Bookish Visit to Carytown

One of the best things about living in Richmond, VA is going down to Carytown  It's full of awesome little shops and amazing diners, and of course it has the historic Byrd Theater. 

The Hubs and I headed there yesterday evening to meet up with my sister-in-law and my three nieces.  We went to dinner at the Galaxy Diner, where the Hubs got a Nuclear Waste hot dog, while I settled for the smaller, tamer Space Dog. 

Then we went to the Byrd Theater to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two.  My niece Fiona, who is only two, got to see her very first movie in a theater, and after a few excited "Harry?  Harry Potter!" squeals of delight she settled down and behaved beautifully.  Unlike the four year old Dora Explorer wannabe two rows ahead who kept asking questions and screaming, "Muerte, muerte!" every time someone died (which is a lot in the last HP movie).  I was impressed at her bilingual skills, but everyone in the theater hated her parents. 

Before meeting up with the family, the Hubs and I walked up and down Cary Street, looking at some of the decorations the stores have up for Halloween. One hair salon had our favorite display.  Carytown is also where Richmond's Zombie Walk takes place.

And then because I'm a book girl we went into Chop Suey Books and I got some graphic novels and a book for my Readathon pile. 

Dead Reckoning Review

Dead Reckoning 
by Charlaine Harris
From Goodreads:

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows...

My Thoughts: Is it weird that I slightly dread the newest Sookie books because I'm afraid that Harris is going to reunite Bill and Sookie?  Because I am an Eric fan, in both the books and the tv show (unlike Mr. Alan Ball who has a serious crush on Bill (Stephen Moyer) and can't understand why most women prefer Eric *rollingmyeyes*).  There's a lot going on in this novel, Sookie's fairy family are living with her, someone's fire bombing Sam's bar, Pam and Eric are fighting, a naked Alcide and of course, Bill the vampire.  Although I will continue reading this series, I'm just not having as much fun as I used to.  And while I was happy to see Amelia back, I was pissed about why she was back and what Sookie did behind Eric's back.  I just don't get her at times.  And that's true for book Sookie and doubly true for tv show Sookie.  Sometimes I just want to slap her, just a little, hard enough to leave a red mark but no real, lasting bruise.  And seriously, the whole nakedness with Bill was très annoying and completely ridiculous, and this is the opinion of someone that actually enjoyed Grease 2 so obviously my standards are pretty low.  Oh, and Hunter and a Pelt sibling were thrown in the mix too.  Like I said, a lot going on, with all the characters being a bit annoying (Eric in the beginning, Sookie towards the end, and Bill just because of his continued existence in the books.  My kingdom for a wooden stake!).  Even Sam was a jerk (yes, he's kind of one on the show, but in the books he's pretty lovable, except obviously to Sookie which is ridiculous because he'd actually be able to give her all the crap that she's always whining about).  So, I'll read the next book, and any after that.  But when it comes to re-reading I have a feeling that only book number 4 is going to get well-worn. 

Dead Reckoning gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

The extra half is for Pam.  Love her, wouldn't mind if she got her own series spin off- book or show!

The Book Monsters Review-a-thon!

Last week I was all ready to give up on my Read and Review challenge- writing a review for every book I've read.  I've read, as of this very moment, 138 books this year.  I've reviewed a little over half of those.  But a few days ago I just sat down and finished 15 reviews in one day.  It felt good!  I am never going to be the book reviewer I want to be if I don't spend the time to actually write the reviews.  Practice makes perfect.  Perfect might be out of reach for me, but practice makes improvement too.  So I'm joining The Book Monsters Review-a-Thon.  Here's the list I hope to catch up on:
Books to Review:

The Night BookMobile
The Adventuress
The Girl in the Green Raincoat
The Peach Keeper
Blackstone Chonicles: pt.3 Ashes to Ashes: The Dragon's Flame
The Blackstone Chronicles: pt. 4 In the Shadow of Evil: The Handkerchief
The Tachyon Web
Daughter of Darkness
Juliet
Dead Reckoning
Prey
The Golden Acorn
Murder is Binding
The Blackstone Chronicles pt. 5 Day of Reckoning: The Stereoscope
The Blackstone Chronicles pt. 6 Asylum
Abandon
What the Night Knows
 Blood and Chocolate
Zombies vs. Unicorns
Love You More
Columbine
Hate List
Finger Lickin' Fifteen
Dirty Secret: A Daughter Comes Clean About Her Mother's Compulsive Hoarding
Chime
A Discovery of Witches
The Heretic Queen
The Sentry
The Cypress House
The Collector
not a fan: Becoming a completely commited followe of Jesus
The Night Season
The Bone Garden
Thrist No. 2
The Five
Girl
A Stolen Life: A Memoir
A Game of Thrones
Sizzling Sixteen
XVI
The Hypnotist
Liesl & Po
Ruined

I know, it's a lot.  I have some hand written out, some on goodreads or Amazon, because I do try to keep some kind of notes on the books I read.  Will I get to all of these before the 10th?  Heck, no!  But I'm hoping to get enough done to make it so in November, where I will be writing and not reading as much, easier.  I'll have a whole bunch of reviews saved up to post.  I'll be marking off the reviews as I write them, but I won't be doing them in order as I need to write my Liesl & Po review first.  Wish me luck!

A Killer Plot Review

A Killer Plot (A Books by the Bay Mystery #1)
by Ellery Adams
From Goodreads:

In the small coastal town of Oyster Bay, North Carolina, you'll find plenty of characters, ne'er-do-wells, and even a few celebs trying to duck the paparazzi. But when murder joins this curious community, the Bayside Book Writers are there to get the story...

Olivia Limoges is the subject of constant gossip. Ever since she came back to town-a return as mysterious as her departure-Olivia has kept to herself, her dog, and her unfinished novel. With a little cajoling from the eminently charming writer Camden Ford, she agrees to join the Bayside Book Writers, break her writer's block, and even make a few friends...

But when townspeople start turning up dead with haiku poems left by the bodies, anyone with a flair for language is suddenly suspect. And it's up to Olivia to catch the killer before she meets her own surprise ending.

My Thoughts: This was my very first official Cozy Mystery! And I have to say it was a great introduction into the genre. I'm intrigued by Olivia, love Haviland (despite the fact that I rarely enjoy poodles of any size), and was genuinely interested in not only the book writer's club members, but the stories they are working on (hello, Millay's YA book would sell like hot cakes in today's market!). I loved Dixie, Michel, Camden and Sawyer, and even  Flynn is okay- though he get's major points for his Through The Wardrobe book store. I really got a great sense of what Oyster Bay looks like, and it's clear what a book lover Ellery Adams is.

Another plus? Adams lives here in VA, so not only did I get to read a really good mystery but I also got to support a local author. I already have the second Books by the Bay Mystery awaiting me on my Kindle, and I can't wait for more! I think by the end of this year I'll be a total cozy-mystery lover!  I've since read several cozies, and while I won't ever be exclusive with the genre as I enjoy so many different types of books, a good cozy is quickly becoming my favorite rainy day kind of read.  A Killer Plot is a book to curl up with, a glass of wine or a cup of coffee in hand, and to get lost in the plot.  It's a chance to play at being Nancy Drew, and isn't she a part of all of us?


A Killer Plot gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Tempest Rising Review

Tempest Rising (Jane True #1)
by Nicole Peeler
From Goodreads:

Living in small town Rockabill, Maine, Jane True always knew she didn't quite fit in with so-called normal society. During her nightly, clandestine swim in the freezing winter ocean, a grisly find leads Jane to startling revelations about her heritage: she is only half-human.

Now, Jane must enter a world filled with supernatural creatures alternatively terrifying, beautiful, and deadly- all of which perfectly describe her new "friend," Ryu, a gorgeous and powerful vampire.

It is a world where nothing can be taken for granted: a dog can heal with a lick; spirits bag your groceries; and whatever you do, never-ever rub the genie's lamp.

If you love Sookie Stackhouse, then you'll want to dive into Nicole Peeler's enchanting debut novel.

