nomadreader

Likely to Die is the second Alexandra Cooper book. The story picks up six months after the first book, Final Jeopardy . All of the familiar cast of characters return. The main case in this novel is the murder of a prominent neurosurgeon, Gemma Dogen at a major New York City hospital. As always, Alexandra is busy with many cases at the same time; it's the reality of an ADA. It's wonderful and refreshing to see these characters grow across each book. I first read Likely to Die six years ago, and although I remembered some things about this case, I was once again surprised by the mystery. It's turning out to be a blessing I read these novels in a only a few days. Over the years, I forget what happens, and I can relive these adventures over and over again. As always, I recommend starting with the first book in the series, Final Jeopardy , and reading them in order. I'm still eagerly awaiting Tuesday for the release of Lethal Legacy ! Rating: 3 stars (out of four) - love...

This is an actual email I received from school today: Dear Students, Faculty and Staff- The University at ***** is canceling all classes as of 10:30 a.m. for Wednesday, January 28, 2009, due to inclement weather. The snow emergency phone system, 555-SNOW, is currently out-of-service. Tomorrow, this email will make me laugh. Today, I called the snow hotline every five minutes, as each professor instructs you to do on bad weather days.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain is a dense and fascinating graphic memoir. Peter Sis recounts his childhood in Prague, Czechoslovakia in the 1960's through elaborate illustrations and carefully chosen words. There are two two-page spreads that include excerpts from his boyhood diary. Although it is a memoir, Sis tells a more universal story of life in Prague and the Eastern bloc during this time as well. It's a fascinating and riveting look into the historical period. This book is dense with historical information, and Sis deftly uses pictures to tell the story of his boyhood. The illustrations in this book use color in a highly emotive way to enhance the story. Because the book is so honest, the depictions of this complex time may not be understandable to very young children. Rating: 4 stars (out of 4) - life- changingly good Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Support Your Local Library

The Pout-Pout Fish takes place in an underwater world of diverse, bright colorful fish and sea creatures. The pout-pout fish is convinced his face forms a permanent pout, and there is nothing he can do to change it. His underwater friends take turns trying to change his mind and get him to turn the frown upside down. None of the pout-pout fish's friends have any luck cheering him up, but when a new, beautiful silver fish comes to visit, she plants a kiss on the pout-pout fish's lips, and he suddenly realizes he's a kiss-kiss fish with cheer to spread. The illustrations in this book are colorful and interesting. This story of friendship and G-rated love is ideal for story time because there is so much repetition of the poetic lines. Rating: 2 stars (out of 4) - liked it Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Support Your Local Library

Click, Clack, Moo tells the story of negotiations between farm animals and Farmer Brown. First, the cows demand electric blankets to keep them warm at night. When Farmer Brown refuses, the cows go on strike and stop producing milk. The hens are cold at night too, and they also demand electric blankets. When Farmer Brown refuses, they too go on strike and stop producing eggs. Finally, the cows and hens work together and agree to trade their typewriter for electric blankets. This adorable tale of farm life imagines a world where animals talk an d type. It's adorable and funny. Rating: 3 stars (out of 4) - loved it Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Support Your Local Library

Knuffle Bunny Too is a sequel to 2004's delightful Knuffle Bunny . Trixie is now in pre -kindergarten, and she talks a lot. For show and tell, Trixie brings her beloved Knuffle Bunny to school, but she soon discovers Sonja also brought a knuffle bunny. Again, Mo Willems infuses the book with funny moments, but the story is still simple and touching. This books is more advanced than Knuffle Bunny , but the pictures are still incredibly captivating. I would gladly hang the two-page spread of Washington Square Park on my living room wall; it truly is a work of art. Rating: 4 stars (out of 4) - life- changingly good (or the book everyone I know who has children will be receiving for the next holiday) Reading Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Support Your Local Library

Knuffle Bunny is the story of Trixie, a child too young to talk yet. Trixie and her father go to the laundromat in their Brooklyn neighborhood one day, and Trixie accidentally washes her treasured stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny. The story is simple, but it's both funny and sweet. As good as the story is, the illustrations are better. Mo Willems draws the colorful characters atop black and white photographs of Brooklyn. The pictures are utterly captivating and Willems infuses Trixie's gibberish with unique phrases children will delight in repeating. Rating: 3.5 stars (out of 4) - really loved it Challenges: 100+ Reading Challenge, Support Local Library