Scholastic Book Club and Dinner Dictionary

Warning-- silly, base and scatological humour ahead. Read at your own risk.

We often read at the table after dinner.  Sometimes even during dinner.  We're so literary.  Tonight Dellylu brought her Scholastic Book Club catalogs to the table to browse.  

 

She first commented on the pony series, comprising I Want a Pony, A Pony for Keeps, A Pony in Trouble, Give Me Back My Pony, Pony to the Rescue, Too Many Ponies, Runaway Pony, Goodbye Pony, The Wild Pony, Don't Hurt Me, Pony, Keep Out Pony, and Circus Pony.  The entire set is on sale for only $45, a savings of $86.88 (a BBB post, maybe?).  She reckons the best one of the series must be Too Many Ponies, because there are definitely too many.

 

Then Izzy commented on the fine book, Dr Proctor's Fart Powder.  We laughed at the title and the blurb, which reads, 'Nilly and Lisa must help Dr Proctor keep his super-strength Fart Powder safe from the neighbourhood bullies!'   Since Hubby is the only boy in the house we found the idea of a fart book hilarious.  I tried to tell them about proctology and the pun with the Dr's name, but couldn't find the word in our dictionary. It was in Wikipedia.

So then Hubby commented on a set he found, saying, 'Here are some books about ponies who don't eat enough fibre. It's called Magic Ponies Bind Up.' 

Bargain Book Bonanza (9): Big Books

Welcome to Bargain Book Bonanza!

A book haul linky party for bargain loving bookworms!

BBB is the place to showcase all the great books (new, used, vintage, electronic, audio) that you have scored on sale.

Each Monday through Thursday, all book lovers are invited to carouse, make merry and revel with bargain book abandon!

Want to join the party? Just visit the Bargain Book Bonanza page for the particulars.

Leslie is hosting this week!

So let me say that I usually do not buy books. I am more of a library gal. But if they are classics, a reference I will reference, or an old favorite...then I will indulge.

So. Being inspired, as usual, by Lesa and her bargain books from Goodwill, I made a concerted effort to check them out when I got a chance. 

I have two that I frequent. And either local Goodwill donators keep their "good" books (or don't read much), OR local Goodwill shoppers snatch up the good books really quickly! I rarely find anything!

But this week I hit the BO-NANZA!

 

I found two Calvin and Hobbes books. Lucas (10 years old) had been bugging me for some C&H for awhile now. About 75 cents each.

And a "Magic Schoolbus" and a "Word Girl" book for Nico (6 years old). They looked like they'd never even been opened! Word Girl even had an intact sticker sheet! About 50 cents each.

But the two that I was most excited about are the ones in the back:

1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die and The Handbook of Good English. (Should that be Well English?)

Anyway, the Paintings one is really neato, because it shows the paintings and gives a description of the paintings and some history or the circumstances of the painting. So I can sound smart as new paint.


And even though I talk good, I got the English Handbook - just in case I get invited to a Royal wedding or something (Ok, I just have to say - that wedding was such fun to see! I loved reading all the details and seeing the pics. Do we ever grow up?).

Anyway, (snooty accent) I actually purchased the item to improve my grammah. No. Truthfully, I'd like to teach my kiddos proper English. There are times when it does make a difference in life!


So, how much did I pay? Well...the Handbook was marked $3.99. Good. The Paintings was not marked. I took it to the front and asked. "Well, that's a big book. Books that are big are usually $3.99."


Ah. So, I got me some little books and I got me some big books. And I spent under $12.00. Not bad, my dears, not bad at all!

So, what bargain books did you get this week? And please speak properly. I can check your grammar now...

About writing...

Every single person who will ever read these pages is grateful to the people who write.   Books, words, expressed thoughts, typed ideas, they are our lovers, our passions, our savory life morsels, our presents.   They are the "why" of Mrs. BG's Book Nook's existence.

DeLynne is writing a book.    My sister is writing a book.  I am writing a book. 

Actually, let me correct something here, because I try not to make a habit of presenting untruths: DeLynne talks about writing a book. I talk about writing a book. My sister talks about writing a book and I suspect Lesa would talk about writing a book if she didn't have to spend so much time taking care of Mrs. BG and her delicious book nook.

What drives us to write, or to create at all?    

Sorry.  This isn't that post.  If I knew what it was, I'd cure it, because it is like a drug.

I don't know what it is, but I know how it feels.  

To write is to dance with the Universe.  

There's a reason so much art has been offered up to the mythical forces that seduce creativity from the ether through little ol' us.

But it's hard.  

It's hard to keep your toes (ego) out of the way.

It's hard to keep up with the muses because they have those annoying trim, lithe, dancer bodies and we all have the cubical, baby weight, not fifteen year old bodies, or exactly fifteen year old bodies with the exact gangling that comes from all that power we've yet learned to wield.  

It's hard.

It's hard, and yet, not to be melodramatic, not that you'll think me so if you've had this dance, but I almost can't breath without it.


DeLynne, Leslie, any of you out there dancing, write.   We owe it to ...well, pretty much everyone.

