers are on the rise because of warmer winters. (This is also why we have had an explosion in pine beetle numbers and the decimation of pine forests) </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I like how we get to know the different class members through their application to the program letters. Each one of them has different climate crisis related concerns. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If I have any quibble with this book, it is that the existing mayor is a caricature. Nobody is that one dimensionally evil. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Carrie Firestone's book, <b>Dress Coded</b>, is available from my library, and if I didn't already have so many books on the go, I would have started it as soon as I finished this. </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgWMZavYlVN2O9_eLRmftBVj0DnPhhycQ68FHp3Qsfa67McGeFlov4yLuC5k1v1rtqtzYQuu8Rv91tNbHT5G6nDHipCRPkoCBVoXr0uHSAxITV1rst4nUlSpI6ymvCS7iM7MsInN65t29SP043OsCJ6QlgOmfRyZQErZaJYMy3CQKfQJrDBlDwmq7EEPU/s450/42046112.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgWMZavYlVN2O9_eLRmftBVj0DnPhhycQ68FHp3Qsfa67McGeFlov4yLuC5k1v1rtqtzYQuu8Rv91tNbHT5G6nDHipCRPkoCBVoXr0uHSAxITV1rst4nUlSpI6ymvCS7iM7MsInN65t29SP043OsCJ6QlgOmfRyZQErZaJYMy3CQKfQJrDBlDwmq7EEPU/s320/42046112.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42046112-recursion" target="_blank">Recursion</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42046112-recursion" target="_blank"> by Blake Crouch, </a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42046112-recursion" target="_blank">Jon Lindstrom (Narrator) & Abby Craden (Narrator)<i> June 11, 2019</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Ever since reading Dark Matter, I have been a fan of Blake Crouch. I planned to read this as soon as it was published, but other books and life interfered with it. I'm finally getting to it. Friends, this is why I create must read lists. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is a fascinating science fiction novel involving time travel. There are two main protagonists: neuroscientist, Helena Smith, and NYC cop, Barry Sutton. A case of false memory lands Barry in a strange hotel where he ends up revealing his worst memory. He comes to awareness in the middle of the memory and discovers that he reliving those events. He has a chance to change history and does. Helena Smith is the creator of the chair that enabled him to time travel. <br />Like any too good to be true invention, it is. In this case, the mess it creates is made worse by the plans for the machine being stolen and sold. Barry and Helena are forced to relive their lives in an attempt to find a way to stop the end of the world. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto 🍁</span></div><div><span>Animal,</span></div><div><span><b>Mindy Makes Some Space</b> by Nathan Fairbairn & MSASSYK (illustrator)</span> 🍁</div></span></span></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>A New Season</b> by Terry Fallis<span> 🍁</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div><b><br /></b></div>Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis</b> by Britt Wray <span>🍁</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm going to continue to tackle that pile of picture books..</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 21/24 one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>#MustReadNonFiction 14/20 two</span> in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 44/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 20/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 170/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-4774319900404483272023-10-22T16:17:00.003-07:002023-10-22T20:35:14.532-07:00#IMWAYR October 23rd, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7sUqoPOSDrQFolrZjsGc4pHH7jRu6dqzglRhPc13Q3FWQd-2H0Ao4l8pref7Xc_kOZTCwKOkxVOjM6zRwKCHt1sGdOynQ35QHi5pD5WWuTFiqRbOCig0kKCs8ZyIClxWq-kxoHn0C0WK70Zcq8Lr9kEgHcnw5uKoQ4lUJGg5W2D9nlR3xcnzEB2iyZKj/s1372/IMG_4440-1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1111" data-original-width="1372" height="518" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7sUqoPOSDrQFolrZjsGc4pHH7jRu6dqzglRhPc13Q3FWQd-2H0Ao4l8pref7Xc_kOZTCwKOkxVOjM6zRwKCHt1sGdOynQ35QHi5pD5WWuTFiqRbOCig0kKCs8ZyIClxWq-kxoHn0C0WK70Zcq8Lr9kEgHcnw5uKoQ4lUJGg5W2D9nlR3xcnzEB2iyZKj/w640-h518/IMG_4440-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Life was busy for us last week. We had three special celebratory dinners. We only cooked two of them and were taken out for greek food one night. I am hoping for a calmer week. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I will be at a quilting workshop on Monday so I won't get to responding to anyone's posts till the next day. I try to read all of them, but I don't always respond. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hxboXb0ygMx7TLU5a7C-tMNEE7UQe5szw7YhWKocqCEWD6ZYlyYbYvSz7jvkl5bsvQ6zqohM7Iid3_xiL39o6UKf1ysSHAMrfzYDFqp2I5-79jbJfNt_3Dq23JBjfEZ7KZ4Sug7-m9wp9TjD7xu1F_vchSmJ8ZLKjkLHAA64m2msEWdXEpjt0QAsA_dT/s1569/62919139.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="1399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hxboXb0ygMx7TLU5a7C-tMNEE7UQe5szw7YhWKocqCEWD6ZYlyYbYvSz7jvkl5bsvQ6zqohM7Iid3_xiL39o6UKf1ysSHAMrfzYDFqp2I5-79jbJfNt_3Dq23JBjfEZ7KZ4Sug7-m9wp9TjD7xu1F_vchSmJ8ZLKjkLHAA64m2msEWdXEpjt0QAsA_dT/s320/62919139.jpg" width="285" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4 stars</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919139-penny-pip" target="_blank"><b>Penny & Pip</b> by Candace Fleming & Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)<i> June 13, 2023</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />When Penny is visiting the natural history museum, she notices a dinosaur egg hatching. The little hatchling watches Penny and takes a shine to her. The baby follows her around the place and she feeds him part of her lunch. When it's time to go home, Penny hatches a plan so he won't be noticed when they leave.<br />I'm very sorry that I overlooked this book when my grandkids were visiting. The two youngest dinosaur mad girls would have loved it.<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="color: red;"><span>CHILDREN'S NON FICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QEKGYyMB2-lpbMvqtCXowmxeCCrMPAbIgNvpF5b4WjWL6j4M7dzSoARpN8lEIGupR_BiWJM3-qihN2Vc3HZ1PBcE141YMOqXWeQBxQ3hC69AdtLNE6iMo0W3WYpjBrmkkHyEOnn3FMvqeZ7qlWbt6VPl45pdVtLx8dRamKmmc2c9yFZSX_WCkcS9XrLL/s1936/58837340.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1936" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QEKGYyMB2-lpbMvqtCXowmxeCCrMPAbIgNvpF5b4WjWL6j4M7dzSoARpN8lEIGupR_BiWJM3-qihN2Vc3HZ1PBcE141YMOqXWeQBxQ3hC69AdtLNE6iMo0W3WYpjBrmkkHyEOnn3FMvqeZ7qlWbt6VPl45pdVtLx8dRamKmmc2c9yFZSX_WCkcS9XrLL/s320/58837340.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58837340-as-glenn-as-can-be" target="_blank">As Glenn as Can Be </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58837340-as-glenn-as-can-be" target="_blank">by Sarah Ellis & Nancy Vo (Illustrator) <i>April 5, 2022 </i> 🍁<br /></a><br />Glenn Gould is a Canadian treasure. What Sarah Ellis and Nancy Vo, (both Canadian treasures in their own right) show us in their book, is that he was a child prodigy. He was a quirky individual who liked animals better than people. He gave up public performing to focus on recording.<br />You can see him performing J.S. Bach's Goldberg Variations in the video below.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p4yAB37wG5s?si=G7196gNq0rhMuUDs" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjYXtOXCxlx4WSGxDWMeGXHeGj1euJ_ry1mp_wHL0e9XF1SdyvDDtfinW2EcZbu0WPqUCkwD-fytRbZFZAjxzvme2GF3bG_OyRxt2sdTzTnbnekHpOJATsSReayh6B6JaMi0I5S8n2tzCmoBjFfmIR55ba9N1Oqv60iUODB9gsGzvw1rqeuPkQwMVDzs1/s400/61897126.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="363" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjYXtOXCxlx4WSGxDWMeGXHeGj1euJ_ry1mp_wHL0e9XF1SdyvDDtfinW2EcZbu0WPqUCkwD-fytRbZFZAjxzvme2GF3bG_OyRxt2sdTzTnbnekHpOJATsSReayh6B6JaMi0I5S8n2tzCmoBjFfmIR55ba9N1Oqv60iUODB9gsGzvw1rqeuPkQwMVDzs1/s320/61897126.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61897126-we-are-branches" target="_blank">We Are Branches</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61897126-we-are-branches" target="_blank"> by Joyce Sidman & Beth Krommes (Illustrator) <i>May 2, 2023</i><br /></a><br />After reading this book, readers will become aware of the branching patterns in the world around them. It is beautifully written, and Beth Krommes artwork is just spectacular!<br />Each page is loaded with of details. I liked that many, if not all the animals and plants are labeled. The back matter has two pages of more information about branching. <br /></span><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS</span></b></div></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hADQ_s13aHkWRL0AaykJAdSb7cBJzM3Xm5UrAsSAEJSQGPw6ojDz_gcKmieVphaA9DM4Ei1UcZN1xDWtPEJhyNFNlPPevqa324-DLdcG1o0d9ANWWVctQAwUGloBhx4R4pczvroEhlPV6AXAN44tcuxJgUhD6laYeBunpmnqZYVW54ykiDCRNu9RH9Cb/s900/61152448.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="594" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hADQ_s13aHkWRL0AaykJAdSb7cBJzM3Xm5UrAsSAEJSQGPw6ojDz_gcKmieVphaA9DM4Ei1UcZN1xDWtPEJhyNFNlPPevqa324-DLdcG1o0d9ANWWVctQAwUGloBhx4R4pczvroEhlPV6AXAN44tcuxJgUhD6laYeBunpmnqZYVW54ykiDCRNu9RH9Cb/s320/61152448.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61152448-on-air-with-zoe-washington" target="_blank">On Air with Zoe Washington</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61152448-on-air-with-zoe-washington" target="_blank"> by Janae Marks &</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61152448-on-air-with-zoe-washington" target="_blank"> Bahni Turpin (Narrator)<span> </span><i>February 14, 2023</i></a></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I love this series. I am in awe of how Janae Marks deals with difficult topics with such grace and honesty. Also, Bahni Turpin is the narrator. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the first book, Zoe managed to get Marcus, her birth father, who was in jail for a crime he didn't commit, released. In this one she is developing a relationship with him. When she learns that he wants to own his own restaurant someday, she wants to be part of it. They have to downgrade their plans to start out with a food truck, but getting funding is impossible because Marcus doesn't have a credit rating. They set up a go fund me project to try and raise the money. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At the same time as this is going on, Zoe starts a blog to raise awareness about the hardships for exonerees. She discovers that her two best friends 'like like' each other. Hannah, a girl who's mother is in prison for drug related offences, reaches out to Zoe and the two of them become friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I appreciate how relationships are negotiated in these books. Zoe's parents and grandmother are supportive of Marcus and Zoe's relationship. They even have Sunday dinners together. I like how Zoe takes her time to think things through before she acts - especially with regards to the growing romantic relationship between her friends. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As in the first book, there is cooking. I'm not sure I would make these <a href="https://www.janaemarks.com/uploads/1/0/1/4/101456740/red_velvet_whoopie_pies.pdf" target="_blank">red velvet whoopee pies</a>, but I would certainly try them out!</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z4dIYu-3i8GVFS_YCjA5rod6wbFqjnlcxEGznzE5cyinUy-wOTx-ZG_TNCl3COvz7OQMXBxL4AOAA6OikvvOiN4CbbpcR2I8IvTSjo7EMOY7iUrJeuEBszBGK_Sz98VJuyuwV8cGw_13Q34Gno2ghtKQKdGud2R8fwP6JAh20ZvJq37ftKq9elTcFIRC/s2775/55650158.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1838" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Z4dIYu-3i8GVFS_YCjA5rod6wbFqjnlcxEGznzE5cyinUy-wOTx-ZG_TNCl3COvz7OQMXBxL4AOAA6OikvvOiN4CbbpcR2I8IvTSjo7EMOY7iUrJeuEBszBGK_Sz98VJuyuwV8cGw_13Q34Gno2ghtKQKdGud2R8fwP6JAh20ZvJq37ftKq9elTcFIRC/s320/55650158.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55650158-take-my-hand" target="_blank">Take My Hand</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55650158-take-my-hand" target="_blank"><span> </span><span>by Dolen Perkins-Valdez & </span>Lauren J. Daggett (Narrator) <i>April 12, 2022</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">One of the reasons I read historical fiction is to learn about events I would otherwise probably never be aware of. In <b>Take My Hand</b>, Dolen Perkins-Valdez writes about the illegal sterilization of black, indigenous, latino, and other poor people in the United States. <br />Civil Townsend is fresh out of nursing school and dreams of making a positive difference in her community. She wants to help women make their own choices for their lives and bodies. It comes as a shock when she has to give birth control shots to two children, just eleven and thirteen. The youngest hasn't even started menstruating yet. She takes the children and their family into her heart and goes out of her way to make their lives better.<br />One day a couple of other nurses come to their home, take the children to the hospital, and have their tubes tied.<br />Civil becomes involved in a court case that ends up becoming bigger than the treatment of these children.<br />A big theme in this book is that people, even with the best of intentions, can end up causing harm.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtu8LLw4-obFieekpoOocVfWoAb04I9M0SCwBhWXztfIt8UshcLddq1scB4haRDvQVhFlO9eyODed6oD1KU-j60VLwLCCyedMo5QlzTqe7YlmGqqN7J2Ru4UnOVnzuMuE5mcrKAb9Wy1kC9H2LLEbHeQCn4lxCFLlrqYtXILUVPx73kjy2aPjyvln4LnUA/s720/25279701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="476" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtu8LLw4-obFieekpoOocVfWoAb04I9M0SCwBhWXztfIt8UshcLddq1scB4haRDvQVhFlO9eyODed6oD1KU-j60VLwLCCyedMo5QlzTqe7YlmGqqN7J2Ru4UnOVnzuMuE5mcrKAb9Wy1kC9H2LLEbHeQCn4lxCFLlrqYtXILUVPx73kjy2aPjyvln4LnUA/s320/25279701.