Review: Worm Loves Worm, by J.J. Austrian, illustrated by Mike Curato

9780062386335

You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm . . . and a worm.

When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?

The answer is: It doesn't matter. Because Worm loves worm.

"Let's be married," says Worm to Worm.

"Yes," answers Worm. "Let's be married!" 

Ah, but if it were only that simple, entire industries would go out of business! There must be cake, and flowers, and bridesmaids brides-bees. Everything must be done the way it has always been done...right?

The ambiguity of genders could make this a book about non-traditional marriage. Or, it could be a book about breaking out of the mold and going down your own path. Or, it could be a book about creative problem solving and staying positive. Or, it could be a book about responding to societal pressures. Or...it could just be a cute little story about two worms getting married, surrounded by their friends. Your choice! But I do recommend picking up a copy either way.

***This book has been nominated for the Cybils Awards, and I am a first-round panelist in this category. There are many other panelists, and many MANY other great nominees, so a good or bad review here does not necessarily predict placement on the shortlist. 

Review: Big Chickie, Little Chickie, by Janee Trasler

9780062342317

In the newest addition to the hilarious series, the Chickies say cheese, while young readers learn their opposites. With rhyming words and great illustrations, the Chickies help babies and toddlers have fun while learning the fundamentals in this padded paper-over-board perfect for little hands.

Hooray, another Chickie book! I still love the sturdy but squishy covers - all of which have held up wonderfully in our library - and the simple but adorable illustrations. The chickies are so adorable, in fact, that it makes perfect sense for them to have their own photo shoot. In addition to opposites, the rollicking text has funny rhymes...and underwear! No silly children's book is quite complete without underwear. Bright colors, goofy faces, and just enough text for the board book audience. Another hit from Trasler!

***This book has been nominated for the Cybils Awards, and I am a first-round panelist in this category. There are many other panelists, and many MANY other great nominees, so a good or bad review here does not necessarily predict placement on the shortlist. 

Review: How to Put Your Parents to Bed, by Mylisa Larsen, illustrated by Babette Cole

9780062320643

No one likes going to bed. And you're not even tired. You want to stay up and have all sorts of fun adventures! But take a look at your parents. They're really tired. They're exhausted. But they just won't go to bed! Help them put down the cell phones, turn off the TV, stop cleaning the dishes, and go to bed! You might be small, but you can handle this task. Follow the instructions in this book and you'll have them snoring in no time.

Those darn parents take a lot of training, don't they? Children will get a giggle out of the idea that they have to be in charge of their parents, while parents may recognize themselves in places (just ONE more e-mail...). Playful parents and kids might have fun trying out this role reversal, with parents trying out their kids' usual stalling tactics. Either way, it's a fun read-aloud, and the illustrations by Cole (also known for the Princess Smartypants books) are a perfect match.

Review: The Perfect Place by Teresa E. Harris

9780547255194

Treasure’s dad has disappeared and her mom sets out to track him down, leaving twelve-year-old Treasure and her little sister, Tiffany, in small-town Virginia with their eccentric, dictatorial Great-Aunt Grace. GAG (as the girls refer to her) is a terrible cook, she sets off Treasure’s asthma with her cat and her chain smoking, and her neighbors suspect her in the recent jewel thefts. As the hope of finding their dad fades, the girls and their great-aunt begin to understand and accommodate one another. When a final dash to their dad’s last known address proves unsuccessful, Treasure has to accept that he’s gone for good. When she goes back to Great-Aunt Grace’s, it is the first time she has returned to a place instead of just moving on. Convincing, fully realized characters, a snarky narrative voice, and laugh-aloud funny dialogue make The Perfect Place a standout among stories of adjustment and reconfigured families.

I have a dilemma here. For some reason I have not been able to decipher, books with African Americans on the cover do not check out at my library. Asian, Native American, white - no problem. This is a problem, because it means some really great books end up on my 'weed' list, and this one is a REALLY great book! I have had it on face-out display for two months now, with no takers, so I am hoping a blog post will spur a little interest.

Treasure is a fantastic character. Tired of moving around and being hurt, she has rules about new places to keep that from happening: Don't make friends. Avoid extended eye contact and turn down all invitations for play dates. Try not to smile. Don't waste words, which means no small talk. Try not to speak unless your life - or grades - depends on it. She is bright and curious and caring, however, and has a hard time keeping those rules. GAG isn't about to let her hide at home, anyways, and that pesky boy Terrence seems determined to be her friend. The dialog between those two, as well as some of Treasure's internal dialog, is pretty snarky and fun.

Little sister Tiffany is a very real seven-year-old, upbeat and opinionated most of the time, but struggling to understand what the deal is with the grown-ups in her life. GAG (think Grandma Dowdel in A Year Down Yonder) and her...friend, Moon, avoid the possible stereotypes. I absolutely loved one scene towards the end where GAG is puttering around her room, rearranging things as she and the girls have a difficult conversation, because it is just such a normal thing for someone to do. The mean girl and some of the townspeople are not terribly fleshed out, but they just put in brief appearances.

