Completely Full Bookshelf

For MMGM, I am recommending the classic A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. Here's the publisher's description: Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. This book is 48 years old, but it seems both easy to read, unlike other classics, and completely different from every other fantasy book today (which is not a bad thing). It tells the story of a boy named Ged who, in his youth, accidentally released what is referred to as the shadow into the world as a result of trying to prove his power by...

For Poetry Sunday, I am recommending "How the Milky Way Was Made" by Natalie Diaz. I hope you enjoy it!

For MMGM, I am recommending A Corner of the Universe , a recipient of the Newbery Honor, by Ann M. Martin. Here's the publisher's description: The summer Hattie turns 12, her predictable smalltown life is turned on end when her uncle Adam returns home for the first time in over ten years. Hattie has never met him, never known about him. He's been institutionalized; his condition involves schizophrenia and autism. Hattie, a shy girl who prefers the company of adults, takes immediately to her excitable uncle, even when the rest of the family — her parents and grandparents — have trouble dealing with his intense way of seeing the world. And Adam, too, sees that Hattie is special, and that her quiet, shy ways are not a disability. It's hard to come up with an introductory sentence that describes just how amazing this book is. The main character, Hattie, is kind of shy and has only one friend, at least until she meets her uncle Adam. The author dep...

For Poetry Sunday, I am recommending "Daylight Savings" by Jill Bialosky. I hope you enjoy it!

Note: If a glitch sent you here when you were looking for Natalie Aguirre's post, click here . Firstly, the winners of the New Year's Poetry Contest and their poems have been announced! Click here to read them. Secondly, here are the results of the New Year's resolutions sidebar poll: To read more books: 5 To stop buying books that you won't like: 1 To get rid of the books you don't need/want: 4 To find more books online as opposed to in a store: 1 To find more books in a store as opposed to online: 1 Total voters: 6 Be sure to enter in either of my sidebar polls (the top one has been reopened, and the old one is new and will close in about 2 weeks)! Finally, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, I am recommending a diverse book, which is Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. Here's the publisher's description: A vacant lot, rat-infested and filled with garbage, looked like no place for a garden. Especially to a neighborhood of strangers ...

I am shocked at how many poems were entered in the New Year's Poetry Contest : 8!!! Now, it's time for: THE RESULTS! Firstly, we have a great untitled poem from Sydney: ------------------------------------- One year gone, With another one come. How the time flies by, Too fast for some. But we need not fear, For there's good to come. As we aim to adhere, To our New Year's resolutions. -------------------------------------- Lots of applause! I love the rhyme scheme! Next, we have "New Year Haiku" from Ames: ---------------------------------- Baking bread, rising As is hope, love and prayers For the glad New Year ---------------------------------- I love this poem! I've always loved poems that can distill complexity into a small format! And, last but not least, we have a poem from Voole, entitled, "Central Texas Theme:" ----------------------------------------------------------------------- A chill on the sweat, ending ...

For Poetry Sunday, I am recommending "Birches" by Robert Frost. Here is the link. I hope you enjoy it! Also, be sure to enter the extended New year's Poetry Contest. Click here to enter.

Firstly, I am extending the deadline for the New Year's Poetry Contest for one week! Remember that, if your poem is good enough, you will win a $20 Barnes & Noble eGift card, which you can use in store or on your Nook! Click here to enter. Secondly, for MMGM, I am recommending Dumpling Days by Grace Lin. Here's the publisher's description: Pacy is back! The beloved heroine of The Year of the Dog and The Year of the Rat has returned in a brand new story. This summer, Pacy's family is going to Taiwan for an entire month to visit family and prepare for their grandmother's 60th birthday celebration. Pacy's parents have signed her up for a Chinese painting class, and at first she's excited. This is a new way to explore her art talent! But everything about the trip is harder than she thought it would be--she looks like everyone else but can't speak the language, she has trouble following the art teacher's instructions, and it...

Firstly, I am holding a New Year's Poetry Contest, where you can enter your own poem(s) about the new year (with reasonable restrictions) for the chance to win a prize! Click here to enter. Secondly, for MMGM, I am recommending Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin. Here's the publisher's description: Newbery-winning Rules meets Counting by 7s in this affecting story of a girl’s devotion to her brother and what it means to be home   When eleven-year-old Thyme Owens’ little brother, Val, is accepted into a new cancer drug trial, it’s just the second chance that he needs. But it also means the Owens family has to move to New York, thousands of miles away from Thyme’s best friend and everything she knows and loves. The island of Manhattan doesn’t exactly inspire new beginnings, but Thyme tries to embrace the change for what it is: temporary. After Val’s treatment shows real promise and Mr. Owens accepts a full-time position in the city, Thyme has to face th...

It's New Year's, which means I'm trying something new: the New Year's Poetry Contest! This is a contest which allows you to write your own poem about the new year and possibly have it posted next week in a new post! If yours is posted, you'll even win a prize!  Here's how it works: The three poems which I deem best will be posted next week along with the poets' nicknames (if given). If your poem is selected to be posted next week, you will win a $20 eGift card to Barnes & Noble. Your poems must be about the new year or about New Year's celebrations. YOUR POEMS MUST NOT DISCUSS OR HINT AT POLITICAL OPINIONS IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED. YOUR POEMS MUST BE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL AGES. To enter, use the Google Form below. Nicknames are not required. Your nickname is simply a way for your poem to be identified if I select it. Email addresses are required (but they will not be publicized and will be deleted after the contest ends) in order for me to se...