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25279701-real-tigers" target="_blank">Real Tigers</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25279701-real-tigers" target="_blank"> by Mick Herron &</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25279701-real-tigers" target="_blank"> Gerard Doyle (Narrator)<i> January 19, 2016</i></a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm working my way through this series and still enjoying them. I'm gobsmacked by the machinations of the leaders at the fictional MI5 headquarters. As usual, the disgraced and discarded operatives at Slough House are left to deal with their mess. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto 🍁</span></div><div><span><br /></span></div><div><span><b>Recursion</b> by Blake Crouch</span></div></span></span></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><div><div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Mindy Makes Some Space</b> by Nathan Fairbairn & MSASSYK (illustrator), </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm also going to continue to tackle a pile of picture books</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 18/24 one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>#MustReadNonFiction 14/20 </span>one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 43/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 20/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 165 /200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-32481080673605609652023-10-16T08:16:00.002-07:002023-10-16T08:16:55.713-07:00#IMWAYR October 16th, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiushwmK4wbwASgPUxP5YDp6PIPtC_E5y-jpjCEuj_mCj8duPMK_OTS3idyuoZN6RSQR98RrOj3pDnDKIAse1ZKH33QJZXIlCM71HH2W1gMkVUgFihTG3XK_V6dcHXPcgNGtc32cN1LuVDoO4QvEBH830p8ahpiEKd-Sy5w30BJLwkym9UeGZwlZD7UQnQ0/s1468/IMG_4437.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="1468" height="339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiushwmK4wbwASgPUxP5YDp6PIPtC_E5y-jpjCEuj_mCj8duPMK_OTS3idyuoZN6RSQR98RrOj3pDnDKIAse1ZKH33QJZXIlCM71HH2W1gMkVUgFihTG3XK_V6dcHXPcgNGtc32cN1LuVDoO4QvEBH830p8ahpiEKd-Sy5w30BJLwkym9UeGZwlZD7UQnQ0/w400-h339/IMG_4437.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our sons and grandkids visited for Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend. We all had a fabulous time. We got the feast over with on Saturday so they would be around to help eat the leftovers.We spent the rest of the weekend hiking around the country.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp375pVldxQRYNf7l3EvjwaMYiIpfsHWsAeTY9wTtk3I2FzBKk2L3tuv0v5xI3SP7qJch9G07_1GoOUGpiRJgvkrEWBMKpPvo1JD_jqtseCrsC_TZX0DE_UcPgulAs6sX9oO7WRcr1KzMSaEe6nt0rdLP-oLhhCmhYb-JfeAfZuBcwl8ghEJiJMxlm-eAf/s4138/Hiking%20Tinhorn2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2716" data-original-width="4138" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp375pVldxQRYNf7l3EvjwaMYiIpfsHWsAeTY9wTtk3I2FzBKk2L3tuv0v5xI3SP7qJch9G07_1GoOUGpiRJgvkrEWBMKpPvo1JD_jqtseCrsC_TZX0DE_UcPgulAs6sX9oO7WRcr1KzMSaEe6nt0rdLP-oLhhCmhYb-JfeAfZuBcwl8ghEJiJMxlm-eAf/w640-h420/Hiking%20Tinhorn2.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Halloween is drawing near and I've got a few books on my list today that fit the traditional kind of reading for this celebration. Yet, as I ponder other books on my list, as well as current events in the reality of the world today, I am reminded that there is really nothing scarier than real life.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">RECENT BLOG POSTS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/10/free-verse-friday-10-october-shadow.html">FREE VERSE FRIDAY #10 October: Shadow</a><br /><br /><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/10/free-verse-friday-10-october-shadow_12.html">FREE VERSE FRIDAY #10 October: Shadow (Part 2)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUK4isFkuu6POjZWIavZAORoW6zpQNy9PGdNO-RDSY8klLtyM5sk78ScnGAPvXWKQQ2YSJB2WgQx7PZ7urwX_2YbqQ6RlCBjaarx8xNg7pVDrO8MGkaS8AuXfSVge5ZdekZW2Q-HgPoYB1wm7ZoPAFy-6j0v7MFCQRkA2Ouz2chGkoZo-r8luv1o_5dnu/s2560/59219890.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="2548" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsUK4isFkuu6POjZWIavZAORoW6zpQNy9PGdNO-RDSY8klLtyM5sk78ScnGAPvXWKQQ2YSJB2WgQx7PZ7urwX_2YbqQ6RlCBjaarx8xNg7pVDrO8MGkaS8AuXfSVge5ZdekZW2Q-HgPoYB1wm7ZoPAFy-6j0v7MFCQRkA2Ouz2chGkoZo-r8luv1o_5dnu/s320/59219890.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59219890-abalone-woman" target="_blank">Abalone Woman</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59219890-abalone-woman" target="_blank"> by Teoni Spathelfer & Natassia Davies (Illustrations) <i>April 26, 2022</i><span> 🍁</span></a></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In the third book of this series, Little Wolf has a dream that helps her address racism. She understands that when we hurt others because they are different, we end up hurting ourselves.</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj1IN2_Q91l_hRuhGuWCAuV_6cnZBXCrEj9Niv6Wbp5a_nypNc9ag50nIGEQP8VMgkOzLBjtdYXE2Htct0bYbUI1MxXOk4SRmyD_SJofB9mlNRTbgfuNC2cdJYv72sJRdRU0_6TSXIF4p6ArW9AheKjYgRWGCGa86PNDu2WedWoY6uAXTt7QFSiNAxcMw/s400/58985031.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="344" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwj1IN2_Q91l_hRuhGuWCAuV_6cnZBXCrEj9Niv6Wbp5a_nypNc9ag50nIGEQP8VMgkOzLBjtdYXE2Htct0bYbUI1MxXOk4SRmyD_SJofB9mlNRTbgfuNC2cdJYv72sJRdRU0_6TSXIF4p6ArW9AheKjYgRWGCGa86PNDu2WedWoY6uAXTt7QFSiNAxcMw/s320/58985031.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58985031-big" target="_blank">Big</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58985031-big" target="_blank"> by Vashti Harrison<i> May 2, 2023</i></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58985031-big" target="_blank"><i><br /></i></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> This book "traces a child's journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I turned 70 this year and realized it was time to stop hating my body and just love and take care of it. I was never big like this girl, but I have friends who had to deal with the same kinds of crap the child in this book does. Hopefully having this book in the world will make a difference for children like them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRj8rSJsqDR0635EaA3wCxZqXNRqi_MSz1Sd19a57AIKMEPX1TYeXIP2jFjkr0Q6r0IqyxbKfR8c-xeCuliXXgW8aYccUqbD8gwn-1eaDXotXOcCp3Q_D0CKpdMp5frMYma3uAzoNBQjWkteI7wcsqCIkvNcJn1iEMymCkXI7tyq6ModfmSzXpd99FTAE/s1803/55784578.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1803" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXRj8rSJsqDR0635EaA3wCxZqXNRqi_MSz1Sd19a57AIKMEPX1TYeXIP2jFjkr0Q6r0IqyxbKfR8c-xeCuliXXgW8aYccUqbD8gwn-1eaDXotXOcCp3Q_D0CKpdMp5frMYma3uAzoNBQjWkteI7wcsqCIkvNcJn1iEMymCkXI7tyq6ModfmSzXpd99FTAE/s320/55784578.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55784578-i-m-sorry" target="_blank">I'm Sorry</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55784578-i-m-sorry" target="_blank"> Michael Ian Black & Debbie Ridpath Ohi (Illustrator) 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I like this <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/series/211232-i-m-bored" target="_blank">series</a> from these two authors, but this book didn't do what I wanted it to. I was hoping for something that might help a six year understand more about saying sorry. Instead it's more about feeling sorry but not being able to say the words. It's still a great book that deals with what it's like when friends have an argument and how to make things better. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18LtL4T2juJkDub34OaggUGlBrukjD_7jtHM7O7rUR0aGHhzFtF8RavwhkfAERBL0dZk3pv9iefLd5jx2IsxNaT-258pRVEGU15CT0ziphMndzoQJX25aSVwlbpvxhVygK2EYCL1yompGtslE_TErBaRm0oSfaD2oddcQq1F81B392q5f0OstaN0hKkyg/s400/60019192-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="382" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj18LtL4T2juJkDub34OaggUGlBrukjD_7jtHM7O7rUR0aGHhzFtF8RavwhkfAERBL0dZk3pv9iefLd5jx2IsxNaT-258pRVEGU15CT0ziphMndzoQJX25aSVwlbpvxhVygK2EYCL1yompGtslE_TErBaRm0oSfaD2oddcQq1F81B392q5f0OstaN0hKkyg/s320/60019192-1.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60019192-night-lunch" target="_blank">Night Lunch</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60019192-night-lunch" target="_blank"> by Eric Fan, Dena Seiferling (Illustrator) 🍁</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I really wanted to love this, but it didn't work for me. The art work is spectacular though.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><span><span style="color: red;">CHAPTER BOOKS</span></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><span><span style="color: red;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb9UR8uzTlDse5EwuqbEjeVpDFBhCUO6hnd0_SNuGl9RCzfq3AXQ9S2yjH3XitTpb3zT4WRkHkDEcf_JX5lJWMYoH7l5zH_Ef5UEd-fKcUKYkgFoQD4unPpaibNaRZNCB3T9j5Z_dBxRtu8ThdS2c17kzIQN-bmDe9iuPm2XUZC8lQ0H4GnmCEiH34tT4/s1190/60539545.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGb9UR8uzTlDse5EwuqbEjeVpDFBhCUO6hnd0_SNuGl9RCzfq3AXQ9S2yjH3XitTpb3zT4WRkHkDEcf_JX5lJWMYoH7l5zH_Ef5UEd-fKcUKYkgFoQD4unPpaibNaRZNCB3T9j5Z_dBxRtu8ThdS2c17kzIQN-bmDe9iuPm2XUZC8lQ0H4GnmCEiH34tT4/s320/60539545.jpg" width="242" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60539545-the-skull" target="_blank">The Skull</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60539545-the-skull" target="_blank"> by Jon Klassen<i> July 11, 2023</i><span> 🍁</span></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I loved this book from the very first page. It's spooky, has a formidable girl hero, and is about very different kind of people becoming best friends.<br />My mind was spinning with questions from the get go.<br />"One night,<span><span><div>in the middle of the night,<br />while everyone was asleep,<br />Otilla finally ran away."<br />As I read on, I was even more delighted. I couldn't wait to share it with my six year old grandkids.<br />I shared it with my granddaughter first. When we read that first page we wondered why she had to run away. Ada suggested that maybe she was running away from a residential school. (Kids know a lot these days.) A few times during our reading I had to tell her that everything would end up happily every after. After we finished it together, she picked it a number of times to read by herself. When her cousin finally arrived, he looked at the cover and was having nothing to do with the book. After a few days we convinced him to give it a try. Now he too wants his own copy of it.</div></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0PkbSADbDm4bTlF2gxx8oBn3YMUndTgLaikKkeQtM3J-mYr_rq6SQdSu2nQ91nSdfFAyLMzHiivEDNlEc6dKZ2BjiuZehniivjiuf_gfz-cg58W-1222Fazn7Yhj_vhx0C9w-sXtn3z24t4IneZYJf47mAzFIIJf8lptCmYx8FIo5VSt259LMptxV87X/s362/60420379.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0PkbSADbDm4bTlF2gxx8oBn3YMUndTgLaikKkeQtM3J-mYr_rq6SQdSu2nQ91nSdfFAyLMzHiivEDNlEc6dKZ2BjiuZehniivjiuf_gfz-cg58W-1222Fazn7Yhj_vhx0C9w-sXtn3z24t4IneZYJf47mAzFIIJf8lptCmYx8FIo5VSt259LMptxV87X/s320/60420379.jpg" width="281" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60420379-charlie-mouse-are-magic" target="_blank">Charlie & Mouse Are Magic</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60420379-charlie-mouse-are-magic" target="_blank"> by Laurel Snyder & Emily Hughes (Illustrations)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My grandkids and I enjoyed this sixth book in the series as much as we like the earlier ones. It's like a peak into the lives of two ordinary boys and their parents. Charlie and Mouse are delightful brothers whose antics keep us smiling. In this one Mouse creates a magic potion. It might even work!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNVR88dXo7KoK2r_DvENUh0QDZj0NEpUl90Wtw8DIXHul1lYwZOMNFwVOfa4Bx53ThwkguXxnU5lnPbw7MHwTgPKvNrJpRFIN500PQQIx6kzNt8P9-gzVcxLgtDUWks5HXITErKw79GDQFydWK_gKTnnrkn4vSOUTvMOmoVjrzQ4EuWPIIa-J9c5dyhZZ/s2143/53059254.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2143" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNVR88dXo7KoK2r_DvENUh0QDZj0NEpUl90Wtw8DIXHul1lYwZOMNFwVOfa4Bx53ThwkguXxnU5lnPbw7MHwTgPKvNrJpRFIN500PQQIx6kzNt8P9-gzVcxLgtDUWks5HXITErKw79GDQFydWK_gKTnnrkn4vSOUTvMOmoVjrzQ4EuWPIIa-J9c5dyhZZ/s320/53059254.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53059254-four-faces-of-the-moon" target="_blank">Four Faces of the Moon</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53059254-four-faces-of-the-moon" target="_blank"> by Amanda Strong <i>June 8, 2021 </i></a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53059254-four-faces-of-the-moon" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;">🍁</span></a></span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>This is a haunting graphic novel. The illustrations come from an animated short film of the same name. It's the story of a young woman discovering the darkness of Canada's colonial past at the same time as she learns about her family history and culture.<br />You can watch the film here.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rWe--sysNkk?si=e2oYr3ZeaB-N09g9" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiNmtYpguIX2NB5eM1K8RMyBdGmusS4jgy6-9cgFu4bfp3vLX0taLRInqOL-HuHrzDgQgijYcEkADbgvJTJ_oURGdPp68VdNjUjIIL9fbBn5g1t8NMPyqV3azRqx-NgEcMNXras9T7Kn4cKRoZLB9qX6zoQv0BwKSysL0Gs_GQY3qbHyncKkPX1ssizkA/s400/61317665.