Laura Swag Contest

Laura Ingalls Wilder Swag Contest

One lucky winner will receive two bookmarks, and five individual postcards from three Laura Ingalls Wilder historic sites.  Do you have a child in your life who loves THE LITTLE HOUSE books, or maybe your a fan yourself.  Either way these are nice collector items, fancy bookmarks or an inspiration to journey to various Laura Ingalls Wilder sites throughout the US.  Anyone can enter, it is open internationally. 

Please leave a comment telling me what is your favorite LITTLE HOUSE book,  include your name, e-mail and blog site if you have one.  This contest will end on August 31st at midnight.

Pepin, Wisconsin: Birthplace of Laura Ingalls Wilder

My kids and I took a trip to Pepin, Wisconsin to visit Laura Ingalls Wilder's Birthplace.  It is about and hour and a half drive from Saint Paul.  We traveled on Laura's historic highway and it was a beautiful picturesque drive.  I took tons of pictures but unfortunately my camera is on the verge of breaking and for some reason won't download any of my pictures from Pepin.  So the images you see in this post are taken from google images.  

Laura was born in February of 1867
 in Pepin, Wisconsin.  Her house and the story about her time there takes place in her first book, Little House in the Big Woods.  The house if no longer in the woods but surrounded by farmland.  The house you can visit is a replica and not built to be exact.  It is exciting to be on her property and in the area where she was born.  There is no cost to visit the house, the museum or park in town.  The beach at Lake Pepin is also free.  

 The house is seven miles from downtown Pepin off of County Road 7.  Laura describes her visit to town in Little House in the Big Woods and her view of the seeing the Lake.  Visiting the town and swimming in the lake was a great experience for my kids.  It was extremely hot when we were there and we got an ice cream cone at one of the old storefronts, possibly where the mercantile was.  

I would definitely suggest a visit to this hidden little town, it is quiet, peaceful and not very expensive.  We did not stay overnight here but there are accommodations available.  We also visited the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in town and the park 4 blocks down that is dedicated to her. 

The museum is really nice with a cute gift shop.  My kids actually walked through it and asked lots of questions.  Next door to the museum is a interactive museum where the kids can play school or jump on a boat.  There are places to take your picture and lots of brochures about the other Laura houses and the area. Every year in September the town holds Laura Ingalls Wilder Days Festival, with a pageant, parade and a play based on the book.  I am definitely going to attend that festival soon, maybe this year.  I would highly recommend a trip to the area if you are a Laura fan or if your kids are reading the books.  I am so glad my kids and I had this experience.

 

Northanger Abbey || PBS - trailer

I love this short movie trailer.  Let me know if you have seen the film and your opinion.  I can't wait to watch it.

Northhanger Abbey Readalong week #4

Northhanger Abbey Readalong week #4

Pages read: 179-257
Chapters read: 24-31

This week was the dramatic conclusion of Northhanger Abbey.  It reads a bit like a soap opera minus the erotic passion and kissing.  The drive behind relationships tends to be wealth and titles.  In the end Catherine gets her man although she has to fret and worry for awhile since they are no cell phones for Henry to call.  He must actually drive his carriage to her home if he wants to speak with her.  In the end, I am not really sure why he wanted to marry her.  Maybe because she was so in love with him and that made him love her or maybe it was to anger his father and teach him a lesson.  It seems that eventually everyone in the book lives happily ever after except Isabelle and her wretched brother.

I have learned several things while reading this book.  First of all, Jane Austen book's are not as boring as I thought they were.  The second thing I learned is that I really like readalongs.  They get you to read a challenging book with other people, that you may or may not read alone and it kinda forces you to keep to a schedule and then reflect on what you read.  It is kinda like a online book chat.  So I am going to read more Austen and participate in more readalongs.

I also plan to read Radcliffe's book The Mysteries of Udolpho soon, while Northhanger is still relatively fresh in my mind.  I also want to watch the PBS film adaption of Northhanger Abbey as my reward for reading the book. I would like to thank Jennifer at Reading with Tequila for hosting the readalong.  It was fun to participate.

How many books are in your TBR pile?

Friday Follow and Book Blogger Hop
Welcome Visitors!

Question:  How many books are in your TBR pile?


I have more books in my TBR pile than I can ever read in my lifetime.  Seriously, there are to many to count.  Currently in my library, I have 5 overflowing bookshelves and I still have books in boxes.  This is not even counting the books I have on the multiple shelves in my classroom library.  Reading is definitely my addiction and obsession.  My two kids also have a overflowing bookcase in each of their rooms.  I love to be surrounded by books and to just look at them and all the knowledge they impart.

Books in a sense are my trophies. 

So many books, so little time!


                                                                        

The Wives of Henry Oades

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

A debut historical novel from Johanna Moran that is entertaining, insightful and thought provoking.  The story takes place in 1890 to 1900 and it is based on a actual legal case presented in California on bigamy.

