Busy

Probably no one in cyberspace has noticed, but I've been MIA lately...since mid-August, to be precise, when I started selling Usborne Books.  It's been a whirlwind -- but a good one!  I'm still working 20 hours a week at the library, so I've been fitting Usborne in to my "free time" -- if you're a mom, you know there's really no such thing.  But I'm loving it, and I've really helped boost our family's income.

I just wanted to explain where I've been (I'm still here!) and what I've been doing.  I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving!

Usborne Books and More!

As a children's librarian at a public library, I see a LOT of books.  Some are fun. Some are educational.  And some are both!  I recently discovered Usborne Books and hosted a home party.  I was so impressed that I signed up as a consultant so I could get more free books.  My boys love them.  They'll be my new go-to gift for kids.  Usborne is a publisher that began in England, and the books are sold in the U.S. mostly through direct sales (remember how DK books used to be sold only at home parties?).  Click here if you want to learn more about the 2014 Children's Publisher of the Year!

Book Review: Anchored by Kayla Aimee

Anchored: Finding Hope in the Unexpected by Kayla Aimee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a beautiful read that brought me some much-needed catharsis; my preemie is 3 now but there are a lot of thoughts and feelings I haven't yet processed from the traumatic birth and NICU experience. I so appreciated Kayla's honesty about her experiences and her faith struggles and when I finished the book I wished I could chat with her over a mocha. I would recommend this to preemie parents especially, but really to any parent who has ever realized how little control we have when it comes to our children's health and safety.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley for review.

View all my reviews

Author Interview with Jewell Parker Rhodes



I've been reviewing books for School Library Journal for several years now, and the last book I reviewed was Bayou Magic by Jewell Parker Rhodes.  I enjoyed it very much, and SLJ published my review with a star.  Then my editor asked me if I would like to do an interview with the author, and I was thrilled at the chance.  Ms. Rhodes was lovely to work with, and if you'd like to see the interview, it's here.

Two Rave Reviews

I love NetGalley. When I saw that they were offering advanced e-copies of new middle-grade novels from two of my favorite (Newbery-winning) authors, Louis Sachar and Rebecca Stead, I jumped at the chance to read them.  I was not disappointed.  Sachar's Fuzzy Mud is a page-turner about a man-made environmental disaster and personal responsibility.  Stead's Goodbye Stranger explores the connections between friends and family and the challenges of growing up, and even tackles "sexting" in an age-appropriate way.  Fuzzy Mud will appeal to both girls and boys; Goodbye Stranger will mostly appeal to girls.

For more reading suggestions, check out my book reviews on Goodreads!