Read Across America - Children's Books

In honour of Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2nd, the National Education Association (NEA) has set aside a week to honor the birthday of one of the world’s most beloved children’s author *beginning 1 March in 2013. The NEA's Read Across America began in 1998 and is an annual reading motivation and awareness program celebrated to encourage reading and literacy and create lifelong readers.

This year NEA is teaming up with Renaissance Dental to deliver an important message: 2 x 2 + 20 = good oral health and literacy habits. “We’re asking children and their parents to brush for two minutes, two times per day plus read for 20 minutes each day,” said Rob Mulligan, president and CEO at Renaissance Dental. “That’s a daily total of 24 minutes focused on developing good oral health and reading skills.” American students miss over 51 million hours of school every year due to oral health problems. Students miss critical instruction time—especially in early grades where reading skills are a critical focus. This partnership will bring books and toothbrushes to kids in need on the eve of National Children’s Dental Health Month (February).

There are so many wonderful Dr. Seuss books that inspire and encourage reading, and there is nothing like reading with a child. Joy can be found not only by sharing the story, but also by sharing their reactions and discussing their thoughts.

Don’t forget to read to your adult loved ones as well. That special poem, silly rhyme, moving passage, joke that you can’t wait to share, or just the book you are reading now.

"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child."

Here is a listing of some of my favourite children’s and young Adult Authors (that I am still reading!)

A. Chris van Allsburg (Polar Express), G.A. Aiken (What a Dragon Should Know), Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)

B. J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan), Frank Baum, Alan Bradley (Flavia deLuce), Thornton Burgess, Gillian Bradshaw (Camelot series)

C. Lewis Carroll (Alice), Chaucer

D. Kate DiCamillo, Roald Dahl, Daniel Defoe (Robinson Crusoe), Jeanne DuPrau (Embers series)

E. Julie Andrews Edwards, Michael Ende (NeverEnding story)

F. Ian Fleming (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), Anne Frank, Fynn (Mister God, this is Anna)

G. Neil Gaiman, Kenneth Graham, Jean Craighouse George

H. Mark Haddon (Curious Incident Dog in the Night), Rachel Hartman (Seraphina), George Haley

I. Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie), Washington Irving (Rip van Winkle)

J. William Joyce (Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore), Brian Jacques, W.E. Johns (Biggles)

K. Rudyard Kipling, Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew)

L. Andrew Lang (Blue Fairy Book), Madeleine L’Engle, Munro Leaf (Story of Ferdinand), Edward Lear (Owl and Pussycat), C.S. Lewis (Narnia)

M. Walter Moers, Gregory Maguire, Andrew Motion (Silver), Brandon Mull

N. Edith Nesbit (Railway children), John Newbery, Mary Norton (Borrowers)

O. Scott O’Dell

P. Terry Pratchett (I shall wear Midnight), Philip Pullman (His Dark Materials), Gary Paulson

Q.

R. JK Rowling (Harry Potter), Arthur Ransom, Marjorie Rawlings, Rick Riordan (Perry Jackson)

S. Robert Louis Stevenson (Kidnapped), Maurice Sendak, Lane Smith, (It's a Book), Louis Sachar, Dr Suess, Lemony Snicket, Brian Selznick (Hugo)

T. J.R.R. Tolkein, Nigel Tranter, Mark Twain, Tasha Tudor

U. Anne Ursu (Shadow Thieves), Florence Upton (golliwoggs)

V. Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji)

W. T. H. White (Sword in the Stone), E. B. White (Charlotte’s Web), H.G. Wells

X.

Y. Laurence Yep (Golden Mountain Chronicles), Jane Yolen (Owl Moon, Wizard’s Hall)

Z. Paul Zindel (Pigman), Pamela Zagarenski (illustrator)

Book Lists - Romance

February is I love to Read Month
A Good Book and Chocolate, flowers optional

Romantic Authors

Following the library's (and Facebook) alphabet lists of either books or authors, here is a list of authors that write romance fiction. I personally never knew that Jane Austen or Garrison Keillor were considered romance writers (searching Kindle selections). These are some of the authors I have enjoyed reading, especially classics and Regency or historical novels.

