Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

from goodreads

4 stars

If you could picture your dream reading place where would it be? Is it lazing in a hammock on a warm summers day? Is it in front of a warm fire with snow gentle falling, sipping on your favourite herbal tea? Is it reading out loud surrounded by your kids or grandkids?

I don't know why, but when my brain has down time that tends to be where my thoughts have been drifting. What is my ultimate reading location? What I keep picturing is me, in some comfy stretchy leggings, with big wooly socks over top. I am wearing a cozy sweater, (the one I picture I don't own yet, but I know where I can get one. Christmas hint) and am cuddled up with my honeybush and orange blossom herbal tea. It is also silent. The kids are either napping, or at school or something. And I have a feeling of being guilt free. Guilt free reading is the best.

Reading is a personal activity, but it is great because you can do it even when optimal conditions aren't there. I love it when I go to Toronto and ride the subway. I love people watching and in particular seeing what people are reading. Is it the Globe and Mail, or a steamy romance. I love going to the library and watching people and see what books they choose, or what they are returning. I'm always interested in what people read, and sometimes like to picture what their reading nook is like. The books we choose are at times a small glimpse into our souls. I love reading.

Synopsis

This is like two companion novels in one. The first half is written from the view point of a secret operative from Britain who was captured in France during World War Two. After being tortured by the Gestapo she agrees to write down all she knows about the airbase defenses in England. She does this through telling the story of her and her best friend Maddie. 

The second half is written from the point of a pilot with the Air Transport Auxillary who was also in France. She writes about her experience meeting up with members of the resistance and trying to find out what happened to the secret operative.

My Thoughts

This was a lovely story. The author did a great job of keeping the two voices separate. They sounded distinct. I love how everything gets wrapped up in the end. Some of the holes that were in the first half get filled in the second half.


I found the first half not as enjoyable. I found it sometimes bland, and sometimes confusing. The protagonist would be talking about her story and then all of the sudden she is talking about what is happening in her prison now. Also it was a bit repetitve. We get it, you think you are miserable because you are squealing. Either do it and get on with it or say you have changed your mind and don't do it. I think the self-loathing, while probably accurate, was a bit monotonous.

The second half was much better. I liked seeing how everything was co-ordinated and I liked seeing the vindication of Verity. There was more action being done so the story didn't move as slowly as the first half. The whole clandestine part of it was rather exciting. I also liked so see the fleshing out of Engel's character a bit more. I wonder what happened to her after the end.

This was a great story that highlighted a part of the war that I didn't know about. I never thought about who would help ferry pilots and planes around England to the different airbases. I also didn't think that much about how the British helped the resistance in France. I knew such help existed I just didn't know how it was done.

I was reading this book around Remembrance Day here in Canada. It was a really nice book to read at that time as it helped me think of the sacrifices people did then and continue to do now. It set the tone for a nice reflective Remembrance Day which I was happy for.

This was definitely a historical fiction at it's best. There is a second book called Rose Under Fire that I am excited to read.

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch Illustrated by Michael Martchenko

from goodreads

5 stars

One month until Christmas! And I am actually feeling pretty good about it. I have a handle on the presents that I am making myself. I feel confident that my kids aren't going to be sad come Christmas morning, and I won't be sad with more junk. I think it will be good. Now we just need to figure out where we are going to put our tree.

This will be our third Christmas in our house and each year we have had to change where we put the tree. Our first Christmas we only had three chairs in our living room. This meant it was pretty sparse and we cold put our tree wherever we wanted. Then the couches came so we had to move the tree from one corner to another. This year we brought in a piano so now that corner is no good. I am thinking of putting it right in the middle of our front window. I think it will look pretty from the inside and the outside as well. Now we just have to figure out when we are going to cut it down. Since we moved and have no carpet we have been going to a tree farm and cutting our own down. It has been so much fun. My husband was skeptical of the whole real tree thing, but I think we have made a convert out of him.

How is your Christmas looking with a month to go?

Synopsis

Princess Elizabeth has it all; a castle, an awesome wardrobe, and a handsome prince named Ronald. But all that changes when a dragon comes and smashes her castle burns her clothes and carries off Prince Ronald. What's a girl to do?

My Thoughts

This book is a classic. I loved it when I was a kid and I love it now. If you are looking for a strong female role model, Princess Elizabeth is it. She strategizes she is brave, and she can make a paper bag work, fashion-wise.

This book totally shows us that we need to make lemonade out of the lemons in our lives. It also shows us that sometimes we need to take stock of our life and be honest with ourselves. For Elizabeth it took the whole dragon thing for her to see Ronald in his true light. We don't have dragons to do that for us, but sometimes we to figure out how we can do that, even when we might not want to know the truth.

