What a great book. It makes me realize how little I really knew about St Francis of Assisi. I love his poems and I loves his peaceful stance in life. What a great book. It makes me realize how little I really knew about St Francis of Assisi. I love his poems and I loves his peaceful stance in life. I know many of his works and some stories, but I really didn't know much about his life.
The man was very committed to poverty. I wouldn't want to live with him back then, but he created a third order for ordinary people that didn't have to take a vow of poverty and I would join that branch.
He was an amazing person. He reminds me a lot of Teresa of Avilla. They both have such complete faith in God. Francis also reminds so much of Buddhist doctrine. He apologized to rocks he accidentally stubbed and he moved worms out of his way. He roamed around like a buddhist monk does giving sermons. They philosophy is so close actually.
There are some beautiful stories in here about the man. I love the one he talks about being filled with fear and in a vision God forgave his sins and after that he lived a life of compassion and Love. He was quite a person and I admire him even more.
The artwork is very pretty. Many times Demi doesn't give us an actual background so our characters are flying in their window, but it's still beautifully.
Things I learned: Francis was a noble, very popular and dreamed of going off to war. He did and was captured for a year. He was about to join the pope's holy war when he got sick and couldn't go. Then he went into service for the lord. I guess war is just always popular. I guess it always will be.
There is one story, Francis went to North Africa during a war with the muslims and talked directly with the Sultan asking to stop the war. The Sultan didn't, but he was very impressed and gave Francis permission to travel anywhere he chose.
He certainly didn't have filial piety. His father got made when Francis gave all his father's money to the church to rebuild. The father was angry and tried to rage against Francis. Well, Francis stripped down to the skin, left his clothes and worldly goods to his father and said he wasn't his father any longer, his only father was God in Heaven. That seems a pretty sad story to me. There is no mention of him ever making up or forgiving his father. To me, that's sad. Again, very buddhist.
This is a book for CAT LOVERS. Any crazy cat ladies in your life or family members, this is a great gift idea. How can they resist it.
This is all aboThis is a book for CAT LOVERS. Any crazy cat ladies in your life or family members, this is a great gift idea. How can they resist it.
This is all about cats, a nice little comedy. It tells how they train the humans. It also gives some fun facts.
We get a rough history of cats, I wasn't aware they were almost wiped out in the middle ages. We find out some of their body language, helpful. We also get a family photo at the end of the different types of cats.
The artwork is fun and the cats really shine. Kids will adore this book is my guess unless they hate cats....more
I found this series on the Chinese Zodiac because they are bilingual books and I'm trying to use picture books to help me learn Mandarin. This book waI found this series on the Chinese Zodiac because they are bilingual books and I'm trying to use picture books to help me learn Mandarin. This book was not bilingual. There was only English in the book. What happened. Are some Bilingual and some not, or do they sell them as English only or Bilingual and the library didn't have the Bilingual???
The story was cute enough. The Zodiac animals were spending the summer together and they wanted to enter a boat race. The dragon is so big, he can fit inside the canoe. We fixes this dilemma by becoming the little boat.
All the animals were in this one. I was very disappointed that there was no Mandarin in this one. Cute, but unhelpful. The Dragon is the luckiest one in the Zodiac, but today, his luck didn't pull through....more
This is a Tomie dePaola book. I'm trying to read all his stories and he has so many. It's a large task. His art style is so very different. He really This is a Tomie dePaola book. I'm trying to read all his stories and he has so many. It's a large task. His art style is so very different. He really changed things up with the art. I wouldn't recognize it by that alone.
The story is a bunch of colored birds talking. They are talking about events around Bethlehem. Each talks about the strangest things. It's a nice idea to go about it in a different manner, but really it's sort of boring. The last page shows Jesus in a manager.
