Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I absolutely love having my computer in my kitchen (or rather, in between my kitchen and dining room), because I can pull up recipes on it AND because I can be doing things on it while still in touch with what’s going on in the rest of the house. The only significant downside is that my “desk” is also my kitchen counter, and that wasn’t actually huge to begin with. Papers, mail, bills, and books waiting to be reviewed pile up, especially when I’m got something bigger on my mind (like our PTA fundraiser), and even though I paid bills and went through some of the mail yesterday, there is still MUCH to be done.

Today, however, I also have multiple errands on my docket, and so this book review may be the sum total of what I manage to clean off my desk area. (Or rather, the book I’m about to review. You knew what I meant.) Last Saturday night my hubby and son went to BYU’s last home basketball game and were out late; I tucked my youngest in and showered early. (My older girls watched a few episodes of ‘Psych’ before heading to bed.) While cooling off from my shower and winding down for bed, I finished reading Silenced Voices: Reclaiming Memories from the Guatemalan Genocide, which won more than one ALA Youth Media Award in January. (Graphic novels are trickier before bed, since I need more light for them than just my bed lamp, but since I was alone and it was early, I could keep the overhead on as long as I needed to.) It wasn’t an easy read, as I’m sure you’ve surmised by the title, but it was both compelling and heartwrenching.

I was not at all interested in world events when I was a child, and thus I was completely unaware that Guatemala’s civil war began long before I was born and didn’t end until the year I graduated from high school. More embarrassingly, I was also unaware that within the last 10 years or so, multiple Guatemalan leaders from the 80s were tried for various crimes in connection with that civil war, including genocide against the indigenous Mayan population. Silenced Voices is fiction based on real events and witnesses’ accounts, as well as the author’s own experiences, and features a mother and her two sons’ reactions to living in the US while those trials were occurring and in the news, as well as flashbacks to the mother’s and her family’s experiences years ago in Guatemala. Not all of the art was my favorite, but that matters far less than what I learned about a time and a place of which I was previously unaware. The subject matter and language makes Silenced Voices a definitively older read–I’d say latter junior high or high school, depending on the kid–but it’s an important book.

Don’t skip this one.

After all, one book review isn’t a huge deal, right? On the other hand, it’s officially after 7:30–after a day of the regional history fair, PTA texts, and cleaning–and my level of coherence is questionable at best. Unfortunately, given that my 11-year-old actually saw Besties: Prank War sitting by my computer, waiting to be reviewed, she might die if I don’t get that done posthaste.

Or something.

Anyway. The history fair was pretty chill for me, honestly–I chatted with other parents from my daughter’s class and she hung with friends, once we managed to park and find the exhibit room–and my oldest picked up the board and paper on her way home (so to speak) from work, which was a definite relief. I had time to clean up my living room considerably, which was overdue, and my fabulous hubby took our youngest to dance, which meant I still got in my walk before it got dark. As for Prank War…

Here’s the thing. Trent and Sawyer (the focus of this ‘From the world of Click‘ novel) have a solid, we-wrangle-but-we’re-tight friendship that’s nice to see, and Nat stayed true to character. I just hated that she got away with more than she should have, while Trent and Sawyer got stuck with more consequences than they deserved. The fact that she rallied so many people to her at one point was a stretch for me–Trent and Sawyer are considerably more likeable than she is–but I believe her creator mentioned that she’s based on someone from her own school years, so there’s that. I’m curious to see what my youngest thinks of it, but it isn’t my favorite of the series.

Speaking of my youngest, it’s 7:54 and she’s still not home from dance. Wish us luck tomorrow…

On Saturday I finished reading Planet Omar: Epic Hero Flop aloud with my 11-year-old, and it didn’t disappoint. If you’re not familiar with this heavily illustrated (younger) middle grade series, you’re missing out–Omar is a delightful kid with solid friends, and his Pakistani/Muslim heritage is simply another detail about him. (Yay for normalizing different cultural backgrounds!) In Epic Hero Flop, Omar takes the blame for something to spare his reformed friend Daniel a return to the principal’s office, only to find out that even a well-intentioned lie is a step onto a slippery slope. Can he get everything straightened back out again? (Of course he can–and does–but my daughter and I read a goodly portion of the book on Saturday in order to see it happen. You can’t just leave a good kid hanging, right?)

One of the best things about the ‘Planet Omar’ books is that while they’ve got widespread appeal, they’re about boys and boys’ experiences without too much bathroom humor. (Flatulence does happen, yes, but then again–flatulence does happen.) I only wish my son had been a few years younger when the first one came out.

In the meantime, we’ve all survived the time change and stress planning for our fundraiser goes on. Wish us luck!

First–I survived Friday’s PTA Meeting, and progress was made on our fundraiser. I also got more sleep last night than the night before. (Although that isn’t saying much.)

Next–Today was a little rough, so I don’t have much in me.

Last–I made this White Chicken Chili Recipe with Cream Cheese on Thursday, and it was a hit. (Even if it wasn’t as hot as it should have been, due to an accidental unplugging. Luckily, the chicken did get fully cooked.) I added two cups of chicken broth (boiling, because of the aforementioned unplugging), but one would have been sufficient. (Adding none would make it less soup-like and more of a casserole, so make your own call there.) Topped with tortilla chips it made a lovely dinner–I recommend!

My youngest and I finished reading Elana K. Arnold’s Harriet Tells the Truth together on Monday, and it was definitely my favorite book in the trilogy. Harriet has mostly kicked her lying habit, although she does learn a thing or two about personal vs. universal truths, and while she’s looking forward to Mabel Marble’s centennial birthday party, she’s also dreading it; it means her time on Marble Island is drawing to a close, and she likes living on Marble Island. Distractions come, however, in the form of a group of poets staying at the B&B (one of whom decides NOT to stay there after meeting the resident pets) and a possible poisoner on the island. Will everything come out all right?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one aloud; it’s always a good time when you’re laughing while you read! And while I’m sad that no more Harriet books are likely to be forthcoming, I couldn’t have asked for a more satisfying conclusion to Harriet’s story. Elementary schoolers should definitely give Harriet a try.

In the meantime, my son has a concert tonight and I’m taking my friend out to brunch, if she’s feeling up to it. My youngest survived Maturation yesterday, and my niece may or may not still be in labor. We’ll see how today goes!

Seriously, though. I smelled this Melt-in-Your-Mouth Crispy Pork Shoulder cooking for hours, and while it smelled quite tasty, it got strong enough that (it being a mild day) I cracked the window for a while. That level of olfactory stimulation is death when you’re pregnant, as a rule. Still, it made for quite a nice dinner–it did melt in your mouth, the outer skin was absolutely crispy, and the spice rub’s flavor was quite enjoyable. My one beef (so to speak) is that you didn’t get a ton of the flavor inside the roast; on the other hand, my youngest was thrilled at how tender it was. I have exciting plans for the leftovers, but in the meantime, the next time pork butt is on sale, you might consider giving this recipe a try.

In other news, my youngest daughter’s team won the 5th grade Battle of the Books competition today,(there was some seriously cool stuff in the prize bag), the maturation kits are ready to go for tomorrow, and my 11-year-old and I finished our latest together-read. Wahoo for a successful day!

The big plus? I got my stitches out last night! I don’t have to waterproof my hand in the shower anymore!

The minuses? In addition to quite a frustrating neighborhood situation last night, I got a frustrated email from one of my kiddos’ teachers today.

Let’s just dwell on the plus, shall we?

My carpal tunnel surgery went well and I’m definitely healing, but this is my first attempt to type much with my big fat bandage on, so we’ll see how it goes! I did want to review Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel, however, and so I’m committed to trying my best.

