Merry Misfits Book Club September: Aida by Leontyne Price

September's theme was fairy tales.  Now, that's pretty broad... and since I was so behind with the reading challenge, I decided to go ahead and pick something short and simple.  I saw this picture book version of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida (adapted by opera singer Leontyne Price, who was famous for playing the title role) at the library and had to check it out.  It is a children's book, so very short... debatably cheating, but reading is reading.  And I know what you're thinking... is this really a fairy tale?  According to the Dewey Decimal system, yes... it was shelved with the likes of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm.  Plus it's about a princess, true love, and adventure in a foreign land, so...

This was a good book.  I admit, I didn't really know the story of Aida -- I know next to nothing about opera -- so it was a good story to pick up and read in a condensed form.  The story was beautiful, the art was stunning, and it kind of made me want to go listen to the music from the show.  As I mentioned, it's about a princess and true love... but (SPOILER ALERT) since it's based on an opera, it does not have a happily ever after ending, and that would be the one place it differs from what we think of as fairy tales.  But the atmosphere of magic and romance was very fairy tale, and our heroine is brave as she suffers through everything life throws at her just like you'd expect of a fairy tale princes.  I don't really have much to say, other than the fact that kids' books are almost always better than adults' books, and I don't regret choosing this.

I didn't end up reviewing this one on Goodreads because I didn't really have anything to say, but here's the book on Goodreads and here's my profile.  Mark it as "to read" and then follow me, lol.

I read this book on Septermber 22, making me technically on track for that one day, lol.  I finished it before the August book I just posted about, but I didn't want to post out of order.

Would I recommend this book?  Sure!  It's a quick read but it's a good one, and I think it'd be at home in any library of children's books.

DYRC 19: August: Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure by Cecil Castelucci and Jason Frey

I am aware it is October.  Yes, I'm a little behind, lol.  Anyways, the DYRC theme for August was sci-fi, so I decided to read Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure, which was a book I got for free as a prize for finishing the library's summer reading challenge.  Now, it's debatable whether or not choosing a junior Star Wars novel is cheating, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.  On with the show.

I enjoyed this book.  It's a story that takes place between Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and we follow a Leia who is dealing with a lot.  She's struggling with feelings of survivor's guilt and probably some PTSD... and she's incredibly worried about Han, who is at this point still frozen in carbonite.  Her characterization is true to the films, but very realistic and well rounded.  She plays well with the other characters that make up her team for this mission.  We don't get to know all of them as well as I would have liked, but they're written well enough that you can easily get attached.  The story is good and exciting, takes a lot of turns and I wouldn't call it predictable.  Plus the Phil Noto art is a really nice touch... I love his work. And because this book is a part of the Journey to The Force Awakens line of books and comics released to coincide with the release of Episode VII (my favorite modern Star Wars film), the epilogue ties into that movie beautifully and it made me happy.

Here's my Goodreads review.  Follow me there to see me add a bunch of children's books to my shelves and to read observations I think are pithy but are really tired.

I read this book between September 22 and October 19.  It only took me that long because I didn't get to dedicate a lot of time to it.  It's not super long and it's a pretty quick read.

Would I recommend this book?  To Star Wars fans only.  It's an enjoyable book, but it won't convert you into a fan if you aren't one already.

Merry Misfits Book Club July: Sailor Moon Eternal Edition Vol. 4

So I didn't quite finish on time, but I was a lot closer this month than the last few, lol.  The theme for July was a sequel... which was great for me, because I've been reading these new translations of Naoko Takeuchi's Sailor Moon manga as soon as the library gets them in.  The most recent is  the fourth volume.

The fourth volume of Sailor Moon continues where the third left off.  Chibi-Usa is staying with Usagi and they're still learning to get to know one another.  I've been enjoying them very much... I unfortunately can't go into many details about this volume because I finished reading it a while ago and have since taken it back to the library.  Also spoilers, lol.  But as for the merits of the book, which I can go into, the art is gorgeous (especially the colorized pages) and the translation is really nice and reads very naturally.  I have the next volume here and I can't wait to read it!

Here's my goodreads review.

I read this book between July 24th and August 3rd (yes, over a month ago... see my previous post for an apology/explanation).

Would I recommend this book?  Do you love Sailor Moon and have you read the previous volumes?  If so, yes!  If not, maybe watch the anime and decide if you like the story enough to read the anime... and if so, start with volume 1.

DYRC19: January: Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

So I apparently started this post like a whole ass month ago and then just? Abandoned it.  I don't know how that happened, lol.  Anyways...

The Diversify Your Reading theme for January was memoir or autobiography.  I sat and looked through the memoir section on Goodreads for ages because I couldn't think of anything in that genre I was dying to read.  There are quite a few on my list, but honestly a deciding factor was that I wanted something that was in my library branch, because I wanted to be able to grab it when I went in to the library the next day (after deciding to do the challenge).  I had been considering reading Dewey by Vicki Myron for a while because obviously I love libraries and cats and I enjoy a good memoir from time to time.  My only hesitation on grabbing it was the fact that I was pretty sure Dewey the cat wouldn't make it to the end.  But I decided that that shouldn't be enough to keep me from giving the book a shot, girded myself, and hopped in.

I enjoyed this book a lot.  I know a bunch of reviewers didn't care for how much the book was about Vicki Myron's life and the story of Spencer, Iowa, but it didn't bother me.  I felt like learning about who Vicki was and what the town was like painted a picture that helped me understand what Dewey meant to the town and how he became as important to everyone as he was.  And Dewey just seemed like a really sweet, wonderful cat.  There were a lot of sweet stories and lighthearted moments, but there were a lot of sad things too.  I experienced the whole range of emotions, lol.

Here's my goodreads review of this book... some other thoughts there.

I started reading this book January 19th and I finished on January 27th.  It's a fast read, but I was reading other things at the time.  I probably would have finished in 2-3 days if I hadn't been.

Would I recommend this to a friend? Cat lovers only, but yes.

Book Log (Samhain to Yule)

I just used that title to make the post sound more interesting.  A little razzle dazzle because I read so little these last couple of months.  For various reasons.  But eh, you know.  We do what we can.  Anyways... As usual, comment below if you want to hear my thoughts on any of these titles.  Follow me on Goodreads for real time updates on what I'm reading and the occasional review.

You Are Special: Words of Wisdom from America's Most Beloved Neighbor by (Mister) Fred Rogers
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Ghastly Gothic Mansions by Joyce L. Markovics
Ducktales comics vol 1, 2, and 3
Mickey and Donald's Christmas Parade #1-4
A Treasury of Mermaids: Mermaid Tales from Around the World by Shirley Climo
Super Sons Vol. 3
Black Lightning: In Cold Dead Hands

12 meses 12 libros: October: Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Yes, this is indeed very late.  Again.  I apologize.  I would like to say it won't happen again, but I can't promise that.  I can try, but I can't promise.  (Not like I'm not reading... I'm an editor, it's a big part of my job... I just hate not meeting up with arbitrary goals I've set for myself, and this makes my life even more difficult lol.  But you know.  It be like that lmao.)

Anyways, October's theme was a famous author from your country (not bestsellers, which is next month... as detailed in this post, I mixed them up, lol.  But turns out the book I picked for October and November both fit the themes for both October and November, so I think I'm still good).  I read Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, which I had been wanting to read for quite some time.  I really love the movie, so I was looking forward to checking the book out.

Words can't describe how great this book is.  The characters are pitch perfect, compelling, and absolutely horrible people.  The plot (which I was familiar with, because of the movie -- a pretty faithful adaptation) is a wild ride and not at all predictable.  Even though I knew what would happen I was still on the edge of my seat, not wanting to put the book down.  I want to write characters with this much depth.  Even when you know for a fact that you're dealing with liars, you find yourself buying what they're saying.  A very skillfully written book.  I enjoyed it so much.

I share more of my thoughts on this book in my (equally glowing) Goodreads review here.  You should totally follow me, btw.

I started this book on October 21st and finished on November 12th.  (Again, I regret that I finished late, but what can you do.... it didn't take me that long because of lack of enjoyment.  I just have been a bit busier than I'd like to be, leaving me less free time to spend curled up with a book -- which is where I frankly belong, lol.)

Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? YES.  Even if you've seen the movie, especially if you've seen and enjoyed the movie.  If you like fucked up stories about fucked up people, this one is It, baby.

Book Log August-October

It's ya girl, a reading fool, lol.  I really haven't gotten nearly as much reading done as I'd like to, for various reasons, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things.  As usual, let me know if you'd like to hear more about specific titles.  Btw if you want real time updates on what I'm reading (and the occasional review of certain titles) follow my Goodreads... which I have had since 2011 and only recently started updating again lol whoops.

The Incredi-Files by John Edwards
Batwoman Vol.2
Super Sons of Tomorrow
Goosebumps Scary Summer (Graphic novel)
Goosebumps The Blob the Ate Everyone by R.L. Stine
Walk Your Dog by Elizabeth Stevens Omlor
American Girl Felicity Short Story Collection by Valerie Tripp
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey
Magic Beans and Golden by Avon Van Hassel (I edited these books!  Go grab your copies on Kindle!)
Rise of the Black Panther graphic novel
Baby-Sitters Club #54 Mallory and the Dream Horse by Ann M. Martin
A Study in Scarlet/The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Dolores Claiborne by Stephen King
Jack and the Beanstalk: The Graphic Novel
Alice in Wonderland Remixed by Marlon McKenney
More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera
The Flintstones: The Official Movie Book by Jody Duncan
Halloween by Curtis Richards
Kristy's Big Day (Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel) by Gale Galligan (adapted from Ann M. Martin)
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey
Little Women (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Louisa May Alcott (adapted by Lucia Monfried)
Archie Comics Halloween Blowout 1 and 2 (Pep Digital #25 and #60 respectively)
Sabrina's Monster Manual (Pep Digital #112)
Josie and the Scaredy Cats (Pep Digital #166)
Rotten Ralph's Trick or Treat by Jack Gantos
Corduroy by Don Freeman
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving

a post i promised a loooong ways back

So what have I been so busy with, you ask?  Well, I've talked about my editing work.  I've had a few more projects, including an ongoing one that involves transcribing audio (so I can only do that when I have the front room to myself).  I'm hoping to get lots more editing work, since I'm trying to raise money for the property taxes.  So since I'm trying to make a go of the freelance business thing, I did a five day challenge to learn how to brand and market myself and my services.  Marketing is still super tricky, but I'm trying, lol.  Then I also decided to do an online class about the history of royal fashion -- it's a free course, I obviously love history and historical fashion, and it's something to do with a friend.  I've also been trying to get back to duolingo because my Spanish is rusty af and I hate that, so I want to practice.  All of this, in addition to trying to get to the library from time to time, attempting to have a social life, running a gotdam household, and my requisite 6 hours of depressed crying per day, I've had a lot on my plate lol.  But there are also days when I've kind of taken care of everything that needs to be immediately be taken care of, and I'm just... hanging out.  So I keep busy but also still have nothing but time and I still manage to not get enough done, lol.  I don't get it either!  But you know.  A bitch does her best.

12 meses 12 libros: September: A Study in Scarlet/The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Yes, this is really late.  Life happens though, lol.  The theme for September was a work by a classic author.  That's a pretty broad category, and there are a lot of classics out there I had yet to have a chance to read.  I decided on a Sherlock Holmes book because, despite loving the character and owning a massive collection of the stories for like 20 years I had never actually read any.  (I know, for shame.)  I wanted to read The Hound of the Baskervilles since that is one of the most iconic and celebrated pieces in ACD Holmes canon, but then I also wanted to read A Study in Scarlet, since that was the character's debut and it made sense to start there.  Luckily my library had a copy with both in one volume!

 (I included covers for the version I read as well as individual covers for each story.)I really really enjoyed both these stories.  They're both very different in their plot and pacing, but the tone is consistent between the two.  There were times when I just had to put the book down and sit and think, "Wow.  That was so good!"  I enjoyed it so much, I will definitely be reading more Holmes stories.

I started reading this on September 26 and finished on October 11.  The length of time it took me to read a measly 300 pages doesn't reflect on the quality of the stories... I was just busy, depressed, and also took a couple days off between the two stories to read something else, lol.  Do I not get credit for the fact that it's technically two books though? Lol.

Would I recommend this book to a friend? Of course.

