Sunday, December 31, 2017

2018 Reading Challenges

2018 Reading Challenges
18 Challenges for 2018

1.  Published in the Current Year - 2018
1.  Punishment - Scott Holliday
2.  The Chalk Man - C. J. Tudor
3.  Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson
4.  The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle - Leslie Connor
5.  The Wedding Date - Jasmine Guillory
6.  The Death of Mrs. Westaway - Ruth Ware
7.  The Last Equation of Isaac Severy, The - Nora Jacobs
8.  The Book of M, The - Peng Shepherd
9.  Looking Glass  (Theo Cray #2) - Andrew Mayne
10.  A Gathering of Secrets (#10 Kate Burkholder) - Linda Castillo
11.  Front Desk - Kelly Yang
12.  Amish Renegade - Rose Doss
13.  Nice Try, Jane Sinner - Lianne Oelke
14.  In Dark Company (#9.5 Kate Burkholder) - Linda Castillo
15.  Educated: A Memoir - Tara Westover
16.  The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang
17.  Holy Ghost (Virgil Flowers #11) John Sandford
18.  The Bookshop of Yesterdays -Amy Myerson
19.  Part-Time Lover - Lauren Blakely
20.  The Rule Breaker - Cat Carmine
21.  My Fake Fiance - R. R. Banks

2.  Written before 2008 (over 10 years old)
1.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman (2007)
2.  Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall (2007)
3.  Naked in Death - J. D. Robb (1995)
4.  Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt (1994)
5.  Glory in Death (#2 Eve Dallas) (1995)
6.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett) - C. J. Box (2001)
7.  Jar City (#3 Erlunder) Indridason (2000 in Iceland)

3.  One-Word Titles
1.  Warcross
2.  Punishment
3.  Prodigy
4.  Fangirl
5.  Unwind
6.  Outcast
7.  Saga
8.  Allusion 
9.  Zeroes
10.  Nyxia
11.  Obsidian
12.  Sanctus
13.  Scythe
14.  Roomies

4.  AZ, ME, or PA?
1. Night Hunter (Downeast ME)
2.  Massacre Pond (Downeast ME)
3.  Fields of Corn (Lancaster County, PA)
4.  Perfect Stranger (Western PA)
5.  The Bone Orchard, The (Maine)
6.  A Road Unknown, A (Lancaster County, PA)
7  The Secret (Lancaster County, PA)

5.  YA
1.  When Dimple Met Rishi - Sandhya Menon
2.  Warcross - Marie Lu
3.  Turtles All the Way Down - John Green
4.  Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson
5.  Prodigy (Legend #1) - Marie Lu
6.  The Disappearances - Emily Bain Murphy
7.  Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
8.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman
9.  Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall - Wendy Mass
10.  Outcast - Adrienne Kress
11.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 - Brian K. Vaughan
12.  Kiss of Fire - Rebecca Ethington
13.  Wild Bird - Wendelin Van Draanen
14.  Allusion  - Andi Hyldahl
15.  Far From the Tree - Benway
16.  Nyxia - Reintgen
17.  Scorched: A Dry Earth Story - Shaver
18.  Obsidian - Armentrout
19.  Everything Beautiful is not Ruined - Younge-Ullman
20.  Nice Try, Jane Sinner - Lianne Oelke
21.  Perfekt Order - S. E. Bende
22.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) Stiefvater
23.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe) Shusterman
24.  Midnight Rose - Dani Hart

6.  Middle Grades
1.  Amina's Voice - Hena Khan
2.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Chris Grabenstein
3.  The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle - Leslie Connor
4.  Princess Cora and the Crocodile - Amy Schlitz
5.  Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess - Shari Green
6.  Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel - Kimberly Willis Holt
7.  Front Desk - Kelly Yang

7.  Historical Fiction
1.  Ordinary Grace - Krueger (1961 Minnesota)
2.  The Women in the Castle - Shattuck (1939 -1991 Germany)

8.  CRF
1.  When Dimple Met Rishi -Menon
2.  Amina's Voice  - Khan
3.  Turtles All the Way Down - Green
4.  The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle - Connor
5.   Fangirl - Rowell
6.   Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Honeyman
7.  The Almost Sisters - Jackson
8.  Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess - Green
9.  The Wedding Date - Guillory
10.  The Kurdish Bike - Lightbourne
11.  Wild Bird  - Van Draanen
12.  Losing It - Cora Carmack
13.  The Color of Our Sky - Trasi
14.  Fields of Corn - Price
15.  Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel - Holt
16.  Far From the Tree - Benway
17.  The One, The - Marrs
18.  Front Desk - Yang
19.  A Road Unknown - Cameron
20.  Everything Beautiful is not Ruined - Younge-Ullman
21.  Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport
22.  The Secret by Beverly Lewis
23.  Amish Renegade  - Rose Doss
24.  Nice Try, Jane Sinner - Lianne Oelke
25.  The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang
26.  The Bookshop of Yesterdays  - Amy Myerson
27.  Roomies - Christina Lauren
28.  Part-Time Lover  - Lauren Blakely
29.  The Rule Breaker - Cat Carmine
30.  My Fake Fiance - R. R. Banks

9.  N-F (I can dream can't I?)

10.  Verse

11.  Mystery
1.  Night Hunter - Ward
2.  The Homecoming - Russell
3.  In the Land of Milk and Honey (Elizabeth Harris, Lancaster cop #2) - Jensen
4.  Punishment - Holliday
5.  The Chalk Man -Tudor
6.  The Promise (Elvis Cole #16) - Crais
7.  Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) - Johnson
8.  The Naturalist (Naturalist #1) - Mayne
9.  In the Land of Milk and Honey (Elizabeth Harris #1) - Jensen
10.  The Missing Ones (Det. Lottie Parker #1) - Gibney
11.  Don't Let Go -Coben
12.  The Drowned Girls (Angie Pallorino #1)
13.  Hard Return (Cyril Landry #2)
14.  Dead Letters - Dolan-Leach
15.  Naked in Death  (#1 Eve Dallas)
16.  City of the Lost (#1 Casey Duncan)
17.  Crime on the Fens (Nikki Galena #1) - Ellis
18.  A Darkness Absolute (#2 Casey Duncan) - Armstrong
19.  Eyes of the Innocent (#2 Carter Ross, Newark Eagle-Examiner) Parks
20.  The Lovely, Wicked Rain (#3 Garrison Gage) Scott William Carter
21.  Allusion  - Hyldahl
22.  The Death of Mrs. Westaway - Ware
23.  Zeroes - Wendig
24.  Glory in Death (#2 Eve Dallas) - Robb
25.  Invisible City - Dahl
26.  The Last Equation of Isaac Severy - Jacobs
27.  Looking Glass (#2 Theo Cray) - Mayne
28.  Massacre Pondnd (#4 Mike Bowditch) - Doiron
29.  Only the Lucky (#8.5 Kate Burkholder) Castillo
30.  Deep Freeze (#10 Virgil Flowers) Sandford
31.  A Gathering of Secrets (#10 Kate Burkholder) Castillo
32.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandeberg, Savannah) Frasier
33.  Stay Dead (#2 Elise Sandberg, Savannah) Frasier
34.  Perfect Stranger - Miranda
35.  The Bone Orchard (#5 Mike Bowditch) Doiron
36.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett) Box
37.  Spectre Black (#3 Cyril Landry) Black
38.  The Blinds - Sternbergh
39.  The Dime - Kent
40.  Angel Killer (#1 Jessica Blackwood) - Mayne
41.  In Dark Company (#9.5 Kate Burkholder) - Linda Castillo
42.  Sanctus Simon Toyne
43.  Jar City (Indridason)
44.  Stillhouse Lake (Caine)
45.  The Dry (Harper)
46.  Holy Ghost  (#11 Virgil Flowers) John Sandford

