Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant

Morris likes lots of things about school.
He likes to paint. 
He likes the apple juice at snack time
and singing the loudest during circle time. 

Most of all, Morris likes the dress-up center.
And the tangerine dress.
Morris likes the color of the dress.
It reminds him of tigers, the sun and his mother's hair.

He likes the noises the dress makes --
swish, swish, swish when he walks
and crinkle, crinkle, crinkle when he 
sits down.

 Morris Micklewhite is a young boy who loves his mom and his cat, Moo. He also loves to dress up at school, but his classmates find this hard to accept. The boys won't let Morris play with them if he's wearing a dress and the girls try to take it off of him saying, "You can't wear it! You're a boy!"

Sad from being shunned by his classmates, Morris goes home from school with a tummy ache and stays in bed reading, doing puzzles, and painting a very special picture. The picture he paints helps change his perspective and so when he returns to school on Monday, he decides to build his own spaceship when the boys won't let him play on theirs.

Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress is a 2015 Stonewall Book Award honor and it is simply brilliant. Not only is it beautifully illustrated, but Morris's positive attitude will make you want to give him a great big hug. It is a heartwarming story about acceptance and challenging gender norms without being overly didactic or political.  Not only is this a book I see being discussed a great deal in university children's literature courses, but it's also a story that should be read aloud to children, teens, and adults alike.


Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress by Christine Baldacchino, illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant
Published: May 13, 2014
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Pages: 32
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Library Copy

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.  

A long overdue food-related post

As I mentioned in a previous post, the reason I haven't talked about food in a while is because I was going through a rather intense elimination diet to help pinpoint my IBS triggers. I kind of lost the joy of food last year as I attempted to seek out the things that continued to make my digestive system attack itself. Food was strictly utilitarian until I could figure out what was making me so sick all the time.

I'm happy to say that I've finally started to pinpoint the things that were causing me problems, but more importantly, I know better how to manage my eating so that I can indulge in an amazing meal every now and again as long as I practice more restraint in my every day eating habits. For anyone battling IBS and are beginning to feel hopeless about your condition (I know I was), I highly recommend seeking out a nutritionist who can help you with the Low FODMAP diet. It's not a cure or a magic pill, but it is incredibly empowering to understand your body better. I am so thrilled with how much hope this experience has given me.

So, one of the glorious things I've discovered about this diet is that even though lactose is considered a no-no in the beginning total elimination phase, most hard cheeses have virtually no lactose in them, so I was able to indulge in cheese every day with no problems. That was truly my saving grace. I pretty much don't drink milk anymore because it is a huge trigger for me, and have finally discovered a dairy free milk I can tolerate: rice milk. So much so that the other night I mixed it with some Kahlua and couldn't tell the difference between rice milk and regular milk. ;)


I also was told of this delicious, refreshing Low FODMAP salad from the very awesome Raina Telgemeier: pineapple, bell pepper, green onion, with your favorite herbs (I used mint and cilantro).


*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Unrelated to above, last night my husband and I watched The Hundred-Foot Journey and wow! If you are a foodie, that movie is a must-see. It's actually one of the few movies I enjoyed more than the book. I think this is because Helen Mirren played Madame Mallory so much better than the one-dimensional character the narrator made her seem when I listened to the audiobook. Helen Mirren brings out more dimensions in her character than what I experienced listening to the book. Not only that, but you leave the movie feeling absolutely famished. :)

 It probably goes without saying but Chef  is also another must-see movie for foodies. The food porn in it is definitely meant to titillate the senses for sure! Watching both of these movies recently has helped to remind me of why I am a foodie in the first place: because good food is such a rich, sensory experience. As a writer and lover of words, I get excited over the prospect of not only tasting delicious food, but being able to describe it.

Edmund Unravels by Andrew Kolb

Edmund tried his best to keep it together. 
On most days, he kept to a routine of breakfast,
school, chores, dinner, and then finally bed.

But some days Edmund just 
couldn't resist the tug of discovery.

You clever Andrew Kolb.

I adore the word play.

I love the whimsy.

