Every Thing on It by Shel Silverstein

Shel Silverstein is my favorite author. I love all of his poems. My favorite one is NO! from Falling Up, so when I heard that Every Thing on It was coming out. I freaked out! When I saw it come into work, I was even more happy! It's currently on my counter. I've read it, and it's just as amazing. My favorite one so far is How Hungry is Polly?

"I'm so hungry I could eat a horse,"
Said Polly in the park.
Ol' Dobbin, grazin' nearby,
Overheard her rude remark.
He shook his mane and pawed the ground,
He raised his noble head,
He snorted and looked down at her,
And this is what he said:
"I've been ridden, I've been driven,
I've been raced around a track,
I've been photographed with little
Whiny kiddies on my back.
I've pulled wagons through the winter,
I've pulled sleighs and I've pulled sleds,
I've pulled plows in sticky summers
With flies buzzin' 'round my head.
I've been whipped and I've been beaten,
I've been called a such-and-such---
But to think of being eaten,
Well, that is really too much!
And when I get insulted,
My appetite runs wild,
And now I feel so hungry,
I could eat a child."

As a person who works with horses, I loved this. I shared this with my barn director. I also, love the one Every Thing On It, the poem that the book is named after!

I asked for a hot dog
With everything on it,
'Cause it came with a parrot,

A bee in a bonnet,
A wristwatch, a wrench, and a rake.
A flag, and a fiddle,
A frog, and a front porch swing,
And a mouse in a mask----
That's the last time I ask
For a hot dog with everything.
The first poem in the book is Years From Now, as I read this I thought of Shel, dead for 12 years. Read this poem, and tell me what you think.
Although I cannot see your face
As you flip these poems awhile,
Somewhere from some far-off place
I hear you laughing---and I smile.

The last poem is called When I am Gone. It is just as amazing as the first poem.

When I am gone what will you do?
Who will write and draw for you?
Someone smarter---someone new?
Someone better----maybe YOU!

This is a wonderful book to add to your person library, or your public library stacks. Every Thing On It, is worth it, and you will bring smiles to your family, or your patrons, for many years to come!

Cae

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar, author of Holes, is about Alton, a teenage boy, who is forced to play bridge with his blind, dying, uncle in attempt to get Uncle Trapp Lester, to add his family into his will so all of Alton's family's money problems would disappear. Alton slowly starts to fall in love with the game of bridge while being Trapp's cardturner. Alton starts playing at home attempting to understand the game and become a better bridge player. When Trapp dies Alton doesn't let the game go, and neither does Trapp. Trapp and his first bridge play, Annabell channel there bridge experience through the children. Trapp talks to Alton, while Annabell talks to her granddaughter Toni. The Cardturner is wonderfully written and not only follow's Alton's life and how he's feeling, but also adds in a little bridge. This is a must read book for all genders, and I highly recommend it!

Cae

Put Your Heart Into It!

I was talking to my boss S, the other day at the library's annual Fall Book & Bake Sale. We were in the library doing library stuff, she was mainly adding magazines and book on cds into the collection and I was just keeping her company, and we got onto the subject of the library. The one thing I never realized was how much, or little, S got when she became the director. She got a little collection and a huge task to make this library as big as it is today. If you walked into my library today, you wouldn't know that the YA section was non-exsistant at one point, that we lost our whole collection when the library burned to the ground several years ago, that the children's section was S's little project, that this little library is fighting for it's life. I believe that if you love something with all your heart and you want it to succeed then you have to show it, you need to be there for this cause or building, you need to be there to support it, and you need to put your heart into it. When I walk into my library, I see how much of S's heart that she put into the library, and let me tell you. It's a lot! Noticing how much of S's heart went into this library and is still going into this library, shows me how I want to be when I'm a library direction.

Now, I've always thought of the what if's in my life, what if I didn't go to the library that day, what if I was never a good reader, but just recently have I asked myself a new what if.

What if S wasn't the director of my library?

Cae ♥

Book Review "Before I Fall"

Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver is a young adult book, which follows Samantha Kingston being a senior in a Connecticut high school. Sam and her posse enjoy Cupid Day, and later go to a part at Kent's place. No one knows what will happen on that car ride back. The car in which Sam and her friends are in hits something or someone, and Sam dies, but the next day Sam is reliving Cupid Day, you follow Sam for a whole week of reliving the day in which she dies, she tries to figure out why she is stuck on Cupid Day, and does just about everything. It takes her seven days to make everything right, and when she does, she isn't afraid of dying (for the third time at least).

This novel is Oliver's first but is well written and when you start it, you won't want to put it down! I would highly recommend this book to any teenager or young adult. Oliver does a great job playing Sam, you almost feel as if you are one of Sam's friends and know and feel what is going on in the book. I hope that this book is just mark the beginning of Oliver's books and I hope to see another one just as good as this one within the upcoming years!

Lots of Love,
Cae

Eat, Pray, Love

Did you read the book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert?



My mom did and she loved it, well I learned that it will be coming out in theaters August 13, 2010! I now have a new book to read, and I can't wait for the movie!

Update!

Okay, so I got a blog visit from the Fairy-Book Mother, with some hints on my story and asked me to keep you all updated. So first all Fairy-Book Mother, I loved the editing you did with the section I posted, it made me laugh.

Well I've finished my book, and I've begun the editing process. My goal is to get the first 50 pages (the first section) completely edited and ready to send into a Publishers by June, and hopefully I'll have sent out my first manuscript to a publisher at the latest by July! The process has been going slowly, since their isn't much time in a day anymore, but mom and I try to make some time. . . I might even print off some of the first section and slip it into my purse, so when I'm at work and waiting for mom, or it's a dead time at work I would have something to do. I also want to state that my grammar and sentence structure is horrible, thus how mom is helping me with the whole editing process of my manuscript. Below is a random part from 11 Months Before

“Thanks, Squid, but I do not think my parents would like that. Plus the house would be online, and no one comes down my road to begin with, so everyone would be checking it out online, and we could not crash the site. It just is not possible.” I respond after letting out a little giggle. I knew after that giggle it would be the last one for a long, long, long while. I look at the clock hanging up on my wall in my pink bedroom. It read 7:11pm “OMG SQUID! I am going to be late for choir. I will call you later, after choir. Cool?” I ask as I take her off of speaker, slip into my hot pink wedge heels, grab my music and my purse, and go out into the living room and let mom know that we should go….like now!

“Sure, Cae, I will talk to you later, just keep breathing and you will be alright. Sing your heart out ok?” Sydney responded as we said by to each other and my mom and I walked out of the front door and over to the Malibu. I fall into the passenger seat in the Malibu and my mom starts the car. We are soon going back to the place where my day started…..Main Street. My mom has to do something in the church office, but I forget what. I really do not pay attention, so I am surprised she did not tell me that we had to leave earlier. We get there right at 7:30. We weren’t late, which I was scared about. We have never been late since we started coming. We were all ways early since my mom had to do the payroll, but she must have forgotten.

“Mom, what about the office, Do you have to do something over there?” I asked as we walked into the choir loft.

“Yes, but I will do it after,” Mom responded as I grabbed my folder and sat into my chair. I felt totally out of it. I was there physically but just not mentally. I was a zombie. I think Jill might have noticed, but I did not see. We started singing a song I did not love, but it was ok. Singing has always calmed me down, so I was glad to start singing. About the third song in, I was feeling so much better. Choir ended with a song that I loved. We have been practicing it for a while now, but I still love it. My mom went over to the Fairchild house and started doing payroll, as I stayed over with Jill to talk to her.

“Jill, we are moving. I do not think I can handle it. I do not want to move. My family has like no emotion to the whole thing, while I am off crying in my room. How can I handle this, Jill? I do not want to move. I do not want to leave Connecticut,” I said to Jill once everyone was out of the building. We start putting the Choir folders back. About two seconds in, I started crying, and Jill embraced me in a hug. This is why I love Jill so much. I knew she is all ways there for me, and I am going to need her over the move, whether I wanted to move or not."

By C ♥

It's Complete!

I finished my novel, well not complete we (mom and I) need to edit it and I need to send it into some publishers, but on the writing aspect it's all done. I finished it with 205 pages a little over 90,000 words, and a feel of accomplishment. When I started this novel/memoir I never thought of having it get so long, I've never written over 100 pages, so why would I think that I would write a novel, that I could possibly publish? It was mainly started because I was moving, and I didn't want to move. One of the easy things that I've found with writing this novel, is that when you're writing about stuff and feelings that you've had makes it easier, but when you go into areas, like college, that you haven't experienced then you go into the "fiction" part, and it is very hard to do! But all 205 pages are written. For my Languge Arts we're doing letters, so instead of writing some letter to some invisible company, mom (aka: my teacher) said that I should write the cover letter to publishers, so I can kill two birds with one stone. I am now trying to find publishers that would work with Young Adults, and Young Adult books, so if any of you know of one in the New England area, and would like to let me know, that would be great, as an author it would be greatly appreciated.