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="275" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDiNmtYpguIX2NB5eM1K8RMyBdGmusS4jgy6-9cgFu4bfp3vLX0taLRInqOL-HuHrzDgQgijYcEkADbgvJTJ_oURGdPp68VdNjUjIIL9fbBn5g1t8NMPyqV3azRqx-NgEcMNXras9T7Kn4cKRoZLB9qX6zoQv0BwKSysL0Gs_GQY3qbHyncKkPX1ssizkA/s320/61317665.jpg" width="220" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61317665-ghost-book" target="_blank">Ghost Book</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61317665-ghost-book" target="_blank"> by Remy Lai<i> August 15, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm a Remy Lai fan so when I learned about this new book, I immediately ordered it from my library. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">July Chen is easily overlooked and forgotten. She can also see ghosts. During hungry ghost month her school holds a festival and her life gets really messy. She meets someone who she thinks is a ghost, but it turns out Will is someone who is in a coma in a hospital and his spirit is travelling. He's the first person to remember her and her name.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The story gets truly complicated as we learn more about how the two of them are connected and that July is the reason Will keeps having near fatal accidents. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This book is perfect reading for this time of year. It has fascinating characters, well developed ghost mythology, is full of adventure. and the hungry ghosts are really creepy!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NON FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wpUw97i6wRrHDo0Ja0dNQVPBKcbSxPRxw_ZG7zXMD5J4mzYhrkZrDNqdcJXVyGZhEN6Bp2yKYmGdZiIyGECzLbs8neuUoudUFhRuH8JXgsISdpofWEEqOsHpHFofAeAuD_JOHnTVmv6uA4q9gtSz9fpOyT4XHeex1_MSRmpqZebNkXaTpqA7POjBzWFK/s666/36589701.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="441" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wpUw97i6wRrHDo0Ja0dNQVPBKcbSxPRxw_ZG7zXMD5J4mzYhrkZrDNqdcJXVyGZhEN6Bp2yKYmGdZiIyGECzLbs8neuUoudUFhRuH8JXgsISdpofWEEqOsHpHFofAeAuD_JOHnTVmv6uA4q9gtSz9fpOyT4XHeex1_MSRmpqZebNkXaTpqA7POjBzWFK/s320/36589701.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36589701-the-perfect-predator" target="_blank">The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36589701-the-perfect-predator" target="_blank"> by Steffanie Strathdee &Thomas Patterson <span> 🍁</span><br /></a><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62586006-the-good-virus" target="_blank">The Good Virus</a> was my comprehensive introduction to the world of phages. As soon as I finished it I started this. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I thought that the danger of antibiotic resistant bacteria (superbugs) was at least a decade in the future, but Steffanie Strathdee's memoir opened my eyes to the reality of it today. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On a vacation in Egypt, her husband picked up Acinetobacter baumanniione, one of the most dangerous of these. As he deteriorated, and nothing seemed to help she came to realize that he was dying and that he was, “quickly becoming the poster child for the dystopian future of the post-antibiotic age.” <br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Her search for a cure to save his life took her into the world of phages. She sent out emails to phage scientists who might help her find the right phage to destroy the bacteria. A number of them stepped up to search for a cure. Even when they managed to identify some that would work, meeting the FDA standards for emergency treatment turned out to be a whole new challenge. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Today the two scientists are working on research to turn phage therapy into a viable treatment for </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">antibiotic resistant</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">bacterial infection. </span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6lhPE-Un0HUVk-pXveht0jqnAT_GTJmuz_Fx8DBgrfaBLIFOm7eweJXAutVquUICYPPAZCE28rpmI3xRrrkFmk0RnBbQTrNG54I9C_gGD5CSwM8vQA5INM2HblflP4J5RakdbbZmgrZHf9YKj2tlB3ok5vnUR2LlW-0wRoMGHv5Kg7GLpx28NPpxFmJo/s400/59793675.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt6lhPE-Un0HUVk-pXveht0jqnAT_GTJmuz_Fx8DBgrfaBLIFOm7eweJXAutVquUICYPPAZCE28rpmI3xRrrkFmk0RnBbQTrNG54I9C_gGD5CSwM8vQA5INM2HblflP4J5RakdbbZmgrZHf9YKj2tlB3ok5vnUR2LlW-0wRoMGHv5Kg7GLpx28NPpxFmJo/s320/59793675.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59793675-valley-of-the-birdtail" target="_blank">Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59793675-valley-of-the-birdtail" target="_blank"> by Andrew Stobo Sniderman, Douglas Sanderson & Greg Rogers (Narrator) August 30, 2022 🍁<br /></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I thought I had read a lot of Canadian history from an Indigenous perspective, but after reading this book, I realized I had barely scratched the surface. What makes this one unique is that the authors provide a detailed account of how systemic racism has worked and continues to work here in Canada with regards to Indigenous people. They highlight specific historical individuals and show exactly how their actions led to policies that kept Indigenous people living in poverty. At the same time as they paint this large picture, they show what this means for ordinary people. By following the lives of different families in two communities who live across the river from one another: Rossburn, a town settled by Ukrainians; and the Waywayseecappo Indian reserve; they provide intimate examples of what this looked like in real life. </span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></div></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><div><span><br /></span></div><b>Take My Hand</b> by Dolen Perkins-Valdez</span><br /><b>On Air with Zoe Washington</b> by Janae Marks</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Real Tigers</b> by Mick Herron</span></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><div><div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age</b> by Nora Loreto<br /><b>Mindy Makes Some Space</b> by Nathan Fairbairn & MSASSYK (illustrator), </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm also going to continue to tackle a pile of picture books</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 18/24</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 14/20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 42/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 20/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 159/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-61043377385989335942023-10-12T13:23:00.003-07:002023-10-12T13:23:51.159-07:00FREE VERSE FRIDAY #10 October: Shadow (Part 2)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>I've joined</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a><span>,</span><span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can find out more about this <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/free-verse-friday-1-beginning/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">I usually write a poem and send it off to my two favourite photographers to come up with an image to accompany it. I didn't have anything to send to them this month, and begged for help. My partner, Randy Rotheisler, sent me his so I wrote a poem for him <a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/10/free-verse-friday-10-october-shadow.html" target="_blank">first</a>. I said that If Ron Peace sends me something, I'd write a poem for him too. He did. Here is his contribution and the poem I wrote for him. It was a struggle. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZmJZcT57ucC1I_nWIT_4CZ_HfVTQG61RnxAvny_CAf-FXZ29wBCwzR786IisZZ4DgE38IjIEbcUECvhNWE-JQKqj_8UJEDxfsVg57otVTONDfV47p1CCOpn2II9eYKSgSSV0CsCa7CnDm9GyrHOakdG2GmMGlVrLr5gnS4wZD1W5-CaKC8RLnaPY8xqr/s630/shades%20of%20time.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="412" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZmJZcT57ucC1I_nWIT_4CZ_HfVTQG61RnxAvny_CAf-FXZ29wBCwzR786IisZZ4DgE38IjIEbcUECvhNWE-JQKqj_8UJEDxfsVg57otVTONDfV47p1CCOpn2II9eYKSgSSV0CsCa7CnDm9GyrHOakdG2GmMGlVrLr5gnS4wZD1W5-CaKC8RLnaPY8xqr/w418-h640/shades%20of%20time.jpg" width="418" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">by Ron Peace</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Shadows<br /><br />conceal<br />unknown<br />untold<br />mysteries<br /><br />dystopian histories</span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">strewn across </span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">the plains of time</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">only</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">the moldering bones </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">of memory</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">remain</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Maybe it's because I've been reading about the history of Indigenous people here in Canada, that this image reminded me of buffalo and their deliberate slaughter. </span></div></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /><br />In case you are interested, the above photograph can be purchased from the photographer. Let me know if you want their contact information.<br /><br /></span><br /></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-58701948204635538632023-10-06T20:56:00.001-07:002023-10-06T20:56:32.030-07:00FREE VERSE FRIDAY #10 October: Shadow<p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><span>I'm joining</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a><span>,</span><span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">You can find out more about this <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/free-verse-friday-1-beginning/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">This month has been busy. I usually write a poem and send it off to my two favourite photographers to come up with an image to accompany it. I didn't have anything to send to them and begged for help. My partner, Randy Rotheisler, sent me this. If Ron Peace sends me something, I'll write a poem for him too. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbZj-lC_oPFoF8z2sILwJ9jpKWCLun_9CLQX7fJ7Aj839DMKBlLp5ZOQ_Lg8v8AwECFCLrGFihOhdHp9kw5hT1OXDU00Ra9xyHGvsXEgNTR4MS-PMkoGkUdjuf3iIm3UJRd8CeixNaBLpW3t7z9YmCZ-z-uBTXuiH0V6oOc3M_NY_8kJk_z3maa1B2BHr/s4288/Cathedral.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2848" data-original-width="4288" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbZj-lC_oPFoF8z2sILwJ9jpKWCLun_9CLQX7fJ7Aj839DMKBlLp5ZOQ_Lg8v8AwECFCLrGFihOhdHp9kw5hT1OXDU00Ra9xyHGvsXEgNTR4MS-PMkoGkUdjuf3iIm3UJRd8CeixNaBLpW3t7z9YmCZ-z-uBTXuiH0V6oOc3M_NY_8kJk_z3maa1B2BHr/w640-h426/Cathedral.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br />Cathedral by Randy Rotheisler</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">Here is my response:</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">shadows</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">articulate,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">refine </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">lines,</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">transform </span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">what's ordinary</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">into the divine</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: medium;">In case you are interested, the above photograph can be purchased from the photographer. Let me know if you want their contact information.</span>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-73609842508044284952023-10-02T08:39:00.001-07:002023-10-02T08:39:33.292-07:00#IMWAYR October 2, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2brPs3Cntv5kckRNvN9ahHpcSQoe4bfOaER4T4bz_o68bTa-Q0AkNVDVRXvLeAy3Jc4C8ICPWrOofefr5QmrgiZ_GZBOHYJGO7eAUQz1mozik5XMbGZzZCSIjzoFZX2HXVRUoAyYZ4yS61unKPfAbF798moShQeG_zvjvm4QD5QHO0puvxH5wJV3_yO9A/s1800/IMG_4426.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1028" data-original-width="1800" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2brPs3Cntv5kckRNvN9ahHpcSQoe4bfOaER4T4bz_o68bTa-Q0AkNVDVRXvLeAy3Jc4C8ICPWrOofefr5QmrgiZ_GZBOHYJGO7eAUQz1mozik5XMbGZzZCSIjzoFZX2HXVRUoAyYZ4yS61unKPfAbF798moShQeG_zvjvm4QD5QHO0puvxH5wJV3_yO9A/w640-h366/IMG_4426.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My husband's 70th birthday celebration a couple of weeks ago was a smashing success. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've just returned from a week away. I spent three days with three of my cousins celebrating all of us turning 70 this year. We had a fabulous time. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I spent the rest of the time in Vancouver visiting with the grandkids and hanging out with friends. Alzheimers has it's grip on one of them. I stayed to be there for her 78th birthday before coming home. It is a godawful affliction.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br /></span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhGKJgJZK2TDk0U0_lGEjli2kukVyRDKMqPkflf-8dE9XYfl1u-4S0JAti4YxtdkeZHrS6eeTG2NBivI_fer55ospP4h4gwD7ba9jt1ckNd3eYOc-_SKz9uj5joYk8e5iTSofQO1LXK9nW000YnjhZtNsnvKi1r5GN2KAagJtsnPvcuPYjv1BzZv39crH/s394/18866869.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuhGKJgJZK2TDk0U0_lGEjli2kukVyRDKMqPkflf-8dE9XYfl1u-4S0JAti4YxtdkeZHrS6eeTG2NBivI_fer55ospP4h4gwD7ba9jt1ckNd3eYOc-_SKz9uj5joYk8e5iTSofQO1LXK9nW000YnjhZtNsnvKi1r5GN2KAagJtsnPvcuPYjv1BzZv39crH/s320/18866869.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18866869-100-snowmen" target="_blank">100 Snowmen</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18866869-100-snowmen" target="_blank"> by Jen Arena, Stephen Gilpin (Illustrator) <i>November 12, 2013</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I really enjoyed this book. I wish it had been available when I was teaching my elementary aged students about mathematical patterns and relationships. It took me a reread to actually identify what the pattern is, although it is laid out on the last page. (Apparently, I'm not as sharp as I used to be.) Even if kids aren't quite ready for that level of mathematics, they are sure to be entertained by the illustrations. Not only are these snowmen full of humor and sweetness, there is an almost Where's Waldo component to some pages.