December Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in December 2010.

She spoke to him before the world fell apart.
 
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date.

Why I feel the sudden urge to relate, in pen and ink, a relationship of the most personal nature, which I have never before acknowledged, I cannot say. 


Less than a year into the marriage that made her mistress of one of England's finest houses, Elizabeth Darcy knew she still had much to learn about the place she now called home. Of one thing, however, she was certain. A ghost haunted Pemberley.

Sometimes there are these bizarre people who actually like physical education class.

December's Top Five:

He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope. 
Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope.
The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley. 
The Butler Gets A Break. A Bellweather Tale. Kristin Clark Venuti.
Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg.

Number of Board Books: 4

Baby Nose to Baby Toes. Vicky Ceelen. 2009. Random House. 24 pages.
Farm Parade! Thom Wiley. Illustrated by Benji Davies. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.
What Am I? Salina Yoon. 2010. Scholastic. 12 pages.
Who am I? Salina Yoon. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 12 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 11

Let It Snow. Maryann Cocca-Leffler. 2010. Scholastic. 24 pages.
The Littlest Christmas Star. Brandi Dougherty. Illustrated by Sanja Rescek. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
My Two Holidays. Danielle Novack. Illustrated by Phyllis Harris. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
It's Christmas, David! David Shannon. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Llama Llama Holiday Drama. Anna Dewdney. 2010. Penguin. 40 pages.
The Christmas Magic. Lauren Thompson. Illustrated by Jon J. Muth. 2009. Scholastic. 40 pages.
All The Things I Love About You. LeUyen Pham. 2010. November 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
To Whom the Angel Spoke: A Story of the Christmas. Terry Kay. 2009. Peachtree. 32 pages.
The Gingerbread Pirates. Kristin Kladstrup. Illustrated by Matt Tavares. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale. Karen Henry Clark. Illustrated by Patrice Barton. 2010. November 2010. Random House. 32 pages.
The Christmas Giant. Steve Light. 2010. Candlewick. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 7

Brand New Readers: Winter Fun! Various. 2010. Candlewick Press. 80 pages.
Turkey Day (School Reader Level 1) Grace Maccarone. Illustrated by John Manders. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
There's A Mouse in the House! (School Reader Level 1). Wendy Cheyette Lewison. Illustrated by Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.

Who Wears Glasses? (School Reader Level One) Ana Galan. Illustrated by Sebastian Burnett. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time. Mary Pope Osborne. Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. 2010. Random House. 128 pages.
Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman. Francesca Simon. Illustrated by Tony Ross. 2010. Sourcebooks. 112 pages.
The Emperor's Code. (The 39 Clues #8). Gordon Korman. 2010. Scholastic. 176 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 1

The Butler Gets A Break. A Bellweather Tale. Kristin Clark Venuti. 2010. Egmont USA. 240 pages.

Number of YA: 7

Chasing Brooklyn. Lisa Schroeder. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 412 pages.
The Boy From Ilysies. Pearl North. 2010. Tom Doherty Associates. 320 pages.  
Jane. April Lindner. 2010. Little Brown. 373 pages.
Prom & Prejudice. Elizabeth Eulberg. 2011. [January 2011] Scholastic. 288 pages.
My Fair Godmother. Janette Rallison. 2009. Walker. 320 pages.  
The Scorch Trials. James Dashner. 2010. Random House. 368 pages.
Captivate. Carrie Jones. 2010. Bloomsbury. 276 pages. 

Number of Adult: 10

He Knew He Was Right. Anthony Trollope. 1869/2009. Oxford University Press. 992 pages.
Lady Anna. Anthony Trollope. 1874/2009. Oxford World's Classics. 560 pages.
The Weed That Strings The Hangman's Bag. (Flavia de Luce #2). Alan Bradley. 2010. Random House. 364 pages.
A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. 1843. 96 pages.
Pride and Prescience: Or A Truth Universally Acknowledged. A Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery. 2004. Tor. 288 pages.
North by Northanger: Or, The Shades of Pemberley. A Mr. & Mrs. Darcy Mystery. Carrie Bebris. 2006. Tor. 320 pages.
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James. 2007. HarperCollins. 352 pages.
What Happens in London. Julia Quinn. 2009. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
Ten Things I Love About You. Julia Quinn. 2010. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
Death of a Gossip. A Hamish Macbeth Murder Mystery. M.C. Beaton. 1985/2008. Robinson. 210 pages.

Number of Christian: 2

Mystery of the Holy Spirit. R.C. Sproul. 1990/1994. Tyndale. 191 pages.
Miracle of Christmas: God With Us. John MacArthur. 1993. Zondervan. 144 pages

Number of Nonfiction: 3

The Crossing: How George Washington Saved The American Revolution. Jim Murphy. 2010. Scholastic. 96 pages.
Your Baby Is Speaking To You: A Visual Guide to the Amazing Behaviors of Your Newborn and Growing Baby. Dr. Kevin Nugent. Photographs by Abelardo Morell. 2011. January 2011. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 106 pages.
Rags and Riches: Kids in the Time of Charles Dickens. Magic Tree House Research Guide #22. Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce. 2010. Random House. 128 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels:
Number of Poetry:

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 1

A Darcy Christmas: A Holiday Tribute to Jane Austen. By Amanda Grange, Carolyn Eberhart, and Sharon Lathan. Sourcebooks. 304 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

November Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in November 2010.

When I wrote essays at school I was always told to begin at the beginning and end at the end. I'm not at all sure that this story has an end. As for a beginning - well, in my opinion, it really begins - as I began - with my father. Anyway, that's where I'm going to start.

The best time to talk to ghosts is just before the sun comes up. That's when they can hear us true, Momma said. That's when ghosts can answer us. 

Ruth Handler looked absolutely nothing like a Barbie doll. And she did not aspire to.  

So there I was, holding a pink teddy bear in my hand. It had a red bow and an inviting, cute, bearlike smile. Also, it was ticking. 

The wind howled and the flames roared, but the books, as they died, merely fell silent.

November's Top Five:

A Pleasure To Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories. Ray Bradbury.
Miss Hargreaves. Frank Baker. 
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins.
Bright Young Things. Anna Godbersen.
Blackout. Connie Willis.

