Book Review - Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan and Janet Ahlbert

Title: Each Peach Pear Plum
Author: Allan and Janet Ahlberg
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, 1001 Childrens book Before I Grow Up

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1978 (Awards: Winner of the Library Associations – Kate Greenway Medal 1978, merican Library Assocation Notable Book)


Back Cover: In this book with your little eye, take a look and play “I Spy”

As the story unfolds, very young children can spy familiar nursery characters hiding in the colorful pictures, There’s Tom Thumb, Jack and Jill…….

Mine: This wonderful husband and wife team have written and illustrated this book beautifully. This story would be fun for all ages although written for younger readers. It brings back all the nursery rhymes learned as a child to the adult. The way the characters are hidden with the words makes for a great treat for all.

Book Review - Because.... by Mikhail Baryshnikov

Title: Because
Author: Mikhail Baryshnikov (Vladimir Radunsky illustrator)
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, 1001 Childrens Book Before I Grow Up

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 2007


Back Cover: I love my grandma. Really, I do. But she always embarrasses me.

See what I mean? Whenever anyone asks her why she does such brazy things, she just says “Because”…

I think Grandma has a secret. But what could it be?

Mine: Who knew that a ballet master could write a book too?
What a fun and delightful book and colorfully illustrated. Grandma does do some crazy things – just because. But no one knows why. She jumps and twirls in the middle of the park. What could she be doing?

Why dancing of course.

What Are You Reading? #11

Books I completed this week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Childen’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
*Superfudge by Judy Blume (Audio)


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Childen’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
*Doctor De Soto by William Steig
*Flotsam by David Wiesner
*Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
*Madlenka by Peter Sis
*Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
*The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
*Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (audio)


Reviews posted this week:
None – posted, but will be posting later this week.

Author Guest Posts/Interviews this week:
Always looking for some


Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Remembering When I was Young by Carole Carson
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
Because by Mikal Barishnakof
Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg (1001 Children’s Books)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman


Giveaways on the blog this week:

Blog Extravaganza Giveaways
The Christmas Pearl - Julie
Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - Lu-Marie
The Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber - Stella (Ex Libris)
Holiday Blessings by Debbie Macomber, Jane Peart & Irene Hannon – donnas

Got Books? Giveaway
Savor The Moment by Nora Roberts -

Got Books? Event

This seems like this will be a great event. There hav been alot this month already. If I could just figure out how to make a button. I think I'd Like to have a "Back to School" Event next month. The giveaway would be your favorite book you had to read for school.




New Love takes the cake in the third novel in Nora Roberts's new Bride Quartet

Wedding baker Laurel McBane is surrounded by romance working at Vows wedding planning company with her best friends Parker, Emma, and Mac. But she's too low-key to appreciate all the luxuries that their clients seem to long for. What she does appreciate is a strong, intelligent man, a man just like Parker's older brother Delaney, on whom she's had a mega-crush since childhood.

But some infatuations last longer than others, and Laurel is convinced that the Ivy League lawyer is still out of her reach. Plus, Del is too protective of Laurel to ever cross the line with her-or so she thinks. When Laurel's quicksilver moods get the better of her-leading to an angry, hot, all-together mind-blowing kiss with Del-she'll have to quiet the doubts in her mind to turn a moment of passion into forever...

What Am I Reading Monday? #10

Books I completed this week are:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Childen’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Because by Mikal Barishnakof
*Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg (1001 Children’s Books)
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)


Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
*Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Childen’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt
Chopstick by Sandra Byrd
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford
*Corduroy by Dan Freeman
*Doctor De Soto by William Steig
*Flotsam by David Wiesner
*Harry the Dirty Dog by Gene Zion
*Madlenka by Peter Sis
*Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
*Superfudge by Judy Blume (Audio)
*The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
*Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (audio)


Reviews posted this week:
None – posted, but will be posting later this week.

