Friday Five!

Five things to share on a Friday!

So far this has been primarily about storytime (okay, all about storytime) and I was thinking this morning, that while it does feel like I spend most of my life at the library, it isn't my entire life, and I should probably expand my subject matter. This thing is going to be an evolving mass of junk for awhile so bear with me. The Friday Five idea is borrowed from one of my favorite young adult writers, Sarah Dessen, and while she is no longer doing her Friday Five (sob), I think it is a fantasic way of rounding out the week. Tying up loose ends. That sort of thing.

And now that I've spent the time to tell you that I am expanding my subject matter, here are four library-related things, plus one other... Oh, brother.

1. Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson.

This book is great! It is interactive, colorful, and just makes you plain feel good. Reminiscent of Herve Tullet's Press Here, you have to tap and wiggle and jiggle the book before you turn the page. Every time you tap or wiggle or jiggle the book, something magical happens: a leaf sprouts, an apple grows, snow falls, and it take us through each of the four seasons.

2. Hushabye by Haley Westenra

You may (if you are a nerd like me) recognize Hayley Westenra from Celtic Woman. A mix of traditional lullabies and standard favorites, Hushabye will appeal to all age groups. (That is, if you're into that sort of Celtic lullaby genre or a baby. If not, forget it.) Top tracks to download are Go to Sleep, Goodnight My Angel, Baby Mine, and Stay Awake. You can preview the whole album here: Haley Westenra's Hushaby.

3. Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem

"Brambly Hedge is on the other side of the stream, across the field. If you can find it, and if you look very hard amongst the tangled roots and stems, you may even see a wisp of smoke from a small chimney, or through an open door, a steep flight of stairs deep within the trunk of a tree. For this is the home of the mice of Brambly Hedge."

With a little winter chill in the air, now is the perfect time to curl up with a cup of tea and an old favorite. Jill Barklem's Brambly Hedge stories will warm you down to the cockles of your heart. (Ever wonder about that phrase? Yeah, me too: The Cockles of the Heart.)

Enough with the warm and fuzzy stuff!

4. Birthday Bunny Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett (and Alex)

Birthday Bunny Battle Bunny is a nice little story a raw and action-packed story about a sweet little an evil Bunny and his friends enemies on his birthday Dooms Day. This. Is. Hysterical. It's kind of a brain-bender with the "original" Birthday Bunny story overwritten by Alex, who turns the plot into evil plans, greasy guts, and bombs. I had to read through twice. Warning: Not recommended for very young ears. I'd say 8 years and up.

5. And finally, you guys! I can't wait for Christmas. I know, I know. It's not even Thanksgiving, but for whatever reason, I've caught the Spirit of Christmas early this year. I actually put on my holiday Pandora station last week to clean the house. Don't worry, I haven't hung the decorations yet, but what this early yuletide merriment does mean is that I've already started gathering Christmas presents. This year will not be like the year I knit everyone one glove. It will not be like the year I knit my sister a sweater and took it back because I hadn't put any buttons on it yet. (Side note: I still have not put the buttons on. In all reality though, that was the ugliest sweater of all time ever to be made, and I'm really just doing her a favor by not sewing on the buttons. It's the kind of sweater you don't leave the house in. You are doomed to be glued to the couch with a pint of ice cream if you're wearing that thing. As my brother-in-law so kindly noted, "You don't even have to shave your legs to wear that.") In fact, I will not be knitting any presents this year. Everyone just ends up with a half-finished gift. Books! Books for everybody! Not really, but there will be a few. Present making/gathering by Mid-November is pretty good for this professional procrastinator. Perhaps the husbando and I will hang the lights this weekend. Don't worry! We won't turn them on until December. Promise.

Christmas 2012