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 Book Date. Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers host the kidlit rendition. These are fabulous places to start your search for what to read next.
I hope that all my American friends and family have enjoyed their Thanksgiving feast and weekend.
It is now ok to put up Christmas decorations - but no music until December first please.
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.
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.
Titles with a 🍁 indicate this is a Canadian or Indigenous Canadian Author and or Illustrator.
Clicking on the title will take you to the Goodreads page of the book.
PREVIOUS POSTS
CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS
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.
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.
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.
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.
I can't wait to read the rest of this series. I might even purchase sets for my youngest grandkids for Christmas.
GRAPHIC FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN
Pup and Dragon: How to Catch an Elf by Alice Walstead & Paul Gill (Illustrator) September 5, 2023 🍁
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.
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.
Narwhalicorn and Jelly by Ben Clanton October 4, 2022
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.
You can read the full review I wrote when it was first published here.
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks October 3, 2023 🍁
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo & Julie Morstad 🍁 (Illustrator) & Allan Corduner (Narrator) October 10, 2023
A New Season by Terry Fallis 🍁Generation Dread: Finding Purpose in an Age of Climate Crisis by Britt Wray 🍁
MIDDLE GRADE GRAPHIC
 |
| 4.5 stars |
Hockey Girl Loves Drama Boy by Faith Erin Hicks October 3, 2023 🍁
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.
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.
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.
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.
Max @ Completely Full Bookshelf lauded this series in October, so when I found a copy at my favourite used book store, I nabbed it. Max 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.
I donated my copy to a local high school where I sometimes substitute teach.
MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS
 |
| 5 stars |
The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo & Julie Morstad 🍁 (Illustrator) & Allan Corduner (Narrator) October 10, 2023
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.
Likemost all of DiCamillo's work, it's loaded with nuance and profound messages for readers of all ages.
Like
I listened to this, so will have to find a hard copy to admire Julie Morstad's artwork.
A terrorist organization is operating on British soil. Someone is trying to kill Roddy Ho, the computer nerd at Slough House.
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.
It's the story of a romance between two teens who fall in love and have sex.
It deals with consent and portrays a young woman as an active participant in their intimate relationship. Nobody dies.
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.
My son felt that while consent was there, the boy still pressured the girl more than is acceptable by today's standards. I agree.
Imagine that one of the grandchildren of John Le Carré's characters followed the family tradition, and joined the secret service. Imagine this same grown child working with a compatriot of their forefathers.
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.
What unfolds is the discovery of an organization created to protect the western world from terrorists in the rest of the world.
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.
Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and Yukon by Haley Healey & Kimiko Fraser (Illustrator) 🍁
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.
ADULT/YA NONFICTION
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.
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.
 |
| 4 stars |
Her Courage Rises: 50 Trailblazing Women of British Columbia and Yukon by Haley Healey & Kimiko Fraser (Illustrator) 🍁
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.
CURRENTLY
Take Back The Fight: Organizing Feminism for the Digital Age by Nora Loreto 🍁
The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4) by Richard Osman & Fiona Shaw (Narrator)The List by Mick Herron
UP NEXT (MAYBE)
A New Season by Terry Fallis 🍁
READING GOALS
#MustReadFiction 21/24 one in progress
#MustReadNonFiction 13/20 one in progress
Canadian Authors 49/75
Indigenous Authors 20/20
Goodreads Reading Challenge: 183/200