Bargain Book Bonanza (8): Plum and Newbery Edition

Welcome to Bargain Book Bonanza!

A book haul linky party for bargain loving bookworms!

BBB is the place to showcase all the great books (new, used, vintage, electronic, audio) that you have scored on sale.

Each Monday through Thursday, all book lovers are invited to carouse, make merry and revel with bargain book abandon!

Want to join the party? Just visit the Bargain Book Bonanza page for the particulars.

Lesa is hosting this week!

Howdy, bargain book lovers! Any superduper discounted books to show off this week? 

My haul is small but mighty and I'm so excited to share it with you! Especially a couple of  y'all in particular...

I picked these books up at the permanent book sale at the library-- the same library from the very first BBB post.  Regular hardbacks are .50 each with new ones costing $1. Paperbacks are .50 each or three for $1.  These four books cost $2.

 Do you read the Stephanie Plum series?

DeLynne is a huge fan and has written about it here, here and here. She first raved about Plum to me several years ago but I didn't read one. Then colleagues and local friends raved about it but I still didn't read one. I didn't read one till I spotted the first in the series in a pile of free giveaway books at school!!  No way could I pass up free and I figured the universe was telling me something.

So I read it. And it was a quick entertaining read-- it reminded me of a zany but occasionally intense tv cop/mystery show but about a bounty hunter.


No, I didn't laugh till I cried or even laugh at loud like some but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  And I've been planning to continue the series... sometime...


And the time is imminent! I spotted the hardback first and debated reading the series out of order then spotted number two in the series on the paperback twirly rack. Woohoo!

But then I had to find two more paperbacks to take advantage of the three for $1 deal...

a bit scarred but that doesn't bother me...

Caddie Woodlawn!! Yay!! Have you read it? I've been wanting to read this since Enbrethiliel at Shredded Cheddar wrote about it here. 

Don't know how I missed Caddie Woodlawn as a kid seeing as how I was so wild about the Little House books and any book about the frontier, really.  And it is a Newbery Winner-- one of my personal goals is to read all the Newbery winners and honor books.  

And guess what?! I already read it and it is superior to the Little House books. I'm planning a Caddie Woodlawn post to tell more about it. Don't hold your breath though, it may take me awhile.

Then I spotted this Newbery Honor Book, Rufus M. I know absolutely nothing about this one but it is an Honor Book!

I'm am so pleased with my small but mighty and wonderfully serendipitous bargain book haul!

Thank you, Bargain Book Fairy!

Can't wait to see your BBB posts!

Books I Could Actually Stand...

Well hello there, book lovers! Okay, I admit, I have been very much on the slack side lately. I have gotten into the habit of just reading the same books over and over again, to avoid having to think. Lazy much? So I developed a post about books I could read again without wanting to shoot myself or the book or the people around me. So here goes.

1. The Key To Rondo by Emily Rodda

I actually didn't have a choice but to read this over and over again because it was for a competition called Reader's Cup. But I found it was the only book I didn't eventually get sick of taking notes about and analysing each paragraph.

I have always had a weak spot for fantasy: Harry Potter, The Shadow Thief, Series of Unfortunate Events, that kind of thing. This book was perfect because it didn't have that really dark aspect that sometimes keeps me away but did have the exciting fantasy.

In the book, A boy named Leo inherits a music box that comes with a strict set of rules. Mimi, Leo's hated cousin, and her dog come to stay. Quickly the strict rules are broken and they find themselves transported to a land ruled by the evil Blue Queen. This book is filled with quirky characters and nail-biting moments. Feel free to read it over and over again.

2. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

Alright, we've probably all seen the movie, but the book is ten times better!

It talks more in depth about things like her mother's death, her romance with Prince Charmont, and her curse. I guess when you talk about it  like this it sounds pretty typical fairy tale, but if it's anything it's probably anti-fairy tale.

Ella, a beautiful girl from the kingdom of Frell, despises the Prince, the most wanted boy in the whole kingdom. She protests for ogre rights and takes down the king, the evil one in the story. Lucinda, a fairy who bestowed a "gift" on her when she was very young, is a ditzy, stubborn woman.

The whole fairy tale concept gets turned on its head by this story. Lesa actually gave this to me! We all knew she had excellent taste.

3. Teen Vogue

I know, I know, it's not technically a book. I had to write about it, though, because I just read them over and over again! It is amazing the amount of times I can pick one up and notice something new. It's like with a goldfish, you put something new in their tank, and because they have such a short memory span, they get surprised every time they pass it! Okay, not the best comparison, but you get the idea.


 The magazine is filled with advice on problems I actually am facing, amazing fashion (not in my price range but what do you expect) and up-and-coming stars with interesting backgrounds (except that time they put Justin Bieber on the cover). It's also very affordable and I don't feel like my brain cells are frying every time I pick one up!

I really like the section where they photograph girls wearing things from their own closets. It reminds me to op-shop every now and again.

I know it isn't targeted for adults, but it makes a great gift for teenagers from 13-17 years of age. And my Mum likes it, too. But maybe that's just her.

X.

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