When Life Gives You Power Outages...

I had planned to post a review today, but we had a power outage and I wasn't able to get online when I needed to.

Instead I read some of the book currently on my nightstand.

I think that's a fair trade, don't you?

Check back tomorrow for the launch of the second Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge. Wow... It's the end of September, tomorrow it's October! Where has the month gone?

See you all back here tomorrow!

All About Agatha - Part II

When I decided to write twice for the Agatha Christie Blog Tour I originally planned to make my final post a Q&A of sorts -- or at the very least I thought it might be a "Did you know" type post that was full of fascinating and little known details about one of the most famous authors of all time. To help with my writing I began my research. I decided I needed to read a biography on Agatha Christie... And that's when I discovered something even better -- her autobiography!

Some people may think it's rather narcissistic to write the story of your own life, but I don't agree. Who better to tell about your life, your experiences, thoughts, conversations, and memories than you? Yes, you might be tempted to paint yourself in a better light than some objective researcher, but there is the indisputable fact that they will never be able to capture on paper the emotions and memories that you have unless you previously expressed them.

From page one of Agatha Christie: An Autobiography I was immediately captivated. Her writing is light and refreshing, interesting and descriptive. Unlike some autobiographies and historical nonfiction pieces this book is a page-turner. Each time I picked it up I felt as though I was stepping through the pages of time and seeing historical events unfold through her eyes as they happened. At 519 pages it is a very thorough, though admittedly not entirely complete story (she leaves out any reference to her infamous disappearance). Still, the result of this large volume is a book that masterfully weaves together a personal life story with first hand accounts of life in a time and place so completely foreign to life when the memoir was published in 1965 (and even more so today in 2010).

Agatha Christie, when referring to her own memoir said:

"This is not a travel book -- only a dwelling back on those memories that stand out in my mind; times that have mattered to me, places that stand out in my mind; times that have mattered to me; places and incidents that have enchanted me."

And so it is from the first page to the last I found Agatha Christie: An Autobiography absolutely fascinating. And safe to say probably one of the most fascinating reads I've picked up all year.

Here are some of the highlights:

* Agatha Christie had a vivid and very creative imagination as a child. She reminded me a lot of the fictional Anne in L. M. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables, only with a happier childhood.

* As a child she loved math and problem solving, story telling and reading. Much to her mother's horror (who thought it bad for the eyes for a child to read before the age of 8), Agatha taught herself to ready by age 5. All these are just glimpses of gifts that would help her later in life.

* The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope was Agatha's first romance read. She was completely smitten with the poor king imprisoned in the dungeon. During this age she had many impossible crushes, including one on the young and handsome King Alfonso of Spain. (Yes, this is the same King that Betsy, Tacy and Tib fall in love with in Maud Hart Lovelace's Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown). Later these crushes bloomed into opportunities for true love. Agatha relates what life was like in an era when ladies hid their ankles and kissing was saved for only those in a serious courtship.

* Agatha was an avid reader all her life. She enjoyed Dickens and claimed Bleak House was her favorite of his works. She also was a great fan of May Sinclair and claimed that she was "one of our finest and most original novelists... I cannot help feeling that there will be a revival of interest in her some day."

* She gives a descriptive and interesting narrative of life in an upper-middle class British home in the early 20th century. The details of marriage and family life, of a young girl's education, friendships and courtships, and the interaction of master and servant. It is an era and a people now long gone.

* As a child Agatha's nanny taught her etiquette. Agatha wished to one day be "Lady Agatha," but Nanny said that she could never be -- you have to be born a Lady -- little did either of them know that little Agatha Christie (nee Miller) would one day be both Dame Agatha AND Lady Agatha.

* Agatha took music lessons and sang a little opera. She was once told she was good enough to become a concert singer if she so desired, but she lacked the strong lung capacity needed to sing opera professionally.

* Although Agatha Christie is now a world-famous author it was her sister, Madge, who was initially considered the "writer" in the family having published several short stories in Vanity Fair magazine. But Agatha's fate was sealed the day her mother suggested she take up writing. Sick and bored in bed, Agatha began a story which she finished a mere 24 hours later. It was titled The House of Beauty and she later recalled, "I think on the whole that it is good; the first thing I ever wrote that showed promise... Amateurishly written, of course, and showing the influence of all that I had read the week before. This is something you can hardly avoid when you first begin to write. Just then I had obviously been reading D. H. Lawrence..." (Pt IV, Chpt 5, pg 181)

* Agatha began plotting her first detective novel (The Mysterious Affair At Styles) while she worked in the hospital pharmacy during World War I. It was partially because her sister said she couldn't do it (they were just too difficult to write) and partly because she was bored that she even began plotting the story. It was also at this time that she gained her vast knowledge of poisons, something that would later come in handy in her career as a crime story writer. And it was the Belgian refugees who fled to England during this time that inspired her most famous detective, Hercule Poirot.

* After World War I, Agatha and her first husband, Archie Christie did a little globe trotting. They left their daughter with Agatha's sister and traveled around the world, stopping over in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Canada. During their time in South Africa and Hawaii Agatha and Archie spent many hours surfing. (Imagine Dame Agatha Christie on a surf board!)

* In the years leading up to World War II and post World War II Agatha spent a great deal of time in the Middle East. Her second husband, Max Mallowan was an archaeologist. She drew from her life with him and used it in several of her books both as Agatha Christie and under her pen name Mary Westmacott. Because she loved this part of her life so much she even wrote a short little book about their experiences titled Come, Tell Me How You Live.

