Mouseling's Words

Last week I didn't post because I sprained my knee and it was an effort to hobble anywhere let alone to my computer. And on top of a temporary bum knee, I had to take Emily to Terra Nova State testing and to take the ACT test. And this week she has to take the state Algebra test. I'm pretty sure she'd rather go to the dentist.

So all of that means that this week I have lots to share. Back in January I participated in Tara Lazar's Story Storm and besides coming up with several ideas for possible stories, I also won two books from author Shutta Crum. In addition, Ariel Bernstein sent me her brand new chapter book, Warren and Dragon - Volcano Deluxe for review.

With all the testing and hobbling going on, I was only able to read Shutta's picture book titled Mouselings Words, but that means I still have two books to look forward to. Now most of you know by now that I love words. Words of every kind. So Ms. Shutta's book about Mouseling and his love of words is just right up my alley.

Mousling loves the words on bits of papers in his nest, the words his Aunt Tillie brings him from the restaurant. But when it comes time for Mouseling to leave his comfortable home and start a life of his own, he is most reluctant. He refuses to leave his comfortable world of words until his aunt tells him there are words without end outside of the nest and restaurant.

Ms. Shutta weaves a tale of delight and Ryan O'Rourke's beautiful illustrations bring Mouseling's words to life. So if you have yet to discover Ms. Shutta's work, run don't walk to your nearest book store.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Rejections and Hope

This past week I received rejections from two separate agents and I felt hopeful. I know, you're probably wondering how in the world could  a pair of rejections cause a feeling of hope. Well_ both rejections were personal. Rather than sending the standard rejection form that makes every submitter wonder if their story has even been read, each agent sent me a personalized rejection letter with words of encouragement.

The first agent stated that she felt there were many things to enjoy in my manuscript but she just didn't feel the connection needed to take on a new client. The second agent called my submission charming but not the right project for her. And while this might seem disheartening to most people, I rejoiced in the thought that I must be getting close.

So I keep writing, keep polishing, and keep submitting. And in the meantime, I read and review books. Lots and lots of books. This time around I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of author Laura Gehl's upcoming book Juniper Kai: Super Spy which is available for pre-order right now.

Juniper Kai knows she was born to be a spy, and she has opportunity to put her skills to the test when her parents seem to be keeping a secret. But her sleuthing  doesn't work until she sees her father hiding something in the shed. What she finds in its depths suddenly causes everything strange her parents have been doing to make sense. I don't want to give away too much, but I will say Juniper's life is about to change, and the super spy is super happy about the situation! 

This isn't the first book by Laura I've enjoyed. Last May I read and reviewed My Pillow Keeps Moving, her delightful story about a dog and a cat that creatively find a new home and get out of the cold. So if you want to learn more about Laura and all of her books, be sure to check out her website.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

My Top Ten Favorite Reads of 2018

I read so many great books this year, and it took me a while to narrow down the list; but here are my Top Ten Favorite Reads of 2018.

10. The Best Mother


9.  Cat On The Bus



8.  A Different Pond



7.  Ocean Meets Sky



6.  Read the Book Lemmings




5.  My Pillow Keeps Moving



4.  Henry and the Yeti



3.  Nibbles the Book Monster



2.  Night Job



1.  Hello Light House




And since it was so difficult to choose, I have to share an Honorable Mention:

Samson the Piranha Who Went To Dinner



With The New Year just around the corner, I'm looking forward to all the fantastic, funny, creative, beautifully illustrated books 2019 has to offer.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Books and Bakes

This past week I attended a library board meeting, helped Emily with her school work, attended Cook-book Club, and finished round one of my Cookiepalooza. As two of those things involve food, I think it would be safe to call myself a foodie as well as a literary person.

For Cook-book Club Emily prepared Oreo Truffles. Since she didn't decide what she was making until late the night before, she had to use vanilla flavored melting discs instead of chocolate because I just wasn't going to the store at that hour, and I had some leftover red discs.

I made Bacon Ranch Chicken Penne which turned out beautifully. I even made my own Alfredo sauce. If you want to try it for yourself, this is what you'll need.

Bacon Chicken Ranch Penne  🥓🐔🥘

6 slices of bacon
2 cups cooked chicken
Alfredo sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 pound penne
2 cups fresh mozzarella grated

Alfredo Sauce

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2- 8 ounce containers whipped cream cheese
1 TBS minced garlic
2 cups grated Parmesan
Fresh cracked black pepper

In a large stock pot prepare sauce by adding broth, cream, garlic, and cream cheese and cook over medium heat whisking until smooth. When smooth, reduce heat to low/medium and add Parmesan. Whisk and allow to cook about five minutes. Remove from heat and add pepper to taste. Set sauce aside.

