Island of the Blue Dolphins :: RtK Book Club May Discussion

This month's book club discussion is behind hosted by Amy at Hope is the Word. Below are her thoughts:

*****

When Carrie contacted me about being a host for the Reading to Know Bookclub one month, I suggested that she look at my Classics Club booklist and just pick something. She picked Scott O’Dell’s 1960 Newbery Award winning Island of the Blue Dolphins, and at the time I had little interest in it. (Confession: it made my TBR list because I want to read all the Newbery winners and because I felt like I should read it.) Now that I’ve read it, I am so glad she did! This work of juvenile historical fiction is exactly what historical fiction should be, in my opinion: based on historical fact, but detailed and imaginative enough to flesh out what might’ve happened.

Island of the Blue Dolphins is the story of twelve year old Karana, a Native American girl who lives on a small island off the coast of California in the 1800s with her people. Shortly after the beginning of the story, a band of Aleut fishermen under the leadership of a Russian named Captain Orlov land on their island to hunt sea otters. Captain Orlov strikes a deal with Karana’s father, the head of their tribe, to pay for the otters they kill. However, the hunters make moves to leave before completely fulfilling their end of the bargain, and the result is an altercation that leaves twenty-seven of the forty-two Island men dead, including Karana’s father. The Aleuts leave, and the surviving Islanders continue to live on the island, with the women taking over many of the jobs traditionally done by the men. The tribe is deep in mourning, though, so Kimki, the new chief of the tribe, decides to sail east to a land he had visited as a child and make a home for the Islanders. When a ship finally comes to rescue them to take them back to be with Kimki, it looks like this story will take a very interesting turn, with Karana and her people encountering a more “modern” civilization. However, this is not to be, for Karana’s younger brother gets left behind, and Karana jumps ship in order to rescue him. What follows, then, is a young woman’s lifetime of living alone (her brother meets an early demise) on an island: the friends she makes among the animals, how she survives (a tidal wave, an earthquake, loneliness)—a picture of life with no modern conveniences, in an amazing but desolate place.

This is a book that I would not hesitate to hand over to my young daughters, ages nine and seven, and I expect that they would enjoy it greatly. However, it’s a book that also raises questions that are interesting enough for even an adult to contemplate. For example, Karana is very hesitant to make her own weapons because this had been forbidden by their tribal beliefs. This struggle over shrugging off expectations comes up several times early in the story. Another element of the story that I found particularly fascinating is just the descriptions of life on a small island in the Pacific Ocean: the plants, the animals, and how a human being survives dependent on these for food. O’Dell describes the male sea elephants’ fight and Karana’s hunting of the devilfish (the octopus) masterfully. This story reminds me so much of other survivalist/adventure stories I’ve read: My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, The Cay by Theodore Taylor, and the Gary Paulsen stories.

Perhaps the most interesting this to me of all about this story is what I learned about a week before I started reading it. I was cruising around on Facebook when I noticed that one of the homeschooling websites I subscribe to via Facebook had posted a link to this article from the LA Times from October 2012. It seems that archaeologists believe they have found the cave of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas, the real woman who inspired Scott O’Dell’s wonderful story. Amazing! This is why historical fiction is perhaps my favorite genre of all.

Many thanks to Carrie for the push to read Island of the Blue Dolphins! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did!

*****
Many thanks back at you, Amy, for leading this month's discussion!

Did you read along with us? Leave a comment below sharing your thoughts or leaving link to your review!

Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell

My copy of Island of the Blue Dolphins looks like the one you see here. It's not my favorite cover but it was very reasonably priced at Goodwill and beggars cannot be choosers.

I read Island of the Blue Dolphins, by Scott O'Dell for the May edition of the Reading to Know Book Club. Amy from Hope is the Word is hosting this month's discussion and the post wherein everyone is to leave links to their thoughts on this book will post tomorrow. As I'm sure Amy will note, she didn't really choose this title. I did. She had a list of classics she wanted to read and she allowed me the pleasure to choose any from her list to read and discuss for May. I chose this one because I had never read it either. I had no idea it was based on a true story!

Island of the Blue Dolphins is a fictionalized account of a real life woman known as the "Lone Woman of St. Nicolas Island." In this fictionalized account, we are introduced to a young Indian girl named Karana. Karana belongs to a tribe who were massacred by a group of Alaskan hunters who had come to the Island to hunt for sea otters. Karana and a few remaining Indians are offered refuge on a ship which will take them to a new land. The tribe agrees to relocate. However, upon boarding the ship which is to take Karana to her new home, she realizes that her brother is on the Island still, accidentally left behind, and she jumps ship in order to be with him. Not wanting to spoil the story for anyone who has not read it, I won't say much from here except that this attempts to tell the story of what might have happened to the real "Lone Woman" in the 18+ years she remained on the island, waiting for rescue.

Whether or not the real "Lone Woman" boarded a ship with her remaining tribesman and then jumped is a story that cannot be verified. Popular legend apparently states that this woman realized that her baby had been left on land and so she swam to shore to be with her child. However, no one can say with any degree of absolute certainty that this is indeed what happened. What can be confirmed is that this woman lived all alone on St. Nicolas Island for around two decades between the years 1830 and 1850. Here is a picture of that woman, who was later given the name of Juana Maria by the Catholic priest who baptized her.

Here is a map showing you where the Island of St. Nicolas is located (beyond Catalina Island, off the coast of California):

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I had asked previously if I should read this aloud to Bookworm1 and a few of you suggested that might not be a great idea. I'm glad you cautioned me against it. This book deals heavily with the subject of death and while I don't think he would be affected poorly by it (nearly as much as I worry he might) I'd just as soon save this one for a few years out. It's recommended reading for grades 4 through 7. I wouldn't mind him reading it around the age of 8, I just think he ought to hold off until then.

A major theme of the book is protecting the animals and making them your friends. The author goes so far as to say:

"[F]or animals and birds are like people, too, though they do not talk the same or do the same things. Without them the earth would be an unhappy place."

While I do agree that without the animals the earth would be a far more unhappier place, and while I do think animals have funny quirks and behaviors which endear them to us, I do not think that they are like people. I do not personally place animals on the level of people. Yes, they have brains and use them in different ways but I do not believe animals have souls. I believe that God gave us animals to delight in and find uses for, to help ease our burdens whether they be work related or emotionally helpful (e.g., dogs as comforters and companions). So, I disagreed with the author's stance on animals - which is a major theme throughout the book - all the while being interested in O'Dell's description of the various animals and their traits.

For anyone curious, here's an abalone:

I'm very glad to not be in desperate need of having to eat one.

Very fun book! So glad Amy was willing to read it. ;) I highly recommend the read and am looking forward to finding out who else read along!

*****
Links of interest:

• An archeologist believes that he has found the cave where the Lone Woman of St. Nicolas Island lived.
• California Missions article about this amazing woman
• Lone Women of St. Nicolas Island song. (MUST listen!)

"I live contented because I see the day when I want to get off this Island."
Sadly, the Lone Woman lived only seven short weeks beyond her rescue.

The Bare Naked Truth, by Bekah Hamrick Martin

I have to tell you that it is something of an honor to have the opportunity to read and review a copy of The Bare Naked Truth by Bekah Hamrick Martin. I also confess to being scared out of my mind to accept it for review. Why these conflicting emotions?!?! Because I know Bekah. Well, I know her online and through other people, chiefly my husband Jonathan (who introduced us). She was "Jonathan's friend who is going to write a book someday."

Guess what? Today's the day! This is that friend's book!

Any of you regular book reviewers out there know that it's a scary, scary thing to accept a book for review from someone you know more personally. The burning question in your mind is, "WHAT IF I DON'T LIKE IT!??!?!"

My entire body was tense as I cracked open the pages of The Bare Naked Truth and began reading, praying to God (literally, actually) that I would like it. Subtitled Dating, Waiting, and God's Purity Plan, I knew I was going to have a strong opinion about it and I desperately hoped it would be a good one. Also, as anyone that knows me in real life can tell you, I'm rather reserved when talking about the subjects which are dealt with in this book. I never use the word "naked." I do not talk about such "things" generally speaking. I avoid the subject(s?). I don't know Bekah well enough to know how she was going to handle it. Needless to say, I had some reservations.

Happily, having now read it,  I can tell you that I have zero reservations about this book. I enjoyed the read. I think Bekah knocked this subject out of the ballpark and wrote something not only relevant to today's teen girls, but entirely correct. She doesn't mince words in giving advice and pointing teens to scripture (hence the title of the book). She addresses areas of concern or interest to teen girls with humor and wisdom. She appeals to a teen's ability to ration and think deep thoughts (hurray!) and makes the reader feel as if she is standing at the ready to give them a hug to help them through the rocky moments of puberty.

Bekah takes a look at the following subjects that teens are having to think through more often than (I think) we adults realize:

• Why "gaining experience" isn't as valued as society makes us think it is
• The myth of "safe sex" outside the confines of marriage
• Masturbation
• Who or what fulfills and completes our emotional needs
• What if you've been taken advantage of or have made some not-so-great decision? What does God think of you then?
• Much, much more

What makes this book on these topics more approachable than others like it? Primarily the difference between this book and others Bekah's writing voice. I once heard her say that she really enjoys the writing of Erma Bombeck. You can tell. She has a wicked (in a good way) sense of humor. It is here that I confess to you that I laughed out loud (literally) all through the book. She relates to her readers by sharing stories from her own life with self-deprecating humor which allows the reader to get a little closer to the message and to relax.

The subjects which she addresses in The Bare Naked Truth are not necessarily easy for us to sit down and have a forthright conversation about. It takes some amount of courage to discuss these subjects even amongst friends, let alone with teens who we are supposed to be teaching and influencing. Again, Bekah's manner in addressing the reader makes the reader relax. Relaxing and laughing about this topic makes it an easier pill to swallow.

Her observations about teens are spot on, from all I can tell. Her advice, as I mentioned, is Biblical and appropriate. She doesn't mince words or try to play "cool" when what is needed is the bare naked truth. She has handled the subject masterfully in my opinion and I'm not just saying that because I know her. It is well done! And I have no hesitations in recommending it to others.

Many thanks to Zondervan for shooting a copy of this title my direction in exchange for my honest thoughts. I honestly think this book is fantastic! (And I'm so relieved!)

Check out Bekah's website if you have a moment and take a peek around.

What's On Your Nightstand: June Edition

Time for another What's On Your Nightstand over at 5 Minutes for Books!

*****
I might as well just laugh at myself and go with the flow of life as far as nightstand posts go. Life has been one big adventure of late with lots of family changes and activities. I'm totally loving it but it's not leaving me with all the time to read that I had before.

Which leads me to a bit of bloggy news:

For the immediate future, instead of five posts a week here at Reading to Know, I'll be switching to THREE posts a week, effective next week.

It's getting harder and harder to keep up a 5-a-week posting schedule and the summer promises to be full of family (a wedding and visiting!) and good weather (gardening and hiking!) and I've been investing more time with my kids (good things!) and so blogging is going to have to cut back a little. I even told myself that I don't have to write a review for every book I read. (Then I gasped and asked myself WHAT was I THINKING!? How will I remember what I thought about a book unless I write it out!??!) We shall see. I'm trying to give myself permission to relax on that point.

5-a-week post will resume when life allows. But for now, we'll stick to three days. I'm not saying which days because I like flexibility. So you'll just have to be surprised.

******
Last month I mentioned on my nightstand post that I really wanted to spend May tackling review copies. I did a good job clearing off my shelves a bit and I plan on continuing to work at that during the month of June as well. I'd really, really like that stack to shrink!

The following "for review" books were read and each title is linked to my thoughts:

1. The Apple Orchard - I had high hopes but they were dashed.

2. Secret Storms - I had high hopes and they were realized.

3. The Sasquatch Escape - Ended up being a fun time.

4. Frozen in Time - Not a fun time for the individuals which this book is all about, and not a five-star read as far as I was concerned, but I did appreciate aspects of it.

5. I Am A Church Member - This one was read and reviewed over at 5 Minutes for Books and I'm linking it here specifically because I think it's a must, must, must, must, must read for Christians everywhere. Do check it out!

The only title I managed to get to from my personal reading stack was Island of the Blue Dolphins which I read in conjunction with the Reading to Know Book Club. My thoughts on that are forthcoming.


As for what I hope to "knock off" in the review department in the month of June?

The Shape of the Eye: A Memoir - This one is top of my stack at the moment.