<br />What I didn't like about this book is that they are all snow men.</span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlkfz1joiFCXd4gIjeyl94hiUKXy5O5NWDwF7CeqqSHbGLt8Gatgwl2RiPCx1WH0uwZh4pgQZ5mR3DhreK54CXtUUooiyvi3q39uULgvD_TgMtxSwZfGM3TmLqihSGKkS9HuLNn7l_jQMMsRAuF6QVlV_DB3qkmVcCx1bjFNT9OOoMHM3s-wT-XJG97Fl/s400/59048378.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjlkfz1joiFCXd4gIjeyl94hiUKXy5O5NWDwF7CeqqSHbGLt8Gatgwl2RiPCx1WH0uwZh4pgQZ5mR3DhreK54CXtUUooiyvi3q39uULgvD_TgMtxSwZfGM3TmLqihSGKkS9HuLNn7l_jQMMsRAuF6QVlV_DB3qkmVcCx1bjFNT9OOoMHM3s-wT-XJG97Fl/s320/59048378.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59048378-white-raven" target="_blank">White Raven</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59048378-white-raven" target="_blank"> by Teoni Spathelfer & Natassia Davies (Illustrations) <i>September 20, 2021</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This continues the story of <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57948404-little-wolf" target="_blank">Little Wolf</a>, an Indigenous girl learning to live in a city. In this book we meet her mother, White Raven, and learn about her experiences at residential school. This is an ideal book to read to students as we acknowledge the importance of Truth and Reconciliation. The book is somewhat text heavy, which makes it appropriate for upper elementary readers on their own. I really like Natassia Davies illustrations.</span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><b><span><span style="color: red;">MIDDLE GRADE </span></span></b><b><span style="color: red;">NOVELS</span></b></span></span></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrePLOuIkD9po8INe9bvWUbSg3Th-EYZKQy6Tos2qQy2OpfeQMaDbRKEj3uEV_EqYta2FXZnHVJQBvfj5nnS_YrTMOFSiJ13iV7R1SA5EO6pbxg15-lvFWQRErwhtloA8sfVClgqIKt26yevnTeLFT1o7z2Rydjr094sq2f76sM6Tuv2pN2Ld1GToWJsrQ/s568/45169415.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="568" data-original-width="376" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrePLOuIkD9po8INe9bvWUbSg3Th-EYZKQy6Tos2qQy2OpfeQMaDbRKEj3uEV_EqYta2FXZnHVJQBvfj5nnS_YrTMOFSiJ13iV7R1SA5EO6pbxg15-lvFWQRErwhtloA8sfVClgqIKt26yevnTeLFT1o7z2Rydjr094sq2f76sM6Tuv2pN2Ld1GToWJsrQ/s320/45169415.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45169415-from-the-desk-of-zoe-washington" target="_blank">From the Desk of Zoe Washington</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45169415-from-the-desk-of-zoe-washington" target="_blank"> by Janae Marks <i>January 14, 2020</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I'm late to the Zoe Washington party, but I won't be leaving anytime soon. (The second in this series was published in February of 2023.)<br />When she gets a letter from Marcus, her incarcerated father, she doesn't tell her mother about it. With her Grandmother's help, Zoe starts up a correspondence with him. <br />He asserts he is innocent of the murder he was charged with, and tells her of his alibi. Zoe and her next door neighbour end up in trouble with their parents when they set off to find her. <br />This book is rich with authentic characters dealing with serious issues. It's also got a lot of cooking!<br />I'm really looking forward to the next in the series!</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LIgPZd1zppGoFQZ0XGrKTGEQi8w5Kb7qzn7cxt92FySj5GkE4B0LNeCXp0qRDKZiayAHlAV1Pl4jRsElvGcGsbkaf2-raVQSi6_WrAjvvSIXa632YhviS50v0Or0SXS-flWm25X2LR6k66-SCnxBRUljaSpEbb5PJ7sHJmSEaVuiv74ATF40K4PAQnWj/s400/63005200.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="284" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8LIgPZd1zppGoFQZ0XGrKTGEQi8w5Kb7qzn7cxt92FySj5GkE4B0LNeCXp0qRDKZiayAHlAV1Pl4jRsElvGcGsbkaf2-raVQSi6_WrAjvvSIXa632YhviS50v0Or0SXS-flWm25X2LR6k66-SCnxBRUljaSpEbb5PJ7sHJmSEaVuiv74ATF40K4PAQnWj/s320/63005200.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4.5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005200-the-lost-library" target="_blank">The Lost Library </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005200-the-lost-library" target="_blank">by Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass, Christopher Gebauer (Narrator) & Jennifer Blom (Narrator) <i>August 29, 2023</i></a></span><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Even though I figured out a number of plot details before they were revealed, I kind of adored this book. It's told from three perspectives: Evan, a boy who is growing up in the same town as his father grew up in; AL who was a librarian assistant in the library that burned down mysteriously 20 years previously; and Mortimer, an aging cat. When AL sets up a free library, Mortimer stands watch over it. Then Evan finds books checked out by his father and a mysterious character calling himself H.G. Higgens. Evan soon figures out that his father was an intern at the library and was suspected of starting the fire and is determined to find out who really started it. <br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63005200-the-lost-library?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16#CommunityReviews"></a></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43jWziY5Cpe7cH2NW4QNfW70uxkWw5PqhfAQ4RNvwVQBzBRN7M0FFPJDHgvIyNXt8CPLbJQbSwYG4n9q9Z1dhhbD_w7daLWhX5zDiCVy_E-kxMrM2surp4-g2dQL7E7g-Nxb7JX3wVA4_B3Gc-34cM4AUlloJRuBWpmFZJ5wlljf4RlQCioVC0CqMxKp2/s400/7929891.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43jWziY5Cpe7cH2NW4QNfW70uxkWw5PqhfAQ4RNvwVQBzBRN7M0FFPJDHgvIyNXt8CPLbJQbSwYG4n9q9Z1dhhbD_w7daLWhX5zDiCVy_E-kxMrM2surp4-g2dQL7E7g-Nxb7JX3wVA4_B3Gc-34cM4AUlloJRuBWpmFZJ5wlljf4RlQCioVC0CqMxKp2/s320/7929891.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7929891-slow-horses" target="_blank">Slow Horse</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7929891-slow-horses" target="_blank">s </a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7929891-slow-horses" target="_blank"><span>(</span>Slough House #1)<span> by Mick Herron &</span> Seán Barrett (Narrator) <i>June 1, 2010</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This was a book club suggestion. It was a delightful surprise! I devoured it and started the second immediately afterwards.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's about a group of spies who have been kicked out of the main MI5 building into a ramshackle building (</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Slough House) </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">where their future is never ending desk duty. Each of them has screwed up in some way. In spite of this, they have their own particular brilliance. It's especially true of Jackson Lamb, the head of their cohort. In the end, it's the Slow Horses who rescue a kidnapped Pakistani teen who has been kidnapped by white right wing radicals. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This spy novel is populated with authentic characters and riveting plots. It is as convoluted and full of machinations as any of the John Le Carré novels I have read and loved. It is also screamingly hilarious. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlmFvteAPlY1p8tcFOdawwPNfEvJzoqLmfWLLnGozP3sbd1618PvHWwQw07iN4AY0Qlt5HZPyfB0UvfMolXR1WOSIoPio1KpPObpF1YU04NAUowSJIVVRo4YwC1cyG5rjnSi4y3Us0PZ_E4s4RWa6lZ6EEWD8liROztBEIGBosX9Dv9AULukQi1d9eFDR/s475/15823478.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitlmFvteAPlY1p8tcFOdawwPNfEvJzoqLmfWLLnGozP3sbd1618PvHWwQw07iN4AY0Qlt5HZPyfB0UvfMolXR1WOSIoPio1KpPObpF1YU04NAUowSJIVVRo4YwC1cyG5rjnSi4y3Us0PZ_E4s4RWa6lZ6EEWD8liROztBEIGBosX9Dv9AULukQi1d9eFDR/s320/15823478.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15823478-dead-lions" target="_blank">Dead Lions</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15823478-dead-lions" target="_blank"> (</a></span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15823478-dead-lions" target="_blank">Slough House #2) by Mick Herron <span>&</span> Seán Barrett (Narrator)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">By the end of the second book in this series I figured out that at least one of the characters in each book was going to die. I was correct. It did not stop me from enjoying it at all. When a former spy dies under suspicious circumstances, but the pros at Regent Park (MI5 headquarters) overlook this, </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Jackson Lamb</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> sets out sleuthing. It turns out to be connected to another project that two members of his team have been seconded to work on. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm waiting for the next one to become available. Don't you love it when you discover a series that has been around for a while and you don't have to wait for what seems like forever for the next book?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyN4-avedUFzfAJ0vVmBQdJt-wS3ic-7dl8uHQ97g5qh5G0fikjU1CRCzmPNlWz-otCfoEoFghLjWvqUZ040W2c7J-wEFEG_wXyHN9A7JmsBa3keZNdDCAqE1hLZcQ6qBn4qiL_NZKK2Hn5jdynHw1axc7KUkdur29KMj4K2gk8Dry4d6RZpXXwDalv3-/s572/60399181.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAyN4-avedUFzfAJ0vVmBQdJt-wS3ic-7dl8uHQ97g5qh5G0fikjU1CRCzmPNlWz-otCfoEoFghLjWvqUZ040W2c7J-wEFEG_wXyHN9A7JmsBa3keZNdDCAqE1hLZcQ6qBn4qiL_NZKK2Hn5jdynHw1axc7KUkdur29KMj4K2gk8Dry4d6RZpXXwDalv3-/s320/60399181.png" width="209" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60399181-the-world-we-make" target="_blank">The World We Make</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60399181-the-world-we-make" target="_blank"> by N.K. Jemisin & Robin Miles (Narrator)</a></span></div></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This sequel to Jemisin's <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42074525-the-city-we-became?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Oy43wYl5gR&rank=1" target="_blank">The City We Became</a>, is a brilliant as the first. I really appreciated getting to know the original characters better and am still fascinated by the avatars of the other cities we are introduced to here.<br />I will read whatever N.K. Jemisin writes!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NON FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b style="font-weight: bold;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1wWtwPWk03T0OrNq3NGN79ytbqdzqMt9EDUGqRSPhGtp36-jTEox7upMpLrxW6lhyphenhyphenqVNdOJKZCS2Fe0jR1h7Ps0_RsZCcCQQABU4b_sCLjYsq8XXB1T26VS7UeldkGz7O0MUGJeSaDDVG-Xi8ha5IgMA_5Ho7b1-WqaGpCVBiR2V5pp7nHw2ARc_iX9v/s2125/60321392.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2125" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF1wWtwPWk03T0OrNq3NGN79ytbqdzqMt9EDUGqRSPhGtp36-jTEox7upMpLrxW6lhyphenhyphenqVNdOJKZCS2Fe0jR1h7Ps0_RsZCcCQQABU4b_sCLjYsq8XXB1T26VS7UeldkGz7O0MUGJeSaDDVG-Xi8ha5IgMA_5Ho7b1-WqaGpCVBiR2V5pp7nHw2ARc_iX9v/s320/60321392.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321392-the-song-of-the-cell" target="_blank">The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321392-the-song-of-the-cell" target="_blank"><b> </b>by Siddhartha Mukherjee & Dennis Boutsikaris (Narrator) <i>October 25, 2022</i></a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">This book is brilliantly written. Not only does Siddhartha Mukherjee make complicated topics easy to comprehend, he is a remarkable story teller. I was fascinated from start to finish and didn't want the book to end.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1e1915; margin: 0px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">Aside from all the details about cellular biology, I also appreciated his references to Indian mythology and how they were integrated into the science.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YkX7ZIAMeQDzEs4Eb80aO5zyCCQVmPXN3DaT4DNShGWELCzFS8CZqPJwgUohSawYAhRSqjiQOWNvhuMTsVyNU90uqs9i38ESzReXvtisPBvTC81xjNgorLQDQjLJTuoMZFRJ1pa9txWfywdPX-Js96LKJMNP0LNAsGXwsqE8dw7C0Y5cXs_B0Q9PqdoS/s400/62586006.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6YkX7ZIAMeQDzEs4Eb80aO5zyCCQVmPXN3DaT4DNShGWELCzFS8CZqPJwgUohSawYAhRSqjiQOWNvhuMTsVyNU90uqs9i38ESzReXvtisPBvTC81xjNgorLQDQjLJTuoMZFRJ1pa9txWfywdPX-Js96LKJMNP0LNAsGXwsqE8dw7C0Y5cXs_B0Q9PqdoS/s320/62586006.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62586006-the-good-virus" target="_blank">The Good Virus: The Amazing Story and Forgotten Promise of the Phage</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62586006-the-good-virus" target="_blank"> by Tom Ireland & Ben Deery (Narrator)<i> July 19, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have ordered this and the previous nonfiction book above, so that I have my own copies of them. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Have you ever heard of phages? I think I had, but wow, by the time I finished this I felt like I'd entered into a new and parallel world. Tom Ireland begins by introducing readers to the original discovery of the world of phages and how they were first used. He integrates their success and failure in social and political contexts. I really appreciated how he painstakingly takes us across time to finally show us what is going on today in the realm of phage research and medical use. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've recommended this to be our bookclub read for next month. I hope they enjoy it as much as I did. I would start it all over again except that I've downloaded <b>The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug</b>, another book about phages.