My Thoughts: Fast, fun read! Paranormal/urban fantasy isn't my usual genre (unless you count the Sookie Stackhouse novels, which I love, and my brief relationship with the Anita Blake series, which I ended up disliking). I have always loved the covers of the Nicole Peeler books, but I didn't think that I'd like the story. Then I finally read the sample on my Kindle, and immediately found myself really liking and relating to Jane. If I didn't already have a towering Readathon pile, I'd get the 2nd book in the series, because this is a series to devour. 

Jane was surprisingly easy to identify with (I like swimming a lot too, considering the possibility that I might be half selkie), and Ryu makes for a very sexy male lead.   I love that Jane works in a book store, and there's a hilirious bit in the beginning when Jane's arch enemy comes into the store and is buying her monthly supply of romance novels.  Turns out the woman has very specific taste in romance genre:

“She liked a very particular kind of plot: the sort where the pirate kidnaps some virgin damsel, rapes her into loving him, and then dispatches lots of seamen while she polishes his cutlass. Or where the Highland clan leader kidnaps some virginal English Rose, rapes her into loving him, and then kills entire armies Sassenachs while she stuffs his haggis. Or where the Native American warrior kidnaps a virginal white settler, rapes her into loving him, and then kills a bunch of colonists while she whets his tomahawk. I hated to get Freudian on Linda, but her reading patterns suggested some interesting insight into why she is such a bitch.”

As soon as I read this I knew Tempest Rising was going to be a good read.  I appreciate good snark.

Tempest Rising gets a Midnight Book Rating of: 

Here's the other books in the series:

Aren't those awesome books covers?! 

Hourglass Review

Hourglass
by Myra McEntire
From Goodreads:

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.
So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

 My Thoughts: Okay, first I must say that if I was just rating this book on cover alone then it would get a perfect Midnight Book Rating.  Love, love the cover art!  I remember seeing a lot of buzz about this book months ago, when the ARC was making it's rounds.  I don't know why, but I thought it was a ghost story, so I picked it up expecting a good spooky story for the month of October.  But Hourglass is much more complex than a haunted girl book (like I thought it was).  It deals with time travel.  I like that McEntire kept it simple, because honestly she could have gone very technical and scientific and completely lost my interest.  Of course, characters like Michael and Kaleb make it easy to overlook any talk of physics.  I liked Emerson's relationship with her brother Thomas, and sis-in-law Dru. I didn't get her friendship with Lily as much, but I have a feeling we will see more of Lily in future books (because I'm assuming there's going to be a sequel because if not than Lily was just wasted). 

Things I really liked: Guessing if characters were good or bad- some I got right, others I was surprised about.  It's nice to not immediately know who the knight in shining armor is, and who's going to be a friend. I liked the time travel story line, it's refreshing to have a book without vampires, werewolves, selkies, elves, pixies, mermaids, fairies, your choice of supernatural here, and still have it be a paranormal story.  I liked the outrageous amounts of caffeine sucked down by Emerson and crew because I am currently obsessed with coffee, especially Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha.  It is yum.  I also liked that, unlike me, Emerson can down all these coffee drinks without gaining weight and shaking like a diseased squirrel (you'd think the shaking would burn off the extra calories, but you'd be wrong).  I liked how hot everyone was, but obviously this is a town I could never hope to fit into. Sigh.


Things I didn't like so much: The fact that everyone, and I do mean everyone, is drop dead gorgeous.  Em and her brother, Dru, Lily, Cat, Ava, Michael, Kaleb, Jack... um, is this an ugly free zone?  Or even just a average looking person free zone?  No one's nose is too big, no one's carrying a few extra pounds, no one has hangnails.  Okay, Em's short and allegedly has unruly hair, but the boys all seem to think she's hot enough so I'm not counting that.  It is simply not possible to have that many beautiful people in one place and not be  on the set of CW tv show.  I found that a bit unrealistic.  I know, you're thinking that I've just read a book about time travel and the thing I find unrealistic is how insanely attractive all the characters are.  You may have a point.  The other thing I didn't like, and I'll dislike it less if there's a sequel that addresses it, is some of the minor characters.  Lily and Ava really don't get as much book time as I felt their characters deserved, and I feel bad for those other two friends of Michael's whose names I can't remember because they really didn't have a whole lot to do other than be there when they were needed (and I think one of them might actually have been less than sexy).  I especially thought Lily was wasted in the book, but I'm just going to assume her particular gifts will be used in Hourglass Two: Like Sands Through the Hourglass, So Our the Days of Our Lives(note, this is not the actual title to the sequel I'm not even sure exists, I just made it up.  Well, with a little help from daytime television).

