Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Play it Again...

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we'll be repeating ourselves, so stay tuned. This week we'll be repeating ourselves. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Deja vu comes with this—a sticking point in a tiff. Circling back around again, the same as what it was once then. Hands will know what to do when you've played a game or two.  If Mario beats the guys, a level up is no surprise. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Repeat.

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 

Make time to riddle and rhyme!

62 original riddles and illustrations

Fairday's Riddle: Do It Again?

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? Sometimes it's good for practice, but often doing this can be frustrating. ~ F

Deja vu comes with this—a sticking point in a tiff. Circling back around again, the same as what it was once then. Hands will know what to do when you've played a game or two.  If Mario beats the guys, a level up is no surprise. 

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

I gave you a clue!

Margo's Musings: Are There Fish in the Fountain?

During the summer I am loving going to the Ashpot Library and picking out a stack of books to read with my little sister, Margo. Usually she is with me selecting whatever books catch her eye, so our pile is a group effort. I knew as soon as I saw the bright yellow cover on display that we would be adding the book to our collection. Sure enough- as soon as she saw it she started pointing and saying, “Lellow! Lellow”. It’s been her favorite color this month and she wants everything yellow. 

Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones is a fun story about three siblings who each have a goldfish. They live in a small apartment in New York City and summer vacation is coming. The kids aren’t going away, but a lot of their friends are leaving the city over the break. Right around that time, the vandalized and crumbling fountain near their apartment begins to be repaired by a man who is making it look beautiful. Not only that- but a sign goes up asking people to bring their goldfish to the fountain on a specific date so they can go on “vacation”.  How exciting! People flock to the fountain and the man helps them put their fish in the water.  Each day kids go to the fountain to visit their fish and this gives them the chance to play with other kids who are doing the same thing. At the end of the summer everyone will need to collect their fish when it is time to go back school.

The book has vibrant illustrations that will appeal to kids and adults. I found the idea of goldfish going on a vacation to be fascinating. I am not sure everyone would be okay with dropping off their fish and getting a different fish back. Since a lot of families go away during the summer, it is a good way for the fish to be fed and cared for. 

The Author’s Note at the end of the book explains that this book is the made up true story about a real fountain in New York City where goldfish went on vacation from 1992 to 2005. I can’t believe I never heard of this before! Next time we go to NYC I have to go visit the Hamilton Fountain to see it for myself. From what I have read about it- the fountain was quite a controversy when it was built.

Photo from SallyLloyd-jones.com

Has anyone else read Goldfish on Vacation? Or have you read another book by Sally Lloyd-Jones? Or have you visited Hamilton Fountain? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
~ F

We'll be on a blog break until August. 

Enjoy the summer days! 

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Flowing Fountains

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we'll meet by the fountain. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Sir Luckless found fortune by taking a dip. You may feel young if you have a sip. Drop in a penny, make a wish, poke around with bubble-eyed fish. Babbling drips of spritzing spray sparkle and flow in water play. Center pond or city street—nice spot for a meet and greet. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Fountain!

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 

Make time to riddle and rhyme!

62 original riddles and illustrations

Fairday's Riddle: Falling Waters...

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme this week? I'll be impressed with anyone who gets the J.K. reference. ~ F

Sir Luckless found fortune by taking a dip. You may feel young if you have a sip. Drop in a penny, make a wish, poke around with bubble-eyed fish. Babbling drips of spritzing spray sparkle and flow in water play. Center pond or city street—nice spot for a meet and greet. 

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

I gave you a clue!

Can a Nest Protect Chirp?

Growing up in the 1970s Naomi Orenstein, otherwise known as Chirp, is just trying to have fun. Her older sister, Rachel, still does silly things with her, but much of the time Chirp is on her own. She loves to spend time watching the wild birds and their nests. Her family is big on dancing, after all her mom is a dancer. Chirp dances her way around the small town practicing her own leaps and twirls. When she finds out that her mother has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis her whole world turns upside down. Her mother goes into a depression and nothing Chirp does seems to cheer her up. Chirp begins an unlikely friendship with Joey, the boy next-door. Considering her sister is off doing more grown-up things Chirp needs this friend. He seems to understand her on a deep level, but she still doesn’t tell him all that's happening at her house. She doesn’t want people to know her mother had to be admitted to a mental institution to get out of her depression. When her mom is suddenly back after a long absence Chirp does something that puts a void in her friendship with Joey. And then things go from bad to worse. She doesn’t know what to do. It’s like she’s an empty shell and a part of her has been ripped apart. Chirp shuts herself up in her room building a nest of blankets and pillows to protect and sooth herself. Will Chirp ever be able to recover from the blow that changed her life? Will her family be able to pick up the pieces and move on? Can her friendship with Joey be repaired? You’ll have to read this heartbreaking story of a girl, her life, and the struggles she goes through.

Nest by Esther Ehrlich was a book that has been on my To Be Read list for years. It’s been on there so long, but I don’t even remember where I first heard about it! But I do know that I’m glad I heard about it because this book touched me and the characters have stayed with me long after turning the last page. Reading a story about someone being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the 1970s, when so little was known about it, was very eye-opening, and it really tugged at my heart. Seeing the world through Chirp’s eyes made me appreciate all that I see out in nature; each bird, the wind rustling through the trees, and the way the water moves. I liked reading about the way the friendship between Joey and Chirp develops, even when it had its problems. They both seem like realistic characters and their friendship was believable. When the tragedy came- I knew it was coming, and I was almost afraid to read on. I even started to cry, but through my tears I read on and my heart went out to Chirp. This is a story about a girl who goes through many life-changing moments and struggles that were even harder to talk about in the 1970s than they are today. I recommend this book to readers ten and up who are looking for a book that will make them think and feel. I definitely recommend having a box of tissues next to you while you read. This was my first book by Esther Ehrlich, but I know I’ll be reading more by her in the future.

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Has anyone else read Nest? Or have you read another book by Esther Ehrlich? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~L

🌞

Happy 4th of July! We're on summer break this week, but we'll be back again soon with more riddles to solve and stories to share. Enjoy the sun! ~ F & L

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Rest in a Nest!

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! This week we're peeping at nests. Tune in Monday for Lizzy's book review and find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~ F

Set high, twigs and bits, guarding that which fits and sits. Peeps waiting for their flight call on mom to bring a bite. Tucked in safe, living free, mostly found in a tree. 

What am I referring to? Answer: Nest!

Riddle clue

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 

Make time to riddle and rhyme!

62 original riddles and illustrations