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></b></span></div></div><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Valley of the Birdtail: An Indian Reserve, a White Town, and the Road to Reconciliation</b> by <span class="ContributorLink__name" data-testid="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; flex-basis: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;">Andrew Stobo Sniderman,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;"> </span><span style="text-wrap: nowrap;">Douglas Sanderson &</span> Greg Rogers (Narrator)<span style="text-wrap: nowrap;"> </span><i>August 30, 2022</i></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Four Faces of the Moon</b> by Amanda Strong <i>June 8, 2021</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Perfect Predator: A Scientist's Race to Save Her Husband from a Deadly Superbug</b> by <span class="ContributorLink__name" data-testid="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; flex-basis: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;">Steffanie Strathdee </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1915;">& </span><span style="text-wrap: nowrap;">Thomas Patterson</span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I'm also going to tackle a pile of picture books</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 16/24 one in progress</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 14/20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 35/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 17/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 148/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-76618313658752180782023-09-10T10:48:00.000-07:002023-09-10T10:48:32.955-07:00#IMWAYR September 11, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzrO3-N9AuP5QuLLaxW3W1nBq5T4SALRX45y2k3RJipAVSKYegpO7zYobxN7o40kXzWlSWFYI-09Y5jr_hBzyicYucRVcfJPuYhq0SRc6JnfzNQFm2lA6DR9Jp7rYvqaO8nu140_tHWFLbxS7ioBDCHqjArF0CuEd6BRKpZv8mIVpSVkh51djYye9jkjW/s1213/IMG_4422-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1126" data-original-width="1213" height="594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrzrO3-N9AuP5QuLLaxW3W1nBq5T4SALRX45y2k3RJipAVSKYegpO7zYobxN7o40kXzWlSWFYI-09Y5jr_hBzyicYucRVcfJPuYhq0SRc6JnfzNQFm2lA6DR9Jp7rYvqaO8nu140_tHWFLbxS7ioBDCHqjArF0CuEd6BRKpZv8mIVpSVkh51djYye9jkjW/w640-h594/IMG_4422-1.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I contemplated skipping this week, but since we are having a huge 70th birthday celebration for my husband next weekend, decided I better do it now. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have been sewing again. Sewing is usually my happy place. This is true even when I'm not listening to an audiobook, but this dress for my youngest granddaughter caused me a lot of grief! Between technological problems that started with the printer dying as I was printing the pattern, to me screwing up one of my sewing machines, and my brain not figuring stuff out right, If it could go wrong, it did. In spite of all that, I'm happy with how it turned out. Crossing my fingers it fits her!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyd4G8793Ul4jCrbDyp79Qqqi2pMv8NHa5sXwFAZcf2-qtyTaPlFXeK0H6E6GkH7DGX0Yb4Twt-WOQYAUK50Ch8phSClFxi9ehAsKBmwA86ByTjeoF2Qv4iqTgFefqgyaAZ1MVscnaAWok9eg16LFrK6MkxKCwQxGwJSu6-YvAVM2SrEycnJ8hzrVsbVs/s2048/374564373_10162112361441789_5365327429743773467_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSyd4G8793Ul4jCrbDyp79Qqqi2pMv8NHa5sXwFAZcf2-qtyTaPlFXeK0H6E6GkH7DGX0Yb4Twt-WOQYAUK50Ch8phSClFxi9ehAsKBmwA86ByTjeoF2Qv4iqTgFefqgyaAZ1MVscnaAWok9eg16LFrK6MkxKCwQxGwJSu6-YvAVM2SrEycnJ8hzrVsbVs/w640-h480/374564373_10162112361441789_5365327429743773467_n.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.<br />3sewin</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S CHAPTER BOOKS</span></b></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhULvZtfYDHatkYpgRNNHSYdoNFfRxESAee1ubq8mki2tHxbH-FzoyznkwAob97UURop38l8ZmtHeTKVuMyR7jI1UhU0Ln12OouoYPWvfHi3jBQVpKpaIAlwKPoaI56pqOSXZ7BUWU59RoGleFq0qT8vlsdWHEXynXM5Fe0EDhYFrgrjEeEVBgSLbCl9O/s2449/62884618.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2449" data-original-width="1913" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhULvZtfYDHatkYpgRNNHSYdoNFfRxESAee1ubq8mki2tHxbH-FzoyznkwAob97UURop38l8ZmtHeTKVuMyR7jI1UhU0Ln12OouoYPWvfHi3jBQVpKpaIAlwKPoaI56pqOSXZ7BUWU59RoGleFq0qT8vlsdWHEXynXM5Fe0EDhYFrgrjEeEVBgSLbCl9O/s320/62884618.jpg" width="250" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62884618-the-princess-in-black-and-the-prince-in-pink" target="_blank">The Princess in Black and the Prince in Pink </a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62884618-the-princess-in-black-and-the-prince-in-pink" target="_blank">by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale & LeUyen Pham (Illustrator)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It's hard to imagine that this series could get better, but the addition of the Prince in Pink, might just do it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The Prince in Pink is a Knight who does the usual knightly things, but when he transforms into the Prince in Pink, he's the person you want to have around when it's time to prepare for a party. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Add a grumpy and misunderstood Emu into the mix, throw in a lot more pink, glitter, and glamour, and get ready for a foot stomping read. </span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I can't wait to read this with my grandkids. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial;">CHILDREN'S NONFICTION </span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8ADMT6UDwDPqfzKP3g3tS6C7Aj7I37XnalcLOILpqbMmLG_f8fkKT_zbds7pEkRCupT09AV1R33bEqGTSZOo0FGDhf7bRdx7u9UrnmrYsim_80vVB3Ljnl3WUZegia-mTv83sSKf3gnFL93Flb9rvM0LDDOXdRI-37n63PuBy3ZI1KW0Ew8TLt9JzkPz/s2419/59802306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2419" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8ADMT6UDwDPqfzKP3g3tS6C7Aj7I37XnalcLOILpqbMmLG_f8fkKT_zbds7pEkRCupT09AV1R33bEqGTSZOo0FGDhf7bRdx7u9UrnmrYsim_80vVB3Ljnl3WUZegia-mTv83sSKf3gnFL93Flb9rvM0LDDOXdRI-37n63PuBy3ZI1KW0Ew8TLt9JzkPz/s320/59802306.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59802306-the-raven-mother-mothers-of-xsan-6" target="_blank">The Raven Mother</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59802306-the-raven-mother-mothers-of-xsan-6" target="_blank"> (Mothers of Xsan, 6) by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) & Natasha Donovan (Illustrations) <i>September 6, 2022 </i> 🍁</a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Raven Mother is the most recent collaboration by two brilliantly gifted people. I've written about this series in depth <a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2020/05/eagle-mother-by-hetxwms-gyetxw-brett-d.html" target="_blank">previously</a>. If you follow that link you will see examples of the artwork and see why I love these so much. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I've yet to find such profound nonfiction that looks at different species, not only in the context of their physical environment, but also in the context of the culture of the people who share the land with them. The authors integrate these two realities, in both images and text, so that readers can't help but understand the Xsan's intimate relationship with their part of the planet. </span></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1rcCw9BPbJismDkVt5DAEHDwn5tYHOgYvwTPF9lgWh5kMKKZzEVeUoN1Q1xmuyGaz-RAAnXW8iw9CBzSxAw3ogA2c3aqhMVAqbecCwfpILl7wx7JcD3wxMfzG5xw5MLT-zqQ-y9pi_NqCGb2paSg56fSt28DceG6Sg0DyyHYVZvN75Met54NSPvwr_Fh/s925/61885085.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="925" data-original-width="599" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL1rcCw9BPbJismDkVt5DAEHDwn5tYHOgYvwTPF9lgWh5kMKKZzEVeUoN1Q1xmuyGaz-RAAnXW8iw9CBzSxAw3ogA2c3aqhMVAqbecCwfpILl7wx7JcD3wxMfzG5xw5MLT-zqQ-y9pi_NqCGb2paSg56fSt28DceG6Sg0DyyHYVZvN75Met54NSPvwr_Fh/s320/61885085.png" width="207" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king">Witch King</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king"> by Martha Wells & <span class="ContributorLink__name" data-testid="name" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline !important; flex-basis: auto; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; text-wrap: nowrap;">Eric Mok </span><span class="ContributorLink__role" data-testid="role" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--color-text-subdued); display: inline !important;">(Narrator)</span> <i>May 30, 2023</i></a></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I suspect that this book might be easier to follow if it wasn't an audiobook. This is mostly because it jumps back and forth in time and these transitions might be easier to follow with the regular print demarcations. There are also a lot of supporting characters!<br />In spite of this, I ended up loving this book and hope for a sequel. This is in large part because I became invested in Kai, an immortal, body switching, demon. We meet him as he comes to awareness in an underwater prison where a mage is attempting to capture his energy to use as his own. It doesn't end well for the mage and his compatriots.<br />This is a book I'm going to have to read with my eyes. It's so rich and complicated that I am certain I missed a lot more than I aware of.</span><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NON FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPIDf73uGZIjVKPJ7Ut2prKiZYa6fxkPVyg8_A61UwBEys2arI6Hr3sl31GRDMijTEfAKHU4p3SThtSZgdabgv516OZH8-0Iqn5tR6f4DFC1hQ5Mn5CFtmfBhHXXer7etfqndUGvOVTBZeQcrJP1VNfHf9fD6aQ9rhRvWLcHUTey5I0vdGziKfj772sKo/s400/60607202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFPIDf73uGZIjVKPJ7Ut2prKiZYa6fxkPVyg8_A61UwBEys2arI6Hr3sl31GRDMijTEfAKHU4p3SThtSZgdabgv516OZH8-0Iqn5tR6f4DFC1hQ5Mn5CFtmfBhHXXer7etfqndUGvOVTBZeQcrJP1VNfHf9fD6aQ9rhRvWLcHUTey5I0vdGziKfj772sKo/s320/60607202.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60607202-we-are-still-here" target="_blank">We are Still Here</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60607202-we-are-still-here" target="_blank"> by Nahid Shahalimi (Editor)<i> August 16, 2022 </i> 🍁</a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"Artist and activist Nahid Shahalimi compiles the voices of thirteen powerful, insightful, and influential Afghan women who have worked as politicians, journalists, scientists, filmmakers, artists, coders, musicians, and more."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is a book I want everyone to read. It's not an easy one. In the middle of a dystopian reality, these women are so full of hope. It's the recent Barbie movie after Ken returns to Barbieland, only it is real life, and it's much much worse.</span></div><div><span><span style="color: #1e1915; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human</b> by Siddhartha Mukherjee<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king#CommunityReviews"></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Slow Horse</b>s by Mick Herron</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>The World We Make</b> by N.K. Jemisin</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 16/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 13/20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 34/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 16/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Big Books Summer 2023 - 16 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 138/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-70475170346079619922023-09-04T09:53:00.000-07:002023-09-04T09:53:36.187-07:00IMWAYR September 4, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXZNUaS6IIclOgoHabmIm-0Kj1BOQo9_MqDf-BjvQswgB6_JfyswB_rFU6-OsXkPAEypIOg1eYzWYGNVOR7XMqTUCYn7yn1WEsdsUVnvFQ00cXUKfbYzXusdovr6ei60Sa9pPW4W4dWdXMXdhnMkeCVwDNaXZhHcGwvVYWfmS-dgrs0ZQQ3e-6KzGHFKP/s1410/IMG_4417.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1410" height="562" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXZNUaS6IIclOgoHabmIm-0Kj1BOQo9_MqDf-BjvQswgB6_JfyswB_rFU6-OsXkPAEypIOg1eYzWYGNVOR7XMqTUCYn7yn1WEsdsUVnvFQ00cXUKfbYzXusdovr6ei60Sa9pPW4W4dWdXMXdhnMkeCVwDNaXZhHcGwvVYWfmS-dgrs0ZQQ3e-6KzGHFKP/w640-h562/IMG_4417.jpeg" width="640" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I am happy to say that our neck of the woods is almost completely smoke free. A couple of fires are burning to the north but they are mostly contained. <br /><br />Thank goodness for audio books! It's the time of year for canning and preserving. At the same time as I am slogging away, I am living in alternative realities. As a bonus, the shelves in our cool room are filling up with jars full of glorious colours. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MOST RECENT BLOG POST</span></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><span><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/09/free-verse-friday-9-september-autumn.html" target="_blank"><span>FREE VERSE FRIDAY #8 SEPTEMBER - A</span>UTUMN</a></span></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQyg7EgRgL9r2eMiIVvjKtMsvimJTnVGT0pt88d073hx7l0PC0s48qPhVkrnxlJq7ROpQx3Ypd-nY-d0MuoYPS4ycvyIpeuxwGViNph_xy5jDdQqF2grt5Y72e3yAW-A2z3xtLwbw8iIKjtoEYt74SlYdy3Mt9Y6685NCz_WF9eDXdV0J8-Yamc0Evz64/s1800/62918698.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1399" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQyg7EgRgL9r2eMiIVvjKtMsvimJTnVGT0pt88d073hx7l0PC0s48qPhVkrnxlJq7ROpQx3Ypd-nY-d0MuoYPS4ycvyIpeuxwGViNph_xy5jDdQqF2grt5Y72e3yAW-A2z3xtLwbw8iIKjtoEYt74SlYdy3Mt9Y6685NCz_WF9eDXdV0J8-Yamc0Evz64/s320/62918698.jpg" width="249" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62918698-the-queen-of-chess" target="_blank">The Queen of Chess: How Judit Polgár Changed the Game</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62918698-the-queen-of-chess" target="_blank"> by Laurie Wallmark & Stevie Lewis (Illustrator)<i> July 25, 2023</i></a></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"The queen of chess, Judit Polgár, dazzled the world as a prodigy, winning tournaments, gold medals, and defeating eleven world champions, including Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen. At her peak, Judit was rated the eighth best chess player in the world."