Judy's Book Review #5: Missing Mommy

The next review is for Missing Mommy: A Book About Bereavement by Rebecca Cobb.  I always let the girls pick out whatever books they want, and they usually base their decisions on the covers.  Judy asked about the title of the book and I told her it was Missing Mommy.  She wanted to read about someone missing their mom.  I didn't notice the book's subtitle until we came home to read it.  

I am not opposed to speaking about death with my children, and I believe in discussing it frankly.  Had I known the content of the book before checking it out, I would have read it alone before diving in with my girls.  I wasn't mentally prepared for the possible seriousness that this book would bring up at bedtime.  The book was frank and sweet and exactly how I would talk to my girls about death, but I'm just writing this as a warning.  Peruse the books before bedtime to be sure that you won't be having any heavy conversations while trying to put your little ones to sleep.  

Thankfully, Judy was understanding about the content, and she wasn't too sad or scared.  And this book is a perfect tool to introduce the concepts of death and sadness to small children in a frank and caring way.  Whether before or after a loss, I would recommend this book to parents.  

Now, onto Judy's thoughts!  

I thought the mom was going to live forever but she just died very long.  It mad me feel super super sad because the kid missed her mom super super bad.  I’m sad of it too.  But people have to die because their body doesn’t work anymore if they get very old.  And that made me super super sad.  I thought the kid was going to die, but the mom died, but I missed it because I found a stonekeeper (gravestone), and it had the mom’s name on it and the flowers died there and the girl noticed that she was dead.  The dad was sad and the little sister was happy she was actually happy.  She felt scared but she really wanted her mom really really bad and she got really angry.  She’s just pouting she wants her mommy super bad.  She wants to play with her, she wants to eat with her, she wants to snuggle with her.  And she kicked her train.  Maybe they want to know why kids moms and dads die.  (I asked Judy, "Is it good that we talk about what happens when people die?")  NO, the kids will want their moms and dads and grandparents really bad and if they grow by their self they will live with their friends and his mom and dad and live in the country.  This girl lost her mommy.  She won’t die until she is 50 old.

Forgive the quality and pose.  She really wanted to play in her swimming suit and not pose for another picture.  

Judy's Book Review #4: The Loud Book

Edie actually picked out The Loud Book by Deborah Underwood and Illustrated by Renata Liwska.  But Judy enjoyed it all the same.  Apparently this book is a companion to The Quiet Book, so we will have to check out that one and review it at a later date.  

Again, Judy wanted to go on a page-by-page review of the book, rather than being directed by questions.  

 I liked it when he started to yell through headphone with a string so you can hear far away and close.  It’s like a phone, and it used to go everywhere and it goes like no yes no I don’t think so.  And I think this rabbit is trying to go to sleep but it doesn’t look very dark.  And it’s sleeping on the floor, I’m just going like wow.  The rabbit wants more popcorn and is going whoa whoa, and I can’t believe a bee is picking up a tool and the bear is picking up a car with 100 zillion animals inside it.  And the bear is going (scratches head).  The bear is saying of the others ... (unintelligible) but I don’t know what I see.  It’s just kind of grey.  I can’t believe it a firetruck is lifting a basket on 40 people in the air.  Are they having a carnival or something?  And everybody’s looking at this dinosaur it looks pretty short.  And this boy is this rabbit is lifting up up up.  But I can’t believe it everybody spilled their food and their drinks there’s not very many people on the other side.  Everybody’s getting wow wow.  He can’t clean out back right?  He’s cleaning out back while the kids are playing baseball.  They’re putting on a show, there’s flowers and I can’t even believe it.  And all of the others are (mumbling) wow wow wow. And rabbits can’t get wet.  Rabbits really can’t get wet, even porcupines.  Even I am getting redoubted.  Ok I’m all done on this page.  This is a long book mom.  I don’t hear any louds, because I think they’re thinking the tv loud.  Silly wolfs.  I’m so excited for bowling, I can’t wait for it, can’t wait for it.  (She covers her eyes).  I can’t look at the balls cuz I love balls that will make me go bowling.  Even a parade is so loud it goes like boom boom boo ba boo brum brum bo boo boo. And it looks like a sweet rabbit is crying because she wanted to have a sweet apple on a picnic but ants got all over it.  Poor baby rabbit.  Ok.  I can’t see the fiesta.  All of the guys here, I’ll stop now, these guys are making a band now and they go ding ding a ding ding yee haw I’m riding a horsie it’s going really fast I’m having so much fun yee haw yee haw ye ye ye yee haw.  Even these bears are telling a spooky story like once upon a time there was an evil witch turned into a gitch it could turn into anything it can put it’s hand underground and smash people and it can stretch out far far as ever as human.  I can’t believe what the rabbit is doing under the tent, it’s going like boo la la la.  Even big sisters snore really loud and I can’t believe it the brother can’t sleep.  And the rabbit had to sleep outside. That’s it.  