To quote Robertson Davies, 'It is dangerous to condemn stories as junk which satisfy the deep hunger of millions of people. These books are not literary art, but a great deal of what is acclaimed as literary art in our time offers no comfort or fulfillment to anybody.’  from For Your Eyes Alone; the Letters of Robertson Davies, ed. Judith Skelton Grant, Viking Press

A. Jane Austen, Jennifer Ashley, *Laurie Anderson

B. Mary Balogh, *Angela Benson

C. Gail Carriger, *Jennifer Crusie, Mary Chase Comstock

D. Christina Dodd

E. Suzanne Enoch

F. Jane Feather

G. *Diana Gabaldon, *Roberta Gellis

H. *Madeline Hunter, *Deborah Harkness

I. Iris Johansson

J. *Eliosa James

K. Lisa Kleypas, Susanna Kearsley, Lynn Kurland

L. Stephanie Laurens

M. Karen Marie Moning, *Lucy Muir

N. Brenda Novak

O. Constance O’Day Flannery

P. Mary Jo Putney, *Elizabeth Peters, * Nina Coombs PyKare,

Q. Julia Quinn, Amanda Quick

R. Karen Rose, Karen Ranney, Deanna Raybourn, *Pamela Regis

S. *Christina Skye

T. Adriana Trigiani

U.V. Joan Vincent

W. Susan Wiggs, Lauren Willig, Edith Wharton, Kathleen Woodiwiss

X,Y. *Jane Yardley, Rebecca York

Z. Mia Zachary

* Denote authors who have Phds in various subjects and take the romance novel to a new level.

2012 Recommended Reading

2012 Book List  :  THE SHORTLIST! NonFiction
Michael Chabon Maps and Legends: reading and writing along the borders
*Michael Dirda On Conan Doyle
Susan Hill A bit of singing and dancing
*Tony Horwitz Midnight Rising
St. Clair McKelway Reporting at wit's end : tales from The New Yorker Nancy Pearl After Life (Book Lust Rediscoveries)
*Jonathan Yardley Second Reading
Fiction/Literature
Mark Haddon The Red House
Susanna Kearsley The Winter Sea
*Hilary Mantel Bringing up the Bodies
*Paula McLain The Paris Wife
China Mieville The City and the City
Stef Penney The Invisible Ones
Alexander McCall Smith
Jacqueline Winspear Elegy for Eddie
Mrs Queen Takes the Train
Mr Rosenbloom Dreams in English
Mystery
Simon Beckett An Unmarked Grave
*John Connolly
Elly Griffith House at Sea End
*Deborah Harkness Shadow of the Night
Susan Hill Betrayal of Trust
Craig Johnson Walt Longman series
*Laurie King Beekeeper's apprentice:series
*Ian Rankin Standing in Another Man’s Grave
Imogen Robertson Instruments of darkness
Robin Sloan Mr. Penumbra's 24 hour Bookstore
Julia Stuart Pigeon pie mystery
Charles Todd The Confession, Unmarked Grave
Science Fiction
Richard K. Morgan The cold commands
*Patrick Rothfuss Name of the Wind; The Wise Man's Fear Book 1,2
Romance
Carol Carr India Black (series)
Gail Carriger Timeless series
YA
Alan Bradley Flavia De luce
*Kristin Cashore Bitterblue
Adam Gopnik The Steps Across the Water
*Terry Pratchett Snuff, Dodger
*Andrew Motion Silver (Treasure Island)
Movies
Marigold Hotel, Batman, Bond (skyfall) Avengers, Serenity, Hugo, Rise of the Guardians, Pi, Sherlock

