November Challenge - Whatever Wednesday

November 12th - Whatever Wednesday - This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection
by Carol Burnett

I listened to Carol Burnett's amazing autobiography, This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection, through our libraries Overdrive app. I have always loved Carol Burnett, but after listening to her read her book I love her even more. I truly felt like she was talking to me. I laughed. I cried. I didn't want our one-sided "conversation" to end. I not only enjoyed hearing some of the behind the scenes stories from The Carol Burnett Show, but stories from her life growing up and the many celebrities she befriended over the years. She has always seemed like a down to earth person. I would love to have the opportunity some day to thank her in person for the joy she has brought to my life all these years.

November Challenge - Texas 2x2 Tuesday

November 11th - Texas 2x2 Tuesday - Pip & Squeak by Ian Schoenherr

Pip & Squeak
by Ian Schoenherr

I guess you could say it is arctic wind that has blown down on us in the past twelve hours that has started me thinking about two of my favorite little mice, Pip & Squeak. They are running late to their friend Gus's birthday. Squeak reminds Pip to get the gift. For those diligent observers, you will see the gift is a wedge of cheese. The rest of the story is the adventure Pip and Squeak go on as they make their way through the snow. When they are well on their way to see Gus, Squeak realizes they forgot the gift. Now what will they take to the birthday boy? 

Young and old readers alike will enjoy not only the characters and storyline (especially the humorous interactions between Pip and Squeak), but also the wonderful illustrations created by Ian Schoenherr. This is one of my favorite stories to read to my students when the weather turns cold. I love to hear their predictions and their surprise when they find out the ending to this fun tale.

November Challenge - Mystery Monday

November 10th -  Mystery Monday - Elvis and the Dearly Departed by Peggy Webb

Elvis and the Dearly Departed
by Peggy Webb

I have always heard, "Don't judge a book by its cover," but when you work with four-year-olds all day, everyday that is JUST what you do! My students can't read so that is exactly HOW they judge a book. If their attention is captured by the picture on the cover, that is the book they are going to check out. Well, this is the case with Peggy Webb's book Elvis and the Dearly Departed, my Mystery Monday selection for this week. My attention was initially caught by the adorable basset hound on the cover AND the name Elvis in the title. That was all I needed to see in order to know I wanted to read more. This is the first book in the Southern Cousins Mysteries. There are currently five books in the series (the last Elvis and the Blue Christmas Corpse was published in 2012).

Elvis is a basset hound who is convinced he is the reincarnation of The King, Elvis Presley. Elvis' human mom, Callie Valentine Jones (hair dresses for the recently deceased at the Eternal Rest Funeral Home) and her wake catering cousin, Lovie find themselves in a mystery when the body of a local prominent doctor goes missing. Even though this is a mystery, there is great comic relief in not only this book, but the entire series.

November Challenge - Sexy Saturday

November 8th - Sexy Saturday - Separate Beds by LaVyrle Spencer

Separate Beds
by LaVyrle Spencer

I went back many years to pull this title for Sexy Saturday. This is one of those books you just can't put down because you are so pulled into the character's story. It all begins with a blind date, alcohol, and a very unexpected pregnancy. To me this is not a typical romance novel in that the male protagonist is more of a lead in the love story. He is the one the reader is cheering for because he works so hard to build a relationship with the mother of his child. 

November Challenge - Fantasy Friday

November 8th - Fantasy Friday - On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony

On a Pale Horse
by Piers Anthony

I wrote about reading On a Pale Horse back in the summer of 2011. It remains a strong title in my mind when thinking of fantasy titles. I have not actually read another Piers Anthony title yet, but I have read a number of books with similar themes based on my enjoyment of this book. 

This is the first in the Incarnations of Immortality series of eight books. This book was the inspiration for the t.v. series Dead Like Me which stared Mandy Patinkin as one of many grim reapers. The premise of the book and the television series was for the grim reaper to remove the souls of people just before they are to die and escort them until the time they are to move to their afterlife. 

A bleak subject for a "fantasy", but a great read none the less. I think it is about time I continue the series, so I will add them to my To Read list.

November Challenge - Thriller Thursday

November 7 - Thrilling Thursday - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

Nineteen Minutes
by Jodi Picoult

Most readers will look at the cover of this book and say I am crazy for selecting this title as my Thrilling Thursday selection. Synonyms of the word thrilling include: breathtaking, electrifying, gripping, stimulating, mind-blowing, stirring, and sensational (to name more than a few). This book exemplifies all of these words.

On my husband's 37th birthday the United States was shocked when two teenagers killed twelve students and a teacher, wounded 23 others and then committed suicide in Columbine, Colorado. It was the first time I had ever felt vulnerable as an educator. As a member of our campus crisis team we had talked about what to do in the case of a tornado, fire, or an evacuation. We had never discussed an active shooter scenario. The following school year, our team began talking about what we would do if an active shooter were to come on campus, or God forbid into the building.

A friend recommended Nineteen Minutes to me. I believe it was the first of Jodi Picoult's books I ever read. When I began reading this book, I had no preconceived notions. I really didn't even know what the book was about. I didn't read the blurb because I didn't want to have any kind of spoiler. I wanted to enjoy the book for the story and not for what I might predict would happen.

As I found out later, Jodi Picoult enjoys taking on a challenge. She seems to love controversy while making the reader step back and reconsider their own beliefs. She made me do just that. Nineteen Minutes is the amount of time it took for the small town of Sterling, New Hampshire to be shattered much like Columbine. I don't want to give any more of the story away. I do want you to know you will question your beliefs about so many different subjects when you have finished reading this book. I would love to hear back from anyone who reads the book because of this recommendation.

Here are a few questions to ponder.

• What are your feelings toward Peter Houghton at the beginning of the book?
• Do those feelings change as you read his story? If so, how and why?
• Is anyone a victor at the end of this book? Why or why not?
• Why do you think there are so many instances of school violence?

November Challenge - Whatever Wednesday

November 5 - Whatever Wednesday - Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig

Rhett Butler's People
by Donald McCaig

For those who know me well will understand why I chose this particular book for my first Whatever Wednesday. This book, like so many other books can fit into more than one of the categories for my November Challenge. However, I wanted to spotlight this title today because it has one of my all time favorite characters as the title character. I have loved Rhett Butler from the moment he appeared on the pages of Margaret Mitchell's novel, Gone with the Wind. I could hardly wait for this book to be released. I was going to be able to read more about Rhett, to find out about his life, his family, and Miss Katie Scarlett O'Hara from his perspective. I was not disappointed, and I don't think anyone who loves the characters from GWTW either from the pages or the screen will be disappointed either.