Friday, April 5, 2019

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Pushing Paper...


Excellent guessing, Riddlers. This week we're pushing paper. The theme is paper, but I've decided notebook is also a correct answer to this riddle, because it's made up of paper. Tune in Friday for Lizzy's middle grade book review and find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~F



Something handy to scratch out dreams or write down measurements when hanging beams. It could be thick, it could be thin—it could be made from untanned skin. An empty spot to fill up, though not at all like a cup. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Paper


Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations


Monday, April 1, 2019

Fairday's Riddle: Thought Containers...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? A useful item for keeping your wild imagination on record. ~ F

Something handy to scratch out dreams or write down measurements when hanging beams. It could be thick, it could be thin—it could be made from untanned skin. An empty spot to fill up, though not at all like a cup. 

What am I referring to? Stop by Friday for the answer.

I gave you a clue!

     ...








Monday, March 25, 2019

Margo's Musings: Who's the Unicorn of the Sea?


My little sister, Margo, loves unicorns and couldn’t resist the narwhal on the cover of a book we spotted at the library. Narwhals are the unicorns of the sea after all. We were in for a real treat, especially since this is a beginning graphic novel—a different format for Margo, but one she fell in love with.


Narwhal is a happy animal who is bubbly and sweet. He meets Jelly, who tells it like it is. Neither of them has ever seen a creature like the other, and their surprise is entertaining. They may seem like an unlikely pair, but the things they have in common give them a strong bond. Margo and I love their conversations, and we laughed out loud more than once.


Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea by Ben Clanton is an adorable graphic novel and perfect for beginners. Narwhal and Jelly are a duo that will appeal to kids and adults. They're silly and super cute. The book is made up of three stories or adventures- so you can read the whole book at once or divide it into different sessions. The illustrations are very sweet and make learning to read a graphic novel easier. The end of the book is great and even better is the fact that there's a whole series of Narwhal and Jelly books. I know we'll be reading more of these in the future.

Has anyone else read 
Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea? Or have you read another book by Ben Clanton? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
~ F

Friday, March 22, 2019

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Unicorn of the Sea


Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we're swimming with the unicorn of the sea. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the children's picture book Margo's picked out for us. See you all around the book block. ~F

Mystery lore speaks of me— lines spell under the sea. I enchant Arctic coasts and have a tooth my blessing boasts. 

What am I? Answer: Narwhal
Shark Dance

Monday, March 18, 2019

Fairday's Riddle: Enchantment Under the Sea

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? They're fascinating to learn about! ~ F

Mystery lore speaks of me— lines spell under the sea. I enchant Arctic coasts and have a tooth my blessing boasts. 

What am I? Stop by Friday for the answer

I gave you a clue!

Monday, March 11, 2019

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday (#MMGM) Book Review: The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Siblings Kate, Michael, and Emma, are whisked away one Christmas Eve when the oldest, Kate, was only four. Someone was after them, and for their protection they were given only the last name of P. They don’t know who they are and if they will ever see their parents again. Going from one orphanage to another and never being able to find a home was discouraging, but Kate as the oldest, did her best to make things okay for her younger brother and sister no matter where they were. When they were finally sent to the last orphanage, Cambridge Falls, it was far away and dismal. There they met Dr. Pym and his housekeeper. They lived in a large home and the siblings seemed to be the only orphans in the place, which they thought was odd. They do love the amazing food and the kind adults. It isn’t long before they discover a magical book. This book transports them back in time to when Cambridge Falls was ruled by the Countess, an evil, witchy woman who imprisoned the children of the town. The Countess wants the book and will stop at nothing to get her way. Can Kate Emma and Michael ever get back to the present time? What will happen if the Countess gets the book? What exactly can the book/atlas do? Take a journey through time and space to find out!

I have had The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens on my list of books to read for at least two years. I am thrilled that I finally got to it. I listened to the audio book version read by my favorite narrator, Jim Dale (narrator of the Harry Potter series). Kate, Emma, and Michael are siblings unified by their family bond, but they also have very different personalities. They fight, but they love each other. I felt bad for Kate because her life involves being so grown-up and responsible because their parents are gone and she’s the oldest. I love the fantasy aspects of the book because it was very exciting to learn about the magic and how it worked. The atlas intrigued me and I am very curious about the other two books in the set. I would recommend this book to kids and adults who like fantasy, magic, and time travel. Those are some of my favorite things! I enjoyed the fantastical characters, and the evil ones were done very well because I didn’t like them at all. I look forward to reading more books by this author and I already have the next book in the series.

Has anyone else read The Emerald Atlas? Or have you read another book by John Stephens? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~ L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Friday, March 8, 2019

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Connecting Spots

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Compass was a great answer, but we're traveling with an atlas. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into Lizzy's middle grade book review. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Looking for a place in mind? If I'm on hand, it's a find. Standing at the western edge, heaven bears this Titan's pledge. Traveling hands mark the spots, I will help connect the dots.

What am I? Answer: Atlas
Titan, Atlas

Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations