Curious George Saves the Day

I loved Curious George as a child. Decades ago,  before I was old enough to read , I remember frequently going to the children’s section of our public library and heading straight for the shelf with Curious George on it, tucking it under my arm. and taking the book home (Of course, I would always check it out first.). Curious George was a treasure to me then and still is today.

As part of her review of the top 100 picture books, Betsy Bird spotlighted Curious George today and shared a little known, yet amazing story of how an early sketch of Curious George saved the life of the book's creators, H.A. Rey and Margaret Rey when Nazi Germany invaded Paris..

What are some of your favorite picture books from childhood? What are some of your children's favorite picture books?

Review: Icefall

After seeing Icefall by Matthew J. Kirby garner so much national attention, I decided to read it the other week. Although, set in Viking times, it’s not your typical Viking warrior and berserker middle-grade fantasy. Yes, it does have Viking warriors and berserkers, but they’re really just supporting characters. This fantasy/historical fiction is a character driven story about a young girl who is deemed unimportant in the eyes of her father, a Viking king. Icefall takes us on her journey to prove her worth to herself and those she loves. Deeply colored with a backdrop of Nordic tradition and mythology, Icefall is a tale of mystery, friendship, and treachery that pulls the reader in with a cast of rich characters and great storytelling.

Happy Late Cinco De Mayo

The other day we celebrated Cinco De Mayo with our children, nephews and nieces. We had enchiladas and taco salad, which I'm sure is very authentic Mexican food. But the big hit was the owl pinata full of candy. All the kids got a few a whacks at the owl until it burst open, freeing its candy for all those hungry little (and big) mouths.

My wife and I have celebrated Cinco De Mayo for many years, not that we have any ties to Mexico, but because it seemed like a fun celebration. It makes me wonder how many others celebrate occasions like this just for the fun of it.   Anyway, happy late Cinco De Mayo!