</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I confess that I wanted to read this book because I adored the TV series, Queen's Gambit. I just had to learn more about a real woman chess grand master. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Judit Polgár is at least as fascinating (even if the wardrobe isn't as exciting) as her fictional counterpart a couple of decades earlier. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Judit Polgár was a chess prodigy who at five years old, played against and defeated players older and more experienced than she was. At age nine she was winning international tournaments. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you don't have this book in your library, you should purchase it now! I really wish it had been around when my school library hosted the school chess club. </span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></b></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div></b></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyi41C4KThYoI4QnVqJw22w032SkkhIF4VhFVOzko1s3pQ5VCYZBrp098qJyQwPyog7Nn3dCoWzhryOFiaQMTm5gKiTwYuEfUXGgtHCVwDAhnJWQeKdsquifPvCZCCnbygiECtcyGzcO1ZgBAUTDskHjV6ZyGfkh3A-HfR4AtHM6JtN0Ji0YYw0f8pc0g/s2560/86175343.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1694" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyi41C4KThYoI4QnVqJw22w032SkkhIF4VhFVOzko1s3pQ5VCYZBrp098qJyQwPyog7Nn3dCoWzhryOFiaQMTm5gKiTwYuEfUXGgtHCVwDAhnJWQeKdsquifPvCZCCnbygiECtcyGzcO1ZgBAUTDskHjV6ZyGfkh3A-HfR4AtHM6JtN0Ji0YYw0f8pc0g/s320/86175343.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86175343-global" target="_blank">Global</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86175343-global" target="_blank"><span> </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (Illustrator</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">)</span><span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></span></a></b></span><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/86175343-global" target="_blank">April 11, 2023</a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />Two children from completely different parts of the planet are dealing with the consequences of climate change. While reading this I couldn't help but make a connection to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59806050.Two_Degrees">Two Degrees</a> by Alan Gatz. In that book he focuses on children in North America. Eoin Colfer shows us the reality for Sami, a boy who lives somewhere in the Indian Ocean and depends on fishing to make a living. His other protagonist, Yuki, lives in northern Canada where the polar ice is melting. She is doing her best to protect the polar bears around her community.<br />What I really liked about this book is that, just like in Alan Gatz's book, it shows the consequences of the climate crisis at a personal level. In this case, the images make it profoundly real.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkk3A5WyS9Acpi_wD8MT6xCTdCkCajopxDmiG9A4yFyuOnHHlTAwp3O18U8IH-W4mYGQULuQsGQuyh8x_FC7jnrxPKRLY5WWlr8KypjWiU6OcmI6OLoHlRSM6XqnMU355EvBJi3UkTlw63_YP0yzzuuXKqd93wJROVLlCS3bIKMWk3bRdzpWzvom9OxUH/s3000/49111327.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1950" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkk3A5WyS9Acpi_wD8MT6xCTdCkCajopxDmiG9A4yFyuOnHHlTAwp3O18U8IH-W4mYGQULuQsGQuyh8x_FC7jnrxPKRLY5WWlr8KypjWiU6OcmI6OLoHlRSM6XqnMU355EvBJi3UkTlw63_YP0yzzuuXKqd93wJROVLlCS3bIKMWk3bRdzpWzvom9OxUH/s320/49111327.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49111327-from-the-roots-up" target="_blank">From the Roots Up</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49111327-from-the-roots-up" target="_blank"> by Tasha Spillett, Natasha Donovan (Illustrator) & Donovan Yaciuk (Illustrator)</a> 🍁</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I could have sworn I wrote a review for this book just after reading it, but if I did, I have no idea where it went.<br />This continues the story of Dez, and Miikwan, two indigenous friends. Dez' grandmother has died and she is living in a group home. Her social worker is a bit of a nightmare, but the woman at the home seems to be a supportive person who understands that Dez is grieving.<br />At school the two friends attend an after school group that focuses on indigenous teachings. Linda, the elder who runs the group, doesn't question the gendered protocols she has grown up with. With the help of Miikwan's boyfriend's mother, she starts to change her thinking and comes to accept Dez being two spirit.<br />I like that both girls are in positive relationships with others, but their friendship is what really matters.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I adore Natasha Donovan's artwork!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">ADULT/YA </span></b><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial;">GRAPHIC NOVELS</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZsgtj-0nZVUYuBMxLQN-dLZLg38kxJ8U4HFiT-iKodyFtn5yBzKQHuhq-A5IGQUNhGp6FhXero6PAcicPXg5gAXpqvRiL8qCPNv7P9DEfLmKDcoPdKF3V7R9I8ajWq9iXan8ZnCieJXbRafXH6C-VMM39vv1y1o7hPxice-eYrmb-KFe_4wkaMVogFeG/s400/89624091.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZsgtj-0nZVUYuBMxLQN-dLZLg38kxJ8U4HFiT-iKodyFtn5yBzKQHuhq-A5IGQUNhGp6FhXero6PAcicPXg5gAXpqvRiL8qCPNv7P9DEfLmKDcoPdKF3V7R9I8ajWq9iXan8ZnCieJXbRafXH6C-VMM39vv1y1o7hPxice-eYrmb-KFe_4wkaMVogFeG/s320/89624091.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5+ stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89624091-jaj" target="_blank">JAJ: A Haida Manga</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89624091-jaj" target="_blank"> by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas<i> May 27, 2023</i></a> 🍁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This graphic novel is spectacular. I went into it expecting something entirely different: something fictional or myth. I was gobsmacked by what I experienced. This book is a time travel. It's a portal that opens a passage into the history of the Haida Gwai, an island of the coast of British Columbia. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It begins with Indigenous life before contact with Europeans. In spectacular illustrations it reveals the horrors wrought by white colonialists, including the deliberate spreading of small pox. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At the same time it's the story of Johan Adrian Jacobsen (JAJ), who came to the Haida village of Masset to collect specimens for a German museum.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The artwork is spectacular, a blend of traditional and modern art. It's not organized like an ordinary graphic novel. There is a brilliantly chaotic quality to how it all comes together. I learned at the end of the book that if all the panels are put together it becomes a huge mural that is on display at the Berlin Humboldt Forum. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The following video, taken during a showing of the mural in East Vancouver, gives you a sense of the piece.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F5IwJsFSv38?si=PfVz8Xvo_uhSrMnA" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA FICTION</span></b></div></div><div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydiyDoyQOn1S7_Mlc5GhzyAFcrwKGihwzkHVNFSjmuICLlgMhnLKqZHp2_7rHo3Es5FUwNBifea5zuT8Qm6H9NlTHGRxDP6i9enKe5nV25bXqNTpfXI8G30fsHvJLgHe73dgNEDua41EuhHOk4GhxkX2694wlwl0qTquU6w7Ti2kmWLsfemJfxflFVYGC/s500/45304101.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydiyDoyQOn1S7_Mlc5GhzyAFcrwKGihwzkHVNFSjmuICLlgMhnLKqZHp2_7rHo3Es5FUwNBifea5zuT8Qm6H9NlTHGRxDP6i9enKe5nV25bXqNTpfXI8G30fsHvJLgHe73dgNEDua41EuhHOk4GhxkX2694wlwl0qTquU6w7Ti2kmWLsfemJfxflFVYGC/s320/45304101.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45304101-the-great-believers" target="_blank">The Great Believers</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45304101-the-great-believers" target="_blank"><span> by Rebecca Makkai & </span>Michael Crouch (Narrator)<span> </span><i>June 19, 2018</i></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This book was a time warp for me. I remember when the local arts community in Vancouver was devastated by the loss of one creative member after another. My partner, a film maker, was much more aware of the tragedy than I was. As a teacher I was only aware of a couple of people who lost their lives to Aids. The book reminded me of listening to The Dr. Peter Diaries, on CBC radio and singing with the the choir at the Dr Peter's Center.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I was deeply invested in these characters: especially the young man, Yale. I wanted so much for him to be a survivor of the carnage around him. One by one his friends get the disease and die. <br />The latter part of the book focuses on Fiona and her estranged daughter. The book begins with the funeral of her brother. It ends with her acknowledging how deeply the epidemic scarred her. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4r648550TAxD3FGJx9BSy8L6mDlAI1ECHxxcCLq7jKgUTNjrQicZhicrtS9aXn7O8K6no1uBXH907HC55kvSSyks6qiiz8cA3t_RDTcZv_BAwKImnA4aFV4TgPM_F9jN0hPvrbYJEtWSvCoekZGuQRn0wuB8tA53hK_angDwTwIiqIZSZGXnlJJRwSPs/s2775/60877589.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2775" data-original-width="1828" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk4r648550TAxD3FGJx9BSy8L6mDlAI1ECHxxcCLq7jKgUTNjrQicZhicrtS9aXn7O8K6no1uBXH907HC55kvSSyks6qiiz8cA3t_RDTcZv_BAwKImnA4aFV4TgPM_F9jN0hPvrbYJEtWSvCoekZGuQRn0wuB8tA53hK_angDwTwIiqIZSZGXnlJJRwSPs/s320/60877589.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60877589-venco" target="_blank">VenCo</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60877589-venco" target="_blank"> by Cherie Dimaline & Michelle St. John (Narrator)<i> February 7, 2023</i></a> 🍁</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Lucky St. James, a Métis, lives in Toronto with her Grandmother. Just as the two of them are about to be evicted from their apartment, Lucky gets invited to go for a job interview in Salem. There she is invited to join a coven of witches. She barely gets to know the other members when she is sent off in search for the final member of the group. </span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It takes a while before Lucky realizes that Jay Christos, a truly evil witch hunter is chasing after her. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">On the surface this is a simple paranormal thriller. At the same time it's a deeply feminist book about friendship - about the power of women when we come together to support each other. Lucky's grandmother, Stella, is one of my favourite characters in the book. She is one spunky old woman! </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The book highlights the evils of the patriarchal system. Fortunately, Lucky St. James' mother equipped her with all kinds of indigenous magic for how to deal with it and the men who try to run it. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I am looking forward to the sequel that I'm sure is coming!</span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-Y5dQFoqx35VcPVoHcsfQByWJVeX91pJ1wvXV7NipXbXGeP04UMzwkTSHE657KpihB92ovJafdtoQofVqUXJ9F-V7OSHi6boZ1j7w2SFsp041HoHxUlgPTLyPezMEqj0ZjQP4KcvYkkf-bdcwd9jVF5Iw-6sb042yM4JTd54GUE9pi-cmeCF-FHP7o7V/s400/58537063.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn-Y5dQFoqx35VcPVoHcsfQByWJVeX91pJ1wvXV7NipXbXGeP04UMzwkTSHE657KpihB92ovJafdtoQofVqUXJ9F-V7OSHi6boZ1j7w2SFsp041HoHxUlgPTLyPezMEqj0ZjQP4KcvYkkf-bdcwd9jVF5Iw-6sb042yM4JTd54GUE9pi-cmeCF-FHP7o7V/s320/58537063.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5 stars</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58065033-lessons-in-chemistry" target="_blank">Lessons in Chemistry</a></b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58065033-lessons-in-chemistry" target="_blank"> by Bonnie Garmus & Miranda Raison (Narrator) <i>March 31 2022</i></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />It took me a bit to get into this book, but when it finally grabbed me, I was totally hooked. Part of the reason for this is that someone had compared it to <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58783802.When_Women_Were_Dragons" target="_blank">When Women Were Dragons</a> by Kelly Barnhill, and thought this was better. I do get the connection between the two novels, but wouldn't say either was better. Both are set primarily in the 1960's and both feature women in STEM. The anger in Lessons in Chemistry is more of a slow burn, while in When Women Were Dragons, it's a screaming rage. To be honest, this was much easier to read because of that.<br />It's the story of Elizabeth Zott, a scientist, who never manages to finish her degree because of being sexually assaulted. It's about not being able to pursue your career because you are a woman. It's a bit of a love story between two brilliant and odd individuals. When she is no longer able to work at her chosen profession, Elizabeth ends up working as a TV star on a cooking show where she teaches her watchers about chemistry.<br />I like the relationships between the women here. I like that even the one that starts out antagonistic becomes supportive. I like that there are some sympathetic men, even if they are not really effectual. I like the weird humour in this. I adored Six-Thirty, who might be one of the best dogs in fiction. <br /><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>We are Still Here</b> by Nahid Shahalimi (Editor)<br /><br /><b>The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human</b> by Siddhartha Mukherjee<br /><br /><b>Witch King</b> by Martha Wells<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61885085-witch-king#CommunityReviews"></a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have no idea.