Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover

Monthly Archives: December 2019


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Book Report: Winter Cats by Janet Lawler

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Winter Cats

Written by Janet Lawler

Illustrated by Ela Smietanka

Albert Whitman & Company, 2019

 

I won a copy of Winter Cats by Janet Lawler from Writing and Illustrating, a blog by Kathy Temean, Janet Lawler, and Albert Whitman & Company. Thank you! I adore cats (and have one who believes she is queen of both indoor and outdoor realms).

There are so many new and wonderful books being released. I enjoy reading about them on a variety of blogs. Sometimes the blogs have giveaways. If one takes the time to read and comment about the new books, authors, or illustrators, your name is put into a hat.  On good days, your name is pulled out. And TA-DA, a shiny new book appears in your mailbox! I love shiny new books in my mailbox.

I encourage you to support authors and illustrators by learning about their work and searching for their books at bookstores and libraries, two of my most favorite places to visit.

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Why I love this book:

~ Cats! I love cats. I’ve nearly always had a cat or two in my life. Right now I have a cat who adores her daddy (not me). But that’s a different story.

~ Winter! Winter is a favorite season for me. The snow, the holidays, the expectant hope of new life in spring.

~ The story is told in rhyme. This is a lots of fun to read aloud to young readers.

~ The winter activities are the same ones we enjoy, but in Winter Cats, the cats enjoy them. Too adorable!

~ Indoor versus outdoor cats. I love both. This is a good problem for a main character to have. When our cats were forced to be indoor cats for a short time, there was no joy in our lives. They were monsters! I am glad Willy was able to sneak out and enjoy the outside.

~ I appreciate the nature activities and the characters getting outside. Nature is a very important theme to me.

~ Friendship is a main theme for Winter Cats. Willy makes new friends while he is outside. He invites them home to visit. These friends are responsible and clean up their mess. What great guests!

~ The colorful winter blue illustrations are perfect.

Amazon Blurb:

Willy’s an indoor cat who dreams of becoming an outdoor cat, but his parents tell him that indoor cats and outdoor cats are different. When he sees the outdoor cats having tons of wintery fun, he decides to sneak out and join in! Willy and his new outdoor friends soon learn that labels are meaningless in the face of friendship.

So if you love picture books, winter, cats, or rhyming, be sure to check out Winter Cats.

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Sunday Inspiration: Joy

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He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, Luke 1_14


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Book Report: All Colors by Amalia Hoffman and Book Winner

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First, congratulations are in order to announce the winner of Baby’s First Nativity by Nomar Perez (Little Bee Books).

The winner is: Melissa!

Watch your mailbox, Melissa. I hope you enjoy this adorable Christmas board book. Merry Christmas!

And now, on to the book report.

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All Colors

Written and illustrated by Amalia Hoffman

Schiffer Publishing, 2019

 

I won a copy of All Colors from Kathy Tremean’s blog Writing and Illustrating and Amalia Hoffman. You can read more about Amalia Hoffman here. Thank you to Kathy and Amalia!

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Why I Love This Book:

~ The colors! I’ve seen colors represented in books many times, but usually the colors are introduced on a white background. It’s very interesting to see them on black.

~ The friendship theme (spoiler alert). We need books about being friends with others even if they are different than we are.

~ The board book. This is one durable book. Nice and sturdy for lots of use.

~ Kid-friendly. I read this one to my two youngest grands, and one immediately said, “Again!”

~ The art approach. I know this book can be used to help young readers feel confident in drawing pictures (instead of just coloring them). Each step is easy to replicate, no matter the age.

Amazon Blurb:

This board book introduces children to colors, textures, and parts of the body while conveying a message about friendship, celebrating diversity, and inclusion. As the reader turns the pages, colors are added one by one, creating the image of a boy. Different strokes and textures make up each body part, and at the end the boy joins his friends, all made of different combinations. All Colors shows that all people are made up of the same pieces, yet are all unique and full of color!

 

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

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Need a fun board book that teaches colors AND how to draw a simple person? Check out ALL COLORS by Amalia Hoffman. #boardbooks #picturebooks #kidlit

Click to tweet! Thank you!

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Throwback Thursday: The Beginning of My Love of Horses

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The date on the photo reads May 1966. But I’m positive I’m not 3-4 years old in this picture. I will guess I’m 2 or 2 1/2 because I can just see the crib in the bedroom. That means my baby brother has been or soon will be born. We are about 2 1/2 years apart. Sometimes it takes a year or three to remember to take the film for developing.

So. Already I love horses. This one is special because I am carrying it, instead of the other way around. I’m looking pretty strong, the way I’m hauling my ride. I have my rocking chair, my horse, and I’m dressed for (guessing) church. Pretty styling with my navy coat and white hat and socks.

Signs of the times include rabbit ears on the television, the television, dish used for cigarette ashtray on the side table, glass decor, and pale yellow walls. This house was a rental as far as I know. During the early years, my dad was transferred quite a bit for his job, so moving was a part of our lifestyle.

What signs of the times do you remember seeing in old photographs from the year you were born?


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Haiku Moment: lump

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odd-shaped pregnancy

mystery bump; What? Hello!

furry lump, “Mee-yow”

 

lump by Angie Quantrell

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Connect with Neighbors over Hot Cocoa or Apple Cider: Sip and Share Booth Article from Missions Mosaic

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It’s was like Christmas morning when I opened the December issue of Missions Mosaic to discover an article I wrote last year.

In the publishing world, deadlines are much earlier than the publication dates. Sometimes, deadlines are one year or longer before the written project is available in print. After I hit send, I move on to the next deadline, forgetting what I’ve completed in order to focus on what needs to be written.

Like I said, an early December surprise awaited for me in the pages of Missions Mosaic. Merry Christmas!

I love hot cocoa, hot coffee, hot tea, hot apple cider. While it’s good on its own, sipping a favorite hot drink is much nicer while chatting to friends or neighbors. So what’s holding you back from this pleasure, which can be enjoyed long after Christmas decorations are packed away and the tree is chipped up for the garden?

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Sharing tea with my cousin, Melissa.

Let’s take some time this holiday season to connect – REALLY connect – with others. Actual people, face-to-face, heart-to-heart. Share kindness and conversation.

~ Invite a friend over for coffee.

~ Organize a street-wide or neighborhood hot cocoa and cookie get-together.

~ Meet with work buddies at a coffee shop one afternoon after work.

~ Surprise your Sunday school class or other faith group by taking along along coffee and pastries.

~ Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood or a local nursing home. Gather together afterwards to enjoy hot cocoa.

~ Read the “Sip and Share Booth” Missions Mosaic article and arrange to host one in your community.

‘Tis the season to be merry. And nothing shouts MERRY more than loving human interactions. Be the beginning of Christmas cheer as you share your life and God’s love with those around you.

***Missions Mosaic may be ordered by calling 1-800-968-7301 or by visiting wmustore.com or wmu.com/adults.

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Advent 1: HOPE

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. HOPE(1)

Light, it brings hope. Especially when one is walking in darkness (struggles, tragedy, depression, anxiety, grief, sorrow). Our family has been living in a season of darkness. Celebrating Advent is lightening the load, bringing us light and hope.

Come out, bask in the gift of Light we’ve been given. Lift your face and let the Light fill your heart. Rest and soak in the Light. Join us as we prepare to celebrate the birth of a very special baby. Embrace the hope and Light to come.