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The Forest of Hands and Teeth
by Carrie Ryan

This book had me at “hello.”  And then I peed my pants through pretty much the entire thing.  This could be THE creepiest book I have ever read and yet I Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

If the post-apocolyptic freakin ZOMBIES aren’t enough, there is a crazy “sisterhood” running the show with all their secret-y secrets locked up in a cathedral. The whole town lives at their whim inside the fences that protect them from the “unconsecrated” (aka zombies!!!!).  Young folk must marry young and ensure the future of the human race, or so they are told.  Every townsperson’s waking hour is filled with the moans of the zombies outside the gates who yearn to bite and infect them.  But Mary stands apart.  She is passionate and has hope that there is an “out there” beyond the gates where life is not surrounded by death.  She is the consumate heroine as she questions the boundaries of her own world and faces unthinkable choices. 

Her escape is harrowing and tragic. 

I give this book my highest recommendation for kids 12 and older — with the caveat that kids who don’t like bumps in the night will never sleep again after reading this book.  Stick to day time reading only…even for grown ups.

[rating=4]

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

This book gets a mixed review. My son is drawn to all things dinosaur right now and so that aspect of the book is compelling as are the vivid and interesting illustrations. I think this book would really work best, though, not for dinosaur lovers alone, but for dinosaur lovers who also never want to bathe or brush his or her teeth! Since Ty loves both tasks, the content of this book was lost as it wasn’t really a dinosaur book.

Gorgonzola learns to brush his teeth and scrub his body while his bird-friend shouts instructions like: “And don’t forget to floss”, “Don’t just splash. You gotta scrub, boy!” and my favorite, “Remember the tail, buddy” At the end when he is finally clean, he is also finally accepted by his dinosaur friends and is declared “Ex-Stink”!

My biggest complaint, actually, is Gorgonzola’s bird friend who calls our stinky hero names like “big baby” and “primo stinko”. He also cracks jokes that just are not funny and are at the expense of Gorgonzola, “You could petrify a rock with that prehistoric aroma of yours”. The bird is suppose to be helpful, but he doesn’t act compassionate or kind – that bugs me. The bird seems to use humiliation to motivate Gorgonzola and holds out the promise that only when he is clean will Gorgonzola be included in the bird’s group of friend.

Overall the book just didn’t feel that original or special to me. I actually had the thought as I was reading it that I should write a children’s book since the publishing standards were not too steep… ouch! But, I will say this. You may want to check it out if you have a kiddo that hates baths and maintaining his or her good hygiene – just keep the cheeky bird in mind.

By Margie Palatini

Illustrated by Tim Bowers

Ages 4-7

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

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Toby has found a lump in his side.  But this time, he is not going to tell his parents.  This time, he is going to be in charge…

not the cancer. 

So, he goes out each day of his vacaton on his bike in spite of his parent’s protests and worries.  One day on his ride, he sees a too-skinny cow and in concern for this cow’s well-being approaches the owner.  This is when he meets 91-year-old Pearl, a poet and a farmer.

Toby is tired of fighting his parents and his cancer and retreats into his morning interludes with 91-year-old Pearl.  Pearl is tired of fighting her daughters for her freedom.  Together they rediscover their “warrior self” and make some needed changes.  This is a quick read – only 116 pages – and errs on the side of simplicity as it revolves around the themes of “standing up” and “friendships” and “freedom”.

But the characters still ring true.  A very quaint story that I recommend to anyone 10 years old and older.   But, have one tissue ready, because you may need it.

Book by Valerie Hobbs

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

And there is a border… a wall… or maybe a dome that surrounds the town of Perdido Beach, CA.  A barrier that no one can break through.

And (as if all of that wasn’t enough) the animals are morphing, evolving.  And so are the kids. Developing supernatural powers.

In the vein of The Lord of the Flies the kids don’t all agree on how to survive, who should be in charge, and what they should do to keep order.  The bully from the private school, Caine (aptly named, by the way), soon takes over and rules without mercy due to his developing powers.  Sam also develops powers, but is reluctant to step up and lead — even though he is morally and ethically the “good” guy in the story.  It really gets eerie when the local coyotes start organizing, talking, and then stalking the kids.

