Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

I’d just gotten the kids down last night and done my last bit of exercising; I was curled up on the couch, thinking how lovely it was to be free on the earlier side, when another lovely earthquake (aftershock?) hit in Magna. It certainly wasn’t as bad as the one in March, mind you, but it was almost 4.2, and it wasn’t exactly a welcome end to the day. My hubby decided to go downstairs and veg to throw off the unpleasant feeling; I indulged myself in a cupcake and some Australian licorice and sat down to read two children’s graphic novels. And I finished both of them! The first was picture book length and so not one I’m going to review, but the second–Sara Varon’s New Shoes–was two hundred large pages of brightly colored, fun illustrations and a simple amount of text. It’s a perfect choice for emerging readers, especially animal lovers, but even I enjoyed watching Francis the Donkey leave his comfort zone so that he could create a special pair of shoes for his favorite musical star. Not all animals are true to their biological nature, but the story–almost a fable, really–works, and the ending is especially fun. If you have a younger elementary schooler who is ready for longer books but still in the easily-intimidated stage, this is perfect; if you don’t, eh–read it yourself. It’s a happy little read that’s perfect for quarantine.