After years of dreaming, I'm finally doing it. I am in the book business. Someday, maybe I'll have an actual store but for now I just have a few boxes of books that I can sell out of my house. My inventory is mostly books from the TJED lists, classics for children and adults. I'm not the cheapest source for these books but if you live near me, I'm pretty convenient. A lot of these titles are not found in your typical big box store, though they will happily order them for you at no additional cost. And I think amazon.com carries them all, usually at a discount. Order $25 or more and you get free shipping. One of my favorite online stores is www.classicbooksandgifts.com.
I also have a lot of luck finding great deals on the bargain shelves/tables at big box stores and Half Price Bookstores. Lots of my friends get great deals at second hand stores like Goodwill. There are lots of ways to get cheap books.
But if convenience and a TJED focused inventory are important to you, and you live close, I might be able to help you.
Let me know if you want to stop in sometime and peruse my books for sale.
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Showing posts with label books. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Favorite Chapter Books for Young Children
My oldest daughter, Isabel, is 6. Over the last two years she’s really begun to enjoy listening to me read chapter books to her. During the day it’s just the two of us and most evenings we read with Dad too. Before moving into chapter books we spent years reading hundreds and hundreds of picture books, nursery rhymes, and fairy tales. We still read these.
The good books we have read have had a powerful influence on Isabel (and me too!). I see her being inspired by favorite characters to try new things and behave in better ways. We’ve had many sweet discussions over these books. Her daily play is usually based on one of our current novels. I love the effect reading these books has had on her. Every child has different interests and attention span so I would expect them to all like different books at different times of their lives. But, for what it’s worth, I thought I’d share Isabel’s favorite chapter books and how old she was when she was able to truly enjoy them.
Often, after I read a book to her, I then get it on audio from the library and she loves to listen to them over and over. I like to re-read them with her too but there’s something about listening to the book in her room while she plays with her toys that’s different than when I read to her. There have been a handful of books that she didn’t love the first time I read them to her but after listening to them on her own, she fell in love with them. Then, we re-read the books together and it was a totally different and better experience. I've also learned that great illustrations are important to her--they keep her engaged and interested. I wish I had realized this before I bought many cheap books without illustrations.
We’ve read lots of great books that aren’t on this list but I wanted to share just our very favorites, things I think every child should have read to them at some point. And to reiterate, I’m not suggesting the age that Isabel enjoyed something will or should apply to any other child, but it might be helpful to see which books are easier to start with versus those that were harder for her. We’ve tried lots of books, found them beyond her interest/comprehension and waited and then tried again and found her finally ready for them. There’s a long list of books I can’t wait to read with her that she’s just not ready for yet. So here are our favorite chapter books from the last 2 years. My specific reviews of the books can be found on my goodreads.com bookshelf.
Farmer Boy, 4
, 6
, 6 
, 6 
, 6 
, 5 
, 6 
, 6 
, 6 
, 5 Dinotopia
, 6
, 6
, 6
, 6Bible
and other Scriptures, 5
and other Scriptures, 5Monday, July 13, 2009
Back to Basics
Wow! The last 7 months of my life have been crazy wonderful. Our twins, Chloe and Liam are doing so great. Check out recent pics of them here. It is so fun to be the mother of 3 adorable, hilarious, sweet, lovable, and always-changing children. And, obviously it is time consuming and hard work. But I've dreamed of being this kind of busy for a long time. I'm trying to soak it up and enjoy every minute and remember that before I know it my little ones will be grown up and I'll be wishing for these days again. Somehow I manage to read tons but that's about all I do besides taking care of children and very basic, not-quite-adequate housekeeping. Maybe today is the day the bathroom will actually get done...
Isabel turns 6 in October and this would be the year she would enroll in Public School if we weren't homeschooling. With all our family changes a lot of people have asked if I will still be able to homeschool my kids. I know most people think it gets harder with more kids but I can now say with a few months worth of experience, that at least for now, it is easier. If I were doing a K-12 program that looked like public school then yeah, it might be impossible to do but when your engaged in Leadership Education, having a family with lots of kids makes it so much better. One of the principles of this philosophy is "Inspire not Require." That's where most of my energy goes - finding new ways to inpsire Isabel. Having the twins has inspired her to do lots of new things.
