Reading Reflections

Well, I am happy to see that I can publish in color, however, I cannot think of a thing to say. Oh, actually I think the best book I have read this year is Roller Skates. I think that I had read part of it as a kid, but to tell the truth it might appeal more to someone older than the main character.

I finished reading Among the Hidden for Book Sell to the 6th graders. This is a story that takes place, perhaps, in a future time here. Not sure actually. Anyway, people have decided that there is a major population problem and no family can have more than two children. The protagonist is a boy who is the third child born to a family. He has been hidden since birth. His family lives on a farm in the forest so for many years hiding him was not a big problem. But when the forest is razed to make room for a housing development, suddenly his life shrinks to the interior of his home.

I just read a book on the Nex Perce Indians. It is really informative. When Bob and I came to New Mexico four summers ago we followed some of the Lewis and Clark trail but backwards. Bob was always very interested in the Nez Perce and Chief Joseph who said ,"From where the sun now sets, I will fight no more forever." Yet another tribal tradgedy. We traveled through their land on our way here.

My one and only daughter-in-law sent me the cutest picture book. I had been thinking that I should send her a picture book, that that would really welcome her as one of my children since Alex and Abby and I exchange picture books as presents when she sent me one. She said she just couldn't resist. It is called, Ella and it takes place on the Elephant Islands permanently hidden from human eyes somewhere in the Indian Ocean. The iluustrations are great. I need to remember to bring it to class sometime. Oh, I also need to remember to bring one of my ELOISE books so I can display this character I presented in class. Eloise is my alter ego.

I know that I most like to read the novels that are for about fifth grade or the young adult books. But I am becoming more appreciative of picture books. At the San Juan College Library there is a Spanish section which includes childrens books. I have two favorites among them so far. One is Ha sido el Pequeno Monstruo! by Helen Cooper. This little girl says that she liked it better when there were just the three of them: her mom, her dad, and herself. But one day before she went to the hospital her mother gave her a gift. It was a little stuffed monstruo with spikes on its back and its tail. She loved it. But then her mom came home with a new baby that cried and sometimes smelled bad and took up all of her mom's lap. So she and el pequeno monstruo hung out together a great deal. The pequeno monstruo starts being a pain in the neck, causing a lot of trouble. Pretty soon her father is about ready to get rid of it. The little girl is running around trying to hide it from her dad. Uh,oh, what is going to happen? It really is the cutest monstruo ever.