Write This Book: A Do-It-Yourself Mystery (The Secret Series), by Pseudonymous Bosch - I really can't rightly say what I think about this one! We'll have to see. I'm curious!

The Keeper of Secrets: A Novel - Another modern novel which caught my attention and shows promise. Fingers crossed!

The Art Forger: A Novel - 'Nother one of those modern novels!

Paper: An Elegy - Because I'm just terribly curious.

I can barely mention my own personal reads in light of my stack of review copies (things are out of control there....I'm working on re-figuring things! I dislike not being able to get to my own reading stack!) but I WILL be re-reading Through Gates of Splendor in conjunction with the Reading to Know Book Club. Barbara from Stray Thoughts will be hosting the discussion for the month of June. Please feel free to join in and read this book with us if you like!

I will also be re-reading The Search for the Delicious with my in-town book club.

And generally, we will be staying busy with happy things, but distracting things!

Here's to goals, which we make for sanity sake, right?!

The Children Who Loved Books, by Peter Carnavas

If you are a book lover, then you will likely love this book too. (After all, you just love books so why not this one also?)

The Children Who Loved Books, by Peter Carnavas tells us the story of a family who didn't have much in the way of possessions. However, they did have tons and tons and tons and tons of books. They were quite happy and got along with one another very well. Then, one day, for some strangely inexplicable reason, they got rid of all of their books. Then they were sad, as they should be. (I'm incredibly sympathetic as you can clearly see. They made a bad choice.) Then, one day, the daughter picks up a book and the family is reminded of the value and wonder of a terrifically good story. The book draws them together again and they realize that books are a necessity to life. (They go to the library, saving space in their tiny home but still being able to read. A happy compromise. Except I still would rather a full house of a books than one overdue library book. Call me crazy.)

My kids love this book. And I'm not saying that's because our house is so full of books that they are used to prop up furniture. (Said books may be under the furniture and on it, but they are not being used to prop anything. That would break the spines.) The story is familiar and that's why we all like it. Books are everywhere in our house and I intend that they remain so.

Our secondary reason for liking this book (at least from the perspective of Bookworm3) is that this book is filled with CHICKENS. Chickens on every page! Chickens everywhere! And we acknowledged every one, oh yes we did, because we recently obtained six chickies for our own backyard. Here they are:

L-R: Charlie Brown, Cecily, Miss Bunches, and Lisa Lisa
They aren't this small anymore and we added two additional chicks after taking this picture. Now we have a total of 6 "baby chickies". Also, Miss Bunches has been renamed "Nellie" (yes, Olsen) because she was getting kind of mean for a bit. One of the new chickens was dubbed Happy Bunches in her place (not pictured) and the littles gal amongst them is named Rosie (also not pictured).

It should be noted that chickens really are as big and stinky as everyone says which, upon some reflection, might be the reason that the family in this book got rid of all of their books. Chickens can only co-exist with other things for a brief period of time and then no more.

At any rate, we love our chickens (who are about to move outdoors for good! oh yay!) and our books, making The Children Who Loved Books a hit in our household!

Note: this title is not available through Amazon. It was released earlier this year and is available through Usborne Books & More which is where I have linked the title to.

Many thanks to Kane Miller who sent a copy of this title my direction in exchange for my honest thoughts.

The Book of Dragons, by E. Nesbit

Time for another Read Aloud Thursday post. Read Aloud Thursday is hosted weekly over at Hope is the Word.

*****
Several weeks ago Bookworm1 was invited to choose our next read aloud chapter book. Out of the options presented to him, he selected The Book of Dragons, by E. Nesbit. I'm rather glad he did.

Once upon a time - back in 2008 - I read my first Nesbit book. This is what I said about it. I cannot tell you how very annoyed I am that I couldn't string together two thoughts of my own because now I have no recollection whatsoever of what the book meant to be me or what particular parts stood out in my mind. I guess all I can say now about that book is that, "I recall liking it." As for The Book of Dragons I can say that I loved it and I shall now be slightly more detailed in sharing the reasons why!

Nesbit, if you've never read her, is a delight. True confessions - I only took serious note of her after discovering that her writings influenced C.S. Lewis. He loved reading her works as a boy and in reading them myself (even as an adult) I can totally see why. Nesbit is a fabulous author to read aloud because although her writing is directed towards children, she assumes that even her young readers are clever ones. Her wit makes for charming reading. Both Bookworm1 and myself were completely enthralled with this read and I can imagine us spending many more hours with Nesbit in the future.

The Book of Dragons is a collection of eight short stories. Each contains mention of a dragon, if it does not focus completely on the topic. The stories vary in length and complexity but the whole of them are entertaining. Each story is interesting because you never know quite what type of dragon you will encounter.

Bookworm1's favorite story was The Dragon Tamers in which the local and lesser-used blacksmith in the town manages to capture a dragon. The blacksmith tricks the dragon into its captivity, in part, by asking it to hold on to his baby who, he says, is poisonous to dragons.. The dragon is instructed to keep the baby (who was not a good sleeper) quiet. The only way the dragon could do this was to purr to it. Bookworm1 laughed aloud at the following passage:

The dragon had purred until he was quite out of breath - so now he stopped, and as soon as everything was quiet the baby must have thought that everyone must have settled for the night, and that it was time to scream. So it began.
"Oh, dear," said the dragon, "this is awful." He patted the baby with his claw, but it screamed more than ever.

I can imagine that my oldest bookworm found this passage/story even more amusing as he has had to live through two younger siblings learning how to go to sleep quietly at night!

My favorite story was all of them. Terribly specific, I know. I think I found The Island of the Nine Whirlpools most entertaining as the exchange between the princess and her courageous suitor tickled my funny bone:

And every day the princess came to see Nigel and brought him food cooked by the dragon, and he lived in his cave, and talked to her when she was there, and thought about her when she was not, and they were both as happy as the longest day in summer. Then at least came The Day. Nigel and the princess laid their plans.
"You're sure he won't hurt you, my only treasure?" said Nigel.
"Quite," said the princess. "I only wish I were half as sure that he wouldn't hurt you."
"My princess," he said tenderly, "two great powers on our own side: the power of love and the power of arithmetic. Those two are stronger than anything else in the world."

Heh.

Yes, the book does contain a spot of magic here and there but it is nothing terribly deep or complex. Primarily the book calls you to engage your imagination with the read. If you are willing to apply yourself to dreaming up crazy fun scenarios and are eager for adventures, then you will enjoy this book quite properly.

The Book of Dragons was first published in 1900 and was dedicated to Nesbit's daughter and third child, Rosamund Bland. (Tell me you don't find humor in that name. Go on, do!) Judging the whole of her work, Nesbit is credited as having written the first adventure stories for children. We certainly felt as if we had a series of adventures in reading this title and will continue to seek out others. Janet from Across the Page reviewed The Book of Dragons back in 2011 and in the comment section I mentioned that I had just recently purchased it. Two years it sat on my shelf. But it was very much worth the wait! Highly recommended!

Frozen in Time, by Mitchell Zuckoff

Frozen in Time is indeed one of those epic stories of survival that boggle the mind and rally us to think the best of our fellow man when they've undergone horrible trials and have risen to the challenge beautifully. Written by Mitchell Zuckoff, this is a true story of three downed planes and the men inside of them, lost out in the Arctic wilderness.

In 1942, the Americans and the British were anxious to occupy Greenland because it is said that weather starts in Greenland. You know what the weather will be like in Europe a week or so prior to if you know the current weather situation in Greenland. Germany was also interested in the country for this reason and the Allies were anxious to beat them to it. After all, the country who knows the weather can make the best decisions for their troops and theoretically win the war.

In November of 1942, a US cargo plane slammed into an ice cap in Greenland. Four days later, a B-17 was assigned a search-and-rescue mission for the cargo plane and its occupants. The B-17 also crashed. In an attempt to rescue the men aboard the B-17, a Grumman Duck amphibious plane was sent their direction, only to fly into a severe storm. The Duck also vanished. Frozen in Time tells us the story of the crew on the B-17 and of how they coped and survived on the ice for over 140 days. It also tells of the modern day expedition to find and recover the Duck and its crewmen.

As you might imagine, it would not be an altogether pleasurable experience to be exposed to cruel elements for even a short time, let alone 140 days. It was (and is) so cold in Greenland during the winter time that snow instantly sticks and freezes to surfaces and the threat of being buried alive is a real danger. The crew mates were short on rations and long on time more frequently than not. The darkness which pervades the land during most of the winter brought several of the men to the brink of insanity more than once. Yet still they managed to rally themselves to fight on, thinking of their families and dreaming of life in a warmer climate.

