All over the world, Kate Allen Fox tells us in beautifully lyrical language of children waiting, preparing, ready to be awe-struck for "A Few Beautiful Minutes". Khoa Lee illustrates the excitement in her gorgeous full-page illustrations, including the animals' behavior as the sky darkens and stars twinkle. I've seen one. Birds really do fly in for 'night' as the sun disappears. The story shows the excitement and includes children using sun viewers, too. There is further explanation of a solar eclipse at the end plus how to make a sun viewer and a list of further resources. It's a lovely book about this phenomenon that doesn't happen very often.
Monday, November 27, 2023
It's Monday - New Books Celebrate The Moon
All over the world, Kate Allen Fox tells us in beautifully lyrical language of children waiting, preparing, ready to be awe-struck for "A Few Beautiful Minutes". Khoa Lee illustrates the excitement in her gorgeous full-page illustrations, including the animals' behavior as the sky darkens and stars twinkle. I've seen one. Birds really do fly in for 'night' as the sun disappears. The story shows the excitement and includes children using sun viewers, too. There is further explanation of a solar eclipse at the end plus how to make a sun viewer and a list of further resources. It's a lovely book about this phenomenon that doesn't happen very often.
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Poetry Friday - Good Things Outside
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The upper left photo was taken during the annular eclipse in Santa Fe. The others are from my own home. |
Get Outside
Shadows make their way
across my day,
art created
minute by minute,
slipping across the grass,
partnering with the sun.
They nap
as clouds roll by.
Then,
when sun’s up again,
they refresh with the warmth
of brick walls,
cement slabs,
patio stones.
Late day lines lengthen,
linger into dusk.
Sometimes they achieve
an eclipse masterpiece.
Linda Baie ©
Monday, November 20, 2023
It's Monday! - New Books to Be Thankful For
Josie, Johnnie and Rosie and the Ocean Rescue is about three close friends. Josie's happiness through having special unicorn twins in her life is evident as we can see the excitement while they chatter and decide to have a day at the beach together. At the beach, during a blanket spread out for a picnic, Josie sees some fish in the water, in distress, caught by a net! The action begins with that rescue, and the next observation, "Oh, no!" the ocean is full of trash! Thus begins a group that cares enough to help with others joining in.
This is Kelly Baptist's first verse novel although she's written three other chapter books and one picture book. If you need to go inside the heads of two tweens, Ebony and De'Kari (goes by Flow), this verse novel feels so real, you'll want to hug each one and help them feel better every day. Feelings fly, really over an accident, but each one is sure the other one is in the wrong. In those minutes, the stage is set, and these kids get a ten-day suspension which is how the book is organized, day by day! It's a novel-in-verse telling us readers how it goes, with each kid taking turns telling what's going on, their thoughts and feelings right there for us to listen and try to understand! There's also an interesting anecdote by Kelly Baptist in the author's note about starting the writing and what happened soon after.
I loved these stories, yes, more than one story is shared in Kate DiCamillo's new book, The Puppets of Spelhorst, A Normandy Tale. There are the puppet's stories, together and apart, intertwining with others like the two young girls whose Uncle brings them the puppets in a trunk labeled "Spelhorst" and their maid, Jane Twiddum. A teacher is in there and some early characters who also play a part in the puppets' journey. I don't usually refer to other books in reviews but this time, I am reminded of Deborah Wiles' book Each Little Bird That Sings. That title brings the thought of what Kate DiCamillo does so beautifully, makes every character add to the weft of the story. If only in a brief scene, she lets her characters "sing" as they play their scenes. Boosting the enjoyment of this new book are Julie Worsted's illustrations, enhancing readers' imaginations with her own artistic work. I imagine this will become a favorite read aloud in many classrooms or groups.
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Poetry Friday - That Time People Flew
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Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy! |
Monday, November 13, 2023
It's Monday - Another Wonderful Group to Share!
There's an extensive author's note at the end, with photos!
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Thanks to Walker Books - Division of Candlewick Press for this copy! |
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Poetry Friday - Escaping The Noise
And then, the sun went behind a cloud as I walked around to the other side, and there was the loner. I imagined all kinds of things, mostly his wish for some peace, like all of us! Or, perhaps he wished, like Frank Sinatra, to do it "His Way."
the raucous gaggle
pushes me into a glide
quieter water calls
for sunny meditation,
returning slowly
Linda Baie ©
Monday, November 6, 2023
Hello November - More Books To Read Inside
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Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy! |
I've waited a day to write about this new book, a debut YA by Kenneth M. Cadow that's on the short list for the National Book Award. His story of Ian Gray, starting as a fifteen-year-old, will linger with me a long time. Ian lives on about ten acres in the woods with his mom, ten acres and part of the big house that used to be on about 300 acres, owned by several generations before him. Now, they struggle. There is a leaky roof, broken tiles in the kitchen, and a rotten porch floor, among other broken things. Among those things is his mom, an addict who adds to Ian's anxiety for sometimes when he comes home from school, she isn't there but a needle lies on the arm of a chair.
Thursday, November 2, 2023
Poetry Friday - Loving November
It's Poetry Friday, and a new month! She's HERE at her blog. And, not only does she share about her new book, On A Flake-Flying Day, she has a new special poem about a leaf and flakes flying! Thanks for hosting, Buffy. (Buffy, I wrote this "before" I read your post! We had our first snow also this week.)
Monday, October 30, 2023
Monday Reading Recap
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Thanks to Charlesbridge for this copy! |

Thursday, October 26, 2023
Poetry Friday Frights
It's Poetry Friday, and the one before Halloween! Thanks, Carol LaBuzzetta HERE at her blog, The Apples in My Orchard for hosting. She's sharing links and poems about bats, something akin to Halloween for sure, but they are so much more to our lives than frightening creatures. We set a record this week with an 82 degree day and we have snow on its way Saturday night into Sunday. It happens too often for those trick-or-treaters!
I share photos during October because on a street near me, many homes in that neighborhood go all in decorating for Halloween. They have many visitors, and hundreds come by on Halloween evening to trick or treat. There are a few homes who go to great lengths in their decorating, include spooky things from upper windows, crawling down front walks, hanging in the trees. I remember some from past years, but there are always new ideas each year, too.
This year, a favorite is one where the same "players" change clothes each year. This time, in my imagination, they appear to be either cheering or hip-hopping! Take a look. I wrote a cheer!
Boo!
Witchy Cackle,
Ghostly fright.
Skeletons rattling
this windy night.
Goblins slipping
under doors.
Halloween’s scary.
We want more!
Linda Baie ©