12.  Paranormal/Dystopian/Fantasy/SciFi
1.  Warcross - Marie Lu
2.  The Homecoming - Alan Russell
3.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Chris Grabenstein
4.  Prodigy (#2 Legend) - Marie Lu
5.  The Disappearances, The  - Emily Bain Murphy
6.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman
7.  Outcast - Adrienne Kress
8.  Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall - Wendy Mass
9.  Bird Box - Josh Malerman
10.  Princess Cora and the Crocodile - Amy Schlitz
11.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 - Vaughan
12.  Saga: Volume 1 - Brian K. Vaughan
13.  Naked in Death  - Robb
14.  The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers
15.  Kiss of Fire - Rebecca Ethington
16.  Dark Matter - Blake Crouch
17.  Glory in Death - Robb
18.  The Book of M - Peng Shepherd
19.  Nyxia - Scott Reintgen
20.  Scorched: A Dry Earth Story - Theresa Shaver
20.  Obsidian (#1 Lux) - Jennifer L. Armentrout
21.  Perfekt Order (#1 The Aere Saga) - S. T. Bende
22.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) Stiefvater
23.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe) Shusterman
24.  Midnight Rose - Hart

13.  Audio Books
1.  Warcross - Marie Lu (did not enjoy the reader)
2.  The Homecoming - Alan Russell
3.  The Chalk Man - C. J Tudor
4.. The Promise - Robert Crais
5.  Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson
6.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Chris Grabenstein
7.  Prodigy - Marie Lu
8.  In the Land of Milk and Honey - Jane Jensen
9.  Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger
10.  Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell
11.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman
12.  The Missing Ones - Patricia Gibney
13.  Princess Cora and the Crocodile - read beautifully by Davina Porter
14.  The Almost Sisters - Joshilyn Jackson
15.  Don't Let Go - Harlan Coben
16.  The Women in the Castle - Jessica Shattuck
17.  Hard Return (Cyril Landry #2) - J. Carson Black
18.  Naked in Death  (Eve Dallas #1) ` J. D. Robb
18.  City of the Lost - Kelley Armstrong
19.  Crime on the Fens - Joy Ellis
20.  Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Berendt
21.  Eyes of the Innocent (#2 Carter Ross) - Brad Parks
21.  The Lovely, Wicked Rain (#3 Garrison Gage) - Scott William Carter
22.  Being Jazz - Jazz Jennings
23.  Glory in Death (#2 Eve Dallas) - J. D. Robb
23.  Invisible City (#1 Rebekah Roberts) - Julia Dahl
24.  The Book of M - Peng Shepherd
25.  Looking Glass (#2 Theo Cray) - Andrew Mayne
26.  Massacre Pond (#4 Mike Bowditch) Paul Doiron
27.  Losing It - Cora Carmack
28.  Deep Freeze (#10 Virgil Flowers) John Sandford
29.  Far From the Tree - Robin Benway
30.  A Gathering of Secrets (#10 Kate Burkholder) Linda Castillo
31.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandberg) Anne Frasier
32.  Stay Dead (#2 Elise Sandberg) Anne Frasier
33.  The Bone Orchard (#5 Mike Bowditch) Paul Doiron
34.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett) C. J. Box
35.  Obsidian (#1 Lux) Jennifer L. Armentrout
36.  Spectre Black (#3 Cyril Landry) J. Carson Black
37.  Sanctus - Simon Toyne
38.  Jar City - Indridason
39.  Stillhouse Lake - Caine
40.  Educated: A Memoir - Tara Westover
41.  The Dry (#1 Aaron Falk) - Jane Harper
42,  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) Stiefvater
43.  Holy Ghost  (#11 Flowers) Sandford
44.  The Bookshop of Yesterdays  - Myerson
45.  Roomies - Lauren

13a.  Read a REAL BOOK!
1..  Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York Chast graphic novel
2.  Bird Box - Josh Malerman
3.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 - Vaughan, Graphic Novel
4.  Princess Cora and the Crocodile - Schlitz
5.  Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets of My DNA - Hill
6.  Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess - Green
7.  Saga: Volume 1 - Vaughan, Graphic Novel

13b.  Graphic Novels
1.  Going Into Town (Chast)
2..  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 (Vaughan)
3.  Saga: Volume 1 (Vaughan)

14.  Books in a Series
1.  Warcross (Warcross #1)
2.  Night Hunter  (#1 Harry Circus)
3.  Punishment (#1 Det. John Barnes)
3.  The Promise (#16 Elvis Cole)
4.  Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1)
5.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #1)
6.  The Naturalist (Naturalist #1)
7.  Prodigy (Legend #2)
8.  In the Land of Milk and Honey (Elizabeth Harris #1)
9.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman
10.  The Missing Ones (Det. Lottie Parker #1)
11.  The Drowned Girls (Angie Pallorino #1)
12.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1
13.  Hard Return (#2 Cyril Landry)
14.  Saga: Volume 1 (Alana & Marko)
15.  Naked in Death  (#1 Eve Dallas)
16.  City of the Lost(#1 Casey Duncan)
17.  Crime on the Fens (DI Nikki Galena #1)
18.  A Darkness Absolute (#2 Casey Duncan)
19.  Kiss of Fire (#1 Imdalind)
20.  Eyes of the Innocent (#2 Carter Ross))
21.  The Lovely, Wicked Rain (#3 Garrison Gage)
22.  Glory in Death (#2 Eve Dallas)
22.  Invisible City (#1 Rebekah Roberts)
23.  Looking Glass (#2 Theo Cray)
24.  Massacre Pond (#4 Mike Bowditch)
25.  Only the Lucky (#8.5 Kate Burkholder)
26.  Nyxia (#1 Nyxia Triad)
27.  A Gathering of Secrets (#10 Kate Burkholder)
28.  Deep Freeze (#10 Virgil Flowers)
29.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandberg)
30.  Stay Dead (#2 Elise Sandberg)
31.  The Bone Orchard (#5 Mike Bowditch)
32.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett)
33.  Obsidian (#1 Lux)
34.  Spectre Black (#3 Cyril Landry)
35.  The Dime (#1 Betty Rhyzyk, Dallas Homicide)
36.  Angel Killer (#1 Jessica Blackwood)
37.  In Dark Company (#9.5 Kate Burkholder)
38.  Jar City (#3 Erlunder)
39.  The Dry (#1 Aaron Falk)
40.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle)
41.  Holy Ghost  (#11 Virgil Flowers)
42.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe)

