Cheshire

Wacky Weather Picture Books to Share

/ Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Even without the snow filled and freezing cold winter we have just had weather is always an interesting topic to discuss with your children. From snow storms and the school free days they often bring to sunny days at the beach weather is always with us and affects our daily lives and activities. Here are some picturebooks about wacky weather than can make children of all ages laugh and start a discussion about nature and weather in your house.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett; drawn by Ron Barrett. Life is delicious in the town of Chewandswallow where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and blows storms of hamburgers–until the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Hello, Sun! by Dayle Ann Dodds; pictures by Sachiko Yoshikawa. A young girl and her cat must change clothes many times as the weather goes from sunny to cloudy to rainy to snowy.

Aunt Minnie and the Twister by Mary Skillings Prigger; illustrated by Betsy Lewin. After a tornado rearranges their Kansas house, Aunt Minnie and the nine nieces and nephews living with her add on a much-needed new room.

Un-brella by Scott E. Franson. In this wordless book, a little girl uses her magic umbrella to give her the weather she wants, regardless of what the conditions really are outside.

Bartholomew and the Oobleck written and illustrated by Dr. Seuss. The King, tired of rain, snow, sun and fog, commands his magicians to make something else come down from the sky, but when oobleck falls, in sticky greenish droplets, Bartholomew Cubbins shames the King and saves the kingdom.

As usual, there are too many great books to limit myself to the size allotted here, so I will offer a few more and invite you to offer more suggestions in the comments. My other suggestions include; Sector 7 by David Wiesner, Miss Mingo Weathers the Storm by Jamie Harper, Sun, Snow, Stars, Sky by Catherine and Laurence Anholt, Mouse & Mole and the All-Weather Train Ride by Doug Cushman, and The Magic School Bus Kicks up a Storm adaptation by Nancy White and illustrated by Art Ruiz.

Linda Reads: Do or Die (Reluctant Heroes) by Suzanne Brockmann

/ Linda / Leave a comment

do or dieDo or Die (new series, Reluctant Heroes) by Suzanne Brockmann is a heart pounding, non-stop action, suspenseful, character driven, romantic, passionate, emotional, wonderfully written story that, despite it’s long length, you won’t be able to put down.

It is a spin-off of Ms Brockmann’s very popular Troubleshooters series and I must say, she takes this book to a whole new level.

The story centers around a supposedly dishonored Navy SEAL, Ian Dunn, who is in prison under suspicious circumstances, and his feisty lawyer, Phoebe Kruger, who is determined to get him out.  It’s a complicated story with multiple sub-plots, but told with clarity through Ms Brockmann’s exquisite writing and a cast of interesting, multi-dimensional characters.  The FBI wants Ian to lead a covert operation to rescue some kidnapped children from their ruthless father, but Ian has family issues that cause him to refuse.  Phoebe is determined to find out what Ian’s issues are so they can rescue the children.   Characters from the Troubleshooters series cross over to add support to this story.  There are great surprises when some of the characters’ full stories are finally revealed.  There are multiple love stories, but the book is more suspenseful than romantic.  It’s infused with humor and  the characters are written with such delicious detail, you can imagine yourself inside their heads.

The book is quite lengthy and I was hoping to skip parts here and there, but it was so well written, so entertaining, I just had to read every word!  Great characters were introduced in this book that are going to lead to an exciting series!

Honoring Hans Christian Andersen and International Children’s Book Day

/ Sharon Tyler / Leave a comment

Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, April 2, is celebrated as International Children’s Book Day. While he was wrote plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, Andersen is most remembered for his fairy tales. Andersen’s stories explore ideas and themes that transcend age and nationality. In fact, his stories  have been translated into more than 125 languages, become embedded in the West’s collective consciousness. They have inspired plays, ballets, and a number of films.

In honor of International Children’s Book Day and Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, I would like to offer up a selection of the best fairy tale collections including Andersen and then some great books inspired by his work.

From Andersen:
1.Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

2. Little Mermaids and Ugly Ducklings: Favorite Fairytales

3. Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

4. The Snow Queen 

5. Eric Carle’s Treasury of Classic Stories for Children by Aesop, Hans Christian Andersen, and the Brothers Grimm

Tales retold or inspired by Andersen:
1. The Steadfast Tin Soldier retold by Cynthia Rylant

2. The Ugly Duckling retold by Jerry Pinkney

3. The Pea Blossom  by Amy Lowry

4. The Tinderbox by Stephen Mitchell

5. King Long Shanks by Jane Yolen

6. The Uglified Ducky by Willy Claflin

7. The Princess and the Peas and Carrots by Harriet Ziefert

8. The Red Shoes by Gloria Fowler

Do you have a favorite story from Andersen’s collections, or perhaps a favorite version or a classic tale? Share it in the comments and it might just becomes someone else’s new favorite!

