To Kill a Mockingbird: Review Haiku

Yep, it still makes me
cry: "Miss Jean Louise, stand up.
Your father's passin'."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Harper, 1960, 336 pages.

#1 on The LIST.

The Talented Clementine: Review Haiku

No mere paean to
self-esteem: Clementine rocks
and finds her purpose.

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker. Hyperion, 2007, 137 pages.

Grace (Eventually): Review Haiku

Yes, Jesus loves me:
the foul-mouthed, dreadlocked, grace-filled
hippie tells me so.



Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott. Riverhead, 2007, 253 pages.

Elephant & Piggie: Review Haiku

All hail our pal Mo,
whose brilliance makes a virtue
of simplicity.

Today I Will Fly! and My Friend Is Sad. Hyperion, 2007, 58 pages (each).

Rattletrap Car: Review Haiku

Hey, it could be worse:
This thing could be up on blocks
in your neighbor's yard.

Rattletrap Car by Phyllis Root. Candlewick, 2001, 32 pages.

Note: As a rule, I'm not a fan of picture books heavy on the onomatopoeia (Mr. Brown, I'm looking at you). But this one has just the right mix of story, light rhyme, and sound effects. A current favorite of Munchkin and Niblet alike.

Happy Blogiversary to Me

Hey! I'm one year old!
Now if only I could stop
drooling on the keys.

emilyreads turns one today. It's also the day of the Munchkin's birthday party (third birthday, first party, Lord help me), so there will be little celebrating. Please note the new sidebar with The LIST of Important Books to read in the next year.

Anyway, hooray. Have a celebratory drink on me.

THREE: Birthday Haiku

What she can do now:
Negotiate, read (sort of).
What she can't: Obey.

Happy birthday, Munchkin. I love you.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret: Review Haiku

Clockwork tour-de-force!
But my inside pub marvels:
what production costs!

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Scholastic, 2007, 544 pages.

Facelift

In preparation for my first blogiversary, I've made some changes to the template and tried (with much wailing and gnashing of teeth) to import a custom header. Please let me know what works and what sucks (and what browser you're using: I can't promise I can fix problems in anything other than IE7, but I can try).

Happy Easter.

Does this count as Poetry Friday?

I am the sonnet, never quickly thrilled; Not prone to overstated gushing praise Nor yet to seething rants and anger, filled With overstretched opinions to rephrase; But on the other hand, not fond of fools, And thus, not fond of people, on the whole; And holding to the sound and useful rules, Not those that seek unjustified control. I'm balanced, measured, sensible (at least, I think I am, and usually I'm right); And when more ostentatious types have ceased, I'm still around, and doing, still, alright. In short, I'm calm and rational and stable - Or, well, I am, as much as I am able. What Poetry Form Are You? Thanks to Fuse for the link.

Made to Stick: Review Haiku

Pop social science
wrapped in a kick-ass jacket.
Improve your message!


Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath. Random, 2007, 304 pages.

Twisted: Review Haiku

Nerd turned criminal
Gets noticed, but at what cost?
High school hell, served raw.


Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking, 2007, 256 pages.