* One of their archaeologist friends pressured Agatha to write a historical detective novel, something set in ancient Egypt. Hesitant at first Agatha eventually gave in and with the assistance of this friend she researched and then wrote her only historical fiction novel: Death Comes As the End.

* Agatha did not like that she had to include a romance within her mysteries and thrillers. She felt it was forcing a "love motive into what should have been a scientific process" and it went against the grain. So why did she include them? In that era it was expected for that genre. Personally I am glad, I've always loved that aspect of her thrillers.

* Contrary to rumors that she wrote her final Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot books for the insurance of future money, she actually wrote them during World War II and gifted the proceeds of the books to her daughter and husband upon her death. She was certain she would be killed during the war as she spent so much time in London. In the end these two novels were not published until her death in the mid 1970s.

* Agatha once said she was inspired every day, every where in every way. Sometimes ideas came when she was eating lunch and overheard a conversation. Other times she was looking in a shop window. Clearly she had her eyes wide open and her mind constantly engaged. She was alive and alert. Everything in life had the potential to influence or be a story.

To me it is no wonder Agatha Christie has won the title of "Queen of Crime"and is considered the all-time best-selling crime writer. She was an interesting person who led a full and fascinating life. She had a spectacular imagination and was a gifted storyteller. Whether you are like me, a fan of Agatha Christie's novels, or just a fan of the mystery genre in general, or even someone who is merely interested in learning more about life in England and Europe during the first half of the last century then you really should read Agatha Christie: An Autobiography. It is most definitely a worthwhile read.

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Related Links and More about Agatha Christie:

Agatha-Christie.com
Fun Trivia - Agatha Christie Quizzes
Hercule Poirot Central And Other Agatha Christie Info
Agatha Christie Reading Carnival

What's On My Nightstand: September

I have quite a long list of books I'd like to have read by the end of October and by the next What's On My Nightstand post. Now that I think about them all I doubt I'll get through them before the end of the month, but I am going to make an effort to make a dent in that list.

Here is what is currently waiting on my nightstand:

The Tune in the Tree by Maud Hart Lovelace. This is one of the remaining books by Mrs. Lovelace that I have never before read. I have a few others, but this came first on my list. I plan to read it as part of the second annual Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge, which will begin Friday, October 1 and run through the end of the month (10/31/10). I know little to nothing about this book, but judging how much I've enjoyed the other works by Mrs. Lovelace I am sure I'm in for a treat.

Russian Winter by Daphne Kalotay. This is a new release and the first novel by Ms. Kalotay. I learned about this book thanks to Book Club Girl. Her praise was enough to make me want to read this book immediately. I am fascinated by the premise of this story -- a Russian ballerina, the Cold War, some expensive jewels. I hope I end up enjoying this as much as Book Club Girl did.

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. As some of you may have noticed I have a little bit of a weakness when it comes to certain chic-lit authors. Mostly I avoid chic-lit books with the occasionally exception, but for someone like Sophie Kinsella I always make an exception. Mini Shopaholic is her latest in the Shopaholic series and it's hot off the presses. As much as Becky Brandon infuriates me with the scrapes she gets herself into I find myself drawn to the books. I have to know what happens next.

Five Little Pigs by Agatha Christie. The next on my list of Christie reads by order of publication. Another Poirot mystery, this is one I know nothing about and am excited to dig into another delicious mystery by one of my all-time favorite authors.

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle. I know it's quite scandalous, but I do believe I have never read more than one or two short stories by Doyle. I figured there was no better place to begin than with the first Sherlock Holmes mystery. I'm hoping to squeeze this one in before the end of the month.

As for other reads, there are at least a half dozen more books I'd like to see myself reading, but I think I'll be lucky if I finish all of these plus the other books and short stories I have slotted as part of the Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge. It will be interesting to see where I am next month at this time.

Until then, happy reading!

-- Curious to see what other bloggers are reading? Have your own nightstand post you'd like to share? Head on over to 5 Minutes For Books to see other reader's lists or link up your own.

Mini Blog Break

I had planned to post yesterday and today, but we have family in town and I have opted instead to spend time with them. Look for more postings next week.

In the meantime, here's a fun little parting story.

My daughter graduated to a big girl bed last week. As with any major change for a toddler/preschooler it comes with a variety of challenges. One such challenge has been teaching our daughter to stay in her bed at bedtime. Over the course of the last week there were two nights where we thought she was in bed asleep and hours after bedtime we discovered that instead she was sitting on her bed with the light on and looking at books.

I mentioned it to a friend, how one night my daughter had been "reading" books for over an hour after bedtime. Her response, "Well Sarah, she IS your daughter."

Happy reading! See you all next week.

Fall Into Reading Challenge

I just learned about a low-key reading challenge that is commencing this week. The challenge is open to any person who likes to read. It begins September 22nd and runs until December 20th.

Interested in participating? Here are the guidelines:

1. Create a list of some books you’d like to read or finish this fall. This is the only real requirement for participating in the challenge.

2. Feel free to set some additional reading goals (such as reading to your kids two hours per week, getting through your pile of magazines, etc.). However, this is not required; setting additional goals is completely optional.

3. Write a blog post that includes the list of books you want to read (and any additional goals you’ve set), and get ready to post it on your blog on September 22nd.

4. Visit Callapidder Days on September 22nd to sign up for the challenge. I’ll have an official launch post up that morning, complete with an area for you to submit a link to your personal Fall Into Reading post, where it will be added to the master list of participants.

5. Read! Work on your goals throughout Fall 2010.

6. Report your results. Write another blog post in December to let everyone know how you did. (Callappider will post an official wrap-up to the challenge on December 21st, where you’ll be able to share your results.)

