Summer Book Haul

I always go a little overboard when I check out books from the library! This is partly because sometimes I am the one who checks in the books that patrons return- so I get the opportunity to see all these new shiny books before they go on the shelves. And, of course, I can’t help myself. I tried to reign it in a little bit for this haul. My goal for summer reading (which I will talk more about next week) is to re-introduce myself to young adult fiction. With this in mind, I picked up a few YA books to get started with! And hey, if you’ve read ANY of these…please let me know what you think of them in the comments!

First of all, I checked out the ENTIRE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA SERIES. The reason is because at least one book in the series is always checked out…well, they all just happen to be available..so I grabbed them while I had the chance! Written by one of the greatest fantasy writers of all time (in my opinion), C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia is considered a classic of children’s literature. I’m excited to finally read the series!!!

 

In Real Life by Jessica Love

I think this just may be the perfect summer “road trip” story! It is about two friends that have never met in person, but one friend finally decides to surprise the other. Unfortunately, there have been secrets kept. This sounds so dramatic and fun! I haven’t heard much talk about this book, but I saw it on one of our YA displays and I thought it looked really interesting…I guess we will find out!

Wink Poppy Midnight by April Genevieve Tucholke

I grabbed this book as soon as it came into our library because of the cover. Yeah, I did it. I fully judged a book by it’s cover. Wink Poppy Midnight is described as kind of a mystery thriller- which got me even more excited. Also, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart was one of my favorite books I read last summer and Wink Poppy Midnight is recommended for those who enjoyed We Were Liars. I’m just really rooting for this book to be good! I’ll definitely do a review when I finish it!

Summer Days and Summer Nights by many authors! Edited by Stephanie Perkins

I am SO excited about this book! I’ve been seeing this book everywhere! So many wonderful young adult authors team up to create this fun summer book full of short stories. I love reading short stories, especially when I get really busy with summer reading at the library and can only read a little bit at a time. Perfect perfect for summer! I definitely plan to write a review on this one so stay tuned!

Bittersweet by Stephanie Danler

One word: wine. Bittersweet is the story of Tess who comes to New York in the summer of 2006 and begins working in a Manhattan restaurant. We follow Tess as she navigates the city and the food and wine scene. Yes. Yes. Yes. My summers are usually spent navigating many bottles of wine..I  can already feel that Tess and I are the same person! This is not a young adult novel, but I just couldn’t pass this up! I love reading debut novels, so I can’t wait to read Danler’s writing!

Well, that’s my first haul of the summer! I’m excited to delve into these books and let you know my thoughts and opinions. Next week I’ll be posting something super fun for summer and a GIVEAWAY!!! So please follow Revitalized Reading to stay updated!

Happy SUMMER Reading!

Mini Reviews: Children’s Picture Books

 

Picture taken @ The Emporia Public Library, Emporia, KS
Book cover photos courtesy of Amazon.com

When I say that I’m a “lover of all literature” I’m definitely not lying! When working at the library on the weekends, sometimes I will make my way into the children’s room, pick out 10-15 picture books, and read them in between checking out books for patrons. I love looking at all the beautiful illustrations while reading fun stories! I decided to do mini reviews on 10 contemporary children’s picture books. All of these books were published within the last year. As always, I have also included my personal rating for each book. So, if you have children and you’ve been looking for some good books OR if you just want to read a few lighthearted children’s books yourself…keep reading! I hope these reviews help! 🙂

Big Bear Little Chair by Lizi Boyd, Published 2015: My Rating 3/5

This is a cute story about big bear, little bear, and the little stories that brought them together. Comprised of opposites, each page compares something big, small, and sometimes tiny. The graphics are fairly simple, which makes this cute story perfect for the very young reader!

 

 

 

The Secret Tree Fort by Brianne Farley, Published 2016: My Rating 5/5

I loved this adorable little story about a little girl who is trying to persuade her sister to play with her by telling her about her secret fort! The more she tells her sister, the more she insists that it’s a secret. Throughout the book the fort becomes more and more extravagant with pirates and candy and monsters! I can just imagine this being a perfect book to read on a rainy day! Full of vibrant colors and fun characters, this was one of my favorites that I reviewed.

