It's been a marvelous year sharing stories with you. Here's our top picks for 2016, part 2!
I first heard about The War That Saved My Life on The Children’s War blog. I am so happy I had a chance to read it. The characters in the book really come to life... Read Lizzy's full review
I have wanted to read The Eighth Day by Dianne K. Salerni since I first heard about it. Maybe it's because I've thought a lot about having an extra day in the week. That would be excellent! I could get so much done on that day and even catch up on sleep! Read Lizzy's full review
Stay tuned! We have lots of great books in store for 2017! See you all around the book block. ;)
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It's been a marvelous year sharing stories with you, and this week we're spotlighting our top picks for 2016! Catch the buzz on these great books...
Will's Words by Jane Sutcliffe is such a cool book. Not only is
it interesting to find out how many terms William Shakespeare came up
with, BUT the added bonus of locating him in every magnificent
illustration is extremely entertaining. Watch out, Waldo!
I recommend Soldier to anyone who likes to celebrate what makes
us each unique and those who understand that creating a better world
starts with personal acts of kindness.
Happy New Year! This week, we'll be spotlighting our favorite stories from 2016. Stop by Wednesday and Friday to find out what books should be in your bag. ; ) ~ DMS
CATCH FAIRDAY IN THE WILD!
To help us celebrate the paperback release of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrowsnapa photo of Fairday in the wild! If you see her in a bookstore, shop, or at someone's house simply take a picture and share it via social media (or email the picture to haightjess@gmail.com). Make sure to tag us when you share it! For each share you will be entered to win a $50 Visa Gift Card. Contest is open internationally and runs until 2/28/17. Good luck and happy character spotting!
We'll be on break to spend time with friends and family. We wish everyone a wonderful holiday season. See you in 2017! ~ DMS
Here's Frosty the Snowman for your listening pleasure.
Fun to sing along. We made our own version too!
Ruby Begonia was a mystery they say.
With her wild red hair and bright green eyes, she was lost on her wedding day.
Ruby Begonia may be sneaking 'round the way.
You won't see her, though she'll let you know, she'll be back again one day.
Clackety, clack, clack. Clackety, clack, clack. Where does Ruby go?
Clackety, clack, clack. Clackety, clack, clack.
Read the book to know. :)
MERRY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL THE CHARACTERS AT THE BEGONIA HOUSE!
Here's where we been in December, revealing the paperback and sharing secrets with our friends around the book block. Thanks for celebrating Fairday's 1st book birthday with us!
Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Friday, we'll be keeping it cool with a frosty treat! See you all around the book block. ; )
A magic hat hopped away, a fairytale is what they say. Children danced with Christmas snow, putting on quite a show. Finders keepers, they ran away; the snow was sure to melt one day! A man in blue hollered "STOP!"; spinning 'round like a top. Not believing his own eyes, they paraded past to his surprise. Of course, a magician owned that hat, and he was a sneaky rat. Tried to take back his prize, greed sparkling in his eyes. Red poinsettias marked the spot where it became much too hot. A girl wept for her friend, thinking it the bitter end. BUT, magic has its own way and will come another day. What am I referring to? Answer: Frosty the Snowman!
Fairday's Riddles: Volume I Make time to riddle and rhyme! 62 original riddles and illustrations Available in all e-book formats
Here is where we've been this December spreading the news about the paperback cover:
Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? We're keeping it chilly, so he'll stick around. ; ) ~ F
A magic hat hopped away, a fairytale is what they say. Children danced with Christmas snow, putting on quite a show. Finders keepers, they ran away; the snow was sure to melt one day! A man in blue hollered "STOP!"; spinning 'round like a top. Not believing his own eyes, they paraded past to his surprise. Of course, a magician owned that hat, and he was a sneaky rat. Tried to take back his prize, greed sparkling in his eyes. Red poinsettias marked the spot where it became much too hot. A girl wept for her friend, thinking it the bitter end. BUT, magic has its own way and will come another day. What am I referring to? Stop by Wednesday for the answer!
I gave you a clue!
Here is where we've been so far this December spreading the news about the paperback cover:
In 1942 twelve year old Tomi Itano and her
family work on their strawberry farm in California. She loves the way the red
berries look against the white clouds and blue sky because it reminds her of
the flag. She is a second generation Japanese American and couldn’t be more
proud to be an American. When Tomi walks to town with her younger brother she
is surprised to see a sign in a window proclaiming that Japanese are not
allowed. She and her brothers were born in America, and they don’t even speak
Japanese. Her father is suspected of being a spy and is taken away in handcuffs,
and the fear in her heart becomes very real. Soon Tomi’s mother is selling all
their belongings except a few things they will take with them when the
government relocates them. Where are they going? They aren’t sure, but they
eventually end up in an internment camp with other Japanese families they don’t
know in Colorado. Tomi works to have a good attitude and helps her mom make
their new home feel a little better. As time stretches on and the family is
forced to live in poor conditions apart from the rest of the country, it's harder to be positive. Tomi is confused by the way they're treated
and becomes bitter. Will Tomi see her father again? How long with the
Itanos and other families need to stay in the internment camp? Will things ever
get better? You’ll have to read this book to find out how things turn out for
Tomi and her family.
Red Berries, White
Clouds, Blue Sky by Sandra Dallas is
a wonderful historical fiction book about a family who will tug at your heart. I
could relate to Tomi and I felt sad for her when her life changed. I can’t
imagine having to go through something like that, and not knowing if her life
would ever go back to normal must have been terrifying. I would recommend this
book to kids in fourth grade and up who enjoy learning about history. I think a
lot of people know about World War II, but so many kids, and I am sure some
adults, do not know much about internment camps. We get to see what life was like for a
typical family who was forced out of their home and had to live under government
supervision. I found myself hoping that good things would come their way and
was impressed with their perseverance. We can all learn a lot from history and
it is a reminder not to judge people or treat them differently because of their
background. I look forward to reading more books about this time in
history.
Has anyone else read Red Berries, White
Clouds, Blue Sky? Or have you read another book by Sandra Dallas? We’d love
to hear your thoughts!