Next, cook bacon and set aside. In a large bowl, add penne, chicken which has been shredded, 4 cups of sauce, and ranch dressing. Let mixture set at least 15 to 20 minutes. The noodles will have absorbed most of the sauce, so before you put the mixture in a 9 x 13 pan, add an additional 2 cups of sauce. Reserve the rest of the sauce which can be used when reheating leftover casserole. Top dish crumbled bacon and mozzarella and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

I can't believe after all that effort I forgot to take a picture of my casserole, but there you have it. I did however, take several of the finished cookie tray that will be accompanying my husband, Bobby, to work.

But lest you think all I did attend meetings, home-school, and bake, never fear. I managed to read two picture books this week as well. There was Dear Girl which is an encouragement of love from a mother to her daughter letting her know it's acceptable to be herself whether that means being pink and sparkly or splattered with mud. It was also an encouragement for girls to appreciate who they are and what makes them unique something I try to teach my daughter.

And there was Douglas You're a Genius. Douglas  the Dog and his faithful companion Nancy loose a ball through a hole in the fence. When the ball rolls back to their side, they wonder just who sent it back. To find out, they try all kinds of crazy ideas thought of by Nancy, Unfortunately, none of Nancy's ideas work. Finally Douglas convinces Nancy to give his idea a try and they ultimately find out who's on the other side. Full of fun and surprises, this book is sure to please almost as much as that casserole I made!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

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Cold Enough For A Yeti

This past week in Ohio it snowed. It pored freezing rain. And it got really cold. This of course meant lovely fires in the fireplace all weekend.

I also started baking Christmas cookies at least the ones that freeze well. I managed to bake sugar cookies in the shape of trees and chocolate sugar cookies in the shape of snow flakes both of which I will decorate later.

All this cold made Henry And The Yeti a perfect book to snag from my reading pile. Henry believe in Yetis. Henry wants to find a Yeti. So, Henry sets out on a journey to meet a Yeti. Henry has an incredible adventure but the proof of meeting a friendly Yeti was accidentally left behind. Will Henry be mocked for the rest of his life, or will he be able to prove Yetis really exist?

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Into The 21st Century...

The most amazing thing happened at the Stewart house this past week. Bobby, Emily, and I finally all entered the 21st Century. I traded in my teeny tiny, eight year old phone for a new one that I can actually see, and Bobby and Emily each got their very first cell phone ever. The feeling of an early arriving Christmas permeated our home for several days as we navigated the world of new tech, selfies, and texting.

New Phone Selfie

The fun thing to note about texting is that if the relatives you text don't already have your phone number in their contacts, they have no idea who is talking to them.This happened to both Bobby and me. Bobby's brother said, "Who is this?" in response to Bobby's texting him his phone number and my sister-in-law didn't even respond to my text because she thought it was a text from her family about her cousin Bobby.

I'm sure all you long time cell phone aficionados can imagine the fun we've been having and the new things we've learned in just a few short days. Which reminds me of what Farmer Brown learned in the book Click, Clack, Quack to School, my library read for the week. Farmer Brown is invited to school and is instructed to bring the animals who all become very excited until Farmer Brown weighs them down with all kinds of rules about behaving and being quiet. I don't want to give the ending away, but let's suffice to say that Farmer Brown might have been a bit mistaken and over cautious when he instructed the animals how to behave.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Time For A Ride

The weather has warmed up here in Ohio, so my husband moved Emily's bike from the shed to the garage. Now she can easily access it any time she wants to ride which she does frequently. And that segues into the first book I read this past week which is Spin.

Spin is a simple story of few words about a mother and daughter on a bicycle ride. At the same time, the colorful pages subtly convey the message of persistence as the girl encourages herself to keep moving up the steep hills, down the long hills, and around the windy bends. Definitely a book great for reading and discussion with kids from five to eight.