Number of Board Books: 7

It's Christmas Time! Salina Yoon. 2010. Scholastic. 8 pages.
Duck & Goose, It's Time for Christmas. Tad Hills. 2010. Random House. 22 pages.
Hanukkah: A Counting Book. Emily Sper. 2010. Scholastic. 20 pages.
Clifford's First Christmas. Norman Bridwell. 2010. Scholastic. 20 pages.
Here Comes Christmas! Caroline Jayne Church. 2010. Scholastic. 14 pages.
Story of Christmas. Vivian French. Illustrated by Jane Chapman. 2010. Candlewick. 22 pages.
Cows Can't Jump by Dave Reisman. Illustrated by Jason A. Maas. 2008. Jumping Cow Press. 44 pages.  

Number of Picture Books: 12

Bedtime Bunnies. Wendy Watson. 2010. Clarion Books. 32 pages.
Can't Sleep Without Sheep. Susanna Leonard Hill. Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka. 2010. Walker Books. 40 pages.
Rain School. James Rumford. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages. 
Ribbit Rabbit. Candace Ryan. Illustrated by Mike Lowery. 2011. February 2011. Walker. 32 pages.
Ivy Loves to Give. Freya Blackwood. 2010. Scholastic. 24 pages.
Guess How Much I Love You. Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Anita Jeram. 1994. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
Guess How Much I Love You: All Year Round: Four Seasons, Four Stories. Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Anita Jeram. 2010. Candlewick. 72 pages.
And I Love You. Ruth Krauss. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 40 pages.
A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens. Illustrated by Brett Helquist. 2009. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
The Hallelujah Flight. Phil Bidner. Illustrated by John Holyfield. 2010. Penguin. 32 pages.  
Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star. Petr Horacek. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.
More Bears! Kenn Nesbitt. Illustrated by Troy Cummings. 2010. November 2010. Sourcebooks. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 4

I Love Christmas. (Noodles Series). Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Anna Hibiscus. Atinuke. Illustrated by Lauren Tobia. 2010. Kane/Miller. 112 pages.
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: The New Girl (#2) Meg Cabot. 2008. Scholastic. 230 pages.
Allie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Best Friends and Drama Queens #3. Meg Cabot. 2009. Scholastic. 224 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 5

Chains. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 320 pages.
The Haunting of Charles Dickens. Lewis Buzbee. With illustrations by Greg Ruth. 2010. October 2010. Feiwel & Friends. 368 pages.
Libyrinth. Pearl North. 2009. Tor. 336 pages.
Alcatraz Versus The Shattered Lens. Brandon Sanderson. 2010. Scholastic. 304 pages.
Enchanted Glass. Diana Wynne Jones. 2010. HarperCollins. 292 pages.

Number of YA: 3

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. 2010. Scholastic. 390 pages.
Bright Young Things. Anna Godbersen. 2010. HarperCollins. 400 pages.
The Blending Time. Michael Kinch. 2010. Flux. 254 pages. 

Number of Adult: 7

Passionate Brood: A Novel of Richard the Lionheart and the Man Who Became Robin Hood. Margaret Campbell Barnes. 1944/2010. Sourcebooks. 368 pages.
Blackout. Connie Willis. 2010. Random House. 512 pages.
Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal. 2010. Tom Doherty. 304 pages.
Miss Hargreaves. Frank Baker. 1940/2009. Bloomsbury. 336 pages.
Bellfield Hall: Or The Observations of Miss Dido Kent. Anna Dean. 2010. St. Martin's Press. 300 pages.
Desiree: The Bestselling Story of Napoleon's First Love. Annemarie Selinko. 1953/2010. Sourcebooks. 608 pages.
The Nonesuch. Georgette Heyer. 1962/2009. Sourcebooks. 352 pages.

Number of Christian: 7

We Believe in Christmas. Karen Kingsbury. Illustrated by Dan Brown. 2008. Zondervan. 40 pages.
Silent Night: A Christmas Carol is Born. Maureen Brett Hooper. Illustrated by Kasi Kubiak. 2001. Boyds Mill Press. 32 pages.
Music From Our Lord's Holy Heaven. Gathered and Sung by Gloria Jean Pinkney. Art by Jerry Pinkney, Brian Pinkney, and Myles C. Pinkney. Prelude by Troy Pinkney-Ragsdale. 2005. HarperCollins. 48 pages.
A Baby Born in Bethlehem. Martha Whitmore Hickman. Illustrated by Giuliano Ferri. 1999. Whitman. 32 pages.
This Is The Stable. Cynthia Cotten. Illustrated by Delana Bettoli. 2006. Henry Holt. 32 pages.
One Wintry Night. Ruth Bell Graham. Illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson. 1994. Baker. 72 pages.
What Good is God? In Search of A Faith That Matters. Philip Yancey. 2010. Faithwords [Hachette]. 287 pages

Number of Nonfiction: 5

The Good, The Bad, and the Barbie: A Doll's History and Her Impact On Us. Tanya Lee Stone. 2010. October 2010. Penguin. 144 pages.
Ray Bradbury: Master of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Wendy Mass. 2004. Enslow Publishers. (Authors Teens Love Series). 104 pages.
A Book About Color. Mark Gonyea. 2010. Henry Holt. 96 pages.
Unraveling Freedom: The Battle for Democracy on the Home Front During World War I. Ann Bausum. 2010. November 2010. National Geographic. 96 pages.
Candy Bomber: The Story of The Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot". Michael O. Tunnell. 2010. Charlesbridge. 120 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels: 1

Amelia Earhart: This Broad Ocean. Sarah Stewart Taylor. Illustrated by Ben Towle. 2010. Hyperion. 96 pages

Number of Poetry: 2

Roots and Blues: A Celebration. Arnold Adoff. Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. 2011. January 2011. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 96 pages.
Camille Saint-Saens's The Carnival of the Animals. Jack Prelutsky. Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. 2010. Random House. 40 pages. 

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 2

A Pleasure To Burn: Fahrenheit 451 Stories. Ray Bradbury. 2010. Subterranean Press. 300 pages.
Bespelling Jane Austen. By Mary Balogh, Susan Krinard, Colleen Gleason, Janet Mullany. 2010. Harlequin. 377 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

October Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in October 2010.

Some things start before other things. 

In the beginning there were nine of us. We left when we were young, almost too young to remember. Almost.

It was a pleasure to burn. 


I've watched through his eyes, I've listened through his ears, and I tell you he's the one. Or at least as close as we're going to get.

Ask Paris if a phone call can be deadly. She'll tell you. She learned the truth of it last night.

 

October's Top Five Ten:

They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. Susan Campbell Bartoletti.
The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett.
Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett.
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis.
The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds. 
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. 
Touch Blue. Cynthia Lord.
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong.

Number of Board Books: 2

ABC, Baby Me! Susan B. Katz. Illustrated by Alicia Padron. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 28 pages.
Baby Baby Baby! by Marilyn Janovitz. 2010. October 2010. Sourcebooks. 24 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 16


Ninja Cowboy Bear Presents The Way of the Ninja. David Bruins. Illustrated by Hilary Leung. 2010. September 2010. Kids Can Press. 32 pages.
Tuck Me In. Dean Hacohen and Sherry Scharschmidt. 2010. Candlewick Press. 40 pages.
Cat the Cat, Who Is That? Mo Willems. 2010. HarperCollins. 24 pages. 
Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion. Mo Willems. 2010. September 2010. HarperCollins. 52 pages.
Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Mo Willems. 2009. Hyperion. 40 pages.
Goodnight Goon. Michael Rex. 2008. Penguin. 32 pages.
The Runaway Mummy: A Petrifying Parody. Michael Rex. 2009. Penguin. 32 pages.
Furious George Goes Bananas: A Primate Parody. Michael Rex. 2010. May 2010. Penguin. 32 pages.
The Adventures of Granny Clearwater & Little Critter. Kimberly Willis Holt. Illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith. 2010. October 2010. Henry Holt. 32 pages.
My Mommy Hung the Moon. Jamie Lee Curtis. Illustrated by Laura Cornell. 2010. September 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
The Gobble Gobble Moooooo Tractor Book. Jez Alborough. 2010. September 2010. Kane/Miller. 32 pages.
Mad at Mommy. Komako Sakai. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 40 pages.
Miles to Go. Jamie Harper. 2010. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
How To Raise a Dinosaur. Natasha Wing. Illustrated by Pablo Bernasconi. 2010. October 2010. Running Press. 24 pages.
Spork. Kyo Iona Maclear. Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. 2010. Kids Can Press.  32 pages.
Babyberry Pie. Heather Vogel Frederick. Illustrated by Amy Schwartz. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 2

We Are In A Book! Elephant and Piggie Series. Mo Willems. 2010. September 2010. Hyperion. 64 pages.
I Will Surprise My Friend: An Elephant and Piggie Book. Mo Willems. 2008. Hyperion. 64 pages.


Number of Middle Grade: 4

Touch Blue. Cynthia Lord. 2010. August 2010. Scholastic. 192 pages.
One Crazy Summer. Rita Williams-Garcia. 2010. [January 2010] HarperCollins. 218 pages.
Ballet Shoes. Noel Streatfeild. 1937. Random House. 256 pages.
The Memory Bank. Carolyn Coman. Illustrations by Rob Shepperson. 2010. October 2010. Scholastic. 288 pages.

Number of YA: 12

The Wee Free Men. Terry Pratchett. 2003. HarperCollins. 400 pages.
I Am Number Four. Pittacus Lore. 2010. August 2010. HarperCollins. 440 pages.
The Lighter Side of Life and Death. C.K. Kelly Martin. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 240 pages.
Dark Sons. Nikki Grimes. 2005. Hyperion. 218 pages.
Inside Out. Maria V. Snyder. 2010. April 2010. Harlequin Teen. 320 pages.
Restoring Harmony. Joelle Anthony. 2010. May 2010. Penguin. 320 pages.  
A Hat Full of Sky. Terry Pratchett. 2004. HarperCollins. 288 pages
The Maze Runner. James Dashner. 2009. Random House. 384 pages.
Wintersmith. Terry Pratchett. 2006. HarperCollins. 325 pages.
Behemoth. Scott Westerfeld. 2010. October 2010. Simon & Schuster. 485 pages.
The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents. Terry Pratchett. 2001. HarperCollins. 242 pages.
Lockdown. Walter Dean Myers. 2010. HarperCollins. 247 pages.

Number of Adult: 7

Evil Genius. Wilkie Collins. 1886. 348 pages. 
Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Alan Bradley. 2009. Random House. 304 pages.
Elizabeth, Captive Princess: Two Sisters, One Throne. Margaret Irwin. 2010. Sourcebooks. 352 pages.
We Have Always Lived in the Castle. Shirley Jackson. 1962. Penguin. 214 pages.
Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953. 179 pages.
Doomsday Book. Connie Willis. 1992. Random House. 592 pages. 
Frankenstein's Monster. Susan Heyboer O'Keefe. 2010. October 2010. Crown Publishing. 352 pages.  

Number of Christian: 10

God's Mighty Acts in Salvation. Starr Meade. 2010. August 2010. Crossway. 87 pages.
The Road to Paris. Nikki Grimes. 2006. Penguin. 160 pages.
I Will Rejoice. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Amy June Bates. 2007. Zondervan. 32 pages.
Mortimer's Christmas Manger. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Jane Chapman. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Embers of Love (Striking a Match #1) Tracie Peterson. Bethany House. 352 pages.
The Evangelicals: What They Believe, Where They Are, And Their Politics. Christopher Catherwood. 2010. August 2010. Crossway. 168 pages.
While We're Far Apart. Lynn Austin. 2010. October 2010. Bethany House. 416 pages.
Snow Day. Billy Coffey. 2010. October 2010. FaithWords. 195 pages.
Cottonwood Whispers. Jennifer Erin Valent. 2009. Tyndale. 352 pages.
The First Christmas: A Changing-Picture Book. Illustrated by Sophy Williams. 2010. Candlewick. 14 pages.

Number of Nonfiction: 4

They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group. Susan Campbell Bartoletti. 2010. August 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 172 pages.
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance. Jennifer Armstrong. 1998. Random House. 144 pages.
Just One Bite: 11 Animals and their Bites at Life Size! Lola M. Schaefer. Illustrated by Geoff Waring. 2010. September 2010. Chronicle Books. 40 pages.
The Life of Rice: From Seedling to Supper. Richard Sobol. 2010. Candlewick. 40 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels: 12

Ender's Game: Battle School. (Graphic Novel) Orson Scott Card. Pasqual Ferry. Christopher Yost. 2009. Marvel. 128 pages. 
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451: The Authorized Adaptation. Ray Bradbury. Illustrated by Tim Hamilton. 2009. July 2009. FSG. 160 pages.
The Odyssey. Gareth Hinds. 2010. October 2010. 256 pages.
Binky to the Rescue. Ashley Spires. 2010. Kids Can Press. 64 pages.
Beowulf. Gareth Hinds. 2007. Candlewick Press. 128 pages
The Muppet Show Comic Book: Meet the Muppets. Roger Langridge. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Robin Hood. Tim Beedle. 2009. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet Peter Pan. Grace Randolph. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
Muppet King Arthur. Paul Benjamin and Patrick Storck. 2010. Boom. 112 pages.
Nothing But Trouble. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Chronicles of Meap. Adapted by John Green. 2010. Disney. 32 pages.
The Plain Janes. Cecil Castellucci. Jim Rugg. Minx. 176 pages.

Number of Poetry: 1

Frankenstein Makes A Sandwich. Adam Rex. 2006. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.


Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 0

I've partially reviewed one book: Ray Bradbury, Part One; Ray Bradbury, Part Two; Ray Bradbury, Part Three;

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

September Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in September 2010.

Owen Jester tiptoed across the gleaming linoleum floor and slipped the frog into the soup.

Harlem Tate hadn't been in Freedom, Georgia, more than three days before it was clear that nobody wanted anything to do with him. Nobody except me, that is. I had a burning desire to be his friend.

Choosing a subject for a biography may be as perilous or as charmed as a marriage. A writer chooses with fingers crossed.

Around midnight, her eyes at last took shape. The look in them was feline, half determined and half tentative--all trouble.

The night breathed through the apartment like a dark animal.

In the first part of Robinson Crusoe, at page one hundred and twenty-nine, you will find it thus written.

September's Top Six:

The Disappeared. Kim Echlin.
The War to End All Wars: World War I. Russell Freedman.
Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World by Sid Fleischman.
Ninth Ward. Jewell Parker Rhodes.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.
Bleak House. Charles Dickens

Number of Board Books: 7

Have You Ever Tickled A Tiger? Betsy E. Snyder. 2009. Random House. 14 pages.
Pig-a-Boo! A Farmyard Peekaboo Book. Dorothea DePrisco. Illustrated by Treesha Runnells. 2009. Simon and Schuster. 14 pages.
Tubby. Leslie Patricelli. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 28 pages.
Potty. Leslie Patricelli. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 28 pages.
Lily's Potty. Begin Smart Books. May 2010. 14 pages
Pete's Potty. Begin Smart Books. May 2010. 14 pages.
Maisy Goes to Bed. A Maisy Lift-the-Flap Classic. Lucy Cousins. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 16 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 12

Dirtball Pete. Eileen Brennan. 2010. August 2010. Random House. 32 pages.
Animal House. Candace Ryan. Illustrated by Nathan Hale. 2010. July 2010. Walker Books. 40 pages.
City Dog, Country Frog. Mo Willems. 2010. Hyperion. 64 pages.
Love That Kitty: The Story of a Boy Who Wanted to Be A Cat. Jeff Jarka. 2010. Henry Holt. 32 pages.
Sleepy, Oh So Sleepy by Denise Fleming. 2010. August 2010. Henry Holt. 32 pages.
A Pirate's Guide to First Grade. By James Preller. Illustrated by Greg Ruth. Feiwel and Friends. 48 pages.
My Garden. Kevin Henkes. 2010. February 2010. HarperCollins. 28 pages.
Shark Vs. Train. Chris Barton. Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld. 2010. April 2010. Little, Brown. 40 pages.
The Cow Loves Cookies. Karma Wilson. Illustrated by Marcellus Hall. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Art and Max. David Wiesner. 2010. October 2010. Clarion (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). 40 pages.
The Pirate of Kindergarten. George Ella Lyon. 2010. June 2010. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Clever Jack Takes the Cake. Candace Fleming. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 2010. August 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 5

The Viper's Nest. (The 39 Clues #7). Peter Lerangis. 2010. Scholastic. 190 pages.
Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia. Barbara O'Connor. 2003. FSG. 112 pages.
Elephants Cannot Dance! (An Elephant & Piggie Book). Mo Willems. 2009. Hyperion. 64 pages.
Can and I Play Too? Mo Willems. 2010. Hyperion. 57 pages.
Justin Case: School, Drool, And Other Daily Disasters. Rachel Vail. 2010. Feiwel & Friends. 256 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 5

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins. R.A. Spratt. Illustrated by Dan Santat. Little Brown. 239 pages.
The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester. Barbara O'Connor. 2010. August 2010. FSG. 176 pages.
Ninth Ward. Jewell Parker Rhodes. 2010. August 2010. Little, Brown. 217 pages.
The Birthday Ball. Lois Lowry. With illustrations by Jules Feiffer. 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 186 pages.
Reckless by Cornelia Funke. Translated by Oliver Latsch. 2010. Little, Brown. 394 pages

Number of YA: 4

Revelations. Melissa de la Cruz. 2008. Hyperion. 272 pages.
Faithful. Janet Fox. 2010. Penguin. 336 pages.
A Girl Named Mister. Nikki Grimes. 2010. Zondervan. 232 pages.
Fallen. Lauren Kate. 2009. Random House. 464 pages.

Number of Adult: 6

Jane Slayre. Charlotte Bronte and Sherri Browning Erwin. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 396 pages.
Wench. Dolen Perins-Valdez. 2010. HarperCollins. 293 pages.
Paul is Undead. Alan Goldsher. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 310 pages.
The Disappeared. Kim Echlin. 2009. Grove/Atlantic. 224 pages.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins. 1868. 544 pages.
Bleak House. Charles Dickens. 1852-1853. 912 pages.


Number of Christian: 7

Wildflowers of Terezin. Robert Elmer. 2010. Abingdon Press. 352 pages.
The Thorn. Beverly Lewis. 2010. Bethany House. 352 pages.
More Than Words by Judith Miller. 2010. Bethany House. 368 pages.
In Every Heartbeat. Kim Vogel Sawyer. 2010. September 2010. Bethany House. 352 pages.
Love's First Bloom. Delia Parr. 2010. Bethany House. 320 pages.
A Hope Undaunted by Julie Lessman. 2010. Revell. 505 pages.
God's Mighty Acts in Creation by Starr Meade. 2010. Crossway. 112 pages.

Number of Nonfiction: 6

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down. Andrea Davis Pinkney. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. 2010. February 2010. Little, Brown. 40 pages.
The War to End All Wars: World War I. Russell Freedman. 2010. August 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 192 pages.
Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World by Sid Fleischman. 2010. June 2010. HarperCollins. 268 pages.
Lincoln Tells A Joke: How Laughter Saved the President (And the Country). Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer. Illustrated by Stacy Innerst. 2010. April 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.
Lost Boy: The Story of the Man Who Created Peter Pan. Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Steve Adams. 2010. August 2010. Penguin. 40 pages.
Liberty or Death: The Surprising Story of Runaway Slaves Who Sided With the British During The American Revolution. By Margaret Whitman Blair. 2010. National Geographic. 64 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels: 1

Jane Eyre The Graphic Novel: Original Text. Charlotte Bronte. 2009. Classical Comics. 144 pages.