K. Woodman-Maynard adapted Natalie Babbitt’s classic and illustrated the resulting graphic novel; she worked with Babbitt’s daughter in the process, and the result is a beautiful and faithful rendering of the story. I especially loved the chapter pages, as each has its own animal cavorting around the ‘Chapter (insert relevant number)’, and they’re fantastic. The rest of the art keeps away from a modern feel–wise, given the plot and theme–and uses its color palette to emphasize that. There are narrated bits in circular formation throughout, which help to keep the weightier theme far more intact than you’d expect in a graphic novel.

As for the story–like I said, it’s faithful to Babbitt’s original novel. I read that in 5th grade during a unit on death, and I distinctly recall having to write a paragraph on whether I’d rather live forever or die young afterwards. (I picked die young, so I definitely got Babbitt’s point.) The thing is, I didn’t actually love it. I didn’t hate it, you understand, but I didn’t love it, and I feel the same way as an adult. It’s an interesting theme, yes, but the Tucks’ eternal plight is more painful for me to think about now, and I have to remind myself that it’s more of a fable in order to stop picking at what would otherwise be plot holes. It makes for great discussion material, certainly, but that doesn’t automatically make it enjoyable. On the other hand, it’s still knocking around, so there’s that. You’ll just have to decide for yourself whether you’re interested in the graphic adaption.

There’s a winter storm warning for today, which is completely great, since we need the snow desperately. I’m also scheduled for my carpal tunnel surgery, however, AND we need milk, so I really ought to go to Costco beforehand. (It should be cold enough for milk to sit in the car, and it will undoubtedly be easier to lift it to and from the cart before my wrist gets cut into.) And honestly? I’m just so tired. I did not sleep well last night.

On the other hand, I finished Kate Beasley’s Lions & Liars at least a week ago, and I’m feeling relatively motivated to get it out of my ‘to be reviewed’ pile–especially since I’m passing it on to my littles. Now, about the actual review…

The simplest way to describe Lions & Liars is calling it a mashup of 2/3 Louis Sachar’s Holes and 1/3 Gordon Korman’s Ungifted, written (less humorously than usual) by Carl Hiaasen. Frederick Frederickson is already having a terrible week when he finds himself adrift on the Omigoshee River in a boat small enough to make alligators a concern. When he finally bumps ashore he finds himself at Camp Omigoshee–“where boys are ‘transformed'”–and jumps at the chance to reinvent himself. That isn’t as easy as it sounds, however, and he’s about to admit himself the same old Frederick Frederickson when a major hurricane comes along to provide some next-level growth opportunities.

In the interest of full disclosure, I didn’t think this had the same emotional impact as Holes. It’s entertaining and fast moving, however–just because it isn’t (quite) Hiaasen level funny doesn’t mean it isn’t funny–and I rather suspect it would have resonated more with me if I were a middle school aged boy. I’ll let you know what mine thinks (not to mention my elementary aged girl); in the meantime, wish me luck for the day!

As much as getting up for 9:00 church isn’t my favorite thing, I do rather enjoy the afternoons–there’s more time to nap, to play games, to plan out the week, and to read. Yesterday while the rest of the family was chilling, having screen time, or doing the Nex, I retreated into the quiet of my room and read all of James Burks’ Gabby & Gator while laying on my bed. If you’re not familiar with James Burks, he’s the author of the ‘Bird & Squirrel’ series, which multiple of my children enjoyed (as did I, honestly). Gabby & Gator is a different plot but just as entertaining; Gator is a former pet, cast off as little more than a baby, and Gabby is a vegetarian, recycling, tuba-playing outcast bullied or laughed at by the kids around her. When they team up it seems meant to be–except for Gator’s pesky eating problem…

Frankly, I got quite a kick out of this one. In fact, I’m kind of sad that my older kids will likely pass it by, although my youngest should thoroughly enjoy it. Both Gabby and Gator are well developed characters, and Burks’ art is completely fun. It’s lighter on text than many graphic novels, so it should be accessible to both reluctant and emerging readers, and yet there’s enough there to hold the attention of all kinds. Don’t miss this one. (And if you haven’t read ‘Bird & Squirrel’, don’t miss those, either!)