12 meses 12 libros: August: A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

August's theme was a book older than 100 years old.  I read/have read a lot of classics, and I have even more on my massive list to eventually read, so the difficulty this month was in deciding on one, lol.  I ended up going with A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett because the story has been one of my favorites for some time (I adore the 1995 movie) and we had a gorgeous copy right there at our library branch.

 

I really enjoyed this book.  Sara is a very endearing character and the story is very engaging.  I was so familiar with the 1995 movie, which has a fair number of differences from the book, that I was very curious to see how similar the two are.  Aside from the ending I'd say that film is a pretty faithful adaptation, and the fact that it was different gave me the experience of not knowing how this would end, and not knowing how things would come to be where they needed to be.  It was exciting to see what fell into place!  I liked the book enough that I could easily see it becoming something I re-read regularly. 

I started this book on August 11th and finished on August 18th.  It's not crazy long, but I took my time (and took my birthday off reading because I was busy allllll day lol).

Bottom line, would I recommend this book?  Yes!  Very much so.  Especially if you're the kind of person who has ever fancied yourself a princess. 👑

Book Log June-July (Summer Reading Edition)

Moving on!  More books.  Trying to keep reading a lot... I had gotten sort of slowed down by life bullshit lol, but I want to press on.  Lots of kids books, some comics, and other good stuff mixed in.  As usual, let me know if you'd like to hear some more in depth thoughts on any of these titles.

From Rags to Riches: A History of Girls' Clothing in America by Leslie Sills
Understanding Coding with Lego Mindstorms by Patricia Harris
Princess Hair by Sharee Miller
Mi Mundo (My World, Spanish edition) by Margaret Wise Brown
The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures Vol. 2
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
Hello Kitty: Delicious graphic novel
Kindred (Graphic novel adaptation) by Octavia E. Butler, adapted by Damian Duffy and John Jennings
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli
Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli
Black Panther Book Three
Super Mario Adventures graphic novel
Nancy Drew #48 The Crooked Banister by Carolyn Keene
I Love You for Miles and Miles by Alison Goldberg
Black Panther Long Live the King
Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman and Action Comics #1000
Ms. Marvel's Fists of Fury by Calliope Glass
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Golden Book Favorites
Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach

12 meses 12 libros: July: Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach

The theme for this month was a book you picked based on the cover.  A while ago (a month or two, I think) I went to a library sale.  If you ever have a chance to go to one of these, you definitely should!  You can get books for cheap and all the proceeds go to help your local library.  I got like 15ish books for less than $7 that day, and one of them was Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach.  You guys know I love kids books and I love Shakespeare, and I thought the cover looked cool and fun... it implied mystery, and the art style reminded me a bit of A Series of Unfortunate Events, so I knew this would be a good book for this month.

This was a really cute, fun little book.  I'd never heard of it, or the author, but I'm glad I picked it up.  I got to really like the characters, the mystery was fun, and there was a really nice (happy) twist that I didn't see coming, but in hindsight the clues were there.

I started this book July 21st and finished July 25th.  It's not terribly long (over 200 pages but it is a kid's book) and it only took me as long as it did to finish because I had other things going on (watching true crime videos on youtube mostly lol).


Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Yeah!  I don't think it's by any means a must read or a life changing book, but it's really fun and you'll probably enjoy it, especially if you're a big nerd who has ever wondered if Shakespeare is really Shakespeare.

12 meses 12 libros: June: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

The theme for this month was a genre you've never read before.  Over my years, I've read a lot of different stuff, and I've honestly dabbled in most genres, so I decided to go with sci-fi, since it's something I've read little of.  A youtuber I like mentioned reading Dark Matter by Blake Crouch last year, and it sounded interesting, so I decided that would be my sci-fi pick.  However right before I began the book, I realized that a lot of its reviewers describe it as sort of genre bending -- it's a sci-fi thriller.  So that fits even more than planned.

I liked this book a lot.  It was engaging and NOT predictable, which is a combination that always leads to a book I can't put down.  As I mentioned, I haven't read a lot of sci-fi, but this was definitely a book you wouldn't need to be a huge sci-fi fan to enjoy.  I'd also say you wouldn't even need to be a huge thriller fan... so long as you like compelling stories with really well fleshed out and believable characters you would probably enjoy this book.  It was a story that made me think (both about it and about myself... and life in general) and when I got to the end, I wanted more.  The ending was satisfying, but everything was good enough that I could have happily read more.

