Tuck Me In! by Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt

from goodreads

4 stars

I don't know about you, but here, bedtime can be quite adventurous. The kids are constantly keeping us on our toes. Some nights, when we say it is bedtime, the kids quickly and without complaint brush their teeth, get in their p.j's and bam! their in bed. No dragging their feet, no begging for an extra story, even Miss P. goes to sleep quite easily. Those nights are bliss. Then other nights... oh man... there is so much whining and insisting on a big bedtime snack. They refuse to brush their teeth and getting them into their p.j.'s is one of this centuries epic struggles. By the time they're in bed my husband and I are done and all I want to do is sit quietly, with no one touching me and escape into my latest book.

Why the difference? I have no idea. But at least it keeps things interesting. I really can't complain about being bored.

Synopsis

It is time for different animals to go to bed. Your little one gets to tuck them in.

My  Thoughts

This is a really cute book. I love the illustrations and the different prints used for the blankets. I love it when books use half pages to completely change the look and feel of a picture. All kids love to use these half pages. Miss P. likes turning them back and forth to see the changes. Her smiles make me smile.

I like the variety of animals. There are pigs and crocodiles and things in between.

The story is very repetitive. After the second page it was a bit tedious for me. But then, the book isn't intended for me. It is intended for kids 2ish-5ish so for that reading audience it is perfect.

This really is the perfect book to add to your going to bed routine. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing after the cover closes.

Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan

from goodreads

3.75 stars

My husband and I are in the middle of deciding whether to grow our family or stay content with the number of children we have. When some hear that we are contemplating a fourth they have this look of horror goes on their face and they say, "are you nuts?!"

It is kind crazy when you think about it, more diapers, more years of devotion, more people to feed and educate, one more voice of complaint! The flip side is that you can to love more, nurture more and have one more person to learn from.

There are lots of things to consider with children, parenthood is one crazy ride. But in the end, you go with your gut, hang on and hope for the best.

Synopsis

Stand-up comedian, Jim Gaffigan, tells his tales of parenting 5 children in a two bedroom apartment in New York City. He will have you laughing and commiserating as he talks about his parenting adventures.

My Thoughts

I really liked this book. I think I would have liked it more if I hadn't seen some of his comedy routines, as much of the book is from his routine. So, when I was reading, it wasn't anything new or exciting.

I like how he keeps it real. I like how even if it seems he is complaining, he lets you know how much he loves his kids while acknowledging that sometimes we just need to vent.

I loved the section where he talked about his wife's birthing experience and giving birth at home. We had home births for our first two children and loved it. But, some people still think we were a bit nuts. I loved some of the things he says about what others say. Classic.

I found that it did get a bit repetitive. It's like, five kids in a two bedroom apartment, we get it already. It seemed to be said all the time. The book also needed to be proofread. While it was well written, there were at least two sentence errors where the words were out of order or a word was missing so it took awhile to figure out the meaning. This was probably not the authors fault at all, but the publisher. While I know the people who work in the book industry are busy and they are publishing lots of books all the time, it would still be considerate to the reader if more care was taken to resolve some of these problems. It seems a shame when they send out so many books with these problems, especially when readers are spending quite a bit of money to purchase the book. Lately I have been noticing a lot of typos or dropped words, so it is not just this book. (End mini-rant.)

This is definitely a book that will be appreciated more by parents. It is light hearted and funny. It definitely gives you something to think about.

From There to Here by Laurel Croza Illustrated by Matt James

from goodreards

3.25 stars

I greatly detest moving. Packing stuff. Unpacking stuff. Making sure you are organized. It isn't too bad if it is just you, but when you add a husband and children into the mix... utter horribleness.

In our first 5 years of marriage we moved 4 times! Blah. Our last move was almost three years ago when we bought our house. I hope we don't have to have another move for a very long time.

Moving can be exciting. I loved moving to university, breaking out on my own. I liked moving into our first apartment and setting up house. The type of moving I like now is when we move the junk we have collected out of our house.

What do you think of moving?

Synopsis

This is a sequel to the book I know Here. A little girls moves from Saskatchewan to Toronto. She reflects on the differences between the new places.

My Thoughts

I didn't read the first book, but I think I will. It is a great book that kids who have moved or changed schools can identify with. It is hard to move to a new place. Change is never easy. The author explores changes not merely in location but in the family dynamic as well. I like how she shows that even if the change is hard, good things can be found anywhere, as, in the end the little girl went biking with a friend she had met.

