Ever Tales

Just a quick Valentine's post (two shopping days left!). Don't tell my niece, but she's getting Huggy Kissy (by Leslie Patricelli) for Valentine's Day. Patricelli's book, Potty is a favorite in our household, so her latest title was an obvious choice. All of Patricelli's titles feature an adorable illustrated baby (could be girl or boy), simple text and bright colors . Because Huggy Kissy has Mommies and Daddies, and Grandparents, and puppies, and kitties, and Uncles and AUNTIES (!!!), this is a great book for every toddler. There aren't many books about Aunties out there . . . gotta grab 'em when you find 'em! Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm the kind of reader who has bookmarks in several books at once; usually a children's book, a "grown-up" book, a travel book (I'm a sucker for those giant National Geographic coffee-table books), my e.e. cummings fix. Admittedly, the bookmark in War and Peace hasn't moved in several years. But I felt the need to write a little February love-blog for Charles Dickens. Last week I picked up A Tale of Two Cities for the very first time (much to the shame of this English major, although I have read other Dickens). Oh, what language, what beautiful grasp of words we've lost to texts and tweets. For example, Dickens writing about a seaside town: "The air among the houses was of so strong a piscatory flavour that one might have supposed sick fish went up to be dipped in it, as sick people went down to be dipped in the sea." (Chapter 4 of the Barnes & Noble Classics printing, 2004). I love this image!!! Dickens is not for the super-casual read