As a mom this book scared me to death.  To think that 13 year olds would be in charge of everyone and everything was powerfully disturbing.  And the author stays pretty authentic to how this might play out. Cars crash when the driver disappears, gas stoves ignite fires in homes, children cry for their parents.  It takes the kids a long time to get organized, the candy is eaten first, and they forget to check on the babies…. with tragic results.

Because of the gruesome and also the very scary encounters in this book, I would recommend this for older teens or maybe younger teens who can handle Stephen King-esque storytelling.  However, there is a bit of a disconnect because older teens may not be as interested in a book about 13 year olds, but I think the book will still hold their attention as the book is very gripping and hard to put down, if for no other reason than the original and terrifying paradigm of the story.  I have heard some say that it slows down too much in parts.  But as the first book in a trilogy, I am a bit forgiving as the author sets up the round characters and allows the story to pace itself.  If you or your kids liked Hunger Games, you’ll probably like this one, too.

Book By: Michael Grant

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

I first heard this book when it was read aloud by a good friend at her one year old’s dedication.  I then went out and got the book to give to Emme.  

This is a book of power and majesty.  The author tells the story of what happens on the night “you” were born.  All of creation stops and takes notice as the child in the story is told again and again how unique, perfect, wonderful and loved he is.  It is one that sinks deep into a mother’s heart, and still remains relevant to the child — it doesn’t go above a child’s head, but instead simply reveals each child’s profound place in the world.  And, of course, to mom and dad, that child IS the whole world.

This book is a poignant reminder that God’s creation is, indeed, for each of us.  And each time a new “you” comes into the world, there is reason to celebrate.   This book would make a beautiful gift for any mom and it is a wonderful addition to a child’s library.  Its message of love is too special to pass up.

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

I had no intention of liking these books. None.  But because I like to keep up and read alongside what my kids are reading, I went ahead and dove into this one.  And, frankly, it hooked me.  So much so that I finished the whole series in a little less than two weeks.

I really had to get used to James Patterson’s way of writing.  He rights in quick sentences, no fluff, not a lot of detail.  And because this book is told in 1st person from the perspective of a 14 year old girl, he writes in the vernacular and jargon of a sassy teen.  And Max often talks right to the reader. Sometimes I feel like Patterson nails the voice of a 14 year old girl — just gets right in that sweet spot with the cadence and the language.  And at other times, the voice is painfully not the voice of a teenager; it almost yells to the reader “middle age white guy trying to sound like a teenage girl.”  During these passages, well, lets just say some of them are cringe-worthy.  Especially when Patterson — through the voice of Max — gets preachy about responsibility and global warming (yes, you read that correctly, there is a anti-global warming thread throughout this series…).

But if you can put all that aside and read on, you have yourself a solid story that winds up to be compelling, interesting, and a fun read.  Teenagers will love it (mine sure did).  I even think this one would grab the attention of teenage boys, even though it is told from the point of view of a female.  The story spins from one intense moment to the next and the characters are easy to care about.

I recommend this book series for boys and girls age 11 and older.

Author: James Patterson

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

Ali’s mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie have a secret.  And like all good secrets, they yearn to be revealed and discovered.  Who is that girl ripped out of the picture from their childhood? Claire and Dulcie claim that they do not remember.  Ali thinks otherwise. So, when Ali gets invited to go the lake house to babysit her cousin Emma for the summer, she sets out to discover who the girl in the photograph is and why she is such a secret.

This book is written very simply without a lot of fanfare.  The older the reader, the faster the book speeds to its conclusion because the story is pretty straightforward and, I guess, pretty predictable.  I guessed early in the story what the secret was and how this whole thing might play out.  My 12 year old did, too.  BUT, having said that, I still think the story holds the reader (I mean it IS a ghost story, afterall…) and is a good little story.  It is not terribly scary, which is good for a tween novel, and I would rate it as a PG book.  Tweens and teens will relate to the angst that Ali feels at trying to fit in with her hip aunt and her desire to both separate from her mother and defend her.  There are a couple of twists and turns and then the final result brings peace to everyone.