Number of Poetry: 5

In the Wild. David Elliott. Illustrated by Holly Meade. 2010. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
The Silly Book with CD. Stoo Hample. 2010/2004/1961. Candlewick Press. 32 pages.
Switching on the Moon. A Very First Book of Bedtime Poems. Collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 96 pages.
Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors. Joyce Sidman. Illustrated by Beckie Prange. 2010. April 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 40 pages.
Guyku. Bob Raczka. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin. 48 pages.

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies:

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

August Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in August 2010.

Once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.

Everyone thinks children are sweet as Necco Wafters, but I've lived long enough to know the truth: kids are rotten. The only difference between grown-ups and kids is that grown-ups go to jail for murder. Kids get away with it.

Come to think of it, the day my brother tried to eat his first-grade teacher turned out to be the same day that my dad brought me home a very, very strange cat.

I don't want to die, I thought. Not again.

The big question: Is Origami Yoda real? Well, of course, he's real. I mean, he's a real finger puppet made out of a real piece of paper. But I mean: Is he REAL? Does he really know things? Can he see the future? Does he use the force?

Emma Woodhouse--handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition--had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress her. Until the vampire attacks began.

August's Top Five:

A Tale Dark and Grimm. Adam Gidwitz.
The Convenient Marriage. By Georgette Heyer. (1934) Read by Richard Armitage. (2010)
To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee.
Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer L. Holm.
Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Salley Mavor

Number of Board Books: 6

Baby's Book Tower. By Leslie Patricelli. 2010. August 2010. Candlewick. 96 pages.
Count My Kisses, Little One. Ruthie May. Illustrated by Tamsin Ainslie. 2010. August 2010. Scholastic. 24 pages.
Five Little Ducks. Beth Harwood. Illustrated by Emma Dodd. 2008. Amazing Baby. 10 pages.
Time for Bed. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Jane Dyer. 1993/2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 28 pages.
Amazing Baby: Clap and Sing. Emma Dodd. 2007. Silver Dolphin. 12 pages.
Princess Baby On the Go. Karen Katz. 2010. August 2010. Random House. 14 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 10

Dog Loves Books. Louise Yates. 2010. July 2010. Random House. 32 pages.
Too Pickley! By Jean Reidy. Illustrated by Genevieve Leloup. 2010. July 2010. Bloomsbury. 32 pages.
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late. Mo Willems. 2006. Hyperion. 40 pages.
Piggy Pie Po. Audrey & Don Wood. 2010. September 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages.
The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Alphabet Book. Robert Crowther. 1999/2010. August 2010. Candlewick. 12 pages.
The Most Amazing Hide-and-Seek Numbers Book. Robert Crowther. 2010. August 2010. (1999) Candlewick. 12 pages.
Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep! Mo Willems. 2010. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
One Smart Cookie: Bite Size Lessons for the School Years and Beyond. By Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Illustrated by Jane Dyer & Brooke Dyer. 2010. HarperCollins. 40 pages.
Chicken Big. Keith Graves. 2010. Chronicle Books. 40 pages.
It's A Book. Lane Smith. 2010. August 2010. Roaring Brook Press. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 6

In Too Deep (The 39 Clues #6) Jude Watson. 2009. Scholastic. 206 pages.
Complete Adventures of Curious George: 70th Anniversary Edition. Margret and H.A. Rey. 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 432 pages.
Curious George Storybook Collection. 2010. September 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 197 pages.
Otter Everywhere: Brand New Readers. By Christine Webster. Illustrated by Tim Nihoff. 2007. Candlewick Press. 48 pages.
Brand New Readers: Termite Tales. Kathy Caple. 2009. Candlewick Press. 48 pages.
Brand New Readers: Larry and Rita. Jamie Michalak. Illustrated by Jill Newton. 2007. Candlewick Press. 48 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 7

A Tale Dark and Grimm. Adam Gidwitz. 2010. November 2010. Penguin. 192 pages.
Leaving Gee's Bend. Irene Latham. 2010. Penguin. 240 pages.
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Tom Angleberger. 2010. Harry N. Abrams. 141 pages.
Knightley Academy. Violet Haberdasher. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 469 pages.
Crunch. Leslie Connor. 2010. HarperCollins. 336 pages.
The Witchy Worries of Abbie Adams. Rhonda Hayter. 2010. Penguin. 256 pages.
Turtle in Paradise. Jennifer L. Holm. 2010. Random House. 208 pages.

Number of YA: 6

Kiss of Life. Daniel Waters. 2009. Hyperion. 416 pages.
Glimpse. Carol Lynch Williams. 2010. June 2010. Simon & Schuster. 496 pages.
Passing Strange (Generation Dead #3). Daniel Waters. Hyperion. 400 pages.
Sphinx's Princess. Esther Friesner. 2009. Random House. 384 pages.
Shiver. Maggie Stiefvater. 2009. Scholastic. 400 pages.
The Half-Life of Planets. Emily Franklin. and Brendan Halpin. 2010. Hyperion. 256 pages.

Number of Adult: 7

The Convenient Marriage. By Georgette Heyer. (1934) Read by Richard Armitage. 2010. August 2010. Naxos Audiobooks. 5 hrs. 6 minutes.
Beauvallet. Georgette Heyer. 1929/2010. Sourcebooks. 301 pages.
Emma and the Vampires by Wayne Josephson. 2010. Sourcebooks. 304 pages.
April Lady. Georgette Heyer. 1957/2005. Harlequin. 270 pages.
The Foundling. Georgette Heyer. 1948/2009. Sourcebooks. 439 pages.
To Kill A Mockingbird. Harper Lee. 1960. 281 pages.
Civil Contract. Georgette Heyer. 1961/2009. Harlequin. 432 pages.

Number of Christian: 6

The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment. Tim Challies. 2007. Crossway Publishers. 208 pages.
Masquerade by Nancy Moser. 2010. Bethany House. 368 pages.
George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century. Arnold A. Dallimore. 2010. Crossway Publishers. 224 pages.
The Devil in Pew Number Seven: A True Story. Rebecca Nichols Alonzo with Bob DeMoss. 2010. Tyndale. 288 pages.
Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope. Mary Beth Chapman. With Ellen Vaughn. 2010. Revell. 288 pages.
The Vigilante's Bride. Yvonne Harris. 2010. Bethany House. 304 pages.


