Just read the BEST book - Weekly Book Review

Bad news: The Kutztown University Children's Literature Conference has been canceled. I am NOT HAPPY about that but there are books to read.

When the yearly Book Awards were announced by the ALA, this title showed up in the Honors. I never heard of it. I never read a review of it. But! Oh! My! This book is so good.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidegger, with illustrations by Junji Wu, gives an insder's view of what might turn a fox kit's blood to ice.  As a family of kits listen to an old fox tell scary stories, we learn of Mia and Uly, two kits who are separated from their families in horrible - for foxes - ways.  The short stories are cautionary as well as terrifying. One brave kit makes it through ALL the stories. Will you?

I made a book review video because that is what we do when we must stay confined to our homes. Those of us who can play instruments are playing beautiful music. Me, I review books.

BTW, the first book I mention on this video was so good!  The book is chock full of historical details about the silent film business, for us adult readers, and LOTS of adventure for younger readers.

Also, in my preview of Astronuts:Mission 2; The Water Planet, the book by Jon Scieszka, at the end I say it's by Steven Weinberg - Steven Weinberg is the illustrator.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay well. If you can, please stick close to home. If you must go out, be careful. The world thanks you.

Keeping reading!

Unforgettable! The Green Brothers

John Green is impossible for book lovers to forget.  He wrote "The Fault in Our Stars", for heaven's sake!!!

But before the amazing event that "The Fault in Our Stars" became, John was - and still is - one half of the Vlogbrothers!  The other equally AWESOME half of Vlogbrothers is the clever, lyrical, amazingly fast-talking, Hank Green.  HANK WROTE A BOOK!  Must. Pre-Order. Now.

NOTE!  NOTE!  NOTE!    THIS IS NOT "LET'S NOT FORGET"!  NOTE!  NOTE!  NOTE!
Mainly because, these guys are UNFOGETTABLE!

I remember those days, back in, oh 2007 or 2008, (Vlogbrothers began their YouTube odyssey in 2007 according to this Wikipedia article), when I stumbled on the online community, Nerdfighters.  I had just read "Paper Towns" and was suitably impressed.  (Also, "An Abundance of Katherines".  I laughed so hard.) I wanted to know more.  John and Hank had moved their Vlogbrothers videos to this online group.  I was hooked and became a Nerdfighter so I, too, could "fight world suck" and DFTBA. (Don't Forget To Be Awesome).

Life sometimes intervenes.  In John Green's case life was the overwhelming success of "The Fault In Our Stars" and the movie of the same name.  The Nerdfighter online social media outlet gently went away.  (Actually, nerdfighter.ning.com is still in existence.  It's just different and not very communal.)

In my case, I got distracted.  I retired.  I became a grandmother.  My Dad got sick; then he turned 90; and then he died.  My Mom turned 90 - still here.  I got another job.  My brother came home from Japan.  (Check out what we did while he was home.  I work this in WHEREVER I can. )  Then he moved back to Japan.  And I wondered what happened to Nerdfighters.   I needed their craziness, their nerdiness and their good-ness. (I miss my brother, Dan.  I feel a Barry Manilow song - or an Elton John song - coming on.)

NERDFIGHTERS DO NOT GO AWAY!

No, World, we are still out there, doing our best to survive and remain steadfast in our pursuit of knowledge and all things Nerd!  We also volunteer, donate, create projects that fight world suck, though Project for Awesome or in other ways.  You have heard what I've been up to.  Under One Sun Benefit and Chiles' Play.  There are so many other people out there, enjoying books, helping to make a better world.

I found Hank and John Green again.  I am so happy.  They are fun to watch, fun to listen to.  I have to dig my Hank Green CD out and listen to "Accio Deathly Hallows", again.

Check out their twice weekly YouTube channel where they discuss EVERYTHING in 3 or 4 minute blasts.  John posts on Tuesday.  Hank posts on Friday.   Check the right hand sidebar; the first three and four are productions of these overactive men.

Or just head over to Nerdfighteria to catch up with all that the Green Brothers have done.

Just remember, they are human, after all.  And life, like I said, intervenes.  So if things aren't as up to the minute as you might like, browse the archives.  Or go find a Project to be Awesome with.

And read their books!  John's latest is Turtles All the Way Down.  Hank's first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, comes out this year.

Thanks, Hank and John Green!

BOOM! BOOMBOX at Skokie Public Library

Check out the Show Me Librarian blog over in the right hand blogroll.  That librarian and team have some awesome ideas...  Like this one

I wonder how this would work on coffee filters instead of fabric.  Hmmm, crafty time!

How Does He DO That?

Chronicle Books presents "How to Draw A Maze" by Sean C. Jackson, the author of "From Here to There".  And it's amazing.  (See what I did there?)

I've been away.  Did you miss me?  I've read some awesome books. More later.

Hattifant Minion Card

I love to craft even though my results are less than perfect.  My dream life would be equal parts reading, crafting, and being outside in all weathers (preferably sheltered).  (Note:  I did not mention eating because that would just be embarrassing.)

I subscribe to Hattifant, a marvelous paper engineering site.  Every few days, I get a link to a new download for a paper toy or ornament or coloring page.  I don't always take advantage of these offers.  The videos are often enough.

Here is the latest.  Enjoy.

How does that song go?

I know how the songs in picture books go.  I make the tunes up and - POW! - a classic is born.  BUT, this is what happens when I read the same story with another picture book loving adult in the room.

2017 Fierce Reads 2017 Tour

Fierce Reads is sending 4 awesome authors out on tour in May.  Watch the video to find all about it!

SCOTT WESTERFELD!!  Need I say more?  Also, Erin Beaty, Kristin Orlando, and Taran Matharu - superior writers - EVERY SINGLE ONE!!!

Amy Krouse Rosenthal - Gift Rap

AKR is a true picture book talent.  And her memoir has just been put on MY wish list!

All the Pretty Princesses

Princesses everywhere.

I am not the most girly type of woman.   But even I wanted to be a princess when I was little.  I did not want to be an actual princess, who has to learn to be diplomatic, attend boring meetings, discuss policy with councilors, and put up with the attentions of not necessarily handsome princes.  I wanted to be a fairy tale princess - beautiful, cosseted, rich and talented.

So, to celebrate Princesses everywhere on this Carnival Tuesday, here is a list of my favorite princess books:

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch.  A dragon destroys everything - including a princess' wardrobe AND kidnaps a handsome prince.  Dressed in a paper bag, our princess hunts down the evil lizard. (Picture Book)

The Magic Fishbone by Charles Dickens.   Alicia manages the castle and the little princes and princesses quite well with just her cleverness.  The magic fishbone in her apron pocket must be saved for just the right wish. Happy ending, everyone!!! (Short story suitable for ages 4 through 10, and for adults who like Dickens)

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale.   Miri and the other girls in her mountain village must learn how to be princesses because one of them will marry the prince.  Also - bandits try to kidnap them and they have to protect themselves.  Bad guys; jealousy; mean teachers; resourcefulness! (Middle grade through teen)

Hmmm, there are many, many more princess books around then are dreamt of in your philosophies, dear Horatio.  But here is just one more.

I am going to add I am Princess X by Cherie Priest because the story is a bit incredible but the combination of graphics and text and the suspense, clues, and sleuthing add up to a roller coaster ride of a book. (Teen - action-adventure, violent crimes, risk taking)

5 things that make me happy

1.  Having a good book in the offing.
2.  Reading that good book.
3.  Knowing I have a pile of other good books waiting when this one is done.
4.  Libraries - because all those good books won't last forever.
5.  Bookstores.  Sometimes a book is so good I want to OWN it.

Because it's all about the books, about the books.  Start reading.

Thankful for....

OK, books I have read recently that I have to review.  (Not all in one day, although I read one yesterday and one today.)

I Kill the Mockingbird by Paul Acampora

Half a World Away by Cynthia Kadohata

Dangerous by Shannon Hale

The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

Telephone

A story by me

My name is Karen Maurer.  I tell stories.

2,000+books = Awesome

Seattle Public Library kicks off their Summer Reading Club with the longest book domino chain ever!

Henri le chat noir

Books at Play

Wrote a Book

Mike Jung wrote a book (which I haven't read but I really really want to- you will, too), titled Geeks, Girls and Secret Identities.  And then he wrote a song about writing a book!

Thanks to Greg over at GottaBook for sharing this!

Heavenly Days

Yesterday was a heavenly day!  Hub and I got our granddaughter to ourselves for almost four hours.  Such a pretty, smart, funny and just perfect little girl!!  How very, very lucky we - her parents and grandparents - are.

So, when I saw this video posted over on GottaBook, I had to share it.  Every child is beautiful.  Every parent feels challenged.  But some of us have been "blessed" with more challenges than others.  My heart goes out to parents with differently-abled children and I doff my virtual hat to them in respect.

Cherish each joyful moment no matter how fleeting.  Fill your memories with those patches of brightness to carry you through any long dark days.  Love, peace and courage to parents everywhere.

MisterRogers Remixed

Thanks to lernerbooks.blogspot.com for posting this yesterday.  Grow ideas today.

The Power of Words

Spoken or written the right words can make a difference.