* are the 15 best books of the year

2011 Reading List

2011 Book List
There were so many books that I thoroughly enjoyed this year; this is that list. Still it is a partial list, as ones I would recommend (I don't include any others that just didn't do it for me). The ones labelled ** are those that I categorise as YOU MUST READ THIS; * are the excellent reads. Those were the ones instantly recalled when I set to write the list (I am always asked for the 10 best, or the 50 best...) I made a New Years Resolution list, which included the statement "I will read no more than 4 books a week." Then someone pointed out "BUT Helen, that is still over 200 books a year!" Well, sleep is for amateurs, or when you are dead, or both. Enjoy
Non Fiction
*Elizabeth Tora Bailey. The sound of the wild snails eating
James Buchan Frozen Desire: meaning of money
Andre Dubus III Townie: A Memoir
Thomas Friedman. That Used to be US
Marjorie B. Garber The use and abuse of literature
Lori Gottlieb Marry him : the case for settling for Mr. Good Enough
**Adam Gopnick Winter: windows on five seasons,
*Adam Gopnick Table comes first (France Family and the meaning of food)
**Andrew Greig. The Loch of the Green Corrie
Simon Loxley The Secret history of Letters
Edward Hoagland Sex and the River Styx
**Tony Horwitz. Midnight Rising: John Brown
Victoria Golden McMains (2000) The Readers’ Choice: 200 bookclub favorites
**David McCullough The greater journey : Americans in Paris
John McPhee Silk parachute
Frank Muir An irreverent and thoroughly incomplete social history of almost everything
Frank Muir Oxford book of humorous prose: from William Caxton to P.G.Wodehouse: a conducted tour
Adam Nicolson Seamanship : a voyage along the wild coasts of the British Isles
Adam Nicolson.God's secretaries: the making of the King James Bible
Adam Nicolson Sea Room: an island life in the Hebrides
Jane and Michael Stern 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late: and Best Places to Eat Them
Susan Allen Toth. England for all Seasons
Anna Pavord Plant partners
David L. Ulin.The lost art of reading : why books matter in a distracted time
Simon Winchester The Alice behind Wonderland, Atlantic: Great Sea Battles
Jehanne Wake Sisters of Fortune
*Jonathan Yardley. Second Reading
30 books on the global climate change (McKibben, King, etc)
100 banned books

Fiction-Mysteries
Kate Atkinson Started early, took my dog
Jean M. Auel The Land of Painted Caves: Earth's Children Series, Book 6
Gil Adamson Help me, Jacques Cousteau
Stephanie Barron Jane and the Canterbury Tales
*Simon Becket The Calling of the Grave
*John Connolly The Burning Soul
Laurence Cosse A Novel Bookstore
Sara Donati The endless forest
Nicholas Drayson Confessing a murder
Gerald Elias Danse Macabre
Dick / Felix Francis Gamble
Susan Fraser King Queen Hereafter
Elly Griffiths The Janus stone
Martha Grimes Fadeaway child
**Deborah Harkness A Discovery of Witches
C.S. Harris.Where shadows dance
**Susan Hill The Betrayal of Trust
Claude Izner ; translated by Isabel Reid Murder on the Eiffel Tower .
Claude Izner ; translated by Isabel Reid. The disappearance at Pere-Lachaise : a Victor Legris mystery
Judith Koll Healey The Canterbury Papers (04), Rebel Heiress (09)
*Laurie R King. Touchstone, Mary Russell series (Mrs Sherlock Holmes)
Michael Koryta So cold the river, The ridge
Archer Mayor Tag Man
Sharyn McCrumb The Ballad of Tom Dooley
Larry Millett The Magic Bullett
**Tawni O'Dell. Fragile beasts
Brigid Pasulka A long, long time ago and essentially true
Anne Perry Acceptable Loss, A christmas homecoming
Deanna Raybourn The dead travel fast, Dark Road to Darjeeling
*Mary Doria Russell Doc
C.J. Sansom Heartstone
Alexander Mccall Smith The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party Book 12
*Julia Stuart The tower, the zoo, and the tortoise
Andrew Taylor The Anatomy of Ghosts
**Charles Todd A Lonely Death, Bitter Truth
*Nicola Upson. Angel with two face/Two for Sorrow featuring Josephine Tey
Jill Paton Walsh Attenbury Emeralds
Wendy Webb Tale of Halcyon Crane
**Jacqueline Winspear Maisie Dobbs Series!

Literature
Louis Bayard The school of night
**Lauren Belfer A Fierce Radiance
*Vanora Bennett The People’s Queen (Chaucer)
Chris Bojahlan (all)
*Geraldine Brooks Caleb’s Crossing
Eleanor Brown Weird Sisters
**PD James Death comes to Pemberley
Sandor Marai Esther's inheritance; translated from the Hungarian by George Szirtes.
Sander Marai Portraits of a Marriage
Steve Martin An Object of Desire
David Mitchell The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet
Kamala Nair The Girl in the Garden
*Robin Oliveira My Name is Mary Sutter
Felix Palma Map of Time
**James Robertson And the Land Lay Still
*Mary Doria Russell Doc
*Alexander McCall Smith The Forgotten affairs of Youth
P. G. Wodehouse My Man Jeeves