This book is great for kids. It isn't that deep and it isn't beating the kids over the head with morals. It is just fun. Here is the link to listen to the author read the story. Some find him annoying, but as a kid, I loved listening to him tell this story. To be honest, I still do.

The illustrations are awesome. I love Martchenko's work. He captures the the emotions of it so well. Love it.

Some of his books are crazy and not as good, but this book is stellar. If you read only one Munsch book this is the one you have to read. You will love it.

Rump: The true story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

from goodreads

4 stars

This morning I went to the dentist. I don't know about you but I love going to the dentist. My one friend on Facebook calls the dentist the tooth spa. I find it relaxing and sometimes I almost fall asleep (I did that when I was getting a cavity filled a few years ago). Now why am I so relaxed at the dentist? There are no kids touching me or talking to me.

I love my kids. I really do. They exasperate me, yet, they also make me laugh. But sometimes it is just nice to know that you aren't going to be asked to pick them up, or get them food, or change their diaper. At the dentist I can just sit back relax, and let the hygienist do their work. Best time ever!

And the best news, they found a few little cavities, though I am a religious flosser, so I get to go back in a couple weeks to get that work done. YAY!!! Relaxing at the tooth spa, here I come!

Synopsis

Rump hates his name. He knows that it is incomplete but his Mother died before she could let anyone know the rest of it. Where Rump lives your name and your destiny are intertwined. Rump decides to find out what the rest of his name is and thereby find his destiny.

My Thoughts

I enjoyed this book. What an interesting back story of a character that we don't know too much about. It was neat to gain an understanding of why Rumpelstiltskin showed up in time to spin the straw, how the whole baby thing happened, and why he had the gift to spin in the first place. The author does a great job of staying true to the original story and yet offering these tidbits of information.

I also liked how the author explores the importance of names and how we are truly the makers of our own destiny. When you are naming a child a lot of thought goes into it. When you think of a name you are picturing a personality and a set of a achievements. A name is more than something used to differentiate one person from another. It could have long reaching consequences, or sometimes not. A name is a powerful thing. I appreciated how Rump goes through a time of not liking his name, but then in the end loves it. Growing up I did not really like my name. It was long, and people didn't always spell it correctly and it was not cute. When I was 5 I wanted to be called Diana. Now, I really like my name. It still annoys me slightly when people don't spell it correctly, but that's okay. I am used to spelling out for people now as par for course. I am really glad my name is not Diana. (No offense to those of you named Diana, it is still a lovely name. I just feel I am a better Meredith than Diana.)

There were some connections I wanted to know more about. Red and her granny, the trolls, and the whole yonder thing. I am wondering if any connections will be made in subsequent books. There is one about Jack and the Beanstalk set to be published in 2015. Some of the characters like the trolls and the wool witches, while somewhat essential to Rump's revelation of who he is, seemed just to be placed there and then that was it. There was no real depth or reason why they were in the story. Not much was done with them and it would have been nice if they were fleshed out a bit more.  I guess I wanted more depth and connection with other parts of the story.

I am looking forward to reading more in this fairy tale series by this author. I am looking forward to reading these out loud to my kids. I think this might be a great one for the summer. I think this would be a great book for ages 9 and up to read by themselves. There is enough adventure, slime and magic to hold their attention and keep them in awe. It was a fun book for this adult too.

The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock Bill Peet

from goodreads

2.5 stars

Man it is blustery out there today. School buses in the country around us were all canceled. Unfortunately, living in the city, I still had to brave the elements to get my kiddies to school. Thank goodness for my chariot stroller. That thing goes through snow like a hot knife goes through butter. We are on our sixth winter with it and it is still in amazing shape. I love it.

Synopsis

Prewitt Peacock does not have the nicest of tails. One day his tail decides to grow and become wild. The other peacocks have a problem with that and give him an ultimatum. Either the tail goes or Prewitt does.

My Thoughts'

This was an alright book. But it was kinda weird. It has a great message of "be proud of who you are and looks don't matter", but it was still strange. The dream sequence kinda freaked me out.

I picked this book up because of the author. Bill Peet worked for Disney and was part of the story development and animation process for many films. His movies are among my favourites. The drawings are classic Bill Peet. I could almost see them in animation form. The story to me just felt lacking. It was okay but for me it just didn't have that special quality about it.

My kids liked the book well enough but, they were not asking for it to be read again and again. So, in my view that means it was a sort of a meh book for them too.

If you do decide to pick up this book, I would say you would be enjoy the illustrations and the nostalgia of Bill Peet.