7. Have fun! Visit other participants to see what they’re reading. Write reviews if you’re so inclined. But most of all, enjoy your fall reading!

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My Fall Into Reading Challenge Goals - 2010:

1. I plan to finish out the Agatha Christie Blog Tour, which ends on September 30. I have a final post set to run on the 29th. I'm very excited about this particular post. In addition to this I plan to finish out the year by participating in the monthly Agatha Christie Reading Challenge, which means if I am to stay on target I need to read at least one Agatha Christie mystery in September, October, November and December.

2. October marks the launch of the second annual Maud Hart Lovelace Reading Challenge. As my part in this challenge I plan to read the remaining books by Mrs. Lovelace that I have not yet read. Amongst these include The Tune in the Tree, Gentlemen From England, and some Betsy-Tacy short stories just to name a couple. Also I will be hosting give-aways (chances to win the newest reprints by HarperCollins) and other fun posts. Please come back next Friday (October 1) to sign up to join in the fun!

3. Set a tradition. In 2008 I took a month and read Charles Dickens' Bleak House. I loved the book. Then in 2009 I spent most of 2009 reading a mix of light classics, modern classics, and fluff. This year I'd like to get back to reading a true classic. I've selected another Dickens: A Tale of Two Cities. I've never read this one, but I've wanted to for a long time.


4. Pretty much the rest of the fall I plan to not plan. I will read whatever crosses my nightstand or tickles my reading fancy. If you're curious as to what I'll be reading come back for the monthly "What's On My Nightstand" post.

As for the Fall Into Reading Challenge, happy reading and I'll see you back here for the wrap up in December.

Tuesday Teasers: Agatha Christie

"So it was that I made my own world and my own playmates. I really do think that it was a good thing. I have never, all through my life, suffered from the tedium of 'nothing to do.' An enormous number of women do. They suffer from loneliness and boredom. to have time on their hands is a nightmare and not a delight. If things are constantly being done to amuse you, naturally you expect it. And when nothing is done for you, you are at a loss." ~ Agatha Christie, An Autobiography, Chpt 5, pg 47

Check out the Agatha Christie Blog Tour (September 1-30, 2010)

Kids' Picks - September

Looking for some recommended reading for you and your children? Check out this month's Kids' Picks at 5MinutesForBooks. I linked up my post from yesterday, but there are several more links to other bloggers with book recommendations for the very young who have to be read to on up to the child who can read to themselves.

Of course, if you've recently read something to your child or your child has gotten really excited about a book they've read and you've blogged about it, be sure to leave a link to your post.

Happy reading!

Monday Children's Picks of the Week

I am sorry to say I have a bad case of "the Mondays." I'm already behind in my list of To-Do for the week, but I didn't like missing a post about some of our favorite reads of late so here I am for the weekly pick of children's books.

As I've mentioned before, my daughter is 3 years-old. She's not yet ready for a structured preschool, but I thought it might be fun if we started doing something fun each week. You know a craft here, a special trip there, etc. As part of this we joined a casual group of moms and preschoolers who meet twice a month to have a lesson, craft, snack, game and Bible verse followed by a field trip. Each month is planned around a specific theme. September's theme is farm animals with the field trip being a trip to see all kinds of farm animals at the county fair.

We are both enjoying this opportunity to learn more about animals. We've done a few crafts, we've sung some animal songs, we've talked about animals and the sounds they make, and best of all we've read lots and lots of animal and farm books.

Two favorites that I want to highlight this week include:

Cock-a-Doodle-Quack! Quack! by Ivor Baddiel. (Published by David Fickling Books in the UK and by Random House Books in the US in 2007) This book is a great read-aloud for children ages 3-8.

In the story a baby rooster is born. Eager to begin his job on the farm he asks the other farm animals what he should say to wake them up each morning. He tries "cock-a-doodle-oink-oink" and "cock-a-doodle-moo-moo" to no avail. Finally the farm cat suggests the baby rooster go speak with the wise old owl. The wise old owl gives him a mysterious suggestion, which baby rooster chooses to follow. The result. At long last he learns the exact words he has to say to wake up the farm.

We learned about Cock-a-Doodle-Quack! Quack! from another mom/daughter in our co-op. It is both cute and funny, the perfect combination for a preschooler to enjoy. The illustrations by Sophie Jubb add to the delight of this book. Definitely put this one to your library list. A must read.

While browsing for non-fiction books about animals I discovered a collection called First Step Nonfiction Farm Animals by Robin Nelson and published between 2008 and 2009 by Lerner Publications Company of Minneapolis, MN. Each of these little hardcover books run approximately 20-25 pages and highlight a particular animal with photographs and short and simple sentences. "What lives on a farm? chickens live on a farm. A female chicken is a hen. A male chicken is a rooster." and so on and so forth. I picked up the books on Cows, Chickens, Horses, Pigs, Goats, and Sheep. I am hoping the author or publisher will expand this collection to include ducks, rabbits, and some of the other farm animals and pets. They are fun to read and touch upon enough information my 3 year old enjoys them and comes away knowing more than she did before we read. Again, great read-aloud books. I can't wait to refresh by visiting these animals at the fair!

Happy reading!

Friday Finds: Deal of the Day... or Decade

Today's Friday Finds is actually more like the Deal of the Day... or Decade.

I love it when I discover a treasure in the most unexpected place. Periodically I drop by antique stores and check out the books they have to offer. From time to time I find a good deal -- an old copy of a classic, a book I've been searching for some time, or even something I hadn't thought to buy, but for the condition and price I just can't pass it up.