I started this book on June 22 and finished on June 25.  It's longish, but honestly it's a fast read, especially if you get kind of sucked into it.

Bottom line, would I recommend this book to a friend? Definitely!  I might even read more of Blake Crouch's work.

April-May Book Log

Trying to keep on top of reading, and trying to mix up the kind of stuff I'm reading.  (Still kind of enjoying more of the usual stuff though, lol).  Let me know if you want to hear more about any of these titles.

Black Panther: World of Wakanda
The Sleeping Beauty by Trina Schart Hyman
Beauty and the Beast by Deborah Apy
The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
A Series of Unfortunate Events The Vile Village and The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket
Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
Hooray for Diffendoofer Day by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky
Seneca by Karen Lee Baker
Why do Rabbits Hop? by Joan Holub
Why do Horses Neigh? by Joan Holub
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
Thoroughbred Horses by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Barbie Star Light Adventure: The Secret of the Gems graphic novel
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Pink
Black Panther Book One and Book Two
Horses by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli
Supersons Vol 2
The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy
Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from a Disney Little Golden Book by Diane Muldrow
Wonders of Draft Horses by Sigmund A. Lavine and Brigid Casey
Nice or Nasty: A Book of Opposites by Nick Butterworth and Mick Inkpen
Canto Familiar by Gary Soto
The Prince and the Pauper (Great Illustrated Classics edition) by Mary Twain, adapted by Shirley Bogart
Lizzy Bennet's Diary by Marcia Williams
Dinosaur! by Peter Sis
Little Golden Book Favorites: DC Super Friends by Billy Wrecks
Welcome to Super Hero High! by Courtney Carbone
Star War: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight by Tony DiTerlizzi
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Animated Adventures Vol. 1
Ninja Turtles Pizza Party! by Joshua Sternin 
I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein
Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird
Duck, Duck, Dinosaur: Bubble Blast by Kallie George
Cooking with the Grinch by Tish Rabe
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening the Robert Frost poem illustrated by Susan Jeffers

12 meses, 12 libros: May: The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain (sort of)

The theme for this month is a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't.  I was assigned The Prince and the Pauper in eighth grade, but our school was both poor and cheap and couldn't afford copies for every student to check out and take home... there was a set for the classroom, and all six classes that teacher taught used those books.  We'd spend whole class periods reading this book.  You may be wondering then how I managed not to read it?  Easy.  I got sick and missed several days of school, and I got really behind.  I had already found the book incredibly boring, so when I came back to school and needed to catch up skimmed the book.  I actually would skip words, lines, and even pages.  Just read every other one, lol. 

I had a few options for what I could read this month, but I ended up settling on this one.  But because I remembered finding it dull and too long, I got the idea to read the Great Illustrated Classics version -- basically an adaptation for children.  It maintains the same story but tries to make it accessible for younger readers.

So... let me be totally honest.  When I finished reading this book, dumbed down and shortened as it was, I literally said "oh thank God it's over" out loud.  If that gives you any idea of how much I didn't enjoy it lol.  The thing is, we all know the story... it's been adapted many times and inspired lots of other works.  My favorite version, of course is the Disney one where Mickey plays the dual role of prince and pauper.  But actually reading this version was just.... difficult to get through, because the characters are just utter fucking garbage, lol.  Prince Edward and Tom Canty are the most stupid and obnoxious children that I think have ever been committed to print.  This is like... how do you advertise so hard for maintaining the status quo at the same time as you promote challenging your world view and experiencing new things, lol.  The only thing that I could truly agree with this book about was the implication that privileged people are lowkey kinda stupid.  Also when you watch like the Disney version or what have you, the two boys at least have the agency to decide to switch places.  In this book, it's all a misunderstanding!  The plan was just to try on each other's clothes, and then they get swept up in everythign because Edward is so goddamn stupid that he thinks he'll still be recognized as the prince and he goes to continue throwing his weight around.  The only character I did like was Miles Hendon, but he wasn't enough to make me enjoy it.

I started this book on May 20 and finished on May 22.  It's over 200 pages but every other page is an illustration (which, btw, also weren't great).

Bottom line, would I recommend this book? Fuck no.

I really do love Simon

I finished reading Simon Vs The Homo Sapiens agenda tonight, and I really want to talk about it.  It's not my assigned libro for the month so I won't make like a formal post on it (if you can call what I've been posting "formal" lol) but I do just have so many thoughts.

I didn't know about this book until I heard about the movie Love, Simon.  But the movie looked really good and really cute, so I wanted to see it.  But money being what it is (also transportation being what it is... and lack of friends to go places with me being what it is lol) I haven't seen it yet.  I've requested the DVD from the library so hopefully I'll get to see it shortly after the home release.  But anyways, since I couldn't see the movie, I decided to grab the book from the library and I'm really glad I did.

I would say this book was a total feel good read.  It's not sappy and gooey, and there are a lot of heavy emotions involved, but I was happy the whole time I read it.  I got invested in Simon as a character, fell in love with him as a person, and wanted the best for him.  He feels like a real teenager.  I really love him as a character... what a loveable idiot.

This book made me really want to read Becky Albertalli's other work too.  I'm going to request them from the library, I think.  

I'm kind of just rambling because it's late and I'm full of thoughts, but I really enjoyed this cute little book.  It was a fast read, and it felt so incredibly authentic, and it just made me feel warm.  SO wonderful.

February-March Book Log

 More books!  I'm trying to read more #literature this year, but I will still always love kids' books and comics.  Let me know if you want to hear more about any of these titles.

Sundiata: The Lion King of Mali by David Wisniewski
Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey
Dinosaur Empire! (Earth Before Us #1) by Abby Howard
Pride and Prejudice (Marvel Classics graphic novel)
Star Wars ABC-3PO by Calliope Glass and Caitlin Kennedy
Marvel's Black Panther Prelude
Star Wars Adventures Vol. 1
Captain Phasma graphic novel
Nancy Drew / The Hardy Boys: The Big Lie graphic novel
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Lady Killer 2
Papa's Mark by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert
Mr. Goat's Valentine by Eve Bunting
Cowboy and Octopus by Jon Scieszka
Barbie Millicent Roberts: An Original
Lest We Forget: The Passive from Africa to Slavery and Emancipation by Velma Maia Thomas
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
JB's Harmonica by John Sebastian
Jinx and the Doom Fight Crime! by Lisa Mantchev
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
Ash by Malinda Lo
Black Panther: The Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith
A Beatrix Potter Treasury
The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit by Emma Thompson
Cinderella by Paul Galdone
Dinosaur Hunter by Elaine Marie Alphin
Egyptian Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Korean Cinderella by Shirley Climo
Horses by Seymour Simon

The FIRST Booklog! (of 2018)

I'm going to continue to use this blog to keep track of the books I read.  Again, let me know if you want to hear more about any of these books.  Also, I saw this cool reading challenge on facebook:

And I'm going to try to do that all year!  (Also I like that it's in Spanish, since I've been trying to work on my Spanish again, lol.)  I think I will be doing individual posts on the books I read for this challenge.  Anyways, onto it!

Felicity Story Collection by Valerie Tripp
Donald Duck: Christmas on Bear Mountain by Carl Barks
Star Wars: Lando
Wonder Woman Vol 4 (Rebirth)
Batwoman Vol 1 (Rebirth)
Lady Killer
The World of Oz by Allen Eyles
The Crayons' Book of Numbers by Drew Daywalt
I Am Slappy's Evil Twin by R.L. Stine
A Series of Unfortunate Events The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket
Rules of the House by Mac Barnett
Star Wars: BB-8 on the Run by Drew Daywalt
5-Minute Star Wars Stories and 5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back 
Cinderella Latina/La Cenicienta Latina by Bobbi Salinas
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Welcome to Felicity's World, 1774: Growing Up in Colonial America
The Enchanted Cat: Feline Fascinations, Spells, and Magick by Ellen Dugan
On Writing - A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
Lumberjanes: Unicorn Power! by Mariko Tamaki
Carrie by Stephen King
Horses of the Dawn: The Escape by Kathryn Lasky
Lego Star Wars: Secrets of the Dark Side by Matt Jones
The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton

The LAST Booklog! (of 2017)

And yes, I know it's now 2018... but I'm up late on New Years Eve night, so...... 2017, lol.  Anyways, continuing logging the books I've read.  Again, let me know if you want to know more about any of these books or if I'd recommend them.  Looooots of children's books this time, even more than usual.