Henry and Margaret are married and living in New Zealand when Margaret and the children are abducted by Maori and forced into slavery.  Henry becomes convinced they are dead and crazy with grief he moves to Berkeley, California.  There Henry takes a new wife, named Nancy, when the previous Mrs. Margaret Oades shows up on  his doorstep with his children.  What ensues in problematic for both wives, the children, Henry and most of all for the town of Berkeley who considers them bigamists.

I was riveted to the page for most of this book.  Frankly you know a book has gotten into your head when you dream about it at night.  I couldn't stop thinking about the dilemma of two wives and who has rightful dibs on Henry.  It is such a complicated issue and one in which the author handles very well, in my opinion.  I wish I would have read this with my book club because this is a book that demands to be talked about and argued over.

If you like historical fiction,  you will really like this book!  This book wowed me!  I just can't imagine how you could choose between the two people you love. 

I received this book as a part of Crazy Book Tours.

FALLOUT, by Ellen Hopkins

FALLOUT Book Trailer
This book trailer was created by Teresa Schauer. Teresa has a blog that you can check out by clicking on her name.  This book trailer brought tears to my eyes and makes me think that FALLOUT is going to be an emotional book for me.

Announcement:  I am giving away a copy of FALLOUT for Blogfest September 10-12.  If I get a lot of followers I will add Crank and Glass to the list for one special follower.  Because you really have to read all three.  Or should I split the books up?  What do you think?

If you haven't signed up for Blogfest yet, you need to do so, just click on the button located on the left side of my blog. 

Glass

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

GLASS is the second book in the Hopkins trilogy about Crystal Meth and its effect on unwed, teenager mother, Kristina Snow and her family.  GLASS is just as addicting to the reader as was the first book, CRANK.  FALLOUT, the third book, is eagerly anticipated by many of her readers and I plan to be first in line to pick it up.

Ellen Hopkin's books continually keep me riveted to the page.  Glass is no exception.  She understands teenage girls so well and the amazing amount of pain and tragedy that exists in some of their lives.  The character of Kristina Snow is modeled after her own daughter.  Glass goes by many nicknames and destroys many lives and its effects spiral across generations.

My sister flirted with the monster and became addicted.  The struggle for her was unbelievable and her children did not come out unscathed.  I am proud to say she is sober now for 5 years but the fear of addiction is still there.  When reading these books, I have a new appreciation and understanding for what people addicted to a drug go through mentally and how it physically takes a hold of them and doesn't let go for years.  I can't even begin to imagine the struggle. 

It is scary how a drug can take possession of your very soul, make you steal from those you love, abandon your relatives, lie, cheat, and do all manner of things you wouldn't do unless you happen to be under the influence.  I am also scared by the fact that people can be high, and be so convincingly normal, that one cannot even guess they are living a life beyond rational and addicted to GLASS.

This book is written entirely in verse and it is close to 700 pages, but don't let that scare you.  The drug itself is more scary than the book, and of course some of the men and strangers Kristina meets.

Hopkins is my new favorite author this year and I plan to read all of her books and loan them to my students, especially struggling readers.  Do yourself a favor and read Crank and Glass.  They will blow your mind.

FALLOUT is being released on September 14th, 2010 and I will see you at the bookstore.

Check out the author's website at www.ellenhopkins.com

Moby Dick T-Shirt

I have finished Moby Dick and have just purchased my reward, a T-shirt from Out of Print Clothing.  Yes, I am so excited to wear this shirt and I hope everyone asks me if I have read the book and I can proudly say:  Yes, I have.

Here is what I love about this company.  They sell book T-shirts of classic book covers.  For every shirt purchased they donate one book to a child in Africa.  I also really like that they have women's t-shirts and not just mens.

I am gonna look good in this shirt!

Northhanger Abbey Readalong week #3

Northhanger Abbey Readalong week #3

Pages read 121-178
Chapters read 16-23

Part 2 in the book. 
I am really starting to like this book and I really love Henry Tilney, he is hilarious.  He is seriously cracking me up, as Catherine says the oddest things and he is good at jesting her.  For example, Catherine says "I have just learnt to love a hyacinth."  (who says that?) pg. 163  She takes it all in stride probably because she has no idea he is jesting which makes the reader understand the joke that the main character does not.

I read almost all this weeks required pages in one day.  The text was entertaining to me and honestly I can't believe I am liking a book by Austen.  But I am, I am liking it indeed. 

Here is what I like: 
I like that Catherine is now at the Tilney Abbey and away from John and Isabelle Thorpe. (those two characters get on my nerves, like a fly buzzing around my head) I like that Catherine is swept up in her invented mystery of the Abbey and that she totally reminds me of a modern day teenager and the drama that gets invented in their day to day lives.  I like that Austen has included plots and twists from the popular Gothic romances of her day.  I am totally going to read Radcliffe's book The Mysteries of Udolpho.  I like that Henry Tilney reads books since according to Catherine most men don't.  I like that the book is funny and the author is quite witty.  I like Henry, he is definitely my favorite character. 

Next week's drama continues with the remaining pages and persists till the harrowing end.  Stay tuned for the dramatic conclusion on Booksnob.