And there is just enough eerieness to keep the story moving along.

And the story definitely puts the ka-bash on secret-keeping, that’s for sure!

So, I would recommend this novel for boys and girls ages 9 to 13.

Book by Mary Downing Hahn

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

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I own a lot of parenting books.  That doesn’t make me an expert on parenting, but it does make me an expert on Parenting Books —  which is why I needed a top 11 and not a top 10.  I have read a ton, especially on sleep.  When my son was born, he was born without the ability to sleep.  My daughter, on the other hand, sleeps so much we actually called the doctor.  Hey, you get what you get, huh?  Anyway, here are my picks on parenting books.  I will admit, a lot of these books I didn’t finish or am still in the process of reading.  That’s okay, though. Let me know if I missed one that you found especially helpful!

These first three should be required reading.  Seriously.  Well, at least for people like me. If I taught Parenting 101, these would be my texts.

1. Sacred Parenting by Gary L. Thomas.  Freaky good.  But will rock you to the core.  This book basically pulled me apart and put me back together again as it discussed how being a parent is also about our own journey as parents. That we are not out to change our kids, but that they — through God’s divine divine-ness — will change us.  I shook through most of reading this book, and I have to admit, I have not finished it.  I have to be ready to take out a electron-microscope and examine me when I pick up this book.  Not always confortable, but required, I think.

2. The Optimistic Child by Martin E.P. Seligman This book takes a  RESEARCH-based look at the phenomenon and epidemic of depression and entitlement among kids today.  Seligman looks at how accomplishment and learning to deal with failure (when it occurs) actually teaches our kids to view themselves and the world more optimisitcally — no more trophies for just “showing up” to the game!  He looks at depression and at ways to prevent it in our children by looking at their behavior and helping them express themselves.  This book absolutely changed my paradigm of parenting.  It has made me really look hard at how I coach my own children to interact with their failures AND their successes. 

3. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth M.D.  This book takes a deep look at the importance of sleep in a baby and child’s life.  Warning, it does support some version of “crying it out” when the babies are young, so if you are anti-cry-it-out you just need to steel yourself for that section.  But don’t throw it away just because of that!  This book goes through why we need sleep, how the lack of sleep affects us, and looks at ways to help kids get the sleep they need.  It is relevant from birth to adolescence.  Best sleep book out there, in my opinion (and I have read over 14 books on sleep… 14….).

These next six are the next “phase” of reading — for when you have time (ha ha.. .when we have time… I am funny…).

4. Touchpoints – Birth to 3 by T. Berry Brazelton M.D. The basic premise in this book is that there are these “touch points” throughout early childhood that are time just before a “rapid growth in any line of development … when, for a  short time, a child’s behvior falls apart.”  This book walks parents through these touchpoints and dicusses what is actually going on and offers good counsel on dealing with this new stage for your child.  I loved this book grounded me as I watched my son grow up through his third year.  It doesn’t really offer anything life-changing, but it kept me rooted in reality as I watched his little mind, body, and emotions grown and change!

5. Why Gender Matters by Leonard Sax M.D.  This was recommended to me by a total feminist, so if it has convinced her, you should sleep soundly with its credibility.  This book takes a look at the emerging science of gender-differences and how boys and girls are just plain DIFFERENT.  This is not news to those of us who have both a boy and a girl in our posse.  This book states that  a lot of these differences are on a physiological level (girls actually hear 10 times better than boys…. not news to most of us…).  I admit I am not all the way through this book, but what I have read has help me rapt as I think about the reprecussions of these changes in how we discipline, educate, and form our kids.