One example is reading. She loves to be read to and sometimes shows a desire to read herself but "reading" (what beginning readers do using a combination of sight reading, phonics, contextual clues, and guessing) to Mom is like a test and feels pointless. Mom already knows what the words on the page say and she'll know if you read it wrong--she doesn't need you to read to her. But "reading" to your little brother and sister is exciting! They certainly can't read for themselves and are excited to have your attention. Plus, they don't know if you read it right or wrong. You get to be the big, knowledgeable person while you practice things you are learning. Isabel has made a lot of progress in her reading lately and I know it's because she's been inspired by the presence of her baby brother and sister.
We've also had some success restructuring our morning routine. We have to schedule ourselves around the babies eating and napping times. This has forced us to be a little more structured and gives a nice flow to our day. All 3 of my kids are in core phase. In core phase we focus on teaching them good/bad, right/wrong, true/false, work, family relationships, and responsiblity. So our day is structured to facilitate this. I get up before all the kids to exercise and shower. Then I feed babies while Isabel gets her own breakfast, showers, and gets dressed. Having the babies has given her the motivation and opportunity to learn more skills and become more independent. While the babies play we start our morning chores together: dishes and kitchen clean-up, make the beds, pick-up bedrooms and livingroom, vacuum and laundry. If we did a good job the day before and didn't leave a lot of messes for ourselves, the morning cleanup only takes 30-45 minutes. After the twins have played for 20-40 minutes they are ready for a nap.
When our chores are done we use the rest of naptime for school time. That is, we do whatever Isabel is inspired to do. Usually we cuddle up in the chaise lounge with a novel and read for an hour or more. Other things we do are read library and picture books, do art projects, bake in the kitchen, work in the garden, listen to music, dance, and play games. I try to keep a running list in my head all week of things Isabel has expressed an interest in and then we use our morning time to do things from the list. I'm always putting things on hold at the library and once a week Kelly or I pick up the latest stack of books. I try to bring in resources and materials in response to Isabel's interests. I don't make her do anything during school time, I just respond to her needs and interests. Over the past few weeks we've learned about microbes, ants, gardening, Beethoven, and poetry; read the scriptures, dozens of fairytales, a handful of novels, and stacks of pictures books; baked different kinds of bread and muffins; planted and maintained a square foot garden (with some major help from our friends Rachel and Jason - thank you!);
and turned Isabel's bedroom into a gallery of her paintings.
This is how she learns the core phase lessons of good/bad, right/wrong, true/false, work, family relationships, and responsibility.
Before the babies wake up we try to eat lunch. If we don't stop in time, Isabel makes a sandwich for herself. Then she runs outside to play on nice days or finds something to do inside. I read to myself whenever I'm nursing. During the twins second nap I do whatever I can from my to-do list in 90 minutes. Then I feed them again. By now it's 5pm and time to get dinner ready, pickup the house and get ready for Daddy to come home. Isabel helps with dinner and pick-up. We eat dinner at about 6 or 6:30. We all do the dishes together. At 7:30 or so, the twins eat again while I read the family novel-du-jour to Kelly and Isabel. Right now it's Charlotte's Web. Then Kelly tucks Isabel into bed. At about 8:30 or 9 we put the twins to bed and then it's our time to read, talk, do whatever. Last night we started reading "Carry on Mr. Bowditch" together. I love reading with Kelly.
And, that's what an ideal day looks like at our house. On a good week, 3 or 4 of our days looks like this. On a bad week maybe only 1 does. Having 10-15 ideal days in a month is success in my book.