 

 

Parachute by Danny Parker, Illustrated by Matt Ottley, Published 2016: My Rating 4/5

This is a sweet book about bravery! Toby wears a parachute with him wherever he goes because it makes him feel safe. But, one day he bravely rescues his cat from a tree by climbing up and letting his cat use the parachute to get down. Suddenly, Toby finds himself stuck in the tree without his parachute. Slowly Toby makes his way down and discovers that he doesn’t need his parachute with him all the time after all! This was such a feel good book about letting go of your fears. Perfect for small readers who are beginning to read on their own.

 

The Hueys in: What’s the Opposite?  by Oliver Jeffers, Published 2016: My Rating 4/5

The Hueys (I assume they are brothers) take us on a learning adventure to explain what opposites are! One Huey is teaching the other, which is quite comical sometimes because they end up in some silly situations! A great book that teaches opposites with some very fun and colorful illustrations, I found this book to be very comical.

 

Goodnight, Good Dog by Mary Lyn Ray, Illustrated by Rebecca Malone, Published 2015: My Rating 4/5

Ever wonder what your dogs do when you’re sleeping? Goodnight, Good Dog is the story of a dog who just can’t get to sleep. He wonders the sleepy house while reminiscing about the wonderful day he had. He eventually falls asleep so he can dream about a new day! This was such a creative book and it would be perfect for a little dog lover!

 

 

Just One More by Jennifer Hansen Rolli, Published 2014: My Rating 3/5

Just One More is about an adorable girl named Ruby who always wants “just one more” of everything! The story follows her throughout her day as she is constantly asking  “just one more”! It’s a very cute book that is perfect for bedtime because Ruby ends her day by going to bed and requesting that the story be read just one more time! Rolli’s artistry is very colorful and fun!

 

I Used to be Afraid by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, Published 2015: My Rating 5/5

I Used to be Afraid is the story of a little girl who has overcome her fear of spiders, the dark, change, being alone, making mistakes, and more. There are cutouts on every page that transform as the page is turned! I feel that this is such an important book for children to read! It shows that some fears are easily broken. I loved it!

 

 

There is a Tribe of Kids, by Lane Smith, Published 2016: My Rating 5/5

There Is a Tribe of Kids is both educational and extremely entertaining. Following a child as they explore the jungle and the ocean, readers are introduced to groups of animals, plants, and things! (Ex. formation of rocks, band of gorillas, bed of clams, etc.) The illustrations are brilliant! They are very colorful and they take up the entire space of the page. I would consider this to be a fun read for any age! In fact, I think I’ll read it again right now…

 

Rain Fish by Lois Ehlert, Published 2016: My Rating 4/5

Rain Fish is such a great idea! It tells the story of “rain fish” who only come out when it rains and disappear shortly after. The images are so creative! Using debris and discarded items (such as cardboard, leaves, and tin) Ehlert creates colorful fish. This is the type of book that will fuel a child’s imagination! The next time i see a piece of trash in the street during rain, I will definitely think of rain fish!

 

The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits by Douglas Florian, Illustrated by Sonia Sanchez, Published 2016: My Rating 4/5

The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits is indeed WONDERFUL! The story takes us through an ordinary day with a group of rabbits playing, running, and discovering new things! It is just such a fun story with some really great illustrations of all different types of rabbits. This would be a cute story to read around Easter or during the spring time.

I hope you enjoyed these little reviews of some little stories! Do you have a favorite children’s picture book? Leave it in the comments!

 

Utilizing Your Library: Why I Choose to Check Out!

Picture taken @ The Emporia Public Library, Emporia, KS

This is my personal opinion of why checking out books from your local library may be a better option than buying all of your books on Amazon.

My bookshelf at home is filled with mostly classic novels, authors who are well known, and the occasional book of short stories by HP Lovecraft. I’ve said a few times in my blog that right now I prefer contemporary works, so why is my collection made up of books like War and Peace? I buy books that are timeless because I know that I will most likely re-read them. I am constantly exploring new authors and genres and sometimes I read books that just weren’t that great. That is why I choose to check out books instead of buy them!