Lady Zorro: Blood and Lace
Zorro Vol. 1 Scars (Papercutz graphic novel)
The Mark of Zorro by Johnston McCulley
Young Zorro: The Iron Brand by Jan Adkins
Vampirina Ballerina, Vampirina Ballerina Hosts a Sleepover, and Vampirina at the Beach by Anne Marie Pace
A Madeline Treasury: The Original Stories by Ludwig Bemelmans
Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody and Frankenstein's Fright Before Christmas  by Ludworst Bemonster
Goosebumps Night of the Living Dummy III and Son of Slappy by R.L. Stine
Baby-Sitters Club Mary Anne and the Library Mystery by Ann M. Martin
Golden Legacy: The Story of Golden Books by Leonard S. Marcus
Cecily G. and the Nine Monkeys by H.A. and Margret Rey
The Complete Adventures of Curious George by H.A. and Margret Rey
Curious George Builds a Tree House, Curious George Subway Train Adventure, Curious George and the Sleepover, Curious George Haunted Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving Curious George, Merry Christmas Curious George, Curious George Christmas Countdown, Happy Hanukkah Curious George, It's Ramadan Curious George, Curious George Goes to a Movie, Curious George Feeds the Animals, Curious George Goes to a Chocolate Factory, Curious George Makes Pancakes, Curious George and the Pizza Party, Curious George's First Day of School, and Curious George and the Firefighters by (or in the style of) H.A. and Margret Rey

Colección de oro Jorge el curioso/A Treasury of Curious George (Bilingual edition) by H.A. Rey
Jorge el curioso/Curious George (bilingual edition) by H.A. Rey
Eres curioso todo el tiempo/Curious You on Your Way (bilingual edition) by H.A. Rey
The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey by Louise Borden 
Abuelita Full of Life/Llena de vida by Amy Costales
¡Sí, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can! Janitor Strike in L.A. by Diana Cohn
Maya's Blanket / La manta de Maya by Monica Brown 
La oruga muy hambrienta/The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Bilingual book) by Eric Carle 

The Cat in the Hat/El gato ensombrerado (Bilingual edition) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss 
Contando con Frida by Patty Rodriguez
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
Goodnight Goon by Michael Rex
Fairies 1, 2, 3 by Liza Gardner Walsh
William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow
The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, The Big Honey Hunt, and The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Stan and Jan Berenstain
Arthur's Nose, Arthur's Eyes, Arthur's Valentine, Arthur's Halloween, Arthur's Thanksgiving, and Arthur's Christmas by Marc Brown 
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson
Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krause Rosenthal
Aurora's Royal Wedding / Ariel's Royal Wedding by John Edwards and Apple Jordan and Sleeping Beauty: A Magic Plan 
Disney Princess Storybook Collection
Cinderella Royal Wedding Look and Find
Jillee Bean and the One Good Thing by Samantha Hollister 
Palace of Lies by Margaret Peterson Haddix 
Super Sons Vol. 1 
A Series of Unfortunate Events The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket
Minnie's Giant Plan by Diane Namm 
Whobert Whover, Owl Detective by Jason Gallaher 
Swish and Squeak's Noisy Day by Birgitta Sif 
Dinosaur VS Santa by Bob Shea 
A Gift from the Lonely Doll by Dare Wright 
The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg 
Santa Calls by William Joyce 
Christmas Around the World by Emily Kelley (this is a newer version than what I read... it does seem different, but I couldn't find the 1986 version I read on Amazon) 
Nutcracker by E.T.A. Hoffman 
A Royal Christmas (Disney Princess) by Lisa Ann Marsoli 
Elena of Avalor Feliz Navidad: A Royal Christmas by Tom Rogers
Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: Two Tales and their Histories by Carron Brown 
Mickey Mouse: Mysterious Melody by Bernard Cosey
Star Wars: Star Pilot by Laura Buller 
Lego Star Wars: Free The Galaxy by Himani Khatreja 
Mitzi Tulane, Preschool Detective in The Secret Ingredient by Lauren McLaughlin