The other day my daughter and I were walking around the older part of our town and we passed an antique shop. On a whim I decided to go in and see what books they had, but made my daughter promise to keep her hands to herself. What I found inside might very well be for me the deal of the decade.

I discovered a four volume hardcover box set of Richard Scarry's Look & Learn Library, circa 1971. The set contains: Things To Know, Fun With Words, Best Stories Ever, and Going Places.

Asking price for the set was $15, which I thought to be a fair considering it would put these vintage books at $3.75 per volume. Still, I quickly checked online (yay for smart phones!) to see what these books were listed for on Amazon and EBay. My initial search told me they could be purchased in fair to very good or collectible condition for anywhere from $38 to $250 for the set! The set I was looking at probably falls somewhere in the middle. The box is in fair condition, but the books are in good to very good condition. Perhaps my set would be priced somewhere in the $75 range? I don't know, but considering they were only $15 I snatched them up. Incredible!

I've noticed that Richard Scarry's books are starting to make a comeback. The book stores have begun to carry reprints of several of his works, but I've yet to see a collection like this. When I checked to see if they were available separately I found that they are, but generally priced $8+ more per book, again depending on condition and the seller.

As you can tell I am very excited. I lugged the heavy box set all the way home and selected Things to Know to read first to my daughter. The book is broken up into several stories relating to things we learn like the alphabet, manners, colors, shapes, sizes, etc. We only read the first four stories, but it was clear both of us enjoyed what we'd read and can't wait to read more.

This was definitely a score! If you are unable to find a set like this you can still enjoy the works of Richard Scarry. Check out his other titles here or read more about him at one of the links listed below.

Happy reading (and treasure hunting)!

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Related Links:
Richard Scarry - B&N Meet the Writers
Richard Scarry - Mini-Biography
Richard Scarry - Wikipedia

Mrs. Tim Gets a Job by D. E. Stevenson

282 pages
Printed in the United States
in 1947 by J. J. Little and Ives Company
New York

It really says something about an author when they not only succeed in writing an enjoyable read the first time, but then go on to succeed in telling it further in a second and third installment. Such is the case with Mrs. Tim Gets a Job, the third story in the Mrs. Tim series by D. E. Stevenson.

The Plot:
"With Tim still with the Regiment in Egypt, Mrs. Tim begins to feel the need of something to occupy her time. But when she jokingly remarks to an acquaintance that perhaps she should "do something," that chance remark brings Mrs. Tim more than she had bargained for. She finds herself working for Miss Erica Clutterbuck whose English Border home has been turned into a small hotel. Here at Tocher House one amusing situations after another develops, with the incomparable Mrs. Tim always unhappily in the middle. Here too are new and entertaining characters that are welcome additions to the Tim circle. Like the earlier books, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment and Mrs. Tim Carries On, the story is told for Tim, and quite unconsciously it shows his wife the amusing, warmhearted, understanding person she is." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
I've said it before, I love the Mrs. Tim books. They are a delight to read and always good for a laugh. With each book I feel as if I am returning to the story of a dear friend. Mrs. Tim Gets a Job picks up a few years after the the last novel, Mrs. Tim Carries On, ends. I was pleased that readers are given the chance to learn how various long-time friends of Hester's were doing since the second world war had ended. Such meetings include Hester's hilarious late night adventure with Pinkey and a surprise visit from my personal favorite, Tony Morely!

In addition readers are introduced to a handful of new characters and settings that add to the enjoyment of this read. I couldn't help but love the gruff Erica Clutterbuck. My favorite scene being when she's reading aloud from a supposed Jane Austen novel to the work party (a group of women sewing clothes for charity) on April 1st. Of course in keeping with April Fool's Day it's not really an Austen story, but none of the women, excepting Hester, realize this. What ensues makes for quite an amusing scene and would be appreciated by any Austen fan. All I have to say is well done Stevenson!

Yes, D. E. Stevenson has scored another winner with Mrs. Time Gets a Job. Her writing style is hilarious, witty, charming, sweet, and all around fascinating. Even the day-to-day tales kept me turning pages until late into the night. Mrs. Tim Gets a Job is another winner. Oh how I would love to get my hands on the complete set of this series. Bloomsbury Group reprinted the first in the series, Mrs. Tim of the Regiment in 2009 (now available in the US for under $10). I'm hoping they will go on to republish the rest of the series. (Pretty please!)

Up next the last installment of the Mrs. Tim series, Mrs. Tim Flies Home. Look for a review in the next month.

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Related Links:

Mrs. Tim of the Regiment - Reviewed
Mrs. Tim Carries On - Reviewed

Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim Gets a Job
Tuesday Teasers: Mrs. Tim of the Regiment

Other D. E. Stevenson books reviewed

Wordless Wednesday

Displaying book pictures story-time style as she reads to Dad and Mom

Tuesday Teasers: Agatha Christie

"There is no greater mistake in life than seeing things or hearing them at the wrong time. Shakespeare is ruined for most people by having been made to learn it at school; you should see Shakespeare as it was written to be seen, played on the stage. there you can appreciate it quite young, long before you take in the beauty of the words and of the poetry." ~ Agatha Christie (An Autobiography, Part IV, Chapter 1, page 160)

Monday Children's Picks of the Week

My daughter and I have hit the jackpot for great reads during our recent library visits. I had a difficult time deciding which to post first and in the end settled on these three for this week, with a special post for the remaining books next week.

Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes. (Published by Greenwillow Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers in March 2004.)