14a.  First in a Series - Will I Follow Up?
1.  Warcross (Warcross #1)
2.  Night Hunter  (#1 Harry Circus) nope
3.  Punishment (#1 Det. John Barnes) yup, when it comes out
4.  Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) yup, not out yet
5.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library #1) doubt it
6.  The Naturalist (Naturalist #1) yup
7.  In the Land of Milk and Honey (Elizabeth Harris #1) oh yes
8.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman
9.  The Missing Ones (Det. Lottie Parker #1) perhaps
10.  The Drowned Girls (Angie Pallorino #1) probably
11.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 I guess so
12.  Saga: Volume 1 (Alana & Marko) questionnable
13.  Naked in Death  (#1 Eve Dallas) yup
14.  City of the Lostv(#1 Casey Duncan) oh yes
15.  Crime on the Fens (DI Nikki Galena #1) maybe
16.  Kiss of Fire (#1 Imdalind) doubtful
17.  Invisible City (#1 Rebekah Roberts) yup
18.  Nyxia (#1 Nyxia Triad) absolutely
19.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandberg) for sure
20.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett) yup
21.  Obsidian (#1 Obsidian) I shouldn't, but I might...
22.  The Dime, (#1 Betty Rhyzyk, Dallas Homicide) oh yes
23.  Angel Killer (#1 Jessica Blackwell) definitely
24.  Jar City (#3 Erlunder, the 1st one translated into English) possibly
25.  erfekt Order (#1 The Aere Saga) NO!
26.  The Dry (#1 Aaron Falk) Sure will
27.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) Absolutely
28.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe) Oh yeah

15.  Short Stories
1.  Only the Lucky (#8.5 Kate Burkholder) Linda Castillo
2.  In Dark Company (#9.5 Kate Burkholder) Linda Castillo

16.  Where in the World?  
1.  England - The Chalk Man
2.  Ireland - The Missing Ones
3.  Canada - The Drowned Girls
4.  Germany - The Women in the Castle
5.  Canada - City of the Lost
6.  England (Lincolnshire) - Crime on the Fens
7.  Kurdistan/Iraq - The Kurdish Bike
8.  England (Brighton & Cornwall) - The Death of Mrs. Westaway
9.  Bombay, India - The Color of Our Sky
10.  England and Australia - The One
11.  Turkey - Sanctus
12.  Iceland - Jar City
13.  Australia - The Dry
14.  Copenhagen & Paris - Part-Time Lover 

17.  4.5 or 5 Stars
1.  Turtles All the Way Down - John Green (5)
2.  The Promise (Elvis Cole #5) - Robert Crais (5)
3.  The Chalk Man - C. J. Tudor (4.5)
4.  Truly Devious - Maureen Johnson
5.  Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger (4.5)
6.  Unwind - Neal Shusterman (5)
7.  Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell (5)
8.  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman (5)
9.  Bird Box - Josh Malerman (4.5)
10.  The Almost Sisters - Joshilyn Jackson (5)
11.  Don't Let Go - Harlan Coben (5)
12.  Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess - Shari Green (4.5)
13.  City of the Lost (Casey Duncan #1) - Kelley Armstrong (4.5)
14.  The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers (5)
15.  The Lovely, Wicked Rain - Scott William Carter (4.5)
16.  Dark Matter - Blake Crouch (5)
17.  Wild Bird  - Wendelin Van Draanen (5)
18.  Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel - Kimberly Willis Holt (5)
19.  Far From the Tree - Robin Benway (5)
20.  Nyxia - Scott Reintgen (4.5)
21.  The One - John Marrs (5)
22.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandberg) - Anne Frasier (4.5)
23.  Stay Dead (#2 Elise Sandberg) - Anne Frasier (4.5)
24.  The Bone Orchard (#5 Mike Bowditch) - Paul Doiron (5)
25.  Front Desk - Kelly Yang (4.5)
26.  Educated: A Memoir - Tara Westover (4.5)
27.  The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang (5)
28.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) Stiefvater (5)
29.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe) Shusterman (4.5)

18.  A to Z Reading
J - Jar City; 
Q - 
U - Unwind
V - 
W - When Dimple Met Rishi, Warcross, (hard to believe that two of the first three books I've ready this year have titles that begin with "W"!), The Wedding Date, Wild Bird, The Women in the Castle,
X- 
Y - 
Z - Zeroes


I Love Picture Books
1.  Town Is by the Sea (Schwartz/Smith) 2017 (4.5)
2.  After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again (Santat) 2017 (4)
3.  Imagine That! How Dr. Seuss Wrote The Cat in the Hat (Sierra/Hawkes) 2017 (5)
4.  My Journey to the Stars (Kelly/Ceolin) 2017 (4.5)
5.  Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II (Russo) 2005 (5)
6.  The Pink Hat (Joyner) 2018 (5)
7.  Around the World in Numbers (Gifford/Hurley) 2017 (5)
8.  Ella Who? (Ashman/Sanchez) 2017 (5)
9.  Ruby's Chinese New Year (Lee/Chou) 2018 (4)
10.  Extra Yarn (Barnett/Klassen) 2012 (5)
11.  A Boy, a Mouse, and a Spider: The Story of E. B. White (Herkert/Castillo) 2017 (4.5)
12.  Noah Webster's Fighting Words (Maurer/Catusanu) 2017 (4.5)
13.  Ordinary, Extraordinary Jane Austen (Hopkinson/Leng) 2018 (4.5)
14.  Ruth Bader Ginsberg: The Case of R. B. G. vs. Inequality (Winter/Innerst) 2017 (4.5)
15.  Newton's Rainbow: The Revolutionary Discoveries of a Young Scientist (Lasky Hawkes) 2017 (4)
16.  Books!  Books!  Books! Explore the Amazing Collection of the British Library (Manning & Granstrom) 2017 (4)
17.  Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind (Grady/Hirao) 2018 (4.5)
18.  I Am Jazz (Herthel & Jennings/McNicholas) 2014 (4)
19.  Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World (Hood/various artists) 2018 (5)
20.  The World is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid (Winter) 2017 (5)
21.  Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees (Prevot/Fronty) 2015 (5)
22.  The Big Umbrella (Bates) 2018 (5)
23.  Lucy Loves Sherman (Bailey) 2017 (4)
24.  Dangerous Jane (Slade/Ratterree) 2017 (4.5)
25.  Islandborn (Diaz/Espinosa) 2018 (4)
26.  Hello Lighthouse (Blackall) 2018 (5)
27.  Two of Everything (Hong) 1993 (4)
28.  Louisa May & Mr. Thoreau's Flute (Dunlap & Lorbieki/Azarian) 2002 (4)
29.  Up and Down (Jeffers) 2010 (4)
30.  Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets (Alexander, Colderley, Wentworth/Holmes) 2017 (5)
31.  Sonia Sotomayor: Turning Pages: My Life Story (Sonia Sotonayor) 2018 (5)
32.  c(Jenkins/Zelinsky) 2018 (4)
33.  Trees of the Dancing Goats, The (Polacco) 1996 (5)

