Peanuts and Peaches

On Saturday, the boys and I went to see The Peanuts Movie with friends.  It was delightful.  I admit to being impatient with the Red Baron scenes (I felt that way as a girl too), but the rest was visually appealing, sweet, and easy to watch.  I teared up a bit at the end.  I asked my kids if they thought the movie had a lesson, and they both answered no (which is fine -- I know they enjoyed the show).  Good old Charlie Brown reminded me of a few things.  Don't give up.  Be kind.  Be truthful.  Try to do the right thing.  Be humble.  You may sometimes feel worthless and invisible, but good people notice your little choices and see the goodness in you.  I'm not comparing myself to Charlie Brown or anything (I'm maybe a Marcie with a bit of Lucy), just saying I was inspired by him.

I have happy but vague memories of one of my third grade teachers reading James and the Giant Peach aloud.  A couple of years ago, my oldest read and enjoyed this Roald Dahl book.  Today, all three kids and I went to see our local public high school's musical production of James and the Giant Peach.  The songs from the show are memorable and meaningful, and the production was fantastic -- great performances, top notch musical accompaniment, gorgeous sets, and cool and gender-bending casting and costuming decisions.  It's always inspiring to see talented young people who have discovered a passion and are really going for it.  I let it rest in terms of asking my kids about any lessons or takeaways, but in case you are wondering:  You don't have to be alone.  Others people are searching too.  Together, you can find a home.  Bravo, York Drama!

Just popped in...

For the third consecutive November, I've spent part of a Saturday morning at a large public works facility in Batavia, IL, returning and picking up popcorn for our Cub Scout pack.  I actually enjoy the drive.  It's nice to be alone in the van (except for piles of popcorn) on a beautiful autumn morning.  When I made the trip last year, I noticed signage for the Batavia Public Library's used book sale and wished I had time to stop.

Inspiration struck as I waited to determine if there were going to be two Chocolate Lovers gift tins available for me to bring home.*  Some quick research on my trusty phone revealed that I was again in Batavia on the day of the library used book sale.  Why not?

Unless I'm mistaken, it was Mark Twain himself who welcomed me to the library.  I won't call his choice of reading material "braggy," but you know...

The Batavia Public Library is a beautiful building, right along (what I think is) the Fox River.  The book sale staff were super friendly and welcoming.  My haul was decent (seen above, minus three books I have already reconsidered and put in my giveaway pile).  I Capture the Castle is an all-time favorite, and I will probably give this extra copy to a friend.  I liked The Fault in Our Stars, but I'm not obsessed with it.  Not sure why I bought it.  I adore Ready Player One but didn't own a physical copy because I listened to the audio version.  The cookbook looks worth fifty cents!

I always look for older children's books because I love the illustrations.  I like cutting mats and framing things that are free or almost free -- book pages, greeting cards, postcards, beautiful pieces of paper.  I will probably only frame one page from each book.  Big New School reminds me of my childhood fantasy about teaching in a one-room schoolhouse like Laura Ingalls and Anne Shirley.  Rosalie the Bird Market Turtle has lively Parisian scenes on each page.  Check them all out below.

My pleasure in this outing was well worth the fifteen minutes and seven dollars spent.  Nice little Saturday morning.

 Breeze blowing through the classroom windows.  Glorious!

Paris!

*Alas, very high demand for Chocolate Lovers tins so either my popcorn co-kernel or I will be driving back in two weeks.

Norway, November

A very long but mostly very good day is coming to a close, and I am trying to stay true to my pledge and write a blog post each day.  I took this mediocre photo of my gorgeous (in real life) yellow tree on this blustery November morning.  I thought I'd add a quotation about November and call it a day.  A cursory Google search netted the following ...

"November always seems to me the Norway of the year."

-- Emily Dickinson

I'm too tired to track down the context surrounding this quotation, but I had to use it.  Just last week, my son chose to research Norway for his Christmas Around the World project.  He's been bubbling over with enthusiasm for all things Norwegian most of this week ... as one does, apparently, in November.  It's the Norway of the year.

Snackshots -- November

We're only five days into the new month, but I already know what my favorite snack will be.  Tis the season when Costco sells three-packs of Boursin.  Bring it home and spread it on crackers.  Not rocket science, just a reliably tasty snack.  I've also use Boursin in stuffed mushrooms and in deliciously creamy scrambled eggs.

Compliments of Your Library

I subscribe to only one magazine these days (Country Living and only because I never manage to log in to Amazon and cancel the auto renewal in a timely fashion).  Sitting down with a snack and a magazine used to be one of life's little pleasures for me.  The snacking still happens, but I spend that time reading tweets, Facebook status updates, and ebooks on my phone ... unless I have the most recent issue of BookPage, the free book review publication that my library has on offer right as you enter the building.

What I've always loved about magazine reading is its hopefulness -- flipping through pages to find a recipe, decorating idea, quotation, tip, or product that might improve my life somehow.  Even if I seldom follow through, I like feeling glimmers of possibility and inspiration.

BookPage offers inspiration in the form of book recommendations.  In both the BookPage ads and features, I find books to add to my TBR list, my library hold queue, and my "books to possibly purchase" list.

Here are some snippets of traction from November's issue:

* From the LIFESTYLES column, I want to get on the library list for DIY, Dammit!  A Practical Guide to Curse-Free Crafting.  I'm a fairly confident crafter, but it sounds like a fun and funny book.  I don't need to own it, but I'd like to look through it.

