Something old, something new!

I''ll start this post with an old favorite. One that I've read several times and is a regular on the book club scene. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo is a quick read that can fuel long discussions about following your dreams and the experiences faced along the way. The beauty of this book is that it is simple enough for a younger reader, but one that as an adult I find new meaning with each time I read it. Truly one of my favorites.

The book Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin is an engrossing tale of a boy born in communist China who is granted the once in a lifetime opportunity to dance with a group under the reign of Mao Zedong. Providing insight into life in poverty and the intense discipline of the world of ballet this memoir is one that I would recommend reading, and am considering reading for a second time. Although this book is not short, I finished it in a matter of days. The author's voice made me feel as if I was sitting face to face with him as he shared his story of heartbreak, triumph and hope born out of adversity.

The first couple of books that I checked out from the library were toddler books, so I thought that I'd note them on my blog as well. The first is How do dinosaurs say goodnight? by Jane Yolen.

This fun rhyming read is silly enough to engage even the most antsy toddler. It is a wonderful tool for helping little ones get to sleep as well as teaching them about all different kinds of dinosaurs. The illustrations were beautiful and funny enough to leave me smiling. I now love saying, "Good night, good night little dinosaur" to my own little one!

Second was The Napping House by Audrey Wood, illustrated by Dan Wood. Our favorite part of this story is not the sleeping part, but the grand ending where all those in the napping house wake up. Usually I won't post spoilers on my blog, but I figure that giving away the ending of a quick picture book probably won't hurt anyone. I also really loved the illustrations in this book. The story had the aspect of repitition that my son loved, as well as the aspect of surprise. An all around fun read you won't mind pulling out again and again.

Holiday Reads

I realized when starting this post that I have so many books I've read that are my "favorites" that it would be nigh impossible to sit down and write about them at once. I think that adding on an old favorite or two with each new post about books I've recently finished will have to suffice. This holiday I was spent visiting with family and many and I spent many an hour curled up with a book. I started with the first four Artemis Fowl novels by Eoin Colfer.

I found these books to be very entertaining. I typically love young adult novels. Usually things work out well for the main characters and there isn't the violence/sex/language etc. that can be present in more adult books. My favorite part about this series is that Artemis the main character is not the typical protagonist. One of the things that makes him so interesting and in my opinion likeable is that he is a criminally inclined child genius. Colfer does an excellent job of portraying another culture of fairies living secretly beneath the human world. I will definitely be finishing off this series as soon as I get a library card!

Next I read my first Jon Krakauer novel Into Thin Air. This was definitely a change of pace. It is a gripping fast paced story intermingled with tidbits of history that kept the pages turning. I finished this book in two days. This is an account of the Mt. Everest disaster of 1996 that resulted in the death of many climbers. In addition to telling the story of this particular fateful journey Krakauer details some of the history of climbing and the effects of high altitude on the human body. This book was one that left me wanting to know more about climbing and mountaineering, and although I will never climb Everest, it gave me motivation to become more physically fit and to take the time to enjoy the world around me. I would most definitely recommend this book, even if you've never so much as thought about ice climbing.

One of my favorite books since elementary school when I first read it is The Giver by Lois Lowry. This is the tale of Jonas, a boy born into a drastically different world where there is no pain, hunger, loss or adversity. It is a quick read and simple enough for a child, but the deeper meaning which sheds light on the importance of opposition in all things is enough to promote hearty dialog in any adult book club.

Wow! Are all the blog names taken?

So, after trying and trying to come up with a SWEET title for my reading blog I quickly realized that all the good ones are TAKEN! I literally had to reach to the bottom of the barrel to come up with my blog title, which in reality attests to my college obsession with rapping to Vanilla Ice, just kidding.

In starting this blog I am hoping to collect in one spot the books that are near and dear to my heart, and maybe to share some thoughts with others. Not that I am any sort of an authority on what books are great, but, here goes!