Isabel turns 6 in October and this would be the year she would enroll in Public School if we weren't homeschooling. With all our family changes a lot of people have asked if I will still be able to homeschool my kids. I know most people think it gets harder with more kids but I can now say with a few months worth of experience, that at least for now, it is easier. If I were doing a K-12 program that looked like public school then yeah, it might be impossible to do but when your engaged in Leadership Education, having a family with lots of kids makes it so much better. One of the principles of this philosophy is "Inspire not Require." That's where most of my energy goes - finding new ways to inpsire Isabel. Having the twins has inspired her to do lots of new things.
One example is reading. She loves to be read to and sometimes shows a desire to read herself but "reading" (what beginning readers do using a combination of sight reading, phonics, contextual clues, and guessing) to Mom is like a test and feels pointless. Mom already knows what the words on the page say and she'll know if you read it wrong--she doesn't need you to read to her. But "reading" to your little brother and sister is exciting! They certainly can't read for themselves and are excited to have your attention. Plus, they don't know if you read it right or wrong. You get to be the big, knowledgeable person while you practice things you are learning. Isabel has made a lot of progress in her reading lately and I know it's because she's been inspired by the presence of her baby brother and sister.
We've also had some success restructuring our morning routine. We have to schedule ourselves around the babies eating and napping times. This has forced us to be a little more structured and gives a nice flow to our day. All 3 of my kids are in core phase. In core phase we focus on teaching them good/bad, right/wrong, true/false, work, family relationships, and responsiblity. So our day is structured to facilitate this. I get up before all the kids to exercise and shower. Then I feed babies while Isabel gets her own breakfast, showers, and gets dressed. Having the babies has given her the motivation and opportunity to learn more skills and become more independent. While the babies play we start our morning chores together: dishes and kitchen clean-up, make the beds, pick-up bedrooms and livingroom, vacuum and laundry. If we did a good job the day before and didn't leave a lot of messes for ourselves, the morning cleanup only takes 30-45 minutes. After the twins have played for 20-40 minutes they are ready for a nap.
When our chores are done we use the rest of naptime for school time. That is, we do whatever Isabel is inspired to do. Usually we cuddle up in the chaise lounge with a novel and read for an hour or more. Other things we do are read library and picture books, do art projects, bake in the kitchen, work in the garden, listen to music, dance, and play games. I try to keep a running list in my head all week of things Isabel has expressed an interest in and then we use our morning time to do things from the list. I'm always putting things on hold at the library and once a week Kelly or I pick up the latest stack of books. I try to bring in resources and materials in response to Isabel's interests. I don't make her do anything during school time, I just respond to her needs and interests. Over the past few weeks we've learned about microbes, ants, gardening, Beethoven, and poetry; read the scriptures, dozens of fairytales, a handful of novels, and stacks of pictures books; baked different kinds of bread and muffins; planted and maintained a square foot garden (with some major help from our friends Rachel and Jason - thank you!);
and turned Isabel's bedroom into a gallery of her paintings.
This is how she learns the core phase lessons of good/bad, right/wrong, true/false, work, family relationships, and responsibility.
Before the babies wake up we try to eat lunch. If we don't stop in time, Isabel makes a sandwich for herself. Then she runs outside to play on nice days or finds something to do inside. I read to myself whenever I'm nursing. During the twins second nap I do whatever I can from my to-do list in 90 minutes. Then I feed them again. By now it's 5pm and time to get dinner ready, pickup the house and get ready for Daddy to come home. Isabel helps with dinner and pick-up. We eat dinner at about 6 or 6:30. We all do the dishes together. At 7:30 or so, the twins eat again while I read the family novel-du-jour to Kelly and Isabel. Right now it's Charlotte's Web. Then Kelly tucks Isabel into bed. At about 8:30 or 9 we put the twins to bed and then it's our time to read, talk, do whatever. Last night we started reading "Carry on Mr. Bowditch" together. I love reading with Kelly.