Novels Read in 2018
1.  When Dimple Met Rishi -Sandhya Menon, 2017 ebk (4) 380 pgs.
2.  Amina's Voice  - Hena Khan, 2017 ebk (3) 197 pgs. (577 pgs.)
3.  Warcross (Warcross #1) - Marie Lu 2017 audio (3) 368 pgs. (945 pgs.)
4.  Turtles All the Way Down - John Green, 2017 ebk (5) 290 pgs. (1235 pgs.)
5.  Night Hunter (#1 Harry Circus, Me. State Police) - E. D. Ward, 2017, ebk (2) 208 pgs. (1443 pgs.)
6.  The Homecoming - Alan Russell, 2017, Audible (3.5) 332 pgs. (1775 pgs.)
7.  Punishment (Det. John Barnes, Detroit Police detective) - Scott Holliday, 2018, ebk, (4) 240 pgs. (2015 pgs.)
8.  The Chalk Man - C. J. Tudor, 2018 audio (4.5) 280 pgs. (2295 pgs.)
9.  The Promise (#16 Elvis Cole) - Robert Crais, 2015 audio (5) 408 pgs. (2703 pgs.)
10.  Truly Devious (Truly Devious #1) - Maureen Johnson, 2018 Audible (4.5) 432 pgs. (3135 pgs.)
11.  Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library - Chris Grabenstein, 2013 Audible (1.5) 304 pgs. (3439 pgs.)
12.  The Naturalist (Naturalist #1) - Andrew Mayne, 2017 ebk (3) 382 pgs. (3821 pgs.)
13.  Prodigy (Legend #2) - Marie Lu, 2013 Audible (4) 371 pgs. (4192 pgs.)
14.  In the Land of Milk and Honey (Elizabeth Harris #2) 2016 Audible (4) 304 pgs. (4496 pgs.)
15.  The Disappearances - Emily Bain Murphy 2017 ebk (4) 388 pgs. (4884 pgs.)
16.  Ordinary Grace - William Kent Krueger, 2013 Audible (5) 307 pgs. (5191 pgs.)
17.  The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle, 2018 ebk (4) 336 pgs. (5527 pgs.)
18.  Fangirl - Rainbow Rowell, 2013 Audible (5) 448 pgs. (5975 pgs.)
19.  Unwind (Unwinds #1) Neal Shusterman, 2007 Audible (5) 335 pgs. (6310 pgs.)
20.  Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall - Wendy Mass 2007 eBk (4) 251 pgs. (6561 pgs.)
21.  Outcast - Adrienne Kress, 2013 eBk (4) 322 pgs (6883 pgs.)
22.  Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - Gail Honeyman, 2017 ebk (5) 336 pgs. (7219 pgs.)
23.  Going Into Town: A Love Letter to New York - Roz Chast 2017 graph-nov (4) 169 pgs. (7388 pgs.)
24.  The Missing Ones (Det. Lottie Parker #1) - Patricia Gibney, 2017 audio (3.5) 424 pgs. (7812 pgs.)
25.  Bird Box  - Josh Malerman (BOOK!) 2014 (4.5) 262 pgs. (8074 pgs.)
26.  Princess Cora and the Crocodile - Laura Amy Schlitz (Aud & BK) 80 pgs. (8154 pgs.)
27.  The Almost Sisters - Joshilyn Jackson, 2017 (5) 342 pgs. (8496 pgs.)
28.  Don't Let Go - Harlan Coben, 2017 Audio (5) 368 pgs. (8864 pgs.)
29.  The Drowned Girls (Angie Pallorino #1) - Loreth Anne White, 2017 eBk, (3) 524 pgs. (9388 pgs.)
30.  Paper Girls: Vol. 1 - Brian K. Vaughan - GraphNov - 2016 (3) 144 pgs. (9532 pgs.)
31.  Finding Family: My Search for Roots and the Secrets of My DNA - Richard Hill, NF Bk - 2012 (4) 249 pgs. (9781 pgs.)
32.  The Women in the Castle - Jessica Shattuck 2017 Audio (3.5) 356 pgs. (10,137 pgs.)
33.  Macy McMillan and the Rainbow Goddess - Shari Green, 2017 Bk (4.5) 239 pgs. (10,376 pgs.)
34.  Hard Return(Cyril Landry #2) - J. Carson Black, Audio (4) 336 pgs. (10,712 pgs.)
35.  Saga: Volume 1 - Brian Vaughan  2012 GraphicNovel (2.5) 164 pgs. (10,876 pgs.)
36.  Dead Letters - Caite Dolan-Leach, 352 pgs. (11,228 pgs.)
37.  Naked in Death  (#1 Eve Dallas) J. D. Robb, 306 pgs. (11,534 pgs.)
38.  City of the Lost (#1 Casey Duncan) Audio, (4.5) 471 pgs. (12,005 pgs.)
39.  The Wedding Date - Jasmine Guillory, 2018 ebk (2.5) 320 pgs. (12,325 pgs.)
40.  The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet - Becky Chambers, 2015 ebk (5) 460 pgs. (12,785 pgs.)
41.  Crime on the Fens (DI Nikki Galena #1) - Joy Ellis, 2016 Audio (3.5) 285 pgs. (13,070 pgs.)
42.  Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil- John Berendt (Audio & Bk) DNF/(2.5), 200/386 pgs. (13,270 pgs.)
43.  A Darkness Absolute (#2 Casey Duncan) - Armstrong, 2017 eBk (4) 416 pgs. (13,686 pgs.)
44.  Kiss of Fire (#1 Imdalind) Rebecca Ethington 2012, eBk (4) 354 pgs. (14,040 pgs.)
45.  Eyes of the Innocent (Carter Ross #2) Brad Parks, 2011 Audio (4) 304 pgs. (14,344 pgs.)
46.  The Kurdish Bike- Alesa Lighbourne (eBk) 3 - 324 pgs. (14,668 pgs.)
47.  The Lovely, Wicked Rain (#3 Garrison Gage) 2014 Audio, 285 pgs. (14,953 pgs.)
48.  Dark Matter - Blake Crouch,  2016 eBk (5) 342 pgs.(15,295 pgs.)
49.  Wild Bird  - Wendelin VanDraanen, 2017 eBk (5) 320 pgs. (15, 615 pgs.)
50.  Allusion  - Andi Hyldahl, 2017 eBk (3.5) 365 pgs. (15,980 pgs.)
51.  The Death of Mrs. Westaway- Ruth Ware, 2018 eBook (2) 320 pgs. (16,300 pgs.)