The Inconvenient Indian: A Curious Account of Native People in North America by Thomas King

from goodreads

4 stars

It's snowing!!! My middle daughter looked out the window this morning and saw the snow falling down and exclaimed, "It's the first day of winter!" I then proceeded to explain, as I have done on previous occasions, that although the weather outside might depict a certain season, it doesn't mean it is that season. There is often overlap between the weather and the seasons, usually with snow starting in fall and continuing on into spring.

That still did not deter her excitement. She is ready for the snow. I just wished it has stayed warm for two more days, as tonight we have a school function where there are going to be food trucks. It would have been nicer to stand in line without doing the shiver dance. Oh well. I don't have to cook dinner tonight so bring it on.

Synopsis

Thomas King depicts "White" and "Indian" relations in North America. He mainly focuses on Native People's lives from the time the white man settled to now, he does go into pre-colonial histories. He looks at the good and bad in these relationships and gives his hopes for the future.

My Thoughts

This was the winner of the Waterloo Reads competition held in October.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It made me laugh, it made me feel sad, it made me feel like he was just getting started and that there is so much more that could be said. I loved his writing style. He made it easy to read and it did not read like a history text, which it definitely is not. These are his own views mixed with historical research. It is written with a bias, but it is his, it is his story so if course there will be a personal bias and slant to it. This bias does not change the fact that I think this is a must read for everyone, especially those living in Canada and the United States.

There were times where I felt he went on a bit too much. In the second half it seemed like it was one bad thing after another. Surely there must have been something good, but then again, maybe not. I like how he doesn't really put blame on "white" culture as a whole. There are things that are done in the past, in every country around the world, that does not shed the best light on those people, but it does not a bad people or person make.

While this book doesn't give answers to everything it is a great book to get the conversation started on aboriginal people and the dual worlds they live in. Because of this book I am beginning to understand the treaties a bit more, understand their view of land and property/land claims a bit more, and their view of their own sovereignty a bit more.

A few complaints that I have heard from other sources is that he concentrates sole on the massacres that whites inflicted on the Native population. They feel that he should have talked about how the Iroquois decimated the Hurons and other massacres that Natives did on their own people before settlers arrived. I think a mention of these might have been good too, but the whole point of the book was really to look at the relationship between the white government and the Native people and the problems that are arising because of it and need to be resolved in the future. Those past native on native massacres, while fleshing out the narrative, don't explain how the relationships between Natives and whites will be changed and helped for the better.

I highly recommend this book. As with everything read it with a grain of salt. And whether you like or agree with his musings or not, it is a great book to promote discussion and thought.

Queen Victoria's Knickers by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley

from goodreads

3.5 stars

Today in Canada it is Remembrance Day. A day of remembrance and reflection. This is when we think of those who fought in wars to garner our freedom.

My oldest daughter and I were talking about it this morning and she said she was sad. I asked her why. She said because of the soldiers and stuff. This got me thinking, for while I think Remembrance day is one a day to be somber and solemn, I don't feel the need to be sad. Do I think that there were lives wasted, you betcha, especially when thinking of the First World War. To me it was stupidity and waste personified. Do I wish that the atrocities that happened and still happen didn't. Sure do. But I do not feel sad about it, sorry that it happened, but not weepy sad. It just gives me a greater resolve to raise children to be kind, loving and accepting. It gives me a greater resolve to be kind and generous myself.

So on this somber day of remembrance, let us reflect on how we want to live our lives in light of the sacrifices of others. Conflicts will be a norm in human history, but how we decide to lead our individual lives, that is where true victory lies.

Synopsis

This is the tale of the background of how Queen Victoria got her first pair of underwear.

My Thoughts

To me this is the weirdest story. It is cool to go in the history of underwear. Underwear is something that I think we all take for granted now. We probably don't even think about there ever being a time when underwear was non-existent. I love the what the grandmother said when she found out that the Queen wanted the mother to make her knickers. She said, "I don't approve of knickers. If a girl wears proper petticoats and takes ladylike steps she doesn't need knickers." Hilarious.

My kids like this book. I think anything that deals with underwear is going to be a hit with kids. I don't know what it is about underwear but it puts my kids, and I would wager most kids, into a fit of giggles. My kids really liked when the family was envisioning all the different kids of underwear they could make for the Queen. I like the ones with the bows and arrows.

To me, this book was just weird. When I read children's picture books it is hard for me to pinpoint exactly what I am looking for. To me there is no set formula of what a book needs for me to like it, but I can also tell when I don't like it and, again, it is hard to pinpoint exactly what I don't like. I just feel it my bones. This book, while I think great for kids, just does not fill me with enthusiasm when I read it and I groan a little inside when my kids bring it to me to read. But read it I do and I try my best to hide my displeasure. (Though, on occasion, I have faked business and asked them to get their father to read it to them instead. I know, I'm bad.)