Since you listened to me talk about the book, I'll post a page up for you guys. It's from the section 11 Months Before

I wake up and find some warm clothes to stay in, since it is too cold in the morning to wear a dress at the time of the sunrise service. We get there a little bit before the service starts, and I am wrapped up in my blanket because it is just way too cold to be out here. Robyn comes over and you can just look at her and she looks like she is cold.

“ROBYN! I am cold! I say and I run over her and she takes an edge of my blanket and now it is the both of us under the blanket, which I do not mind, she’ll keep me warmer then Rachel and her younger sister Victoria come over, and they get under my blanket, so it is the four of us under this little pink blanket keeping each other warm, it was fun, the service ended and we said goodbye. My family and I went back to our church, to eat breakfast at the Fellowship Hall, which the Deacons made for us. We finished, and helped clean up the kitchen and everything. We went back home, and packed up dad’s truck, and then we went off to go back up to Massachusetts today. We finished unpacking, cleaning the U-Haul©, and dropped it off. We then went to my grandmother’s house, so we could have some Easter dinner, with her. After dinner, I fell asleep on the car ride back home. Thursday I went to the library, and mom to Bible Study. The Librarians got me a little gift together and everything, it was cute, I have been volunteering at the library for a while now, and I have always enjoyed it. The librarian joked, that in my new town that I am moving too, that the librarians over there, will not know what hit them, and that they will half to change their hours, to normal hours, no 3 hour days! I started laughing, it was funny, but also sad at the same time, I did not want to leave them. I did all the DVD’s, Video’s, CDs, and Books on Tape within 45 minutes. I walked around the library, started reading a short book, when one of the librarians came out.

“Caelyn, do you want to punch these new cards out?” The librarian asked me, see the library just got new cards, and well you need to punch them out a way, because you want the patron to take out the card, and the key chain card, not you. I started, and then I saw my mom, I figured I could finish these up. Mom came over and asked if I needed help, I said sure, and we worked on them, I was doing 3-5 sheets at one time, and she was doing like 1-2 sheets a time, but I understand the first time I did this, that is what I did when I started, because you would think that it would be easier, but no it is not, and plus this way it shortens the length of time. Once we finished I brought all the cards back to the librarian, and said goodbye, for my last time, and this time I did not get any books out….It must have been a first, to leave a library, and not take any books out. I got into the car, and we went to the little restaurant in Durham, most of the Bible Study people where there, we were just waiting for Elven. Once Elven showed up we all ordered and talked about Bible Study, and moving, I would prefer the Bible Study subject, but you cannot avoid it sadly. The number one question that I got was “So are you going to school there?” I get it all the time considering I am homeschooled, I even got it when I wasn’t moving, and it is really annoying, to answer this question, see I really want to go to public school, but then part of me wants to stay homeschooled, because I could excel at a high pace, so it is a really hard question to answer. Elven asked how mom was doing on her sermon for this Sunday, See Elven asked my mom to do the sermon this Sunday since it is out last Sunday in Durham.



~ Till Next Time
Dear Daughter ♥

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante

The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante


This book is about, friendship, love, and religion. Two girls are best of friends, and in this world on religion, you need to be careful for what you do, because it just might be a sin, and you don't want to know what happens when you sin. The Patron Saint of Butterflies, is a great book, very easy read, and I couldn't put it down. It deals with 'real life' issues, but puts the issues into a twist.

Are you ready to test a friendship?

Ex-mas by Kate Brian

Ex-mas by Kate Brian

Ex-mas by Kate Brian, is a book about a teenage girl, dating the freshman in college, her little brothers decide to go save Santa, but don't tell her sister. Lila has to spend a road trip with her ex-boyfriend Beau, she learns that maybe she's dating the wrong person.

Are you read to save Santa?

Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

Boys are Dogs by Leslie Margolis

Boys are Dogs is a comical book. A middle school girl, Annabel, moves from her town into a new town, to live with her mom's boyfriend. Annabel get a new puppy and starts training her dog, Pepper. At Annabel's new school she gets made fun of daily, and finally figures out that boys are like dogs, and she starts training the boys. This book was very good. I have to say, I did not read this book, I was testing out the digital audio-books, that the company my library uses just launched. If you do go for the Book on CD way, the book is read very well.

Are you ready for some training?

TMI by Sarah Quigley

TMI by Sarah Quigley

TMI is about Becca, and see Becca has a little issue, her issue is TMI, she always does it, and she only has one true friend that put up with it 24/7. Then the "new kid" comes in to town, Jai (jay) is really nice, and he also puts up with Becca's constant TMI stories. Becca's life as a high school sophmore, isn't that bad, well untill her freshman boyfriend breaks up with her, well he doesn't, he asks his friend to do it for him. Since the breakup Becca starts her blog called TMI, she thinks this could help her problem.