And, that's what an ideal day looks like at our house. On a good week, 3 or 4 of our days looks like this. On a bad week maybe only 1 does. Having 10-15 ideal days in a month is success in my book.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Isabel's Scarecrow, It's a casual thing
On Monday Isabel and I read The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. She just kept begging me to read one more chapter and one more chapter until we finished it. This was the first time I've ever seen her completely engaged by a book and it was so fun. We've had lots of discussions about the book and characters since then. Isabel was particularly taken with the scarecrow. While visiting family in Utah this summer she got to see Grandpa Jarrett's farm in Nephi and his scarecrow. With all that inspiration, Isabel decided we should make our own scarecrow, so that's what we did today. It was a lot of fun. The best part was hearing Isabel talk about the scarecrow and his significance in her life. Check out the video for a really good laugh.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Books that changed my life
Insomnia is a great opportunity to catch up on things you’ve been meaning to do. I love the website: http://www.goodreads.com/. It’s fun to see what all my friends are reading and even better to have a record of what I’ve read for myself. I finally updated my bookshelves with the things I’ve read over the past few years – it was especially fun to rate them. Check out my list if you are curious. I included reviews of some of my favorites.
I used the rating system this way:
1 star – Not worth reading
2 stars – Ok but probably not worth the time
3 stars – I’m glad I read it, probably won’t or at least shouldn’t read it again
4 stars – Loved it, part of my personal classics lists, will read it again
5 stars – One of my very favorites, have read it many times and will keep reading it over and over
Within my 5-star category are a handful of books that have changed my life. I try to read these books every year. They are foundational to my family’s lifestyle and culture. They all support and compliment each other too. Each one calls for pretty intense and dramatic lifestyle changes. I consider it my life’s work to learn to live according to the principles in each of these books. When and if I do, I will be perfect. I’m trying to accomplish this with a small but consistent daily effort. I can measure the success of any given day, week or month by how well I followed the principles of these books. Here are my top 5 life-changing books:
1. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ
This is the central classic of my life. I try to read from it every day. I took Moroni’s challenge when I was 12 and my testimony of Christ has continued to grow throughout my life. Moroni wrote,
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
2. The Bible
I confess I have not completely read this book. I am halfway through the Old Testament. I have referenced it my whole life and am very familiar with the stories and I love it. I believe it is divine. I am amazed at how many references there are to the Bible in classic literature. You can’t fully understand the classics if you haven’t read the Bible. I will have more to say on this book once I’ve finished it.
3. A Thomas Jefferson Education
My life is dramatically different because of this book. It was a major part of mine and my husband’s decision to homeschool our daughter. It is about much more than just education. It’s about leadership and the purpose of life.
4. Eat to Live
I don’t know how anyone can deny the author’s conclusions about the right way to eat after reading this book. This is not a theory or philosophy; its conclusions are based on scientific fact, proven over and over by more than one group of scientists or doctors. I believe it fits right in line with the Word of Wisdom guidelines taught by my Faith. I followed the Eat to Live plan perfectly for 6 weeks and the results were astounding. I lost 12 pounds in just a few weeks, my very severe acid reflux problem went away within a week, my painful shoulder tendonitis disappeared, frequent migraines vanished, I slept spectacularly, and my complexion rivaled Nicole Kidman’s. I know I’m enthusiastic by nature but this is not an exaggeration. Staying on the plan is difficult and I have not done it consistently. As I resumed my old ways, all my ailments resurfaced but they disappear whenever I follow the plan closely. It is empowering to realize how much you can control your health without drugs.
5. Money: It’s not just for Rich People
My family’s finances will never be the same. We’ve never been horrible with our finances but we’ve also never been great. We’ve struggled to achieve our financial goals. This is the first financial advice that has made a material difference in our lives. Here are some of results of our efforts to follow these principles over the last year:
· Eliminated all credit card debt
· Husband received a pay raise that was retroactive for the previous 8 months
· Husband received multiple bonuses
· Finally established a significant emergency savings fund that earns interest every month
· Increased our retirement savings rate
· Finally figured out how to control our daily spending habits
· Learned many new ways to spend less
· Have increased our charitable contributions
In addition to all of these fantastic results, we have clarity about our financial goals and are confident that we will be able to achieve them.
So what are the books that have changed your life?