And I especially love that you managed to create a universal story about finding yourself by exploring the world, but also remembering where you came from (i.e., the people who will reel you back in when you unravel) in a children's picture book. Edmund Unravels is proof that a skillful, playful writer can create memorable characters from just about anything... even a ball of yarn.

This would be a great gift for a high school or college graduate who feels the pull of adventure to know that home is always waiting for them when the world becomes too much for them to handle.

Watch the book trailer:

Edmund Unravels by Andrew Kolb
Expected Publication: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Pages: 40
Genre: Picture Book
Audience: Primary
Disclosure: Finished copy provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.  

It's Monday! What are you reading? 3-2-15

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Check out my current giveaway:
 
A signed copy of Countdown Zero by Chris Rylander


Last week I finished reading with my ears: 

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman
I just couldn't connect with this one. I liked the idea of the story but the characters didn't speak to me in any impactful way. I think if this book had been longer I might not have finished it. 


Favorite picture books last week: 

 Edmund Unravels by Andrew Kolb 
Really enjoyed this one. I have a review scheduled to post tomorrow. 


My Friend Rabbit by Eric Rohman 
I really enjoyed the illustrations with their bold black outlines, even the pages themselves are outlined with thick, confident black lines, which I though added an extra element of uniqueness to the artwork. 


The New Small Person by Lauren Child 
I always marvel at anyone who can create a three dimensional protagonist in a 32-page picture book. Bravo Lauren Child. Love this book!  

Currently reading:


Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles
I love how you have to "read between the lines" to understand the cover of this book. :) 

Hold Me Closer: The Tiny Cooper Story by David Levithan
You guys. YOU. GUYS. This book is so freaking good. Now I want to go back and read Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Oh yeah, and now I also can't get Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" out of my head. I have a major problem with earworms. 


Currently reading with my ears: 

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson  
I just started this yesterday so I'm not that far into it but I have to say, it definitely has my attention.  

Blog Tour/Giveaway: COUNTDOWN ZERO by Chris Rylander

Walden Pond Press is offering one signed copy of Chris Rylander's new book, Countdown Zero, the second book in he Codename Conspiracy trilogy, to readers of this blog.

Publisher Summary:

There are people in this world who live secret lives. There are people who fight the evil that lurks in the shadows so that the rest of us can live free from tyranny and fear. There are people—perhaps the person who is sitting across from you on the bus or waiting tables at your favorite restaurant—who put it all on the line for us, every day, whose names we’ll never know.

None of these people is Carson Fender.

At least, not since he was let go by the secret agency that enlisted his services to help foil a nefarious plot perpetrated by one of their former agents. Carson is back to hanging out with his friends, pulling pranks, and not having to lie to everyone about how he’s spending his days. And that’s for the best. Isn’t it?

Of course, this was all before a note showed up in his school lunch, informing him that Agent Nineteen has three days left to live, and that there might still be someone inside the Agency working against them. Carson has always been able to rely on his friends—but what happens when there’s no one left to trust?

About the Author:

 

Chris Rylander is the author of the Fourth Stall Saga and the Codename Conspiracy series.  A fan of brown shipping boxes turned on their sides, dance-offs to win a girl's heart, and rice, he lives in Chicago.  Find Chris on Twitter and his website. 

Terms of Giveaway:
Must be 13 or older to enter and have a U.S. mailing address
One winner will be selected
Use the Rafflecopter widget to enter
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to visit the other blogs in the blog tour:

Date		Blog Name	Blog URL
2/16/2015		The Book Monsters	http://thebookmonsters.com/
2/18/2015		Novel Novice	http://novelnovice.com/
2/20/2015		Mundie Kids	http://mundiekids.blogspot.com/
2/23/2015		The Flashlight Reader	http://www.theflashlightreader.com/
2/24/2015		A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust	http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/
2/25/2015		The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/
2/26/2015		Small Review	http://smallreview.blogspot.com/
2/27/2015		Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers	http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/
3/2/2015		Buried in Books	http://wwwburiedinbooks.blogspot.com/
3/3/2015		KidLit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
3/4/2015		Paige in Training	https://pageintraining.wordpress.com/
3/5/2015		The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia	http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com/
3/6/2015		Word Spelunker	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/
3/6/2015		This Kid Reviews Books	http://thiskidreviewsbooks.com/

It's Monday! What are you reading? 2-23-15

Originally hosted by Sheila at Book Journey, Jen over at Teach Mentor Texts along with Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers also host a kidlit version of It's Monday! What are You Reading?