Number of Nonfiction:

Number of Graphic Novels: 2

Koko Be Good. Jen Wang. 2010. September 2010. First Second. 304 pages.
Frankenstein The Graphic Novel: Original Text. Mary Shelley. 2008. Script Adaptation by Jason Cobley, American English Adaptation: Joe Sutcliff Sanders. Illustrations by Declan Shalvey, Jason Cardy & Kat Nicholson, etc. Classical Comics. 144 pages.

Number of Poetry: 1

Pocketful of Posies: A Treasury of Nursery Rhymes. Salley Mavor. 2010. September 2010. Houghton Mifflin. 72 pages.


Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies:

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

July Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in July 2010.

I peered into the deep-sea canyon, hoping to spot a toppled skyscraper. Maybe even the Statue of Liberty. But there was no sign of the old East Coast, just a sheer drop into darkness.

Lisabeth Lewis didn't mean to become Famine.

A definition:
A real live boyfriend does not contribute to your angst.

The movement of the train rocked me like a lullaby.

Strange things can happen at a crossroads.

I don't trust Clive Fagenbush.

July's Top Eight:

The Boneshaker. Kate Milford.
Real Live Boyfriends. E. Lockhart.
Cloaked in Red. Vivian Vande Velde.
A Long Walk to Water. Linda Sue Park
Moon Over Manifest. Clare Vanderpool.
The Daughter of Time. Josephine Tey
She Stoops to Conquer. Oliver Goldsmith.
Venetia. Georgette Heyer

Number of Board Books: 9

Welcome Summer by Jill Ackerman. Illustrated by Nancy Davis. 2010. Scholastic. 10 pages.
I Like Bugs. Lorena Siminovich. 2010. March 2010. Candlewick. 10 pages.
I Like Fruit. Lorena Siminovich. 2010. July 2010. Candlewick. 10 pages.
The Napping House. Audrey Wood. Illustrated by Don Wood. 1984/2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 32 pages.
Baby at the Farm. Karen Katz. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 10 pages.
Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes. Mem Fox. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury. 2008/2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 38 pages.
All About Me! A Baby's Guide to Babies by David Salariya. 2008. Random House. 16 pages.
Click, Clack, 123. Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2006/2010. Little Simon. 22 pages.
Click, Clack, ABC. Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by Betsy Lewin. 2005/2010. Simon & Schuster. 24 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 15

No T. Rex in the Library. Toni Buzzeo. Illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
Swim! Swim! by Lerch (James Proimos). 2010. July 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
The Eensy Weensy Spider Freaks Out (Big Time) by Troy Cummings. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Beaver is Lost. Elisha Cooper. 2010. June 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Hello Baby! Mem Fox. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! by Kyle Mewburn. Illustrated by Ali Teo & John O'Reilly. 2008. Peachtree. 32 pages.
My Love Will Be With You. Laura Krauss Melmed. Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 2009. HarperCollins. 24 pages.
Please Pick Me Up, Mama! Robin Luebs. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 40 pages.
Dinosaurs Love Underpants. Claire Freedman. Illustrated by Ben Cort. 2009. December 2009. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
Night Lights. Susan Gal. 2009. November 2009. Random House. 32 pages.
Always in Trouble. Corinne Demas. Illustrated by Noah Z. Jones. 2009. Scholastic. 40 pages.
How Rocket Learned to Read. Tad Hills. 2010. July 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Ferocious Wild Beasts! by Chris Wormell. 2009. December 2009. Random House. 32 pages
Posy. Linda Newbery. Illustrated by Catherine Rayner. 2008. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
When the World is Ready for Bed. Gillian Shields. Illustrated by Anna Currey. 2009. Bloomsbury. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 10

No New Pets by Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
I Won't Share. Hans Wilhelm. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Jake. Audrey Couloumbis. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 176 pages.
Mo and Jo Fighting Together Forever. Dean Haspiel and Jay Lynch. 2008. Toon Books. 40 pages.
Stinky. Eleanor Davis. 2008. Toon Books 40 pages.
The Black Circle (The 39 Clues #5) Patrick Carman. 2009. Scholastic. 176 pages.
Phineas L. MacGuire...Erupts. Frances O'Roark Dowell. 2006. Simon & Schuster. 176 pages.
I Survived The Sinking of the Titanic, 1912. Lauren Tarshis. 2010. Scholastic. 112 pages.
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same. Grace Lin. 2010. July 2010. Little, Brown. 43 pages.
Word After Word After Word. Patricia MacLachlan. 2010. HarperCollins. 128 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 15

Moon Over Manifest. Clare Vanderpool. 2010. October 2010. Random House. 368 pages.
Julia Gillian (And the Art of Knowing) by Alison McGhee. 2008. Scholastic. 290 pages.
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos. 2007. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 343 pages.
Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris. R.L. LaFevers. 2008. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 400 pages.
Peter and the Sword of Mercy. Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. 2009. Hyperion. 528 pages.
A Long Walk to Water. Linda Sue Park. 2010. November 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 128 pages.
The Boneshaker. Kate Milford. 2010. May 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 372 pages.
Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman. 1997. HarperCollins. 80 pages.
Elephant Run. Roland Smith. 2007. Hyperion. 336 pages.
Bamboo People. Mitali Perkins. 2010. July 2010. Charlesbridge. 272 pages.
Julia Gillian (And the Quest for Joy). Alison McGhee. 2009. Scholastic. 320 pages.
Julia Gillian (And the Dream of the Dog). Alison McGhee. Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan. 2010. July 2010. Scholastic. 336 pages.
The Everlasting Now. Sara H. Banks. 2010. Peachtree Publishers. 176 pages.
Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home. Henry Cole. 2010. HarperCollins. 342 pages.

Number of YA: 19

Don't Judge A Girl By Her Cover. Ally Carter. 2009. Hyperion. 272 pages.
The Treasure Map of Boys. E. Lockhart. 2009. Random House. 256 pages.
Scars. Cheryl Rainfield. 2010. WestSide Books. 250 pages.
Real Live Boyfriends. E. Lockhart. 2010. December 2010. Random House. 240 pages.
Wildthorn. Jane Eagland. 2010. September 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 352 pages.
Jumpstart the World. Catherine Ryan Hyde. 2010. October 2010. Random House. 192 pages.
Hunger. Jackie Morse Kessler. 2010. October 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 180 pages.
In a Heartbeat. Loretta Ellsworth. 2010. February 2010. Walker & Company. 216 pages.
Only The Good Spy Young. Ally Carter. 2010. Hyperion. 272 pages.
Amy & Roger's Epic Detour. Morgan Matson. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 343 pages.
The First Part Last. Angela Johnson. 2003. Simon & Schuster. 144 pages.
Finding My Place. Traci L. Jones. 2010. May 2010. FSG. 192 pages.
Stolen. Lucy Christopher. 2010. Scholastic. 304 pages.
The Gardener. S.A. Bodeen. 2010. May 2010. Feiwel & Friends. 240 pages.
I Kissed a Zombie, and I Liked It. Adam Selzer. 2010. Random House. 192 pages.
Dark Life. Kat Falls. 2010. Scholastic. 304 pages.
Everlasting. Angie Frazier. 2010. June 2010. Scholastic. 336 pages.
Leviathan. Scott Westerfeld. 2009. October 2009. Simon & Schuster. 448 pages.
Fire. Kristin Cashore. 2009. Penguin. 480 pages.