Judy's Book Review #3: A Long Way Away: A Two-Way Story by Frank Viva

We read A Long Way Away: A Two-Way Story by Frank Viva.  This book is read vertically and in either direction to tell the tale of a squid-like creature traveling from space to the ocean and vice versa.  We did this review right after her previous one, and so to save a bit of time, I went back to using book review questions to get her going.  

On this side it looks like he is in earth and he thinks the moon is a ballon.  On the other side it looks like he’s in the fish resedint and in the ocean.  I liked it when he went from the ocean to space.  He looks like he is lost.  He has 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 arms together so that would be an octopus of course.  I think Rachel would like this book too because she has never never read this book. 

This review was cut short because Judy's sister Edith came roaring in screaming like a banshee.  She really wanted to read the book.  We've got a house (almost) full of bookworms.  

Judy's Book Review #2: It's Time for Preschool!

Two nights ago, we read It's Time for Preschool! by Esme Raji Codell and illustrated by Sue Rama.  Since it had been a while since the reading, I told Judy to flip through the book to refresh her memory for the book review.  This time I did not prod her with any book review questions.  She was so excited to talk about the book that at times I had to tell her to slow down so I could keep up.  

 I think it has many stuff to play on or stuff to eat.  There’s a lot of teachers and kids.  There is blocks and painting and books time and you got to listen to the teachers and they're sometimes nice.  It’s like everything is going really really good and all of the kids are having lots of fun.  Cuz all of the kids are reprisited (I think she means represented, but I didn't want to stop her to ask.) and I’m just like wow.  It’s just super cool, it’s a super cool book I don’t know what to do with it.  I’m really really happy.  

I liked this part where the kids were going to preschool with everybody their parents and grandparents together and the kids go really good and the moms and dads are really happy.  They might get a sad at everything and all of the teachers are going to be sad because the kids are dreaming of seeing their parents.  I don’t know what they’re doing.  Then it’s bedtime and lunchtime and everytime.  They even have name badges and take off their backpacks and put them on a hook safety place, I’m just going like wow.  At preschool you’re gonna have to get ready for school, it’s like school right?

It gots a lot of stuff, I don’t know if the stuff are gonna happen.  You can create anything or play puppet stuff, you can make stuff out of real or pretend.  You can dress up like princesses, or princess dragons, or dragon police officers (these are actual examples from the text).  I’m going really wow on every single page.  The teacher has to read story time and you have to do ABCs and when the teacher says it’s circle time you got to circle up in every single place.  And  everything is really cool.  I’m so excited for this book.  I falled in love with it.  And there’s fall winter spring another spring.  I’m thinking the children are going like wow.  They’re getting happy and doing everything.  (She actually licked her fingers to turn the page).  

They’re sharing cupcakes and making funny faces.  And there's lunch time and when you have to sneeze cover your nose with a tissue and if you need to wash your hands then just wash wash wash.  I’m just so excited for my own class.  And all of the kids get to go to the fire station with the teachers and the kids have to be quiet they have giant backpacks and a hat and a hose and a loud siren and it’s only for rescuing.  It always gets so fun.  The children are thinking what the mom and dad and pets are doing and they want to see it but when it’s time to go they can see their mom and dad and pets again and they will be so so happy.  It’s going wow wow wow (here I paused typing to marvel at her excitement and Judy noticed).  You’re supposed to keep up remember.  And they’re already going to sleep dreaming about stuff.  Good stuff, can’t dream about bad stuff cuz it’s a nightmare.  Even they can see the baby sheep and they’re super soft and that is great.  And now they’re really playing with the teachers and making stuff with scissors and glue and paper sticks.  It’s really really fun.  I’m really really happy abour this book.  This book is amazing I tell you.  The kids are having so much fun.  It’s just so fun that they are really good at class.  When they spill something they clean it up and they get stuff where it belongs.  Now they're going home and they’re having more and more fun.  They had enough fun today, they need to rest.  The grown ups are happy again.  You got to go home when class is over and it’s really pretty cool.  I’m so proud of this book.  That’s it. 

Judy was so excited to be talking about a book again.  She really seemed to eat up the fact that I was typing her every word down, and she was flicking her hair back and forth.  I may have to do a video post of a review in the future.  

Judy's Book Reviews: Monster Hunter

My daughter is participating in the local library's summer reading program, Dig Into Reading.  Although she is not quite "reading" yet, I read books to her and then we talk about them.  The reading program requires that the participants log their books online and gives the option for a review.  I decided to take our conversations and turn them into reviews for her.  

I had to prod her a bit with standard review-style questions, but all responses are hers.  Of course, I'm the typist, but I try to stay close to her sentence style and word choices.  

Below is her review of Monster Hunter by Justin LaRocca Hansen.  

"I thought it had one monster but it had more than just one. It just needed a bit more things but there was just more monsters than that. I didn't know it had that much monsters. My favorite part was when the boy was fighting the crazy fish monster and the fish had purple lips that were so crunchy and giant eyes. He flushed the monster in the deep darkness. This book wasn't that scary. It got a little scary. The slime was kind of scary. I didn't know there was a monster that had slime. I think my cousin Rachel would like this book."

Resolution Check Up

So.  My sister gave me shit today about not writing more on my blog.  She is right.  I've been slacking.  What better time than the end of January to check in about my resolutions from my yearly post.

1.  Write on this blog more.

DONE!  I'm writing on this blog again.  That is more than I did last year.  I WIN AT RESOLUTIONS!!!!!

2.  Submit two stories to contests this year.

HALFWAY THERE!!! I submitted a story to a literary magazine that offers opportunities for publishing every other month.  I also created a list of contests that I want to submit to throughout the year with deadlines, costs of submission, and whether or not I submitted.  I'm so organized.

3.  Re-attempt Roller Derby

Well...I did watch the Roller Derby Workout DVD that I got for Christmas.  So...success?  JK--I'm gonna start it tomorrow (or today, actually, if you check the time stamp).

4.  Prepare Emergency Kits

I made shopping lists of items for th 72-hour kits as well as the car kit.  I bought a bin to store the car kit in the van.  I've started purchasing some items for the 72-hour kits.  I NEED BACKPACKS!

So.  I'm doing pretty well at this.  I'm making progress on 4 moderate goals.  YAY ME!  Also; SCREW OFF SISTER WITH YOUR JUDGMENTAL WAGGING FINGER IN MY BRAIN TELLING ME WHAT TO DO.  Or rather, thank you for reminding me to do what I want to do.  Also, I love you.  Also, I'm the favorite.

I've also been planning an amazing baby shower for one amazing lady.  Maybe I'll write about that in a few weeks.  MAYBE.

Resolutionary. Again.

Well. I didn't intend for this blog to turn into a once yearly thing. That's not good. New Year's Resolutions

 1. Write on this blog more (obviously).

2. Submit two stories to contests this year.

 3. Re-attempt Roller Derby.

4. Organize finances.

5. Prepare emergency kits for home, car, and kids.

Last year I had many of the same resolutions, as evidenced by the post just a bit down. Let's see how I did on those.

 1. Be more aggressive on the job hunt. I didn't find anything in this community that would work with having two young kids. I didn't want to get a job just to pay for day care, so it made the most sense to continue to stay home. It has been rewarding.

 2. Address my mental health. I went to the doctor the first week in January, and in addition to fixing my face fungus (which was not fungus, just new acne, easily treated with antibiotics), she put me on anti-depressants. I have been feeling much better this year than in previous years.

3. Add a true schedule to the days at home. Well, sorta. We got out of bed before 9 most mornings, and found a reason to leave the house most afternoons. It doesn't sound like much, but it was an improvement from sitting in pjs until 5 pm.

4. Incorporate more physical activity in my day. Well, for a few months, I was doing really well with this. I was using the Nike Training Center App on my phone, and I really liked it. Then I stopped for no real reason. Back to it.

5. Follow my passion. I have been writing more. I worked on the NaNoWriMo novel I started in 2011, and I attempted it again this year, getting even further than ever before. I've also worked on several short stories, but did not finish any. I'd say this was a minor success.

6. Be more positive. I feel like I've been successful at this. I've taken a lot of time to enjoy my daughters and my family. It feels good. But that doesn't mean I've lost my edge.

 So. Last year was not too bad for me, resolution-wise. Especially with my loose definition of success. See you soon. That's a promise! Share your resolutions if you wish.