On Our Shelves: New Music for March

/ Susan O. / Leave a comment

Music comes in more flavors than Bernie Bott’s Beans. No matter what your taste or style, there’s always something new being released – even from musicians long-deceased.  Here are a few recent releases on our shelves:

Life, Love, & Hope  by Boston

    Boston’s been around forever, it seems – their first eponymous album debuted in 1976 and reached number 3 on the album charts, and subsequent albums only climbed higher.  With the untimely death of lead singer Brian Delp in 2007, Boston underwent some changes, and to be honest, hearing them live in concert, they didn’t seem to have it anymore.  However, with the release of Life, Love, & Hope, their sixth album, Boston seems to have recovered: not quite the same, but with enough of the old magic to bring back the spark that gave them their identity. The same driving beats, the same luscious harmonies, but a little lighter, a little crisper, a little fresher to attract a new generation.  For a band that’s been around almost 40 years, that’s a difficult – and truly wonderful – thing to do. If you want something new or are longing for some updated nostalgia, this is a great album to try.

High Hopes by Bruce Springsteen

        High Hopes bills itself as a rare, unreleased tracks album, which it may indeed be, but we’ve heard some of these before.  It’s wonderful to hear a non-live version of 41 Shots, but the album doesn’t add any real surprises. There’s not a bad track on it, but nothing particularly stands out. If you love Springsteen (and there’s a lot to love), then this album will give you exactly that – more. Not better, not bad, just more quality music, a long encore to a fabulous concert from a musician who’s as strong as ever.

The Bones of What You Believe by Chvrches

   They pronounce it “churches,” but I pronounce the V anyway.  A synth-pop band from Scotland, Chvrches is a group that bridges a number of different music styles.  Like light modern popular radio music?  This is a great album.  Like a techno electronic sound with actual understandable lyrics to go with it? This is a great album.  Miss some of the 80’s pop from bands like Human League or The Fixx, or the sweet sounds of Sixpence None the Richer?  Then you will love this album.  Light, joyful, and not overpowering, there’s a wide variety of song styles to keep you entertained.  It’s been  a long time since I found a new popular band that has caught my attention this much, and I hope to hear more from them in the future. Give them a try!

Croz by David Crosby

Like Springsteen’s High Hopes, if you like Crosby, Stills, & Nash, you will probably enjoy David Crosby’s new album. Harking back to the band’s late-60’s melodies, this is more of the style you remember, an open, wandering melody with a touch of Eastern feel that could almost be filed under Jazz. Nothing jumps out and grabs you, it’s just a solid continuation of the old-style catalog.

 

 

If You Like Your Romance With An Edge…

/ Linda / Leave a comment

searchIf you like your stories where the action scenes make you hold your breath, and the sex scenes make you blush, try this new series:  Adrenaline Search & Rescue by Vivian Arend.

LIFELINE: an elite search-and-rescue squad based out of Banff, Alberta. Specializing in high-risk rescue missions, this team goes wherever the job takes them.

Adrenaline Search & Rescue is a three book series.  Each book revolves around different team members

High Risk
Adrenaline Search & Rescue, Book 1

Rebecca James was once revered for her devil-may-care attitude and backcountry survival skills. But ever since she lost her partner in a fatal accident, patches of her memory have been missing. And until she can recall those final, tragic moments before the accident, she can’t move on.

Since Marcus Landers was permanently injured during a mission, all his energies have been focused on his Lifeline team. When Becki—whom he had an intense affair with seven years ago—arrives in Banff, he’s inspired to reignite the spark they once had. Their mutual ardor slowly awakens Becki’s dormant, haunting memories.

New truths surface until Becki must at last confront her greatest fear. Remembering the past might mean a future without the man she loves…

High Passion
Adrenaline Search & Rescue, Book 2

Alisha Bailey left a life of privilege for the dangerous but thrilling world of search and rescue. Denying the lure of attraction to her teammate is another sacrifice she’s made to prove to everyone–including her family–that she’s more than a pretty face or a business commodity.

Since their training days, Devon Leblanc has used the competitive fire between them to hide his fascination with the petite beauty. When a natural disaster forces their rivalry aside, heated passion finally flares between them. Sexual pleasure slowly gives way to a new appreciation for each other’s skills–on the field and in the bedroom.
But when unexplained accidents begin happening to the Lifeline team, their newfound unity may be their only hope for survival…

High Seduction
Adrenaline Search & Rescue, Book 3

As the chopper pilot for the elite Lifeline search-and-rescue team, Erin Tate is used to handling power. Calling the shots in the air is one thing—in the bedroom it leaves her cold. What she wants is a man strong enough to strip away her control.

Paramedic Timothy Dextor has a wild card reputation, and the dark appetites to prove it. The only thing missing is a woman he can share them with. Landing a position on the Lifeline squad puts his old flame back within reach. He already knows what Erin needs, and this time he’s not letting her go.

But when an emergency throws Erin and Timothy together in unanticipated ways, the stakes are raised—on the job and off. Now they’ll both discover the real meaning of control…and the risks that come from falling in love.