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 16/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 12/20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 32/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 15/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Big Books Summer 2023 - 15 - one in progress</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 134/200 </span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-68707908344025871772023-09-02T12:25:00.003-07:002023-12-01T15:26:48.602-08:00FREE VERSE FRIDAY #9 SEPTEMBER: AUTUMN<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span>I'm joining</span><span> </span><a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Beverly A Baird</a><span>,</span><span> </span><a href="https://lschuelerca.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Linda Schueler</a><span> </span><span>and others in a "year long poetry practice – on the first Friday of each Month," when they, and anyone else who joins, will be writing a poem based on the theme of the month and a photo taken relating to that theme.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You can find out more about this <a href="https://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com/2023/01/07/free-verse-friday-1-beginning/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I forgot about writing this til September 30th, so I begged my photographers Randy Rotheisler, and Ron Peace, to send me inspiration. They told me it didn't work like that. I scribbled off a draft and sent it to them. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16PWiRelDOYSZ-sZipfg6q3GPvxitCymg75C-MkPf45rSr_Soph1U-ApwPecTDUfJ0KEnX2_n5RCFwaJGy2Bee-HdkaPqVM13Rn--8hOXkbGiu3Rl-MDCVMClvcDNiLrPbYdpCWItftEu7Tfb9dOs6H_dPZTU_9rF-MUU3BEDrVoL_H4oKWh0yLPfZjSH/s1280/unnamed-3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="815" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh16PWiRelDOYSZ-sZipfg6q3GPvxitCymg75C-MkPf45rSr_Soph1U-ApwPecTDUfJ0KEnX2_n5RCFwaJGy2Bee-HdkaPqVM13Rn--8hOXkbGiu3Rl-MDCVMClvcDNiLrPbYdpCWItftEu7Tfb9dOs6H_dPZTU_9rF-MUU3BEDrVoL_H4oKWh0yLPfZjSH/w408-h640/unnamed-3.jpg" width="408" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">by Randy Rotheisler</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Autumn</span></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br />if Spring is the midwife,<br />and Summer, </span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">an indulgent mother,</span><div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">then Autumn,<br />Autumn is the death doula,<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">ushering Earth's weary players</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">to the ends of their season</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">across cinematic pigments of glory</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;">and into Winter's waiting embrace</span></div><div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3f19337-7fff-aae4-805f-678b3128b4d2"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8NNHWfVvAWNQBjoW_gUQ9AeQea4_i0Iica4DOtCO8KdqiRYi06tWF5Fz9Hd5Uvbx7wu72Nwpl854PBGYv0FBpiCl-q2mzbSahC23gUmylrIj9MY8-LbDJJpb2NXq-0MRBuiRcnZA5Erglb16Hzj-kpC0WbtsunvSI1KwXYwRRWHOREdEzecmod79U088/s925/0414fall.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="925" height="436" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8NNHWfVvAWNQBjoW_gUQ9AeQea4_i0Iica4DOtCO8KdqiRYi06tWF5Fz9Hd5Uvbx7wu72Nwpl854PBGYv0FBpiCl-q2mzbSahC23gUmylrIj9MY8-LbDJJpb2NXq-0MRBuiRcnZA5Erglb16Hzj-kpC0WbtsunvSI1KwXYwRRWHOREdEzecmod79U088/w640-h436/0414fall.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">by Ron Peace</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejQIrImZ7a3y4Lds2DPUk6uYdJHChHa2QZqjb7d-Ayor3sXmL85FovyzhOCfqXCJyv0WcWKkupe94TxFJtHIjVjVmJX4Mt3fX-dZaEaOmY-CKx0iL4lAjTKfta8WGMiwCRxJAktTVAsoH0hwiu-BGBSjOH8gmkrVzJzR9-rxPCcwXgadBF5ic7ETinZAO/s3264/autumn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiejQIrImZ7a3y4Lds2DPUk6uYdJHChHa2QZqjb7d-Ayor3sXmL85FovyzhOCfqXCJyv0WcWKkupe94TxFJtHIjVjVmJX4Mt3fX-dZaEaOmY-CKx0iL4lAjTKfta8WGMiwCRxJAktTVAsoH0hwiu-BGBSjOH8gmkrVzJzR9-rxPCcwXgadBF5ic7ETinZAO/w640-h480/autumn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">here's one from me</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: helvetica; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">The first time I participated, I didn't get the photograph first bit. I let the theme percolate throughout the month before posting and the poem more or less wrote itself. When I realized my mistake, I sent a half decent draft of it to my partner, Randy Rotheisler, and a friend, </span><a href="http://www.ronpeace.ca/" style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">Ron Peace,</a><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;"> both gifted photographers, asking for images to accompany it. We have continued this process.</span><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><br style="white-space-collapse: collapse;" /><span style="white-space-collapse: collapse;">In case you are interested, both these photographs can be purchased from the photographers. Let me know if you want their contact information.</span></span></p><div><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2599471237636371761.post-19424383665965811672023-08-20T21:01:00.001-07:002023-08-20T21:04:52.128-07:00#IMWAYR August 21, 2023<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span>Welcome! It's #IMWAYR time again, when bloggers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to. Kathryn hosts the adult version of this meme at </span><a href="https://thebookdate.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Book Date</a><span>. Jen at </span><a href="http://www.teachmentortexts.com/" target="_blank">Teach Mentor Texts</a><span> and Kellee and Ricki at </span><a href="http://www.unleashingreaders.com/" target="_blank">Unleashing Readers</a><span> host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDU6Haz3m2NSttOaFlGphcAxsWgp8755Ex72ib8TwbqCylzQr7RCqMB-HqsvFwMQPO04dZDglNo652lRCHeYWUJCummPllHZLG_x0bEEdc3BJvqGjYDkOicfhLn6YeaNXExevtab9mFCNABBIcG8fWN1-MtCrCgWjcis7eAOkO5dvMDSFVlhr4Gny6Xvw/s1608/IMG_4410.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1138" data-original-width="1608" height="453" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGDU6Haz3m2NSttOaFlGphcAxsWgp8755Ex72ib8TwbqCylzQr7RCqMB-HqsvFwMQPO04dZDglNo652lRCHeYWUJCummPllHZLG_x0bEEdc3BJvqGjYDkOicfhLn6YeaNXExevtab9mFCNABBIcG8fWN1-MtCrCgWjcis7eAOkO5dvMDSFVlhr4Gny6Xvw/w640-h453/IMG_4410.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/health/news/Health/Our_air_quality_is_currently_the_worst_on_the_planet_and_it_s_not_even_close/#fs_128548" target="_blank">We have the worst air on the planet these days</a>. It's nasty. Forest are burning all around us, but not close enough to us that we are worried for our own safety. Still, friends, family and so many other people are either on evacuation alert, or have been evacuated that our provincial government has stopped all nonessential traffic into our region. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I think I complained about the smoke last time I posted. We had a fabulous family reunion on the August long weekend in spite of it. Then we had a bit of respite for about a week after the fire to the south of us was brought under control. This was good because two of our granddaughters stayed with us and besides reading books together, going outside to tire them is part of our keeping sane strategy. Then their parents came and collected them just before all hell broke loose. This <a href="https://twitter.com/KelownaNow/status/1693089989872259492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1693089989872259492%7Ctwgr%5Ed759f1a6c971b4c0e2aeee9a84d3488a70c7e889%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kelownanow.com%2Fwatercooler%2Fnews%2Fnews%2FWildfire%2FVIDEO_Timelapse_shows_power_and_speed_of_McDougall_Creek_fire_before_it_jumped_lake%2F" target="_blank">link</a> will take you to a time lapse video of the fire about 100 kilometres north of us.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We started out their visit with trip to the library where we stocked up on books. I've shared some of them here. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.</span></div><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.</span></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MOST RECENT BLOG POST</span></b></span></div><br /><a href="https://dickenslibrary.blogspot.com/2023/08/free-verse-friday-8-august-vacation.html"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">FREE VERSE FRIDAY #8 AUGUST - VACATION</span></a><div><br /></div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwtP293nFTqeE8TW1KSlZuhGX9XzYfDPSlLrxppeRAH1p6KbddVvQoggQtr1r0umSQLCyCiWSdMvxsLHkIn2fMzcQ3I2AJiKNIrXirc7HOLMhE9_kIOkM3xhsQBmXX6gkYaBf7tX5Kk8z4XW0QE-s4TWHfDvzEbhT9UNvI40zYm8lrYY7FonrWeY6Ibuc6" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwtP293nFTqeE8TW1KSlZuhGX9XzYfDPSlLrxppeRAH1p6KbddVvQoggQtr1r0umSQLCyCiWSdMvxsLHkIn2fMzcQ3I2AJiKNIrXirc7HOLMhE9_kIOkM3xhsQBmXX6gkYaBf7tX5Kk8z4XW0QE-s4TWHfDvzEbhT9UNvI40zYm8lrYY7FonrWeY6Ibuc6" width="160" /></a></div><br />Danny and the Dinosaur</b> by Syd Hoff<i> January 1, 1958</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My three year old granddaughter chose this (as well as a whole lot of other dinosaur books) from the library. There can be unfortunate consequences when a dinosaur practices its manners. We all laughed at this one.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOc9R7YIcuhk7LziAAm6A_ecTCwOTABuSWjjHXOuheVPQwhH2ZKwtIkTriDMZf26uo84lrCFAcqlgzy3vk2HmSm2eyVvVh1NIuuGBbp_1rMPcLcuQKXiDUHOPCzx6_wr0L9w9I9VW8BxckCVWMw6QboTnvHWttr1uxmk1fIMzMyaFNU4bO2ViBenXUp18Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOc9R7YIcuhk7LziAAm6A_ecTCwOTABuSWjjHXOuheVPQwhH2ZKwtIkTriDMZf26uo84lrCFAcqlgzy3vk2HmSm2eyVvVh1NIuuGBbp_1rMPcLcuQKXiDUHOPCzx6_wr0L9w9I9VW8BxckCVWMw6QboTnvHWttr1uxmk1fIMzMyaFNU4bO2ViBenXUp18Q" width="181" /></a></div><br />How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You?</b> by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague (Illustrator)<i> January 1, 2009</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This is another one the dinosaur mad granddaughter picked from the library. We read it at least three times during the 7 days she and her older sister were with us.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzZThy6ZpqKYswpYDV6ovyKsyl6hj6wQzL0i4ZmQH5HPRU6koKbqGRyudzJp_Th0P7KoiwmPnNX-WOzvlf4yoCJm5g9PudafXZv4Bt0ucam9-KZiCbp0zvO5UFkMLXxDTONAiSoi1BWpGD9DtuPe_3nGoq2P6tNucYU_LS6PIiVa09BEuoPqrtE7pXgVt" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqzZThy6ZpqKYswpYDV6ovyKsyl6hj6wQzL0i4ZmQH5HPRU6koKbqGRyudzJp_Th0P7KoiwmPnNX-WOzvlf4yoCJm5g9PudafXZv4Bt0ucam9-KZiCbp0zvO5UFkMLXxDTONAiSoi1BWpGD9DtuPe_3nGoq2P6tNucYU_LS6PIiVa09BEuoPqrtE7pXgVt" width="181" /></a></div><br />How Do Dinosaurs Get Well Soon?</b> by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague (Illustrator)<i> February 1, 2003</i></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We read this at least once a day during the 7 days my granddaughters were with us. After the youngest had gone to sleep, her six year old sister chose it as one of the books to read with me.<br />This one is a winner.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSrhFODXkk2nZJSCwzdfCcMl7o9n0NPOt-hilkguQ4YRh7jtP-5kTORNrtad9c94CDRgV-9ojqZmV29KH4VTSMrPDoEeJOH7X8qYyhKlxnSTDYT39dG2aVdmzVSkx9rwTeVxlBzxKDuZ8-J0YT1cevyE-s-FRl3w8arBViugh8-MCBdoJPX_9S_1z0L0RH" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSrhFODXkk2nZJSCwzdfCcMl7o9n0NPOt-hilkguQ4YRh7jtP-5kTORNrtad9c94CDRgV-9ojqZmV29KH4VTSMrPDoEeJOH7X8qYyhKlxnSTDYT39dG2aVdmzVSkx9rwTeVxlBzxKDuZ8-J0YT1cevyE-s-FRl3w8arBViugh8-MCBdoJPX_9S_1z0L0RH" width="207" /></a></div><br />Lola at the Library</b> by Anna McQuinn & Rosalind Beardshaw (Illustrator) <i>January 1, 2006</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This is one of the books my six year old granddaughter picked to bring home from the library. She read it on her own a number of times. It wasn't til they returned to their parents that I found time to read it myself. I can see why she loved it.<br />Rosalind Beardshaw's art is gorgeous. I love how multicultural the characters are.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6grdT2xWqqev21XKCmcOzeyQ3Q_38j3l356b01x3UEm3i38xE3RRnctqbOH3SbgWA5yxsbQsPCg01kr9aMM4Yls87YwHPbZGNNVfafLktmYFEZkonhXoalga-2E06qJoG0A5AAh3TnZXNjmj1VQbfudXpEDhkuT3CxeuNK0ZJQoD4lygtMJaNI3JSy36V" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="292" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6grdT2xWqqev21XKCmcOzeyQ3Q_38j3l356b01x3UEm3i38xE3RRnctqbOH3SbgWA5yxsbQsPCg01kr9aMM4Yls87YwHPbZGNNVfafLktmYFEZkonhXoalga-2E06qJoG0A5AAh3TnZXNjmj1VQbfudXpEDhkuT3CxeuNK0ZJQoD4lygtMJaNI3JSy36V" width="175" /></a></div><br />Duck, Duck, Porcupine!</b> by Salina Yoon<i> May 17, 2016</i><br /><br />My granddaughters and I enjoyed this hilarious graphic novel for beginning readers. The six year old could read it by herself. We will definitely read more of this series!