MotherReader

I just want to make it clear that I would far rather be here typing up this list of recent picture books than joining Fuse#8 and The Longstockings (that would be a great band name, btw) at Sweet & Vicious in New York City. And even though I was supposed to be in NYC today meeting said personages, along with other authors and editors who would have undoubtedly been floored by my charm and clever turn of phrase and would have offered me (a) a co-authorship opportunity, and (b) a book deal, I am extremely happy to be (a) cooking brownies for the Girl Scout bake sale, and (b) summing up some books recently added to my library system. So, freakin’ enjoy them.

• The Gingerbread Cowboy, by Janet Squires
  The gingerbread boy with a cowboy twist. Okay variation.


• The Three Witches, by Joyce Carol Thomas and illustrated by Faith Ringgold
  Kind of freaky-looking witches. Seems like a folktale of some sort. Oh yes, there it is on the inside cover, a folktale from the Gulf States. Doesn’t do anything for me.


• The Best Kid in The World, by Peter H. Reynolds
  Sugarloaf tries to be helpful, but it doesn’t work out well. She gets the Best Kid in The World award for trying so hard. His other two books, The Dot and Ish were much better.


• Bats at the Beach, by Brian Lies
  Rhymes are just okay, but the idea of bats at the beach cracks me up. I like it.


• Hansel and Diesel, by David Gordon
  Hansel and Gretel with pickup trucks. Follow-up to The Ugly Truckling. Neat twist on the old story.


• The Costume Copycat, by Maryann MacDonald
  Angela’s older sister Bernadette always gets the breaks when it comes to Halloween. Cute siblings story and would have been a good story to tell at school for Halloween, if I’d remembered it.


• I’m Dirty! by Kate and Jim McMullan
  Just like I Stink! but with a construction truck. Cute for truck lovers.


• Farm-Fresh Cats, by Scott Santoro
  Something hits the ground from outer space, and instead of cabbage, the farmer finds he is growing green cats. They start growing everywhere, so the farmer decides to sell them at a roadside stand and — because they are no more trouble than potted plants — the city people buy them. It’s a very strange concept. The title creeps me out. I know they are saying that the cats are just grown there, but doesn’t that also imply they are eaten?


• The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat, by Lynne Berry
  Good as a Halloween book that’s not about Halloween. Odd — but interesting — black-and-white illustrations. The witch orders her cat around but the cat won’t listen, finally with dire consequences for the cat.


• Toot and Puddle: The One and Only, by Holly Hobbie
  This book is really about Opal. A new girl (pig) is in Opal’s class, and she likes to copy Opal. But she can’t seem to copy her dance moves to make the chorus line look perfect, so Opal helps her. Cute, as Toot and Puddle books always are. Maybe I’ll pick it up later.

Of these books, I took home Bats at the Beach, The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat, and Farm-Fresh Cats (to investigate further).

Now, I’d better get the brownies ready for the bake sale. And I’ll get ready for my exciting Girl Scout leader meeting with lots of moms and no, repeat, no alcohol at all, while I think how lucky I am to be here in lovely — if somewhat socially conservative — Virginia, instead of dirty and smelly New York City drinking with bloggers, authors, and editors. (Oh my!)

.,./,.,./,/////;//., (Sorry — my fingers slipped on the keyboard wet with my tears.)