More finger puppets

As part of my preparation for craft fair season I've been making more finger puppets. Here are some of my recent favorites.
 

Batman and Puppets

When we discovered that 2014 marked the 75th year of Batman it seemed like the perfect idea for a program. So, Wednesday we had had our Batman celebration. With participants ranging in age from under a year old all the way up to adults, it was a major success. Plus, it was the perfect excuse to wear a costume.

Batman/superhero book display

Arkaham Asylum, photo op

The Streets of Gotham obstacle course

This was the end of the obstacle course and my favorite part - carry a baby over a pool of lava

Where does the Joker belong, other than in Arkham

Participants had the option to have their photo taken with these sound effect bubbles

Mr. Peanut served nicely as The Penguin.

Also this week we had our monthly puppet workshop. As always, the kids had some interesting puppets to share.

This was the original we made as an example

I love the eyes on this one. A little creepy but awesome.

Another dragon

This monster has excellent red eyes and sharp teeth

And this ogre is the complete package: warts, ear hair, snaggle tooth, and (if you look really closely) green glitter boogers crusting its nostril.

Book review - Stitching Snow

Title: Stitching Snow
Author: R.C. Lewis
Genre: fantasy/sci-fi
Similar books: Cinder by Marissa Meyer
                    The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor
Rating:

Loads of fun, a little dark

Summary: It has been eight years since Essie left home. Years that she spent hiding out on Thanda, a harsh mining planet, fixing mining drones, fighting in cage matches, and doing her best to avoid anything having to do with Windsong. All those years of avoidance come to an end when the mysterious Dane crashes in a field near Essie's mining colony on Thanda. Dane is keeping a lot of secrets and will admit only that he is hunting for a very special treasure. Essie just wants him gone. She's starting to get too comfortable with Dane and fears she'll let slip her own massive secrets. But increasing strife on Windsong means that neither of them will be able to stay away for long.
My opinion: This is a very different twist on the story of Snow White. Many of the more familiar elements are present (the dwarfs as robots, the poisoned apple as a necklace, the guard meant to kill her, that sort of thing) Lewis does not hold too strictly to the original plot, choosing instead to allow the plot to develop naturally, only touching back to the original story occasionally. Lewis has said in interviews that she centered her plot around a particular question: Why doesn't Snow White approach her father and those loyal to him for protection from the step-mother. While some versions of the tale kill the king early on, this book takes a darker, more predatory approach. this means that the primary conflict for Essie is one of personal safety versus social duty. While this book takes place on another planet, which can be distancing, Lewis does a decent job of world-building in such a way that we remain engrossed in the story, explaining politics and power structure of a planetary system without losing dramatic tension. If you like unique takes on familiar stories you'll enjoy this one.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin

Is there anything most kids love better than pizza? We can all relate to the way Rubin waxes eloquent about this king of foods. And Dan Salmieri's illustrations are spot on. His raccoon is equal parts pathetic and mischievous. And the plot is downright silly, with a broom enthusiast's club and broom bots with laser-beam eyes. Each page has loads of fun details to enjoy. The humor has just enough layering for old and young alike to enjoy.

WWW Wednesdays

What are you currently reading?
Every Breath by Ellie Marney
When Rachel Watts moved to Melbourne and became friends with James Mycroft she never expected that the friendship would get her involved in a mystery. A late night visit to the Melbourne Zoo uncovers the body of Homeless Dave, an eccentric friend of Mycroft's who has been violently murdered. Mycroft's personal connection with the victim paired with his obsession with forensics draws them into the investigation. His extreme focus and lack of boundaries, paired with Rachel's willingness to follow him, gets them into trouble.
My fondness for retellings is no secret, so when I came across this modern reimagined Sherlock Holmes I knew I had to read it. It's a little darker than other recent retellings but I'm enjoying it so far, particularly the interplay between Mycroft and Watts.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Centaur Rising by Jane Yolen
The night of the Perseid meteor shower Arianne spotted a strange ball of light in the fields around her family horse farm. A year later their pony gives birth to a baby centaur. The family must decide how to keep this strange creature safe without losing their farm. How long can they keep such a miraculous and magical being a secret? Especially when Arianne's little brother, a victim of Thalidomide related birth defects, forms a fast friendship with the centaur and their horse boarding clients are growing suspicious.
In tone, if not in plot, this book puts me in mind of A Wrinkle in Time. The magic and commonplace combine nicely, the presence of the centaur serving to bring to light the problems and issues their family is not facing. Yolen's writing is nearly flawless as always, her characters nuanced and likeable. 
 
What do you think you will read next?
Press Play by Eric Devine
A tale of self-esteem, hazing, and the choice to report an incident when it might cost everything you've been working toward. Not my usual choice of book but I've been trying read outside of my comfort zone.

Book review - Jackaby

Title: Jackaby
Author: William Ritter
Genre: fantasy/mystery
Similar books: The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
                     The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Rating:

All the best of Doctor Who and Sherlock combined into one cool mystery

Summary: Tired of the restrained life her parents had planned for her, Abigail Rook ran away from her school in search of adventure. Now she's landed in the United States and in desperate need of work. Her desperation leads her to Jackaby, an odd detective with an eye for the supernatural. Abigail hires on as Jackaby's assistant and finds herself in the middle of a serial murder investigation. The police are certain a regular man is to blame. Jackaby suspects something darker.
My opinion: When I saw this one described as "Doctor Who meets Sherlock" I was both thrilled and a more than a little bit skeptical. I'm a fan of both shows and don't really go for pale imitations. I needn't have been concerned. Jackaby is the perfect combination of the Doctor and Sherlock Holmes: self-assured, self-important, quirky, awkward, funny. He plots things out six steps in advance and is knowledgeable in everything yet misses the commonplace. The pacing was excellent, the twists sufficiently surprising. Abigail makes a good foil to Jackaby, keeping him grounded and giving the reader a more relatable character. Combining mystery, fantasy creatures, and a touch of romance, this novel has a little bit of something for everyone.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Customized shoes

A friend this summer asked me to customize some canvas sneakers for her. At last, I've finished them. I painted the canvas with simple acrylic paint and seal-coated them with Mod Podge. I'm pretty pleased with the results.