Apologies for the silence, friends. Life has been more than usually crazy – fortunately, lots of good as well as some bad. And while this isn’t the place to share it all, I now know a lot more about the music of the thirteenth century, which is exciting if you’re a medieval music geek like me. (Well, ok, I a) know lots of other music geeks and b) my enthusiasm is contagious.)

But here I am at work on a Sunday, and that means it’s time for me to share what we’re reading around my house. As usual, these are just the books we have checked out from the library where I work, not the ones from the local and school libraries, a not inconsiderable additional number.

The Daughter, age 5 ½
A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. – this picture book has been a hit both with the girl and her class.

A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time and A Crazy Day with Cobras by Mary Pope Osborne (audiobook) – back on the Magic Tree House ride – we just finished this, and are anxiously waiting for the next installment to be returned.

Feathers: not just for flying by Melissa Stewart – I know we already read this, but she has to do a nonfiction book project for school, so I took this home again. Now to figure out a project she can do with this that doesn’t involve looking for actual bird feathers which she shouldn’t be handling.

Lulu and the Cat in the Bag by Hilary McKay – yay, Lulu! She really enjoyed having me read her the first one, so it’s time to go on to the second.

Red: a Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall – silly fun with a serious message – she’s been going back to it on her own.

Sacred Myths: Stories of World Religions by Marilyn McFarlane – I had this out for my son when he was young. I really like this for having sacred stories from six different major religions, all respectfully told with beautiful pictures.

The Talented Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (audiobook) – I’m hoping she’ll go for this while we’re waiting for the next Magic Tree House.

Very Little Red Riding Hood by Teresa Heapy – a very silly retelling, with a self-assured toddler Riding Hood who won’t let the wolf be mean.

The most exciting news – just before I left for work today, she read me not one but two Elephant and Piggy books – I Will Surprise My Friend and Listen to My Trumpet!

The Son, 10
A Hero for WondLa by Tony DiTerlizzi (audiobook) – I don’t love the narrator on this series, and I might be having some issues with the series in general, but we’re halfway through book two of the trilogy and the boy is still really enjoying it.

Curse of the Were-Wiener (Dragonbreath) by Ursula Vernon – because Dragonbreath is always fun, and he still needs to work on his chapter book stamina.

Genghis Khan by Judy Humphrey and The Life and Times of Genghis Khan by Jim Whiting – so he can be Genghis Khan in his 4/5 class wax museum

Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder – for in-class DEAR time.

Jinx’s Fire by Sage Blackwood – Finally! Hooray! We now own the whole series, and are very excited to find out what happens to Jinx.

My love
As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of the Princess Bride by Cary Elwes (audiobook) – we love The Princess Bride – I’m really hoping we can both get through this book before it comes due, as I know there’s a wait list at the library. I’m really excited to hear this, with all the parts read by the real actors.

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud – I recently finished this deservedly hyped new graphic novel, and am passing it on to my love.

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe – This is by the XKCD creator. Really, I’m putting this for my love just because he needs more to fill out his space, but the boy and I have been dipping into it with great enjoyment as well. With lots of short sections, it’s perfect for reading just a bit at a time.

Me
Bone Gap by Laura Ruby (audiobook) – I’ve been hearing such good things about this from all my blogging friends, and was especially excited to see that we had it on audiobook. I’m halfway done, and really enjoying it so far.

Fly by Night by Frances Hardinge – Again, my blogging people have been praising Hardinge for a while now (see Brandy’s Top 10 Tuesday list from last week), but my library doesn’t have her most-praised books, so I’m starting with what we have. I’m reading this on my work breaks.

Hellstrip Gardening: Create a Paradise between the Sidewalk and the Curb by Evelyn J. Hadden – because this is pretty, and I am enough of a gardener to want to read gardening books in the spring, even if not enough to have done any actual yard work yet this spring.

Lily and Lily and the Prisoner of Magic by Holly Webb – for mysterious reasons, my library’s copy of Rose and the Silver Ghost hasn’t yet come in, though it was supposed to be out last month. In the meantime, though, we did get this whole series in from the UK. I accidentally read the second one first.

Mortal Heart by Robin Lafevers – How did I not get to this when it first came out when I was so excited about it? It feels like I will never be done catching up with the YA books I missed last year. Oh wait… reminder to self: I never can read all the books I want to. This is the one I’m currently read at home.

Prudence by Gail Carriger – see above. But I think I’m a little faster on the draw with this one, even if the reviews haven’t been as positive so far. Hoping for the best…

Rethinking Positive Thinking by Gabreile Oettingen – recommended by my friend Dr. M.

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki – Another one I really meant to get to a year ago… it’s one of the two of this year’s Caldecotts I haven’t read yet.

At the beginning of the year, I said I needed to read more teen… now I feel like I’ve been reading nothing but teen, and while I’ve been enjoying it, it’s time to get back to some nice middle grade speculative fiction. What have I missed? What have your favorites been so far this year?