52.  Being Jazz - Jazz Jennings, 2016 Audio (3) 272 pgs (16,572 pgs.)
53.  Zeroes - Chuck Wendig, 2015 eBk (3) 432 pgs. (17,004 pgs.)
54.  Glory in Death (#2 Eve Dallas) J. D. Robb 1995 Audio (2) 296 pgs (17,300 pgs.)
55.  Invisible City (#1 Rebekah Roberts) Julia Dahl, 2014 AudioBk (4) 304 pgs. (17,604 pgs.)
56. The Last Equation of Isaac Severy - Nora Jacobs - 2018 eBk (3.5) 337 pgs. (17,941 pgs.)
57.  The Book of M - Peng Shepherd, 2018 Audio, (3) 426 pgs.(13,387 pgs.)
58.  Looking Glass - Andrew Mayne, Audio (4) 312 pgs. (18,699 pgs.)
59.  Massacre Pond (#4 Mike Bowditch) - Paul Doiron, Audio 320  pgs. (19,019 pgs.)
60.  Losing It - Cora Carmack Audio 189 pgs.(19,208 pgs.)
61.  Only the Lucky (#8.5 Kate Burkholder) - Linda Castillo eBk (4) 56 pgs.(19,264 pgs.)
62.  The Color of Our Sky - Amita Trasi - 2017 eBk (4) 419 pgs. (19,683 pgs.)
63.  Deep Freeze (#10 Virgil Flowers) John Sandford - 2017 Audio (4) 399 pgs. (20,082 pgs.)
64.  Fields of Corn - Sarah Price - 2010 eBk (2.5) 272 pgs. (20,354 pgs.)
65.  Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel - Kimberly Willis Holt - 2017 eBk (5) 336 pgs. (20,690 pgs.)
66.  Far From the Tree - Robin Benway - 2017 Audio (5) 374  pgs. (21.064 pgs.)
67.  Nyxia (#1 Nyxia Triad) - Scott Reintgen - 2017 eBk (4.5) 384 pgs. (21,448 pgs.)
68.  A Gathering of Secrets (#10 Kate Burkholder) Linda Castillo - 2018 Audio (3) 308 pgs. (21,756 pgs.)
69.  The One - John Marrs - 2016 eBk (5) 416 pgs. (22,172 pgs.)
70.  Play Dead (#1 Elise Sandberg) - Anne Frasier - 2014 Audio (4.5) 366 pgs. (22,538 pgs.)
71.  Stay Dead (#2 Elise Sandberg) - Anne Frasier - 2014 Audio (4.5) 310 pgs. (22,848 pgs.)
72.  The Perfect Stranger, The - Megan Miranda - 2017 eBk (3.5) 337 pgs.(23,185 pgs.)
73.  The Bone Orchard (#5 Mike Bowditch - Paul Doiron - 2014 Audio (5) 306 pgs. (23,491 pgs.)
74.  Scorched: A Dry Earth Story - Theresa Shaver - 2017 eBook (2) 203 pgs. (23,694 pgs.)
75.  Open Season (#1 Joe Pickett) - C. J. Box - Audio (4) 278 pgs. (23,972 pgs.)
76.  Obsidian (#1 Lux) - Jennifer Armentrout - 2011 Audio (2.5) 287 pgs. (24,259 pgs.)
77.  Front Desk - Kelly Yang - 2018 eBk (4.5) 286 pgs. (24,545 pgs.)
78.  Spectre Black (#3 Cyril Landry) J. Carson Black -  Audio (3.5) 304 pgs. (24,849 pgs.)
79.  The Blinds - Adam Sternbergh - 2017 eBk (4) 382 pgs. (25,231 pgs.)
80.  A Road Unknown - Barbara Cameron - 2014 eBk (3) 304 pgs. (25,535 pgs.)
81.  Everything Beautiful is Not Ruined - 2017 eBk (4) 368 pgs. (25,903 pgs.)
82.  The Dime (#1 Betty Rhyzyk, Dallas narcotics) - Kathleen Kent - 2017 Audio (4) 352 pgs. (26,255 pgs.)
83.  Angel Killer (#1 Jessica Blackwood) - Andrew Mayne - 2014 eBk (4) 368 pgs. (26,623 pgs,)
84.  Accidentally Amish (#1 Valley of Choice) - Olivia Newport - 2012 eBk (3) 368 pgs. (26,991 pgs.)
85.  The Secret - Beverly Lewis - 2009 eBk (2.5) 364 pgs. (27,355 pgs.)
86.  Amish Renegade  - Rose Doss - 2018 eBk (3) 190 pgs. (27,545 pgs.)
87.  Nice Try, Jane Sinner - Lianne Belke - 2018 eBk (3) 420 pgs. (27,965 pgs.)
88.  In Dark Company (9.5 Kate Burkholder) - Linda Castillo - 2018 eBk (2.5) 60 pgs. (30.025 pgs.)
89.  Sanctus - Simon Toyne, 2011 Audio (2) 486 pgs. (30,511 pgs.)
90.  Jar City (#3 Inspector Erlundur) - Arnaldur Indridason, 2005 eBk AND Audio AND movie () 275 pgs. (30,786 pgs.)
91.  Stillhouse Lake - Rachel Caine - 2017 Audio (2) 302 pgs. (31,088 pgs.)
92.  Perfekt Order - S. T. Bende - 2015 (1) Unknown/200 pgs. (31,288 pgs.)
93.  Educated: A Memoir - Tara Westover - 2018Audio (5) 334 pgs. (31,622 pgs.)
94.  The Kiss Quotient - Helen Hoang - 2018 eBk (5) 336 pgs. (31,958 pgs.)
95.  The Dry (#1 Aaron Falk) - Jane Harper - 2016 Audio (4) 352 pgs. (32,310 pgs.)
96.  The Raven Boys (#1 Raven Cycle) - Maggie Stiefvater - 2012 Audio (5) 409 pgs (32,719 pgs.)
97.  Holy Ghost  (#11 Virgil Flowers) John Sandford - 2018 Audio (4) 373 pgs. (33,092 pgs.)
98.  The Bookshop of Yesterdays - Amy Myerson - 2018 Audio (4) 368 pgs. (33,460 pgs.)
99.  Scythe (#1 Arc of a Scythe) Neil Shusterman - 2017 eBk (4) 435 pgs (33,895 pgs.)
100. !!!  Roomies - Christina Lauren - 2017 Audio (4) 368 pgs. (34,263 pgs.)
101.  Part-Time Lover - Lauren Blakely - 2018 eBk (3.5) 308 pgs. (34,571 pgs.)
102.  The Rule Breaker - Cat Carmine - 2018 eBk (3.5)  268 pgs. (34,839 pgs.)
103.  My Fake Fiance - R. R. Banks - 2018 eBk (1) 310 pgs. (35,149 pgs.)
104.  Midnight Rose - Dani Hart - 2017 eBk (3) 425 pgs. (35,574 pgs.)

