Number 40!!!

I've hit another milestone, 40 books done. If I'm aiming for 25 books per quarter, I've got to read 10 books in the next 3 weeks. Hmmm.... Will we have a snow day on Wednesday to help me out? :-)

First up: Mirror Mirror by Marilyn Singer. This poetry book is amazing. Using a fairy tale theme, Singer writes reversible poems from two characters point of view. By changing the punctuation and capitalization the poems have totally new meaning. For example:
Cinderella's Double Life
Isn't life unfair?
Stuck in a corner,
while they're waiting for a chance
with the prince,
dancing waltz after waltz
at the ball,
I'll be shining
these shoes
till the clock strikes midnight.

Till the clock strikes midnight,
these shoes!
I'll be shining
at the ball,
dancing waltz after waltz
with the prince
while they're waiting for a chance,
stuck in a corner.
Isn't life unfair?

The two versions of Cinderella (the one stuck at home working and the one at the ball) get the chance to tell their stories. I don't know how Singer was able to write these amazing poems!! Definitely worth reading!

Next up: For Good Measure : The Ways We Say How Much, How Far, How Heavy, How Big, How Old by Ken Robbins. I've always been interested in the origins of words. Maybe in another life I'll be an etymologist. But for now I'll settle for this book. Tracing the history of words we use to measure time, wood, distance and weight Robbins answered some of my own personal burning questions. Like "Why is the abbreviation for pound lb?" Turns out it's because the word pound comes from the Latin phrase libra pondo which is where we get our word 'pound.' Fascinating, right?

I also finished Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick. I'm not sure how to categorize this book: adventure? survival? I don't really know. All I know is this was an exciting book! When Sig's father dies on the frozen lake near their house Sig's sister and step-mother travel 6 miles to get help. While Sig is alone in the cabin with the body a mysterious stranger comes and tells Sig that his father owed him a lot of gold. Not knowing anything about the "deal" the stranger and his father made 10 years ago, Sig must find a way to get rid of the stranger but stay true to his mother's religious teachings. Very exciting! I'm happy to say that Revolver was named a Printz Honor book for 2011 just this morning!! A worthy award for a very exciting book.

Finally, another adult book, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Jacob Jankowski is now living in a senior's assisted living home, waiting for Sundays when his family will come visit him. But this Sunday is different. This Sunday his family is going to take him to the traveling circus next door to the home. Seeing the tents go up reminds Jacob of his own days working in a traveling circus and the people he met. Wonderful book, I enjoyed every page, especially the interview with the author at the end of the book where she tells that she based many of the incidents in the story on actual events!! I wish I'd seen the elephant stealing that lemonade.