Billy & Milly: Short & Silly by Eve Feldman

Very exciting! This is the first library book that Alex can read all the way through by himself. Hurray! It has about a dozen or so three or four word stories in the book. (Example of a story about a pinata: pack, whack, crack, snack.) He's proud of himself and I am too!

Helen Lester

A month or two ago Alex came home from school with loads of penguin knowledge. His class studied them for a week. One of the books they read during that time was "Tacky the Penguin." I got to read it one day when I volunteered in his class. It was pretty funny. Tacky lives up to his name - he's just not as polished or well-behaved as his debonair iceberg-mates. Luckily (at least for some members of the household) the author has written many Tacky books: "Tacky and the Emperor," "Tacky in Trouble," "Tacky and the Winter Games," "Tackylocks and the Three Bears," "Tacky Goes to Camp," etc. If anyone in your house likes penguins and silliness, Tacky may be for you. As the end of most of the books goes, he's an odd bird but a nice bird to have around.

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress

I've never read anything by this author, but I definitely have to get his other books now. (He also wrote Crazy in Alabama, which could also serve as a good description of this plot, too.) The title character's family name was Butts until her grandmother changed it to Bottoms because it sounded nicer. They live in a tiny southern Alabama town that only has a half-size Belk's. To say her life is "interesting" wouldn't do it justice by half. Georgia has a regular "date" with different prominent (and married) men each night of the week. Except for Mondays which are just for her. She does all of these in strict secrecy from most of the town all while appearing, to most people anyway, to be an upper class modern Southern belle. The book covers her mid to late 30s and what happens when all the secrets come undone. I highly recommend it!

Clara and Mr. Tiffany - Susan Vreeland

I like history, so I like historical fiction. Okay, so maybe that doesn't always follow. I don't think Art likes historical fiction at all. Or fiction, much, for that matter. Anyway, this book is about the time of the design and manufacture of Tiffany lampshades. I had no idea that they employed a department of women to do the lampshades, stained glass windows, desk sets, etc. The women were considered to have smaller hands and more delicate movements for the very delicate work. Only single women were allowed to work in the department in this pre-voting rights, pre-equal rights, pretty much pre-any-kind-of-rights for women. The female workers also had to fight the prejudice of the male workers who thought they should be at home and leave the work to them, even though they worked on a totally different sort of work. The descriptions of what they made were wonderful. You could almost see them.

The one drawback to the book: it tackles every major social issue in the 10 years or so that it covers. It felt a little like Forrest Gump. Every new chapter brought something new to confront: women's rights, labor unions, poverty, racism, homosexuality, etc. It was a bit much sometimes. A busy book but still good.

The Radleys by Matt Haig

I know, I know, another vampire book? This was different, though. A middle-aged English couple living in the 'burbs have never told their teenagers the real reason they're "allergic" to sunlight and garlic, and always sickly. Until they find out by accident. It has a sly humor and intersperses passages from "The Abstainer's Handbook" with the chapters. My favorite pop culture reference: The Lost Boys is their favorite movie.

Woolbur by Leslie Helakoski

Woolbur describes what would happen if Alex were a sheep. Young Woolbur goes to school every day and each evening Maa tells Paa about "a little problem" at school that day. Woolbur doesn't want to be sheared. Maa and Paa worry, Grandpaa tells them not to. It goes on as Woolbur goes against the stream through wool carding, weaving and flock etiquette. Finally, everyone else in his class decides to try it his way. It's a nice message and Woolbur looks cool - kind of a rebel sheep with dreadlocks.