</span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZYBCCoLEnmDVR1F4BR_qUk4drbMjvcuwiGQrK7Y8KLyE4ojSJTPeGAYrOCOaKwwAKw0e4thjYgrgkP0n2b6SOo6kCfsYxGlvX3yyv8r7yhBTvwkMkTca0yBVC2_XJsWfOn_3yApYsck9Rvb49j6hqt9O_PQGWUyVwB0rXVpwL8sCs-J0FEpVa-HHvE9TF" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><img alt="" data-original-height="401" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZYBCCoLEnmDVR1F4BR_qUk4drbMjvcuwiGQrK7Y8KLyE4ojSJTPeGAYrOCOaKwwAKw0e4thjYgrgkP0n2b6SOo6kCfsYxGlvX3yyv8r7yhBTvwkMkTca0yBVC2_XJsWfOn_3yApYsck9Rvb49j6hqt9O_PQGWUyVwB0rXVpwL8sCs-J0FEpVa-HHvE9TF" width="190" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b>Dragon's Halloween</b> by Dav Pilkey<i> January 1, 1993</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My six year old granddaughter loved this beginning chapter book. I read it to her and her little sister first, then she picked it up and read it on her own.<br /><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjGGiln9llWgvaP7Dmn0K2MJhuif1mU_tuYWDDZQRV186a3juAqoALpldxJiSR1wwP0zj9gCNy8MIleCouLh3wbf7A0BOHqNaVzN-miJotixtjXMrAjtcz-W-7UmGuNHufIFqbXuSN4SYL2fJmmN5RRMt5otkwzR2DwI4tz1wdIwlH5_B2Cv7xdn-8Qppl" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjGGiln9llWgvaP7Dmn0K2MJhuif1mU_tuYWDDZQRV186a3juAqoALpldxJiSR1wwP0zj9gCNy8MIleCouLh3wbf7A0BOHqNaVzN-miJotixtjXMrAjtcz-W-7UmGuNHufIFqbXuSN4SYL2fJmmN5RRMt5otkwzR2DwI4tz1wdIwlH5_B2Cv7xdn-8Qppl" width="240" /></a></div><br />Perfectly Imperfect Mira</b> by Faith Pray<i> April 12, 2022</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">My six year old granddaughter picked this out from the library shelves. I'm so glad she did, as I might have overlooked it.<br />Mira wants to be perfect and frets when she can't do things perfectly the first time. Eventually she realizes that she needs to do something and so she begins to practice different gymnastic moves on her own. Even though she doesn't do them perfectly, she doesn't give up and continues to improve. In the end Mira realizes she is perfect at growing.<br />This is a brilliant book that shows all of us how perfection is the enemy of the good.<br />I love Faith Pray's soft illustrations and how rounded and healthy Mira looks.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvkc75rlQBGdUggHQup80tT_xod8uphBPs8lPpe28Y8qg07DU08h95sgdd8D3qJxvQbQmFInXk3o_lMgRTilZLnUlcqINYtxU7kwSLpzxZzQZSaoK6BzVbxQ-POF4VDkcwC7rKr4YQJYtuXF831PUw1wUcsllPkNNEXL7gTVRCynmUMotuKVpQ5Ajr7UzT" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhvkc75rlQBGdUggHQup80tT_xod8uphBPs8lPpe28Y8qg07DU08h95sgdd8D3qJxvQbQmFInXk3o_lMgRTilZLnUlcqINYtxU7kwSLpzxZzQZSaoK6BzVbxQ-POF4VDkcwC7rKr4YQJYtuXF831PUw1wUcsllPkNNEXL7gTVRCynmUMotuKVpQ5Ajr7UzT" width="240" /></a></div><br />Carson Crosses Canada</b> by Linda Bailey & Kass Reich (Illustrations)<i> May 30, 2017</i><span> </span><span>🍁</span></span></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When Annie Magruder learns that her sister, who lives on the other side of Canada, is ill, she decides to go see her. She fills her VW Bug up with her tent, baloney sandwiches, her dog Carson, and his favourite toy, Squeaky Chicken. She promises Carson there will be a surprise for him when they get there. We enjoyed reading about their adventures in the different parts of the country. The best part is when Annie goes to get a souvenir at Niagra Falls, and Carson leaves his own souvenir there.<br />Eventually they make it to Annie's sister's place and Carson is delighted with his surprise.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><div><div><div><b style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CHILDREN'S NONFICTION PICTURE BOOKS</span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWhLlvFmyjZiJ73ubT2GZYLLg7He5DJ5_pM_ukWiepbEs6v0gwPmWrhMvcXLv651qULVzadaji4RMaZapDZAnARQFhQ0xeA86Rh7NKNdsA-c5oO4KLKfHpgTeFg1boZ5mTEUs4u7oKtlHVJmEKvSwtyROkVsfZkkDsSu1PmsJlYpId0g5gSwP7hTJT45Dw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWhLlvFmyjZiJ73ubT2GZYLLg7He5DJ5_pM_ukWiepbEs6v0gwPmWrhMvcXLv651qULVzadaji4RMaZapDZAnARQFhQ0xeA86Rh7NKNdsA-c5oO4KLKfHpgTeFg1boZ5mTEUs4u7oKtlHVJmEKvSwtyROkVsfZkkDsSu1PmsJlYpId0g5gSwP7hTJT45Dw" width="240" /></a></div><br />A Seed Grows</b> by Antoinette Portis <i>June 21, 2022</i><br /><br />I wish I had remembered that I had this book on my iPad when my grandchildren were visiting. We could have read the book and then, after reading about the different phases of a this plant, gone outside and admired the sunflowers growing in my garden.<br />Not only do I love the illustrations here, I love how the simple text can be embraced by beginning readers.<br />I appreciated the additional information at the back of the book that includes a visual lifecycle.<br />This is a brilliant nonfiction text for new readers.<br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghMCtZRneZu5mGzz84xPEcuocZItElRwFFTVYYPhtMjRD4E64yfKeeYibAJjs2ZJq3gau-aces9H9xAYkfdVq9DUIBK0WVNWcimg4b2El9K7u9T3Di2kZLJMDGWGirygALOEc38KdgaBBDMT4xf0KYy1Nqh6VZvmwiPfou8GpxFIdAuu65zYJLEhB1Ftcp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="2000" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghMCtZRneZu5mGzz84xPEcuocZItElRwFFTVYYPhtMjRD4E64yfKeeYibAJjs2ZJq3gau-aces9H9xAYkfdVq9DUIBK0WVNWcimg4b2El9K7u9T3Di2kZLJMDGWGirygALOEc38KdgaBBDMT4xf0KYy1Nqh6VZvmwiPfou8GpxFIdAuu65zYJLEhB1Ftcp" width="320" /></a></div><br />Being Frog</b> by April Pulley Sayre<i> February 4, 2020</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This was a reread for me, but I had to introduce my grandchildren to the wonders of frogs. I chose this and the following title. You can read my original review of this book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3194588986" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ6KFfBR8r3DAdobeGcDBbsPHOaojPTeulSobfpM2eKfDwk60vu82NMiCICek5fD6Dpm74o7xyFVm7zq0TsPej0L7EUVtLc3KW8x8fLouZKun749g467UxZq0xaD-_K6Z8NmWZsICAqULvBH-VGZndmfXjyG7H6RBvoKmrJYkMs5KBrDdB3aFz1pyS5ZWe" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="265" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhQ6KFfBR8r3DAdobeGcDBbsPHOaojPTeulSobfpM2eKfDwk60vu82NMiCICek5fD6Dpm74o7xyFVm7zq0TsPej0L7EUVtLc3KW8x8fLouZKun749g467UxZq0xaD-_K6Z8NmWZsICAqULvBH-VGZndmfXjyG7H6RBvoKmrJYkMs5KBrDdB3aFz1pyS5ZWe" width="159" /></a></div><br />The Frog Mother</b> (Mothers of Xsan, 4) by Hetxw'ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson), Natasha Donovan (Illustrations) <span> 🍁</span></span><div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />The Mothers of Xsan Series highlights the Gitxsan’s way of knowing the world by showing the integration of culture and nature. I've reviewed this one in full <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3861360202">here</a>. <br />Not only were the grandchildren engaged by this one, the six year old, just after we started reading, remarked that it seemed like an indigenous book.</span></div></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLeSOOV7QykGE8Pff8-px4a177OImSS5sqqGfdJi_-XmqHXPt0Tc8f9MqJ_TY7tR_lBMOJ90UkokfN1AZiE6MqrRjIDSDnG7CXZ2j1bHKvL4ZfQBbKHRRr2afurt8--5PrBz4rI_CDSCaPrqBUzVbPaK2EKfzG_gr2ByURIW-ICPxGMxMPABuXPuKcOiGr" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="318" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLeSOOV7QykGE8Pff8-px4a177OImSS5sqqGfdJi_-XmqHXPt0Tc8f9MqJ_TY7tR_lBMOJ90UkokfN1AZiE6MqrRjIDSDnG7CXZ2j1bHKvL4ZfQBbKHRRr2afurt8--5PrBz4rI_CDSCaPrqBUzVbPaK2EKfzG_gr2ByURIW-ICPxGMxMPABuXPuKcOiGr" width="238" /></a></div><br />What Will Hatch?</b> by Jennifer Ward & Susie Ghahremani (Illustrator) <i>February 5, 2013</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />This is a delightful information board book. Each section is made up of two, two page spreads. The first includes a setting with a clutch of eggs and includes the question? What will hatch? The next page names and shows the hatched creatures. Each set of pages also includes a rhyming couplet. Readers will learn about turtles, tadpoles, penguins and crocodiles. Did you know that crocodiles are doting mothers?<br /><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">MIDDLE GRADE FICTION</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLNHMU2k4pLvaVQ3DZOZJZ6_dH3U1X4EFtWnvqozCTiBQhjQNBBMl5bdoG5xi4xNta8qZFEcA6jwJIi7Vpfg2RZVJTHeNYpLHZQ3sqXZowFsZSb9xDzC_z7GsO8JGiXtBgQt3P6x5_qNx_h2bfHpryE308QUz-zVU5TcKZJl3yauJwvXIUG-Z8BYGV0fA/s400/IMG_4409.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyLNHMU2k4pLvaVQ3DZOZJZ6_dH3U1X4EFtWnvqozCTiBQhjQNBBMl5bdoG5xi4xNta8qZFEcA6jwJIi7Vpfg2RZVJTHeNYpLHZQ3sqXZowFsZSb9xDzC_z7GsO8JGiXtBgQt3P6x5_qNx_h2bfHpryE308QUz-zVU5TcKZJl3yauJwvXIUG-Z8BYGV0fA/s320/IMG_4409.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div><br />The Labors of Hercules Beal</b> by Gary D. Schmidt & Fred Berman (Narrator)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Gary Schmidt is one of a handful of authors who I read just because I am guaranteed to fall in love with their male characters. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">There is a lot going on here. Hercules Beal and his brother, Achilles, are left to run their family farm and nursery after their parents are killed in an automobile accident. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Hercules starts out at a new school with a hard core, ex marine, home room teacher who assigns unique projects for each of his students. Hercules’ assignment is to find parallels between his life and the labours of his mythical namesake. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The book is full of adventure punctuated by ethereal moments of calm as Hercules, his dog, and pirate cat greet each dawn on a sand dune by the ocean. It’s also loaded with screaming hilarity. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It shows a community, even the most crotchety members, stepping up to support their own when they need it. It shows us a boy dealing with grief and coming into his own. It’s just bloody lovely. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0I0tfkJEXKXiHy4OD2AI7458zkQ8OOGhwPNF6qNDlsUsZR6DyE1WZFpbvZL_p3VVuaR5fjkIi7paCkrgEDypmND4h_3b-AJVkG-Hl6rzvbAOjTlrKzCss0rOpG5Xe_3QNgRRqDw1Omqr4RPawJ7xGFEYZM4DRg-lcIiqwNhVe8Gx7SpgrioQWhDfRv1LC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0I0tfkJEXKXiHy4OD2AI7458zkQ8OOGhwPNF6qNDlsUsZR6DyE1WZFpbvZL_p3VVuaR5fjkIi7paCkrgEDypmND4h_3b-AJVkG-Hl6rzvbAOjTlrKzCss0rOpG5Xe_3QNgRRqDw1Omqr4RPawJ7xGFEYZM4DRg-lcIiqwNhVe8Gx7SpgrioQWhDfRv1LC" width="160" /></a></div><br />Winterkill</b> by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch &. Michael Gallagher </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">(Narrator)</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><i style="font-family: arial;">September 6, 2022</i></div><div><i><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></i></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I become besotted with Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's writing all over again after reading one of her novels. She writes about historically horrific and brutal times with such compassion and tenderness for her characters, without whitewashing any of the reality. <br />This book is very timely since it is set in the Ukraine. It deals with the Holodomor, a genocide by famine deliberately engineered by Stalin.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">ADULT/YA NONFICTION</span></b></div></div></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEI4M6F0bWEikZprAKhzvML4XxyCc5wqam8spzTuYz0AaZXdqpYlY0VA0uPqcm8l4FTaASQn6-BJg96IcntnuryHq6u7Dq18txZkA_m5X8_WhZVfVhu2B_si0mtymBnCHhPEYa38NsMZM7ENEMwuAxxHfTbKXVrmP8xj8Lwav-RxwAOPScNEypsT9Uutqu" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="1688" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhEI4M6F0bWEikZprAKhzvML4XxyCc5wqam8spzTuYz0AaZXdqpYlY0VA0uPqcm8l4FTaASQn6-BJg96IcntnuryHq6u7Dq18txZkA_m5X8_WhZVfVhu2B_si0mtymBnCHhPEYa38NsMZM7ENEMwuAxxHfTbKXVrmP8xj8Lwav-RxwAOPScNEypsT9Uutqu" width="159" /></a></div><br />The Anthropocene Reviewed</b> by John Green</span><i> May 18, 2021</i></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br />I savoured this book. I mostly listened to one or two essays at a time. If it was at night and I fell asleep, I was happy to go back and start where I began the night before.<br />At one point I stopped reading and spent the rest of the afternoon listening to <a href="https://www.mountain-goats.com/videos">The Mountain Goats</a>.<br />I give The Mountain goats 4 stars.<br />John Green narrated this himself. His voice added layers of nuance to the pieces. While some pieces might be more personal than other's I really appreciated Green's honesty & ability to make a personal connection to everything in the book.<br /><br />I give "The Anthropocene Reviewed" five stars.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><b><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">CURRENTLY</span></b></div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>The Great Believers</b> by Rebecca Makkai</span></div><div><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Global</b> by Eoin Colfer, Andrew Donkin, Giovanni Rigano (Illustrator<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/901999.Giovanni_Rigano">)</a></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">UP NEXT </span></span></b></div><div><b><span><span style="color: red; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I have no idea.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;">READING GOALS </span></b></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><span style="color: red; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadFiction 16/24 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">#MustReadNonFiction 12/20</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Canadian Authors 29/75 </span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Indigenous Authors 12/20 </span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Big Books Summer 2023 - 12 - one in progress</span></span></div><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Goodreads Reading Challenge: 127/200 </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> </span></p></div></div></div></div></div>Cheriee Weichelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15662398117320256935noreply@blogger.com5