Book Review - Me And My Dragon by David Biedrzycki

 

Title: Me And My Dragon
Series: N/A
Author: David Biedrzycki
Genre: Children’s Book , Picture Book
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Received: From Publicist for Review
Release Date: July 2011
Pages: 40
Rating:



What is it About?

A little boy thinks about what would be best about having a pet dragon!


My Thoughts:

Utterly Adorable and funny!  This book made me laugh out loud at not only the pictures but the descriptions of how this little boy would love a pet dragon and why.   Every time I look at the book I find something sneaky hiding in the back of the illustrations.  Like how the blue bird of happiness appears on a uniform and then in the background as the boy teaches his dragon how to fly.    The scared dogs that appear in the pet window  and obedience school.  Just open the book an really look at it in detail.   There are so many little Easter eggs.

Easter eggs aside it is cute story about a boy and his pet fire breathing dragon.  Who keep each other company through thick and thin.  Through campfire smores and foods you don’t eat but your dragon will.  Even for the biggest kid this book will make you laugh if not giggle.



Website:


Official Site of Author and Illustrator David Biedrzycki
http://www.davidbiedrzycki.com/


Official Facebook page for David Biedrzycki
http://www.facebook.com/DavidBiedrzyckiBooks

Sunday Salon - Family Reunion

This weekend the family had a little get together for cousin who live out of state.

There were laughs,,food,drinks and kiddies running around. Fun for all!

The little cousins are growing up so fast.  Just yesterday they were babes.  Now some of them are teenagers.  Which can only mean one thing I am getting old!

Book Stuff

You have until tonight at midnight to enter The Witches of East End by Melissa De La Cruz Giveaway.  Monday there will be a new Giveaway info starting at 6 pm EST.

I am still in the end of the High Summer Read-A-Thon.   I am on the last book I said I would read (The Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom) but I don't think I am going to finish it today unless I really buckle down.  It is Over 600 pages and I am 125 in.  It is doable but then I just can't do anything else today.

I am also revamping things a little I am not going to mention what review are going to be when and there are going to be some new book features.    Also if you haven't voted in the Poll at the top of the Blog on what you would like to see more or less of then vote please!  Thanks!

Review: The Paper Garden by Molly Peacock

Title: The Paper Garden
Series: N/A
Author: Molly Peacock
Genre: Biography, Art   
Publisher: McClelland & Stewart
Received: From Publicist for Review
Release Date: October 2010
Pages: 416
Rating:


What is it About?
Poignant  memoir on artist Mary Granville Pendarves Delany and her life parallels to author Molly Peacock.

My Thoughts:

The title of this book is The Paper Garden : An Artist Begins Her Life’s Work At 72.  I want to state for those, like me, who had never hear of the artist Mary Granville Pendarves Delany technically she did not become an artist at 72 which is the impression I gathered from the title.  So just in case you thought the same that would be false.  She studied early on in life with art but the craft of Mosaic collage is what she know for starting especially depicting flowers in way no one had done before.  The works she did create where great in number and in detail from age 72 and on.

The book jumps back and forth between the artist, author and work of art.  Making layers of complex parallels.  Both artist and author had the blueprints of what would bring them together young in life.  Mary learned her art studied early in life.  She also had a love of gardens.  Molly had a love for art, writing and somehow always finding Mrs. Delany popping up in her life.

The book in some ways... well I hate to use the word dry but that is what I come up with.  I guess a better way to describe it would be so intelligent it goes over my head at some points.  That does not mean I did not like reading or enjoy it. It just means that well... I skimmed a lot.  When I do not understand something I tend to shake my head a smile, so I feel I did that with this book but I also feel I grasped the essence of it.  I think I did anyway.  
Each chapter had a way of becoming it’s own work of art as it worked in the parallel of the art the and the lives of the artists. I can see how some say this was like a collage about collage but very high class, which what Mary Delany was part of.  I think those with a higher understanding of words and art will enjoy this book maybe even love it.  I have to take it down a notch for going over my head though but still I learned things.


Website:

Author Molly Peacock’s Official Website
http://www.mollypeacock.org/

Book Beginnings - Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price For Freedom

How to participate: Share the first line (or two) of the book you are currently reading on your blog or in the comments. Include the title and the author so we know what you're reading. Then, if you would like, let us know what your first impressions were based on that first line, and let us know if you liked or did not like the sentence. The link-up will be at A Few More Pages every Friday and will be open for the entire week.

"THE PHARAOH AWOKE WITH THE LIGHT of the full moon shining on his face, knowing that he had just spoken with his god. His god was named Apedemak, and in the temple renderings, he had the body of a man, but the face of the king of beasts. He was the high god of the people of Kerma, Pharaoh Taharka's island kingdom...an island hidden from the outside world behind a barrier of powerful spells, cloaked in fog and illusion, lying off the coast of the continent men now called Africa."The Price of Freedom (Pirates of the Caribbean) by A.C. Crispin

This book takes place during the time of young 25 year old Jack Sparrow.  I haven't actually started it yet but I hope to start it today after I finish The Paper Garden.