I used the rating system this way:
1 star – Not worth reading
2 stars – Ok but probably not worth the time
3 stars – I’m glad I read it, probably won’t or at least shouldn’t read it again
4 stars – Loved it, part of my personal classics lists, will read it again
5 stars – One of my very favorites, have read it many times and will keep reading it over and over
Within my 5-star category are a handful of books that have changed my life. I try to read these books every year. They are foundational to my family’s lifestyle and culture. They all support and compliment each other too. Each one calls for pretty intense and dramatic lifestyle changes. I consider it my life’s work to learn to live according to the principles in each of these books. When and if I do, I will be perfect. I’m trying to accomplish this with a small but consistent daily effort. I can measure the success of any given day, week or month by how well I followed the principles of these books. Here are my top 5 life-changing books:
1. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Christ
This is the central classic of my life. I try to read from it every day. I took Moroni’s challenge when I was 12 and my testimony of Christ has continued to grow throughout my life. Moroni wrote,
“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
“And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
“And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”
2. The Bible
I confess I have not completely read this book. I am halfway through the Old Testament. I have referenced it my whole life and am very familiar with the stories and I love it. I believe it is divine. I am amazed at how many references there are to the Bible in classic literature. You can’t fully understand the classics if you haven’t read the Bible. I will have more to say on this book once I’ve finished it.
3. A Thomas Jefferson Education
My life is dramatically different because of this book. It was a major part of mine and my husband’s decision to homeschool our daughter. It is about much more than just education. It’s about leadership and the purpose of life.
4. Eat to Live
I don’t know how anyone can deny the author’s conclusions about the right way to eat after reading this book. This is not a theory or philosophy; its conclusions are based on scientific fact, proven over and over by more than one group of scientists or doctors. I believe it fits right in line with the Word of Wisdom guidelines taught by my Faith. I followed the Eat to Live plan perfectly for 6 weeks and the results were astounding. I lost 12 pounds in just a few weeks, my very severe acid reflux problem went away within a week, my painful shoulder tendonitis disappeared, frequent migraines vanished, I slept spectacularly, and my complexion rivaled Nicole Kidman’s. I know I’m enthusiastic by nature but this is not an exaggeration. Staying on the plan is difficult and I have not done it consistently. As I resumed my old ways, all my ailments resurfaced but they disappear whenever I follow the plan closely. It is empowering to realize how much you can control your health without drugs.
5. Money: It’s not just for Rich People
My family’s finances will never be the same. We’ve never been horrible with our finances but we’ve also never been great. We’ve struggled to achieve our financial goals. This is the first financial advice that has made a material difference in our lives. Here are some of results of our efforts to follow these principles over the last year:
· Eliminated all credit card debt
· Husband received a pay raise that was retroactive for the previous 8 months
· Husband received multiple bonuses
· Finally established a significant emergency savings fund that earns interest every month
· Increased our retirement savings rate
· Finally figured out how to control our daily spending habits
· Learned many new ways to spend less
· Have increased our charitable contributions
In addition to all of these fantastic results, we have clarity about our financial goals and are confident that we will be able to achieve them.
So what are the books that have changed your life?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Blueberries for Belle
Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey is one of our favorite books. We got to live the story a few weeks ago when we went blueberry picking at a nearby farm. We even took a break to sit down in the dirt between the rows of blueberries to read the story.
Taking the Bus to the Library
The Seattle Central Library is one of our favorite places to go. It has the best storytime we've ever been to, fabulous book displays that are meant to be touched, stacks and stacks of books and adorable miniature modern furniture. We decided to take the bus with some friends this time--quite the adventure. Sunday, August 05, 2007
Getting our Little House on the Prairie Fix
Isabel dragged my barely used knitting needles out of a closet and said, "Mommy, I need to knit some clothing for my babies because they are poor and have no clothing (her babies are a couple of stuffed animals - an elephant and a dog). We have been reading Little House on the Prairie and I'm guessing that's where she got the idea. Wanting to encourage her interest in the domestic arts but aware that even a determined 3 yr old will not be able to wield two knitting needles I scrambled for an appropriate response. Then I remembered something I read several months ago about finger knitting with children. After a brief Google search I found this site: http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/FEATfingerknitting.html
15 minutes later we produced a small chain of stockinette stitch. (I hope my terminology is correct – I can barely cast on.) Isabel was thrilled with the process and the result. She needed my constant help but I don’t think it will be long before she can do it on her own. Family beware, you may receive some fingerknitted gifts for Christmas this year.
