John Grogan Author Appearance

John Grogan visited Books and Company at The Greene in Beavercreek, Ohio, this evening. My oldest daughter was able to get Marley A Dog Like No Other signed. (I also had a copy signed for one of my students.) My son and youngest daughter were excited to get Bad Dog, Marley! and his newest book, Marley and the Kittens, signed. We also had a copy of Marley Goes to School signed.

The author was very nice and even offered to pose for a photo with the kids--I can't wait for my two youngest to get over their shyness! Taylor was the only one bold enough to pose!

Thanks to John Grogan for a wonderful visit. It was his last stop before he heads home to Pennsylvania for a much deserved break from touring.

If you are interested in learning more about his books, go visit his WEBSITE.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

The Unfinished Angel

"Sometimes a people needs an angel and sometimes an angel needs a people."

Hokay! Hokay! I am not a professional book reviewer. I am simply a teacher who loves reading and recommending the best books to her students in the hopes of instilling a lifelong love of reading in each of them. So let me tell you about a specialful book that may just do exactly that...

I am impressified by Sharon Creech's newest book, The Unfinished Angel. It is intrigueful!


High in the stone tower of Casa Rosa in the southern part of Switzerland lives a swishing angel. "Me, I am an angel. I am supposed to be having all the words in all the languages, but I am not. Many are missing."

The angel in Casa Rosa does not seem to have a special assignment. The angel thinks she (or he!) may be unfinished, an unfinished angel.

This all changes when Zola appears in the angel's tower. Zola is "skinny like a twig-tree, with hair chip-chopped in a startling way." Zola comes to the village with Mr. Pomodoro who wants to create a harmonious school for all nationalities of children.

Meanwhile, Zola asks the angel for help. There are children in an ancient barn--"skinny and hungry and dirty...extremely tragical." Zola wants the angel to DO something.


Sharon Creech is a master of playing with language. The mishmasheroni of delightfully poetic words in this story is a treasure! Is really!

My favorite chapter has to be "What is Time?" It is too funny! "...compulsive...propulsive...obsessive...seconds, pinutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, and sentries...tick-tock...whoosh there goes two seconds..." and the "creak creak creak crickle creak BURPLE BURP"! Everything is happening so quickful in this chapter that it not only makes the angel's mind spin but mine as well!

Then again, maybe my favorite chapter is "Lizards". As a mom, I can definitely relate to all the craziness going on in this chapter. After all, "It's just a normal night with childrens." HA!

Hmmm...I can't be making much sense here, but Sharon Creech makes perfect sense of all this in her story. Adulterinos and childrens will enjoy this read! Please go pick up the book and read it! I think you'll be gladful that you did.

As an author friend said to me recently, "I loaf this. I loaf this (book) very much!"

(Click HERE to go to the author's website.)

Happy Reading!
Mrs. T. :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

What a Surprisement!

The girls were smalling...what is the word?...smiling in a bigga way when they received a package from Sharon Creech in the mail! What a surprisement! A UK copy of Hate That Cat was enclosed and personally autographed to Taylor and Tessa by Sharon Creech...AND two small bookmarks were also personalized with "Hi Taylor!' and "Hi Tessa!" WOW! Sharon Creech knows how to treat her readers like royalty!

The girls were grinning from ear to ear as they played Show-and-Tell with their new treasures!

Molto thanks, Sharon Creech!

(Look for a blog post on The Unfinished Angel, her newest book, coming tomorrow!)

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!

Gone From These Woods

What a riveting first chapter! Donny Bailey Seagraves had me hooked from the beginning with her debut novel about an eleven year-old boy named Daniel. In Gone From These Woods, Daniel is rabbit hunting with his uncle in the woods near his home. Daniel is not interested in shooting a rabbit. He is simply going hunting in order to spend time with his favorite uncle.

Tragically, a hunting accident claims Uncle Clay's life. Daniel is devastated and cannot overcome his guilt.

"Mom tries to hold the family together. Mrs. Hardy, Daniel’s guidance counselor, tries to help Daniel after he loses his role model and best friend. Daniel’s alcoholic father just makes the situation worse. The memory of that cold morning will stay with Daniel forever. But somehow, he must find a way to go on . . . for Uncle Clay . . . and most of all, for himself." (from Amazon)

After reading the first chapter, I was blown away...but I was also asking myself the question, "Now what?" Was I going to wade through the next one hundred pages growing tiresome of hearing about Daniel's feelings of guilt?

I need not have been worried. Not only did the author develop the conflict between Daniel and his father but the author also created an unexpected twist for Daniel himself.

Make sure you read the appendix which provides statistics on gun violence and a list of sources to contact for more information.

I would highly recommend this to readers who enjoy the outdoors, who enjoy hunting, who are interested in reading a novel that explores a character's deepest emotions. This is one not to be missed.

(Click HERE to view the author's extensive website.)

Happy Reading!

Mrs. T :)

P.S. Reading is like breathing chocolate air!