Mama Reads

Do you remember when you were a kid and you read A Wrinkle in Time or The Chronicles of Narnia or A Wizard of Earthsea or A Ring of Endless Light for the first time?  It’s like that.  The 2010 Newbery Medal Winner, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead is just like that.  It has just enough magic, just enough mystery, just enough regular girl trying to figure out herself and the world.  It is one of the most solid books I have read in some time and I cannot wait for all those kids out there to read it and say “This is my favorite book, ever!”   And they will, because it is just that good!

The story is set in New York City in 1979.  The author said in an interview that was because she wanted the characters to have a certain amount of autonomy as she did growing up in the city and didn’t think it would be believeable in today’s culture.  Miranda’s best friend Sal doesn’t want to hang out with her anymore and she is starting to recieve strange notes that seem to predict the future.  She keeps re-reading a Wrinkle in Time and the way the author ties together the two stories is excellent.  As Miranda navigates the tricky world of 6th grade and new friendships the mystery unfolds itself until it reaches the exceptional ending which made me want to turn around and re-read the book immediately.  If you have middle readers, or a grownup who appreciates a good read, be sure to introduce them to this book!

What a nice “quiet” book for bedtime.  In 3 chapters for early readers, but perfect for reading to a pre-schooler.  Houndsley and Catina are practicing for the concert but it looks like they might get snowed in.  Catina starts to worry about all the things she can’t do when they are stuck in the house, like go home to curl her whiskers and put on a dress for the concert, but Houndsley reminds her to focus on the fun things they can do when it is snowing and quiet.  Like bake cookies and write poems and read them to each other, which my daughter said she wanted to do today!  She is the product of her parents and therefore dictated that she would write a princess poem and I must write a pirate poem.  Which I am including here for your laugh of the day:

Once there was a pirate
As salty as could be.
He lived upon the ocean
And sailed upon the sea.
But when he met a mermaid
He sailed the seas no more.
“I do not want her father
Knocking at my door.”

Since my daughter is just learning to write, we don’t have a princess poem for you but look for one in the future! Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time
definitely makes the list of mama favorites!

I’ve discovered something fun over at Booking Mama –  The Shelf Discovery Challenge.

 Grap a copy of Shelf Discovery: The Teen Classics We Never Stopped Reading by Lizzie Skurnick and join the challenge. Reminisce about your favorite reads from younger years and read the essays by some fabulous authors about their favorites.  

Then, head over to Booking Mama where:  “The Shelf Discovery Challenge will run for six months (November 1, 2009 – April 30, 2010). To join me in this challenge, all you need to do is grab a copy of SHELF DISCOVERY and pick out what six books you want to read (of course, you can read more than six!) Then, after you read a book, just write a “book report” to share your thoughts with others! ”

I am so excited!  As soon as I get my copy I will pick my 6 books and post them here.  What are your choices?