friend or foe, The Tiger?

"THE TIGER," William Blake (1757-1827)

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And, when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?

What the hammer? What the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears,
And water'd heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?

Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

This poem has been swirling around in my head lately, mostly in pieces, mostly the first two stanzas. It has gotten in there for two reasons; the first being that I loaned my copies of Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience and The Book of Urizen (all by Blake) to a fellow farmer; secondly, the tiger in the poem reminds me of someone at the Farm--someone I can't quite understand and can't make heads or tails of. 'Nuff said on that.

I am overdue to write something worth while about Farm life and trivial library things, and I will, just not now. I need to go and get ready to go to town for beers with coworkers.

Enjoy the poem!

stuck on the lowest rung

I am praying that Detroit will surprise me; as James Joyce said, There were others who had forced their way to the top from the lowest rung by the aid of their bootstraps." (Ulysses)

I want to keep believing that this once great city of my parents and grandparents will rise again, a phoenix from the ashes, and put forth another great...something. But I am not so sure.

My brother A3 sent me this rather disheartening article today. Thought I would share it in the event that there are other former Detroiters, who are trying to follow what goes on back home--from afar--and who wait and pray for better days.

Retailers Head for Exits in Detroit
by Andrew Grossman
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
provided by The WALL STREET JOURNAL

Shopping Becomes a Challenge as Auto-Industry Collapse Adds to City's Woes

"DETROIT -- They call this the Motor City, but you have to leave town to buy a Chrysler or a Jeep.

Borders Inc. was founded 40 miles away, but the only one of the chain's bookstores here closed this month. And Starbucks Corp., famous for saturating U.S. cities with its storefronts, has only four left in this city of 900,000 after closures last summer.

There was a time early in the decade when downtown Detroit was sprouting new cafes and shops, and residents began to nurture hopes of a rebound. But lately, they are finding it increasingly tough to buy groceries or get a cup of fresh-roast coffee as the 11th largest U.S. city struggles with the recession and the auto-industry crisis.

No national grocery chain operates a store here. A lack of outlets that sell fresh produce and meat has led the United Food and Commercial Workers union and a community group to think about building a grocery store of its own..."

For the whole article, click here.

who says poetry isn't romantic? nay, HOT?!

i like my body when it is with your

i like my body when it is with your
body. It is so quite new a thing.
Muscles better and nerves more.
i like your body. i like what it does,
i like its hows. i like to feel the spine
of your body and its bones, and the trembling
-firm-smooth ness and which i will
again and again and again
kiss, i like kissing this and that of you,
i like, slowly stroking the, shocking fuzz
of your electric fur, and what-is-it comes
over parting flesh . . . . And eyes big love-crumbs,

and possibly i like the thrill

of under me you so quite new

~ e.e. cummings

in celebration of all things NOT chick lit

In celebration of women:

Three Books...
by Lynn Harris

No Such Thing As Witty Women? Think Again

"Women aren't funny. Or, at least, so goes the age-old postulation — one that women generally find hilarious. This spring in The Guardian, Germaine Greer wrote an entire column based on the premise..."

For the whole article, click here.

For the longest time I couldn't find very many female writers who I liked reading (this seemed to happen in my teen years). I am forever grateful for my Undergrad experience as an English major, in which I was introduced to and fell in love with many female writers, all whom I still enjoy! So, in celebration of great female writers, thought I would share some which I enjoy:

Kids/YA:

Judy Blume
Margaret Wise Brown
Virginia Lee Burton
Beverly Cleary
J.K. Rowling
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Audrey Wood

Adult:

Louisa May Alcott
Jane Austen
Anne Lamott

Poetry:

Elizabeth Bishop
Emily Dickinson
Rita Dove
Jorie Graham
Sharon Olds
Mary Oliver

The Way Things Work
is by admitting
or opening away.
This is the simplest form
of current: Blue
moving through blue;
blue through purple;
the objects of desire
opening upon themselves
without us; the objects of faith.
The way things work
is by solution,
resistance lessened or
increased and taken
advantage of.
The way things work
is that we finally believe
they are there,
common and able
o illustrate themselves.
Wheel, kinetic flow,
rising and falling water,
ingots, levers and keys,
I believe in you,
cylinder lock, pully,
lifting tackle and
crane lift your small head--
I believe in you--
your head is the horizon to
my hand. I believe
forever in the hooks.
The way things work
is that eventually
something catches.

~ Jorie Graham

Where the Wild Things Are

"The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America. Black bears have short, non-retractable claws that give them an excellent tree-climbing ability...

Height: 2-3 feet at shoulders
Length: 4-7 feet from nose to tip of tail
Weight: Males weigh an average of 150-300 lbs. Have been known to weigh from 500-600 lbs.; females are smaller
Lifespan: Can live 20-25 years in the wild, although there is increased mortality around 10 years of age..."

Wanted some information about the American black bear, so I did some reading at the Defenders of Wildlife page. For more info, click here.