Number of Adult: 15

The Man in the Queue. Josephine Tey. 1929/1995. Simon & Schuster. 256 pages.
Bath Tangle. Georgette Heyer. 1955. Harlequin. 336 pages.
The Daughter of Time. Josephine Tey. 1951/1995. Simon & Schuster. 208 pages.
Star Begotten: A Biological Fantasia by H.G. Wells. 1937/2006. Wesleyan University Press. 172 pages.
The Pirates! In An Adventure with Ahab. Gideon Defoe. 2005. Knopf Doubleday. 160 pages.
The Lost Duke of Wyndham. Julia Quinn. 2008. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume. Julia Quinn. 2008. HarperCollins. 384 pages.
An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews. (Shamela) Henry Fielding. 1741. 40 pages.
Uncommon Reader. Alan Bennett. 2007. FSG. 128 pages.
First Comes Marriage. Mary Balogh. 2009. Random House. 416 pages
Then Comes Seduction. Mary Balogh. 2009. Random House. 448 pages.
At Last Comes Love. Mary Balogh. 2009. Random House. 416 pages.
Seducing an Angel by Mary Balogh. 2009. Random House. 416 pages.
She Stoops to Conquer. Oliver Goldsmith. 1773. 80 pages.
Venetia. Georgette Heyer. 1958/2009. Harlequin. 368 pages.

Number of Christian: 9

Magdalene. Angela Hunt. 2006. Tyndale. 448 pages.
A Morning Like This. Deborah Bedford. 2002/2009. Faith Words. 336 pages.
When You Believe. Deborah Bedford. 2003/2009. Faith Words. 288 pages.
Perfectly Dateless: A Universally Misunderstood Novel. Kristin Billerbeck. 2010. July 2010. Revell. 256 pages.
Touching the Clouds. Bonnie Leon. 2010. July 2010. Revell. 320 pages.
The Sister Wife. Diane Noble. 2010. HarperCollins. 343 pages.
The Church History ABCs: Augustine and Twenty-Five Other Heroes of the Faith. Stephen J. Nichols. Illustrated by Ned Bustard. 2010. June 2010. Crossway. 32 pages.
Courting Morrow Little by Laura Frantz. 2010. Revell. 368 pages.
Fancy Pants. Cathy Marie Hake. 2007. Bethany House. 384 pages.


Number of Nonfiction: 7

Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom and Science. Marc Aronson and Marina Budhos. 2010. November 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 176 pages.
Oscar and the Bat: A Book About Sound. Geoff Waring. 2008. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Oscar and the Snail: A Book About Things We Use. Geoff Waring. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Oscar and the Cricket: A Book About Moving and Rolling. Geoff Waring. 2008. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Oscar and the Bird: A Book About Electricity. Geoff Waring. 2009. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Oscar and the Frog: A Book About Growing. 2007. Candlewick. 32 pages.
Oscar and the Moth: A Book About Light and Dark. Geoff Waring. 2007. Candlewick. 32 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels:

Number of Poetry:

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 2

The Storyteller's Secrets. Tony Mitton. Illustrated by Peter Bailey. Random House. 128 pages.
Cloaked in Red. Vivian Vande Velde. 2010. October 2010. Marshall Cavendish. 128 pages.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

June Accomplishments

These are a few of my favorite 'first' lines read in June 2010.

What Homer Pudding didn't know on that breezy Sunday morning, as he carried a pail of fresh goat milk across the yard, was that his life was about to change.

Gramps, who was born in 1990, once told me that when he was my age the only way to wind up in prison in the USSA (back when it had only one S) was to steal something, kill somebody, or use illegal drugs.

A storm is rolling in, and that always makes me a little sad and wistful so I got it in my head to set to paper all these things that have got us this far on our way through this heathen land.

"War," says Mayor Prentiss, his eyes glinting. "At last."

Miss Alexia Tarabotti was not enjoying her evening. Private balls were never more than middling amusements for spinsters, and Miss Tarabotti was not the kind of spinster who could garner even that much pleasure from the event. To put the pudding in the puff: she had retreated to the library, her favorite sanctuary in any house, only to happen upon an unexpected vampire.

Sometimes your life just needs a little jolt. That's what Francesca told me once, and she was right. I mean, she was wrong about practically everything, but she was right about that. Because the more I think about it, the more I look back at all the chaos that happened last fall, it's almost like she rescued me.

June's Top Eight:

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba. Margarita Engle.
Smells Like Dog. Suzanne Selfors.
Mockingbird. Kathryn Erskine.
The Water Seeker. Kimberly Willis Holt.
Sylvester: Or the Wicked Uncle. Georgette Heyer.
Black Sheep. Georgette Heyer.
Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness.
The Last River Child. Lori Ann Bloomfield.

Number of Board Books: 3

Kisses for Daddy. Frances Watts. Illustrated by David Legge. 2010. April 2010. Simon & Schuster. 26 pages.
Daddy Calls Me Doodlebug. J.D. Lester. Illustrated by Hiroe Nakata. 2010. Random House. 26 pages.
All God's Creatures. Karen Hill. Illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 16 pages.

