MIttens

This fall my sister asked for a warm pair of mittens. When I didn't find anything that fit the bill in stores I figured I'd make some. I used a basic mitten pattern and knit it in a soft bulky weight yarn. For extra warmth, I sewed liners out of fuzzy fleece left over from Fred the goat. They are very thick and soft. And quite warm, I'm told.

Book review - The Question of Miracles

Title: The Question of Miracles
Author: Elana K. Arnold
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Circa Now by Amber McRee Turner
                     What I Came to Tell You by Tommy Hays
Rating:

really captured my attention

Summary: Iris hates her new life in Corvalis, Oregon. Her family's new house is much older than their house in California, cold and with different furniture that doesn't feel like home. It rains non-stop. Nothing has felt right since her best friend Sarah died. Then she meets Boris. Boris who has poor table manners, a know-it-all attitude, and no friends (but hanging out with him is better than eating alone). Boris who's medical miracle history just might make him the key to talking to Sarah one more time.

My opinion: Some books are able to help kids work through tough issues. This strikes me as one of those books. Elana Arnold explores Big Questions of life, death, and miracles. She doesn't attempt to give any concrete answers, just guides readers to the idea that we have to go on living after loss. The secondary characters don't have a huge amount of depth but personally I got so caught up in Iris's story that I didn't really notice this minor short-coming. Iris and her family are really charming. I really got caught up in their world. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: Grief

I'm always interested to see how novels treat sensitive topics. They explore an issue like grief from a number of perspectives. Here are six novels written in the last six months that have grief as a central issue.

6 new novels about grief

1. Words and Their Meanings by Kate Bassett

2. Nest by Esther Erlich

3. The Odyssey of Falling by Paige Crutcher

4. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nivens

5. The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley by Shaun Hutchinson

6. The Question of Miracles by Elana K. Arnold

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?
Rock War by Robert Muchamore
Three teens in find themselves preparing for a Battle of the Bands. Jay dreams of being a rock star but he's held back by his large family and less than dedicated band mates. Summer's life has always been focused on school and taking care of her Nan. She joins a band just to give herself something more, but fear holds her back. Dylan would rather hang out and smoke than anything else but he'd rather be in a band than play rugby.
I'm pretty interested to see how these three stories develop and intertwine.
 
What did you recently finish reading?
Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes
When she's caught shoplifting, Lex has just one chance to avoid a criminal record: work at the Smart Mart where she committed her crime. She expects it to be the worst summer of her life, surrounded by losers and weirdos. Smart Mart turns out not to be so bad, especially when she gets to know shy but fascinating Noah. If only Noah hadn't betrayed her best friend Bryce, making any crossover between her two worlds virtually impossible.
Certainly not my favorite read of the year. Paper or Plastic is a pretty standard teen romance. Useful for entertainment with a solid "awww" factor.
 
What do you think you will read next?
Blues for Zoey by Robert Paul Weston
Music and teens with big secrets. Could be fantastic. 

Book review - Clover's Luck

Title: Clover's Luck
Author: Kallie George
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner
                     Stranger Things by David Lubar
Rating:

good fun

Summary: Clover has always had bad luck, especially when it comes to pets. While trying to track down her escaped pet bird, Clover happens upon a sign for an animal adoption agency looking for a volunteer. When she checks it out, Clover is delighted to find the pets are unlike any she's ever seen. these pets are magic. Her new job will take all of Clover's wisdom, courage, and a little luck.

My opinion: This new series will be a great choice for magic lovers just beginning to read chapter books independently. Populated by wizards, witches, fairy horses, dragons, and even a magical toad, Clover's Luck has a rather enchanting atmosphere. With a clear plot and easily understood vocabulary, it is likely to go over well with young kids.

More information: Clover's Luck is the first book in the Magical Animal Adoption Agency series.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Custom bags

While shopping at Dollar Tree this fall, I came across some nylon cinch bags. I'd been wanting to personalize some bags for a while and these seemed to fit the bill nicely. I did up some quick sketches and copied them onto the bags with fabric marker. I'm pretty happy with the result.

Samurai Sloth

My attempt at a pun. If you can't read it it says "A prime cut of beef"

A fancy lady giraffe

 

Book review - It's Up to Charlie Hardin

Title: It's Up to Charlie Hardin
Author: Dean Ing
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Great Brain by John D. Fitzgerald
                     Soup by Robert Newton Peck
Rating:

Charming

Summary: When Charlie and his pals get together it always seems to end in trouble. Whether they're playing war, scraping together money for a movie, exploring the forbidden culvert, or any number of other schemes, Jackie, Roy, and especially Aaron know that sometimes it's up to Charlie Hardin to get things done.

My opinion: Charlie's Austin Texas is delightfully described from the perspective of a young boy. Instead of the majesty of night skies and chirping birds we get trees that are perfectly positioned to serve as a pathway over away, pipes that echo with what might just be a ghost cat, and both the grossness and the promise of a pond. Styled after Tom Sawyer, It's Up to Charlie Hardin carries the same sort of tone and atmosphere. While that makes for a rather charming read, that slower pacing and the length may make it something of a hard sell for the average young reader.

More information: It's Up to Charlie Hardin releases February 3rd.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.