Not the best Christmas book by any measure. It doesn't feel very Christmasy either. Skip this one. I just read Mary, the mother of Jesus by him and that's much better....more
It's been awhile since I last read this series. It took me some time to catch up. The North Wind has passed and they need to find his heir. It has to It's been awhile since I last read this series. It took me some time to catch up. The North Wind has passed and they need to find his heir. It has to be one of Snow's kids. I like that we get to focus on her kids.
The story has three things going at once. There is Snow's story, the best. There's Rose Red taking back the farm, Bifkin and some escapees in Oz trying to overthrow the Gnome king. I like that story as well. There is also a little story in NYC going on and I'm not sure what that is about.
The stories were short and the issue went by fast. Maybe, it's the time between issues, but this one seemed scattered. I also didn't like the Christmas tag at the end when everyone is pulled into that weird story. It was so abrupt. I'm not a fan of that, but the issue was good.
I need to go ahead and get the next one so I can keep up with what's going on. ...more
This might be the best book written by Elisabeth de la Vallee I've read so far. It's short and a quick read, but there are some great ideas in here.
TThis might be the best book written by Elisabeth de la Vallee I've read so far. It's short and a quick read, but there are some great ideas in here.
This book is about the heart and it goes into the four meridians of the heart and how they make up the double aspect. Pericardium and San Jiao both make out the Outer heart, the exterior and it protects the heart while Small Intestine and Heart make up the inner heart, the interior. It is what makes us the person we show up in life as. It's beautifully done I feel. I was touched by the content and the translation was so much better.
In Ancient texts, it was said there are 6 fu and 5 Zang. Yet there are 6 Zang meridians. In that time, the Heart didn't have it's own acu points. All the needling one did was on the Pericardium meridian. That meridian basically, is the heart.
In school, we made such a big deal of the differences and how they are separate. This text talks about them as if they are one in the same. The Chinese are brilliant at taking opposite concepts to name a thing. The heart is inner and outer, invisible, and visible. All four meridians really are the heart. It's all one and the same. I guess Small intestine is still it's own system, but it still has so much to do with protecting the heart and directing heat out of it.
The book has some new ideas for me and new ways of looking at acupuncture and theory. I love studying the characters and even understanding some of the points better. A great little book. It didn't take me 7 years to year, Yahoo....more
It's been awhile, but Calef Brown books are fun. This bit of rhyming, punning magic is about pirates. It's like a sales pitch for the Pirateria where It's been awhile, but Calef Brown books are fun. This bit of rhyming, punning magic is about pirates. It's like a sales pitch for the Pirateria where a buccaneer can get all the pirate booty they desire. The rhymes are magic and the puns are perfection.
There really isn't a story. It's about the comedy. People who love words will enjoy this one, or word play. I think they use just about every pirate saying or paraphernalia one can think of. It sounds like a smelly place, not someplace to go in person, but to see it on TV would be pretty good. ...more
This is a little extra story in the Fablehaven series. It comes after Volume 17. I'm not the biggest Bigby fan and this is all about him. I guess I doThis is a little extra story in the Fablehaven series. It comes after Volume 17. I'm not the biggest Bigby fan and this is all about him. I guess I don't like that raw primal sort of character all that much.
Anyway,
Bigby is looking for a new location for Fablehaven and thinks the town of Story City, IA might be a good place. This is an actual city, but in this story, it's a fictional take on the town. The city was owned by Bluebeard, so Bigby is curious.
Turns out, it's a town of werewolves, thousands of them, little a normal American Pie sort of life, in most ways. Or is it.
Bigby gets in there and of course everything bubbling under the surface comes to the surface and it's a huge explosion. It's quite the violent story. There is also a lot of backstory given as well.
It's an entertaining story. I could see it making a good movie, if the right character moments were pulled out of the story. This story focuses on the werewolf violence and so it's mostly fighting of some sort. I want to finish up the Fablehaven series. I need to see if I can get it through interlibrary loan as they no longer have the whole series....more
Thank you Madeline Miller for this retelling of the story of Achilles. It give Achilles a humanity that I never knew. From the text, he was simply a bThank you Madeline Miller for this retelling of the story of Achilles. It give Achilles a humanity that I never knew. From the text, he was simply a brutal warrior who always won. I can find his humanity in this and I love it.
