So Many Precious Books, So Little Time

It was the first day of spring and an Inuit girl, Allashua, living in the Arctic decided to go fishing. Her mother said, "don't go fishing on the sea ice. Under the sea ice live Qallupilluit. They grab children who aren't with their parents." Allashua agreed, saying: "a promise is a promise."

Allashua did go fishing on the sea ice and she taunted the Qallupilluit. She caught many fish and then, all of a sudden she heard a voice. There, "between her and the shore" were the Qallupilluit. They grabbed her and dragged her under the sea ice where they live. I can't tell you anymore because I don't want to rick giving spoilers.

This story is told in beautiful prose. This was an excellent collaboration between Robert Munsch and Michael Kusugak. Kusugak grew up in the Arctic. The Inuit spend much time on the sea ice and made up the story about the Qallupilluit to keep their children away from danger. The illustrations are in vibrant colour and go perfectly with the words. Highly recommended! This is another book that your children will want to read over and over.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:35 PM 4 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, Children's Books

Posted by Teddy Rose at 11:41 AM 6 comments    

Labels: Awards

As usual, be sure to check back at this post throughout the week for links to more book giveaways!

My Giveaways:

I am having a big audiobook giveaway, in celebration of over 200 followers on my blog! I am giving away THE SCARECROW By Michael Connely, CEMETERY DANCE By Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, LOSING MUM AND PUP By Christopher Buckley, THE WAY HOME By George Pelecanos. The deadlines to enter vary. You can enter here.

Over at Novels Now we are giving away an advance readers copy of The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Enter by June 21st, here.

Over at Historical Tapestry we are giving away The Heart of The Lion by Jean Plaidy. Enter by June 28th, here.

New offerings (if you do enter any of these lovely giveaways, please let them know that Teddy sent you):

Wendy of Caribousmom is giving away A Thousand Veils by D. J. Murphy. Enter by June 20th, here.

J.C. of The Biblio Brat is giving away The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. Enter by June 15, here.

Dar of Peeking Between the Pages is givingaway 5 copies of Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke. Enter by June 29th, here. She is also giving away 5 copies of A Summer Affair by Elin Hilderbrand. Enter by June 29th, here.

Kathy of Bermudaonion is having a big giveaway in honour of her one year blogiversary. She is giving away OUR DUMB WORLD by The Onion, AS ALWAYS JACK by Emma Sweeney, GIRLS IN TRUCKS by Katie Crouch, GODS IN ALABAMA by Joshilyn Jackson, and TRAIL OF CRUMBS by Kim Sunee. Enter by June 22nd, here.

Sherri of A Novel Menagerie is giving away The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff. Enter by June 19th, here.

Serena at Savvy Verse and Wit is celebrating her up-come blogiversary with a prize pack giveaway. Here's what it includes: 1. Book Club Girl canvas bag with books, Garth Stein swag, and more 2. Scrapbooking kit, which I will either make from the winner’s JPG images or they can do it themselves. 3. A third mystery prize 4. Some smaller mystery prizes. Enter by July 11th, here.

Dar of Peeking Between the Pages is giving away The Painter From Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein. Enter by July 4th, here.

Below are giveaways that I announced in previous weeks. There is still time to enter (if you do enter any of these lovely giveaways, please let them know that Teddy sent you):

Trish of Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin’? is giving away 10 copies of The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Williams. Enter by June 17, here.

Chick With Books is giving away 3 copies of Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke. Enter by June 27th, here.

Alyce of At Home With Books is giving away The Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker, The Rose of Sebastopol by Katharine McMahon, The Domino Men by Jonathan Barnes, and My Little Red Book by Rachel Kauder Nalebuff. Enter by June 28th, here.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 3:15 PM 9 comments    

Labels: Giveaways Galore

This is the story about Julie Ann. Her mother bought her new clothes. After Julie Ann put them on she went outside and sat under a tree. A big mud puddle jumped down from the tree and oh boy, did she get muddy. She ran inside and her mom bathed her and then Julie Ann put on new clothes again and went outside. This time the mud puddle was hiding on top of the house. Splat..it jumped on her again. This kept happening until Julie Ann figured out how to get rid of the mud puddle once and for all.

This was a really cute and fun story with vivid illustrations that even gave the mud puddle a face. Julie Ann's mom had the patience of a saint. I know my mom would have yelled at me. I highly recommend this book. It is one that your children will want to read over and over.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:17 PM 10 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, Children's Books

Thanks to all of you who entered! I wish that I could send copies of these books to each of you! A special thanks to those of you who follow my blog or became followers! I hope you enjoy my blog!

The 5 winners are:

Ann Marie

Julie

Windy Cindy

Janet Faye (won on another blog)

Gahome2mom (won on another blog)

Scottsgal

Cindy

Posted by Teddy Rose at 9:34 PM 4 comments    

Labels: My 2009 Giveaways

Thanks to Michelle for hosting the 2009 PUB Challenge!