There are many stories weaving together that make this a great coming of age story for any child, not just one with a family in transition. PLEASE come check it out if you are local, and if not, go find it at your local library!

Review: Trouble is a Friend of Mine, by Stephanie Tromly

9780525428404

Sherlock meets Veronica Mars meets Ferris Bueller's Day Off in this romance where the leading man is decidedly unromantic, and crime novel where catching the crook isn't the only hook.

     Of course Zoe Webster didn't like Philip Digby when she first met him. No one does! He's rude and he treats her like a book he's already read and knows the ending to. But Zoe is new in town and her options for friends are . . . limited. And before she knows it, Digby—annoying, brilliant, and somehow attractive?—has dragged her into a series of hilarious and dangerous situations all related to the investigation of a missing local teen girl. When it comes to Digby, Zoe just can't say no. But is Digby's manic quest really worth all the trouble he's getting Zoe into?

I got about three chapters in before I realized, I know this kid. He was one of my patrons many years back, his name wasn't Digby, and he wasn't old enough to make any little girl's hearts stutter yet. But he was amazingly bright, confident enough to barrel through all sorts of trouble, and just so hard to stay mad at. Even when he consistently broke through every guard our tech people put on the computer, AND I busted him drinking MY Cokes from the staff refrigerator. I remember asking him once to please use his powers for good, not for evil.

Zoe is a likeable character, well-fleshed-out enough that she isn't just a foil for Digby's escapades. I found myself feeling things along with her even though she isn't much like me, which to me always speaks well for the writing. Henry is a bit more two-dimensional (don't worry, you'll meet Henry fairly soon), but his presence does give the story a little more depth, in addition to providing Zoe (and us) with back story.

Digby, though. Digby is definitely the star of the show, and he sweeps the reader along just as he does the people around him. In fact, Tromly owes me some laundry time, because I spent the entireity of the kids' naps yesterday hiding in the kitchen so I could finish reading.

Now, once I was finished, the analytical blogger in me started questioning the plausibility of the situations, especially the whole final explosives thing (no spoiler, it starts with that). And then there was Digby's big secret! But then the reader in me punched the blogger in the face and told her to shut up, we enjoyed the whole ride, and Digby's secret was hiLARious, and we didn't want to hear anyone poking holes in it. Plus, this morning my radio DJs were discussing a CHP helicopter chasing an escaped unicorn, so who am I to question what could really happen?

Part of me hopes for a sequel (I want more Digby!) but the other part fears seeing a good thing ruined. Either way, this is definitely a must-have for any young adult collection. 

Slow Cooker Bear Roast

A friend gave us several cuts of bear a few months back, and since I have never cooked it before, I hit the internet. What I mostly found were a lot of really dumb comments about cavemen, gamey meat, tough meat, etc. - from people who 'heard' about it, or were guessing. Seriously? It's a meat, guys, just like cow or pig. 

I made the bear roast for Thanksgiving (in addition to turkey), and it was so good there wasn't much left! The taste of bear meat supposedly depends on what it eats. This bear lived in southern NM, and probably ate both meat and plants. It wasn't gamey at all - and we have eaten several cuts of it now. The meat itself does not have a strong flavor, and isn't tough. I have done the roasts in a slow cooker, but we cooked backstrap in the oven (stuffed with cheese and peppers, wrapped in bacon...yum!), and that wasn't tough either. The only thing I wasn't impressed with was the bear sausage, which had little flavor - the next time I cook it, I will probably add some of the same seasonings as I do to the roasts, and simmer it for a while.

Here is the basic recipe I followed for the roast, although I don't use exact measurements:

Ingredients:

1 bear roast

1 can beer

3T butter

1 head garlic, separated into cloves

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste

(Optional - chunk up some onions and spread them around the roast)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in frying pan and sear roast on all sides. 

2. Cut slits all over and stick garlic cloves in (or you can also just sprinkle with minced garlic from a jar, if you are lazy like I was the second time)

3. Place in slow cooker and pour beer over top. 

4. Sprinkle with other ingredients.

5. Cook on high for about two hours, then on low 4-5 hours more.

That's it! Basically how you might cook a beef roast, although you want to think of it like pork in terms of done-ness (like pork, bear meat can have trichinellosis). It smells SO GOOD, you will be tempted to taste early, just make sure the internal temp is 160 degrees (as per CDC). As you can see, it is falling apart in the end, and the flavor is amazing (as per local critics!)

Sunday Funnies: Travel Version

Hours from home, stopping for a bathroom break at a gas station, Logan spots a familiar-looking box on the shelves. "Mommy! I figured out where Grandma bought my cornbread!"

*****

Logan saw this statue in Artesia:

and said excitedly, "Mommy, I know why they made that statue!" Expecting something about the importance of librarians, I asked, "Why?" Logan: "because she was reading a book and they shot her!"

Um...

*****

Good news! The snow is melting!

*****

Shane just walked by me saying, "Bye-bye! Love you!"

'Bout time he got a job.

*****