This charcoal and cream colored illustrated story is aimed at toddler to preschool aged children. It is the story of a kitten who mistakes a full moon for a big bowl of milk. When she opens her mouth to lick the treat she catches a fire fly on her tongue. When she reaches out with her paw to catch a hold of the bowl she ends up tumbling down the stairs. Again and again she tries to quench her thirst with this giant bowl of milk only to be thwarted in her efforts again and again. Finally, giving up, the kitten returns home thoroughly exhausted and discouraged and very thirsty. Much to her surprise she finds her persistence has paid off as there is a big bowl of milk awaiting on the front porch.

I was intrigued with the fact that Henkes found his inspiration for Kitten's First Full Moon from a line in one of his earlier books: "The cat thought the moon was a bowl of milk." Apparently he took that line and expanded it until it became it's own story.

My daughter since she was a year old has expressed a love for animals, especially dogs and cats. She loved this story of the "poor kitten who thought the moon was milk." She also loves looking at the moon and stories about the moon, so this story really was the best of both worlds.

Kitten's First Full Moon won the 2005 Caldecott Medal for Henkes' illustrations and I can see why. I loved the simplicity and sweetness of the charcoal and cream colored pictures. I confess, a good percentage of the time when I am picking books to read to my daughter I am drawn by the illustrations before the title or story plot grab me. Henkes' illustrations are soft and muted and fit well with this sweet little story.

Please Say Please! Penguin's Guide to Manners by Margery Cuyler. (Published by Scholastic Press in April 2004.) This is another older book, but it is a good one for toddler to preschool aged children. If you're looking for a fun way to introduce manners to your child -- or as in my case remind your child of their importance in a practical way, Please Say Please! is a fun story to read aloud.

In Please Say Please! Penguin has his friends over for dinner. On each page one of the animals commits some etiquette faux pas, which provides the reader with a statement such as, "When hippo sits down for dinner, she should put her napkin on her head." Turn the page and the reader discovers, "No! That's wrong." and then learns the correct action that should be taken (i.e. "When hippo sits down for dinner, she should lay her napkin in her lap. That's better.")

This format gives plenty of laughs for the child as well as the opportunity to interact, it doesn't take long before they figure out what's wrong and what's right. Before my daughter learned to speak we were teaching her sign language for "please" and "thank you" and once she was able to get up from the table on her own we began with "May I please be excused". Most of the time she's good about remembering these phrases, but from time to time we need to remind her to chew with her mouth closed. Don't talk with your mouth full. Ask to be excused from the table, etc. This book made for some entertaining reminders and a unique way to introduce some new manners.

If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery. (Published by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing in May 2009). This story is intended for young readers ages 4-8, but makes for an entertaining read aloud to preschoolers.

As the story opens we find a young boy named Morton playing baseball. Morton is bored. He thinks baseball is boring, at least when you're the outfielder and the ball never comes your way. Morton starts to imagine what could be more exciting than baseball... Maybe being a wild animal in the jungle, like a lion.... or a monkey... or a hippopotamus!

If I Were A Jungle Animal is an action packed story funny story. My daughter loved the hilarious illustrations (Morton as a lion wearing his baseball cap, Morton swinging from trees and getting tangled in the vines, etc.) And she laughed out loud at the moments when Morton realized maybe being a specific animal wasn't such a great idea: like when the cheetah is chasing him or the crocodiles are nipping on his hippopotamus toes, "Yikes!"

All in all this is a great read for children who love stories about jungle animals or just love to laugh at funny stories.

Quote: Patriotism

"The lines of red are lines of blood, nobly and unselfishly shed by men who loved the liberty of their fellowmen more than they loved their own lives and fortunes." ~ President Woodrow Wilson, 1915

Friday Five Favs

It's the end of a short week, thanks to the Labor Day holiday on Monday. I am very much looking forward to the weekend. Here are five things that I am happy about today:

1. Fresh home made blueberry muffins. I woke up to a crisp cool morning and it just as if the day was made for fresh muffins. My daughter helped some. They turned out fabulous and I ate two.




2. Our church has a weekly Awana program for children 3-14. This is the first year my daughter will be old enough to join in, a fact I wasn't aware of until the lady organizing mentioned it to my husband and I. She suggested we consider signing our daughter up not only because it'd be fun for her, but also because it would give my husband and I a 2-hour date night every week. This week will be her first meeting and I'm very excited. I think she's going to have a great time and I can't wait for my date.

3. It's September, which means it's the 2nd annual Agatha Christie Blog Tour. As part of the tour I decided to read Agatha Christie's autobiography. From page one it proved to be a delicious read, perfect to enjoy with a cup of tea (or coffee) during a quiet hour early in the morning. I will have lots to say on this read, so stay tuned for my review.




4. The weather has shifted towards autumn. Happy am I that the 100 degree days are a thing of the past. While we still have some summer like weather it is much more bearable and temperatures ate night drop into the 50s. I am very happy to have a spell of time when I can turn off the AC, but don't have to turn on the heat. The windows are WIDE open and the soft breeze tickles the curtains. I love it!

5. This song has been running through my mind for the last couple of weeks. Don't Look At Me by Stacie Orrico is an older song released in 2000 (a decade ago!), but it still has truth in it: "Don't look at me, look at Him."

Have a great weekend!

Poetry: Emily Dickinson

"The morns are meeker than they were,

The nuts are getting brown;

The berry's cheek is pumper,

The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,

The field a scarlet gown.

Lest I should be old-fashioned,

I'll put a trinket on."

