Books: Sledding

February 8, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” book, we read Sledding by Elizabeth Winthrop, illustrations by Sarah Wilson. Very cute!

Books: I can Read with My Eyes Shut!

February 7, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” book, we read I can Read with My Eyes Shut! by Dr. Seuss. My son read it to us. We love Dr. Seuss in this house.

Books: Goldilicious

February 6, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

Another Read a Million Minutes read was Goldilicious by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann. It was one of the books I got at Bookadee for the SHE WRITES call to action. The kids loved this one.

Books: Rose’s Garden

February 5, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” book, we read Rose’s Garden by Peter H. Reynolds. The kids liked the use of color and how there was no color until the children started bringing flowers. It’s a nice story and a beautifully illustrated book.

Books: Snowmen at Night

February 4, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” book, we read Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner, illustrated by Mark Buehner, recommended by some friends on Facebook. Lots of fun.

Books: Andy and the Lion

February 3, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” installment, we read Andy and the Lion by James Daugherty. (Thanks, Magpie Musing!)

Movie: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

February 2, 2010 | Books,Movies,Stieg Larsson

I got Män som hatar kvinnor from Norway for Christmas. It’s a movie based on Stieg Larsson‘s book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Wow. It was in Swedish. I watched it with Norwegian subtitles. It stuck really close to the book, so that helped. But, wow. Great movie.

Books: Beth’s Job

February 1, 2010 | Books,Family,Iowa,School

For our next “Read a Million Minutes” installment, we read Beth’s Job by Carole Roberts and illustrated by Michael Garland. No magpies in this one, but I still say thanks for the inspiration to Magpie Musing.

Books: An Ocean in Iowa

January 24, 2010 | Books,Iowa

I just finished reading An Ocean in Iowa: A Novel by Peter Hedges, an Iowa author. (He also wrote What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.) It’s about a year in the life of 7-year-old Scotty Ocean. As I read the last word in the book, I just wanted to gather Scotty in my arms and give him a big hug. I can’t do that, so I’ll go hug my own 7-year-old boy.

Children’s books about deployment

January 23, 2010 | Books,Military

This is for Connie Schultz. She recently wrote about hearing a customer in a bookstore ask about books for children whose parents get deployed. The customer was turned away with none to be found. This is also for that bookstore, that customer and anyone else who might be looking for similar books.

• An American Flag for their Father by Annmarie Hickey Georgopolis
• Daddy’s in Iraq, but I want him back by Carmen R. Hoyt
• Daddy is a Soldier by Kirsten Hallowell
• Daddy, You’re My Hero! by Michelle Ferguson-Cohen
• Deployment Journal for Kids by Rachel Robertson
• H is for Honor: A Millitary Family Alphabet by Devin Scillian
• I Miss You! A Military Kid’s Book about Deployment by Beth Andrews
• Life after Deployment: Military Families share Reunion Stories and Advice collected by Karen M. Pavlicin
• Love, Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom by Lisa Tucker McElroy
• My Dad’s Deployment: A deployment and reunion activity book for young children by Julie LaBelle
• My Dad’s a Hero by Rebecca Christiansen and Jewel Armstrong
• My Dad’s in Iraq: Can Anyone Hear Me? by Lennette Moore
• My First Deployment by Lisa Stillion
• My Hero: Military Kids Write about Their Moms and Dads collected by Allen Appel and Mike Rothmiller
• My Mommy Wears Combat Boots by Sharon McBride
• Ned and the General: A Lesson about Deployment by Ron Madison
• Night Catch by Brenda Ehrmantraut
• Off to War: Voices of Soldiers’ Children by Deborah Ellis
• A Paper Hug by Stephanie Skolmoski
• Soldier Mom by Alice Mead
• The Soldier’s Tree by Stephanie L. Pickup
• The Soldiers’ Night before Christmas by Christine Ford and Trish Holland
• Uncle Sam’s Kids: When Duty Calls by Angela Sportelli Rehak
• A Very Long Time by Geri Timperley and Nikki Arro
• War is … Soldiers, Survivors and Storytellers Talk about War collected by Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell
• When Dad’s at Sea by Mindy L. Pelton
• While You are away by Eileen Spinelli
• A Year without Dad by Jodi Brunson
• A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy by Anissa Mersiowsky

Some great sources

• Channing Bete Company
• Deployment Kids
• Military.com Field Problem: Books for Military Children
• Mission Homefront
• Operation We Are Here
• We Serve Too!