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propernoun.net is the book blog of Mindy Rhiger, a children's-book-loving librarian, book reviewer, mom. I review books (with an emphasis on kidlit) and more.
Contact me: lovelymindyreadermaid AT gmail DOT com
Around the Web
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Some books are so far gone that they are better served as art than reading copies. Here are a few of my latest favorite examples:
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Let everyone who visits your home know just how much you love libraries with some handmade library decor:
Coasters:
Library Card Blocks:
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Karma Kids: Answering Everyday Parenting Questions with Buddhist Wisdom by Greg Holden
My review
rating: 2 of 5 stars
I really wanted to like this book more, but it never quite gelled for me. On one hand, it felt like a basic introduction to family life with a Buddhist twist. But it tended to dwell on things like having an altar in your home, teaching kids about reincarnation, etc. that I, personally, am not really interested in. I was hoping for a more secular look at the concepts of Buddhism in family life. Don’t get me wrong, there were a few interesting bits from this book that I will likely incorporate into my family’s routine as my little one gets older. But over all, this book just wasn’t what I was hoping.
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Every Saturday something goes on in the children’s area at the Central Library in downtown St. Paul. This is the first Saturday I’ve ever brought my little one, but I think we will start to make a habit of it. 
Today’s event was a puppet show in honor of National Poetry Month: The Poetry of Puppetry. Various puppets appeared on stage in a variety show format with poems by everyone from Jack Prelutsky to Langston Hughes. Most of the silly jokes went right over Ladybug’s head (she’s only fifteen months after all), but she loved the crazy antics of the puppets. She laughed out loud as the bird tried to eat the worm, and she danced along with the music that played after the Funky Snowman read his poem. The show moved a little slow for her, but it was a hit with older kids who got the silly jokes. The finale–40 dancing bananas–definitely caught her attention at the end.
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Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com twitter directory under: #kidlit #books #mom - about 23 hours ago from web
Sent in my review of Mindful Motherhood. Loved it! Highly recommended as an intro to mindfulness w/o being too spiritual. Recommended. - 12:05 PM Mar 29th from web
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Brutal by Michael Harmon
Knopf (March 2009)
High School Interest
High school can be brutal. Or so I would believe from reading all the YA lit that I do. I actually homeschooled through high school (which was awesome, btw), so I didn’t have the same experiences with cliques, popularity and bullying as those who chose a more traditional education. Mark Harmon’s latest novel is yet another look at the high school scene from an outsider. Poe, a punk rocker from Los Angeles moves to a small town where the high school scene is even more conformist and clique-ish than she is used to. But she isn’t the quiet, accepting sort. She’s the one who speaks up about the double standards, the bullying, and everything else. Even when it means going against her own long-lost father, the school counselor.
This book is like the opposite of Beige by Cecil Castellucci (My Review). Instead of a bland girl going to live with her long-lost punk rocker father, we have a punk rock girl going to live with her long-lost, bland dad. It’s a fast read with more action than character development. Enjoyable, but probably won’t stick with me.
Related Lists: Cliques/Popularity, Long-Lost Fathers Return
Review copy courtesy of publisher
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A couple of the most well-loved books in our house:
More from of what we’ve been reading on my Flickr photostream.
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Follow my Twitter feed
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I’m taking a cue from Liz at Tea Cozy and posting a summary of my tweets. Here are today’s:
Shipped by LoudTwitter from my Twitter feed.
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The Forest of Hand and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Delacorte (March 2009)
Mary grew up on stories. Far-fetched stories that couldn’t possibly be true. Stories of a salty ocean where water stretched on and on as far as you could see. It’s just a story for Mary. All she knows is her small village in the middle of a forest. The Sisterhood tells the villagers that there is nothing outside of the village. They are surrounded by a dangerous forest filled with the Unconsecrated.
