The Book Butcher: Nook

I have really ignored my Nook for the last few months. I just have a thing for "real books". But, as I started browsing the App store at Barnes & Noble, I realized that I need to start using it. I downloaded (purchased) lots of fun & educational Apps for my daughters. Leah is completely obsessed with the Nook and it concerns me. She plays games, reads books, watches online stories... I have to set the timer so she doesn't spend too much time on it. She is using it as we speak.

Did you know that you can download e-books at the Iowa City Public Library if you have a Coralville or Iowa City Library card? You need to download Overdrive to your computer, but it is very easy. The library has tons of great titles! Check them out!
I have yet to see very many sites reviewing the Apps that are being used... is there not an audience for that? May be that is something I can work on. (I do love Words with Friends!!) I am TheBookButcher if you are ready for a game!
If you want to add some personality to your Nook, you can download backgrounds and screensavers here. Very easy to search and download. (With your parents permission, kids!)

Let me know what Apps you are using on your Nook!

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!