My Monday posts are generally just a highlight of what I've been reading during the week so if you'd like to see all that I've been reading, follow my Goodreads page.


Last week I reviewed:

I Was Here by Gayle Forman


I finished reading with my ears:

All Fall Down by Ally Carter
A pretty solid start to a fun new YA spy series. I'm looking forward to the next book.


Favorite picture books from last week:


The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by  Selina Alko and Sean Qualls
A book many people will undoubtedly draw comparisons to the present day. An incredibly timely story. Which makes you wonder: how will history judge us based on the current fight for marriage equality? 

The House in the Night by  Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes
As I was reading I couldn't help but think how much the illustrations reminded me of Van Gogh's Starry Night, and wouldn't you know it... There was a place in the story where the bedroom in the house had Starry Night hanging on one of its walls.


Currently reading:

Read Between the Lines by Jo Knowles
I love how you have to "read between the lines" to understand the cover of this book. :) 


Currently reading with my ears:

The Swap by  Megan Shull


Other posts from last week:
A Ten Year Anniversary 
Last week marked the ten year anniversary of when my husband and I moved back home from Germany

From my teaching blog:
Write Beside Them
Students and social media: let's get our heads out of the sand
Finding inspiration in the classroom: Matching your passion to resources

I Was Here by Gayle Forman

It takes about three hours to pack the rest of her stuff. I pull out holey T-shirts and underwear because why do they need that? I throw away her stacks of music magazines, piled in a corner. I'm not sure what to do about her bedsheets because they still smell like her, and I have no idea if her sent will do to Sue what it's doing to me, which is making me remember Meg in such a real visceral way – Sleepovers and dance parties and those talks we would have until three in the morning that would make us feel lousy the next day because we'd slept like hell but also feel good because the talks were like blood transfusions, moments of realness and hope that were pinpricks of light in the dark fabric of small-town life.

I am tempted to inhale those sheets. If I do, maybe it will be enough to a race everything but you can only hold your breath for so long eventually, I'll have to exhale her and then it'll be like those mornings, when I wake up, forgetting before remembering.

Left to pick up the pieces of her best friend's suicide, Cody goes to pack up Meg's belongings that were away at college. While there, Cody discovers a side of Meg that she never really knew: one that she is now trying to uncover as she attempts to make sense of her death. As she gets to know Meg's roommates as well as the mysterious Ben McCallister who was Meg's former love interest, Cody is left to wonder how such a bright, vibrant young woman like Meg could possibly want to kill herself. But when Cody discovers an encrypted computer file on Meg's computer that she can't open, as well as months of deleted email correspondence that she can't recover, Cody now wonders if someone else had a hand in Meg's death.

I Was Here brings a new element into the writing of Gayle Forman: that of a mystery for the protagonist to solve. I will say though that I was not as emotionally invested in the characters in I Was Here as I was in If I Stay and Where She Went, which were Gayle Forman at her absolute best. If I started with I Was Here as my first foray into the work of Gayle Forman, I'm not sure I would be ask excited to pick up her other books. It's a solid story, don't get me wrong. It just didn't leave me feeling ALL THE THINGS the way IIS and WSW did.


I Was Here by Gayle Forman
Published: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Viking
Pages: 288 
Genre: Mystery
Audience: Young Adult
Disclosure: Finished review copy provided by publisher

If you buy this book or any book through Amazon, it is my hope that you also regularly patronize independent bookstores, which are important centerpieces of thriving communities. While I am an Amazon Affiliate, that by no means implies that I only buy my books through their website. Please make sure you are still helping small, independent bookstores thrive in your community. To locate an independent bookstore near you, visit IndieBound.