15 minutes later we produced a small chain of stockinette stitch. (I hope my terminology is correct – I can barely cast on.) Isabel was thrilled with the process and the result. She needed my constant help but I don’t think it will be long before she can do it on her own. Family beware, you may receive some fingerknitted gifts for Christmas this year.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Long Live Hogwarts
SPOILER WARNING: Don't read this if you haven't finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and don't want to be spoiled!
As I turned the last page, read the last line, and closed the last of the Harry Potter Books, Deathly Hallows, I threw my arms into the air and shouted for joy. I was thrilled not just because Harry overcame death and sorrow but because Hogwarts did too.
I, like many fans, was dreading the end of the Harry Potter series—I felt like the magical world that so captured my imagination would suffer a kind of death with the end of the series. I was afraid that rereading the books would never feel the same again because I wouldn’t be looking for clues to tell me how it would all end. I also feared that the magical world and particularly Hogwarts, would be so changed that it wouldn’t feel like home anymore.
I relished the trip on the Hogwarts express at the opening of (nearly) every book, anxiously anticipating the adventures that surely awaited us (me and Harry) at Hogwarts. I knew we would face plenty of villains and danger but the laughs, thrills, friends, and triumphs would more than make up for it – in fact the evils enhanced my appreciation of the good. Neville’s 10 points to win the house cup at the end of SS wouldn’t have meant much without a year of Malfoy and Snape’s bullying and Neville’s own lack of confidence. And the hunt for clues was of course, the best part of it all; the exhaustive search for a tiny bit of information that would be the key to guessing the ending of the book and ultimately the ending of the series.
As the series progressed, returning to Hogwarts each year felt less and less like it should. The evils began to outweigh the good and in DH, it was a truly terrible place to be. I was heartbroken. Hogwarts was my escape, my safe place-- not just Harry’s. I’ve spent years now counting on a trip to Hogwarts to give me a laugh, lift me from a foul mood, and transport me from the daily grind into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. As DH progressed and I saw what had happened to dear old Hogwarts, I could hardly bear it. Hogwarts was dying along with Harry and I couldn’t see how JKR would ever be able to restore it to its former glory.
And then she did.
Through a series of amazing plot twists and her unique brand of genius, JKR brought Harry back to life, and with him, dear old hoggy warty, Hogwarts. As Harry and Ginny herded their family through King’s Cross, waved at all their old friends, and attended to last minute scolding’s and reassurances, I wondered how I ever doubted the permanence and reliability of Hogwarts. Of course it would always be there! Platform 9 ¾ will ever remain a gateway into the magical world.
I realized that the first read through of the series was a like a first kiss and the hunt for clues, akin to that terribly exciting, consuming, twitterpaited, beginning of a relationship. Both are fantastically thrilling and can never be duplicated but in a great relationship, it’s what follows that’s really amazing. I’ve reread most of the HP books at least 7 times and I’ve loved them more, every time. And it wasn’t just the hunt for clues that made it great—I discovered more to appreciate with every reading. It was like falling in love over and over again.
As I reached the end of DH, it didn’t feel like an end at all. It seemed to me, more like the closing of a circle. Jo’s beautiful ending breathed immortality into the series. I can’t wait to go back and read all 7 books with an understanding of the end in mind—there are now so many layers of meaning imbedded in this story that like Hogwarts, I doubt if I will ever discover all her secrets.
But I will keep seeking them—and now I know that the laughs, thrills, friends and triumphs will never end.
Long live Hogwarts!
As I turned the last page, read the last line, and closed the last of the Harry Potter Books, Deathly Hallows, I threw my arms into the air and shouted for joy. I was thrilled not just because Harry overcame death and sorrow but because Hogwarts did too.