~ Emily Dickinson

Upcoming: 10th Annual National Book Festival

This September 25 marks the 10th annual National Book Festival in Washington, DC. The festival now organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, with the sitting President and First lady as honorary chair-members, was established in 2001 as part of former First Lady Laura Bush's efforts to advocate literacy in America. (As an aside, the forming of this festival is discussed in Mrs. Bush's book Spoken From the Heart.) To learn more about the history of the festival check out the 4-minute video "A Retrospective" that is available on the home page of the National Book Festival website. I highly recommend checking it out, especially for first time festival visitors.

Although this festival has been around for a decade (!) I only learned of it last fall when I met someone who had attended. How could I have been so clueless? An annual national book festival, how cool is that? I headed over to the festival website and it only took a glance to know I would go myself some day... Unfortunately it won't be this year.

If you're like me and only just finding out about the festival, or unable to attend this year I still encourage you to check out the festival website, which is hosted by the Library of Congress.

The festival boasts of over 70 authors and illustrators who will be present on the National Mall from 10am to 5:30pm on Saturday, September 25. Authors will read aloud from their works, books will be signed, and thousands of pictures taken and conversations will be had. Additional information is available on the Book Festival website.

When I first looked over the list of authors and illustrators attending this year's festival I was rather disappointed. I didn't recognize a single one! But when I took a moment to think I realized I was wrong, this year's list may not be the "Who's who" of authors and illustrators, but there are several authors whose works I have read. Authors like: Rosemary Wells will be making her third appearance at the festival (previously in 2002 and 2007). Rosemary Wells is the author of the Max and Ruby books, a series my daughter enjoys. And illustrator Timothy Basil Ering will also be present. His name sounded vaguely familiar and when I looked closer I remembered I'd seen it as the name of the illustrator for Kate DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux. And then there's Katherine Paterson, author of the Newbery Medal winner Bridge to Terabithia (a book I hated) and Jacob Have I Loved (a book I need to read) and Suzanne Collins of The Hunger Games fame (a series that, no offense, I'm just not interested in reading).

Although this year's festival isn't heavily populated with big-name authors (last year for example included appearances by Judy Blume, Kate DiCamillo, Shannon Hale, and Lois Lowry just to name a few) that doesn't mean it wouldn't be an enjoyable experience to attend the festival. What better way to discover additional good reads than to attend a book festival and introduce yourself to authors you've never heard read before? Even though I can't attend this year I am planning to select a few authors on the list and read their books, my "from a distance" way of introducing myself to their works. Maybe next year I'll be able to go see first-hand.

Are you planning to attend? Have you attended in the past? Be sure to leave me a comment with your thoughts, or a link to your post about your experiences at the festival.

As always, happy reading!

Tuesday Teasers: Bringing Up Girls

"The foundations of national morality must be laid in private Families. In vain are Schools, Academies and universities instituted if loose Principles and licentious habits are impressed upon Children in their earliest years. The Mothers are the earliest and most important instructors of youth." (John Adams, 1778, quoted by Dr. James C. Dobson in Bringing Up Girls, Published 2010)

All About Agatha - Part I

I am honored to be a part of the second annual Agatha Christie Blog Tour. While today is my first official post for the blog tour I did start a little early with a review of my latest Christie read, The Body in the Library, which was posted yesterday.

Today's post I am calling "All About Agatha - Part I" (the second part will be posted on Wednesday, September 29 as my last blog tour posting.) There is so much that I could write about the Queen of Crime and still I wouldn't scratch the surface of everything there is to know about this best selling author; thus I am keeping this post more along the lines of an self imposed interview as a fan of Agatha Christie novels. The second part (9/29) will be more of a "Did you know" type post with fun facts, trivia, and a give-away, so be sure to check back later in the month. For now, I hope you enjoy learning more about my own history and thoughts relating to Agatha Christie.

Q: What was your first Agatha Christie read?
A: I honestly don't remember. I do remember discovering her books when I was a teenager, but I do not remember what the first title was. It might have been her last book, Sleeping Murder or it might have been my most recent review, The Body in the Library. I just remember that I was fascinated with her stories from day one.

But for some reason I read only a few titles and then moved on to other authors. More than a decade passed before I picked up another Christie novel. In 2008 I decided I need to read ALL of her books. I set a personal challenge to read at least one Agatha Christie mystery a month beginning with her first novel published and proceeding by date of publication until I had read all 80 novels. In the past 18 months I have read 31 novels and at the rate I am going I expect to finish some time in late 2013. That fact alone astonishes me -- six years to read 80 novels, such a long time. Well, that's not so bad when you consider it took her 56 years to write them and would have taken me as long had I lived during the time they were first published.

Q: What attracts you to Agatha Christie books?
A: I love a good detective mystery. I love puzzling through the book and trying to solve the crime. There are a number of reasons why I particularly enjoy Agatha Christie's books. For starters I think she was a clever woman. Though others may disagree, I think her writing never takes on the feel of formula fiction. I love that each plot is fresh, exciting, and in some form a puzzle for the reader's mind to solve. I also enjoy the witty and charming characters. I love the quirkiness of Hercule Poirot and the sly cleverness of Miss Marple. I love that many of the mysteries end on a happy note with some romance blooming, a romance that is carefully woven into the story without detracting from the mystery. I love the way Christie draws from history, from current events, from literature, and from her imagination to create very real characters, settings and story plots. I love that you never know what you're going to get until you're smack in the middle of the story and even then you might be in for a surprise. And I admit, I even like that not all of Agatha Christie's mysteries have happy endings (e.g. And Then There Were None) because again, this just keeps the reader on their mental toes.