I was hooked from the very first sentence of this book. I didn’t think I would like it since I don’t go for dark and scary, but the thoughtful narration and gripping action kept me riveted to the page. I had to know if Mary would find the ocean. If she would know love. If she would find the courage to get beyond life in the village to what lay beyond. I was pleasantly surprised by this book though it seems strange to refer to a gripping post-apocalyptic zombie survival story as pleasant in any way. I expected something more like The Village or Margaret Peterson Haddix’s Running Out of Time, and what I got was a bit of dark romance (a la Twilight) in a strange village (think The Giver) with big questions about love and choices written in beautiful language with a whole lot of (sometimes a bit gory) zombie action. In any case, watch the trailer to get a feel for the story. Then read the book.
What Others Have Said: Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review), Rebecca’s Book Blog, Tea Cozy, BookEnvy
Review Copy Courtesy of Publisher
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The Anatomy of Wings by Karen Foxlee
Knopf (Feb 2009)
The house grows still and quiet after Beth dies. Jennifer’s mom doesn’t curl her hair anymore. Her parents don’t talk to each other. Nanna is told to stay away from the house. And Jennifer has lost her singing voice. But Beth’s death wasn’t really the beginning of the bad times. First there was the lake. Then there was Miranda, the bad girl. Then all the boys started paying attention. And then there were too many secrets for Jennifer to keep for her older sister, who was only thirteen but caught up in a life beyond her years.
There are different kinds of secrets. But, to Jennifer, all secrets are terrible things. She says, “The secret grows until you feel like all you are is a skin that covers it, a thin skin, easily split, ripe.” The secrets don’t end after Beth dies, and Jenny has lost her ability to sing in her grief and confusion. Her songs have piled up until all she could feel were the outlines of songs unsung.
A poetic novel about a family in a very difficult time that ends in a tragedy. About keeping secrets and saving people (and how sometimes we can’t). Though the narrator is only eleven, this is not likely a book to hand to eleven-year-olds. In the year before her death, Beth drinks, smokes pot, and has several sexual encounters as she loses herself more and more. Jenny is helpless as she watches. Her only weapon: “I’m telling Mom,” which falls flat as their parents have less and less control over Beth. Hand this one to fans of Francesca Lia Block, and point out the blurb by Markus Zusak on the back cover.
Related Lists: Read Around the World, Secrets, Losing Virginity
Honors: Booklist Starred Review
Review Copy Courtesy of Publisher
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Minnesota libraries need you! (Not to mention MN parks, police, and fire protection.)
Governor Pawlenty has proposed cuts to Local Government Aid (LGA), and Minnesota residents who value their city services are taking action. Visit Thank LGA to learn more about LGA funded services and what Minnesotans can do to let their legislators know that they value their libraries.
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The little one has been sick this week, which has meant no blogging for me. I’m just checking in to share a couple of pictures.
The first is from Rock the Cradle, a free kid’s music event by Minnesota Public Radio. My daughter loves music. She dances at the drop of a hat, so we thought this would be perfect for her. Unfortunately, every other family in the Twin Cities area had similar thoughts, which made the whole event much too crowded to enjoy. But we did manage to catch one of our favorite DJ’s read stories to a very large group of families.
She read two Laura Numeroff books. Started a singalong with Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. And had everyone jumping in on every Sam-I-am in Green Eggs and Ham. Very fun!
And second, yesterday I saw this sign at a St. Paul elementary school:
That’s all I have for now. We’re taking the little one to the doctor again today. Here’s hoping she’s on her way to recovery! :)
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3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows
Ann Brashares
Delacorte Books for Young Readers (January 2009)
336 pages
Grades 7 to 10 interest
Not all friendships are the same. You can’t always share a pair of magical pants, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t share anything. Ama, Jo, and Polly have grown apart. They grew up with legends of the Sisterhood and their magical jeans, but that didn’t happen for them. They have been pulled in different directions, and there are no pants to keep them together. The three willow trees they planted as kids in an attempt to be their own version of the Sisterhood are basically forgotten as the girls go about their summers. Jo to her family’s beach house. Ama on a Wilderness Adventure. Polly at home babysitting and dreaming.
But each of the girls find that, while they grow and change over the course of the summer, their old friendship is still there. Still alive.
I liked the original Sisterhood, but I almost think I like these girls better. The magic is gone, so these girls find their way without it. I think that’s really great. Inspiring, even.
Related Lists: On Vacation
Blog Reviews: The Reading Zone
Teen/Fic
Review Copy from Publisher
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