AMELIA BEDELIA by Peggy Parish Amelia Bedelia is the delightful story that reminds each of us just how important communication is - both in how it is given and how it is received. This humorous book will have kids laughing in no time as Amelia Bedelia does her job all wrong because of misunderstanding the instructions. Lots of fun! The picture is one of lemon meringue pie. Of course, my daughter wanted to know what it tasted like after hearing about it in this story, so we baked one up!

THE MYTHMAKERS: THE REMARKABLE FELLOWSHIP BETWEEN C.S. LEWIS AND J.R.R. TOLKIEN by John Hendrix WOW, is this an AMAZING book! This is one of those books that I've dubbed a "hybrid" book. It's a cross between a graphic novel and a chapter book. John Hendrix starts off by introducing us to what a "myth" was to Lewis and Tolkein and the value and inspiration they found in them. From there, we are plunged into their back stories pre-writing years. Their childhoods, war experiences, professional pursuits, etc are laid out for us to view and understand. Then comes the point of their meeting. The point of when we see the start of the "iron sharpening iron" that occurred between them. Sometimes the sparks flew in disagreement, but there is no doubt they were utterly and completely real with each other. The value of such a friendship? Beyond priceless, and it caused them to push each other and write in ways that we have to wonder if what they achieved would have happened without the friendship. Unfortunately, over time, their lives went in different directions as is often the case. There was some hurt that happened. Despite all of this, the reality of what was and the mountains scaled as a result deserve to be celebrated even today. Highly recommend!

CHICKENPOX by Remy Lai Chickenpox. I was in fourth grade when it came through our school. In the following days our class was reduced to a small, revolving group of spotty - marked stragglers in different stages of recovery. When my turn came, I was liberally covered, but it was my back that became a board fit for a game of dots. (Upon inspection, my mother discovered I even had a couple on the roof of my mouth.) Memories. Remi Lai's graphic novel, Chickenpox, shares the journey of a family dealing with the disease based on her experiences as a child in Indonesia. Surrounded by her four siblings, big sister Abby, is about to go crazy being stuck at home. On top of dealing with the incessant itching and red dots all over from the chickenpox, she has to put up with squabbling, siblings always in her stuff, and no chance of alone time. How long is this going to last? Two weeks. Abby can't take it. How will she ever survive? This book is as much a book about preteen/early teen life woes as it is about chickenpox. Struggles with friendships, struggles with siblings, struggles with Mom and her "you're the oldest" expectations paint a very frustrating and constantly teetering emotional life for Abby. The two weeks are hard, but thankfully, by the end, there is a bit of resolution that allows rays of hopeful possibilities into her life.

MORE THAT WORDS: SO MANY WAYS TO SAY WHAT WE MEAN by Roz Maclean More Than Words is a beautiful picture book that celebrates the many ways that kids (and people) communicate. Typically we think that communication happens only in word form, but actually, it occurs in many more ways than just speech. This book challenges readers to stop and pay attention to the many ways that people might try and communicate with them. It may take an extra minute to decipher, but it has the potential of opening up a new friendship in the process. This is a great book to pair alongside Anybody Here Seen Frenchie or Out of My Mind. Beautifully written!

THE IMPROBABLE TALES OF BASKERVILLE HALL: THE SIGN OF THE FIVE (BOOK 2) by Ali Standish Young Arthur Conan Doyle is back for a second mystery with his friends at the elite school, Baskerville Hall. This time, several of his professors, including Sherlock Holmes, are being poisoned, but the "how" or "why" is escaping everyone including the Scotland Yard detective who has come to investigate. It doesn't take long to reveal that the answers are not in the present, but in the school's past. Once upon a time, five students made a promise to each other that they would live forever. That pact was broken and the ramifications are still being felt in the present. The positives of this book - Standish is dedicated to bringing the characters from the Sherlock Holmes mysteries to life in her series including: Watson, Holmes, and Moriarty. How all that breaks down is fun to watch! The mystery itself is very engaging and brings in the Green Knight from King Arthur Legends. Friendship is a big theme in this book. Doyle desires close friendships and there is a struggle with the trust factor with Moriarty. HEADS UP- The part that makes this book difficult is the large space dedicated to the spiritual world. We know that the real Sir Arthur Conan Doyle devoted a huge part of his life to attempting to commune with the dead. That shows up here. There is a ghost that roams Baskerville Hall and Doyle and his friends communicate with it through an early version of the Ouija Board.  Part of living forever was transferring a person's spirit into a younger person's body. This is what causes the split in the group. The majority of the members refuse to be a part, but it is attempted in the book unsuccessfully. Also a pentagram is used multiple times in reference to the early group.

BOYS SHOULD BE BOYS: 7 SECRETS TO RAISING HEALTHY SONS by Dr. Meg Meeker, M.D. I honestly didn't know what to expect when I opened the cover of this book. In today's world we can get a lot of varying opinions on how to raise a son. Even though this book was published in 2008, someone recently recommended it as a book I might enjoy, and they were right! Author Dr. Meeker has worked with kids and teens for many years in her pediatric practice (25 years at the time of this book's publishing) as well as being a mom of 4 adult children. To say she's "seen it all" would probably about cover it. Her practical wisdom and knowledge will pull your heartstrings one moment and have you nodding in agreement in another. She is upfront with us as parents. She doesn't pull any punches. She handles topics that we would expect such as time outdoors, gaming, electronics, speeding, moods, sex, etc. However she also tackles subjects like the relationship of a boy and his mother, the relationship of a boy and his father, what to do if Dad isn't present, and while she doesn't include a lot of information about faith, she does dedicate a chapter to the effect she has seen of "faith" on boys in her practice. I found this book to be both affirming and eye-opening for me as a mother of a teenage son. It is one I will keep as a possibility for a further book club pick in the future. By the way, Dr. Meeker has a book about raising girls that is in my TBR pile.

FOLK STORIES AND TALL TALES by Claire Cock-Starkey and Zanna Goldhawk It is hard for me to pass up a book dedicated to folk stories and tall tales. This addiction clearly stems from my childhood. I went through a time, mid to upper elementary, when I loved reading these types of stories. I was fascinated with Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. ( It's probably because my Swedish roots include lumberjacks. My great-grandfather was a lumberjack in the UP of Michigan where many Swedish immigrants settled.)I loved the idea of John Henry and his competition with the steam powered drill and Pecos Bill making a lasso out of a rattlesnake to catch a tornado. I was a child who had a vivid imagination. The bigger the story, the better. Kane Miller has a book that caught my eye while at a convention not too long ago. It was the cover artwork that did it. Folksy with a bit of Grandma Moses flare, I was captivated by the illustrations as I flipped through the pages. Folk Stories and Tall Tales is a collection of tales from different North American people groups, but a large percentage of the stories in this edition come from Native American stories. The book is divided into 6 chapters with titles such as Origins, Animal Stories, Nature Stories, etc. Each chapter includes five stories (each are 2 pages long) that are beautifully illustrated. HEADS UP- The Native American tales often deal with their religious beliefs. One Native American tale revolves around the Spirits of winter and summer. A young girl marries Winter who makes tribal life miserable for everyone. She meets Summer and enjoys spending time with him. Her husband Winter shows up, fights Summer and loses, so she and Summer are free to be together.

GRAB YOUR PILLOW, ARMADILLO by Kevin & Haily Meyers. Illustrated by Haily Meyers. I love baby showers, because it gives me a reason to visit the board book section of the bookstore. I literally popped down on the floor in front of the shelves, took my shoes off, and started to read. It was SO MUCH FUN! Before long, I was smiling with delight with this cute one, Grab Your Pillow, Armadillo! This precious board book is full of adorable animals alongside fun night-night phrases. I might just go back and buy a copy of this one for myself!

HOW TO TAP A MAPLE by Stephanie Mulligan. Illustrated by Connie Rand. It's one of my favorite times of the year - maple syrup time! The sun is shining , and the sap is flowing. I love walking and checking the bags with the collected sap multiple times a day! There's just something special about your land producing something that's usable. With the sap time, comes maple syrup book time. Each year I try and find a new book to add to our collection. This year's pick is How to Tap a Maple. Told in rhyming verse, Luke and Layla help their Grampy in Maine with the syrup making process. The book does an excellent job of going through the process, ending with a delicious pile of pancakes covered in the newly made syrup. In the back of the book there's lots of sap-making vocabulary. This book will have you sounding like a legitimate maple syrup maker in no time.

THE ADVENTURES OF SOPHIE MOUSE: A SURPRISE VISITOR by Poppy Green. Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell I love Sophie Mouse, and this sweet story is no exception. Sophie is having friends over, so she needs to get her hostessing skills sharpened up. After working hard to prepare special things, a major whoops happens, and Sophie has to roll with it as best as she can. Sophie can't help being disappointed with how things turned out, but an unexpected do over is right around the corner. Unexpectedly, a little bird injures its wing and ends up on the roof of Sophie's house. She gets a second chance at being a hostess, but maybe this time things will come out a little bit better than last time. This book is excellent at helping the younger members of the family learn about what being a good hostess looks like. Caring for others, manners, rolling with it when unexpected things happen are just some of the topics covered. This series continues to be an excellent breath of fresh air in early chapter books! Highly recommend!

KNIGHT'S SCHEME (BOOK 5 OF THE BLACKGAARD CHRONICLES) by Phil Lollar KNIGHT'S SCHEME (BOOK 5 of The BLACKGAARD CHRONICLES) by Phil Lollar How many problems could a laptop cause? That's what Connie and Whit are about to find out when they travel to Chicago, and Whit's laptop is accidentally switched for a stolen one loaded with Department of Defense secrets. BUT that's not the biggest bit of crazy in this whole situation. Can you guess who might be behind this theft of national secrets? You got it, Dr. BLACKGAARD, but he's not the person at the top of the chain. KNIGHT'S SCHEME cracks open the door and gives us a glimpse of exactly who BLACKGAARD is working for. The BLACKGAARD CHRONICLES is a super fun middle grade series that celebrates staying committed to fighting for good and against the evil in life. It is filled with action and lots of wisdom for kids that will promote lots of food for thought.

NARWHAL: UNICORN OF THE SEA by Candace Fleming. Illustrated by Deena So'oteh If you are not familiar with Candace Fleming, be sure and check out her other books on the Honeybee  and the Giant Squid ! Her books are beyond captivating! Highly recommend!! It was a balmy 6 degrees when my daughter and I went out to feed and water the horses this morning. The temperature is cold, but I don't mind it. No, I don't want to spend long stretches of time outside, but a brisk trot to the barn carrying buckets of water takes me out of the house for a few minutes and into the ever changing beauty of nature. Today is no different. There are sheets of ice that gleam up at me as I try and carefully navigate their slippery surfaces without wiping out! The ice and cold put me in mind of Candace Fleming's delightful new picture book about the Narwhal. This lengthy picture book is filled with loads of information about these beautiful, Arctic Ocean inhabitants. Everything from their survival, to how they feed, migration patterns, raising of young, and much more fill these gorgeously illustrated pages. There's even a wonderful surprise tucked inside - pages that open up into an extra long spread. (These are the fun elements in books that make my heart go pitter patter!) Tucked in at the end are the Author's Notes. Fleming takes us even deeper into this mysterious world and leaves us with lots of food for thought!  I have to take a minute and rave about the artwork in this marvelous picture book. The icy blues and greens alongside snowy white reign supreme in these pictures. Stare at the puctures too long and you might actually feel a chill shoot up your spine as you peer into the watery depths.