I like how the illustrator blended the pictures together. I liked how he placed elements of the "there" pictures into the "here" pictures.

This is a great book that shows there are good things to be found no matter where you live. Moving is hard, but it will all be okay.

Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

from goodreads

3.5 stars

There are times in life when all you can do is laugh. Things go awry, feelings of frustrations start to seep in and you just feel like you are in the middle of a big mess. (Mess can be figurative or literal.) Those are the times when you really need to take stock and have a great laugh. It is not always easy to do, but it is so necessary.

I was having one of those weeks. Miss P. kept on pulling my hair, and not a big handful (which I can stand) but only one or two strands. Ouch! I am in the middle of doing a major purge so it is frustrating when I don't complete everything that I wanted to do in the day. (Kids need attention. Who knew?) Tuesday I was a major grumpasaur by the time my husband got home. I was feeling so crazy.  That night I was able to pause and do things for me. I was able to feel refreshed and know that my lot is not too hard. These feelings are for a small time and things will get better. I will get better. And once I was in a more peaceful frame of mind I was able to recognize how much fun being a mom and being at home is.

So for all those who are having a rough week. It is only a blimp. Try to do something for you (I watched Sherlock) and then in those peaceful moments think of the fun.

Synopsis

This is a collection of essays from the serious to the absurd.

My Thoughts

This was a great collection of essays. It had me laughing, be serious and everything in between.

While reading I sometimes wondered how much really happened in real-life and how much was embellished or complete fabrication. His life seems so interesting that there must be some embellishment, otherwise my life is so completely boring, I must be missing out on things.

I loved the essay about how he started to pick up garbage on the side of the road almost everyday. I also loved the essay entitled Attaboy. This essay talked about how, as parents today, we are a bit weird when it comes to our children. We either think they can do no wrong or we are too pandering or just nuts. The following is an excerpt that had me just rolling on the floor. It started off about putting our children to bed and how that can be a challenge.

"In my house, our parents put us to bed with two simple words: 'Shut up.'... our artwork didn't hang on the refrigerator or anywhere near it, because our parents recognized it for what it was: Crap. They did not live in a child's house, we lived in theirs."

It then goes on to talk about trying to get our children to eat food, but you will have to read that for yourself. It is funny when you see the things you do through a different lense.

So if you are ready to laugh, and most of the laughing is at yourself, then read this book. I think you will enjoy it.

Ooh La La Polka-Dot Boots by Ellen Olson-Brown Illustrated by Christiane Engel

from goodreads

3 stars

March Break is here! Yay!!! While that means that all three children are home all day. I really don't mind. The older two play so nicely together I rarely see them except when they surface for some food. As for Miss P. well she does her own thing really. The only difference is there are more cries of horror from the older two when Miss P. touches some of their stuff.

I love March Break because it means no morning rush. People can get dressed when they want, brush their hair when they want and I can make lunch when I want. Which is at lunch time, not three hours before.

While we didn't have anything major planned for this week it is sure filling up. On the last day of school the girls spouted off lists of friends they wanted play dates with. And I mostly fulfilled their requests which means I'm super mom.

What do you like to do when the kids have a break from school?

Synopsis

This books shows how there are lots of different styles of dress and they are all good and how all styles get an extra humph from wearing polka-dot boots.

My Thoughts

Well, this book was rather mediocre. The illustrations are what really make it at all memorable. They are colourful and cute. Miss P. liked flipping the half page that showed the polka-dot boots.

As for the actual "story" well, it was fine. I just found the rhythm changed a lot so it was hard to get into a nice groove. It started off with a nice beat, but by the time you go to the part that was about the polka-dot boots it changed, and it changed differently every time. There was no continuity. While that is not a horrible thing, it bothered me as a reader.

I still recommend this book for younger readers as the illustrations are just so great.

The Cure for Death by Lightning by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

from goodreads

2.75 stars

There are books on my to-read list that seem to have been on there for eons. I don't know why I just don't hunker down and read them. Most likely because some other glittery fancy piece of literary art catches my eye and my to-read faithfuls get thrown back down to the bottom.

This was one of those books. I first heard about it when I was a teenager at Girl Guide camp (well I was actually a Pathfinder by that point, but I figured most people would know what a Girl Guide was rather than a Pathfinder). One of my tent mates was reading it and I was intrigued by the cover.