Author Guest Posts/Interviews this week:
Always looking for some


Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Remembering When I was Young by Carole Carson
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
Because by Mikal Barishnakof
*Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg (1001 Children’s Books)
*Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)


Giveaways on the blog this week:

Blog Extravaganza Giveaways
The Christmas Pearl - Julie
Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - Lu-Marie
The Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber - Stella (Ex Libris)
Holiday Blessings by Debbie Macomber, Jane Peart & Irene Hannon - donnas

Blog Extravaganza Giveaways

Congratulations to all -

The Christmas Pearl - Julie

Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - Lu-Marie

The Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber - Stella (Ex Libris)

Holiday Blessings by Debbie Macomber, Jane Peart & Irene Hannon - donnas


Christmas in July

The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank



Theodora is the matriarch of a family that has grown into a bunch of truculent knuckleheads. While she's finally gotten them all together in South Carolina to celebrate, this Christmas looks nothing like the extravagant, homey holidays of her childhood.

What happened to the days when Christmas meant tables groaning with home-cooked goodies, over-the-top decorations, and long chats in front of the fire with Pearl, her grandmother's beloved housekeeper and closest confidante?
Luckily for Theodora, a special someone who heard her plea for help arrives, with pockets full of enough Gullah magic and common sense to make Theodora's Christmas the love-filled miracle it's meant to be.



Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke

The holidays are the icing on the cake for bakery owner Hannah Swensen. Surrounded by her loved ones, she has all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas until murder is added to the mix...

When it comes to holidays, Minnesotans rise to the occasion and the little town of Lake Eden is baking up a storm with Hannah leading the way. The annual Christmas Buffet is the final test of the recipes Hannah has collected for the Lake Eden Holiday Buffet Cookbook.

While Hannah is baking the day s goodies at The Cookie Jar, the evening s plans begin to jell. Start with the best Lake Eden culinary creations, add two of Hannah s sometime boyfriends, a pinch of her ready-to-pop pregnant sister, and a dash of her mother and new significant other, an actual British lord, and what do you get? A recipe for disaster, but the juiciest ingredient is yet to come...
The recently divorced Martin Dubinski arrives at the buffet with his new Vegas showgirl wife all wrapped up in glitter and fur. His ex-wife, however, seems as cool as chilled eggnog. And when
Hannah s mother s antique Christmas cake knife disappears, its discovery in the d�colletage of the new and now late Mrs. Dubinski puts the festivities on ice.

With everyone stranded at the community center by a blizzard, Hannah puts her investigative skills to the test, using the ingredients at hand: half the town of Lake Eden and a killer. Now, as the snowdrifts get higher, it s up to Hannah to dig out all the clues and make sure that this white Christmas doesn t bring any more deadly tidings



The Trouble With Angels by Debbie Macomber



Macomber follows her nationally bestselling A Season of Angels with a delightful sequel featuring three heavenly but feather-brained angelic messengers. Inspired by their success last Christmas, Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy return to answer the prayers of three troubled mortals and ensure a holiday season filled with love and joy.



Holiday Blessings by Debbie Macomber, Jane Peart & Irene Hannon



Thanksgiving Prayer by Debbie Macomber


Armed only with her faith, a medical student sets out to battle the turbulent fears of a man whose tender touch has renewed her spirit.



The Risk of Loving by Jane Peart

Stranded in an airport one holiday eve, two lonely people rediscover the joys of faith and family.



Home for the Holidays by Irene Hannon

A troubled woman dares to face her fears to win the heart of an extraordinary man.

Blog Bash 2010

1.) Why do you blog? I was looking for a way to fill the time when I first became unemployed and I like to read, so felt that was a good way to share what I read and see what others are readying.

2.) What do you blog about? I have several blogs – Reading, Genealogy (Family History), and Stitching are my most active. I have a couple others I’ve just done for myself to keep track of things (1001 things in 101 days)


3.) What do you find to be the biggest reward you get from blogging? The comments from others and to see what others are blogging about.

4.) How long have you been blogging? Almost 2 years.


5.) Let's hear the story behind your blog title! :) I’ve always found that there was magic in books. They can take you to so many places and different times. I just thought the play on words was fun.