This is really a love story first. I do love the characters of Patroclus and Achilles. They make a great team. Healer and warrior - makes for a great combo.
I love seeing their time training with Chiron and what those three years were about. It's my favorite part of the story. We see little of the other famous people in the story, we never see Helen or much of the other gods, but we see Thetis - Achilles mom and she is terrifying. There is little fantasy element here, but enough to make it work in the context of the Illiad.
I thought the scene where Achilles was hiding with Lycanious was amusing. That certainly wasn't in the Brad Pitt movie.
I know the story of the Illiad and I know how it is going to end and I dreaded the characters kept marching to that end. I wanted them to stop and do something different and yet they couldn't. They couldn't defy the fates after all.
The battles and what happened around Troy make much more sense to me with Patroclus in the story. It makes sense now.
I was very moved by the ending. She did the story justice and I hope to read more from Madeline Miller soon. I have read both Circe and this and she brings new life into these old myths. I love it....more
This is not a story I would pick up and read if it wasn't written by an author I love and in a collection of his. It's a story about a father and son This is not a story I would pick up and read if it wasn't written by an author I love and in a collection of his. It's a story about a father and son and it's a very mundane event. The son is talking his Alzheimer suffering father out to lunch. They are Batman and Robin. Memories are shared and we see the sadness of the son losing his father to this horrible disease.
There is no supernatural element in this story. The altercation happen at the end of the story and it's such a simple thing that happens all the time.
The reason I love reading King's short stories is there are always stories I would never read. Stephen makes them interesting and enjoyable in some way to see someone else's life. This was well done and a simple good story.
I do think my favorite part was Stephen's explanation on how this story percolated in his mind and how it happened. He uses the metaphor of a cup and handle. A story needs a cup and handle. The Altercation was the cup. He saw it happen, but different. The handle came when he was eating in a restaurant and saw to men who looked like father and son and that was the handle. I think the handle is the way into the idea, at least that is what it means to me - a way into the characters.
This is in Bazaar of Bad Dreams and I do recommend this as good reading. It's worth your read. ...more
What a fun ride this story was. I follow Dan Santat's work and he was the illustrator and that's how I found this exciting and funny story.
Our girl mWhat a fun ride this story was. I follow Dan Santat's work and he was the illustrator and that's how I found this exciting and funny story.
Our girl misses a question on her history paper about where the first cave paintings were found. (answer is France, not Belgium). She builds her own time machine, goes back to Belgium 33,000 BC and tries to get Cavemen to draw on the walls. However, they take her time machine and who knows what happens while our girl makes some cave art.
The story is fast paced, funny and lighthearted. I can see just about anyone enjoying this little bit of mischief.
The artwork is great, as expected from Santat. I'm glad I gave this a try. I would totally read this to my nephew when he was younger. ...more
This story was a pleasure to read. The fanciful artwork delights the eye and the princess and her dangerous garden are interesting.
The princess's haiThis story was a pleasure to read. The fanciful artwork delights the eye and the princess and her dangerous garden are interesting.
The princess's hair is done up in a do that looks like a scorpion tail. She loves dangerous things like plants with spikes and terrible smells and walking blindfolded at the edge of the moat. There is a line later where she is on her own away from her castle where she says that she loves dangerous things when she knows her home is safe. It's a great idea and part of growing up.
She meets a prince who is normal and that bores her, but after hurting one of her grenade plants he brings her roses. She doesn't like the smell, but she loves their thorns. She has the prince send her some seeds and they turn out to be these weird flowers that are noses and they don't like bad smells, so they have allergies at the princesses.
I love the imagination of flowers that are noses. There are wonderful ideas in this twisted little story. There is a love story, but its between the nose flowers and the roses, funnily enough, which that twist makes me happy.
This has all the elements of a known fairytale, but they are all twisted and given a big spiced dose of girl power. I had fun reading this and do think it will be enjoyed by kids. ...more
Judi Barrett wrote 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' and this is her Santa Claus origin story. The artwork is amazing here. The style is the art froJudi Barrett wrote 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' and this is her Santa Claus origin story. The artwork is amazing here. The style is the art from the 20/30s of Santa, those old pictures and artwork.
Santa is very industrious and he's a very cute baby/kid. He loves reindeer from a baby on and he loves making things. He goes to school up north.
I think the best Santa origin story is 'Twas the Night before Christmas', but this has lots of atmosphere and it's a feel good story. The artwork is colorful and eye catching and I think kids will love this.
For being a modern take on Santa, I'm not sure this is the most thought out take. Mrs Claus is a gender holder. She could have a name, yes? I feel it could have some more modern sensibilities, but overall it's a fine tale told. ...more
I'm such a fan of Dan Santat's and he was the illustrator for this delightfully funny book. I haven't heard of Tammi, but she is good with the puns, sI'm such a fan of Dan Santat's and he was the illustrator for this delightfully funny book. I haven't heard of Tammi, but she is good with the puns, so I might have to find more of her stuff.
This is about Marge and Lola, 2 chickens who are backup dancers for their traveling show of Elvis Rooster. The puns are just what I need, groaners to most, but delight to me. This book is full of great poultry bawk and soul. There is even a page where Tammi throws in the line, "the chickens knew what to do, they crossed the road." I died. It had my funny bone. Maybe I've been by myself for too long, but that was some great stuff.
The set-up is Marge and Lola are good dancers with stage fright and they faint during every show. They try all kinds of things, but it's only when their friends show up to cheer them on that they can shake their tail-feathers. Love it.
DAn's artwork is beautiful here, so colorful, vibrant and spectacular, like a concert. I love the chicken's Bob Mackey inspired dresses, I mean come on, this is comedy genius here.
I think this is a funny story children can laugh at and the adults can appreciate all the layers of jokes.
I haven’t heard this tale of the Badger and the Sun before. I wonder if this is from another culture, or if it’s a new myth that Robin came up with. EI haven’t heard this tale of the Badger and the Sun before. I wonder if this is from another culture, or if it’s a new myth that Robin came up with. Either way, I do appreciate this telling of the seasons. I know how and why seasons work, but I still love a story about why it works. There can be other truths hidden in the message. This seems like a pagan story as it has pine trees and where Christmas trees come from.
Badger is an interesting fellow in this story and he befriends the sun. They start to spend more time together and the world gets colder and darker. It’s pine tree who has the idea to cycle every year and give the world seasons.
The artwork is beautiful. It looks like watercolors. The artist brings out these larger than life tones with the imagery.
The nephew thought this story was cool. He thought the Sun and Moon as people were awesome. He never thought of the Sun getting sad before. He gave this story 4 stars. He realized that the Badger made the first Christmas tree and that excited him.
This begins in a world of endless hot summer and the animals complain about everything burning up. Then Badger comes along and the sun goes away for too long and it freezes. So the story is really about both Solstices. ...more
The library dragon lost her scales a book back and now she is going to retire. She is looking forward to retirement. It’s been a good career. She goesThe library dragon lost her scales a book back and now she is going to retire. She is looking forward to retirement. It’s been a good career. She goes back to the library and finds that Mike Krochip the IT guy has removed all the books and set up nothing but screens. The dragon losses it and becomes a dragon again; destroy all the computers and gadgets. The day is saved by the new librarian, an old student who helped the dragon lose its scales. Once again this woman calms the dragon and its scales drop off. The new librarian says the books are coming back and there will be a blended library with books and Tuesdays are no gadget days.
I thought it was cute and it did a good job and extolling the love of books and updating a library to the 21st century. It’s not the best sequel, but it’s ok.
The nephew thought the dragon was sort of cool, but the book really wasn’t his cup of tea. He said it was an OK story, but he’s read better.(his phrase) He gave this 2 stars....more
Jason chin creates a story out of the life of an island, the Galapagos Islands. How it started and the animals that lived on it. It’s well done and enJason chin creates a story out of the life of an island, the Galapagos Islands. How it started and the animals that lived on it. It’s well done and engaging. The artwork is beautiful and there are pages that are told in almost comic book like panels that show an animal change over time or the island grow or shrink over time.
I admit to being unaware of the history of these islands and I certainly didn’t understand that they sank back beneath the ocean eventually. It becomes a great story. It reminds me a little bit of the Pixar short - Lava about the islands.
There is a lot of information here and I feel it comes across as more story than mere facts, but the story is based on facts. It’s a story that becomes something easy to learn. The nephew thought the pictures were pretty from the start and then he became amazed by the story. He couldn’t believe that an island had a birth and basically a death. The story is told over 6 million years. He thought the iguanas looked monster-esk. He gave this 3 stars and told me the book was pretty good. ...more
I think the artwork reminds me of the 20s somehow, almost art deco, but not quite. There is also some surrealistic aspects to the artwork. I enjoy it.I think the artwork reminds me of the 20s somehow, almost art deco, but not quite. There is also some surrealistic aspects to the artwork. I enjoy it.
This book is about a kid asking about infinity and what it means and trying to figure it all out. The kid asks several people what they think infinity is and each person gives a different analogy. The kid wrangles with the concepts, but comes up with their own idea about it. I thought it was well done.
The nephew couldn’t figure out what was going on and what this was about. He thought it was a weird book. He asked, “What does the red shoes have to do with infinity?” I chuckled. They are just two ideas, not really related all that much. He wasn’t crazy about this book. There isn’t enough funny action. He gave this 1 star. This is not his speed....more
Claude Monet was an impressionist painter. He could be calm and kind as water and when his painting didn’t go well, he could be a rage to be around. WClaude Monet was an impressionist painter. He could be calm and kind as water and when his painting didn’t go well, he could be a rage to be around. We spend a day with him on the English Channel in France while he is painting on the ocean. He is so involved in his painting that he doesn’t notice the tide coming in and a wave takes him and his work out to sea.
The artwork in the book itself is impressionistic and does a wonderful job getting the idea across, not like the master, of course, but it’s a good job. Lovely colors and the water looks alive with color.
The end of the book has information about painting techniques and what it was like as a painter back then.
You know the nephew. He read this and was like, when is something going to happen. He did like the wave hitting the man. That was some good action, but overall this book bored him. He is becoming a pretty good artist himself, but this isn’t Michael Jackson we’re talking about, so he has little interest. I do wonder how long this phase he’s in with Michael will last. The boy is becoming a great dancer. I need to find a Michael Jackson book for him. He gave this 2 stars....more
This is the biography about the amazing artist Henri Rousseau. I only knew a few of his paintings, but nothing about his life. He was a toll collectorThis is the biography about the amazing artist Henri Rousseau. I only knew a few of his paintings, but nothing about his life. He was a toll collector and at age 40 decided to teach himself to paint. He was bold enough, that every year he would take his artwork to a major art exhibit and show his work to the critics. The critics lambasted him and he would cut out the reviews and keep them. Each year he went back, until some younger artists decided there was something there.
The artwork of this book is beautiful. I love the flowers and jungles and the last picture of him riding the tiger is amazing. I love that painting. It’s beautiful. I loved getting to learn about this artist and his story. It’s well done.
The nephew was interested in the story here. He liked the picture of the tiger leaping into his room. There was a picture of the art critics and two of them looked like monkey’s in suits and he laughed at that. He thought this was ok. He gave this 3 stars....more
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