Among the Hidden

Most Recently Read Book:

Among the Hidden

By Margaret Peterson Haddix

Have you ever read a book, you tell someone you're reading it, and then they tell you they aren't going to say anything? Doesn't that just make you crazy to read it find out what happens? I was about halfway through this book when it happened to me...and I have to say it was as crazy as the person suggested it might be.

I've decided I'm going to read this with my 5th grader to introduce her to science fiction...the future, dystopic society kind of science fiction. I am really excited because this book is very thought-provoking. It's about a boy who is the 3rd child in his family...except, in the world he lives in, 3rd children are illegal. He has been in hiding since he was born, and more recently he's had to stay inside his house because of all the new housing near his house. I can't imagine living like that but it reminds me so much of the Holocaust and even segregation and slavery and more recently, the population law in China and the state of affairs in places like Afghanistan. Great book to get kids thinking about society and how people are treated.

Lawnboy

Most Recently Read Book:

Lawn Boy

By Gary Paulsen

Believe it or not, I have not read any books by Gary Paulsen...nope, not even Hatchet. I just have never had any real interest in reading it. I've definitely heard all about it, I know the plot of the story, I've even tried to pick it up a few times and I've never gotten through it. I heard about this book and it actually sounded interesting and I can finally say I've read a Paulsen book. I liked the book but I'm not sure who I would recommend it to. I love that it teaches kids all about economics but I don't know if it's all that easy to understand all the concepts in it. Tricky. I enjoyed it though. Joey Pow was my favorite character!

My Teacher Is An Alien

Most Recently Read Book:

My Teacher is an Alien

By Bruce Coville

I think I read this book as a kid...but I didn't officially remember it. I have been looking for a science fiction book for my 5th grader and I came up with this one. She's really into it actually because it's a mystery at the same time. I like books like this that are so perfect for 4th/5th grade. It reminds me of Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Indian In the Cupboard and Harriet the Spy and James and the Giant Peach. Good memories.

Fat Cat

Most Recently Read Book:

Fat Cat

By Robin Brande

I am definitely recommending this book...I've already told lots of people about it. I miss reading Meg Cabot's books, she wrote the Princess Diaries series and has tons of other books out there with great female characters and the sweetest boy characters they fall in love with. After all the sci-fi and fantasy it seems like I've been reading lately I was in the mood for a Meg-Cabot-like book not written by Meg Cabot...and guess where I found Fat Cat? Meg recommended it on her blog. Perfect. It was a great book.

It's about Cat, an overweight girl, who decides she's going to go back to living like a cavewomen for a high school science project. The project causes a whole shift in her life and I loved reading about how amazing the changes were. It's part of the reason why I'm totally contemplating becoming a vegetarian...and at least trying to make recipes with whole foods instead of processed food. It just makes sense to me when you think of all the crazy foods we put in our bodies. The non-meat part of it comes from Fat Cat, but I've seen more and more lately about how cruelly animals are treated and I'm kind of over meat. It's weird but reading this book has made me really think more about the kinds of food I eat. We'll see...I've already been to the library to find some cookbooks with more healthy foods so I think I'll start there. I'll post what I find!

Trains on the Membrane

Everything with Jordan lately is all about trains. I had my laptop up in his play room over the weekend and we took some pictures of his trains using PhotoBooth. (I love not having to import pictures!)

He was so cute holding up trains for the camera. They aren't the best pictures but I love seeing his little fingers and his serious face...he was hard at work. I'm only sharing three but we took at least 23!

This is Bertie the Bus:

He wanted to show off the names on the bottom! This one is Mavis.
I'm pretty sure this one is Thomas...there are a few blue ones and I can barely tell them apart but this face looks like Thomas.
Jordan can name every single train that he has. He'll line them up and tell you all their names. When he plays at his train table he'll put trains in front of each other and say, "Hi, I'm Thomas. What's your name?" Or he'll say, "Help!" and then bring another train to help the train who is in trouble. It's so sweet. I love listening to him play with his trains.

Chad and I never thought we'd have a munchkin who would be so into Thomas, but here we are! We even get excited when we go to the store or the mall and see new trains we haven't seen or are uncommon. Sheesh.