Q: What is your favorite Agatha Christie novel?
A: I've been asked this question and I really am stumped as to the answer. I have a top 5 and a top 10 list, but to choose juts one that is my all-time favorite. That is very hard. I really don't feel I can choose just one when I still have another 49 novels to read. Ask me in three years and then I believe I will be able to answer this question definitely. But for my top five list I'd say (in no particular order): Death on the Nile, The A.B.C. Murders, Murder on the Links, N or M?, and The Man in the Brown Suit.

Q: What was one of the scariest Agatha Christie novels you've read?
A: Even with knowing the ending before I read the book I still found And Then There Were None to be the scariest of her novels (at least thus far in my reading).

Q: Who is your favorite detective?
A: Still early to say, but I definitely favor Hercule Poirot with a close second being Tommy and Tuppence, only because I've had more time (and more books) to get acquainted with Poirot.

Q: Is there anything you don't like about Agatha Christie's books?
A: Not that I can think of. Only slightly related are the movie adaptations. I cannot stand when screenwriters alter Christie's stories. I believe if the story has been good enough to survive the last fifty years they should just leave it alone. I love a good film adaptation, but unfortunately have become very wary of the recent releases by Masterpiece Mystery as the screenwriters for their adaptations frequently take liberties with the stories, sometimes going as far as to change the whole motive for the crime to something scandalously modern. I always read the book first and do my best to watch with an open mind, but in the end I always favor any adaptation that is faithful to the original.

Q: If you could travel to any of the places mentioned in a Christie mystery which would it be?
A: Besides all of England? Probably upon the Orient Express. I watched the PBS Masterpiece Mystery special David Suchet on the Orient Express and fell in love with the beautiful scenery and the spectacular train. With the exception of the lack of bathing facilities I think traveling in style by train would be a very exciting experience.

Q: What one thing that you've read about in an Agatha Christie book have you wanted to do in real life?
A: This might sound rather dull, but I'm very curious to learn Bridge. I have no idea how to play and I'd like to learn. Time after time I find this card game a central part of entertainment in books written during the first half of the 20th century by Agatha Christie, D. E. Stevenson and the link. And as anyone who has read Christie's novel Cards on the Table would know, it plays a significant part in solving the murder mystery, a mystery I feel certain I could have solved had I understood the game. One day I will learn to play...I just need to find three more people who feel the same as I.

Q: Of her stories not adapted to film which one are you most wanting to see?
A: Again, this answer might change as I continue to read through her books, but for now I'd say N or M? with Tommy and Tuppence, if adapted faithfully to the book. As runner up I'd vote for Hallowe'en Party, a Hercule Poirot mystery.I read it years ago and found it to be a spine-tingling mystery that could adapt well to the screen. I've heard rumors that it will be, but have yet to see it listed with a date to air.

Q: You recently viewed the 2002 film Agatha Christie: A Life in Pictures what did you think?
A: The movie is not a complete picture of Agatha Christie's life though it does include a rough sketch from birth to late in her life with items in the past being addressed through the form of flashbacks. The main goal of the movie is to tell the story of her famous 11 day disappearance during the winter of 1926. It also addresses her troubled relationship with her first husband, Archie Christie, and lightly touches upon her role as mystery writer and her relationship with second husband Max Mallowan.

Overall I thought the movie was interesting even if it wasn't a complete picture. I will add that from as far as I can tell it appears to be fairly faithful to fact and includes direct quotes from Agatha Christie as well as documented details from other sources. The movie is very artistic in its portrayal of Agatha's story (weird camera angles, special effects during flash-backs, etc., but the actors, costumes and sets were well chosen so all-in-all it was a worthwhile viewing. Still, I have decided if I really want to get more information about who Agatha Christie was and what made her tick then I need to read her autobiography. It just arrived at my library so I am looking forward to digging into it this month and will have more to share in my 9/29 post.

Q: Why do you think Agatha Christie was a successful writer?
A: I think several things lead to her success and popularity as an author. For starters I believe, (though she often complained she was out of ideas and finished as a writer), that Agatha was blessed with a very creative and active imagination. All around her in every day life she found ideas for stories. She went through life with her eyes wide open and her brain constantly pondering, dreaming, and plotting. I find this fascinating. Another factor that led to her success as a writer is her love for books. I've heard numerous times that in order to write well one must read well. Agatha was read to as a child and once she began to read to herself she was an active reader for life. Her reading was diverse as she read both books written by contemporaries and books written long before she was born (a.k.a. the classics). As I mentioned before, Agatha's stories were often based in real places or places based on real places. She drew upon personal experience, she drew upon life. When she didn't know something she researched it. Her stories were creative yet real-life. Last, I believe Agatha Christie made an effort to keep her storytelling fresh. She might re-use a character, place or setting, or even a motive or weapon, but she never let her stories become cliches or formula. Each story is a puzzle with some factor changed to keep the reader guessing. I think all of these factors led to her success and in turn her popularity as a writer.

Q: If there was one question you could ask Agatha Christie what would it be?
A: This is a difficult question to answer, but the first that comes to mind has to do with writing. If she had the chance to start afresh would she sitll have taken the career as the author of crime novels? Or did she prefer the stories she wrote that dealt with romance and tragedy? She wrote a detective novel and it was received well. She wrote another and another and soon had established herself as the Queen of Crime. Did she love to write these novels as much as her fan base loves to read them? I think the answer would be she must have... but you never know. She came to despise Hercule Poirot, but she continued to write stories about him because it was what her readers liked.

Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me and my thoughts about Agatha Christie. I hope I've inspired you to add one of her novels to reading list this month as well as to check out what other writers have to say each day on the Agatha Christie Blog Tour. If you're interested to know what I thought of a particular book (spoilers usually excluded) you can click on any one of the links below to read my reviews. I will have some other Agatha Christie related links when I post on the 29th. Hope to see you then.