Still, Hourglass is a great read and I really liked it despite feeling that the ending was a bit rushed (would really have liked to hear more about Emerson's alternative life).  I didn't love it, but it was a perfect kick off for my Halloween reading. And kudos to Myra McEntire for writing a book on time travel, because my head starts to hurt when I start thinking about all the possibilities for changing the outcome to any given situation.  Next month I'll be reading Stephen King's time travel book, so thank you Hourglass, for getting me interested in the concept!  Of course, unlike Emerson, I would totally use my time travel skills for evil, but I promise, I'd be a very generous rich person after winning mega millions a few times!

Hourglass gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

 

Look, my first Frightful Reviewer's Challenge Review!

Minding Frankie Review

Minding Frankie
by Maeve Binchy
From Goodreads:

Baby Frankie is born into an unusual family. Her mother is desperate to find someone to take care of her child and she doesn't have much time. Noel doesn't seem to be the most promising of fathers but despite everything, he could well be Frankie's best hope.

As for Lisa, she is prepared to give up everything for the man she loves; surely he's going to love her back?

And Moira is having none of it. She knows what's right, and has the power to change the course of Frankie's life ...but Moira is hiding secrets of her own.

MINDING FRANKIE is a story about unconventional families, relationships which aren't quite what they seem, and the child at the heart of everyone's lives ...

My Thoughts: Once again I fell in love with characters that Binchy has created, some were old loves like the Twins and Muttie and Declan, and some were new loves like Emily and Hat. The book was a wonderful read, breaking my heart one moment, making me hold my breath with anticipation over Frankie's fate, and finding quiet moments of love and friendship that soothed me. Overall it's a wonderful story, one that makes you want to pack your bags and move to Ireland.

**SPOILER-ISH**


My only problem with the book is that Moira disappears for quite a bit of it in the middle, and I don't feel that her storyline with Noel is fully resolved. And of course, a beloved character will no longer be gracing any future books, but Binchy handles the passing of the character with amazing emotion and respect. I cried and cried, and even though I went to bed far too late, and far too stuffed up from all that crying, I realized that even though I will mourn the character (because I'm dopey that way), what a gift Binchy has to make me care that much!

I'm already ready for my next Binchy novel, please!

Minding Frankie gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

Maeve Binchy is one of those authors that I can always count on to give me a great read, who are the authors you depend on when you need a guaranteed good book?

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest Review

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest
by Stieg Larrson
From Goodreads:

The Trial
Lisbeth Salander, outsider and apparent enemy of society, is charged with attempted murder. In addition, the state has determined that she is mentally unstable and should be locked away in an institution once again.

The Enemy
Pulling the strings behind the state's prosecution is the inner circle of the Swedish security police. Only with Blomkvist's help can Salander avoid the fate they have decided for her and expose the secrets they are protecting.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest
Lisbeth Salander has been abused by a system supposedly designed to protect. And yet she is the one person whose intransigence and limitless bloody-mindedness can provoke the disruption of the Swedish secret state.

This final volume of the Millenium Trilogy is the culmination of one of the most mesmerising fictional achievements of our time.

 My Thoughts:  How much do I love this series!  There is no way that I can express my love for all three books and my intense sadness that there won't be any more Blomkvist and Salander adventures. I loved the movies, but the books are so rich in detail and characters that it's impossible not grow attached to them.  Salander's past is explored, and Blomkvist goes to great lengths to work with his sister to save Salander from a justice system that seems to be already against her (and oh, do her enemies come out of the woodwork!).  The very first book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starts off much slower then the last two books, but in this final book I blazed through it, eager to read more and more.  I'm sure if you haven't read these books you've been told that you simply must.  And all that is true.  Lisbeth Salander has become one of my all time favorite characters, up there with Odd Thomas, Mr. Darcy, Cujo and John Wayne Cleaver.  I'm even looking forward to the American version of the first book, although I doubt that it'll be as good as the Swedish movies.  I watched the movies first, I must confess, but the books have quickly won my affections.  And I got more Dr. Jonassaon!  I loved the actor so much from the movies, it was nice to see him even more in the books and the lengths he goes to help Salander... *sigh*, missed opportunity there, Lisbeth, in my humble opinion.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest gets a Midnight Book Rating of:

Scott Pilgrim Reviews 3-5

I started the year off by reading the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels.  I so loved the movie that I just wanted a little bit more.  I have the 6th one in my Readathon Pile, and since I'm trying to catch up on all my reviews here's some mini-reviews for the one's I've neglected writing about.

Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness
by Bryan Lee O'Malley
From Goodreads:

Ramona's third evil ex-boyfriend, Todd Ingram, is currently dating the former love of Scott Pilgrim's life! Envy Adams broke Scott's heart a year and a half ago. Now she and her evil art-rock band are back, and they're getting Scott's band to open a show two days from now! That's just enough time for Scott to fight Todd, keep Ramona happy, fend off demented ex-girlfriends, and practice that new setlist. Right?? Don't miss the latest chapter in the graphic novel saga The Globe and Mail calls "Canada's answer to Tank Girl!"

My Thoughts: Another fun read! I really enjoyed Scott's back story with Envy, and watching Knives get her highlights smacked out of her is as humorous on the page as it was in the movie. And I really could not love Wallace more!  For me the best part of the graphic novels is all the history of the characters that the movie wasn't able to fit in.  I liked that you get to see how close Scott was once with Envy.  

Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together
by Bryan Lee O'Malley
From Goodreads:

That's right, folks! Put down the video game controller! Skip that rehearsal for your band! Make whatever sacrifices you must to those comic gods you hold so dear! Just make sure you're ready because Bryan Lee O'Malley and Scott Pilgrim are back! Well, a couple months have passed since the last time we caught up with our intrepid hero, but what can change in a few short months? Well, not much has... Scott's still living with his roommate Wallace Wells. He's still playing in a mediocre rock band named Sex Bob-omb. And most importantly, he's still dating the lovely Ramona Flowers while working his way through the gaggle of superpowered, superstylish, superevil ex-boyfriends determined to take him down. But something is different. Don't look now, but Scott Pilgrim may actually be getting it together. And it's a good thing, too, because Scott is about to confront Ramona's most intimidating ex yet!

 My Thoughts: The One With Ramona's Ex-Girlfriend, or at least that's what it'd be called if it was a Friend's episode.  You get a lot more Knives Chau in these comic's than you do in the movies and Scott learns the meaning of the *L* word, well, both meanings.  ;)

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The Universe
by Bryan Lee O'Malley
From Goodreads:

Scott Pilgrim just turned 24, and things couldn't possibly be better! This means things are about to get infinitely worse! Suddenly, TWO of Ramona's evil ex-boyfriends are in town, and they're playing dirty. His band is in turmoil, and his own exes aren't making things any easier. And what's up with Ramona, anyway? She's been acting kinda weird ever since they moved in together! Scott's precious little life is coming back around to bite him in the butt, and it may not be pretty!

 My Thoughts: More Kim!  Seriously, of all the Scott Pilgrim character's Kim is my favorite.  I like her in the movie, but she's so much better in the graphic novels.  And after finally getting it together, Scott's overall laziness and his mishandling of the breaking up with Knives and hooking up with Ramona comes back to bite him in the hiney. 

It's been a long time since I've read the first 5, but I'm getting really excited to finish the series during Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon.  I think any or all of these books would make great additions to any readathon pile, in fact any graphic novel that doesn't suck is a good idea. 

Scott Pilgrim Volumes 3-5 all get a Midnight Book Rating of:

They're cool, their quirky, they're tragically hip- you will feel so much more awesome just by reading them!

Banned Books- Annie On My Mind And Tango Makes Three!

Banned Book Week is coming to an end, and hopefully you found a banned book or two to add to your tbr piles (I know, like you needed more books to read!).

