There are always more books to read than you have time for!

Here is a list that my sister, Virginia "Ginny" wrote a while back. I will add my comments in another color.

BOOKS FOR TEENAGERS AND THEIR MOTHERS/AUNTS AND GRANDMOTHERS

 

The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
(everything by Shannon Hale is awesome!)

 

Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale

 

The Actor and the Housewife by Shannon Hale
(funniest book I have EVER read!)

The Goosegirl
Enna's Burning
River Secrets
Forest Born by Shannon Hale

  I liked the Shannon Hale books, didn't love them, except for the first one.

Graceling
Fire by Kristen Cashore

City of Bones
City of Ashes
City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

I have not read the above.

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

Ok, I know many people and kids like these books. I started the Lightning Thief, but stopped 1/4 into it. I thought the character development was superficial.

Fable haven series by Brandon Mull

I love, love, love Fablehaven. Can you tell that I loved it! It was fun, a little scarry, some adventure. It also teaches about how family's work and why there are consequences for the choices we make.


Dragon slipper
Dragon flight
Dragon Spear by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball BY Jessica Day George


Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George

I am adding Tuesday at the Castle to the list by Jessica Day George. This is my favorite book from the last year. All of these books are wonderful. The first three are about dragons. Tuesday at the Castle is about a magic castle that changes every Tuesday. Your kids will love reading these. Adults too!


Cage of Stars by Jacquelyn Mitchard

Eragon
Eldest
Brisingr by Christopher Paolini

Have not read the above.


The Hunger games
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Mockingjay

I would only recommend this series for mature teenagers on up. Suzanne Collins writes a wonderful series for younger children through adults, called Gregor the Overlander. I love Gregor and his sister, Boots who fall through a grate and enter a world with giant rats, bats and cockroaches.


No. 1 Ladies detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (10 books in all)

These are fun and interesting. You do learn a little about the culture in Africa.


The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares (liked it so-so)


Yearbook
First Day
Reunion by Allyson Braithwaite Condie

Haven't read them. They aren't fantasy, which is my favorite.


The girl who could fly by Victoria Forester

this was a fun read.


Maximum Ride series by James Patterson (a little slow, but good.)

I read these so long ago, I don't really remember a lot.

The Naming
The Riddle
The Crow
The Singing by Alison Croggon

Wake
Fade
Gone By Lisa McMann (tons of swearing though.)

Evergone
Blue Moon
Shadowland By Alyson Noel (book 4 comes out summer 2010)

Haven't read the above


The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society BY Marry Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

If you haven't read this one, you really need to. It is a wonderful story told through letters sent right after WWII. It is beautifully written, will make you cry and will teach you a little known story about what happened on the British Island of Guernsey which was occupied by the Germans. 


The Summoning
The Awakeing By Kelley Armstrong

A walk to remember
Dear John by Nicholas Sparks

Not fantasy, so haven't read.


The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan

Great series, lots of fun!


I DID NOT LIKE:
Marked series (too much swearing)
Interview with Vampire by Anne Rice (too violent for me)
The ugly series (Book 3 has emo type cutting going on)
Artemis Fowl series (evil genius kid)

 

Ginny had called this list a booklist for mothers and daughters. I believe that most of these are also great for dads and sons!!! Go to Amazon and read the blurb. The nice thing is that some of these books are older, so you can buy used on Amazon for $ .01 with $3.99 shipping for a total of $4.00. Uncle David has the Ranger's Apprentice series. I have some of the Maximum Ride books, The Hunger Games, Gregor the Overlander, Fablehaven and some Shannon Hale.

 

 

Mama mia! Did you know we are an Italian family?

Not only are we of Italian descent, but our ancester is known as the first Italian immigrant to America. Here is our line back to him:

Sumner Grant Stewart (1921 - 1974)

Son of Sumner Udall

 

Sumner Udall Stewart (1882 - 1968)

Son of William Thomas

William Thomas Stewart (1853 - 1935)

Son of Levi

Levi Stewart (1812 - 1878)

Son of William

 

William Stewart (1788 - 1837)

Son of Joseph

Joseph Stewart (1740 - 1823)

Son of Samuel

 

David Stewart (1689 - 1718)

Son of Elizabeth

 

Elizabeth Alburtis (1677 - 1687)

Daughter of Jan

 

Jan Alburtis (1643 - 1691)

Son of Pietro Caesare

 

      Pietro Caesare Albertus (Alberto, Alburtus, Alburti) (1608 - 1655) is your 9th great grandfather, so for most of you, he would be your 10th great grandfather.