My 2018 Goodreads YEAR IN REVIEW

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Saturday, December 30, 2017

70. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

read on my iPhone
2017, Balzer & Bray
444 pgs.
YA CRS
Finished 12/30/2017
Goodreads rating:  4.59 - 73,998 ratings
My rating: 5 all the way
Setting:  I'm guessing Jackson, Mississippi area, since that's where the author resides, but perhaps any inner city in the US

First line/s:  "I shouldn't have come to this party."

My comments:  I don't know why I put off reading this for so long, I've had it since it first came out.  So okay, wow.  It was certainly worth the time and effort, and enforced a perspective that as a "white" person I've tried very hard to embrace.  Incredible writing.  Wonderful perspective.  I don't need to write a review for this, it's all been written. This was engrossing, powerful, and very much needed! AND it was terrific to discover what the title represents....

Goodreads synopsis: Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
          Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
          But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
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Thursday, December 28, 2017

Postcards Received from GEORGIA

1110.  USA - Georgia
Hi Chris!  I hope you're well and you enjoy this card from the cemetery I volunteer at in Atlanta.  It's called Oakland - please look it up!  Misty
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Postcards Received from Utah

2906.  Bryce Canyon National Park
Hello!  I hope you are well.  I am from Oklahoma, but this card is from a trip to Utah.  I am a teacher (7th grade) enjoying summer break.  Happy Memorial Day!  Leslie.

668.  Salt Lake City, Utah
Hope you like this card of colorful mailboxes.  The election is over - thank goodness!
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Postcards of Animals of the Wild Variety

2054.  Brisbane, QLD, Australia
I am sorry this is a generic letter, but time means I must!  I live in Brisbane, QLD, Australis.  It is a sub-tropical city with rainforest covered mountains to our west and the ocean to our east.  It is very multicultural with people of all nations making their home here, so we have great dining opportunities and many festivals to join in with throughout the year.  It is warm here generally with temperatures from 35 degrees C in summer to around maybe 10 in winter.  It is very liveable, but often very humid in summer with damaging storms and cyclones possible.  I enjoy reading, camping, spending time with family, friends and my animals (2 dogs, 2 rainbow lorikeets and 4 chickens).  I am currently reading the Robert Galbraith series and am on book 4, "Lethal White."  I am enjoying the series a lot.  I work with special needs teenagers at a local high school, I have been there for 12 years and am now looking for a career change!  I hope this card finds you and your family all well and COVID safe.  Take care, Maree.

1194.  Malaysia
An Orang Utan, means "person of the forest."  These long-haired, orangish primates are highly intelligent and are close relatives of humans.
Hello, A simple hello could lead to a million things.  Wish you luck and may all your dreams come true. Remember, we grow great by dreaming.

1125.  Brunei
 Hi Chris, I'm hoping probiscus monkeys hanging out on a tree branch, looking down as if they're posing for a "candid" shot is quirky enough!  
Brunei is 70% covered with rainforest.  Our population is small - around 400,000, and that's including foreigners.  If you're a fan of mosquitoes, please do come to Brunei!  Take care, Nisa Said

674.  East Germany
Hello Chris, My name is Sylvie.  I'm 34 years old and I live with my husband and little son in East Germany.  I love to travel, too, and to explore new countries with their cultures and religions.  I've just started with Postcrossing one month ago.  I heard about it from a friend of mine.

644.  Russia: Lynx on the Tree
My name is Anna.  I'm 16.  I live in a small town near Moscow which is called Ivante-euka.  I hope you will like this Lynx card.  Greetings, Anna

639.  Malaysia
Dear Chris, greetings from Malaysia!  So sorry to send you this PC which you unlike, but it was so adorable, right?  All the best, Onh See Min

567.  FINLAND
Hello Chris,
About 1500 this kind of bears live in our forests.  I hope I don't meet one when I go to pick lingonberries.  I work in home care as a nurse.  Mostly take blook samples from elderly people who can't go to the lab.
All the best, Marja-Leena

528.  Geo Photo from GERMANY
Hi Chris,
My name is Susanne and I love all kinds of wildlife.  I like watching birds or even ants.  Buytterflies and dragonflies are so fascinating.  Of course,  cheetahs are pretty powerful, fast, strong, yet I find them very graceful, too.  I wish you a smooth transition to Pennsylvania.  I hope you can enjoy every day of your free time!  Best wishes, Susanne

417.  The Squirrel by photographer Sergey Belkin
My name is Nastya, I'm 25.  I live in the south of Russia, at the foot of the (???) Mountains.  In my window at work I can see Elbmus - the highest mountain in Europe.  13.05.2016
338.  Kang Xinyu - Tree
2015.6.8
(There was no number on this card so it could not be registered, but it looks like it comes from last June or August - although the postmark looks like 2016 03 01)
Hello Chris, I'm a university student living in China.  This is the phot I pictured in my hometown.  My hometown is a peaceful place living with many panda.  It is such a great place for me.  Hope you will like it.  Yours, Tree

336.  Miyajima Public Aquarium, Japan
Greetings from Hiroshima, Japan.  Hope you like this card.  Happy Postcrossing!  Michiko

324.  Chamois in Germany
08.05.16
Hi boys and girls,  In the sout of Germany in the gib mountains there are many of these typical animals called chamois.  Do you have them in the United States, too?  Wishing you all the best, Martina

299. Think Skink
Ontario, Canada
Common Five-lined skinks have the ability to "drop" their tails if grasped in order to escape.  The moving tail gragment will distract the predator while the skink escapes.  The missing tail with grow back over time, but will not be the same colour or length as before.  The Common Five-lined Skink is Ontario's ONLY lizard and they are a species at risk. 
Hello!  I love telling people about Canada.  I hope that some day you can visit the "Great White North".  I love camping at Pinery Park!
31% of Canada is forest...
Canada has more lakes than all other countries combined!
and...
20% of the world's fresh water is in Canada.


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Wednesday, December 27, 2017

PICTURE BOOK - Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers

Illustrated by Shawn Harris
2017, Chronicle Books, San Francisco
HC $19.99 (books are getting SO expensive!)
104 pgs.
Goodreads rating: 4.28 - 918 ratings
My rating:  5
Endpapers:  Cut paper of the fencing around the Statue (at least I think it's from somewhere on the island)
Illustrations:  All cut CONSTRUCTION paper, and India ink.
1st line/s:"You have likely heard of a place called France."

