I cannot go to school today ...

I've had that opening line from Shel Silverstein's poem Sick in my head frequently these days:

"I cannot go to school today," said little Peggy Ann McKay. "I have the measles and the mumps ..."

Although in my case, it was just a mean cold ... which turned into a really mean sinus infection. So between the end of the summer semester (two weeks to sleep in!), catching said cold, a visit from mom, moving, the start of the fall semester, and then getting sick AGAIN, I just haven’t thought about posting anything new. I’m back though, fully recovered and with a list of books that I’m just bursting to tell you about. Meanwhile, I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite books to read when I’m sick. Because for me, nothing says comfort like a good book that you can lose yourself in for several hours while waiting for medicine to kill those nasty germs ...

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing, by Melissa Bank

Any of the Harry Potter books, by J.K. Rowling

Lighthearted “chick lit” books by authors such as Jane Green or Jennifer Weiner

Any of the Bunnicula books, by James Howe

Cookbooks (seriously), so I can think about food that I’ll make once my appetite returns

Here's hoping none of us will need to use this list anytime soon. I'm stocking up on vitamins now in anticipation of all those germy, err, lovely kiddos who will be frequenting the library during the cold and flu season.

Vegetable Sucker

Bunnicula

by James Howe

Since vampire stories are all the rage right now, I thought it was high time I revisited one of MY favorite vampires of literature. This little guy sneaked into my world many, many summers ago, by way of a summer reading program prize, and I was immediately captivated by him. However, the kind of prey he’s after isn’t of the human kind.

Summary

It is a dark and stormy night (seriously) when we meet Bunnicula. Harold, our narrator and family dog to the X’s (he has changed their names in order to protect their identities), describes a chaotic scene that occurs when his family returns home from the movies with a little package in tow. That package is a small bunny - soon named Bunnicula because he was found at a Dracula movie - who is white with black markings on his back and around his neck, and has a note tied to him written in a foreign language. Harold, having bloodlines that include Russian wolfhound, recognizes an ancient dialect that translates to say “take care of my baby.”

Following the arrival of Bunnicula, Chester, the family cat, begins to notice some strange things about the newest member of the X family. Among these is the fact that it appears Bunnicula can get out of his cage without assistance at night. He also has funny little pointed teeth, and spends all day sleeping. And to top it all off, vegetables are turning up in the kitchen that are completely white, seemingly drained of their juices ...

That’s right, folks. Vampire bunny on the loose!

Harold isn’t worried, but Chester, who is quite the educated cat and has been studying vampires, does everything he can think of to warn the X’s that their newest furry friend is out for blood ... or V8. Poor Harold is left to figure out who's more of a threat - the cute little bunny or his well-meaning friend.

Worth staying up past bedtime?
I probably did every time I read this book! Bunnicula is fun and mysterious. James Howe has a goofy sense of humor, and it translates well to his animal characters. There is a whole Bunnicula series, too! A great read for elementary-aged kiddos who enjoy mysteries and animals.

Saintly Aspirations

The Possibilities of Sainthood

by Donna Freitas

At my library, we have a display shelf of books that are part of the Lonestar Reading List. These books are nominated by readers and selected by a committee in the Texas Library Association. The titles are for readers in grades six through eight (possibly my favorite section at the moment). I like seeing what Texans are reading and recommending, and that shelf is exactly where I found Donna Freitas charming book, The Possibilities of Sainthood.

Summary

Antonia Lucia Labella is a unique 15-year-old. The daughter of “the most famous pasta maker in Rhode Island,” she has a somewhat unusual goal in life: to become the first living saint in the history of the Catholic church. Every month for eight years, Antonia has petitioned the Vatican with a proposal for a new saint when she finds something that is not represented. Her proposals run the gamut from innocently sincere (Patron Saint of my Daddy’s Heart) to somewhat silly and charming (Patron Saint of Pasta Makers). She always offers herself as the person for the position. In addition to her monthly petitions to the Vatican, Antonia is constantly immersing herself in knowledge of the saints. She keeps a saint diary where she writes petitions to individual saints; she reads about the lives of the saints; and she mentions them frequently in everyday conversation. While this could get annoying to read about, Freitas has infused Antonia with an endearing sort of innocence and sincerity that makes her obsession rather sweet.

Another focus of Antonia’s is her impeccably chaste state. She has yet to receive her first kiss, and many of her saint petitions revolve around changing this. Her requests are adorable and hilarious, and Antonia manages to walk the line between normal teenage desires and an honest devotion to her faith and her own standards.

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Indeed. Antonia is such an endearing character that I couldn’t help but stay up to find out how things would work out for her. In addition to her struggles with boys and first kisses, she deals with some mother-daughter issues that will hit home with many young readers. A great read for young girls, particularly seventh to eighth grade and up.

Spooning

Spoon

by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

When I saw the cover of Spoon I quickly realized I was in for a treat. Amy Krouse Rosenthal is the author of an adorable book called Little Pea that I love. I knew I had no choice but to stop right where I was (straightening the shelves of children's picture books) and see what kind of adventures this cute little guy would be getting into.

Summary
Spoon is a young utensil with a lovely family. However, he's begun feeling down when he thinks of the things his friends get to do that he cannot. Knife gets to cut and spread, Fork spears all manner of foods, and Chopsticks are "cool and exotic." Little does Spoon know, his friends are just as envious of his duties! He's not sharp or dangerous; he gets to measure ingredients; and he is independent and can do things by himself. As she tucks him into bed, Spoon's mom reminds him of the fabulous things he can do, such as dive into a bowl of ice cream, or relax in a mug of hot tea. Spoon realizes he really is a lucky utensil!

Worth staying up past bedtime?

Totally! Spoon was adorable. From the family portrait (members include a set of measuring spoons, a ladle, a strainer, and an ice cream scoop) to the images of Spoon's utensil friends taking part in the various activities they do best, the whole book was a treat. The illustrations were simple yet imaginative, and I found myself recalling my own use of each of the utensils as I read about their adventures. A great treat for all ages!

Summer Reading

When I was in elementary school, I participated in a summer reading program at a bookstore in my neighborhood. While I don’t remember actually signing up or logging my reading time, what does stand out in my memory is getting a call that I had won a prize in the drawing for people who had completed a certain amount of reading time. I can still remember walking into the store one afternoon and telling a person at the counter who I was, and watching as she reached down to a shelf and then handed me a boxed set of books. I had won a whole series! I was so flabbergasted to be given such a treasure, and I went home and immediately became engrossed in the Bunnicula books, which I would read on several other occasions, and still remember fondly to this day.

My library’s summer reading program is officially in motion, and I think it’s a great activity for kids to get involved in. Yes, the lure of prizes is probably a motivating factor for some, but I think that the simple practice of reading daily can create a great long-term habit for many. When I did the summer reading program, I was already a reader. I didn’t need incentives to make me pick up a book. But because I participated and was fortunate enough to win something, I was given even more motivation to read. And I even discovered a set of books that I might not have found on my own. Talk about a great prize.

There's probably a summer reading program near you. Go sign up! I promise that on those languid, hot summer days (especially for those of us in Texas), there is sometimes no better way to beat the heat than to lay under a fan with a cold drink and a good book.