The library is a place that fosters growth of all sorts. Not only can you immerse yourself in your favorite fantasy novel, libraries give you the opportunity to learn- no matter what age. One of my favorite things about working in a public library is the Summer Reading Program. It rewards children, young adults, and adults for taking time to explore the world of literature during the summer season!  It is great to watch young children get excited about reading. The Summer Reading Program is where I took the time to discover what genres I was really interested in. I experimented with westerns and inspirational novels and decided that they just weren’t for me. Imagine if I would have bought all those books that I read over the summers? I would have a room full of books that I would never read again, sure I could donate them to the library…but if I’m being completely honest…books can be expensive! I would be out hundreds of dollars.

Not only does the library give me the chance to discover new books, it also gives me the chance to see new movies, listen to new music, read the monthly issue of Cosmopolitan (it’s addicting), and get help with research or technology questions. A lot of people don’t know just how many free services the library has! Not only is checking out books going to save you time and money, it gives you the opportunity to research which type of books you are truly in love with! And yes, I have fallen in love with many library books over the years!

About once a month, I will come into work early and take my time to look around at all the books. I will find a book that has a great cover, one that is written by an author I enjoyed before, one that sounds like the perfect story, and before I know it I will have about nine books in my pile for check out. I will go home and I will look over each book, read the synopsis, and sometimes read reviews online. Then, I usually return about four books the next day that I decide not to read at that time. You can’t get that kind of “book freedom” anywhere! So, next time you can’t decide what you want to read or your having a hard time finding something worth reading- take a trip to your local library! It will be worth it!

What’s your favorite way to get your reading fix? Let me know in the comments!

DIY “Florabunda Biblio” Pencil Holder

I really wanted to get this DIY up yesterday, but I’ve been busy helping one of my best friends out with her dance studio’s recital. Supernova Dance Authority. She is fantastic and does an amazing job choreographing and keeping all the kids under control! I don’t know how she does it. But after being around so many hyper-active children, I needed a way to wind down! Introducing my “Florabunda Biblio Pencil Holder!” You’re probably thinking..”WTF Danica, it’s a pencil holder..just call it a freaking pencil holder.” Well, I call it that because I was inspired by two craft books I found in our library!

BiblioCraft: A Modern Crafter’s Guide to Using Library Resources to Jumpstart Creative Projects by Jessica Pigza, photographs by Johnny Miller.

In this book Pigza uses her experience as a librarian to “hunt and gather” resources utilizing the library in order to create different projects. The projects in this book were so creative and beautiful, I wish I could have made them all, but a lot of them call for sewing (which i’m not very good at) or items that I just didn’t have available to me right away. The project I drew inspiration from was the “Antiquarian Animal Votive Holders” which were designed by Grace Bonney. In this project she uses book pages printed with animals to cover votive candle holders. They are gorgeous and unique- i’m definitely going to try this project out soon!

Florabunda Style: Super Simple Art Doodles to Color, Craft, and Draw by Suzanne McNeill.

This book immediately caught my eye when it came into our library. There are step by step instructions on how to create doodles of flowers, vines, letters, and little animals. The best thing about the art in this book is that it looks kind of intricate, but she makes the work super simple! I used some floral designs and lettering from this book for my pencil holder by drawing the images directly on the book pages!

See, I took ideas from two different books and merged them to create a super simple DIY project that makes a great addition to your desk! Let’s get started!

What I Used:

Colored pencils

Mod Podge

Book pages from an old book that was withdrawn from the library collection

A small cylindrical vase that I purchased at Dollar Tree

Step 1: Choose your designs then draw and color them on the book pages. I used multiple pages because I knew that I planned on tearing around the edges of the drawing for a more “disheveled” look.

Step 2: Using the Mod Podge, glue a base layer of book pages to the vase. You can do this by using full pages, like I did, or you can tear the pages into pieces and glue them individually.

Step 3: Glue your drawings on top of the base layer of book pages in the design of your choice, then use the Mod Page to coat the pages so the pages don’t rip. Allow to dry.

 

Voila’! A simple THREE step pencil holder! I hope you enjoyed this quick DIY.