My comments:  I've decided that I like everything about this book.  How the text is talking directly to the reader.  The illustrations, which are created out of cut construction paper.  The message....oh yes, the message. I'm so glad I discovered this book, since our library has not (yet) purchased it....

Goodreads:  "I want to hold this book in one hand and a torch in the other and stand on an island someplace so everyone can see." —Lemony Snicket
     If you had to name a statue, any statue, odds are good you'd mention the Statue of Liberty. Have you seen her?
     She's in New York. 
     She's holding a torch. 
     And she's in mid-stride, moving forward. 
     But why?
In this fascinating, fun take on nonfiction, Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris investigate a seemingly small trait of America's most emblematic statue. What they find is about more than history, more than art. What they find in the Statue of Liberty's right foot is the powerful message of acceptance that is essential to an entire country's creation. 
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Tuesday, December 26, 2017

MOVIE - Father Figures

R (1:53)
Wide release 12/22
Viewed 12/26/2017 in Camp Hill
IMBd: 5/10
RT Critic: 25   Audience:  42
Cag:  4/Liked it a lot
Directed by Lawrence Sher
Warner Brother Pictures

Ed Helms, Owen Wilson, Glenn Close, Terry Brandshaw, J. K. Simmons

My comments:  This was a really funny comedy that I thoroughly enjoyed.  It was pretty impossible to believe throughout the entire movie that Ed Helms and Owen Wilson were actual twin brothers, but in theory they pulled it off and I laughed my butt off in many places.  They're both really good and really funny, and I thouroughly enjoyed Glenn Glose as their mom.  During the credits it said that one of the actresses was Katie Asleton - I'm pretty sure this is my old friend Jennifer's sister-in-law and when I looked it p, sure enough, she was born in Milbridge, Maine.  Don't you love it when small town local girls make it in the big time?  She's married to Mark Duplass.  Cool.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  Two brothers (Owen Wilson and Ed Helms) hit the road to find their long-lost dad after they learn that their mom has been lying to them about his death. 

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Saturday, December 23, 2017

MOVIE - Ladybird

R (1:33)
Limited release 11/3/17
Viewed 12/23/18 at Carlisle Theater
IMBd: 7.9
RT Critic: 99   Audience:  81
Critic's Consensus:  Lady Birddelivers fresh insights about the turmoil of adolescence -- and reveals writer-director Greta Gerwig as a fully formed filmmaking talent.
Cag:  4/Liked it a lot
Directed by Greta Gerwig
A24 Studio

Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf

My comments:  Excellent acting.  The story was not something special, it was a look at the everyday life of a teenage girl living in Sacramento, California.  It was, in particular, an examination of the relationship between a mother and daughter.  There were some good funny bits, especially during scenes in the parochial school where Lady Bird attends.  If Laurie Metcalf had been my mother, I would probably have ended up a lot more screwed up than Ladybird seems to be.  The big question, never answered, was how Christine came up with the name Ladybird?  


RT/ IMDb Summary:   In Lady Bird, Greta Gerwig reveals herself to be a bold new cinematic voice with her directorial debut, excavating both the humor and pathos in the turbulent bond between a mother and her teenage daughter. Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) fights against but is exactly like her wildly loving, deeply opinionated and strong-willed mom (Laurie Metcalf), a nurse working tirelessly to keep her family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. Set in Sacramento, California in 2002, amidst a rapidly shifting American economic landscape, Lady Bird is an affecting look at the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us, and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.

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Thursday, December 21, 2017

MOVIE - Star Wars: The Last Jedi

PG-13 (2:32)
12/15/17 Wide Release
Viewed 12/21/17 at Carlisle 8
IMBd:  7.7/10
RT Critic: 92   Audience:  54
Critic's Consensus:  Star Wars: The Last Jedi honors the saga's rich legacy while adding some surprising twists -- and delivering all the emotion-rich action fans could hope for.
4/Liked it a lot
Directed by Rian Johnson
Walt Disney Productions

Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Carrie Fisher

My comments:  May the force be with you!  I wish I could remember more of the story from one episode to the next.  I am not a lover of the super shoot-em-up, bang-em-up explosion scenes, but the relationships between the characters are great fun to explore and watch.  So much subtle humor, and it was great fun to watch Carrie Fisher reprise her Princess Leia role.  It was pretty cool for even Yoda to make an appearnce!  And I have become quite an Adam Driver fan of late, I totally enjoyed him in this role as bud guy.  Just hearing the Star Wars music gives me goosebumps! So now both Han and Luke are dead in the movie and Leia is alive.  So odd that in real life it's the exact opposite, Looking forward to the next one - two years?  three?  

RT/ IMDb Summary:  In Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.

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Sunday, December 17, 2017

Christmas Storytime at the Library

I read three books aloud to preschoolers today, I chose ones with three different animals as protagonists. Then we glued sequins for ornaments, drew garlands with glitter crayons, and topped the pre-cut green construction paper tree with a sticky star.  Very cute, and manageable for little hands.  I had eight books to choose from and the ones I chose were big hits:

Merry Christmas, Merry Crow
by Kathi Appelt
Illustrated by Jon Goodell
2005, Harcourt, Inc.

     "Wind's a blowin'
Sky's a snowin'
     Where's this feathered
               fellow goin'?"

The crow glides through each double-page spread, collecting all sorts of tinsel and trinkets he finds laying around, to decorate a tree for all his flying friends.  Gorgeously illustrated, with no white edges (I love edge-of-page to edge-of-page illustrations), the continuous snowfall and merry Christmas shoppers and carolers make this a happy, fun book to share with kids.
     Goodreads rating:  3.93 - 87 ratings

Stowaway in a Sleigh
Written and illustrated by C. Roger Mader
2016 Houghton Mifflin

"It was the darkest hour of night when Slipper heard strange footsteps in the house."

Well, of course she went to investigate, and discovered Mr. Fuzzy Boots...and crawled into his now-empty cozy red bag. After she was whisked away to the North Pole where she made new friends, Santa made a special trip back to Slippers' house to return her.  My little listener was at first a little distressed when she realized that Slippers might not be able to get home again, but enjoyed the story and the illustrations greatly.  Again the gorgeous illustrations covered each entire double-page spread from edge to edge and accentuated the story superbly.
     Goodreads rating:  4.15 - 161 ratings

Bear Stays Up for Christmas
by Karma Wilson
Illustrated by Jane Chapman
2004, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster

"The day before Christmas,
snuggled on his floor,
Bear sleeps soundly
with a great big snore."

