purrrrrfect

cat power (2007) by daniel kirk - new book by the author of the marvelous the library mouse

I was hunting for a copy of the library mouse to give as a gift but no mouse was to be found instead another delightful book (albeit very, very different) by the same author. a wonderful read aloud book - the book actually comes with a cd where the poems/songs are set to music.

the poem/song hunter

I am a hunter
my senses are keen
Rats find me frightening
birds say I am mean

I'm sharp eyed, lighting clawed,
wealthy in stealth
mice declare I'm no good for their health

To wait by the bushes
to stake out a nest,
to hunt is my nature
it's what I do best!

It's my purpose, my fate, my joy and my habit
to sneak up on my prey
and then
simply
NAB IT!

the careful use of compliments

the careful use of compliments is the fourth book in alexander mccall smith's delightful series featuring philosopher-sleuth isabel dalhousie. set in edinburgh this engaging series draws the reader in to isabel's world which is filled with charm, coffee, wordplay, art, music and a bit of mystery.

if you are needing a little armchair travel to the streets of edinburgh check out this wonderful series - but make sure you start with the first book - the sunday philosophy club. I am totally hooked and prodigious as he is mr. mccall smith can not write fast enough to suit my fancy! he has another series which is also set in edinburgh which he calls the 44 scotland street collection. I'm hoping one day the two series will cross paths. both series are populated with the most delightful characters.

the isabel dalhousie series:
1) the sunday philosophy club
2) friends, lovers, chocolate
3) the right attitude to rain
4) the careful use of compliments
bookmouse rating:

a game of cat and mouse

an absolutely purrrfect tale of a mouse that outfoxes the most pretentious and pompous mr. maxwell, a cat whose arrogance sets a new gold standard! written in 2004 by frank asch and illustrated by his son devin asch.

I first heard about this book in december of 2006 when npr's scott simon interviewed daniel pinkwater for his recommendation of that year's best holiday books for kids. I originally ordered the book to give as a gift, but when it arrived and I read the story (and was drawn in by it's wonderful gorey-ish drawings) I simply could not part with it. along with mr. maxwell's mouse, I ordered another book from mr. pinkwater's 2006 list, 365 penguins, I did regretfully part with this book and gave it to the intended child. however, should I stumble on a copy of 365 penguins for sale at some bookstore, I will buy it to add to the children's book library at avenue c.

farang out!

do you enjoy books set in exotic locations?
does buddhism fascinate you?
are you interested in geopolitics?
do you find yourself craving to read a good mystery?

if you've answered yes to at least 2 of these questions then john burdett's bangkok mysteries are for you. set in thailand, this series centers primarily on the transcendent and earthly detecting skills on former buddhist monk, now bangkok p.d. detective sonchai jitpleecheep.

bangkok tattoo (2005) is number 2 in the series. but if you haven't met sonchai and the rest of the gang start with the first book entitled bangkok 8. the third of the series, bangkok haunts was released in 2007.

bookmouse rating:

holiday themed books for pups & kits

cecil's new year eve tail(2007) by marie fritz perry. cecil is invited to a new year's eve ball and finds friendship and acceptance when he leasts expects it.






for christmas: wonderful adaptation of dickens classic featuring mice (of course!) by british writer toby forward and illustrated by ruth brown.

for eid (an ever moving muslin holiday) which just happened to have occurred earlier this month is a new book (2007) by ohio based physician-author asma mobin-uddin and illustrated by laura jacobsen. a beautiful story that transcends dogma and addresses the universal joy found by the simple act of giving to others.


a thanksgiving time I ran across this delightful book at the library's thanksgiving display in the children's section. it is a story of ann and ed who after burning their own thanksgiving dinner wander next door to the new world cafe thinking the restaurant is open for business as usual they soon find themselves in the midst of a very unique private holiday celebration. written and illustrated in 2003 by debby atwell the thanksgiving door tells about unexpected gifts that can come when cultures come together and what can happen when the hearts and doors are opened "big and wide."

convergence

if you are looking for a rollicking good read check out special topics in calamity physics (2006) by marisha pessl. I don't know how I missed this book when it debuted last year as I'm sure it was on all sorts of 'best of lists.' blogging bud salty jill mentioned special topics a while back in one of her posts. whatever she said was enough to tweak my interest and send me off to the library to check it out. boy, am I glad I did. coincidentally the other day while I was on catching up with pam, a friend in nyc, we got to the usual 'so what are you reading now' question; and what do you know were both reading special topics. we thought that was pretty far out and I expect in itself may have been a special topic in calamity physics!

excerpt from liesl schillinger august 13 2006 nytimes review:

Like Alan Bennett’s delectable and brilliant play “The History Boys,” now on Broadway, “Special Topics in Calamity Physics” tells the story of a wise newcomer who joins a circle of students who orbit a charismatic teacher with a tragic secret. The newcomer, a motherless waif named Blue van Meer, spent most of her life driving between college towns with her genius poli-sci professor father, Gareth. To kill time on their drives, they discuss radical class warfare, riff on Homer and Steinbeck, recite movie dialogue and poems by Blake, Neruda and Shakespeare and read Hollywood biographies — from a tell-all by Louis B. Mayer’s maid to blow-by-blows on Howard Hughes and Cary Grant. Gareth is fond of making oracular statements, which his daughter laps up as if they were Churchill’s: “Everyone is responsible for the page-turning tempo of his or her Life Story,” he tells her. And, he cautions, “never try to change the narrative structure of someone else’s story.” Tightly swaddled in her daughter-dad duad, Blue does not know that her story is someone else’s. Only gradually does she learn that the frantic tempo of her life has been conducted by forces she does not suspect.

bookmouse rating:

2007-2008 year of reading

October 10 The Awakening (1899) Kate Chopin
(Lillian)

November 14 My Antonia (1918) Willa Cather
(Rachel)

December 12 Appointment in Samarra (1934) &/or
(Marjorie) Butterfield 8 (1935) John O'Hara

January 9 The Town (1950) Conrad Richter
(Georgeann)

February House of Mirth (1905) Edith Wharton
(Carolyn)

March 12 Silent Spring (1962) Rachel Carson
(Freddie)

April 9 Fahrenheit 451 (1953) Ray Bradbury
(Susan & Kim)

May 14 The Good Earth (1931) Pearl Buck - updated january 2008!
(Mariel)

June 11 The Crucible (1952) Arthur Miller
(Andi & Anne)

July 9 Member of the Wedding (1946) Carson McCullers
(Jeanne)

August 13 The Company She Keeps (1942) Mary McCarthy
(Jane)

September 10 Annual Potluck Dinner & Book Selection
for '08-'09 Year of Reading
note: gathering commences at 6:30

bookwomen gather at 7:30 pm ~ discussion on the month's book begins promptly at 8:00 pm