Does it?

The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a book based off of a dogs point of view of his master's, Denny, life. The book is full of love, heartbreak, in-laws, death, and of course the relationship between a dog and a man.

I have to say at the end, I was crying, and I do not cry when I read books, it is actually the first book that I cried while reading!

Do you have a box of tissues next to you?

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Deception Point by Dan Brown

Is a adventure packed novel. Dan Brown has a way with his books to make everything fit in one day, and add in fact. The book is based off of a conspiracy during a presidential election! The book goes deep into the spending that NASA wastes, and the result of political affairs, and crossing the battle lines.

Are you ready for the next election?

God is Dead by Ron Currie Jr.

God is Dead by Ron Currie Jr. is about God dies in human form, and the chapters after God dies, is showing what would happen to the world, and what happens in different people's lives. One chapter they interview the feral dog that eats God's remains. This book is well written, and I couldn't put it down.

News Alert: God is Dead

Book Reviews-A Dog's Life

Okay, I figured if I'm going to read so many books, why not write reviews for the people who read the blog. I'm going to post a review after every book, or try to at least, that I read.

A Dog's Life by Ann M. Martin


A Dog's Life is an autobiography of a stray, this books is written by the dog, Squirell, and her life as a stray. It was a quick read for me, only about 182 pages long, but it is powerful. Ann M. Martin wrote this book very well, I couldn't put the book down! The thought of this being a book of fiction is imaginable. Ann M. Martin does a great job making you feel the emotions and pain that the dog goes through in her life. I highly reccomend this book.


Did you read this book? Tell me what you thought about it!

Summer Reading with Friends

Last night I was talking to my friend over AIM, and she reads a little, but not as much as I do, and I love reading, but then something happened, see last summer she said that reading was a waste of the time for the summer months, but last night she asked me for some good summer reads, and well I have read a ton, that she would like. I told her to check out my We-Read bookshelf on Facebook, give me the title of the book, and I’ll tell her if it was good. I ended up giving her around 15 books for the summer, all good books, and I think people should get more involved with reading. I’m currently reading Cindy Ella by Robin Palmer, but I also have three books on order from Border’s that is somewhere in Ohio, that I’ll be donating to my Small New Little Library. I’ve read two out of the three, and the third is the continuation of the series. I read the first two last summers at my old library. They were quick summer reads. The series is called Death By. There are currently three in the series; Death by Bikini, Death by Latte, and Death by Denim. They are a mystery series, but they are a good quick summer read. I posted some books that I’ve read that you can find on Amazon

By C

Twilight - Read the Book - Going to the Movie

Today at 11:35 I’ll be watching Twilight with a friend. I hope this movie will be amazing. I finished the first book in less than 24 hours. I couldn’t even put it down, and I made one of my friends read it to! There are two more books that I want to read: New Moon and Eclipse. The book is a lot of romance, with a little bit of adventure. I can’t wait until I see the movie. I’ll tell you how it goes!~!~!~!~!

By: C ;)

Mom & the Mall

DD had asked to go hang out at the park with two of her friends. I nixed the idea. If we had been down at the fields, she could have gone off with them, but I could not see the point of just aimlessly roaming. It seemed like a recipe for trouble (not that DD tends to be trouble). So I told her that she was old enough to go to the mall with me, but then she and her friends could go off a bit by themselves as long as they checked back with me at the coffee shop (actually I did one better, I found a Boarders Bookstore with a coffee shop) periodically. She was estatic and so the day was planned or so I thought. She and her friends spent all morning making and breaking plans. The phone rang almost continuously, even DD got annoyed at her friends I think. Finally, the appointed time came and we headed over. I actually picked up my father so I had someone to keep me busy too. And would you believe it, one of the "friends" never made it - - -Let me rephrase that, "He arrived just in time for us to leave, as we had other plans for the evening". Then to top it off the other friend decided to stay with him and mean parent that I am, I refused to leave until I made sure that she was with the boy and his father, which resulted in us being late to our next stop. I was supposed to be home at 4 to head to DH's dad's house and instead I was barely leaving the mall. UhOh! So much for trying to be the cool mother of a teen.



However, I did get the next book for my book club, had a great hot vanilla Chai, and had a good conversation with my dad. So it wasn't a total loss.



NOTE: I went to the Borders website to find you a picture of their cafe. I keyed in the location we went to and opened up that link and found this picture of their store, except it isn't a picture of their store in the mall we went to. I hope no one uses this picture when they go online to get directions, because they will drive in circles at the mall and never, ever see this.