What Am I Reading Monday? #9

Books I completed this week are:
Reading a lot of children’s book – I’m going to make a challenge of the titles found in 1001 Childen’s Books to Read before I Grow Up (just need help with a button)
*Frog, Where are You? by Mercer Mayer
*Frog On His Own by Mercer Mayer
*Frog Goes to Dinner by Mercer Mayer



Bookmarks are still living in the middle of:
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
The Mystery of the Third Lucretia by Susan Runholt
Chopstick by Sandra Byrd
Home: Memoir of my Early Years by Julie Andrews (Audio)
Animalia by Braeme Base
Because by Mikal Barishnakof
Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg (1001 Children’s Books)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown (1001 Children’s Books)
Why Mosquitos Buzz In People's Ears by Verna Aardema (1001 Children’s Books)
Indiana Caper by Dallas Relaford



Reviews posted this week:
Mates, Dates and Inflatable Bras by Cathy Hopkins (Audio)
Jamboree Day by Rhonda Gowler Greene
The Christmas Pearl by Dorothea Benton Frank
A Boy, A Dog, A Frog and a Friend by Mercer & Marianna Mayer
One Frog Too Many by Mercer & Marianna Mayer
Frog, Where are You? by Mercer Mayer
Frog On His Own by Mercer Mayer
Frog Goes to Dinner by Mercer Mayer


Author Guest Posts/Interviews this week:
Always looking for some


Books still needing to have reviews written (as opposed to the ones that are simply awaiting posting):
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts
Back on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber (Audio)
Hero At Large by Janet Evanovich
Let Them Eat Cake by Sandra Byrd(Audio)
The Year Mom Won the Pennant by Matt Christopher (my nephew likes me to read his books sometimes and then we discuss)
Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I don’t) by Barbara Bottner
Remembering When I was Young by Carole Carson
Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (audio)
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts


Giveaways on the blog this week:

Playing for Pizza by John Grisham (7/9/10) Winner =

#1 Ladies Detective Agency by (7/16/10)

Book Review: Frog Goes To Dinner by Mercer Mayer

Title: Frog Goes To Dinner
Author: Mercer Mayer
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, What an Animal II, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1974


Back Cover: Frog goes to dinner…..

Mine: This is a great new series (to me) and of course it has frogs in it, so how can I not read it?

Once again the illustrations can’t help but tell the wonderful story of how frog disrupts a fancy dinner with boy’s family. He jumps in the saxophone, then smashes the drum, jumps in the salad that scares the women, then jumps in a drink and finally is thrown and boy’s family is asked to leave the fancy restaurant.

Book Review: Frog Where Are You? by Mercer Mayer

Title: Frog Where Are You?
Author: Mercer Mayer
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, What an Animal II, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1969


Back Cover: Frog is missing and the boy doesn’t see him anywhere. Can the boy and his dog find their new friend?

Mine: This is a great new series (to me) and of course it has frogs in it, so how can I not read it?

Once again the illustrations can’t help but tell the wonderful story of how frog disappears and boy and dog are frantically looking for him. They search everywhere – they run into trouble all along the way also. The gopher bites boys nose, the dog gets chased by the hornets from the next he knocks down. The owl in the tree scares boy and the buck with big antlers throws boy and dog over the ledge. This is where they discover frog and his family.

Book Review: One Frog Too Many by Mercer Mayer

Title: One Frog Too Many
Author: Mercer and Marianna Mayer
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, What an Animal II, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge, 2nd Chance Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1975


Back Cover: A Boy and his dog are playing in the woods. They meet a little frog. Will the old frog be nice to the new frog?

Mine: This is a great new series (to me) and of course it has frogs in it, so how can I not read it?

Once again the illustrations can’t help but tell the wonderful story of how frog must learn to get along with another frog. He has difficulty as all things new with something different when they were the first. Frog pushes and prods the new frog until he gets lost and boy, dog and turtle look for him. They are awful upset with frog for making it difficult for the new frog.

Freebie Friday (Ends 7/16/10)

Here is this week's Friday freebie




The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency Series #1) by Alexander McCall Smith

Working in a mystery tradition that will cause genre aficionados to think of such classic sleuths as Melville Davisson Post's Uncle Abner or Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee, Alexander McCall Smith creates an African detective, Precious Ramotswe, who's their full-fledged heir.

It's the detective as folk hero, solving crimes through an innate, self-possessed wisdom that, combined with an understanding of human nature, invariably penetrates into the heart of a puzzle. If Miss Marple were fat and jolly and lived in Botswana--and decided to go against any conventional notion of what an unmarried woman should do, spending the money she got from selling her late father's cattle to set up a Ladies' Detective Agency--then you have an idea of how Precious sets herself up as her country's first female detective. Once the clients start showing up on her doorstep, Precious enjoys a pleasingly successful series of cases.