Why, you ask, did I do reading on the American black bear?

Well, dear readers, the Farm has a returning visitor who likes to climb into our dumpster and pull bags of garbage out and into the woods. Yes, it is a black bear.

The bear has been spotted by various farmers and after repeatedly hearing about these sightings, I was 'a wishing and 'a hoping and a praying' that I could see the bear too. I got my wish a week and a half ago.

I was taking my houses' trash to the dumpster, had gotten out of the car and was walking to my trunk to get the bag out when my friends shouted, "BEAR!!" And let me tell you what, I have NEVER run with an intensity and a fear like I know I did then.

I ran about 30 yards from my car before I was able to get ahold of myself and think clearly. The first thought into my head was, "If I run it will chase me. Stand still." So, I slowly turned around. Seeing nothing I decided to play "brave" and get the stinky bag of trash out of my car (after getting my friends to stand a little closer to me), opened the dumpster and threw the bag in and as the lid slammed shut, the bear, WHO WAS HIDING BEHIND THE DUMPSTER!! turned tail and ran into the woods.

And I ran in the opposite direction!

I did not get a clear view of the bear that time, so we (by this time we had been joined by a handful of farmers, including farm children) walked around to the trail--that went into the woods near where the bear ran in--and were able to see the bear's ass as it marched away--trashless.

Yep. I saw the bear's ass.

My experience left me wondering if this was the same bear that I had seen outside of one of the cabins summer 2006...? Especially after reading the facts about how long bears can live. The experience also left me marveling these majestic creatures. While my first instinct was fear (followed by my second instinct, which was curiosity), I knew that the bear was relatively harmless. Harmless in the sense that like the age old adage my parents used to use, "that bear is probably more afraid of you than you are of it!" And that seemed true. It was him running into the woods in fear when he heard the dumpster close. The wildlife around here seem to have little more than a slight curiosity about their human neighbors and really just want to be left alone.

But living the National Geographic-esque life didn't stop there. The next morning on our way to the airport TSO, CJ and I spotted another bear crossing the street in front of my car. Then on the way home from the airport I spotted a porcupine and a red fox. I feel like I am living in an Animal Planet special some days. My life is so great.

tourist for a weekend, St. Louis, MO

Being in St. Louis for Tizzy and HR on second's wedding confirmed a few things:
1. EVERYONE I know is getting married (this was wedding #6 of 8 in the past year).

2. Weddings make me lonely, and also make me marvel at the fact that people can spend the rest of their lives with one person. I'm not saying I can't (there are a couple people I could imagine spending the rest of my life with: James McAvoy or Gerard Butler, for example), I just can't think of anyone that could say the same for me. Life is a crap shoot that way, no? Two people having mutual feelings of spending the rest of their lives with that other person and it actually working. Don't you have better odds at card games...or horse racing...or guessing what rat with find the cheese first?!

3. Our community at the Farm is a very unique and beautiful place that I am always so glad AND thankful to come back to. I love going away to see little slices of the world, but I am still at the point that I love coming back home here.

4. Tizzy and HR on second looked absolutely, amazingly in LOVE and so happy, and I can't ask for much more than things like that for my friends!

Traveling out to St. Louis was fun, even though I did have to get up at 2am to leave for the airport with TSO and CJ at 3am. TSO and I flew together which was nice since I seldom travel with others and have never really flown anywhere with friends. While in St. Louis we made it to:

• The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, which is this absolutely gorgeous building full of so much amazing craftsmanship. The stain glass, the tile, the Pieta replica, the high altar, the organs; everything is so beautiful. It is definitely worth a look, Catholic or no. If I went to church there I think I would spend less time listening to the Mass and more time looking all around at the beauty that lies within.
• St. Louis Gateway Arch commemorates Thomas Jefferson and the U.S's westward expansion. The Gateway is exactly what it's name suggests; an arch visible from the Mississippi looking into the city of St. Louis. I couldn't help but think of the doorway that Aslan opened for the Penvensie children at the end of Prince Caspian when I saw the Arch.
• The Old Courthouse where the Dred Scott Case was decided.
• The Central Branch of the St. Louis Library system. This beautiful building has been in use since it was opened in the nineteen teens. TSO and I recieved Stacks requests so that I could show him what the stacks look like in the innards of a library. It was reminicent of my tour of the Detroit Library's Main Branch (when I was in grad school). This library was absolutely perfect and I would love to work there; everything from the ceiling to the floors was beautiful!
• The Jewel Box which is an old greenhouse in Forrest Park, built in the nineteen teens.
• Anheuser-Busch Brewery for the tour, which was surprisingly more informative than I thought it would be. Learned that Anheuser used pasteurizing practices before pasteurization was being done to milk here in the U.S. Thought that was cool and made sure to mention it to some of my farmer friends! Also great at the end of the tour is the free beer! WOOT!

St. Louis was a lovely city and I hope I can go back someday and spend some more time wandering around. I would really like to spend an entire day in that library!

sowing my isn't

I need to write about SO many things: animal sightings, my trip to St. Louis, life in general, however, I have been really into e.e. cummings poetry lately, so until I have more time I will share this BEAUTIFUL poem instead.

“anyone lived in a pretty how town” E.E. Cummings, Complete Poems 1904-1962

anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)
they said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain.

Obama food nation

Food plays a big part in my life these days, since my job is to help put out four meals a day, which is why I found this article interesting.

CAPITAL CULTURE: World hangs on Obama's every bite, Associated Press, JOCELYN NOVECK

"At the bustling Pi pizza restaurant in St. Louis, the staff has come up with a new mantra: "It's just pizza!"

Just pizza, and yet still, they marvel, customers are happy to wait well upward of two hours at peak time for a table. That is, ever since news came out that Barack Obama loved this pizza so much during a campaign stop, the owners were invited to recreate it in the White House ovens.
'We tell them it'll be two to four hours, and they say, "OK!" says owner Chris Sommers, who traveled on his own dime to prepare the presidential meal in April. "This has been our own private stimulus package.' "

To read the whole article, click here.

crack pipe row going green

"The alley behind Motor City Brewing Works near Wayne State University is sadly typical for a Detroit alley: It's ghetto.

The cracked cement resembles a jigsaw puzzle. Trash as big as mattresses and small as crack pipes has been occasionally dumped amid the tall weeds. Some of the graffiti is covered by graffiti.

But if plans work out -- and they appear headed that way -- this ribbon of big city blight could become Detroit's first 'green alley.' "

For the rest of the article, click here!

the root of the root

And to my sister A1 and brother-in-law Mike, I wish you a happy 7th Anniversary!

I share with you one of my absolute favorite poems.

i carry your heart, e.e cummings

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it
(anywhere i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)
i want no world (for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

not so much separated anymore

More to say about our lovely time in St. Louis, until then, I want to offer my congrats to Tizzy and HR on Second Ave. who were married this past Friday!

I know no words of my own that are lovely enough to offer you, so I give you one of my favorite poets:

Walt Whitman "Out of the Rolling Ocean, the Crowd," Leaves of Grass

OUT of the rolling ocean, the crowd, came a drop gently to me,

Whispering, I love you, before long I die,

I have travel’d a long way, merely to look on you, to touch you,

For I could not die till I once look’d on you,

For I fear’d I might afterward lose you.


(Now we have met, we have look’d, we are safe;

Return in peace to the ocean, my love;

I too am part of that ocean, my love—we are not so much separated;

Behold the great rondure—the cohesion of all, how perfect!

But as for me, for you, the irresistible sea is to separate us,

As for an hour, carrying us diverse—yet cannot carry us diverse for ever;

Be not impatient—a little space—Know you, I salute the air, the ocean and the land,

Every day, at sundown, for your dear sake, my love.)

meet me in St. Louis

Jet setting weekend coming up. TSO, CJ and I are leaving the farm for St. Louis, to attend the wedding of our friends Tizzy and J. Friends Kt and Becca are also heading out from Oregon and Chicago respectively--looking forward to seeing them both and catching up.

I have never spent any time in St. Louis, only passing through en route to California on Route 66 ten years ago. Though I am looking forward to time away, and any place will do.

The short weekend seems busy:

Fly in Thursday morning

Rehearsal dinner Thursday night

Wedding & ReceptionFriday night

Leave Saturday morning

And yet, in those small fluxes of time between events there are a couple of sites I definitely want to see (The St. Louis Arch, The Louis XIV church and of course the St. Louis Public Library), but who knows what we'll have time for, or what TSO will want to see...hmm...just glad to be away from the Farm for a few days. YAHOO! I love traveling.

Now just need to run errands and buy things in those mysterious travel sizes (I have some conspiracy theories about how the Herbal Essence company has been making a fortune on suckers like me who LOVE their damn shampoo but always forget to buy a refillable bottle, and therefore wind up paying 1/5 of the cost of one of those enormous bottles for 6 stinking ounces!!), drop things off at the Library and P-A-C-K! Ugh!! Sometimes I think it is just as hard to pack for two days away as it is to pack for a week...decisions, decisions!

Wish me happy travels, dear readers! And for all of you out there, who like me, might also be suspicious (a little) of weddings, and all things not-single, thought I would share another great Four Weddings and a Funeral quote:

Gareth: I've got a new theory about marriage. Two people are in love, they live together, and then suddenly one day, they run out of conversation.

Charles: Uh-huh.

Gareth: Totally. I mean they can't think of a single thing to say to each other. That's it: panic! Then suddenly it-it occurs to the chap that there is a way out of the deadlock.

Charles: Which is?

Gareth: He'll ask her to marry him.

Charles: Brilliant! Brilliant!

Gareth: Suddenly they've got something to talk about for the rest of their lives.

Charles: Basically you're saying marriage is just a way of getting out of an embarrassing pause in conversation.

Gareth: The definitive icebreaker.

walking with a walk that is measured and slow

Was thinking of poetry all week.
Shel Silverstein poetry to be exact.
So, thought I would share one of my favorites by him.

I applied to a program before I wound up at the Farm--a radio program in Alaska--and part of the application process was doing a tape recorded reading of something so that the radio head had some sense of how your voice would sound on the air. I actually read this poem...a random pick at the time. For some reason my mind slips back to this poem quite often.

Where the Sidewalk Ends

There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Also, welcome, welcome!! I am amazed that people like to read, or choose to follow my blog! So, thanks all for following me along on this crazy ride. And especially a warm welcome to my new follower Missy!

reading the summer away, part 2

Fiction Great Summer Reads from readkiddoread.com

Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Moving Day by Meg Cabot. Scholastic, 2008. (Gr. 3-5) *S*
Allie’s parents tell her they've just bought a falling-down Victorian house, she'll be starting fourth grade in a new school, and she can get a kitten.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things by Lenore Look. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Schwartz & Wade, 2008. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
Second grader Alvin Ho, a Chinese American boy, is afraid of many things, including elevators, , substitute teachers, and, most important, school, where he has never uttered a single word.

Babymouse: Queen of the World by Jennifer Holm and Matthew Holm. Illus. by Matthew Holm. Random House, 2005. (Gr. 2-5) *S*
That endearing daydreamer Babymouse gets herself invited to a sleepover at the house of her archrival, Felicia Furrypaws.

Bad Kitty Gets a Bath by Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook, 2008. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
This companion book to Bad Kitty and Poor Puppy is a zany little graphic novel. Bad Kitty needs a bath? Uh, oh. Don’t you know CATS HATE BATHS?

Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. Illus. by Marla Frazee. Hyperion, 2006. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
When Margaret gets glue in her long hair and cuts off a big chunk of it, third grader Clementine tries to help her friend by cutting off the rest of it.

How to Save Your Tail: If You Are a Rat Nabbed by Cats Who Really Like Stories about Magic Spoons, Wolves with Snout-Warts, Big, Hairy Chimney Trolls . . . and Cookies Too by Mary Hanson. Illus. by John Hendrix. Schwartz & Wade, 2007. (Gr. 2-5)

Meet a storytelling rat named Bob, who talks his way out of becoming dinner for the Queen’s two mean and hungry cats.
Judy Moody, M.D.: The Doctor Is In! by Megan McDonald. Illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. Candlewick, 2004. (Gr. 1-4) *S*

Quick-tempered third grader, Judy Moody, dresses as Elizabeth Blackwell, first woman doctor, for Doctor Day.
Julian Rodriguez: Episode One: Trash Crisis on Earth by Alexander Stadler. Scholastic, 2008. (Gr. 2-4)
In a hilarious graphic novel-ette, meet indignant narrator, Julian Rodriguez, who claims he’s been disguised as an Earthling juvenile for eight long years now.

The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies. Houghton Mifflin, 2007. (Gr. 3-5)
Jessie Treski and her older brother Evan each open lemonade stands and make a bet: whoever makes the most money by Saturday wins the loser’s cash as well.

Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo. Illus. by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick, 2005. (Gr. K-3) *S*
On the night that Mr. and Mrs. Watson and their adored pig, Mercy, are asleep in bed dreaming of fast cars and hot buttered toast, the bed falls into a hole that opens in the floor.

Miss Daisy Is Crazy (My Weird School series) by Dan Gutman. Illus. by Jim Paillot.
HarperCollins, 2004. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
A. J.'s new second grade teacher says she hates school, and claims not to know how to read, spell, or do math, so the students teach her everything they know.

Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank You Notes by Peggy Gifford. Photos by Valorie Fisher. Schwartz & Wade, 2008. (Gr. 3-5) *S*
Will ten-year-old Moxy keep her promise to her mother to write twelve thank-you notes today, the day after Christmas? Not a chance.

Oggie Cooder by Sarah Weeks. Scholastic, 2008. (Gr. 2-5)
Using his front teeth, fourth grader Oggie has taught himself to charve—chew and carve—slices of American cheese into the shapes of each of the 50 states. It could make him famous.

Phineas L. MacGuire . . . Gets Slimed! by Frances O'Roark Dowell. Illus. by Preston McDaniels. Atheneum, 2007. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
Scientifically speaking, Mac, who agrees to help his best friend Ben run for class president, would much rather put together a mold museum in the school basement.

Roxie and the Hooligans by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Illus. by Alexandra Boiger. Atheneum, 2006. (Gr. 2-5)
Though nine-year-old Roxie Warbler has learned all about dire situations from her Uncle Dangerfoot, she is still afraid of four bullies who have made her their Victim of the Year.

Shredderman: Secret Identity by Wendelin Van Draanen. Illus. by Brian Riggs. Knopf, 2004. (Gr. 2-5)
Assuming a cybersuperhero secret identify, fifth grader Nolan Byrd sets up a website, Shredderman.com, to expose the mean ways of his arch enemy and classmate, Bubba.

Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley. Illus. by Gavin Bishop. Kane Miller, 2008 (Gr. K-4)
In 15 delightful short stories, two new reptile friends learn to tolerate each other's differences in food tastes, bad moods, and family secrets.

The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1: The Field Guide by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi. Illus. by Tony DiTerlizzi. Simon & Schuster, 2003. (Gr. 2-5) *S*
In this first book of the series, nine-year-old Jared, his twin, Simon, and their older sister, Mallory, move to Great-aunt Lucinda's creepy old house where they encounter real faeries.

Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid by Megan McDonald. Illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. Candlewick, 2005. (Gr. K-3) *S*
Shortest in his family and in Class 2D, Stink Moody is appalled when his older sister, Judy, measures him and tells him he's one quarter inch shorter now than he was in the morning.

Super Emma by Sally Warner. Illus. by Jamie Harper. Viking, 2006. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
When Jared Matthews grabs her friend EllRay's plastic action figure, Emma stands up to the bully. So why is Ellray mad at her?

Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic by Emily Jenkins. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. Schwartz & Wade, 2006. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
StingRay, Lumphy the buffalo, and Plastic, lying at the bottom of the smelly backpack of the Little Girl with the blue barrette, worry about where she is taking them.

The White Elephant by Sid Fleischman. Illus. by Robert McGuire. Greenwillow, 2006. (Gr. 3-5)
In old Siam, Run-Run, a young orphan boy, returning from clearing tree stumps with his 50-year-old elephant, runs afoul of the king's spiteful son.

The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney. Putnam, 2004. (Gr. 2-5) *S*
After wonderful Mrs. Mac leaves Room 26 of Longfellow School, hamster Humphrey must deal with the strict new teacher, Mrs. Brisbane, who can't stand rodents.

The Year of the Dog by Grace Lin. Little, Brown, 2006. (Gr. 3-5) *S*
Starting on Chinese New Year, Grace Lin's winsome autobiographical fiction book chronicles the year she made a new friend, got a crush on the cutest boy in school, and found her true talent.

Younguncle Comes to Town by Vandana Singh. Illus. by B. M. Kamath. Viking, 2006. (Gr. 3-5)
In small town in northern India, nine-year-old Sarita, her younger brother Ravi, and their baby sister are captivated by the supposedly true stories told by their free-spirited uncle.

Zoo School by Laurie Miller Hornik. Illus. by Debbie Tilley. Clarion, 2004. (Gr. 2-5)
At the brand new Zoo School, the motto is, "Let the animals be your textbooks."

reading the summer away

The Summer Reading Doesn’t Have to Be Punishment List from Readkiddoread.com
EASY FICTION / PICTURE BOOKS

Adèle and Simon by Barbara McClintock. Farrar, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
Find all the items Simon loses—his books, scarf, coat, and more—as he and his older sister walk home from school through the Paris streets.

Adventures of Polo by Regis Faller. Roaring Brook, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
In wordless comic book-style panels, we follow Polo, a little brown dog, as he sets out on his boat.
Annie and Simon by Catharine O'Neill. Candlewick, 2008. (Gr. K-3)
In four charming easy-to-read chapters, get to know young Annie, her doting teenage brother, Simon, and their little brown dog, Hazel.

Are You Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2008. (Gr. PreK-1) *S*
Before Piggy gets the chance to run, skip, and jump outside with her best pal, Elephant, it starts to pour.

Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel. Roaring Brook, 2005. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
She used to be a good kitty, until her people ran out of kitty food and tried to offer her a healthy meal of asparagus, beets, cauliflower, and other awful, alphabetical vegetables.

The Bake Shop Ghost by Jacqueline K. Ogburn. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. Houghton Mifflin, 2005. (Gr. K-3)
After master baker Cora Lee Merriweather dies, she comes back to haunt and run off the new owner of her bakery, pastry chef Annie Washington, but Annie is no pushover.

Bandit by Karen Rostoker-Gruber. Illus. by Vincent Nguyen. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
"Something's fishy around here," mutters orange and yellow cat, Bandit, standing amid stacks of boxes and watching the couch being carried out of the house. That’s because it’s moving day.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies. Houghton Mifflin, 2008. (Gr. PreK-3)
The bats are bored, so when they hear a window has been left ajar at the public library, they swoop inside for Bat Night, including storytime for the little ones.

Bebé Goes Shopping by Susan Middleton Elya. Illus. by Steven Salerno. Harcourt, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2)
At the supermercado, little Bebé, strapped into the carrito (carriage) while Mamá runs down her grocery list, looks for a dulce (a sweet) and a little excitement.

Big Bad Bunny by Franny Billingsley. Illus. by G. Brian Karas. Atheneum, 2008. (Gr. PreK-1)
Big Bad Bunny is on a rampage, chomping on trees and roaring ferociously. "But wait! Where is Baby Boo-Boo?” Mama Mouse cries.

