between the lines

Bluebonnet Books

2009-09-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

I am currently working on reading all the Bluebonnet books on the list for this year. Below are just a few I have read so far.

In What To Do About Alice we meet President Roosevelt's daughter. She is rambunctious and very likeable. A cute story about someone I really didn't know much about before I read the book.

Currently one of my favorites, Help Me, Mr. Mutt is a canine version of Dear Abbey. Told in letters and advice, with a little help from the cat, the reader just can't help but think about their own pets and what is going on in those heads.

In Lady Liberty: A Biography, the reader gets to hear from many people who had a part, either big or small, in getting the Statue of Liberty built. Again, I learned quite a bit about Lady Liberty that I did not know before. The book is presented in a unique layout, where each new page is a different person telling their story and how they were involved in creating this national monument.

More to come.

Harry Potter movie and reread

2009-07-23T10:09:00.000-05:00

I have seen Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince twice now. I went to the midnight showing, which was great, but also made me tired the next day. Of course, I then needed to reread the novel to see what important parts the film makers left out. In case you haven't seen the movie or read the books, I won't give specifics, but will say I was disappointed in the ending. They left out a lot! I do think they did great job with the film, it may even be the best one so far. The actors get better with each one, and this director did a good job of making the film dark but adding in humor when needed (snogging). All the teenage love seemed real, just as J. K . Rowling meant it to.

I am now rereading the last book, Deathly Hallows, just because I love this series so much. I am very excited about the news that they will film the next book as a two-parter. I know this will make them lots of money, but it will also provide a way to tell the final chapter of Harry's story with the detail needed.

Gallagher Girls

2009-07-21T09:43:00.000-05:00

I have wanted to read this series since I ordered them for the library. They were, however, constantly checked out, so summer was the perfect time to catch up.

I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You and Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter are the first two books in this entertaining series. In this series Cammie Morgan goes to a private school, called the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, which just happens to be a spy school for girls.

In I'd Tell You I Love You, but Then I'd Hve to Kill You Cammie falls in love with a boy from town. She must hide the fact that she is learning to become a spy from him, as well as hide her love from her spy teachers. She thought this would be easy because she is known for her ability to blend in, but things don't go quite so smoothly for her.

In Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy, Gallagher Academy is host to some boys from a boy spy school. The girls must learn to work with boys, whom they know little about and suspect may be at the Academy for more sinister reasons than to learn.

I cannot wait to get read the follow up, Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover, and the 2010 planned Heist Society.

Summer Reading

2009-06-09T10:43:00.000-05:00

I have done some reading this summer, of course. Here are a few of the titles I enjoyed.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. In the not too distant future a girl wakes up from a coma following an accident. Her parents and grandmother have moved while she was asleep, and are acting very funny around her. She soon discovers that her parents did all they could to keep her alive following the accident.

Being Nikki by Meg Cabot, is the second in the Emerson Watts trilogy. Emerson is still trying to cope with the fact that her brain was transplanted into Nikki Howard's, supermodel, body. She is also dealing with being in love with her best friend, who thinks she is dead. Without giving too much away, Cabot does a remarkable job continuing this story of Em and continues to mesh humor with serious situations.

I will update more soon!

nephews

2009-04-22T22:49:00.000-05:00

I had a blast with my oldest nephew, Andrew, today. I picked him up and took him to McDonalds for dinner and then we went to watch a t-ball game. He was so funny, because what he really wanted was to not be watching, but playing. He said, "I wish I had my baseball stuff so I could play." We watched most of the game then headed to the dog park next to the ball fields. The concept of a park for dogs was new to him, but made perfect sense. Dogs need friends too! On the drive home we talked. These are some of my favorite times to spend with him. He constantly teaches me. Today he said something that just made me feel like I was ten feet tall, which if you know me is a feat since I am only 5 foot on a good day. He looked at me all serious and said, "Jen, you are the best Jenny ever." Of course, I had to ask this question, although I should have left it alone, "Andrew, do you know any other Jennys?" And sadly, the answer was no.

Kittens

2009-04-21T15:27:00.001-05:00

On Saturday we had some major flooding. During all of that I was able to rescue the kittens. They are very cute! I have found homes for all of them, and am keeping one of them.

This is Mia - she went home with one of our 5th grade teachers.

For some reason they love the litter box, and not just for it's normal purpose.

This will be my kitten. I need to think of a good literary name for her.

Airhead

2009-04-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Airhead by Meg Cabot. This novel is about a girl, Emerson Watts, who is involved in a tragic accident. At the same time a teenage supermodel has a brain aneurysm. Emerson's brain is then transplanted into the body of the supermodel, Nikki Howard. Used to being a tomboy, Emerson has to cope with living the life of a supermodel. The worst part about it all is that she can't tell her best friend, who she likes, that she is still alive.

This was a very quick read. I loved seeing the character evolve as she learned how hard it really is to be a supermodel, something she thought before was a job that required little to know brains. If you are familiar with and like Meg Cabot's style she does not disappoint. Airhead leaves you wanting more, and you don't have to wait long. The sequel, Being Nikki, comes out May 5.

Birthday!

2009-04-13T20:16:00.000-05:00

Today is my 27th birthday. It was a good day, depsite being sick and having to work. My aunt Kim brought me lunch. I found a home for 3 out of 4 of the adorable kittens that are currently residing under my deck.

TLA

2009-04-09T15:06:00.000-05:00

I attended the Texas Library Association (TLA) conference last week. I went to some great sessions, helped plan and set up for the Bluebonnet award luncheon, got loads of free galley copies of books (already read two), met some authors, and got to hang out with some great librarians. On Friday I went to Meg Cabot's session at the conference and then went to the Blue Willow book store to hear her speak. She is by far the funniest author I have heard speak.