Frozen in Time tells a truly remarkable and unique story and that makes it a curious read. It speaks of adventure, courage, grit and hope. That said, the writing style of Mitchell Zuckoff leaves a lot to be desired, in my opinion. The idea of flipping back and forth from 1942 to the present day, telling of the men and then the current recovery efforts didn't need to be distracting but, I felt, it was. Zuckoff spends a lot of time explaining how the leader of the expedition to recover the Duck, Lou Sapienza, is highly dependent on the practicality and available finances of others to accomplish the things in life which he finds himself pursuing. I didn't much care for the way that Sapienza is constantly draining money from others (also living off of his current girlfriend and whoever else will sponsor his existence) without wanting to put much work into making money to support his ambitions. He seems horribly lazy to me. I also didn't care for the fact that Zuckoff made me feel this way towards Sapienza, since Zuckoff confesses that he willingly handed over his own credit card to fund their 2012 recovery mission. He seems to resent having put money towards the expedition, complains about Sapienza endlessly, all while wanting to be able to write this book. He wants to be able to tell as complete a story about The Duck as he can, he realizes he cannot do this alone, but he resents the person driving the effort. It isn't very pretty to read.

In short, I really enjoyed reading the history of the 1942/43 veterans who gave their all to stay alive and contribute towards the war effort. I'm not so keen on hearing about how Zuckoff and Sapienza were both out to get the best deal for themselves for the sake of notoriety and a book. If this is not what Zuckoff meant to communicate to his reader, then he made some ghastly mistakes in his writing. Chiefly, he slammed Sapiena's character while simultaneously mooching off his dreams. Neither of these modern men are very interesting to me and I confess to skimming through the chapters detailing their stress-filled recovery efforts.

Also of notable interest, apparently all servicemen in WWII were disarmingly handsome, rugged, good-looking, etc., if you are to believe Zuckoff. Eventually I found the physical descriptions of the servicemen to be hilarious. Every time a new name would pop up I would wonder to myself how they would be described and it was always in a most flattering light. Regardless of what the pictures tell me of the men, the stories of their courage and bravery in what would be an altogether depressing and defeating circumstances tells me what they ought most to be admired for. Good character trumps good looks any day of the week. An ugly man who survived on a Greenland glacier for 140 days would be intriguing and admirable just as well as not.

To summarize - this isn't my favorite book about survivors in World War II. Yet it was still interesting because it is such a unique circumstance. i would have liked it more if Zuckoff wasn't trying so very hard to make me like him. In that, he failed.

Still, many thanks to the publisher, Harper Collins, for shooting a copy of this book my way in exchange for my honest opinion.

You've Got Personality

I really don't know when or for how long I've assigned personality to numbers. I mentioned the other day that I've always viewed the number 8 as a dapper fellow and a couple of you asked to hear what I think of the rest of the the numbers. I'll play your game and answer your question. ;)

0 - male; wallflower; completely ignored; unsuspecting
1 - male; leader of the pack; steady and hard working; honest
2 - female; wallflower type; not a number that I really notice
3 - male; happy-go-lucky
4 - female; straight shooter; doesn't dilly dally around
5 - male; a jock, of sorts; no one really likes five; too popular
6 - male; dependable; reliable
7 - male; the perfect number; kind of guy everyone wants to marry
8 - male; dapper fellow with good manners but somewhat cheeky
9 - female; smart; independent
10 - male; the number family patriarch

I remember being in grade school and mentioning to a friend what each number's personality was. I remember her being curious but I didn't concentrate too deeply on her response. Numbers just are who they are and cannot be changed. I also remember being age nine or ten and staring at a street address, trying to figure out how that worked because the numbers weren't pared well and wouldn't necessarily get along. I did not think this was weird or unusual. I still don't. (Heh.)

Apparently noticing personalities in association with colors, numbers or letters has a name. It's called synesthesia. If you look at the wikipedia page it claims that this is a condition that is frequently inherited but can also be brought upon by drugs (hallucinations) or a stroke. I haven't had a stroke and I have never taken drugs in my life. I have no idea whether or not I inherited it. I seldom think about it. Numbers are what they are and I can't really change that and so we proceed about our daily business.