I, like many fans, was dreading the end of the Harry Potter series—I felt like the magical world that so captured my imagination would suffer a kind of death with the end of the series. I was afraid that rereading the books would never feel the same again because I wouldn’t be looking for clues to tell me how it would all end. I also feared that the magical world and particularly Hogwarts, would be so changed that it wouldn’t feel like home anymore.
I relished the trip on the Hogwarts express at the opening of (nearly) every book, anxiously anticipating the adventures that surely awaited us (me and Harry) at Hogwarts. I knew we would face plenty of villains and danger but the laughs, thrills, friends, and triumphs would more than make up for it – in fact the evils enhanced my appreciation of the good. Neville’s 10 points to win the house cup at the end of SS wouldn’t have meant much without a year of Malfoy and Snape’s bullying and Neville’s own lack of confidence. And the hunt for clues was of course, the best part of it all; the exhaustive search for a tiny bit of information that would be the key to guessing the ending of the book and ultimately the ending of the series.
As the series progressed, returning to Hogwarts each year felt less and less like it should. The evils began to outweigh the good and in DH, it was a truly terrible place to be. I was heartbroken. Hogwarts was my escape, my safe place-- not just Harry’s. I’ve spent years now counting on a trip to Hogwarts to give me a laugh, lift me from a foul mood, and transport me from the daily grind into the wonderful world of Harry Potter. As DH progressed and I saw what had happened to dear old Hogwarts, I could hardly bear it. Hogwarts was dying along with Harry and I couldn’t see how JKR would ever be able to restore it to its former glory.
And then she did.
Through a series of amazing plot twists and her unique brand of genius, JKR brought Harry back to life, and with him, dear old hoggy warty, Hogwarts. As Harry and Ginny herded their family through King’s Cross, waved at all their old friends, and attended to last minute scolding’s and reassurances, I wondered how I ever doubted the permanence and reliability of Hogwarts. Of course it would always be there! Platform 9 ¾ will ever remain a gateway into the magical world.
I realized that the first read through of the series was a like a first kiss and the hunt for clues, akin to that terribly exciting, consuming, twitterpaited, beginning of a relationship. Both are fantastically thrilling and can never be duplicated but in a great relationship, it’s what follows that’s really amazing. I’ve reread most of the HP books at least 7 times and I’ve loved them more, every time. And it wasn’t just the hunt for clues that made it great—I discovered more to appreciate with every reading. It was like falling in love over and over again.
As I reached the end of DH, it didn’t feel like an end at all. It seemed to me, more like the closing of a circle. Jo’s beautiful ending breathed immortality into the series. I can’t wait to go back and read all 7 books with an understanding of the end in mind—there are now so many layers of meaning imbedded in this story that like Hogwarts, I doubt if I will ever discover all her secrets.
But I will keep seeking them—and now I know that the laughs, thrills, friends and triumphs will never end.
Long live Hogwarts!
Monday, April 10, 2006
Mommies and Daddies, get some rest!
I see so many exhausted parents every day. At the library, shopping, the park, church, anywhere families might be. When I hear about their sleepless nights and hopeless declarations like, “I don’t think I’m ever going to get more than 3 hours of sleep again,” I can hardly contain myself. I remember that exhaustion. I remember yelling out to my husband at 2 am “You better come take this baby for her own safety!” I also remember the glorious day I discovered “The Secrets of the Baby Whisperer.” I was so glad to find advice that was practical and doable. The author, Tracy Hogg, doesn’t advocate anything extreme. She won’t tell you to sleep with your baby or suggest that you leave a crying baby all alone.
It took a few months and several readings (really – you need to read it several times before you’ll really “get it”) but I trusted Tracy and dutifully followed her method until my 2 month old began sleeping through the night. I remember the first time she slept from 10 pm – 5 am and I rushed to the gym in exhilaration – I felt ready to run a marathon! I continued to follow her method until Isabel was sleeping 12 hours a night and taking 3-4 hours of naps every day. At 2 years old, she is still a fabulous sleeper. I know every child is different and no one is going to get the exact same results but I truly believe in the principles Tracy Hogg teaches. She covers just about every area of childcare and I used most of it. I especially like her approach to personality and her charts that decode every facial expression, body movement and sound that a baby might make.
This is the book I recommend most often. I wouldn’t read it without the companion book, “The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems.” The author wrote it on her deathbed (she died from cancer in 2004), hoping to answer all the follow up questions parents had or ever would have. It contains some essential information that’s not in the first book. I also liked “Secrets of The Baby Whisperer for Toddlers.” It helped me recognize and work with my daughters emerging personality.
Consult the Baby Whisperer like I did and get some rest!
It took a few months and several readings (really – you need to read it several times before you’ll really “get it”) but I trusted Tracy and dutifully followed her method until my 2 month old began sleeping through the night. I remember the first time she slept from 10 pm – 5 am and I rushed to the gym in exhilaration – I felt ready to run a marathon! I continued to follow her method until Isabel was sleeping 12 hours a night and taking 3-4 hours of naps every day. At 2 years old, she is still a fabulous sleeper. I know every child is different and no one is going to get the exact same results but I truly believe in the principles Tracy Hogg teaches. She covers just about every area of childcare and I used most of it. I especially like her approach to personality and her charts that decode every facial expression, body movement and sound that a baby might make.
This is the book I recommend most often. I wouldn’t read it without the companion book, “The Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems.” The author wrote it on her deathbed (she died from cancer in 2004), hoping to answer all the follow up questions parents had or ever would have. It contains some essential information that’s not in the first book. I also liked “Secrets of The Baby Whisperer for Toddlers.” It helped me recognize and work with my daughters emerging personality.
Consult the Baby Whisperer like I did and get some rest!
Saturday, April 08, 2006
There's a name for people like me?
My husband has always teased me about my need to help everyone, everywhere. We'll be at a party with other couples and someone will mention how exhausted they are from getting up at night with their 9-month-old baby and I'll jump in with a monologue on sleep training. After a couple minutes I will notice his amused smile and realize I'm doing it again! Even though I know most people aren't looking for a solution to their problem - they are just venting - if I've got one, I feel compelled to share it.
I've also been known to drive my friends nuts with questions. I remember being in England with a dear friend who I love to learn from. After spending several days together touring the country, my litany of questions almost sent her into a nervous breakdown. I didn't realize I was driving her nuts - I just wanted to know everything about everything. She remains a patient and faithful friend of mine, who I continue to learn from.
It wasn't until I read Malcolm Gladwell's book "The Tipping Point" that I realized I was a Maven. He described one Maven he knew as "pathologically helpful." He said that we Mavens have an emotional need to solve other people's problems and that "To be a Maven is to be a teacher. But it is also, even more emphatically, to be a student. Mavens are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know." How happy I was to discover I'm not the only one. This blog is my attempt to share and trade information without being quite so annoying. I'm sure you'll let me know if I've succeeded.
And by the way, I highly recommend The Tipping Point:How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. By Malcolm Gladwell.
I've also been known to drive my friends nuts with questions. I remember being in England with a dear friend who I love to learn from. After spending several days together touring the country, my litany of questions almost sent her into a nervous breakdown. I didn't realize I was driving her nuts - I just wanted to know everything about everything. She remains a patient and faithful friend of mine, who I continue to learn from.
It wasn't until I read Malcolm Gladwell's book "The Tipping Point" that I realized I was a Maven. He described one Maven he knew as "pathologically helpful." He said that we Mavens have an emotional need to solve other people's problems and that "To be a Maven is to be a teacher. But it is also, even more emphatically, to be a student. Mavens are really information brokers, sharing and trading what they know." How happy I was to discover I'm not the only one. This blog is my attempt to share and trade information without being quite so annoying. I'm sure you'll let me know if I've succeeded.
And by the way, I highly recommend The Tipping Point:How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference.
By Malcolm Gladwell.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
