Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton

from goodreads

4 stars

I am so glad that I do not live in the public eye, constantly under scrutiny and judged over the most trivial thing, like what length your hair is, or what colour of dress you wear. I think that their is enough judgement that comes from your own self that anyone else's efforts are needless repetitions. 

Comparing ourselves to others is the universal way of measuring our success in life, to see how we are doing and if we need to make adjustments. Comparison, in itself is not bad, when we use it to buoy ourselves up, push ourselves to go farther and to become our best selves. But when we use it to put ourselves and others down, it is not a good thing. We need to help each other reach our greatest potential. We do not need to be pulling others down to make ourselves feel good. It is a lesson I am trying to instill in my girls. Hopefully it is working. They are kind to others which is good, but they do still keep on asking for an ipod so they can be like their friends. Hmm... I think we still have a ways to go.

Synopsis

This book was written shortly after the Clinton's left the White House. It begins with her early childhood in the suburbs of Chicago and covers her courtship with Bill, their time in Arkansas, the presidential run and the eight years in office. It ends with her senatorial campaign. It gives a behind the scenes look at government and family life. You also get to understand Hillary and her passions and interests.

My Thoughts

To start with, I love the title. It is simple, yet clever, and perfectly describes their life in the White House. 

I read this for my book club. Going into it I didn't know much about Hillary at all, other than she was a former first lady, senator and Secretary of State. I didn't know much about her personally. Whenever I thought of her I guess I saw her as a strong feminist who thought that if women weren't in the workforce and were at home instead they would be a failure to the female part of the species. 

After reading this I realize that is not true, yes she is a feminist, but not in the crazy must be like a man in every way type of feminism, but in a way that shows we are capable and that we can make choices about our lives and not have it dictated. That women are of important value in societies no matter what role they decide to play. She seems a lot more mellow and grounded, then what I might have previously thought.

I loved how she talked about her struggle to figure out what her role was going to be as first lady. I loved hearing about the international meetings she had in promoting women's and human's rights. I was surprised to learn about her strong faith. I didn't realize how important it was to her and it was interesting to learn about that. I also thought it was interesting that she was a republican until the end of university.

I found her writing to be easy to read and approachable. Being Canadian it was interesting to see how the political system in the States work, how big money can skew what is really best for people (insurance companies and health care) and how much scandal there seems to be about everything. In Canada it might not be much better, but it doesn't seem to be as negative but maybe that's just me.

One part of the book I did not find interesting, so I always glossed over it, was when she was writing about the white water scandal. I don't even know all the ins and out about it but it seems pretty stupid and a waste of money and in turn a waste of paper in the book. I guess she felt the need to tell her side of the story about it, but, it was boring and may have made others not want to read the other interesting and enlightening details in the book.

Whatever your political views, this is a great book to read. It sheds light on important issues such as healthcare, women's rights, and a welfare system that encourages entry into the workforce. It gives food for thought, as some really neat pictures, and lets you peek inside an interesting time when the Clinton's were living history.

Fancy Nancy: Aspiring Artist by Jane O'Connor Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

from goodreads

5 stars

It always amazing me how startlingly similar my girls can be but then how completely different they can be. Both girls like crafts, building things in the back yard, riding their bikes and helping in the kitchen. Where they differ is in their fashion sense.

My oldest doesn't care what she wears. As long as things are covering her body she's fine. It almost seems the more the outfit clashes the better it is.

My middle child on the other hand is very much the fashionista. At least once a week she has a melt down over what shorts or skirt she should wear with a top. Or, what is fancy or not. She will come out of her room some days and ask "Hey mom! Do I look fashion?" To which I answer "oh yes, very fashion." She will even pose and swish her hair around.

How they became so different in their fashion sense I will never know. I myself I am in the middle. I like to look o.k. but I don't worry about looking too fancy. My only worry is that if a five year old can have a fashion meltdown what will she be like when she is older?

Synopsis

This is one book of a series of Fancy Nancy Books. In this book Nancy decides she is going to be an artist. Each day she decides to try a new medium of art and learns about real artists as well.