Biography
Judy Collins Sweet Judy Blue Eyes
Elizabeth Chadwick The Greatest Knight (3 vols)
Amy Krouse Rosenthal Encyclopedia Of An Ordinary Life
A.A. Gill The Angry Island: hunting the English
A.A. Gill Previous Convictions: assignments from here and there; AA Gill is Away
*Gregory Maguire Making mischief : a Maurice Sendak appreciation
**Tony Horwitz: Midnight Rising: John Brown
*Simon Winchester The Alice behind Wonderland

Romance
Diana Gabaldon The Scottish Prisoner
Jayne Ann Krentz Arcane In Too Deep
Amanda Quick Quicksilver
Stephanie Laurens Earl of Glencrae
Christina Dodd Taken by a Prince, Bella Terra
Madelaine Hunter

Childrens
**Alan Bradley – Flavia DeLuce!
*John Connolly The Infernals
*Kate DiCamillo. Magician’s Elephant
Gregory Maguire Three Rotten Eggs (2002)
Gregory Maguire The next queen of heaven
Walter Moers The alchemaster's apprentice : a culinary tale from Zamonia /by Optimus Yarnspinner ; translated from the Zamonian and illustrated by, whose German text was translated into English by John Brownjohn.
*Ransom Riggs Miss Peregrin’s home for peculiar children
**Brian Selznick. Wonderstruck

Science Fiction
Dave Duncan Pock’s Arena, Speak to the Devil
Charlene Harris Sookie Stackhouse
Karen Marie Moning Shadowfever
**George R.R. Martin A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Dragons: Song of Ice and Fire Series, Book 1 - 5
Naomi Novik Tongues of serpents, Crucible of Gold
*Terry Pratchett Snuff

20111 Book List

Non Fiction
Elizabeth Tora Bailey. The sound of the wild snails eating
Andrew Greig. The Loch of the Green Corrie;
David McCullough The greater journey: Americans in Paris
Fiction-Mysteries
Susan Hill The Betrayal of Trust
Tawni O'Dell. Fragile Beasts
Literature
Lauren Belfer A Fierce Radiance
James Robertson And the Land Lay Still
Biography
Tony Horwitz: Midnight Rising: John Brown
Childrens
Brian Selznick. Wonderstruck
Science Fiction
George R.R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire Series

Best Books 2011Non FictionElizabeth Tora Bailey. The sound of the wild snails eating
Thomas Friedman. That Used to be US
Adam Gopnick Winter: windows on five seasons,
Adam Gopnick Table comes first (France, Family and the meaning of food)
Andrew Greig. The Loch of the Green Corrie
Edward Hoagland Sex and the River Styx
Tony Horwitz. Midnight Rising: John Brown
David McCullough The greater journey : Americans in Paris
David L. Ulin.The lost art of reading : why books matter in a distracted time
Simon Winchester The Alice behind Wonderland, Atlantic: Great Sea Battles
Jonathan Yardley. Second Reading
30 books on the global climate change (McKibben, King, etc)
Fiction-Mysteries
Deborah Harkness A Discovery of Witches
Susan Hill The Betrayal of Trust
Laurie R King. Touchstone, Mary Russell series (Mrs Sherlock Holmes)
Tawni O'Dell. Fragile beasts
Anne Perry Acceptable Loss
Charles Todd A Lonely Death, Bitter Truth
Jacqueline Winspear Maisie Dobbs Series!
Literature
Lauren Belfer A Fierce Radiance
Vanora Bennett The People’s Queen (Chaucer)
Geraldine Brooks Caleb’s Crossing
PD James Death comes to Pemberley
Robin Oliveira My Name is Mary Sutter
James Robertson And the Land Lay Still
Mary Doria Russell Doc
Biography
A.A. Gill The Angry Island: hunting the English
Tony Horwitz: Midnight Rising: John Brown
Childrens
Alan Bradley – Flavia DeLuce!
John Connolly The Infernals
Ransom Riggs Miss Peregrin’s home for peculiar children
Brian Selznick. Wonderstruck
Science Fiction
George R.R. Martin A Game of Thrones to A Dance with Dragons: Song of Ice and Fire Series, Book 1 - 5
Terry Pratchett Snuff