In my library bag...

Sometimes I feel like the universe is looking out for me. Some months ago, my friend Kristy recommended I read 'The Power of Now'. I diligently wrote down the title and author with a promise to track it down.

This afternoon at yoga, a conversation about my over-analytical nature (and mission for a guilt-free year) led my teacher to hand me a book, saying "Michelle, you should really read this!". It was of course the very same book. Coincidence? I think not.

And when I'm not searching for inner peace....I have my head in the Jean M. Auel's Earth's Children series. Currently up to Book 3. Oh how I love them - Ayla, you are my hero!

In our library bag...

I always dive into Harry's library bag as soon as he brings it home. I'm intrigued to see what treasure he's uncovered in the school library. Boy oh boy did I feel incredibly nostalgic when I pulled this classic from his library bag last Friday. I have never read the book (I didn't even know it was a novel first), but the movie was dear to my heart.  

The Never Ending Story was one of my most favourite childhood movies ever. What can I say...I'm a child of the 80's. I think we all dreamed of riding on Falkor the luckdragon. Remember that terrifying Gmork? I just about leaped into my Mum's lap when that creature dived at Atreyu in the Swamps of Sadness! At the time, it was the scariest thing I'd ever seen. 

I don't think I've ever talked to Harry about the movie. How fabulous he found the book - I'm going to read it too. I've told him I'll watch the movie with him when he's finished. I hope the video shop has a copy!

Book Week 2012

We had the Book Week parade today. You all know the drill...come dressed as your favourite story book character. Till decided she wanted to be Pippi Longstocking. Harry thought he'd make a pretty good Hiccup. Here's the low down on how their costumes came together...

In a former life, Till's dress was a pair of overalls found at the op shop. I just chopped off the legs and sewed on the wide bright fabric hem. The purple top she already owned and the socks belong to me. Ben made a special wire headband for her plaits. I made several attempts to plait her hair onto the wire, but after much cursing, Ben took over. He got it first go - I didn't even know he knew how to plait. Is there nothing my guy can't do?

Harry wore brown trackies and a green top from the op shop. Ben drew the dragon design on the front, made tiny holes and threaded  "shoelace style" the leather string through the top. I bought the fur vest from eBay. That very cool belt came from the op shop, as did the fur-lined leather jacket that Ben cut apart to make Harry's fur boot covers. Doesn't it come together well. Now that Harry is done being Hiccup, I think a haircut might be in order!!!!!

And now to start planning for next years Book Week Parade....

In our library bag this week...

Ben came across this really cool book in the school library. Harry and I have read/flicked through it over and over again. It's the type of book you take something new from each time you look at it. So what's it all about? Well, it's an ideas book really. Have you ever heard of a not-for-profit company called We Are What We Do? The company creates ways for millions of people to do more small, good things. They have created a list of 131 simple actions we can all do that can change the world and make it a better place. Many of the "actions" are things we already do on a daily basis and don't take much time, such as Action #101 Make someone smile! (the book says we see 300 people every day. If one million people smile at 300 people each, every person in Australia will get smiled at 14 times. Don't you just love that?)

The philosophy of We Are What We Do is that by making small changes to our everyday actions, we can make a big difference. Take for example Action #118 Don't sing in the shower (take shorter showers, save water and save your singing for the rain). They insist that when lots and lots of us make small changes to our everyday actions, together we can change the world! Such as Action #122 Don't charge your mobile phone overnight (the idea being that mobile phones charge in under two hours, therefore charging them all night long is a waste of energy). But my favourite is Action #102 Walk your Dad (apparently like dogs, grown-ups get cranky when they stay indoors all day long). Hilarious!

This book shares just 31 of the 131 ideas - so obviously there are other books in this series. And isn't it great that the ideas in this book were all thought up by kids!

In our library bag this week...

Today I brought home The Tale Of Despereaux from the library for Harry to read. I had hoped to read it first, just to check it was suitable. I don't always do this, but I had heard this was a very sad story. Anyway, I wasn't quick enough...Harry picked it up when he got home from school and finished it just a few minutes ago! And he absolutely loved it (so I guess it's my turn now). Oh and he agreed it was a very sad tale.