The second book I read titled, My Pillow Keeps Moving, is a book about the creative way a dog and a cat find a new home and get out of the cold. This text in the book splits between page text and words on the signs in the illustrated buildings which I found to be a fun addition. Reading this book puts me in mind of how we came to adopt our oldest cat, Max. Someone had dumped several cats in the neighborhood, but Max decide he wanted in our house. He would sit at our back door looking in and when I went out to scare him away, he would not be deterred. Eventually we capitulated and let him in, and I must say he is quite the character.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Three Cats, Three Books

The weather this past weekend was a bit chilly, but it didn't keep kids from creating a little art at the market chalk-a-palooza where I manage. I passed out chalk and caramel apple suckers to the kids and sold almost everything from my table making it a pretty stellar day. And while I love the market, I am glad it's behind me as I am looking forward to taking a little break from baking until the holidays.

Something else I did this past month was run a cross a blurb showing that September was designated as Happy Cat Month. And though we are a few days into October now, I thought it would be fun to share three cat books I read for the occasion. But before I do, I'd like to introduce you to our family's three cats, Max, Daisy, and Fluffy.

Max

Daisy

Fluffy

 Do you see the theme I snuck in there?  Three cats owned, three books read!

The first book I read was titled, The big Meow. The story tells the tale of Little Cat who has a big meow. A meow much bigger than the meow's of his peers, and one that causes the others to leave him out of all their fun and games. That is until Little Cat uses his big meow to save the other kittens from Bruno the bullying Bulldog.

The next title was a cute book called, Cat Skidoo. Cat Skidoo takes the reader on a journey as they follow two kittens who are curious and manage to get into lots of mischief. This book would be great for kids four to six and has some very fun illustrations to admire along the way.

And last but certainly not least since it was my favorite of the three books was Goyangi Means Cat. It is the story of a small girl from Korea, Soo Min, who comes to America after being adopted. Her new parents only know four words of Korean but they have a Goyangi or cat. The cat helps Soo Min adjust to her new home that is different from anything she has ever known. But one day, the cat slips out the door and, Soo Min and her mother spend the day combing the neighbor hood for the naughty kitty.

I loved so many things about this book. I love the story's depiction of how a child might feel in a new and strange place no matter how loving the adoptive parents are. I love that she finds comfort in the family cat. and I love how both the parents and Soo Min make effort to learn each other's languages. But most of all, I loved the illustrations by husband and wife team Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher. What they created on the pages of this book was a tapestry of Asian characters and patterns that made me the Korean culture a bit more deeply.

Since all these titles are a little older, I suggest you check you local library first. If that fails, there are some used copies floating around and Goyangi Means Cat is readily available in both Kindle and Nook form.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter  @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

 

The Ohio Renaissance Festival (Part 1)

As promised last week, this week I'm sharing all about our visit to the Ohio Renaissance Festival in Waynesville, Ohio.

If you've never been to the renaissance Festival, all I can say is what are you waiting for? And if you have been, you already know how much fun visiting this recreation of a 1572 English village is.

There are fabulous vendors and you can even watch some of them action. Two of my favorites were the glass figurine maker and the glass blower.

And then there are the wonderful musicians scattered throughout the complex. I especially enjoyed the hammered dulcimer player.

The musical glass player.

The harp player.

 And the guitar player/singer.

Lots of other people seem to enjoy this festival as much as me and my family if this picture is anything to judge by.

 
And although my twelve year old is too old for games and rides, this place is perfect for kids in the younger crowd. We are talking about bubbles and camels after all!

And then of course the Queen might pass with her entourage at any time.

But if you don't run into her on the street, you can see her at the jousting tournament. A word to the wise, however, get to the jousting arena early or you won't get a seat. Fortunately, we had witnessed the jousting three years ago when we attended, so I still have great pics to show you what the jousting experience looks like!

 

 
And then there are the performers. There are jugglers, comedy acts, and variety shows. Our absolute favorite performers are the Kamikaze FireFlies which I will share all about in my next post.

So if all these great pictures and descriptions have made you want to jump in the car and go visit this wonderful destination for yourself, I have a discount offer just for you. Get $4 off Adult and $2 off Child tickets by using Promo Code "queen17" when purchasing on the secure website at www.renfestival.com. Tickets valid any day of the 2017 season (Saturdays, Sundays, and Labor Day Sept 2 - Oct 29). Online discount only. Not good with any other offers.
http://usfamilycoupons.com/coupon.php… .@usfg

And lest I forget, here is a great book you can read before you go! Because, the Renaissance was a time of great art, great music, and so much more. And here's a link to some other great resources http://zing-zoom.com/wpzz/the-renaissance/!

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.