Pete Luv

This was the only gift to get a squeal and a hug today! "I love Pete the Cat!"

A Fairy Tale Christmas

Living in Iowa City, we are lucky enough to be just up the road (interstate) from the birth place of the thirty first president of the United States: Herbert Hoover. Hoover could be blamed for failing to control The Great Depression but people easily overlook all of the good he did during and after his term as president. 

Each year, the Hoover Presidential Museum hosts a beautiful display for Christmas trees!  This year the theme was A Fairy Tale Christmas.  The librarian in me couldn't wait to get to this display and the mom in me couldn't wait to get my daughters to this display! The trees were beautiful- each one decorated as a different fairy tale: Pecos Bill, The Gingerbread Man, The Little Mermaid...  

But, I knew I was in trouble when we had to cross the troll bridge to get into the gallery. 

The troll guarding the bridge!

Leah freaked out. Grown ups forget how scary fairy tales really are! Then, once we coaxed her across the bridge, we came face to face (or face to rear) with the witch from Hansel and Gretel... her head was stuffed in an oven! Leah freaked out. 

The witch in the oven with realistic flames!

After she calmed down, we found The Little Red Riding Hood tree... topped with a very real and very evil looking Big Bad Wolf. 

What big teeth you have!!!!!!!

Leah. Freaked Out. "I WANT TO GO HOME!!!!!" And she trip trapped over the troll bridge and stood by the front door. I think we lasted 12 minutes. The docents were not amused by her drama- but at least she wasn't touching the trees! 

My favorite: The Wizard of Oz

The display runs through January 2- I hope you have a chance to get your family to West Branch, Iowa! Be prepared for equal parts beauty and beast!

All I Want for Christmas...

I know you are all dying to know what is on the holiday wish list of this librarian's wishlist. So, here it is. These are the items I would love for Santa to bring to The Lemme Library this year!

I hand shaped chair. Yes. a hand shaped chair. In pink or yellow please. Only $79 plus shipping and handling.

 

 

This is a little pricier, but way cool! An Eero Aarnio Alpha Shell Egg Chair & Ottoman in Red. Only $710! 

A pink mannequin from Forever 21 (or a silver one or any color, really!) Think of all the fun I could have with a mannequin! I could dress her up as book characters or for each season.  I could move her all around the library! So fun! I wonder if they would donate one? 

 UPDATE: Ah!  Looky what I got!!   

 

This is a thing of beauty. This gumball machine is 5 feet 6 inches tall and holds 6800 1" gumballs (4 cases!) It even lights up when you put your money in! I would be the coolest librarian in the country- may be the world!

This one is so inexpensive, I don't know why I haven't bought it yet! Only $30! President Obama would be right at home in The Lemme Library! (it's really a cardboard standup!) I see myself adding my own speech bubbles...

By now you may be questioning my taste. It's ok. I like things a little kitschy! Now, the next one I saw on iCarly! So cool- the episode where Spencer burned down Carly's room and redid it with the money from his Nana's ring. It is out of Santa's price range I am sure. coming in at $950... an ice cream sandwich bench!

And what goes better with an ice cream sandwich bench than a button candy table? AHHH!!! Sugar overload! These button candies will run me 1200 smackers. But, I've been good all year!

My "Pretty Corner" is begging for this hanging playhome! The girls would love it. I guess I should wish for one in blue too! This runs about $80.

And what library is complete without a flashing neon sign? For $800 you can customize a neon sign. What happens in the library stays in the library. Love. This.

This post was such fun! Can you imagine my tacky library if Santa really did bring me all of this stuff?!?! All I really want for Christmas is for you... yes you! To read a great book. That's all! 
Merry, merry!
Mrs. Butcher

Thursday Thirteen (13)

With 2 weeks until Christmas, my Thursday 13 lists the books that deserve a place under your tree this year.  (Please know that I don't receive any sort of compensation for these suggestions... I am just giving my opinion on some awesome products!)

1.  For the nature lover in your family, may I suggest this book by Iowa Citian and Lemme Mom, Claudia McGeehee! Where Do Birds Live  is a beautiful book that reveals 14 habitats in North America and the birds that inhabit them.  Claudia writes about ways to protect these habitats, and gives children ideas for making their backyard a safe haven for birds.  This is Claudia's newest title.   Click here to visit University of Iowa Press for details about this and 2 other beautiful titles by Claudia.  You can also visit her illustration blog here.
 

2.  For the little girl (ages 5-10) who love to color and draw, I love Beautiful Doodles by Neillie Ryan.  This is a coloring book with a twist... the pictures are all very girly, and spark the imagination.  On one page, you may have an empty ice cream cone and be told to draw and color the best ice cream cone you can imagine.  On another page, you may have a dress and be told to design the dress you would wear to the premier of a movie.  Kiley loves this book and I love it because it encourages her to read, imagine, draw and color.  

3. For the reluctant readers in your life, I give you Bone.  There are 10 books in this series of graphic novels, but for the first time, you can get the first 3 books as a set.  The Bone books are flying off the Lemme shelves.  The three Bone cousins -- Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone -- are lost in a vast, uncharted desert. They soon find their way into a deep, forested valley filled with wonderful and terrifying creatures, and come across a farmstead run by tough Gran'ma Ben and her spirited granddaughter Thorn. But little do the Bones know, there are dark forces conspiring against them and their adventures are only just beginning!Bone has been an underground comic since 1991, but has really come to be the standard to which all graphic novels are compared.  Visit Bone to learn more!

4. For the Lego fan in your life, pick up LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary.   If you like the LEGO Star Wars sets and minifigs, you will love this book. If you put it down long enough to let your kids read it, I can pretty much guarantee they’ll like it, too.

5. My 4th grade boys can't get enough of the How To Train Your Dragon series.  Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III must pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon. The book was the basis for the recent blockbuster movie (that the Butcher Family adores).  This is a beautiful hardcover gift set of these books.  You could also grab a copy of the DVD to put with the books!  

 

6.  For the little princess in your life, I suggest The Pink Princess Cookbook by Barbara Beery.  My 7 year old loves this book- and although we haven't made more than 2 things in this cookbook, she loves to look at the pictures and read the ingredients.  Barnes and Nobel carries this and several other cookbooks by Beery.  

7.  Another book for the baker at your house is Hello, Cupcake!  Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make by Karen Tack. Both of my daughters love this book so much that we had to buy part 2. "What's New, Ciupcake?"!  When Kiley was 4, she drew every single cupcake in this book- it kept her busy for hours.  The beautiful photographs are amazing, and the techniques are so easy that you could have cute cupcakes for Christmas dessert!  If you make any of these cupcakes- send me a picture!  Visit Karen Tack's website for videos and tips!

 

8.  For the little bookworm at your house, you must have the Leapfrog Tag Jr. system.  Leah has this, and loves it!  You buy special books to use with the Tag Reader.  Once you download the books to your Reader, your child can read the books by pressing the reader onto the book.  They can listen to the book, hear words, funny noises and songs.  Leah will sit with all of her books and read them over and over!  You do need access to a computer to use this product.  Each board book runs about $12 and there isn't a HUGE selection of books for the younger crowd, but the books out there have pleased my almost 3 year old.  Visit the Leapfrog site to learn more.

9.  For the Hunger Games lover at your house, this is a must!  Hot Topic in the Coral Ridge Mall carries Hunger Games tshirts and accessories (I bought the Mockingjay pin and wear it proudly!  Team Katniss!)  I guarantee that if your son or daughter has read all 3 books, she or he will squeal if they get one of these presents this year!! (I would too!)  Check out the full selection at the Hot Topic website. 

10.  For the mom, dad, grandma, grandpa or high school student at your house, you can't go wrong with a Nook Color from Barnes and Nobel!  This eReader is amazing.  You can download and read books, magazines and newspapers, you can search the web and stream music.  I am in love with mine.  If you do get the Nook, be sure to pick up a Barnes and Nobel gift card too- that way, on Christmas Day, the lucky recipient of this Nook can download books and get reading ASAP!   This is a more pricey gift- running about $249.  Check them out online before heading to the store!  I'd be happy to give any advice on this big purchase!

11. For the budding author/illustrator at your house, I suggest these great blank books from Lakeshore Learning.  I have used them in the past for research projects- you can see them in the Lemme Library.  The books are perfect for artwork,  journals, story writing and more! They feature a sturdy hardcover binding to keep kids’ creations safe…plus thick, art-quality paper that’s perfect for use with crayons, markers, paints and more. Plus, there’s a pre-printed title page for kids to fill in…and they can even decorate the cover with collage materials or contact paper!(20 pages)  

Check out ordering info here.

12.  For the animal lover at your house, how about a subscription to National Geographic Kids?  With your subscription, you get 10 issues of this beautiful magazine! The mission of National Geographic Kids is "to entertain children while educating and exciting them about their world." Geared toward children ages 6 to 14, National Geographic Kids is an interactive, multi-topic magazine covering animals, entertainment, science, technology, current events, and cultures from around the world. Regular departments include "Inside Scoop," "Amazing Animals," a kids' achievement feature, and a colorful seven-page "Fun Stuff" section devoted to challenging games, puzzles, comics, and more. You can visit their official site, or order through Amazon.  To get a sneak peek, check the local magazine stand! 

 

13.  For the Fashionista or School Librarian in your life, you must splurge on this amazing Great Gatsby clutch made by Kate Spade.  These clutches feature completely original “cover art” based on classic novels, including: The Great Gatsby, Emma, The Importance of Being Earnest, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities.  Retailing at about $300 each, one new “book” will debut every month as a kind of fashion “book-of-the-month” club.  According to creative director Deborah Lloyd: “We wanted to pretend we had our own publishing house.” she hopes that women will not only wear the bags, but display them around their homes as if they were actual books.

What are your favorite book related books to give or get?  Leave a comment with your favs!
Happy Holidays, everyone!

Top Ten for Tuesday, December 14

To me, Christmas is a time to be with your family, a time to be thankful for what you have, and giving to those who have less than you do.   I love sharing Christmas traditions with my little family each year.  We always make a gingerbread house, decorate cookies, go to the Santa House about 30 times, and decorate the tree.  Last year we started the tradition of having hot fudge sundaes for Christmas Eve dessert... and I guess the Butcher's get to see how much chocolate, caramel and whip cream they can ingest before Santa comes!  Kiley has talked more about the hot fudge sundaes than anything else we have ever done.  I don't remember reading many Christmas books as a child- except for "The Night Before Christmas", which I had to memorize for a Girl Scout badge (and can still recite by heart, thanks Sue Henry).   Here are my 10 favorite Christmas books to share with my girls...what are yours?

 1. How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss (E SEU)

No matter how many times I have read this book or seen the cartoon in the last 37 years, each time I read it, it is like I am seeing it for the first time.  It is hard to believe that someone can hate Christmas as much as the Grinch does... and he will stop at nothing to ruin Christmas for the Whos.  My heart breaks for his little dog Max, and for Little Cindy Lou Who, who wakes up to find "St. Nick" shoving her Christmas Tree up the Chimney.  My girls love this book as much as I do.  Is there anyone in the USA who hasn't read this book?

 

2.  The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburgh (E VAN)

Not only is this beautiful, the message is touching.  I cry every time the little boy comes home thinking he has lost his jingle bell, but Santa has brought him a new one on Christmas morning- and his parents can't hear the jingle bell because they don't believe.  GOOSEBUMPS!  I taught kindergarten with Mrs. Bower a few years back- and she told me the story of how she read The Polar Express to her kindergarten class.  There was 1 boy in her class that refused to believe- he gave her a hard time through the entire book.  After she read the book, she passed jingle bells out to all of the children, and when they rang their bells- there was 1 bell that didn't ring... and it belonged to the little boy who refused to believe.  True. Story. 

3.  Dear Santa, Please Come to the 19th Floor by Yin (E YIN)

This is the sweet story of 2 little boys who live on the 19th floor of their apartment building in a rough neighborhood.  They boys are so worried that Santa will never find them in an apartment- especially since they don't have a chimney.  The boys write a letter to Santa... and he comes to their house... sleigh and all.  Very, very sweet story.  This book is beautifully illustrated by past visiting author, Chris Soenpiet.

 

4.  The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (811 MOO)

It was a tradition in my family to read The Night Before Christmas before we opened our presents on Christmas Eve.  We would sit around my Grandma's white flocked Christmas Tree with blue ornaments and lights, and listen to my Uncle Tom read the story... anticipating the end, when we could rip into our gifts.  My Grandma died 2 weeks before Christmas and I will never forget that year... we all sat there around the tree that she had decorated, not knowing what to do.  My Uncle took out the book, and we all took turns reading.  When we were done, we opened presents that my Grandma had bought, and wrapped especially for us... I can't listen to this story without thinking about that Christmas- I was 12 years old.

5. Snowmen at Christmas by Carolun Buehner (E BUE)
Have you ever wondered what snowmen do on Christmas?  They do exactly what we do, of course!  They sing, they dance, they eat and they spend time with family! The only difference is that they do it all after the sun goes down, and they make it back to your house before you even get up in the morning!  When I read this to kids, they love the fact that the snowmen drink cold cocoa instead of hot!

6.  Frosty the Snowman by Steve Nelson (E NEL)

I loved this as a child!  Each year, we would gather around the tv and watch Frosty the Snowman on channel 2 (followed by Rudolph!)  This was also my favorite Christmas song as a child.  It wasn't until I was older that I realized that this song/movie was also a book... this is one of the most popular books in the library during the month of December!

 

7.  The Snowman by Raymond Briggs (E BRI)

This is a beautiful wordless picture book that is illustrated in pastel picture frames... like a movie picture board.  A little boy builds a snowman, goes to sleep and awakes to see the snowman has come to life.  The snowman takes the little boy on a journey as they fly together to where else... the North Pole where they meet Santa.  This book is also a very sweet movie... no words, just beautiful music, "Walking on Air".

8.  Olivia Helps With Christmas by Ian Falconer (E FAL)

Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to wait for Santa, make sure dad sets up the tree, wait for Santa, watch mom make the Christmas dinner, wait for Santa, oversee the care with which the stockings are hung and, of course, OPEN HER PRESENTS! Do you see how hard it is to be so helpful during the holidays!  This is a book about how families get ready for Christmas... all of the preparations that families go through together.  Falconer based this book on all of the preparations he and his family went through getting ready for Santa's arrival when he was a boy.

9. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff (E NUM)

If you take a mouse to the movies, he'll ask for popcorn. When you bring him some, it will remind him of Christmas and he'll want to string it...then he'll demand a tree to hang it from...seeing the snow on the ground will make him want to build a snowmouse, then a snow fort, a snow fort fight...and on and on. This little mouse is as busy and demanding as ever in this fourth book of the series.

10. Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas by Russell Hoban (F HOB)

This story is incredibly sweet! It's about Emmet Otter and his Ma trying to scrape together enough money for a Christmas present for each other. As each risks everything to surprise the other, a touching adventure unfolds in which they learn the true meaning wealth. Beautiful illustrations!