In the meantime, happy reading!

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Other Agatha Christie Reviews:
*Novels published from 1920-1923 see note below.

The Man in the Brown Suit (1924)
The Secret of Chimneys (1925)
The Big Four (1927)
The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928)
The Seven Dials Mystery (1929)
The Murder at the Vicarage (1930)
The Sittaford Mystery (1931)
Peril at End House (1932)
Lord Edgware Dies (1933)
Murder on the Orient Express (1934)
Why Didn't They Ask Evans? (1934)
Three Act Tragedy (1935)
Death in the Clouds (1935)
The A.B.C. Murders (1936)
Murder in Mesopotamia (1936)
Cards on the Table (1936)
Dumb Witness (1937)
Death on the Nile (1937)
Appointment With Death (1938)
Hercule Poirot's Christmas (1938)
Murder Is Easy (1939)
And Then There Were None (1939)
Sad Cypress (1939)
One, Two Buckle My Shoe (1940)
Evil Under the Sun (1941)
N or M? (1941)
The Body in the Library (1942)

Absent In the Spring by Mary Westmacott (a.k.a. Agatha Christie) (1944)

* Christie's novels written from 1920 (The Mysterious Affair at Styles) through 1923 (Murder on the Links) I read before I began this blog hence no reviews are currently available.

The Body In the Library by Agatha Christie

191 pages
Published in 1942 by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Reprinted in 2006 by Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, Inc.
New York, NY

I'm fairly certain I have read The Body in the Library once before, a long time ago, but I do not remember exactly when and I could not remember anything about the story, which made this re-read just as enjoyable as if I'd never before set eyes on the book.

Although The Body in the Library does not rank as one my all-time favorite mysteries by Agatha Christie it is an excellent read, a page-turning mystery and I definitely agree with what Agatha Christie said in a Time magazine article in 1956 that it is has the best opening to a book she has ever written.

The Plot:
"Colonel and Mrs. Bantry are shocked when they wake one morning to find the dead body of a young platinum blonde on the floor of their library. Nobody in the village of St. Mary Mead seems to know who she is, but everyone has a theory about the crime. The ensuing investigation follows a twisted trail from this quiet village to an upscale hotel in the nearby town of Danemouth, where the victim worked as a ballroom dancer and bridge hostess. As the local inspectors sift through emerging clues to identify a suspect, Miss Jane Marple, St. Mary Mead's resident sleuth, always seems to be one step ahead of them." (Summary courtesy of the publisher)

My Thoughts:
As I mentioned in my review of N or M? Agatha Christie actually wrote The Body in the Library at the same time she was writing N or M? It was the early years of World War II and Agatha Christie was living alone in London while her second husband Max Mallowan was serving in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in North Africa.

Unlike N or M? this novel is pure "Who-dun-it". International spies, the threat of German invasion, food rations, gas masks and blackout curtains have no place in the little town of Saint Mary Mead. It's as if Christie set the story a few years in the past when England was full of life and parties were plenty. I imagine The Body in the Library, although a murder mystery, must have been a relief in a way for readers. While reading this novel they could put out of their mind all thoughts of war and focus on the puzzle set before them.

Although not present in the edition I read, earlier copies of The Body in the Library included an author's foreword where Christie described "the body in the library" as a cliche of detective fiction. But as typical of her excellence as a story teller Agatha Christie she didn't leave it at that. She created a variation on this theme -- she decided that while the library should be completely conventional the body must be highly improbably and sensational. And it works. Many readers consider The Body in the Library to be a parody of sorts, poking fun at the detective fiction genre. But of course it is more than that. Christie weaves a mix of spine-tingling danger and comic relief in a story that keeps you reading late into the night.

The Body in the Library is only the second novel to include Miss Jane Marple as detective. Perhaps that is why I have yet to feel as emotionally attached to Miss Marple as a character like I have with Hercule Poirot. Although Miss Marple makes the occasional appearance in short stories between 1927 and 1942 she doesn't appear in a novel after her first, The Murder at the Vicarage in 1930 until this one over a decade later. It is also interesting to note that while Miss Marple is the one who solves the mystery of the body in the library, she only makes occasional appearances in the story and to the casual reader it would appear she won't be the one to solve the case... until all of a sudden she does. How different Miss Marple is to Hercule Poirot. Some of this has to do with the difference in personalities and some if I think has to do with the fact that Agatha Christie was still working on developing Miss Marple as a character when she wrote The Body in the Library. Whereas with Poirot by the 1940s she had already included him in over twenty novels and several short-stories. From the 1940s on Miss Marple take a more central role in the mysteries that Christie wrote. I am curious to see how her character develops from book to book and if I will find myself eventually preferring her to Poirot.

The Body in the Library has been adapted to film only twice. The first time was in 1984 with actress Joan Hickson playing the role of Miss Marple. Although an older adaptation (nearly 20 years) this version is faithful to the original novel. The second adaptation was released in 2004 with Geraldine McEwan in the lead role as Miss Marple. Unfortunately this adaptation is less-faithful to the book with many additions and subtractions from the original plot, including a complete change in motive and murderer. To add insult to injury the screenwriters included a relationship twist that was not part of the book and appears to be added just to appeal to modern viewers. Personally if I had to choose between these two adaptations I would pick the former over the latter version. I prefer a faithful adaptation to anything modern.

Up next: Hercule Poirot returns in Five Little Pigs also published as Murder in Retrospect.