 

 

Sorry that it is so little. It says, "Peter Caesar Alberti    First Italian Settler Landed in NY June 1635
Through the efforts of John N LaCorte founder of the Italian Historical Society of America June 2 has been proclaimed Alberti Day." This is found in Battery Park,

Battery Pl, State St and Whitehall St

Manhattan, 10004, 10280

Original version:
THE CITY OF VENICE IS PROUD TO JOIN THE / ITALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA / IN PARTICIPATING IN THE COMMEMORATION OF / NEW YORK STATE'S "YEAR OF HISTORY" / BY CONTRIBUTING THIS BRONZE PLAQUE / HONORING THE NAME OF THE / FIRST ITALIAN IMMIGRANT / PETER CAESAR ALBERTI / NATIVE OF VENICE, WHO, IN THE YEAR 1635 / SETTLED IN WHAT IS TODAY KNOWN AS / NEW YORK CITY, / IN THE WALL STREET AREA, AND LATER / IN THE FORT GREENE AREA OF BROOKLYN. / PLACED TODAY, JUNE 2, 1959 / BY THE / ITALIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICAN /

     His wife was Judith Janse Manje/Menje born in the Netherlands in 1621. So, immediately our Italian lineage was diluted.

Ciao!!!

     Everyone knows that I love to eat. I collect recipes and have several favorites. One recent recipe is for a Pretzel Salad. I used to work at Convergys and a coworker brought it to one of our potluck dinners. I do not really like pretzels. I do not like jello. But those are two of the ingredients of this recipe. About a year after I got the recipe, I found that Macey's grocery store had it on their free recipe cards. This recipe can be used as a salad or as a desert.

PRETZEL SALAD

2 cups crushed pretzels

2/3 cup melted butter

3 Tbsp sugar

1 large pkg raspberry jello

2 cups hot water

20 oz frozen raspberries

1 cup sugar

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese

16 oz cool whip

Combine pretzels, butter and 3 tbsp sugar and press into a 9 X 13 in pan. Bake at 350 for seven minutes. Refrigerate.

Dissolve Jello in water, blend in raspberries, and set aside in refrigerator until thick, but not set.

Combine 1 cup sugar, cream cheese and cool whip. Spread on pretzels, then pour Jello mixture on top. (I actually like to do the opposite, I put the jello on top of the pretzels and then the white mix. Sprinkle some crushed pretzels on top. ) Chill until set. Can put raspberries on top for decoration if desired.

Now, I will add how I like to make it. I put the jello raspberry mix on top of the pretzel base. Then I put the cool whip, cream cheese and sugar on top of the jello. I sprinkle some of the crunched up pretzels on top.

The fist book which I recommend is “The Story of Beautiful Girl” by Rachel Simons.

This story takes place back in the days (1968) when anyone could be locked away forever in a mental institution for being slow, strange or not considered normal.

An older women, Martha who is retired, receives a knock on her door. Standing on her doorstep, is a large African-American deaf man named Homan and a young white woman named, Lynnie. Lynnie is holding a newborn baby.

When the authorities who are searching for them arrive at Martha's house, Homan escapes out the back door. Lynnie, who had been hiding in the attic, came downstairs without the baby and as she is taken away, she whispers to Martha, “hide her.”

The story goes through the next 40 years about what happens to Martha, Homan, Lynnie and the baby, Julia.

 

 

Rachel Simons has also written another non-fiction book, called “Riding the Bus With My Sister”. This is about her Down's Syndrome sister who spends almost every day riding the public bus system in Philidelphia. Her sister, Beth challenges her to ride the bus with her. Rachel agrees and spends the next year at least once a month for a year.

I have both of these books if someone wants to borrow them.

Some book series that you may not have read

   Today while visiting my brother's house, we got into a discussion of books that we had read recently. Present was David, Charlene, Danny and Ali Stewart with baby, James. Tiffany and Peter Stockwell with Anthony, Ryanna, Aspen and their new baby Kiah (I am sure that is not the right spelling.) Rachel and John Hone with Benjamin and Callie Stewart. Hope I did not forget anyone.

   Most of us have been reading juvenile, teen and young adult books; mostly fantasy and dystopian.  So I thought that I would add to my blog with updates on books that I have enjoyed or ones that I have not enjoyed.

  Here are some series you might not have heard about. 

SISTERS GRIMM series Michael Buckley

 

This is a series about two sisters. Their parents disappear and they are sent to live with their Grandmother Grimm, who they never knew existed. They find out that they are descendents of The Brothers Grimm. That two hundred years ago, the Grimms brought all of the fairy tale characters, who are real people to live in Ferry Landing. As long as a Grimm stays in Ferry Landing, none of the fairy tale characters can leave. Some are good, some are bad and some are funny and strange. The two sisters have many adventures and try to solve where their parents are.

The Fairy-Tale Detectives

The Unusual Suspects

The Problem Child

Once upon a Crime

Magic and Other Misdemeanors

Tales from The Hood

The Everafter War

The Inside Story -

FLAVIA DE LUCE series Allen Bradley

 

This series is more for adults. I love Flavia. The books take place in England. Flavia's family once was rich and live in a large manor house that is now in poor condition. Flavia's father is distant and more focused on his stamp collection. She has two older sisters, who do all they can do to be mean to their younger sister. Their mother died when Flavia was little, so she has no memory of her. One of her ancestor's was a chemist and had his laboratory in one wing of the house. Flavia is very intelligent and has self educated herself in chemistry. She is only 12 years old, but is fascinated with how poisons work and how they are made.