Please let me know if you want to continue to see more simple book related crafts in the comments!

 

Mini Reviews: Short Stories

 

Picture taken @ The Emporia Public Library, Emporia, KS

So I’ve been really into reading short stories lately. After all, MAY IS SHORT STORY MONTH! The idea that you can read an entire story in like 30 minutes is very appealing! I’ve decided to do some mini reviews on a few short stories that I’ve read (and re-read) recently. Basically, I am going to give you a little bit of a synopsis and then a short reason why I enjoyed it. I have also included a rating for each story. You can read more about my rating system here. Enjoy!

Morality by Stephen King

From The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, Published 2015, Originally published in July 2009 by Esquire

Chad and Nora are a young couple in Brooklyn who are struggling to get by financially. Nora is an RN who works as a home nurse for a retired minister, Reverend Winston. Sensing he is close to death, Reverend Winston asks Nora to help him commit a sin before he dies in exchange for $200,000. Nora accepts with Chad’s support and collects the money. From here we watch the couple’s marriage dissolve into a storm of accusations and violent sex. I couldn’t stop reading this story once I started. I needed to know what was going to happen! Although a quite macabre story, it deals with real life struggles. Stephen King has done it, again!

Rating: 4/5

Season’s Greetings to our Family and Friends!!! By David Sedaris

From Holidays on Ice, Published 1997

This story is told through a Christmas letter from Mrs. Dunbar. As you read the letter, you get a glimpse of Mrs. Dunbar’s slow downward spiral into madness. Her tone is consistently cheery to match the holiday spirit as she discusses her husband’s infidelity, her daughter’s drug addiction, and her discovery of a step-daughter who is basically a prostitute! How can a story be this humorous and also this morbid? I have no idea, but if anyone is going to do it- it’s David Sedaris. I read this story last Christmas and it has continued to stick with me!

Rating: 4/5

Signs and Symbols by Vladimir Nabokov

Published in The New Yorker, May 1948

 CAUTION: SPOILERS

An elderly couple visits their deranged son in a sanatorium on his birthday, but are informed that they cannot see him because he attempted to take his own life.  They return home where the mother reflects on her journey from Russia to what we assume is New York. The father decides it’s best to take their son out of the sanitarium before he kills himself. At the conclusion of the story there are three phone calls. Two are wrong numbers and a third goes unanswered. The reader is then left to guess if the third phone call has anything to do with their suicidal son’s death. I read this story for a writing course I took as an undergraduate. It is still my favorite short story of all time. It’s written beautifully AND allows the reader to become a tad bit involved.

Rating: 5/5

The Veldt by Ray Bradbury

Published in The Saturday Evening Post, September 1950

The Hadley family lives in an “automated” house that takes care of the cooking, cleaning, washing and clothing them, basically everything. The two Hadley children, Wendy and Peter, soon become obsessed with a virtual reality room they call “the nursery”. The room is able to connect with the children’s minds and reproduce any location the children dream up. Lately the children had dreamt up an African Veld, which the parents find disturbing. They begin to question the way they are living, which sends the children into a frenzy. The children then utilize the Veld to get something they want. Bradbury is no stranger to the absurd and shocking! I read this story recently while I was working the reference desk at the library and i’m sure the patrons were wondering why I looked so surprised! It’s very creative and a bit of a thriller.

Rating: 3/5

 

Something That Needs Nothing by Miranda July

Published in The New Yorker, September 2006

So far, all of these stories have had a bit of a thrilling aspect. Something That Needs Nothing, however; is a true life tale with a love story mixed in. It is a story about two childhood friends that move to Portland together, Pip and a nameless narrator. The narrator is in love with Pip and after Pip leaves to live with another girl, the main character begins working for a peep-show. One night a threatening peep-show customer is the excuse the narrator needs to contact Pip for one last encounter. This story was packed with emotion. It’s sad, overwhelming, and you fall in love with the main characters in such a short amount of time. I’ve never read anything by Miranda July, but this story was enough to convince me that she is an amazing writer and I NEED to read more of her work.

 Rating: 4/5

Have you read a short story that desperately needs my attention?! Post it in the comments!