I didn't know anything about it. But I somehow built up an expectation of what the story would be. Well the story ended up being nothing like I thought it would be. It was darker then I thought and more magical. I don't know if this contrast in expectations clouded my judgement or liking of this book, probably. It's funny how we build up expectations on things we really don't know anything about.

Synopsis

Beth Weeks is a teen living on a farm in British Columbia during World War II. Beth is coming into her own and trying to figure out life. Her father is quite domineering and suffers from the shell shock of World War I. Her mother is also coping with being so far away from her family. When a young girl is found torn apart in the woods the townspeople suspect a bear. Others, including some of the nearby Native community suspect it is Coyote, who is notorious for his mischief.

This book looks at the challenges of farming, the challengs of war, the challenges of mental illness and the challenges of living in a small community, where neighbours and judgements abound.

My Thoughts

This was totally not the type of story I was expecting. For some reason I thought it would be a bit more light hearted, instead it was quite serious and dark. There is nothing wrong with serious and dark, it just threw me for a loop when I was expecting something different.

I liked how the author didn't shy away from the prejudices of the time. There was a character who I assume had Downs Syndrome. He was referred to as mongoloid and most of the towns people thought he should be sent to an asylum and be sterilized. While that is almost unthinkable now, it was thought of to be quite the normal thing to do back then.

I liked how the author sprinkled recipes throughout the book. Some of them seem quite yummy. I loved how the recipes even included how the woodstove needed to be set up. Baking today is so convenient. It doesn't involve too much planning. I take this convenience for granted. I forget how hard it would have been back then to keep the temperature consistent. All we have to do is push a few buttons.

I also liked the exploration of the idea of everyone needing a private place to figure things out. For the mother it was her scrapbook and talking with her dead mother. For Beth, it was her hiding spot. For me it is in the shower. I think I do most of my most awesome thinking under the nice warm stream of water.

The characters and town were vividly written and could be easily pictured. I just didn't care for them. The only character I really cared for was Filthy Billy. The rest seemed hard to figure out and ordinary. I guess that was the point, this was a book about ordinary people and how they all had some issue or other to deal with, but that didn't make me like them or feel sympathetic towards them. Frankly, with some of the things that happened to Beth, I'm surprised she didn't have even more issues.

All it all, the book was okay. I might have liked it more if I didn't have a preexisting idea. It took me a long time to get through. I almost gave up at one point because it wasn't holding my interest, but I kept going, and in the end I'm glad I did though I don't think this will be among my favourites.

Except If by Jim Averbeck

from goodreads

4 stars

We are in winter's home stretch. I can feel it. I am so sick of the revolving doors of sickness and the cold wind and feeling cooped up. I am so ready to get back into my morning walks, playing at the playground and going for bike rides.

Don't get me wrong. I love winter. I love all the winter activities you can do. The thing is, it kind of sucks when it is too cold do do those winter activities. I am also sick of trying to get Miss P. into her snow pants and then get me into my snow pants. I just want to put on my shoes and go. Oh well... it won't be too much longer.

Synopsis

There is an egg. It is a baby bird except if it is a dinosaur! This is a fun story about how our imaginations can change things up and how things are not always as it might seem.

My Thoughts

I really liked this book. The pictures were vibrant yet simple and the idea was really fun. Just when you think you know where the story is headed the words "except if" change it up. So fun!

I liked how the author came full circle so the book felt like it had some sort of completion to it. My kids liked all the possibilities that the egg had. They looked forward to seeing what was going to change next.

This is a great book to cuddle up and read together.

Absolutely Truly by Heather Vogel Frederick

from goodreads

5 stars

I picked out this book purely based on the covered bridge on its cover. I love covered bridges. I live about 20 minutes away from one, out in West Montrose. It is the last remaining historical covered bridge in Ontario, at least that is what wikepedia is telling me. Pretty cool. Even though I knew it was there, and saw pictures of it, and I have a friend who lives out there, I had not been on it until just a couple weeks ago. It is kind of embarrassing really. But there you go. It was quite fun when we finally drove over it. It was only one lane and it was dark, and the kids were like "why are we driving into a building?" Oh the memories.

Covered bridges just look so beautiful. They hearken back to when times were much simpler. I guess the word I'm looking for is nostalgic. Covered bridges are definitely nostalgic. Therefore, why wouldn't a book with a covered bridge on the cover pique my interest. They are a rare thing of beauty.