   She has a bike named Gladys. She gets involved with several murders that take place in her village. Although the police discourage her, she ends up finding clues and solving the murders before them.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag

A Red Herring Without Mustard

series by Pseudonymous Bosch

 

Try telling people that you are reading a book and the name of the book is secret.

The Name of This Book Is Secret

If You're Reading This, It's Too Late

This Book Is Not Good for You

This Isn't What It Looks Like

You Have To Stop This

The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series by Michael Scott



The Alchemyst

The Magician

The Sorceress

The Necromancer

The Warlock

The Enchantress





An Enola Holmes Mystery series by Nancy Springer

Did you know that Sherlock Holmes had a younger sister. Enola which when spelled backwards means Alone is 14 years. Her mother disappears on her 14th birthday. She leaves her a booklet with clues that leads Enola to hidden money. When her brothers, Mycroft and Sherlock show up, they are determined to send her to a boarding school. They also insist she wear proper young lady clothes, which includes a painful corset. Enola runs away and ends up in London. She uses disguises and her own intelligence to solve mysteries and to continue to hide from her brothers.

The Case of the Missing Marquess (2006)
The Case of the Left-Handed Lady (2007)
The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets (2008)
The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan (2008)
The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline (2009)
The Case of the Gypsy Goodbye (2010)



The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart

Mr. Benedict has an evil twin brother who he must defeat. He puts an add in the paper for children who are gifted children looking for special opportunities. He selects 4 children, each who has special skills.

The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007)

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (2008)

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma (2009)

500. J. MacHale    The Pendragon series

I read these quite a while ago. They have characters that can travel between different worlds. They fight against evil to save all of the worlds, including earth.

The Merchant of Death

The Lost City of Faar

The Never War

The Reality Bug

Black Water

The Rivers of Zadaa

The Quillan Games

The Pilgrims of Rayne

Raven Rise

The Soldiers of Halla

What I learned about China!

     I went to China with preconceived ideas. I think everyone probably does. I thought it would be much more primitive. I also thought that due to the cultural revolution, it would have lost much of its cultural identity and lost the things that made China special.

       This picture is of  Alice. She is one of John's graduate students. She is as tall as I am. She took us around to shops and interesting places on the day I arrived. She is wearing a short skirt and long boots with this top.
     The first thing that I found was that China is very modern. Everyone has a cell phone. Most young women wear very stylish clothing; leggings with short skirts and cute tops with short jackets. Lots of long boots. The older people dress in heavier clothes in dark colors. They usually wear pants and long sleeved shirts and jackets. Even when it is very warm outside. My sister, Ginny told me that they are hot, but wear these cloths, because that is what they have been conditioned to wear. They looked at me strangely when I wore capris. 
     Buildings are tall and skyscrapers are being built with huge cranes everywhere. The buildings do not seem to be maintained like our buildings are. Many that are just a few years old need paint and/or cleaning. I saw small repairs made in sidewalks. They would patch a spot with cement, but would not put any barriers around it, so people would walk through the cement and leave footprints. I found one place where they had put in a large cement pad about 20 ft. by 10 ft. It had a string of footprints across it. They then came back at a later date and added cement into the footprints!
     They still are a very superstitious people. Numbers have significance, such as the number 8 is a lucky number. One company paid a lot of money to have the phone number 88-8888888. They still use colors and many other things because it has to do with feng shui or other good luck.
     Their education system is interesting. My sister says that it is difficult for them to get into college. But once they are in, it is difficult to get them out! They learn by memorization. I witnessed numerous students outside a classroom building standing separately, repeating over and over, their presentation to the class. They have difficulty in translating the memorization into understanding. So whenever you hear about how China tests higher than we do, understand that they can memorize and repeat back info, but cannot easily transfer this info into usable ability. There teachers also teach to the tests as the goal is for the teacher to look good by having the most students pass the tests. I saw a road sign that gave directions to the Party School. I laughed, thinking of all of the colleges that have reputations as party schools. We understand this term to mean schools that have lots of drinking and partying. In China it means the schools where the members of the Communist Party can attend. Big difference!

    

First of several about China

     I have wanted to go to China for a long time. Having my sister live there this year helped in getting me there sooner rather than later. I flew into Beijing and then onto Qingdao where Ginny lives. I spent three days there with her and her husband John. Then Ginny and I flew to Chongqing. We then went on a tour of Chongqing, a small town of 30 million people. Built on hills; we visited the Three Gorges Museum, The Flying Tigers Museum, the old town and KFC.
      That night we got on a very nice boat to start our trip down the Yangtzee River. The next day we went to Fengdu (the Ghost City). Many other BYU teachers on this trip. A fun group to be with! Ended with a trip to the Three Gorges Dam (although you couldn't see it or enter it.) Flew back to Qingdao.

     Was in Qingdao for 3 more days, then flew on to Beijing. There I went to Wangfujing Street, the dirt market, the Lama Temple, The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, McDonalds, the subway, a silk store, a jade store, a pearl store and a Chinese medicine shop. That was interesting, in that the doctor looked at my tongue, took my pulse and diagnosed me with a weak liver and a weak kidneys. Oh well!!!! I guess it could be worse. I will put more detail about some of these places in another blog.