My Thoughts

This is one popular series that I actually like. There are some books in the series that aren't as clever as others but on the whole it is a well done series. I love how Nancy uses "fancy" words and describes their meaning, thus broadening the children's vocabulary. I love how she wants to speak in french. I also love how sometimes Nancy gets into sticky situations or awkward social situations, but how she resolves it in a way that make everyone happy. She apologizes when she needs to, she makes things right when she needs to, and she shows love when she needs to.

This book was great. I loved how it introduces the children to different artists and art forms. It shows them watercolour, mosaic, abstract, etc. It was also fun to see what things Nancy did or saw for inspiration.

The illustrations in this book are so fun and make everything so fancy. The illustrator definitely captures what each little girl would consider to be fancy. My girls spend hours just looking at the pictures and seeing all the different things they could use to make their rooms more fancy. Each corner of the illustrations has something that become a feast for the eyes. I also like how she shows it doesn't take a lot to make something fancy.

The only thing I don't like about the these books is my fancy daughter now has new ideas of what we have to do to become fancy! I think I will have to buy stock in frilly toothpicks and glitter!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

from goodreads

4 stars

I hate to admit it, but, there are times when my children are nothing but t.v. zombies. We are not constantly cuddling on the couch with stacks of books around us, and the children smiling and excitedly saying, "read us another one Mommy!" There are days when they merely endure the story so they can watch shows on youTube or a movie on the t.v. (We don't have cable so they are kind of limited to what they can watch. Best decision ever, and way cheaper too!)

So, sometimes they have seen the movie before knowing it was a book. My one friend has a rule for her kids. When they read the book they can watch the movie. I think that is a pretty cool rule. It encourages the habit of reading but still lets them enjoy the movies that their friends are probably watching. The only thing with that rule is that sometimes we aren't always aware that some movies are based on books. Example for that is the movie Rise of the Guardians, I realize it was based on a series of books by William Joyce months after we had seen it.

What do you do to encourage reading in your children? Do they see the movie before they read the books too?

Synopsis

Charlie Bucket is a poor boy from a family that is poor in money but rich in love. There is nothing he loves more in the world than chocolate. When Willy Wonka open's his factory for the first time in years Charlie can't wait to see the marvels that are in store.

My Thoughts

This is a fun and whimsical tale. This is the first chapter book I read aloud to my children, ages 7 and 5, and they loved it. It even held the 5 year-olds' attention. I am not sure if they loved it because they reminded of the movie (the Tim Burton version) or if it is the whimsical nature of the story.

I love the songs the oompa loompa's sing. They are like little mini parenting sessions that remind us of the ills of having greedy children. They gently remind us, sometimes not so gently, that what children need are love, rules and ways that they can help others.

Their is almost a magic quality to the book. How did Willy Wonka know that only one child would make it through his factory? How did he know four greedy children would get tickets and one nice one would get one. And how did he know they would be found before the appointed day? The only answer I can come up with is magic.

Dahl's writing is not always to everyone's taste. I started reading Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator to my kids and quite frankly, I don't know if I will be able to continue. It is not the same or as good as the first one. Dahl writes in a world where anything truly can happen, which is refreshing but also sometimes hard to read. I think you have to be in the right mood for some of his books. One of my friends can't stand his writing and has never read any of his books, her husband on the other hand read them all to their children.

So, if you want to try out Dahl's writing give Charlie and the Chocolate Factory a try. I think it will be a good one to ease your way into his writing. And after reading you want to watch the movie, the Tim Burton movie version of this book is pretty good. I find it more believable than the other one made in the 70s. I feel that Burton gets, Dahl and what he was trying to get across.

Proud Rooster and Little Hen by Carl Sommer Illustrated by Greg Budwine

3 stars

from googlebooks

Eek! I can't believe I forgot to post yesterday. This whole keeping up with everything is really getting to me. I guess I need to work on my posts more in advance then the day of, as the day just slips away from me.

It has also been hard to figure out which children's book to choose as 1) we are reading a lot and it is hard to narrow it down and 2) a lot of the books the kids are choosing are the learn-to-read one's which I can't stand. Now when we go to the library I let them choose one of those kind but their other book has to be a picture book. So help me, if I am going to read to them it will be a story worth reading, not some crazy swiss cheese type plot book. (Swiss cheese referring to the holes, like holes in the plot, not cheesy plotlines.) Do you put limits on what your kids get from the library? Do you try to steer their choices, while letting them still choose or do you give them complete freedom?

Synopsis

Proud Rooster thinks that he knows better than anybody else. He does not listen to warnings and that sometimes gets him in trouble. His father tells Proud Rooster if he doesn't change soon he may learn his lesson when it is too little to late. Read and watch to see if Proud Rooster changes in time or not.

My Thoughts

Books with a moral are not a bad thing. It can be helpful when children see characters in books behaving inappropriately and they can identify that. It is easier for them to see what someone else is doing wrong and then internalize it than seeing what they are doing wrong. But good grief. Can we teach kids a moral with out it seeming like, listen or you die!

Proud Rooster doesn't listen. He doesn't listen to his friends when they tell him not to climb as high on the tree. What happens, the branch snaps and he falls to the ground breaking his arms and legs and he is unconscious. Does he learn his lesson then? Nope! After months of being in casts Proud Rooster can finally go out to play and what happens. He nearly dies because he goes on ice and falls through. He seems to finally learn his lesson after that catastrophe. But seriously. You would have thought that after breaking all his limbs and probably having a severe concussion Little Rooster might have been a bit more cautious about the whole ice thing. Like, really the day his casts come off that's when he goes on the ice? I'm all for teaching kids the dangers gravity can pose and learning ice safety, but really?

It just seems a bit to in your face to be too much of an enjoyable story. When my husband was reading this to the girls he was laughing with shock at the storyline. And the illustrations were pretty crazy too. When Proud Rooster is unconscious there are x's over his eyes. Very stark.

So, this book is great if you want some pipsqueak to learn a lesson in a pretty upfront type of way. If you are looking for a nice story to cuddle up with you kids and possibly learn a nice message, I don't think this is the book for you. It doesn't really make a great cuddle book.

All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot

from goodreads

3.75 stars

Sometimes, when the children are asleep and my husband and I are talking, we think of occupations that might be fun to try, or occupations that we would not want to do in a million years, even if the money was excellent. Doctors and vets are two jobs that we have no aspirations to ever try. Don't get me wrong, we are very glad that other people have chosen the noble professions and that they are there for us to use. But, both my husband and I don't want to have to put our hands or fingers up anyone's rectum. No thank you. Now, we aren't that squeamish. After having kids bodily fluids don't really affect me too much, but I'll be had if I'm going to put anything up someone's rectum. Reading Herriot has once again reinforced the fact that I like my hands and it's digits where I can see them. So for those who are doctors and vets, my hat goes off to you.

Synopsis

James Herriot recounts the days when he is newly graduated from vet school and has landed a job working in the Yorkshire dales. He tells about animals he's helped, bosses he has dealt with and farmers who he tries to please.

My Thoughts

This was an entertaining read, though not as entertaining as I remember All Things Bright and Beautiful as being. I read All Things Bright and Beautiful in high school for a class assignment and I remember myself laughing aloud a lot. While interesting things happened in All Creatures Great and Small it didn't hook me as much as the other one and I guess I just wasn't as amused. Perhaps if I reread All Things Bright and Beautiful I would change my mind about it. I don't know?

What is great about this book is how it transports you to a different time and era. It seems to be a simple time, a quaint time. Yet even though things were so different the types of people remain the same. There is the boss who doesn't listen or act promptly when you tell him something and then all of the sudden it is your fault if the thing you warned about goes wrong. There are the pompous people who think they know better, or know of an uncle or cousin who would have known better. There are the humble who though have meager circumstances yet are so thoughtful and giving. And then you have the crazy rich ladies who have stationary for their pets. This could have been set in almost any location around the world and you probably would have a similar cast of characters.

This book covered the courtship with his wife Helen. That is something we all can relate to. The awkward first stages, the courage to ask them out, the wishing to show off or please them. The disastrous dates and then the great redemption when you are just yourself. He probably wasn't laughing about it back when it happened but it is nice when you can laugh about it years later.

A friend of ours is a large animal vet. While reading about Herriot's dealings with cows and horses, it made me think of my friend and wonder how similarly he does things now. In Herriot's time there weren't a large array of antibiotics or other medications. Often they used random elixirs and hoped for the best. If an animal was birthing he had to stick his hand in and have a feel. Now my friend has ultrasound machines, and arsenal of medications that can be used. He still has some great stories to tell and his wife is encouraging him to write them down.

One thing I was amazed at while I was reading was how they didn't get into any accidents with the driving after drinking, having cars with bad tires and not always functioning brakes and crazy roads. Someone must have been looking out for him.

So, while this book did not inspire me to want to be a vet in the slightest it did inspire me to live a simple life and take joy in the scenery around me.

Duck, Duck, Moose! by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

from goodreads

4 stars

Today is a beautiful day. It is not too hot or too cold. The humidity is low and now the sun is out and the sky is a beautiful blue. Life is pretty good.

The schedule I wanted for the summer isn't in full swing but, that is okay. T.V. and YouTube watching has been at a minimum, I am actually reading to my kids consistently and we are having fun going to the library. Yesterday they went to a cool program that the University of Waterloo is putting on (at the library) and learned all about animals and the different senses they use to help them in life. They were so excited on the way home. Instead of arguing or asking for things, they were telling me all about what they learned. That is a win for the day!

Yep, this summer is going awesome. I think the only thing that could make it even more great would be a hammock. (wink wink, nod nod)

Synopsis

Using just the words duck and moose we learn of the tense relationship the ducks and moose have. But in the end friendship is key.

My Thoughts

This is a great picture book that is geared to probably 5 and under, though there are elements that older children would enjoy. The use of simple words help the early readers.

I totally identify with this book. In it the ducks are neat and orderly and some how the moose always messes things up, like missing the door and running through the walls, walking and reading and running into a giant cake and other mayhem. That is my life. I have all these excellent plans, like having the living room tidy for longer than a minute, but then my three little moose, especially the youngest one, always manage to do the one thing that inflicts the most damage. It's like, "really, you had to do that one thing." Sometimes you just have to shake your head and go with it. But, like the ducks, I love my moose and want to make them happy and special.

The illustrations are fun. They convey the fun and mayhem perfectly. And you can't help thinking "poor moose" when you look at them.

I think your kids will really like this and after a few times through they will be reading it themselves, so you can read your own book. That is a win!

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

from goodreads

3.5 stars

This is the first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I have wanted to read this for a long time. My brother in-law loves the series. Every time I went to the library to get it, it was out. I could have put it on hold but, there was so many other things to read I didn't bother. Finally I saw it at my moms house and I nabbed it. Gotta love Mom's library!

Synopsis

This book is about a 12 year old boy named Percy. He is sent to different boarding schools, and when he is home, his step-father makes life miserable. Through a series of crazy events Percy finds out that he is really the son of an Olympus god. With this knowledge Percy sets out on an adventure to get back Zeus' master lightning bolt that was stolen and save the world from WW III.

My Thoughts

This was an enjoyable read. It was a nice and clean adventure book, with no innuendoes. I think children ages 10 and up would enjoy this book, as well as their parents.

While I was reading I kept picturing Percy as being older, around 14. I kept having to remind myself that he was only 12. So, some of the plot lines were a bit less believable because of the age discrepancy but it wasn't that much of a big deal.

The pacing of the story was a bit odd for me. Some parts seemed to move quickly and felt rushed. Other parts were long and drawn out. There were also scenes that occurred that did not enhance the story and seemed to only be there for filler. Las Vegas, I am thinking of you.

I like the idea of greek gods not leaving the world but just moving their "capital" to be where the ruler of the west currently was.

I think I will read the rest of the series at some point. It is no Harry Potter, but it is still pretty good.

Les Petits Fairytales by Trixie Belle and Melissa Caruso-Scott Illustrated by Oliver Lake

from goodreads

4 stars

Summer reading is in full swing. We have signed up the kids for the summer reading program. They are always excited to tell the library worker about the books they read and see what cool prize they get. We went to story time today and the kids were quite tickled when one of the books that was read was one we had read recently. To see which book it was click here.

I have been trying to get books that will encourage and help develop the reading skills in my five year old. At school they send home books, so it is easy to do. I have been hunting the shelves to find books that have good picture hints and are not too wordy. For my seven year old I have been looking for french books to help continue her french vocabulary from the school year. So far it has been a fun reading summer adventure.

Synopsis

This is a board book series. Each book is a famous fairytale. There is only one word on each page which describes the main item for the story.

My Thoughts

This is a really cute series. I picked them out for my five year old. They were great to help her read. The drawings were really cute and she loved describing what the picture was showing. So far we have read Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and the Beast and Little Red Riding Hood and she wants to read more.

These are good for emerging readers and for toddlers. As it is simple and straightforward. My seven year old did like the pictures, but it wasn't as exciting for her.

If you are looking for cute books to introduce fairytales to your youngsters or want to encourage reading and vocabulary learning these are great books.

Our Lady of the Forest by David Guterson

from goodreads

1.5 stars

Well, I know I am officially in the throes of summer now. I am loosing track of what day of the week it is, housework is going by the wayside, though to be honest that is what it is normally like, and commitments just seem to be dropped. Like my Tuesday post. It was Canada Day here so it was a holiday mixed with fun and festivities. I totally thought it was a Saturday. It wasn't until I was going to bed after a late night of fireworks when I realized I had completely forgotten to write my post.

Hopefully that was just a momentary lapse in forgetfulness and I will be able to keep on my blog schedule. If you come to my blog and realize I haven't updated. Don't loose faith. I will be back, it's just adjusting to summer and kids being home all the time. So, happy belated Canada Day and happy summer!

Synopsis

When Ann, a teenage runaway and mushroom picker in Washington State, sees the Holy Mother Mary appear to her in the woods, she becomes the epicentre of craziness. Those who she seeks out as friends, have some nefarious aspirations of their own. As "disciples" descend on the small town of North Fork we see how much people are in need of a miracles.

My Thoughts

I can't believe I finished this book. I wanted to throw in the towel at least three times but for some reason kept persevering. If it wasn't a book for my book club I would have quit, for sure. I think I was the only one from my book club to actually finish it.

The idea was fairly interesting. What would happen if some one with a dark past found light and hope in an apparition of the Holy Mother? What would happen to those around them? The execution of it, though it may have been "well written," did not make for an interesting or enjoyable to read. Well, there were some snippets that were interesting and piqued my curiosity and which buoyed my hopes that the book was about to make a turn for the better, it went back to being bad.

At times the dialogue was confusing as the author did not use quotation marks at anytime. Usually each person talking had their own paragraph, but sometimes a conversation was in a paragraph and you had to guess which person said what. It was not always a straightforward alternating sentences. This made for an off-putting book to become even more off-putting.

In the end there were no redeeming characters, or characters that you could really love and cheer for. Really nothing happened. And personally, I don't care to know if people are masturbating. Did the author add that just to show how with it he was? If there is some really point to it, fine. But when it seems to be thrown in their just to shock and titillate, I would rather it be left out because it just seems cheap and ridiculous.

So my advice, don't read this book. It is a week of reading I will never get back. I need to be more picky about what books I stick with and what books I don't. This is the only book I have read by this author, but I hear that some of his other books are really good. So I haven't given up on him completely yet. Though, I am not in a rush to pick any of them up.