It looks as though we may have another Emily Rodda fan in this household! Till was given the complete Fairy Realm series on audio CD recently. She found the accompanying book(s) in the library and has been following along while she listens to the CD's (for the zillionth time!). Reading along with a CD has been great for improving her skills; at first she would get lost easily, but now she can follow along fluidly without losing her place.

I recently read The Memory Keeper's Daughter, which I quite enjoyed. Right now I'm a third of the way through The Reef. You may remember one of my new year resolutions was to read at least 20 books this year. Well I'm not quite halfway yet, but I'm feeling pretty confident I'll reach my target!

 

In our library bag...

Written by acclaimed French author Anna Gavalda, I found this novel to be a quick light enjoyable read. My friend Deb gifted this book to me thinking it would be the perfect holiday read - and she was right!

Harry just read this for the second time...I remember my brother reading this book long ago....

...and now Harry has his nose in Book 2 of the Three Doors Trilogy...He read Book 1 'The Golden Door' at Christmas and has been eagerly awaiting the release of Book 2

Till is reading this oldie but goodie....I read it to her a year ago when we were visiting Ma and Pumpkin. She LOVED it (so did I) and was ecstatic when Ben came across it in our local library here! Plus now she can read it to herself!!!!!

Oh and Ben...well he has been reading comics! I've never really understood the appeal of comics, but then maybe I've never found the right one for me! Ben LOVES them.

In our library bag this week...

Ben and I used to read a lot, many yonks ago. But the matters of "reading" and "books" have been all child focused in this household for a few years now; beginning firstly with reading aloud to them A LOT and then helping them to become readers themselves.  They can both read now of course, but we still read aloud to them. One is never too old to be read to (my younger sister happily read to me when we were both still in our highschool years...we scared ourselves silly with Edgar Allan Poe tales). Now don't get me wrong, Ben and I LOVE children's literature.  You'd be hard pressed to find a family who adore Roald Dahl as much as we do. And we try to read all the classics to Harry and Till. But I'm pleased to say, the grown-ups in this abode are rediscovering the joy of books.  It helps that we don't have TV in our house I suppose (oh we watch the occasional DVD - so we aren't completely devoid of screen time).

It has been a loooong time since I let you look in our library bag. And so with no further ado...

Ben (always a Dick Francis fan) just finished...

 Currently he has his nose in...

Over the weekend I read...

And now I can't put this one down...

I recently received this FABULOUS cookbook in the mail....

 I've been cooking up a storm...and maybe,  just maybe...

I'm beginning to enjoy my time in the kitchen just a wee bit more!

On Saturday Harry read all THREE of these in one hit...

Now I'm trying to track down the remaining titles in this series.

 And lastly, our small girl (who can read all by herself now!), is enjoying this audio book at bedtime...

So what are you reading? I'm looking for recommendations!
And now I'm hopping in to bed to read.
Goodnight xxx

A diet of books

Harry reads my blog - he has unintentionally become my 'self-appointed' editor! Tonight he noted: "Mum, you haven't done an updated post about library books I've read lately".

Hmmm. True.  The main reason being, THIS BOY OF MINE READS TOO MANY BOOKS - SEROUSLY! He's like a machine.  Some days he reads one and a half novels - and that's just between the hours of school finishing and bedtime!! Lucky for us we have access to a fabulous well-stocked library...and luckier still, it has a great selection of books written by the fabulous Australian author, Emily Rodda (definitely Harry's favourite writer this month).

So just for you Harry, here's a list of some of the titles you have ingested recently.  Yes that's right - I know your little secret.............. I know you're swallowing books whole when we're not looking!

In our library bag this week...

Arrrrr me hearties...there's nothing like a good ole pirate tale in the evening, to help ye sleep sweet dreams. But following tales of treasure hunts and sword fights, one must promptly read a cutesie picture book about a sweet little girl who causes chaos in her local library. Can you tell which one Matilda chose?

In our library bag this week...

This one barely hit the sides of the library bag - and once we started we just couldn't put it down! As a bit of a mid week treat, yesterday afternoon we sat down with a ginormous bowl of popcorn and watched the movie version.  Movies are typically a weekend-only event in this house.

The critics said: "The book was soooo much better Mum!"

And I have to say I totally agree. Books usually are, don't you think?

Happy reading x