So if you ever wondered about royal underwear of days of yore, this book might just be for you.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck

from goodreads

4 stars

Oh November. You may be the month of leafless trees and dreary gray skies, but you are also a month of hope. Hope? you may ask. Well, yes. You see November is when American Thanksgiving is, and that means new kids movies coming out for the holiday season. Which means, perhaps if I'm lucky, I will no longer have to listen to "Let It Go" on a daily basis. Perhaps we will move onto the next greatest thing.

Now I like "Let It Go" as much as the next person, but when my 20 month old hunts the house for the ipad and then says "wet i go" over and over. Gak! I am able to convince her that Winnie the Pooh is sometimes an okay thing, but inevitably "Let It Go" is played. Luckily there are so many versions on youTube we can get some variety. But the hope remains. So, please film makers. Make something that will trump this song, for all our sakes.

Synopsis

(My own synopsis would not do this book justice so I will take the synopsis from goodreads.) Set in the rich farmland of California's Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families - the Trasks and the Hamiltons - whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most  memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity, the inexplicability of love; and the murderous consequences of love's absence.

My Thoughts

I had no preconceived notions going into this book. I have never read Steinbeck before and didn't know anything about this book. To sum it up in one word I would have to say epic. This was a huge book. It covered a lot of years and locations.

We got to see Adam Trask from the beginning of his life to near his end. And while the the book sort of revolved around him, I wouldn't consider him to be the central character. It seemed the book was more of a cast of characters and each played his/her role in creating the society.

At times I found it a bit confusing. All these people seemed to be philosophers and understood these hidden meanings or never fully explained what they were trying to say. It got a bit frustrating during those parts and I was like, "just get on with it!"

Also, at the beginning of some of the chapters Steinbeck talks about his own family's history, this does not always line up with the current time/era that the story is in and made it a bit awkward. I was always trying to figure out how it tied in to where the story was, and quite often, it didn't.

I love the characters of Sam Hamilton and Lee. I would love to spend the afternoon with them and eat some tarts.

All in all, it was an enjoyable story. I had to read the large print version as the others were out at the library so my hands fell asleep a few times, but it was worth it. It gives you something to think about. The pictures Steinbeck is able to put in the readers mind are breathtaking.  This is one of those books that is about everything and nothing all at the same time which makes it the classic it is and will remain. It truly is timeless.

One Watermelon Seed by Celia Barker Lottridge Illustrated by Karen Patkau

from goodreads

3.5 stars

After a sugar high weekend my girls have firmly shifted their focus to "the Christmas List". They are dutifully writing or drawing everything that their little hearts desire. I fear there will be some disappointed little kiddies Christmas when they do not have all the twenty billion things on the list. Oh well, thems the brakes.

I have finally sorted out everything that I want to do for the cousins for Christmas. Now I just have to make it. As for my own kids. I don't want to get them anything. Isn't that horrible? I think I have reached my threshold of toys and clothes and craft stuff. I totally get where the Grinch was coming from. It's a good thing my husband is soft-hearted. I'm sure he will get them something lovely.

Synopsis

Max and Josephine plant a garden. They get to see their plants grow and enjoy a bountiful harvest. Plant and count along with them.

My Thoughts

While there is not much of a story this was a neat book. The illustrations are fresh and made me think of spring and summer. The book invites the children to count without it seeming predictable. My kids are already planning what we are going to plant in our garden next year and are asking for the seeds as part of their Christmas list. So, in that regard, this book is great for getting kids to get excited about gardening and producing their own food.

I like how at the end they show the inside of each food. I also like how they have a bit of an eye spy finding game at the end as well. It helps the kids learn more about food as well as the whole ecosystem of a garden.

While reading it there was one thing that super bugged me. Okay, maybe two. It was the harvest yields and timing. The way the book goes they are picking strawberries the same time as pumpkins etc. Fruit and vegetables have different growing seasons here people! Hello! I know the point of the book is to count and to help kids get excited about gardens and it would be hard to talk about different harvest times of the fruits and vegetables. I know it's not the biggest deal. At the same time I don't want my kids to think they are going to get watermelons in October.

The second thing was the yield amounts. Some of them seemed a bit off for the number of seedlings planted. Yes, yes, I know it is a kids book and they are teaching about math and counting. I know. I know. But still. It bothered me.

Now that I have the rants out of me. I still liked this book. I like it mostly for the catalyst it provided for my children's imaginations than for the the story or factual accounts of gardening. So read this book, and dream about next years harvest.