* The AUDIO column mentions Anthony Doerr's Four Seasons in Rome:  On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World.  I'm not in the mood to read this book right now, but I'll add it to my GoodReads To Read list so I don't forget it's out there.

* The INTERVIEWS section offers my best find of this issue.  An interview with Hannah Rothschild convinces me that I really want to read The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild, "a blistering, uninhibited and hilarious satire of the London art scene."  I don't know much about the art scene in London or anywhere else (except for what I learned reading The Art Forger), but I appreciate satire and would love to learn more about the art world.

I already purchased the much-buzzed about City on Fire by Garth Risk Hallberg -- the interview makes me want to start it on the sooner side.

* HUMOR brings two nuggets of hope:  Rainn Wilson has written The Bassoon King:  My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy, and I will get in the library queue for that title ASAP.  Jason Gay's Little Victories:  Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living sounds like it might be a good gift book.  Again, will add to library list to preview for future purchase/gifting.

* And speaking of the art world, B.A. Shapiro of The Art Forger has a new book coming, The Muralist, and I first read it about it in BookPage.  I'll put this one on my Audible Wish List as I loved listening to The Art Forger.

* Both the books mentioned in FOODIE FICTION sound promising:  Food Whore by Jessica Tom and Vintage by David Baker.

I could go on and on, but I think that's enough to demonstrate that you should ask about BookPage at your own library.

Fall Haul

I've already written about my love for the library book sale room.  Most of the times I've visited this Fall, it's been slim pickings in there.  Today, we made a quick trip after school to check out Christmas in Norway for a school project, and I had a moment to stop in the room.  Jackpot.

Lisa Genova's Inside The O'Briens -- It's supposed to be heartbreaking, but I am a fan of hers after Still Alice and Left Neglected so I will probably try this one eventually.

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins -- Already read and enjoyed it, but I'd love to be able to lend it to others.  I think my husband would like it.

Emma by Alexander McCall Smith -- I'm trying to keep track of these Austen titles by great contemporary writers.  I have Trollope's Sense and Sensibility and am obviously super excited for Curtis Sittenfeld's Eligible.  Emma is one of my least favorite Jane Austen books so we'll see what I think of its contemporary re-imagining.  I loved Clueless, of course, so there's hope.

Elin Hilderbrand's The Rumor -- Solid novel by one of my go-to authors.  Will definitely lend to friends looking for a reliable vacation read.

Judy Blume's In the Unlikely Event -- I look forward to lending this book to my mother-in-law and to owning my own copy.  Maybe I can display it next to Superfudge and Summer Sisters.

Five dollars very well spent.

Evenings with Ramona

My childhood copies of Beverly Cleary's books are well-loved to say the least.  These books conjure happy memories of hours of free reading and of trips to the B.Dalton bookstore at Tri-County Mall where I thanked God that I did not live in Canada where those kids had to pay so much more for each book.  I've been tempted by the Cleary box sets at Costco on several occasions, but it seems so special to be sharing my actual books with my actual kids.  Tough to resist my second grade handwriting on the inside covers (usually my name written several times, often in an experimental cursive intended, I recall, to mimic my teacher's lovely script).

When my oldest was in kindergarten and first grade, I read all of the Ramona and Henry Huggins titles to him.  My middle guy got squeezed out of that tradition when he was at that stage.  Surprise, surprise.  But, happily, I am back on track reading the Ramona books to my kindergarten daughter and second-grade son (better late than never).  Big brother has found reason to be in close proximity for most of these read-alouds as well.

 

Is there a character more lovable than Ramona?  Her energy, her zest for life, her creativity, her spirit, her honesty.  I'm going to dedicate a long and more thoughtful post (or series of) to Ramona once the kids and I finish all the books.  For now, I'll just share two moments from a chapter of Ramona the Pest.

Ramona proudly shows and tells.

                                                                                                                                                                             
Miss Binney smiled encouragingly.  "Is there something you would like to tell us about your doll?"

"I can really wash her hair," said Ramona.  "It's sort of green because I gave her a blue rinse."

"And what do you wash it with?" asked Miss Binney.

"Lots of things," said Ramona, beginning to enjoy speaking in front of the class.  "Soap, shampoo, detergent, bubble bath.  I tried Dutch Cleanser once, but it didn't work."

"What is your doll's name?" asked Miss Binney.

"Chevrolet," answered Ramona.  "I named her after my aunt's car."

Ramona's frenemy Howie Kemp forgets to bring something for the first day of Show and Tell.  Urged by Mrs. Kemp and her mother, Ramona runs inside her house to grab an item to lend to Howie:  an old stuffed rabbit that her cat likes to beat up and chew upon.  Miss Binny tries to liven the bunny up with a bright red ribbon, the ownership of which becomes a source of conflict between Ramona and Howie.

"Is there something you would like to tell us about your bunny?" asked Miss Binney.

"No," said Howie.  "I just brought it because my mother made me."

"I can tell you something about your bunny," said Miss Binney.  "It has had lots of love.  That's why it's so worn."

Ramona was fascinated.  In her imagination she could see the cat lying on the carpet with the rabbit gripped in his teeth while he battered it with his hind feet.  The look that Howie gave the rabbit was somehow lacking in love.  Ramona waited for him to say that it wasn't his rabbit, but he did not.  He just stood there.

I could barely read that final paragraph aloud for laughing.

Here's to more cozy evenings with my old friend Ramona and three of her twenty-first century fans.