Some southern photography by a fellow Texan and friend. Check it out.
Taking pictures of teens, particularly young teens, can be awkward. This is because it is an awkward time for them. They aren’t fully child nor adult. Mutants, they are somewhere in between. As such, as a photographer, I am always trying to find the right balance. You don’t want to treat them completely like children and neglect the fact that they are changing, but you don’t want to overemphasize what they are going to become either, and forget that they still want to giggle twenty four hours a day. Sometimes you see both. Even in these few photos can you see the change. Some are youthful and fun, and in others you can’t help but see the future for these two girls. It may be awkward, just like them, but in the end, it is also pretty cool.
I have a passion for the Classics. Classic movies. Classic Cars. Classic Rock. Pretty much anything old school totally rocks my boat. So of course I am a fan of Classic books. I think more readers should be too. But time and again I run into The Three Classic Excuses. Too much work. Too boring. Too long. Baloney. Not all Classics fit these stereotypes. I try to dispel these myths through my posts here on Quirky Girls Read on a regular basis. Many kind visitors leave comments stating that they will add a Classic to their To Be Read pile. But you and I both know all that means is that it will be used to prop up the pile rather than being picked up and actually read any time soon. So out of desperation I am resorting to bribery to show readers that Classics can be…
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The Swamps of Sleethe
I’ve just recently started beefing up my poetry section in my personal library. I looked out over my shelves and realized I had many biographies but not the works that made the people famous in the first place. On hunting down essential poets and their work, I started stumbling across more children’s poetry that I’d like to have for Ayla. Punctuation Celebration was one of the first, many children’s picture books are poetic in nature and I’ve been trying to make sure we have the cleverest and the best here at home, at our fingertips. Among these searches after Story Time at Half Price Books, I came across The Swamps of Sleethe
Prelutsky is the first Children’s Poet Laureate and also a Star Trek fan, which is obvious in this wonderfully fantastical adventure through space (or his version of it) via rhymes and anagrams. Visit fictional planets like Ogdofod and risk becoming dogfood. Breathe even one breath of air in the World of Thade and you’ll be poisoned to death. The poems are exciting, a little bit scary, but wonderful for your kiddos at home who find poetry and space adventure enticing.
The Cold of Drifig Prime, illustration by Jimmy Pickering
On top of the fabulous work of this brilliant wordsmith are the illustrations of Jimmy Pickering
Needless to say, I bought my copy at Half Price Books, and I’m a huge fan with absolutely no buyer’s remorse. Every parent needs a copy for their kiddo.
Weekly Low Down on Kids Books – Memorial Day Weekend
We’ve been in a bit of a funk here at the Klemm household this weekend. According to the online dictionary: Funk = A state of depression: “I sat absorbed in my own blue funk”. But I’d never say ‘blue funk’ because I’m more of a Holly Golightly girl – when I’m really depressed, it’s the mean reds. I didn’t have the mean reds, just a funk, which means I sat around watching awful television that I justified by what my baby might get out of it. Dance Academy = lame teen show that I’m hopelessly addicted to. What my baby might get out of it = an Australian accent and the desire to join a ballet class?
I didn’t read anything all weekend. This is an appropriate end of the month weekend to a month when I skipped out on all my Agatha Christie’s. Les Miserables may be one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read, but it definitely has put me in a funk. I started reading Chalice by Robin McKinley and I couldn’t be drawn out of it. I started reading Native Son by Richard Wright, still could be drawn out. I sat down with Ayla last night before bed (while my husband and his best friend repaired the air conditioning that had been out all day – reminder: I live in Houston, TX and its the end of May) and guess what finally drew me out of my funk? Ant and Grasshopper by Luli Gray.
Ant and Grasshopper is a sweet tale about an unexpected friendship between two very different bugs. I like bugs – illustrated bugs like the ones Guiliano Ferri portrays. Real bugs are interesting, but I don’t want them lurking about my house, so yes, despite my romantic take on all things living, I kill bugs (and eat cows and pigs). If a bug is exceptionally fascinating and harmless I might carry it out to the yard and give it a stern scolding about never coming back. But its citronella window washings once a month, my wonderfully diligent pest control guy, and egg shells and lady bugs in my kitchen garden for me. Little pests are not welcome – in real life. In books, I invite them often.
Ferri’s illustrations are wonderful, I love Grasshopper’s little hat and Ant’s old-fashioned glasses. The story is a good one, a nice little life lesson to be kind to all. My only issue with the book is when things have been deliberately mis-spelled. Delicious is Dee-lishus. Most likely for little eyes reading the words for the first time and to exaggerate Ant’s phrases, but I still don’t like it. I would prefer Ayla to struggle with the word and be taught through guidance the proper spelling and pronunciation than get used to seeing it spelled wrong. I went through my second grade year with a teacher who taught “inventive spelling,” where we only had to spell words how we thought they sounded rather than looking them up and discovering their true spelling. I found this activity detrimental to my education, and contradictory considering how rigorous our spelling tests were. (I distinctly remember being allowed to spell laugh as “laf” but had to memorize the word meteorologist for a weather themed spelling test the same year.)
Ant and Grasshopper
Another one we enjoyed is called Spells
Archie Every Friday!
Last time Archie played at Half Price Books he totally rocked the house. It was awesome. He was awesome. The customers were tapping their toes, buying vinyl, nodding their heads at the register, and clapping between book browsing. People came up to me and asked me if he’d be here every week. At the time, I had to say no, but now I’m proud to announce that from here on out – yes, Archie will be playing at Half Price Books in Humble every Friday night from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Come one, come all, every week!
Quasi Crisis in Christie Crime Quest and Caterpillarism
Agatha Christie behind what looks like MY TBR pile.
I had a goal to read the entire Agatha Christie Crime Collection in 23 months. I’m making it an even 24 now, because, well, I haven’t read any of her work this month. I kind of lost my mojo, my steam, the wind in my Christie sails has gone still and stagnant. I just got so wrapped up in Napoleon and Victor Hugo and a pile of other things that caught my attention this month. My desire to complete the collection is not gone. I cannot even say that I’m not in the mood to read her books as I’m in the middle of Murder in 3 Acts right now. I just didn’t finish off my allotted 3 Christie’s for the month. Its good to take a wee break every now and then though, it will make next month that much sweeter.
In addition to being distracted by Napoleon and getting very wrapped up in my Les Miserables readalong with Kate’s Library, I am now the day time nanny to 3 month old Felicity. As of day two, I can say that having this second little person with me during the day has definitely changed the reading dynamic in the house. My own toddler is half jealous of my averted attention and half in love with the idea of having a live baby doll to hold from time to time. Needless to say, reading Christie aloud to them both makes things a bit interesting as I pretty much inevitably run out of hands. Would not mind being a caterpillar-like creature right now, so I can hold books, baby, toddler, make bottles, pet dogs, and still sweep my hair out of my face at the same time. Caterpillar comes to mind with its many arms, as well as the fact that growing up I distinctly remember a summer reading program growing up whose ‘bookworm’ logo was no worm at all, but a caterpillar. I, of course, being the precocious child that I was, informed all the adults in the room and was then hushed.
So now, I take a minute to update you on the reason for the lack of updates while Ayla buckles her baby doll (the fake baby doll, not the live human baby doll) into the car seat and plays mama, and Felicity kicks her little tiny feet around in the bouncer. The feet blow my mind, even though Ayla was this small not too long ago, her feet never were. My child has very long feet, this child has very teensy tiny preemie feet.
Kathryn Hallberg at Half Price Books Humble
Thursday night! May 24th, 2012 7:00- 9:00 pm at the Half Price Books in Humble.
Genre: Acoustic / Americana / Pop
from SPRING, Texas, US
Website www.cdbaby.com/cd/kathrynhallberg
Record Label River Bend
Type of Label Indie
Anakalian Whims 