Follow Friday #4 - T-Shirt Slogan

Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

 I just saw one from one of my favorite catalogs Current.  I think it was "Books Are Proof That God Loves Us".

I don't know if it would be my slogan but I like it and hope it's true.

Theme Thursday - Any Action - The Paper Garden

An event hosted by Reading Between the Pages.
Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is

ANY ACTION (go, walk, close, clap etc)

My THURSDAY THEME for ANY ACTION is here.
 
"However ugly she thinks she can make herself, a seventeen-year-old is beautiful and young.  Mr. Billiers found her deliciously rude. Across the dinner table he flirted casually. from page 72 of The Paper Garden by Molly Peacock

Zombie Fae Urges You To Vote Poll !

I just realized I didn't post about the poll I have at the top of Confuzzled Books if you have the time i would appreciate your input on how I can make the blog Confuzzlicious!  

I have also added an About Page and Review Policy Page so if you like check them out!

So Come check out Confuzzled Books if you haven't been in while~ Thanks~!

Review: The Good Fairies Of New York by Martin Millar

Title: The Good Fairies of New York
Series: N/A
Author: Martin Millar
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Soft Skull Press
Received: purchased
Release Date: April 2006   
Pages: 242
Rating:


What is it About?
Heather and Morlag are fairies that were exiled from Scotland.  They have somehow ended up in New York City for the first time.   They come to meet two humans Kerry and Dinnie.  The fairies can get themselves into enough trouble now they find even more as they made friends with these people of New York.

My Thoughts:

These are one of those stories that you have to read a couple of chapters or more to grasp who is who and what is going on.  There were just so many characters and it seemed there was always some sort of trouble these fairies were into.

My version of the book had a intro by Neil Gaiman which I think gave the book more creditability then some ways it deserved.  Not to say I did not like it.  It just took me so long to finally get into the story and understand what was going on.

You are first introduced to the fairies Heather and Morlag in a drunken confused state and already exiled from there home but you don’t find out that they were exiled until half of the book.  You just know that there are other fairies looking for them but you don’t know why.

The people they attach themselves to, Dinnie and Kerry, are probably not the most upstanding citizens to say the lest but it is New York.  Everyone in New York has a dark side it is assumed.  The fairies aren’t really there to help them become a better person...well that is not true they try but it doesn’t always work out for the best.

Heather tries to teach Dinnie how to play a proper fiddle and Morlag trys to help Kerry collect her flowers for an art piece, stealing items from different areas of New York along the way.  Heather steals for Dinnie to live and Morlag steals for Kerry for pleasure.  The stealing gets the fairies in trouble with more stereotypical fairies, the Italian fairies and the fairies from Chinatown.

The book is very different I will say that.  There are many things left unanswered in the book in the end and it had so much going on. There is a humorous feel to it.  It is definitely tongue-in-cheek.  This probably would be a story I would read again to revisit the characters and find things I probably missed the first time around.


Website:

Official Site of Martin Millar
http://www.martinmillar.com/

High Summer Read - A - Thon Mini Challenge - Travel

This mini challenge is brought to us from Book Snob.

As I said before I am reading The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

In this challenge we are to tell you with picture and  a little description where the book is taking place.

See there are two fairies that have been exiled from Scotland. (I have never been to Scotland this is only place in the book that is mentioned that I have never been but doesn't it look lovely)

These drunken fairies end up in New York City which is some what of a wonder to them.  Have lived in Ireland, Scotland and England.

The Fairies spend time with there new human friends Dinnie and Kerry in central park.  Dinnie and Kerry are only one of the few people in New York that can see fairies.   Some homeless people see them too.  Some of the homeless keep dying while in the park. 10 to count so far.

The one fairy Morlog  who has attached herself to Kerry finds himself in trouble with the "yellow" fairies of New York's Chinatown.

The fairy, Heather, that has attached itself to Dinnie is in trouble with the Italian fairies in Little Italy.

There are a whole bunch of other fairies looking for these two fairies not to mention the spirits.  This book can be a little confusing at time but it is very different.

High Summer Read- A - Thon Mini Challenge - Art

The Mini Challenges have started and the first is from The True Book Addict our host

This challenge we are to post art work relating to the book we are reading.  Since I am reading The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar.  My art is of a fairy with poppies. 

Art by Karen Miles.

 

 

The Poppy flower is very important to a character in the book who is actually not a fairy but an artist.  Her friend who is a fairy is trying to help her find her missing flower to finish her art piece.  

That makes the book sound very simple but in actuality this is a very complex book with many characters.

Neil Gaiman actually did an intro to the version of the book I am reading.