Number of Picture Books: 14

Just What Mama Needs. Sharlee Mullins Glenn. Illustrated by Amiko Hirao. 2008. Harcourt. 32 pages.
Dear Teacher. Amy Husband. 2010. July 2010. Sourcebooks. 24 pages.
My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil. Hanoch Piven. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Barry The Fish With Fingers by Sue Hendra. 2010. June 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
How To Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps. Jennifer LaRoue Huget and Edward Koren. 2010. May 2010. Random House. 40 pages.
Toy Story 3: A Limited Collector's Edition Read-Aloud Storybook. Adapted by Christine Peymani. 2010. Random House. 72 pages.
Brand-New Baby Blues by Kathi Appelt. Illustrated by Kelly Murphy. 2009. December 2009. HarperCollins. 32 pages.
Daddy is a Cozy Hug. Rhonda Gowler Greene. Illustrated by Maggie Smith. 2010. May 2010. Walker & Company. 32 pages.
I Love My Dad. Anna Walker. 2010. April 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
Daddy Loves His Little Girl. John Carter Cash. Illustrated by Marc Burckhardt. 2010. May 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
My Father Knows The Names of Things. Jane Yolen. Illustrated by Stephane Jorisch. 2010. April 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
The Fathers Are Coming Home. Margaret Wise Brown. Illustrated by Stephen Savage. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.
Daddy's Little Scout. Janet Bingham. Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw. 2010. Scholastic. 32 pages.
Dogs Don't Do Ballet. Anna Kemp. Illustrated by Sara Ogilvie. 2010. June 2010. Simon & Schuster. 32 pages.

Number of Children's Books: 12

Benny and Penny in the Toy Breaker. Geoffrey Hayes. 2010. May 2010. Toon Books. 32 pages.
Zig and Wikki in Something Ate My Homework. Trade Loeffler and Nadja Spiegelman. 2010. April 2010. Toon Books. 40 pages.
The Sign of the Beaver. Elizabeth George Speare. 1983. Random House. 135 pages.
Trapped (The Prometheus Project #1) by Douglas E. Richards. 2010. (May 2010). Paragon Science Fiction. 192 pages.
Captured (Prometheus Project #2) Douglas Richards. Paragon Science Fiction. 256 pages.
The Phoenix and the Carpet. E. Nesbit. 1904. 224 pages.
One False Note. Gordon Korman. 2008. Scholastic. 160 pages.
The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues #3). Peter Lerangis. 2009. March 2009. Scholastic. 160 pages.
House of Dolls. Francesca Lia Block. Illustrated by Barbara McClintock. 2010. June 2010. HarperCollins. 61 pages.
Toy Story 3: The Junior Novelization by Jasmine Jones. 2010. Random House. 128 pages.
Beyond the Grave: The 39 Clues #4. Jude Watson. 2009. Scholastic. 192 pages.
Alvin Ho: Allergic to Birthday Parties, Science Projects, and Other Man-Made Catastrophes. Lenore Look. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 192 pages.

Number of Middle Grade: 9

The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba. Margarita Engle. 2010. Henry Holt. 160 pages.
Keeper. Kathi Appelt. 2010. Simon & Schuster. 399 pages.
Smells Like Dog. Suzanne Selfors. 2010. May 2010. Little, Brown Young Readers. 360 pages.
The Babysitters Club: The Summer Before. Ann M. Martin. 2010. Scholastic. 224 pages.
Faery Rebels: Spell Hunter. R.J. Anderson. 2009. April 2009. HarperCollins. 336 pages.
Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson. 2010. June 2010. HarperCollins. 304 pages.
The Water Seeker. Kimberly Willis Holt. 2010. May 2010. Henry Holt. 320 pages.
Mockingbird. Kathryn Erskine. 2010. April 2010. Penguin. 224 pages.
This Is Me From Now On by Barbara Dee. 2010. Simon & Schuster. (April 2010) 272 pages.

Number of YA: 7

Sisters Red. Jackson Pearce. 2010. June 2010. Little, Brown. 328 pages.
Birthmarked. Caragh M. O'Brien. 2010. March 2010. Roaring Brook Press. 368 pages.
Touch. Francine Prose. 2009. HarperCollins. 272 pages.
The Poison Diaries. Maryrose Wood. 2010. HarperCollins. 288 pages.
The Clearing. Heather Davis. 2010. April 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 212 pages.
Monsters of Men. Patrick Ness. 2010. September 2010. Candlewick Press. 608 pages.
Z for Zachariah. Robert C. O'Brien. 1974. 250 pages.

Number of Adult: 10

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory. 2009. Simon & Schuster. 432 pages.
The Last River Child. Lori Ann Bloomfield. 2010. Second Story Press. 280 pages.
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Anne Bronte. 1848. 496 pages.
Sylvester: Or the Wicked Uncle. Georgette Heyer. 1957/2009. Harlequin. 368 pages.
Soulless by Gail Carriger. 2009. Orbit. 384 pages.
Black Sheep. Georgette Heyer. 1966/2008. Sourcebooks. 280 pages.
These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine. By Nancy E. Turner. 1998. HarperCollins. 416 pages.
Armadale. Wilkie Collins. 1866. (My edition. Oxford World's Classics.) 880 pages.
Anna Karenina. Leo Tolstoy. Translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. 2004, this translation. Penguin. 864 pages.
Pamela. Samuel Richardson. 1740/1801. (Penguin) 540 pages.

Number of Christian: 9

The Sword. Bryan M. Litfin. 2010. April 2010. Crossway. 412 pages.
A Hopeful Heart. Kim Vogel Sawyer. 2010. June 2010. Bethany House. 352 pages.
Purity: A Godly Woman's Adornment. Lydia Brownback. 2010. May 2010. Crossway Publishers. 136 pages.
A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer. 2010. June 2010. Bethany House. 352 pages.
Love Finds You in Golden, New Mexico by Lena Nelson Dooley. 2010. May 2010. Summerside Press. 320 pages.
Unburdened: The Secret to Letting God Carry The Things That Weigh You Down. Chris Tiegreen. Tyndale. 240 pages.
Maid to Match. Deeanne Gist. 2010. June 2010. Bethany House. 368 pages.
What is the Gospel? by Greg Gilbert. Foreword by D.A. Carson. Crossway. 127 pages.
Simon's Crossing. Charles William Asher. Dennis Patrick Slattery. 2010. January 2010. iUniverse. 172 pages.

Number of Nonfiction: 1

Orangutans Are Ticklish: Fun Facts From an Animal Photographer. Steve Grubman and Jill Davis. 2010. June 2010. Random House. 40 pages.

Number of Graphic Novels: 4

Mercury. Hope Larson. 2010. April 2010. Simon & Schuster. 234 pages.
The Sons of Liberty (#1). Alexander Lagos and Joseph Lagos. 2010. Random House. 176 pages.
Babymouse Burns Rubber #12. Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. 2010. January 2010. Random House. 96 pages.
Babymouse Cupcake Tycoon (#13) Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm. 2010. September 2010. Random House. 96 pages.

Number of Poetry: 0

Number of Short Story Collections/Anthologies: 0

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews