Laural Winter

Bigfoot book review

Book Review for you: Bigfoot I Not Dead by Graham Roumieu.

 

Is Bigfoot making a comeback? Through Graham Roumieu he is.
While riding the bus the other day two big punked out boys sat behind me while I was reading Bigfoot I Not
Dead one leaned forward and asked me "is that bird smoking a crack pipe?  Yes, he is. In Bigfoot's old neighborhood things aren't going well.  Graffiti, filthy burbling brooks are evident as well as animals who have found drugs.

Bigfoot is poking a huge stick at pop culture and we're in on the joke.

 

If you want an enormous laughs at some absurd situations with amazing illustrations or if you want to channel your inner Neaderthal, Bigfoot I Not Dead is for you.
I haven't laughed so hard.  And I think we could all use some laughter in the world about now.

 

 

 

 

Pilcrow Lit Fest part two

We have the wonderful Amy Guth to thank for the fanastic Pilcrow Lit Fest!  It was loads of fun! . After the panels several of us out of towners did a podcast with Ben Tanzer.  Then I went to reading at Quimby's.  By the third day and after the reading at Quimby's I could not do anything else.  I went to dinner with Kevin Sampsell and Jami Attenberg and friends. Then I spent a lovely sunday with Keath, Evelyn and baby Ava.

It was great to see Timothy Schaffert and Lauren Cerand again but too short of a visit!

Thanks everyone!

Stumptown comics Fest and book review Bookhunter

Bookhunter by Jason Shiga

I love this book! It is about library police who hunt down book thieves for the California Library Systems in the 1970s. Specifically, book thieves of Oakland Public Library are hunted. Library staff and patrons: if you have ever been frustrated by damaged or stolen books this is your cathartic release. My husband and I have jokingly discussed the need for a literacy program with the slogan READ OR DIE! Shiga plays on this theme. Check it out!

Also if you are in Portland this weekend there is the Stumptown Comics Fest at the Lloyd Center Double Tree Hotel. Be there!

Candyfreak-Book review

Been busy as heck.  Working. Exercising. Standing in the sun. Sun or lack of sun is a big deal around here.  But we have had a few days of sun everyweek in the last few weeks.  Thanks the Gods for some sun.  I really felt the lack of sun in February. Anyway I have been busy writing on my teen novella.  I started with National Novel Writing Month in November and I am still working on it.  Writing a few pages everyday. Anyways, I have a book review for you.

 

Candyfreak : A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond

Part memoir part nonfiction expose of the chocolate producing industry.  This is a laugh out loud book about chocolate bars. Remember when you had a favorite chocolate bar?  Perhaps you even remember when that chocolate bar disappeared or was no longer produced? Almond has many memories of his favorite chocolate bars which was the impetus for writing this hilarious book. Don’t miss out on the sweetest and sensual journey through regional chocolate factories in the United States.

Magical Life of Long Tack Sam

Been a while-I have had a couple long weekends.  And on my long weekends I tend to avoid the computer. But I have a book review for you. 

The magical life of Long Tack Sam / Ann Marie Fleming.

This book is part biography and part memoir by Ann Marie Fleming. I have figured out that I love illustrated biographies and memoirs especially ones with collage, and comics.  The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam is one of those types of books.  Sam is the great grandfather of Fleming.  He was a world class magician who traveled and lived all over the world.  If you like world history about the early twentieth century this would be the book for you. Also if you liked Century Girl, another illustrated biography, you might like this book.  I loved it!

Summertime

I wish it was summertime!

Summertime / Raffaella Barker.

I just read this sequel to the book Hens Dancing.  I really like this main character Venetia Summers.  She is a divorcee, and mother of three. She lives outside of London in a village with a small farm. She makes me feel positively fashionable, efficient and smart. Because she is sometimes too busy to clean, dress, and when she drinks she is not any kind of smart. The dialogue is hysterical.  The setting is usually beautiful.  The style is in diary form which is comforting.  She will have an awful Tuesday but by the next entry on Thursday things are sorted out.  Good reads!

Re-gifters

Hi there!  Happy Thursday to you. Do you read a lot? I read a lot.  Not on the job as a librarian but at home, on the bus, and on work breaks.  I read at least a book a week.  I cannot imagine my life without books especially my adult life.  I remember a few books from my childhood, a few in my teens and very few as a young adult.  My parents took us to the Central Library every couple weeks when we were little.  We checked out at least a dozen or more books everytime. And they read to us almost every night. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) My point being I read almost every night now just like when I was little. Anyway, I have to tell you about one of my favorite graphic novels from last year: Re-gifters.

Re-gifters / written by Mike Carey ; art by Sonny Liew and Marc Hempel.

Dixie is great at the martial art Hapkido that is until she gets a crush on fellow Hapkido student Adam. With the upcoming Hapkido Championship Dixie has to find her chi, her sense of self respect in regards to love and her dislike of re-gifting. This graphic novel is part of a new DC comics imprint called Minx.  Minx is producing graphic novels for american teen girls-check it out!  I have read most of them.  They are fun, inspiring, and thought provoking.

Take care.

Saffy's Angel

Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay introduces the reader to the Casson family. They are a British family that live outside of London. The main character of this first book of the series, Saffron Casson, learns she is adopted. Her mother died in a car crash.  Her grandad brought her to her aunt Eve’s family from Siena Italy. Saffy is rather upset.  She wants to find out what she can about Siena.  And she really begins to wonder if she’ll ever fit in.  Take an adventure with Saffron you won’t regret it! 

The Casson family consists of:

Eve and Bill Casson-parents, painters.  Bill is an “authentic” painter who lives most of the time in his studio in London.  Eve is a painter who paints in the family shed while mothering the children at the same time.   

Cadmium Casson is the eldest daughter.  She is trying to learn to drive and pass her exams.

Indigo Casson is the only brother in his tweens.  He is frightened and working to overcome his fears. He wants to be a Polar explorer.

Rose Casson is the youngest.  She starts out an infant troubled with illness but grows into the most robust character in the family.  Really, I think she is my favorite character because she starts to give their father the hard time he deserves!

Try the series-Indigo's Star is the next title in the series.  I look forward to the next few weeks of reading with this series in my reading pile.

Nick and Norah's Infinite Play List-Book Review

Can I just say this is one of the best Young Adult romances! Seriously. IMHO of couse.The story is told from the alternating points of view of Nick and Norah by the two authors. These are two teens with a lot of romantic baggage who want to figure out whether they want to continue being the labels or stereotypes that their former boyfriends and girlfriends propose them to be. Setting is Manhattan small rock gay club scene.The question is can you stay up all night with them?

Book Review -Bread Alone

Been meaning to give this book a review.  I really like it.

This is a book about starting over. Wynter Morrison is a wife whose husband lets her know suddenly one evening that their marriage is over. But Wynter is lucky in some ways. Her best friend lives in Seattle and invites her to leave LA for the Pacific Northwest. Wynter is forced to reconnect with her ideas for livelihood. She remembers she loved to bake. She remembers her internship in a boulangerie in france. Will she find her way to her heart, her soul, and her tummy? Read and find out.