According to a different website, people with synesthesia are more likely to be left handed (I'm right-handed) and are of normal ("or possibly above average") intelligence. We needn't argue over such things. (ha!)

Other people with this "condition" include:

Franz Liszt
Duke Ellington
Itzhak Perlman
Stevie Wonder

Truly I don't really think much about it. I don't find it curious that I do this. But when I stop and think about it, it could be sort of funny. Hence I'm willing to post this. Enjoy. :)

Play-Doh Board Books

Ok, I have to truthfully say that when these books landed on my doorstep I wasn't sure what to make of them. They seem a bit....odd. And they also looked like space fillers. And maybe they are that but they are also very well-loved by my two year old so I'm here to talk about them!

Mama's Little Ducklings is the new most requested read in our household at the moment (as far as Bookworm3 is concerned). I don't know whether she likes the sparkles, the flaps she can lift up on each page or the ducks themselves. At any rate, she likes reading "Mama Duck!" and this book travels the house and rides in the car with us whenever we go places.

In this short story, Mama Duck lays 5 eggs, 4 of which hatch and one of which rolls away. The hunt is on for egg #5. Will they find it?! What sort of children's book would this be if they didn't?! (SAD!) No worries, they find it.

Rainbow Butterflies suits our littlest bookworm well as she has been learning her colors most diligently. (Favorite color? Pink. When that color is not available, red will do.) She enjoys looking for the Play-Doh butterfly of color on each page.

I did notice that Amazon has the "search inside" option available for each of these titles so if you want to get a feel for how the books are laid out and illustrated, the opening pages are provided. If it's not quite obvious from the big "Play-Doh" logo on each book, the animals, flowers, houses, trees, etc., are all of Play-Doh origins.

PLAY-DOH: My First Words is a padded board book, distinguishing it from the others. (I like the peacock on the cover.) Inside you'll find all of the items made with Play-Doh and labeled for the purposes of expanding a younger reader's vocabulary. You'll see animals such as owls, cardinals, elephants and lions. There is a page discussing things you'll find in the sky, such as the moon, stars, planets and rainbows. There is also a page full of fun vehicles like an ambulance, fire truck and monster truck. It's a cute book.

This one, same as the others, make you want to crack open a can of Play-Doh and attempt making some creatures all by yourself!

PLAY-DOH: Making Shapes with Monkey is another in the "first concepts" series and it teaches exactly what you can correctly assume that it does: shapes.

Monkey likes to make shapes. Monkey invites you to play a fun game with him wherein you identify the different basic shapes. On each page spread you'll see monkey in different settings. For example, on one page you'll find him next to a tree, pointing out Mama Bird and the birdhouse in a tree. How many shapes can you correctly identify on this page? And so on and so forth in like manner.

And as a reward for all of your hard work in identifying the shapes? Monkey makes you a heart award! Again, cute.

Lastly, we were sent a copy of the PLAY-DOH Let's Get Creative Jumbo Sticker Book to check out.

My girl LOVES (and I mean loves) stickers. So this JUMBO sticker book is quite the treat! This sticker book looks much like many other sticker books you might pick up - there are stickers to choose from and plenty of page scenes to decorate. You can use the stickers to create stories, make collections, give animals various faces, build ice cream cones and explore nature. This title covers all the basics and has proved to be delightfully entertaining.

Play-Doh and Mommy are good friends, in an odd sort of way. My children get an absolute kick out of playing with Play-Doh. I absolutely hate cleaning it up. As a result of both things I just mentioned, Play-Doh is a rare and special play treat in our home. Our box of Play-Doh and associated equipment comes out 2-3 times a year and both occupies and entertains the children for stretches of up to 3 hours at a time. No breaks. No joke!

Play-Doh is one of those childhood Things of Wonder and I'm happy for my kids to enjoy it periodically. It certainly serves a good purpose in allowing me a chance to accomplish any variety of projects of my own while my children are engaged in a creative activity. We're happy with Play-Doh and also these books!

Thanks to Silver Dolphin Books for sending all of the above titles our direction in exchange for our honest thoughts.

I was honestly surprised by how well my children liked them and we've had a great deal of fun with them. Thanks!