But the edge of the Kalahari is not St. Mary Mead, and the sign Precious orders, painted in brilliant colors, is anything but discreet. Pointing in the direction of the small building she had purchased to house her new business, it reads "THE NO. 1 LADIES DETECTIVE AGENCY. FOR ALL CONFIDENTIAL MATTERS AND ENQUIRIES. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED FOR ALL PARTIES. UNDER PERSONAL MANAGEMENT."

The solutions she comes up with, whether in the case of the clinic doctor with two quite different personalities (depending on the day of the week), or the man who had joined a Christian sect and seemingly vanished, or the kidnapped boy whose bones may or may not be those in a witch doctor's magic kit, are all sensible, logical, and satisfying. Smith's gently ironic tone is full of good humor towards his lively, intelligent heroine and towards her fellow Africans, who live their lives with dignity and with cautious acceptance of the confusions to which the world submits them.


If you are interested please fill out the form(this is an US/Canada giveaway this week):

Book Review: Frog On His Own by Mercer Mayer

Title: Frog On His Own
Author: Mercer Mayer
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, What an Animal II, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1973


Back Cover: Frog on his own…..

Mine: This is a great new series (to me) and of course it has frogs in it, so how can I not read it?

Once again the illustrations can’t help but tell the wonderful story of how frog discovers what it’s like to be on his own. It’s not quite what he thinks – he realized he should be eating wasps, scaring people will get you in trouble and cats can chase. Finally dog comes to the rescue to run the cat off and boy and frog are reunited.

Book Review: A Boy, A Dog. A Frog and a Friend by Mercer and Marianna Mayer

Title: A Boy, A Dog. A Frog and a Friend
Author: Mercer and Marianna Mayer
Genre: Children’s

Challenges: To Be Continued…Challenge, PB & J Challenge, 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, What an Animal II, Read and Review Challenge 2010, Young Readers Reading Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge, What An Animal III Challenge, 1st In A Series

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 32
Published: 1971


Back Cover: First came a boy and his dog. Then they found a frog. Can a new turtle be a good friend too?

Mine: This is a great new series to me and of course it has frogs in it, so how can I not read it?

What a wonderful picture book and it is true picture book – no words. The illustrations are wonderful and help to tell the wonderful story. The boy goes fishing with his dog and frog and meet up with the turtle as he disrupted the fishing. The fishing doesn’t seem to go too well, but a new friend is made along the way.

Book Review: Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras by Cathy Hopkins

Title: Mates, Dates, and Inflatable Bras
Author: Cathy Hopkins (Audio)
Genre: Young Adult

Challenges: 101 Books in 1001 Days Challenge, Read and Review Challenge 2010, 2010 Support Your Local Library Reading Challenge, 100 + Reading Challenge, Young Adult Reading Challenge, YA Through the Decades, Audio Book Challenge 2010, Pages Read 2010, A to Z challenge

Rating: 4/5
No. of Pages: 160
Published: 2002 Bolinda Publishing


Back Cover: A turning point is exactly what Lucy does NOT want. Everything is changing around her, and suddenly she is required to make all sorts of decisions. Everyone else knows who and what they want to be, except her.

Izzy has become friends with the glamorous Nesta and Lucy isn’t certain she likes this new threesome

Nesta and Izzy look sixteen, but Lucy, at fourteen, can easily pass for a twelve-year-old.

But then the day Lucy see the most wonderful boy crossing the street, things start to change – in all areas of her life……..

Mine: A wonderful coming of age story – Lucy must get her crazy family to realize that she is growing up. Her best friend Izzy finds another Nesta – Lucy figure 3 is a crowd. The funny thing is that they should all be together, since they complement each other so well.

Who could be the mystery man that Lucy finds – low and behold he’s related to Nesta – Lucy’s new nemesis, who could that be. Lucy can never tell the girls who it is now.

Change is good for everyone. Nesta the new girl in town learns to accept Lucy, Lucy gets her first kiss and new friend and a new perspective on life. Izzy gets to learn about new friends can always mix with old.

Still trying to understand the concept of snogging (very British term). First time I’ve heard of an inflatable bra, but the concept is great.