a picture worth a thousand words...

My office day on Monday began early as I was delivering College Girl back tot he dorm before finding a parking spot (even at 7:20, not a simple thing). Then, the fire alarm began blaring shortly after I opened up my email. I waited for a few minutes because this false alarm stuff happens all too frequently (like middle school with kids pulling the levers). Finally, I joined the others outside until maintenance came to disarm the sucker. Monday was not shaping up to be a good day.

Next, I had to call an airline because my flight to Chicago had been changed and I no longer had the first class seat I had used air miles to get in MAY. While on hold with an extremely helpful operator, I read some picture books (and I got the original flight back and the first class seat as well; however, it is still the worst.merger.ever!). Enjoy the picture books all about fall and cooler weather. It was a heavenly 55 degrees this morning (it has been 80 something most mornings of late).




First, go here and download the song for TEN LITTLE BEASTIES by Rebecca and Ed Emberley (Roaring Brook, 2011): www.mackids.com/tenlittlebeasties#audio. Then, read the book with the lovely song reverberating. I must admit that I enjoyed the first reading without the music, but the song made the book much richer on the second read! <461>



Hyewon Yum gives us a lovely story of twin sisters in THE TWINS' BLANKET (FSG 2011). As the twins grow older, they outgrow their baby blanket. Mother agrees to make each sister a new blanket with some surprising results. The illustrations are spare and so is the text, but the message conveyed is clear: sisterly love conquers all. <462>



A IS FOR AUTUMN by Robert Maas (Holt 2011) is a gloriously colorful celebration of fall complete with changing leaves, pumpkins, and the chill in the air. Tyhis alphabet book celebrates autumn in all of its colorful wonder (except X is for railroad crossing which somehow seems a tad jarring, but then what else could X represent?) <463>