Currently Reading




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I dislike 'claymation' shows intensely, but adore artists like Barbara Reid, who create whimsical, crystal-clear worlds out of plasticine.  This particular book is one of our 'tie-in' texts to this week's trip to a working dairy farm for preschool.

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I have fond memories of reading Scarry's books as a young child, especially Cars and Trucks and Things That Go, and Busy Busy World.  Oh, they were wonderful.  And Samuel is getting a chance to enjoy them, too.  He sits happily for an entire fairy tale with all of those pictures to look at.



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 Frankly, I think I would have trouble finding a story by Cosgrove that I didn't like, but this one works well with the seasons right now. A little mouse prepares her house for the coming winter while her foolish companions play all day. When the snow comes, she learns how to show compassion towards them and share her bounty. A good lesson on friendship, hard work and love, and a great story about summer turning to fall, and fall becoming winter. Samuel loved it.







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Another seasonal book that we're using this week to continue last week's talks about pinecones and leaves.  I find it really helpful to have stories of different lengths and reading 'intensity' to cover all of our bases.  This one is perfect for times when sitting still is harder.












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I'm dipping into this latest edition to my housekeeping reference library whenever I find myself with a few moments and the urge to improve my hospitality skills.  It seems to run the gauntlet of suggestions from the simple to the complex, and it's making me rethink how I want our home to appear to the casual and the long-term guests we host.  So far, I like it.











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This is the second of Calder's three cookbooks.  The subtitle: Elegant Everyday Eating, gives away the whole premise of the book and has put me at ease with her often complicated sounding recipes.  Although, I will admit, she still intimidates me a bit with the casual way she 'whips up' all sorts of things.  Me?  I whip up pancakes.  But I do love to have a few cookbooks lying around in the process of being browsed.  This one is sitting beside the sofa for whenever hunger strikes and I'm nursing.