"To The Rescue: Found Dogs With a Mission" by Elise Lupkin

This is a collection of remarkable Dogs and people stories I thoroughly enjoyed!  To The Rescue:  Found Dogs With a Mission by Elise Lupkin--Photos by Diana Walker works in so many ways.  First, the dogs are so good.  They are ones left unloved, handicapped, ready to be killed and neglected.  Yet, with special love and affection and training by the people in this book, they have become dogs who visit hospitals, nursing homes, live with blind people or people who cannot hear.  The stories are just REMARKABLE!  The love that people share talking about these dogs makes you feel good!  I really loved this book a lot!  If you need a feel good book to read, this is it!

(Gerard's review 2/16/10)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf is a page-turner that grabbed my attention right from the start.  A young girl is abducted and her friend, Calli is also missing.   Calli is seven but hasn't spoken since she was four. I liked this book because it wasn't predictable and deals with a lot of different issues such as family dynamics, alcoholism, old flames, police investigation, selective mutism and friendship.  It is a fast read and contains discussion questions at the end.  I recommend this book if you like contemporary fiction about families.
Karen's review posted 2/11/10

The Weight Of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf is a real page turner!  I suggest not reading the Prologue first.  I never do until I finish reading the book.  Wow!  This book was just awesome.  It reads just like a Jodi Picoult book, which is not a bad thing at all.  The book got my attention right away and kept it all the way to the end.  All the characters are very good.  I especially enjoyed their stories of early times in their lives.  I do not think you will be able to guess the outcome.  I didn’t.  Enjoy this book--it is REALLY, REALLY GOOD!

(Gerard's Review 1/30/10)

comments received moved from our other blog:
I Just started a book blog and I am discouraged. Then I found you guys and I realized that you seem to read the same type of books that I do. I just finished The Weight Of Silence, Have also read The Art of Racing in the Rain and Columbine, The Book Thief and My Sisters Keeper. I am on my library's wait list for Going Rogue. However, your kitties choice of Where the Wild Things Are is my favorite. I's like to ask you a favor, just because I am starting out and your tastes run similar to mine. If you have time would you just drop by my site and give me a critique or two. Since there are so many holidays in February I was going with a theme and a giveaway almost everyday. I am discouraged as I am not having much luck. Mainly just friends and family. I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you very much! Lesa  skyroxy@bellsouth.net

By Lesa on February 15, 2010

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Confessions of a Prairie Bitch" by Alison Arngrim

 I enjoyed reading Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim because it was mostly about the TV show I liked called “Little House On The Prairie.”  Alison was the actress who played Nellie Oleson on the show, the mean, snobby girl.  In her book, she shares how people really hated her because of her character on TV when she made public appearances dressed as Nellie.  She shares about her childhood which was so heartbreaking that she thought of the cast as her family and loved the diversion.  I liked reading about her auditions for the show, all that she had to go through in shooting the scenes and how the character of Nellie helped her to be more confident and outgoing.  It was amusing to read about her friendship with Melissa Gilbert (Laura on “Little House”) and her relationships with other people on the set.  The fact that people knew her from playing Nellie on the show opened doors for her to make a difference in social causes.  I recommend this book to anyone who loved watching “Little House On The Prairie.” 
(Karen's Review)   

Confessions of A Prairie Bitch gives the reader a good behind-the-scenes look at "Little House on the Prairie." I thought this was a great book. I enjoyed getting to know Alison too. It is a quick read and funny!
(Gerard's review)

We also read Melissa Gilbert's autobiography, Prairie Tale.

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Hannah's Hope" by Karen Kingsbury

Hannah's Hope by Karen Kingsbury, part of the Red Gloves series, is a nice story but very predictable and not very believable about a girl whose mother was traveling a lot and not home who married an ambassador to Sweden and the girl thought he was her father but later found out he wasn't, but that her real father was in the army over at war in Iraq. Prayed for her parents to be home for Christmas and mother came home to clear up all the media mess about their family that the girl created by going on a public search for her biological father and he got sent home early once he was rescued from being held prisoner.

This is a quick read but it contained some good suggestions in the back on ways to encourage servicemen.
(Karen's review 11/07)

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Journey to Reading For Pleasure (Blog Hop)

<em><a href="http://www.ourstack.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i259.photobucket.com/albums/hh290/kzemek/ourstack_EC.jpg" ></a></em>

To get your children reading, make sure they can see.   I say this because when I was in first grade learning to read, I had a very difficult time.  My teacher kept a group of us who were not getting it after school for some additional help and she discovered my problem was that I just could not see the board.  Once she moved me to the front of the room and I got eyeglasses, I picked it up much quicker.


Naturally any mother who loves to read also tries to encourage her children to read too.  My mother was an avid reader and I remember her reading four or five thick books in just a week.  She took us to the library as kids in an effort to get us interested in books too, but it didn't really work.  I would rather go outside and play than sit around and read.  I did the required reading for school, some of which I just skimmed through and that was it. 


In school, whenever I had to do a book report, I would just choose the book by width.  Seriously, if it was a fat book, it would not be one I picked.  Consequently, I missed out on some really good books.  I first learned that a bigger novel is generally better than those little skinny books when I read Jane Eyre for a book report on my mother's recommendation.


In high school I was put into an advanced English class which I really did not want to be in.  To me, it seemed a waste of my time to have to do more homework including 12 book reports when I could get an easy "A" in the regular English class with less homework and only three book reports.  Now, for someone who does not like to read, guess which class I chose.  I got out of that advanced English class as fast as I could! 


Even in college, I read very little of the textbooks.  Mostly, I just took good notes in class, then typed them up and studied from that.  I maintained good enough grades that way to keep my scholarship for all four years.  I only actually read the books for courses I was interested in.  


It wasn't until I was married that I started to enjoy reading for pleasure.  My husband was a reader ever since elementary school.  It's funny though, he didn't go to college.  I think if he had gone, he would have learned more than I did.  He used to buy books but once we were married, I took him to the library and showed him how he could actually go online and order popular books that he wanted to read and they would send him an email when they came in.  When he read a book he thought I would too, suggested I read it.  I don't recall what the first book I read was that he recommended.


Mostly I still read when I'm bored, like while I ride the bus to and from work, or while waiting at a doctor's office, or during a lunch hour.  I seldom read at home unless I have a book that really is gripping and I can't wait to see what happens next or if I'm in a hurry to finish a book. 


We invite you to post about your journey to becoming an avid reader with a link back here and link up.  Copy the badge if you like. 


Related post:  Mary the Kay the Blog shares tricks she uses to teach her kids to read.

Check out Mrs4444 Saturday Samplings for more good posts.