This was an easy challenge for me because of all the ARC's I read.

Here are the 9 2009 books I read for the challenge:

1.Still I Rise by Roland Laird with Tanesha Nash Laird, Illustrated by Elihu "Adofo" Bey
2.The Kingmaking By Helen Hollick
3.Galway Bay by Mary Pat Kelly
4. King's Fool: A Notorious King, His Six Wives, and the One Man Who Knew Their Secrets by Margaret Campbell Barnes
5.Bark Up the Right Tree by Jessie & Ruth Tschudin
6.Signora da Vinci by Robin Maxwell
7. The Help By Kathryn Stockett
8.The Lieutenantby Kate Grenville
9.The Brightest Moon of the Century by Christopher Meeks

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:14 PM 12 comments    

Labels: 2009 Completed Challenges

Bright and Refreshing

In this bright and intelligent book, we follow Edward Meopian from the age of 14 to 45 years old (1968-1999). His mother died when he was young and his father did his best to raise him. They live in Minnesota where his father is an encyclopedia salesman.

Edward's father decides to enrol Edward in private school which Edward is very unhappy about. There are a bunch or rich snobby kids there and he finds it hard to fit in. One of the rich kids asks him what his father does and he lies and says, my father "is in publishing." Of course his lie is found out when his father shows up at the school library to deliver new encyclopedias.

Later Edward gets a stepmother and younger stepbrother and then gets accepted into a university in Denver. He is anxious to start this new chapter in his life and to meet girls. He does get his first girlfriend there but it doesn't last long. He graduates from university and wants to make it as a film director so moves to L.A. Reality hits him hard and he ends up having to work in a camera store to pay his rent.

When he ends up quitting his dead end job and has no money, his father suggests that he move to rural Alabama to set up a convenience store in the trailer park that his father bought. Edward agrees and enlists his friend Sagebrush to go with him. The two could not be more opposite but somehow they work together.

I could go on but I don't want to give away too much. This is a hilarious and intelligently written book. The funniest part for me was the summer in the trailer park but I loved the whole book. Meeks hits all the right cords. His writing is fresh, intelligent and very witty! Also, being born and raised in Minnesota myself, it was fun to see all the references to cities and landmarks that I recognized.

This is Christopher Meeks first novel but he has written two short story collections that have been highly recommend by Wendy of Caribousmom. I plan to read these and can hardly wait for his next novel. The Brightest Moon of the Century is such a treat and I cannot recommend it high enough!

5/5

Thanks so much to Christopher Meeks and sending me his book and to Wendy of Caribousmom for sending him my way!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 1:26 PM 4 comments    

Labels: Books Read in 2009, Christopher Meeks

Visit Marcia every Monday at The Printed Page to share what arrives in your mailbox each week.

This week I received:

Dragon House

John Shors emailed me himself, to ask me it I would like to review his newest upcoming release. I didn't jump at this opportunity, I leeped!! I loved, I mean LOVED, his first novel Beneath a Marble Sky ! Thanks John!

Remember my interview with Robin Maxwell, regarding her book Signora Da Vinci? When were we emailing back and forth, she asked me if I was interested in reviewing her friend's novel. None other than C.W. Gortner! Of course, I couldn't pass that up. Thanks Robin and C.W.!

Posted by Teddy Rose at 8:16 PM 11 comments    

Labels: Mail Box Mondays

This is a very short story at 3 and a half pages. A very long time ago there was a "semi-barbaric king."

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:46 PM 6 comments    

Labels: Short Story Read in 2009

I have read 20 books so far this year for challenges ( I'm just a little behind on posting a couple of reviews.)

I have finished 5 challenges so far this year:

The Historical Fiction Reading Challenge3/3
What An Animal 6/6
Book Awards II Reading Challenge 10/10

The next two I have finished but may take them to another level:

World Citizen Challenge 1/1
Themed Reading Challenge - 2009 6/5

I am happy to report that the 3 challenges that I was anxious about last month, I am no longer anxious about! I finished 2 of them and almost finished with the 3rd. I am confident that I will finish.

Here are my standing in the rest of my challenges:

The 2nd Canadian Book Challenge July 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009 10/13

The 2009 ARC Reading Challenge: 12/25

The PUB Challenge - 2009: 8/9

New Author Challenge 2009: 10/12

2009 TBR Lite Challenge: 4/6

2009 READ & REVIEW CHALLENGE: 13/52

The Chunkster Challenge 2009: 4/5

In summary, I am doing much better than I expected and am optomistic.

I am trying to decide if I will be signing about for The Books Awards III challenge.

Would you like to Know how others are doing visit Chris (from book-a-rama) update post for the challenge here.

Posted by Teddy Rose at 10:30 PM 11 comments    

Labels: 2009 CHALLENGES Update