Boogie Knights by Lisa Wheeler. Illus. by Mark Siegel. Atheneum, 2008. (Gr. PreK-3)
It's midnight, and with seven knights asleep at their posts, all the rascals of the castle are dancing the night away at the Madcap Monster Ball.

Buster Goes to Cowboy Camp by Denise Fleming. Henry Holt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
With his owner, Brown Shoes, going on vacation, Buster the dog is none too happy to be dropped off at Sagebrush Kennels' Cowboy Camp for the weekend.

Casey Back at Bat by Dan Gutman. Illus. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. HarperCollins, 2007. (Grades K-8)
It's the last game of the season, and with Mudville tied for first, Casey gives that baseball such a mighty whack, it flies across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Cheese by Margie Palatini. Illus. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. HarperCollins, 2007. (Gr. PreK-2)
The rat from the old song, “The Farmer in the Dell,” decides he’s going to help himself to that big chunk of cheddar, just standing there alone down in the dell.

The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County by Janice N. Harrington. Illus. by Shelley Jackson. Farrar, 2007. (Gr. PreK-2)
A little girl tries to mind Big Mama and behave herself, but she just loves chasing and catching chickens, especially Miss Hen, who keeps hiding from her.

The Chicken of the Family by Mary Amato. Illus. by Delphine Durand. Putnam, 2008. (Gr. K-3)
"We have a secret to tell you," says Kim to Henrietta, the youngest of three sisters. "You're a chicken. Mom got you from Barney's farm.”­ Could it be true?

Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Illus. by Jane Dyer. HarperCollins, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
In the process of baking cookies together, a crew of young children and friendly animals learn the meanings of 24 important words, such as patient, polite, honest, and even courageous.

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee. Harcourt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
James and his best friend Eamon spend an unforgettable week at the beach house of Eamon's grandparents, Bill and Pam.

The Cow Who Clucked by Denise Fleming. Henry Holt, 2006. (Gr. PreK-1)
Cow awakes to find she has lost her moo and sets off through the barnyard to find it.

Cowboy & Octopus by Jon Scieszka. Illus. by Lane Smith. Viking, 2007. (Gr. PreK-3)
Nine wacky short stories introduce two unlikely friends—a well-dressed cowboy and a giant blue octopus.

The Day Leo Said I Hate You! by Robie H. Harris. Illus. by Molly Bang. Little, Brown, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)

Leo is furious at Mommy for saying no to all of his bad behavior.
Diary of a Fly by Doreen Cronin. Illus. by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins, 2007. (Gr. PreK-3) *S*
Fly joins her pals Spider and Worm in keeping a diary filled with observations about school, family and friends.

Dimity Dumpty: The Story of Humpty's Little Sister by Bob Graham. Candlewick, 2007. (Gr. PreK-2)
Now the true story can be told about the role Humpty Dumpty’s little sister, Dimity, played after Humpty had that big fall.

Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Roaring Brook, 2007. (Gr. PreK-1) *S*
Dog, a little brown dachshund, and his best friend Bear, a multicolored stuffed teddy, have three little adventures together.

The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest. Illus. by Amy Bates. Abrams, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
A small brown and white mutt with crooked ears and "a wisp of a girl named Lia" have something in common. They're lonely.

The Doghouse by Jan Thomas. Harcourt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-1)
Cow kicks the red ball, but it goes over the heads of Mouse, Duck, and Pig. "Oh no! The ball went into THE DOGHOUSE! Who will get it out?"

Doña Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart by Pat Mora. Illus. by Raúl Colón. Knopf, 2005. (Gr. PreK-3)
When the villagers hide in fear from a roaring mountain lion, it's up to Doña Flor, who is taller than the tallest trees, to find and tame the big kitty.

Dooby Dooby Moo by Doreen Cronin. Illus. by Betsy Lewin. Atheneum, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
Farmer Brown takes his animals takes to the county fair where they sneak off to be in the talent show.

Duck & Goose by Tad Hills. Schwartz & Wade, 2006. (Gr. PreK-1) *S*
After fussing and fighting, Duck and Goose agree to sit together on the enormous spotted egg they have found and wait for it to hatch.

Flotsam by David Wiesner. Clarion, 2006. (Gr. PreK-3)
On a summer's day down the shore, a boy finds an old-fashioned box camera in the waves and develops the roll of extraordinary photos inside.

Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman. Illus. by Julie Paschkis. Henry Holt, 2007. (Gr. K-6)
Reassembling the classic fairy tale with pieces from 17 versions, this striking picture book is a global melting pot of the Cinderella story.

Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio. Illus. by LeUyen Pham. Hyperion, 2008. (Gr. 1-5)
Appalled that there have never been any women presidents, Grace Campbell, a spunky and determined African American schoolkid, decides to run for president in her own school.
Help Me, Mr. Mutt!: Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems by Janet Stevens and

Susan Stevens Crummel. Illus. by Janet Stevens. Scholastic, 2008. (Gr. PreK-4)
Mr. Mutt, a Canine Counselor to misinformed and beaten down dogs everywhere, responds to their heartfelt letters and attached photos with practical advice.

Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas by Cynthia Rylant. Illus. by Suçie Stevenson. Simon
& Schuster, 2005. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
Henry and his slobbery Saint Bernard, Mudge, pay a visit to Great-Grandpa Bill who lives in a house with a lot of other grandpas.

Hi! Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold. Scholastic, 2005. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
A boy named Buzz catches the smartest pet in the world, a fly, and enters Fly Guy in The Amazing Pet Show.

How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham. Candlewick, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
In the big city, only young Will notices the wounded pigeon on the pavement, and only he and his mother do something about it, bringing it home to nurse it back to health.

I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakité. Illus. by Baba Wagué Diakité. Scholastic, 2006. (Gr. PreK-3)
In Mali with her family to visit relatives, Amina puts her tooth under a gourd and gets a chicken from the African Tooth Fairy.

I'm Bad! by Kate McMullan. Illus. by Jim McMullan. HarperCollins, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
"Are you BAD? I'm REALLY bad. Scare-the-tails-off-all-the-other-dinosaurs BAD." So says a fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex, whose big empty belly is growling for grub.

Jake's Best Thumb by Ilene Cooper. Illus. by Claudio Munoz. Dutton, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
Jake loves sucking his left thumb, especially when he starts kindergarten, which is a little bit scary, until a classmate makes fun of him.

John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith. Hyperion, 2006. (Gr. 1-6)
In a romp through history, follow the fictional colonial childhoods of five patriots—bold John Hancock, noisy Paul Revere, honest George Washington, clever Ben Franklin, and independent Tom Jefferson.

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2007 (Gr. PreK-1) *S*
Excited about taking her stuffed rabbit to school to show everyone, Trixie is stunned to see that classmate Sonja has a Knuffle Bunny, too.

LaRue for Mayor: Letters from the Campaign Trail by Mark Teague. Scholastic, 2008. (Gr. 1-4) *S*
After former police chief and present mayoral candidate Hugo Bugwort calls for a "canine crackdown," a mysterious, dog-friendly candidate throws his hat into the ring.

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen. Illus. by Kevin Hawkes. Candlewick, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2)
A large, affable lion finds himself welcome at the library until he breaks the rule about roaring.

Little Rat Makes Music by Monika Bang-Campbell. Illus. by Molly Bang. Harcourt, 2007. (Gr. K-
3) *S*
Enchanted with the sound of other young rats playing their tiny violins at the Community Hall, Little Rat can't wait to take lessons, but her first real note sounds like this: SQWAAAAAAKK!

Louise, The Adventures of a Chicken by Kate DiCamillo. Illus. by Harry Bliss. HarperCollins, 2008. (Gr. PreK-3)
Longing for adventure, Louise leaves the henhouse for three perilous but exciting encounters at sea, at the circus, and at the bazaar.

Madam President by Lane Smith. Hyperion, 2008. (Gr. K-3)
What's it like being Commander in Chief? A bossy brown pony-tailed narrator explores and explains her many presidential-like duties as she breezes through a school day.

My Kindergarten by Rosemary Wells. Hyperion, 2004. (Gr. PreK-1)
Take a glorious tour through the kindergarten year with teacher, Miss Cribbage, as seen through the eyes of rabbit Emily. (To find and download Judy Freeman’s free CD of 23 songs to go along with the book, go to www.hyperionbooksforchildren.com and type “My Kindergarten” in the search bar.)

Lilly's Big Day by Kevin Henkes. Greenwillow, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
"It will be the biggest day of my life," says mouse Lilly, assuming she will be chosen to be the flower girl at her beloved teacher Mr. Slinger's wedding.

Mail Harry to the Moon! by Robie H. Harris. Illus. by Michael Emberley. Little, Brown, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
“Before Harry was born, there was ME! Now there's me. And Harry.” Pity the poor narrator, a former only child for whom life used to be bliss.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach: A Cuban Folktale by Carmen Agra Deedy. Illus. by Michael Austin. Peachtree, 2007. (Gr. 1-6)
Ready to give her leg in marriage at the ripe old age of 21 days, Martina the cockroach gets some wise advice from Abuela, her Cuban grandmother.

My Buddy, Slug by Jarrett J. Krosoczka. Knopf, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2)
Alex's good buddy, Slug, a friendly giant orange slug, is driving him crazy with his constant talking.

Oh, No! Where Are My Pants? And Other Disasters: Poems compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins. Illus. by Wolf Erlbruch. HarperCollins, 2005. (Gr. 1-4)
Fourteen brief, often funny, first-person poems tune in to life moments of kids who are having a
bad day.

Oink? by Margie Palatini. Illus. by Henry Cole. Simon & Schuster, 2006. (Gr. PreK-3)
Thomas and Joseph are sloppy, lazy, dirty, but very happy pigs, in spite of their animal neighbors’ attempts to reform them.

Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illus. by Brian Pinkney. Hyperion, 2006. (Gr. 1-4)
Whaler Galleon Keene carves himself a son out of the hunk of driftwood that saved his life and names the boy Peggony-Po.

The Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann. Greenwillow, 1991. (Gr. 1-4)
Lin and her baby dragon play together but when they break a vase, Father puts the dragon in a cage. When it escapes, Lin sets out to find it. Incorporated into the pictures are the Chinese characters for each word.

The Pigeon Wants a Puppy by Mo Willems. Hyperion, 2008. (Gr. PreK-1) *S*
Pigeon promises he'll take good care of a new puppy, water it once a month, and play tennis with it, if you'll just say yes.

Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long. Illus. by David Shannon. Harcourt, 2007. (Gr. PreK-3) *S*
On the day Jeremy is left in charge of babysitting his baby sister, his pirate friends come calling, looking for the treasure they buried out back.

Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia McKissack and Onawumi Jean Moss. Illus. by Kyrsten Brooker. Atheneum, 2005. (Gr. 1-4)
When Precious stays home alone, she fends off the scary, bad, and none-too-smart Pruella the Boo Hag, who tries to trick her way inside.

President Pennybaker by Kate Feiffer. Illus. by Diane Goode. Simon & Schuster, 2008. (Gr. PreK-3)
Pledging to do something to make life fair, Luke enlists his faithful dog Lilly as a running mate and becomes the youngest person ever to run for president.

Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg. Houghton Mifflin, 2006. (Gr. K-3)
After seeing a performance of Lomax the hypnotist, Calvin tries to hypnotize his little sister, Trudy, into thinking she's a dog.

Pssst! by Adam Rex. Harcourt, 2007. (Gr. PreK-2)
At the zoo, a brown-haired little girl is summoned by a gorilla, a javelina, and other animals, who ask her to bring them back a list of special items from the outside.

The Scrambled States of America Talent Show by Laurie Keller. Henry Holt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-4) *S*
Waking from a dream in the middle of the night, New York shouts, "HEY, EVERYONE—LET'S HAVE A TALENT SHOW,” which gets all the other 49 states revved up.

The Shivers in the Fridge by Fran Manushkin. Illus. by Paul O. Zelinsky. Dutton, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2)
Brrr! It's always cold in the place where Papa Shivers and his family live, and now they are being taken away, one by one, by the big hand of a monster.

Sunny Boy!: The Life and Times of a Tortoise by Candace Fleming. Illus. by Anne Wilsdorf. Farrar, 2005. (Gr. 1-4)
Always longing for a quiet life, Sunny Boy, a tortoise, recounts his life saga, from almost becoming
soup in New York City to going over Niagara Falls in a barrel.

Superhero ABC by Bob McLeod. HarperCollins, 2006. (Gr. PreK-2)
Meet a gorgeously garish gang of superheroes, from Astro-Man to the Zinger, in an alliterative alphabet book describing each one's powers.

Sweet Tooth by Margie Palatini. Illus. by Jack E. Davis. Simon & Schuster, 2004. (Gr. PreK-3)
Ordinary kid Stuart has the most "nagging, annoying, demanding," sweet tooth that insists on a regular diet of candy bars and gets him in trouble.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox. Illus. by Helen Oxenbury. Harcourt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-1)
In a rhyming tribute to babies across the globe, a multicultural mix of nine winsome babies laugh, sniffle, and play together.

That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown by Cressida Cowell. Illus. by Neal Layton. Hyperion, 2007. (Gr. PreK-2)
Will Emily Brown give up Stanley, her old gray stuffed rabbit, just because Queen Gloriana the Third demands that she hand over that Bunnywunny straightaway? She will not!

Toy Boat by Randall De Sève. Illus. by Loren Long. Philomel, 2007. Gr. PreK-1)
A little boy and the toy boat he made from a can, a cork, a yellow pencil, and some white cloth are inseparable until the day the little boat is swept away on the lake.

Traction Man Is Here! by Mini Grey. Knopf, 2005. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
A boy's superhero action figure doll, Traction Man, and his faithful little companion and pet, Scrubbing Brush, survive dangerous adventures together.

A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker. Illus. by Kady MacDonald Denton. Candlewick, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2)
Though the sign on his front door says "No Visitors Allowed," Bear opens the door to find a mouse, "small and gray and bright-eyed," who will not go away.

Waking Up Wendell by April Stevens. Illus. by Tad Hills. Schwartz & Wade, 2007. (Gr. PreK-1)
A singing bird wakes up Mr. Krudwig, whose dog Leopold barks and wakes up Mrs. Musky, until each sleeper is roused in turn, all the way down the block.

Wild Boars Cook by Meg Rosoff. Illus. by Sophie Blackall. Henry Holt, 2008. (Gr. PreK-2) *S*
Wild boars, Boris, Morris, Horace, and Doris are “bossy and selfish and stinky and HUNGRY,” until Doris finds a recipe for a massive pudding.