Joining the High Summer Read- A -Thon July 25 - July 31

 

 

http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 The Blog True Book Addict is hosting the High Summer Read - A - Thon from July 25th through July 31st.

I thought I would join and try to catch up on some reading.   So all reviews this week will be of novel or novellas

Here is what I am going to try to get started on reading

The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

The Paper Garden: An Artist Begins Her Life's Work at 72 by Molly Peacock

The Price of Freedom (Pirates of the Caribbean) by A.C. Crispin

The last is a pretty thick book so hopefully I will get done those.  I would like to do more then three of course but I am going to start with these three and see how i do.

Review :The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin

Title: The Hedge Knight
Series: Song of Ice and Fire
Author: George R. R. Martin
Genre: Graphic Novel, Fantasy
Publisher: Dabel Brothers Productions
Received: Library
Release Date: March 2005   
Pages: 164
Rating:



What is it About?

A squire to a knight loses his knight, and decides to become one himself.

My Thoughts:


Having not read or seen any of the other parts of the Song of Ice and Fire series this is nice story to start out with.   In some ways this story reminded me of the movie A Knight’s Tale with Heath Ledger but then it is different.
 

Instead of having funny sidekicks there is just Egg,  Duncan the Tall’s new squire,  a young boy who does not listen well and talks back a little and has something mysterious about him.    Duncan who has yet to make a name for himself as a knight struggles with being the kind that someone could look up to.


This first part of the graphic novel ends on a cliff hanger so as to what happens.  Alas I do not know because my library does not have the second part yet.  The first part is light-hearted and amusing. Other reviews hint at Duncan’s tale not going so well in the end.  So my curiosity is peaked and I will probably try harder to find the second part and read on.


Website:
N/A

Follow Friday #3

Q. Name 3 authors that you would love to sit down and spend an hour or a meal with just talking about either their books or get advice on writing from?

Wow Three authors!?!  I have a few in mind but really when I think to sit down with them, me being shy, I kinda go blank at what would I ask them.  I am sometimes not good at the talking thing.  I guess if I were to pick it would be an author of the genre I like to write most (children's) so I would say Neil Gaiman, Rick Riordan, and J.K. Rowling.  I think I picked the three hardest to probably get in contact with. lol

The Professor Was A Thief - L. Ron Hubbard

Title: The Professor Was A Thief
Series: N/A
Author: L. Ron Hubbard
Genre: Mystery, Science Fiction,
Publisher: Galaxy Press LLC.
Received: From Publicist for review
Release Date: July 2009
Pages: 102
Rating:



What is it About?


3 mystery/science fiction short stories by author L. Ron Hubbard.


My Thoughts:


I have never read anything by Hubbard before.  It was interesting to say the least to see what his brain would come up with story wise.   

This book features 3 stories 1 more of a mystery and the other 2 science fiction.


-The Professor was a Thief -
Frankly this story bored me and I was thankful that it was a short story and not a full book because I did not find it fun to read.  I could not tell if this was suppose to be future, past or present.  It was about a Professor who went around miniaturizing the town and stealing buildings like the empire state building.   It just did not seem like a believable story and I think a poor one to start off the book with.


-Battle of Wizards-
This was a little better but here is where Hubbard’s science is stronger then god comes into play.  It is about humans and a alien race battling off.  Us human are suppose to have greater knowledge because of science then the alien race who has magic.  I felt I was getting a little bombarded with “science is great, science is god” .  I know that Hubbard started Scientology and have not read the main books for it but this I think was where it gets it’s roots from.

-The Dangerous Dimension-
Finally a story I could believe and enjoyed.  I felt like this book was butt backwards.
Still about science but I could relate to it.  This story was about the power of thought and how a scientist had figured out an equation that by thinking he could be transported anywhere in the universe. I know first hand that thought can be as strong as words spoken, so this story resonated.  I am not saying it could happen I am saying I see how it could be possible...sort of.
This was just a much better story and it should have been what the book started with.


I have other Hubbard book that I got from BEA 2011 and hope to read them soon.   Thankfully I liked the last story so hopefully there might be others I enjoy.


Website:
L. Ron Hubbard
http://www.lronhubbard.org/

Theme Thursday - Smile - Gatsby

Theme Thursdays is a fun weekly event that will be open from one thursday to the next. Anyone can participate in it. The rules are simple:

• A theme will be posted each week (on Thursday’s)
• Select a conversation/snippet/sentence from the current book you are reading
• Mention the author and the title of the book along with your post
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This will give us a wonderful opportunity to explore and understand different writing styles and descriptive approaches adopted by authors.

This week’s theme is

SMILE (Laugh, Grin, Giggle, Guffaw, etc)

 

turned right to this one.

"We've met before," muttered Gatsby. His eyes glanced momentarily at me and his lips parted with an abortive attempt at a LAUGH." The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald