I try to read all of the Newbery Award winning novels. Alas, I am so far behind. So many books and so little time.

Before I get to the Newbery Honor book that I want to mention, I want to tell you a bit about Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale. I think this book is fabulous. It is exceptionally well-written. There are many well-turned phrases that please my literary soul.

There is suspense. There is action. There is romance. And it’s all deftly woven into a glittering tapestry of a tale.

This story is based on a forgotten fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It is re-set in central Asia (think Mongolia) and is about a maid and her lady that are shut in a tower for 7 years because the lady refused to marry a man. This man happens to be despicable but nonetheless, her father shuts her up.

The maid struggles to keep them fed and comfortable. Things become bleak. Then, a terrible battle takes place and all hope of rescue is gone. So, the maid finds a way to free themselves from the tower.  They travel to the maid’s home country only to have the maid find herself in a hopeless situation. The plot goes from one hopeless situation after another. There doesn’t seem to be any way out. But the author is so clever and the plot is so well written that everything ends well. (I hope this doesn’t spoil it for anyone!)

To me, the mark of a great young adult novel is that adults like reading the book, too. The only difference from a good adult novel and a good young adult novel should be vocabulary. A young adult book should have a lower vocabulary level than an adult novel but otherwise be just the same — good writing, good plot, good characterization. And this book definitely has it all.

I recommend that grandmothers read this book themselves and also consider giving it as a birthday present or Christmas present or a present to celebrate the 17th of April (or for any other random reason to give a good book to a granddaughter)!

Oh, by the way, this is not a paid endorsement. Sheesh, the author (nor her publisher, book marketer, or best friend from the 6th grade) doesn’t even know I exist. I can’t imagine why . . .

Now on to the Newbery Honor book.

Princess Academy, also by Shannon Hale, won the Newbery Honor book award in 2006. Did you catch that date?  That was only 6 years ago. Like I said, so many books and so little time. (If anybody has a job where I could get paid to sit around and read, I’d love to apply . . .)

The plot of this story is that all of the girls (of a certain age) in a small village on Mount Eskel are commanded by the king to attend a princess academy. At the end of one year, the prince will visit them and select his future bride from those at the academy.

The academy mistress is harsh. The competition between the girls is stiff. And then bandits come to capture the future princess. All of the girls are held hostage. One wrong step and their lives could be snuffed out. How in the world will they survive?

This, too, is a well-written book. (However, Book of a Thousand Days is my favorite of the two.) Hales has such skill and prowess as a writer. I am very impressed with her books.

Now I must make a confession. I do not like reading fantasy books. I have never cared for them. I remember trying to read one in days of yore (a.k.a. in my youth) and just couldn’t get into it. I believe that is the only book that I ever started and never finished.

Oh, wait. I tried reading Ivanhoe when I was about 11 years old and didn’t finish that. But in my defense, it was a tad above my reading level at that time . . .

I think that granddaughters would also enjoy reading Princess Academy. Maybe you could get both of these books for your granddaughters.

Methinks I should read Shannon Hales’ The Goose Girl next.  (Shannon’s books just might change my mind about reading fantasy!)

A good children’s book is one that appeals to children AND adults.

Our youngest son loved the book Are You My Mother by P.D. Eastman. I read it over and over and over to him.

I grew to detest that book.

Recently, I gave it to him. I told him that was inheritance. Good riddance (to the book — not my son).

I recently came across a delightful, delightful book for children ages 4-8 — Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie by Laurie A. Jacobs.  When Grandma Tillie babysits Sophie and Chloe, she takes her knitting, disappears into a closet, and is replaced by a whole cadre of silly and outrageously fun people.

With a grand entrance, Tillie Vanilly (with a bouffant pink hair) recites the alphabet backwards, hangs a spoon on her nose, juggles and tells jokes. Then, she leads Sophie and Chloe all around the house and into the kitchen while doing the conga.

Let’s pause here to see what the conga dance is like . . . (I would like one of these outfits.  To wear to work, maybe?)  The video lasts 4 minutes.  You don’t have to watch it all to get the idea of how to dance the conga.

Chef Silly Tillie wants to feed the girls worm chili with glue gravy. They decline. At bath time, Madam Frilly Tillie makes the girls gorgeous by giving Sophie a bubble beard and Chloe a tower of bubbles on her head.

Regular Grandma Tillie tucks the girls into bed and as Sophie drifts off to sleep she believes she hears Grandma Tillie dancing down the hall.

This is a great book. I love the illustrations. They are very appealing. I love the plot — it’s fresh and fun. I would be willing to read this book over and over to my grandchildren. It would even spark a let’s-dance-the-conga activity with the grandkiddos. This book is definitely a keeper.

GIVEAWAY!  GIVEAWAY! GIVEAWAY!

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a giveaway. Too long. So I’m changing that. Right now. Right this very minute.

If you would like to win a copy of Silly Frilly Grandma Tillie, post a comment and tell about a “Grandma Tillie” type of experience that you have had with your own grandmother or an experience that you have had as a “Grandma Tillie” to your grandchildren. (I can’t wait to hear your experiences!!)

The giveaway will go until Thursday February 9 at midnight. (By the way, the 9th is our daughter’s birthday.  Happy Birthday, Christi!)

I will announce the winner on Friday.

Good luck!

Do you have a grandchild that is eight or older? Looking for a fun Christmas present to give?  If so, you might want to consider giving the book Fashion Kitty and the B.O.Y.S. (Ball of Yellow String).

Imagine a family of cats that has a mouse as a pet. Imagine a daughter kitty that tries on outfit after outfit as she gets ready for school.  Fashion is critical to her.  Imagine that a shelf fell and this daughter kitty gets bonked on the head by some fashion books.  Imagine that the bonking turned her into a super hero — Fashion Kitty.

Now, imagine twin boy kitties where one is good and the other one is not so good.  (The good twin hates it that people can’t tell him apart from his bad twin.) Imagine that  the bad twin forms a club and is making plans to capture the super hero.

Gasp!

Imagine a t-shirt designing contest, marshmallows, the Eiffel Tower, yellow string, and Super Sticky Spray.  They are all part of the evil plot to capture Fashion Kitty.  Who will come to her rescue? Who can save the t-shirts from being stolen?

Guess you’ll have to read the book to find out.

Fashion Kitty and the B.O.Y.S. has a fun plot that appeals to elementary school readers.  It has suspense.  It has drama.  It has a moral about what it takes to be a good friend and that good triumphs over bad.

It also has sketches with funny side comments that add humor to the plot. At the end of the book, there are craft ideas and simple recipes for kids to make.

If you are looking for a fun book to give as a Christmas present to a grandchild, this book is a good choice.

Now, that being said, I did a little reading up about the book.  This is the fourth Super Kitty Book.  Apparently, the first three were more like a comic book.  This book has more text and less ‘comic book’ drawings. If your grandchild is familiar with the first three Super Kitty books, this book could be slightly disappointing.  (Transitioning from less pictures to more text is such a hard thing for young children!)

But it’s still a cute book.  Put it on your list to get for grandchildren who have been nice (and not naughty). They will definitely enjoy reading it.

Disclaimer: A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher/author. This did not impact my opinion of the book.

I’ve got an attitude.  Yesiree, Bob.  (Only one? my husband retorts. )

It’s an I-can-do-it attitude.  It probably started around the terrible twos, that age when kids want to do things for themselves.  That can-do attitude stuck to me through the years like a cocklebur clings to a sock.

That’s probably why I enjoyed The Summer of Hammers and Angels by Shannon Wiersbitzky.

Delia, the main character, has that can-do attitude.  She has spunk.  She has initiative.  She has drive.  What a delightful character.

Delia lives with her mother in a ramshackle home.  An inspector visits their home and threatens to condemn it unless repairs are made — and there’s a long list of them.  Before they could do anything, a bolt of lightening strikes the home injuring Delia’s mother who is rushed to the hospital in a coma.  As Delia’s mother lays in the hospital, Delia feels time ticking by.  They have only 19 days before the inspector returns.  Delia’s can-do attitude kicks in and she tackles the repairs with the help of her best friend, Mae — and with Tommy’s help, someone who Delia considers scum between her toes.

This book is for middle readers.  If you have grandchildren in this age bracket, I recommend this as a good summer read for them — the characters are beliveable and the what-is-she-going-to-do-now plot sucks readers in.  You keep reading because you want to know how in the world Delia is going to make all of those repairs — especially fixing the blackened hole in the roof left by the lightening.

The author sprinkels expressive phrases throughout the book.  Novel and fresh phrases that enchanted my reading.  Phrases like ‘hot and humid enough to make a toothpick wilt’ and ‘honeysuckle smells warm, like fresh buttered buiscuts’ and sunflowers that ‘started scarlet in the center and then faded to butter.’  (I wish my writing was like hers and not the drab oatmeal brown crud that plops out of my fingers onto the page.)

So, grab your middle-grade grandchildren.  Snuggle together on your comfy couch and read the book outloud to them.  This memory-making activity would last a long time for your grandchildren.

Two thumbs up on this book, Shannon!  Can’t wait to read your next one!

(I went to a conference in Philadelphia the end of June.  A few days before the conference, my husband and I visited several places in Pennsylvania — Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Hershey, Lancaster.  Come to find out, Shannon lives in that area.  Had I known that, I would have dropped by to say hello.  It’s always fun to meet authors in person. Maybe next time . . .)