Ever Tales

If ever I were to become attached to a vegetable, it would surely be a squash. Or a sweet potato. Which is why Sophie's Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller became an instant favorite. Sophie's parents find the perfect squash at the farmers' market--perfect for cuddling, doing somersaults, rocking to sleep at night--in Sophie's opinion. Of course, as Sophie's love for her little baby grows, her squash grows a little old, a little . . . mushy . . . At the advice of a farmer, Sophie puts her squash to sleep under a bed of leaves for the winter. You can imagine her surprise in the spring! The illustrations are adorable, the humor is charming (Sophie defends her squash as having "freckles" when classmates comment on its less-than-ideal appearance), and the story is a nice message about the circle of plantlife. I look forward to reading this book to my little pumpkin godbaby.

I just returned from a mini roadtrip (4 hours there, 4 back) and (while I'm not a fan of driving long distances alone) I had great friends along for the trip; Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the Hogwarts crew. Jim Dale's audiobook of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling was phenomenal--hilarious, frightening, completely enthralling. How one man can create so many distinct characters with his voice alone is astonishing. I know audiobooks are expensive, but when you consider Rowling's time and talent, and the immense number of hours and skill it took to record--as well as all the people a book supports (author, editor, publisher, bookseller, dust jacket artist, voice talent)--it is money well-spent. So, fly on over to your local wizarding bank and make a withdrawl from your vault!