Photo by Angie Quantrell
Monthly Archives: June 2020
Book Report: How Long Is Forever? by Kelly Carey, Illustrated by Qing Zhuang
How Long Is Forever?
Written by Kelly Carey
Illustrated by Qing Zhuang
Charlesbridge, 2020
Who loves blueberries, farms, kitties, and grandparents? I do! Thank you, Kathy Temean, for hosting Kelly Carey and Qing Zhuang. Thank you, Kelly Carey, and Qing Zhuang, for sending me a copy of this lovely picture book! I was thrilled to read it and I can recommend How Long Is Forever? to young readers (and their grandparents) everywhere. Happy reading!
And while you’re at it, let’s have blueberry pie.
News from Charlesbridge
Waiting for pie takes a long time, but not forever.
Mason is waiting for Nana’s blueberry pie and complains that it’s taking forever. So Grandpa challenges him to figure out how long forever really is. Is it as long as Grandpa has had his tractor? No. As long as it took Nana to grow the roses to the top of the chimney? Not even close. After a trip around the farm to figure out the answer, Nana’s pie is ready.
What I LOVE About This Book:
~ Nana! I am a Nana, so I love that the grandmother is named Nana
~ Blueberry pie!
~ The kitty included on almost every spread (I love kitties)
~ The concept of forever and how it is explored through the eyes of a young child
~ The lovely story
~ Wonderful, colorful illustrations
~ Farm and farm house!
Amazon Blurb:
Mason is waiting for Nana’s blueberry pie and complains that it’s taking forever. So Grandpa challenges him to figure out how long forever really is. Is it as long as Grandpa has had his tractor? No. As long as it took Nana to grow the roses to the top of the chimney? Not even close. After a trip around the farm to figure out the answer, Nana’s pie is ready. And Mason’s finally got the answer: forever is how long he’ll love Nana’s pie and how long he’ll love Nana and Grandpa, too.
Haiku Moment: fledgling
pasture grown fledgling
flightless, injured; parents guard;
frightened, precious. help!
fledgling by Angie Quantrell
This pretty red-tailed hawk is now rehabbing at Blue Mountain Wildlife in Pendleton, Oregon. Visit link to learn more about this wonderful organization. http://bluemountainwildlife.org/
Sunday Inspiration
Book Report: The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony, Gunner Meets Stella by Lynne McGlothlen #BookBirthday
The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony, Gunner Meets Stella
By Lynne McGlothlen
Illustrated by David Gnass
Mascot Books; June 2, 2020
Happy book birthday to The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony, Gunner Meets Stella by Lynne McGlothlen! Thank you, www.mascotbooks.com, for sending me a copy to review.
Meet Gunner, a standard poodle who looks big enough to ride! This story of Gunner is based an a real standard poodle named Gunner. Gunner is a therapy dog who visits residents and families in hospice and senior care centers.
I loved reading this story about Gunner meeting Stella, a young girl who was visiting her grandmother in a hospice center. Stella was very sad, but Gunner helped her to express her feelings and performed tricks to make her feel better.
I am fascinated by therapy dogs. I learned more about dogs who go to school to become therapy dogs as I read The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony. I even learned why he is called a poodle pony!
Readers who love dogs and adventures will enjoy this book. This book would also be good to read with children who are going through the loss of a grandparent or parent due to illness. The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony is a great book to read to open up conversations with children about scary end-of-life events.
Why I Liked The Adventures of Gunner the Poodle Pony:
~ I loved learning more about poodles
~ I loved learning about therapy dogs
~ I was happy to read that Gunner was able to encourage and help Stella as she faced the loss of her grandmother
~ The story is easy to read
~ In this story, Gunner actually talks to Stella. He is a poodle gifted with conversation skills!
~ The backmatter taught me more about the author, poodles, dogs, and therapy dogs
~ Gunner is pretty adorable!
Amazon Blurb:
Gunner is a special poodle. He’s what you might call “amazing” even! Gunner can do all kinds of tricks, but his most important job is to help others when they are sick or sad. When Stella’s grandmother is sick in Hospice, Gunner is there to comfort her.
Book Report: Bandit the Cow Dog by Phil Mills Jr. #BookBirthday
Bandit the Cow Dog
Written by Phil Mills Jr.
Illustrated by Jeanne Conway
Mascot Books (June 2, 2020)
Happy Book Birthday to Bandit the Cow Dog by Phil Mills Jr.! Thank you, http://www.MascotBooks.com, for sending me a copy to review.
As a lover of horses and ranches (and having an unfulfilled lifelong dream of living on a ranch and raising horse), I loved reading this colorful picture book.
Set on a ranch in Wyoming, the story is told from the eyes of the retired Australian shepherd working dog, Bandit, and a young girl, Mary. Mary comes to visit her grandparents for the summer. Once on the ranch, Mary quickly learns she has daily responsibilities and chores. She even finds out that eggs do not have to be white and one must help out as a member of a family. All goes well until Mary forgets one essential rule on a ranch: always close and secure gates.
Bandit the Cow Dog is a fun read. I think young readers who enjoy animals, ranches, horses, and dogs will like this book. Happy Book Birthday!
What I Like About This Book:
- I love the ranch setting
- I love the animals – dogs, chickens, horses, and cows
- I love how Mary has to accept responsibility for her actions, even though that is not an easy thing to do
- I like how Mary has consequences to her actions
- Horses!
More about Phil Mills Jr.
Amazon Blurb:
Spending the summer on her grandparents Wyoming ranch was a new and exciting opportunity for ten-year-old Mary Andrews. She lived in Denver, Colorado, and being around horses and cattle every day was a different experience. Having to do daily chores like gathering eggs and keeping an extra-close eye on her dog Princess was also new. She found it hard enough to just make her bed and keeping her clothes picked up.
But life took a dramatic turn for the young girl when she was given her first horse. Mary had never ridden before and there was a lot to learn. Thankfully, Bandit, the ranch cow dog, was around to watch over her. Bandit may have been retired, but he still liked herding chickens and trying to corral the ranch cats. Mary would soon learn having a horse was a lot different than having a dog. Along with such ownership came greater responsibilities. That would also mean learning to admit your mistakes, no matter how difficult, and then accepting the consequences, especially when Bandit knew the truth.
Love, Laughter, and Life 