Nightstand (June 2011)

I raced through the books in the past two weeks–which is probably good since I don’t anticipate getting through many this week.

Hectic doesn’t even begin to describe the life as a dietitian in a nursing home when “state” shows up. (Especially when it’s your first ever survey.)

Something tells me my stack of “in progress” books isn’t getting any smaller this week. (Nor is the baby quilt for my due-any-day nephew or niece going to be finished.)

Oh well, that’s life–and surveyors had to arrive sometime.

This month I read:

1001 Gruesome Facts by Helen Otway
In a fit of what could be called morbid curiosity, I read this book. It’s interesting. Even more interesting is what the author considers gruesome (certain things just sounded like facts of life to me–but, then, I’m a medical person.) As with other books of “facts”, I find myself doubting when I find an error in my area of expertise. This had a couple such errors, which makes me wonder how many of the other gross facts are facts in fact.

Libby’s Story by Judy Baer
Caretaking for parents with Alzheimers. Best childhood friends all grown up. Finding purpose as a single 20 or 30 something. Coming to grips with an accident that changes your life. Great subject matter, not so fantastic execution. This isn’t a light and fluffy book, but it’s too disconnected to be a weighty book. I wish I could recommend it, but instead I have to give it a big “Eh.”

The Mystery of the Mixed Up Zoo created by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Probably the best “created by” so far. At least there was no furtive dishonesty or truly dangerous situations in this one.

Ben and the Sudden Too-Big Family by Colby Rodowsky
When Ben’s dad marries Casey and they decide to adopt a little girl from China, Ben gains a much too-big family. Or so he thinks. Worst of all, instead of going to soccer camp like all the boys at school, Ben has to go to family vacation with Casey’s ginormous family (forty or so). I enjoyed this story, probably because I come from a much larger family than Casey’s and have experienced from the inside what Ben experiences from the outside–the enfolding of a stranger into the “clan”. (Spoiler: Ben discovers that the big family is actually pretty great.)

Reviewed elsewhere on bekahcubed:

• Firegirl by Tony Abbott
• Christianity: A Short Introduction by Keith Ward
• Live a Little! by Susan M. Love and Alice D. Domar

Not Reviewed:

• Bones and the Dinosaur Mystery by David Adler
• Bones and the Dog Gone Mystery by David Adler
• Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones by David Adler
• Do the Doors Open by Magic? by Catherine Ripley
• The Holocaust Overview by Ann Byers
• I’ll Mature When I’m dead by Dave Barry
• Love Finds You in Last Chance California by Miralee Ferrel
• Return to Harmony by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
• Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
• The Secret of the Lost Tunnel by Franklin Dixon
• A Wodehouse Bestiary by P.G. Wodehouse
• Yo! I know: Brain Building Quizzes by Times for Kids

Additionally, I read somewhere around 50 children’s picture books–among them at least 2 dozen Berenstain Bears books (My thoughts here)

Survey week should be ending (assuming they finish in four days like they say they will) with a nice long weekend for 4th of July–so maybe I’ll have a chance to get some reading done next week.

Heaven knows I have plenty of books waiting in the wings:

Don’t forget to drop by 5 Minutes 4 Books to see what others are reading this month!