6. Nurture by Nature. by Tierger and Barron-Tieger  This takes the Meyers-Briggs personality test (ya know, ENFP, ISTJ??? ) and puts it into a parenting book.  I have a friend who states that the more kids she had, the more she realized that she had little influence over who they were – -they were just born that way!  This book promotes that idea. It really helped me look at my kids as the unqiue people they are — why one follows rules and the other doesn’t, how one loves stuffed animals and the other doesn’t care and so on.  A nice tool in the arsenol for dealing with them as individuals rather than a pack.

7. How to Say It — Kids and How to Say It — Teens by Richard Heyman Ed.D. Just a little handbook for how to deal with issues that face your kid.    This book tackles topics like BULLEYING and HOMEWORK and JEALOUSLY and CURFEWS and CHORES and on and on. It could almost be a “bathroom reader” as each topic is only 1-2 pages long and offers a down and dirty look at what to say to you kids/teens about these topics.  It both tells you what to say and what NOT to say! 

8.  Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman.  This one was Dave’s read.  After reading 30+ parenting books, I finally begged and pleased and blackmailed him to read JUST ONE book and report on it.  This was it.  We have read Gottman’s work on healthy marriages and have found him to be very insightful and this book was no different for looking at how to raise emotionally healthy kiddos. He advocates an emotional-coaching type of parenting that no one, NO ONE, can be successful at 100%  (or even 75%) of the time — but it is a good goal! 

9.  Parenting with Love and Logic by Cline and Fay  This book advocates letting children make choices and then letting them learn from the consequences — both positive and negative.  Okay, so this one is a controversial book, I think.  People tend to love it or hate it. I am not really in either camp.  I think there is enough to glean from this book that it worth the read. Here is the thing I love most about this philoshophy, it creates a non-emotional response from the parent.  Intead of yelling and getting all caught up in the heat of the moment, it allows parents to step back and allow the consequences to unfold — giving the child choices that the parent can live with (not an “either or” when the “or” is punishment…). Some people think the book is too harsh.. and I can really really see their point.  But if you read with your own parameters in mind, you can get some good stuff from this one.

These last two are for commiserating and laughing.

10. Operating Instructions by Anne Lammott.  This is just one of my favorite authors in the whole wide world.  This book is a memoir about the first year of raising her son and it will both make you laugh and cringe… because you have been there!  Beware, if you are currently in your first year of raising anyone, this book will NOT be funny to you.  You need time and perspective on the insanity of that first year in order to find the meaning in this book.

11. Sippy Cups Are Not For Chardonnay by Stefanie Wilder-Taylor. Same goes for this book.  Be sure you are out of the infant stage before you pick this one up. But when you do, get ready to laugh your behind off! Off! Gone! If only  it worked for weightloss…

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.

#1 – Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.  Okay.  Don’t read this one. LISTEN to it.  David Sedaris is perhaps the funniest memoir-ist alive and he is even funnier if you listen to him read his own writing.  I was listening to part of this book one day while driving through the U-District in Seattle (a place that demands your attention) and I had to pull over into a Burger King parking lot because I could not SEE from all the TEARS of laughter running down my face. 

#2 – A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L’Engle.  Bragging rights here – I have an autographed copy of this book that my friend Me Ra got for me when she met Ms. L’Engle.   L’Engle just simply knows how to WRITE!  Here she talks about God, writing, family and life.  She is one of my favorite writers and philosophers of all time.

#3 – Traveling Mercies by Anne Lammott.  Really any of Lamott’s memoris are suburb. You could pick up any of her memoirs and be changed.  She is also one of my influences as a writer (and human being).

#4 – The Glass Castle  by Jeannette Wells   – This one hits way too close to home for me.   I had to read with my hand on my stomach.  But, this book is amazingly well-written, compelling, and worth everyone’s time.

#5 – Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert   But, of course…

Honorable Mention:  Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams.  I have not actually gotten past the 1st few pages of this book (only due to trying to find the time to deal with a emotional memoir.).  But it came recommended to me by someone I really trust.  A story of William’s mother’s death parrelled in the lives  of the birds in the marshes of the Great Salt Lake.

©2012 MamaBloo. All Rights Reserved.