Review - Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White

Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Holiday House (September 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0823413209
ISBN-13: 978-0823413201

Ever since she was a little girl, Rebecca Estelle has hated pumpkins. Baked pumkins, steamed pumpkins, boiled pumpkins. Stewed pumkins, mashed pumkins, rotten pumpkins. Enough Pumpkins!
When an enormous pumpkin falls off a truck and smashes in her yard, Rebecca Estelle shovels dirt over the pieces and forgets about them. But those slimy pumpkin smithereens sprout up in spring, and she finds herself wih a sea of pumpkins. What will she do with so many pumpkins, when she can't stand the sight of even one?

What a delightful tale about pumpkins. The lesson learned: You can not hide your problems by covering them up and forgetting about them like Estelle did with her pumpkins. Estelle learnt the hard way, when life gives you lemons you make lemonade and when a pumpkin falls off the pumpkin truck you get rid of it or you'll wind up with a huge pumpkin patch....

The illustrations are beautiful with a homey old timey feeling. You can almost smell the spices and pumpkins in Estelle's kitchen just by looking at the pages.

During the great Depression Linda White's aunt grew up on a farm and money was very scarce and pumpkins were all they had to eat at times. This sparked her to write this wonderful book!

Review - Virals by Kathy Reichs

Virals by Kathy Reichs
Released: November 2, 2010
Publisher: Razorbill
Age Group: Young Adult
Pages: 464 pages
Format: Hardback
Source: Library
Author Site: Kathy Reichs

Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage “sci-philes” who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot-if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer’s scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends- they’re a pack. They are Virals.

Kathy Reichs is a brilliant author and I love her hit TV show, Bones, but Reichs novels are way better. Virals is Reichs first Young Adult novel and would be a great book for any of our young adult readers. Not only does Reichs turn you on to her love of anthropologie and science but also leaves you wanting to learn more. I would like to read more about Tory and her pack of Virals and know more about there newfound powers and what they can do... In a way there powers seems cool it helped them solve a murder and manged to save there lives quite a few times. If anything like that should happen to me I would most defently be Freak INNGGG OUT and here a couple of teenagers just accepting a new rare vires as a part of everyday life.. I guess thats all they can do for the time being until they can learn or experience more about the problem...

My Bookworm Santa

My Bookworm Santa is being hosted by Michelle at Book Briefs, and Bree at The Magic Attic.

DETAILS, TAKEN FROM MICHELLE'S BLOG:


My Bookworm Santa is the book blogger's version of 'Secret Santa.' So you sign up via the form below, and we'll pair you up with another random entrant. If you're only willing to ship to America, we'll pair you up with someone from America.(remember though, that the Book Depository ships free to most countries. This is a good way to meet some international book bloggers) We'll send their wishlist and address to you, and your wishlist and address to them. Then, before December 10th, we'll ask that you purchase a book from the wishlist we sent over, and send the book to your randomly selected blogger. And on Christmas (December 25th), you'll reveal yourself to the other person, and hopefully make new friends :) Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you're more than welcome to join us.

We'll also be having a small, separate giveaway during the sign-up period. If you tweet about this event, blog about this event, or follow our blogs via GCF, and grab the event button then you'll earn extra entries. Signing up for our My Bookworm Santa event earns you one point. At the end of the sign-up period, we'll randomly choose two participants (international people are more than welcome), and send them over one book from their wishlist.

Setting up a blog post about the event is a great way to get more named referrals. Each person that names you as a referral will get you an extra entry into the contest.

Another part of my Bookworm Santa is the "open wish list" form. Please only sign up on this separate form if you have already signed up to participate in the program. The additional form will be used for people to post their wish lists for everyone to see. This way, if anyone wants to send some additional books to spread the holiday cheer, you can browse the form and fulfill someone's holiday wish!

Rules, Terms and Conditions:

-If you sign up for this event, you're PROMISING us that you will, no matter what, fulfill your end of the agreement and send over a book to the blogger. If you have any problems, please come talk to one of us.
-International people are more than welcome to join :)
-Sign-ups close at the beginning of December
-Please do not reveal yourself to your assigned blogger until after December 25th
-You MUST send over a book before December 10th so that it can arrive to the blogger's house in time for, or a little after Christmas on December 25th.
-The book MUST be in in perfect condition, and listed in your assigned blogger's wishlist.
-This isn't created as a way to 'get new books.' Our goal through this is to help create new friends.
-Even if you don't celebrate Christmas, you're more than welcome to join us :)

TGIF (2) - Follow Me Friday (6)

TGIF is a weekly meme to recap weekly blog happenings and propose a new weekly question for bloggers to respond to hosted by Ginger @ GReads

This weeks question is:

Answer to come:

On the Blog Recaps for this past week:
Review - Nowhere Hair by Sue Glader

Review - Kathryn the Grape's Colorful Adventure by Kathryn Cloward and Ginny Hornby
Review - The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook: Slaying the Living Dead Within by Jeff Kinley
Review of Wicked Ties by Shayla Black
Review - Love You, Hate You, Miss You by Elizabeth Scott
Review - Dog and Bear Two Friends * Three Stories by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
Review - Melvin Might Trucktown Series by Jon Scieszka

Welcome to Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee and AlisonCanRead


This weeks Featured Bloggers Jagged Edge & A Neverending Fantasy

This weeks question:
Q. If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

A. OK I would love to be in Sookie Stackhouse's shoes! She is just one of my all time favorite paranormal gals and to have all those hunky vamps salivating over her well ok I know some were salivating for more reasons than one but still....LOL

Review - Melvin Might Trucktown Series by Jon Scieszka

Melvin Might by Jon Scieszka
Illustrated by David Shannon, David Gordon, and Loren Long
Released: October 28, 2008
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Age Group: Childrens
Pages: 42 pages
Format: Hardback
Source: Library
Author Site: Jon Scieszka

Melvin the worrying Cement Mixer worries about EVERYTHING... and doesn't think he can do ANYTHING. He watches nervously as Jack, Pete, and Rita roar, soar, and splash their way to cross a ravine. But when Rita cries out for help, Melvin knows he must do something. But how can he save her if he's worrying so much?

I Highly recommend this book and all of the other Trucktown Series for that matter to anyone. I give Jon Scieszka a ***** rating on these wonderful books. Both me and my son LOVES Jon Scieszka's Trucktown series. This is our second book in the trucktown series (Melvin Might).. Totally awesome book if you ask me..I love all the crazy chartcers, each one has there own personality and I really can't say which one is my favorite....not to mention the illustrations are breath taking, and we'd love to have the whole gang. So cuddle up with your little one and have a ROOAARRRRIIINNGGGG good time.
Also the Author of Smash Crash