Bear has such a tough time staying up once his friends awaken him for Christmas...it is time for his "big sleep" after all, but when it comes time for them to doze off on Christmas Eve, he has a wonderful time preparing surprises for them to find in the morning.  A very cute story, again with many double-page spreads.  Three winners today!
     Goodreads:  4.28 - 6,938 ratings



   
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Saturday, December 16, 2017

PICTURE BOOK - She Persisted by Chelsea Clinton

Illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
2017, Philomel Books
HC $17.99
32 pgs.
Goodreads rating: 4.45 - 2139 ratings
My rating: 5
Endpapers:  Bright red

1st line/s:"Sometimes being a girl isn't easy.  At some point, someone probably will tell you no, will tell you to be quiet and may even tell you your dreams are impossible.  Don't listen to them."

                           
My comments:  Chelsea Clinton, herself someone to be admired, chose 13 really interesting women to inspire the young girls of today.  Each double page consists of a short, informative piece about each woman's accomplishment/s, a quote from her, and an illustration of her "in action."  It was fun to turn each page and anticipate who would be the next person included.  If you, too, would like to anticipate the thirteen persistent women, read no further. 
The are: 
Harriet Tubman, 
Helen Keller, 
Clara Lemlich, 
Nellie Bly, 
Virginia Apgar, 
Mari Tallchief, 
Claudette Colvin, 
Ruby Bridges, 
Margaret Chase Smith, 
Sally Ride, 
Florence Griffith Joyner, 
Oprah Winfrey, and 
Sonia Sotomayer. 
(I would then include Gabby Giffords.)  Great book.

Goodreads:Chelsea Clinton introduces tiny feminists, mini activists and little kids who are ready to take on the world to thirteen inspirational women who never took no for an answer, and who always, inevitably and without fail, persisted.
          Throughout American history, there have always been women who have spoken out for what’s right, even when they have to fight to be heard. In early 2017, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s refusal to be silenced in the Senate inspired a spontaneous celebration of women who persevered in the face of adversity. In this book, Chelsea Clinton celebrates thirteen American women who helped shape our country through their tenacity, sometimes through speaking out, sometimes by staying seated, sometimes by captivating an audience. They all certainly persisted.
          She Persisted is for everyone who has ever wanted to speak up but has been told to quiet down, for everyone who has ever tried to reach for the stars but was told to sit down, and for everyone who has ever been made to feel unworthy or unimportant or small.
          With vivid, compelling art by Alexandra Boiger, this book shows readers that no matter what obstacles may be in their paths, they shouldn’t give up on their dreams. Persistence is power.
          This book features: Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Clara Lemlich, Nellie Bly, Maria Tallchief, Claudette Colvin, Ruby Bridges, Margaret Chase Smith, Sally Ride, Florence Griffith Joyner, Oprah Winfrey, Sonia Sotomayor—and one special cameo.
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PICTURE BOOK - Malala's Magic Pencil by Malal Yousafzai

Illustrated by Kerascoet (a husband wife team)
2017, Little Brown & Co.
HC $17.99
40 pgs.
Goodreads rating:  4.47 - 777 ratings
My rating:  5
Endpapers:  BOTH sides are a burst of journal and pencil in white on shiny gold background
Illustrations:  Edge-of-page to edge-of page, though lots of white is used in the background
1st line/s:  "When I was younger, I used to watch a TV show about a boy who had a magic pencil."

My comments:  A biography/memoir for young kids, written by Malala herself.  It's a gentle story of hope and dreams, touching on the ugliness of what happened to her but not dwelling on it.  The illustrations are magical, with lots of shiny gold used throughout and on the endpapers.  Highly recommended.

Goodreads: Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai's first picture book, inspired by her own childhood.
          Malala's first picture book will inspire young readers everywhere to find the magic all around them.
          As a child in Pakistan, Malala made a wish for a magic pencil. She would use it to make everyone happy, to erase the smell of garbage from her city, to sleep an extra hour in the morning. But as she grew older, Malala saw that there were more important things to wish for. She saw a world that needed fixing. And even if she never found a magic pencil, Malala realized that she could still work hard every day to make her wishes come true. 
          This beautifully illustrated volume tells Malala's story for a younger audience and shows them the worldview that allowed Malala to hold on to hope even in the most difficult of times.
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PICTURE BOOK - I Pledge Allegiance by Pat Mora & Libby Martinez

Illustrated by Patrice Barton
2014, Alfred A. Knopf
available in paper ($7.99) and HC ($16.99)
32 pgs.
Goodreads rating:  3.97 - 234 ratings
My rating: 4
Endpapers: A large, faint American flage with the words of the pledge in bold font

1st line/s:  'On Monday when I get to school, my teacher, Mrs. Adams, asks, "Did your great-aunt pass her test?"'

My comments: A good story and I very much enjoyed the illustrations.  Ms. Mora and Ms. Martinez collaborate on this story based on their great-aunt, who they called Lobo,  who became an American citizen in her late 70s.  It's also a story about memorizing The Pledge of Allegiance - both remembering the words and thinking about what they mean.  Very much recommended.

Goodreads:  Patriotism across the generations as a little girl and her great aunt learn the Pledge of Allegiance together.
     Libby's great aunt, Lobo, is from Mexico, but the United States has been her home for many years, and she wants to become a U.S. citizen. At the end of the week, Lobo will say the Pledge of Allegiance at a special ceremony. Libby is also learning the Pledge this week, at school-at the end of the week, she will stand up in front of everyone and lead the class in the Pledge. Libby and Lobo practice together-asking questions and sharing stories and memories-until they both stand tall and proud, with their hands over their hearts.
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PICTURE BOOK - Anna & Solomon by Elaine Snyder

Illustrated by Harry Bliss
2014, Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, NY
OP in hardcover, available for Kindle
32 pgs.
Goodreads rating: 3.83 - 109 ratings
My rating: 4
Endpapers: Light blue (solid)

1st line/s:  "Once -- and not once upon a time, because this is a true story -- in 1897 in Russia there lived a handsome young man who fell in love with a beautiful  young woman, and one bright day, under a canopy of leaves and spring flowers, they were married."

My comments:  Immigration, whether it happened over a hundred years ago or now, is still the story of people moving from one country to another.  So even though the true story of Anna & Solomon happened 1n 1897, we can certainly relate today.  And although this is the story of a loving Jewish couple, it could be the story of any couple of any religion or culture.  And this story has a bit of a twist to it....a twist which shows Solomon's patience and love for Anna!

Goodreads:  In 1897, a young man named Solomon fell in love with and married a beautiful young woman named Anna. They lived in Russia, which was dangerous at that time for a Jewish family, so Solomon moved to the United States, where he worked and saved until he had enough money to send Anna a ticket for the  voyage across the ocean. But when Solomon went to meet Anna’s ship, Anna’s younger brother was waiting for him. Solomon took in her brother and worried and saved until he could send the money for Anna’s passage again—but this time, Anna’s older brother was waiting. When Solomon sent the money a third time and Anna’s mother arrived, Solomon wondered if he would ever see his dear wife again. 
          Anna & Solomon is based on the true story of the author’s grandparents’ immigration. 
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