Synopsis

Truly Lovejoy's, yes that is a most unfortunate name, life has been flipped upside down. Her Father was injured in Afghanistan meaning what she thought was a permanent home in Texas is not. Instead the family is moving across the country to Pumpkin Falls to take over her grandparents book store.

While helping going through books, Truly finds an interesting letter in an original copy of Charlotte's Web.  With the help of her knew friends Truly sets out to decode clues and find out where this letter came from.

My Thoughts

This was a joy to read. I had so much fun.

I loved how the author dealt with real issues that happen in families. The Father is injured and trying to readjust to his new life out of the military. He and his family have to navigate that new reality together. The sibling dynamics were believable and relatable. The nicknames and the embarrassment when they are used in public, classic. The sacrifices that the whole family has to make sometimes were great to see. It was refreshing to see a family who struggles but does not call it quits, a family that was not all glamourous and happiness, but you could still feel their love and connection. It was so nice.

I loved the setting of Pumpkin Falls. I think I would like to live there forever. It seemed large enough that the stores on main street could stay open but small enough that it still felt quaint. The cast of characters, though not unique, held their own and seemed a right fit. The bookstore is my kind of heaven. I would love to curl up in one of the comfy chairs in the reading nooks and just escape for a day. Everything about it sounds awesome. 

Truly, despite her unfortunate name, is a lovely character. She is one I think most kids could find something relatable in. She is flawed, but she doesn't always let that get her down. She seems to make the best of most situations and she is a real kid doing real kid things.

I loved how the author talked about different books, and introduced different genres of books as well as how she referenced older movies (like from the '50s). High Noon and To Catch a Thief are among my favourite movies. This book will help broaden the readers horizons and look to the awesomeness of the past and how that can help them appreciate what is created now and help them create in the future. Some of the books referenced are definitely on my to read list now.

This is more than just a mystery book. It is a great and timely story. It is a story about a girl and her family dealing with change. It is about friendship and dealing with twerps. It is about learning to feel comfortable in your own skin. Despite the crazy names of the characters, trust me, Truly is just the beginning, this was a great book. I think kids 10 and up will enjoy it and I think parents will enjoy this as well.

Take the trip to Pumpkin Falls, you won't regret it. I am hoping to visit there again soon. Until then, I will have to make the recipe that can be found at the end of the book to tide me over.

Fix This Mess! by Tedd Arnold

from goodreads

4 stars

I'm not very good at keeping my house tidy. I would much rather read my book then put things away. I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels that way. But, I am beginning to understand the importance of putting things in their rightful place, especially when it comes to the kids lunch things and their clothes. Nothing is more frustrating then when the kids come out of their rooms freaking out that they can't find that particular shirt that they must have or else their outfit is ruined and life is over! (And the kid who does this the most is only 5! It gets easier and less dramatic... right?)

As I already struggle with my things and the things of the house at large I have passed off some of the responsibility onto them. Hopefully this will help them learn responsibility for their own stuff, allow them to blame me less, and help them not to have the same issue I have when they get older. So far it hasn't bit too bad. But Miss G., she does everything in her power to do as little of her chore as possible. It is amazing the excuses she comes up with for not putting away her clothes in a timely manner. She needs them sorted into piles, she can't open the drawers, no one is helping her, Miss V. isn't putting away her clothes (usually that is because Miss V. has already put away her clothes), and my personal favourite, she is a kid not a maid.

Hopefully as I get better my kids will get better too. I know things can't change over night, but that would be super awesome. Maybe I need to find a wishing star tonight to make that wish come true!

Synopsis

The Robug that Jake ordered finally arrived. When Jake tells him to fix this mess, Jake gets more than he bargained for.

My Thoughts

Oh, how this book spoke to me, on so many different levels. It spoke to my desire to cut tidying corners. It spoke to my frustration when my kids, instead of putting clothes away from the floor,  just pick up the pile and throw it all in the laundry whether it is dirty or not. It spoke to the importance of just getting on and dealing with the crap yourself. My goodness what a deep book.

Tedd Arnold is the master of keeping things simple yet telling a great tale. I love his illustrations. There are so many little things to see in them that bring a smile to your face. In this book I especially liked the cat.

I'm not sure who will enjoy this book more, the parents who are sagely nodding along with it or the kids because they know that what Robug is doing isn't really what Jake meant. So if you are dealing with kids who don't help with the mess, this book might just be for you and your family. The words are ridiculously simple but that helps with the message. I think this is one you will enjoy.