I think the main reason adults want to ban certain books is because they're afraid of the book's influence on their children's minds. Now, I've read several books this week, so I'm exhausted. I've been a recently fired librarian vampire, fell in love for the first time with a girl (did that last week too!), discovered three corpses while trying to collect pottery, found out that my parents were Non-Conformists fighting the evil government that forced me to tattoo my wrist on my sixteenth birthday, and today I was a gay penguin. Tomorrow I plan on being a hypnotist being stalked by an evil child, and King of the North, or maybe a ghost in New Orleans.

Oh, wait. Nope, I've just been ME this week. I've read quite a bit about librarian vampires, lesbians, Nancy Drew wannabes, underground freedom fighters, and gay penguins. Reading about these subjects hasn't changed me as a person, hasn't changed my belief systems, hasn't even prompted me to change my nail polish (or actually put any on, my nails are in a terrible state right now!). And I read just as much today at age 34 as I did at 14.

So book banners, just take a deep breath. If you're a good parent and you've instilled good values into your kids, I promise you a book isn't going to completely transform them into someone else. If after reading Annie on My Mind your child tells you that she is a lesbian, then she was a lesbian before she read it. The book just helped her cope with it. Maybe you should read it too. Just my opinion.

So here's the two books I read this week specifically for Banned Book Week:

Annie On My Mind
by Nancy Garden
From Goodreads:

Liza never knew that falling in love could be so wonderful . . . and so confusing.

"'Liza,' Mom said, looking into my eyes, 'I want you to tell me the truth, not because I want to pry, but because I have to know. This could get very unpleasant . . . Now--have you and Annie--done any more than the usual experimenting . . . '

'No, Mom,' I said, trying to look back at her calmly. I'm not proud of it, I make no excuses--I lied to her."

This groundbreaking book is the story of two teenage girls whose friendship blossoms into love and who, despite pressures from family and school that threaten their relationship, promise to be true to each other and their feelings. This book is so truthful and honest, it has been banned from many school libraries and even publicly burned in Kansas City.

My Thoughts: Annie On My Mind was written in the early 80's, but other than certain plot lines (what happens to the lesbian teachers), I felt the book was still pretty relevant. It's a book about first love, and yes, it is a love between two girls. There's nothing salacious about the romance between Annie and Liza. The two girls meet, form an instant connection, and slowly fall in love. Well, maybe not that slowly because they are teenagers after all. Annie and Liza's relationship is actually pretty sweet- they each make the other better, shine where the other dims a bit, and help each other grow. My copy of the book actually had an interview with the author, Nancy Garden. She wrote the book because as a gay teen growing up in the 1950's there wasn't a whole lot of books that featured gay characters- and the one's that existed usually ended up with the gay character dying. She wanted to write a story that would have a happy ending, and Annie On My Mind accomplishes that. And honestly, compared with most YA today it's about as controversial as gluten free cookies. Both Liza and Annie are young women you'd be proud to call daughter or friend. Wait, is that why it's challenged so often? Would it be more acceptable if Liza was crazy and Annie was a stripper, or if they were deviants of some sort? *eye roll* Read this book, piss off the book banners!

And Tango Makes Three

by Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell, Henry Cole (Illustrator)

From Goodreads:

In the zoo there are all kinds of animal families. But Tango's family is not like any of the others. This illustrated children's book fictionalizes the true story of two male penguins who became partners and raised a penguin chick in the Central Park Zoo.

 My Thoughts:  Despite the fact that it's a picture book for young readers, And Tango Makes Three is a true story, based on real penguins.  It's cute, it's harmless, it's about penguins for crying out loud!  This should be even less of a challenged book, because the intended reading age targets of this book aren't exactly buying picture books with their disposable income on their own, or even selecting their own books to take out from the library.  Don't want your kid to read about gay penguins?   Don't check it out from the library, don't buy it for them, but please, leave it on the shelves for children who do want to read it, let their parents make the choice.   And me, since I checked And Tango Makes Three out from the library yesterday.  I appreciate it, book banners, that you're concerned for me reading about gay penguins, but as stated before, it hasn't really changed me.  Not even a single craving for fish, although I wouldn't mind a cute widdle baby penguin.    And Tango Makes Three is simply about the different types of families that there are, things that children see every day.  I think it's a great book to read and discuss with your child.  The book is not trying to force gay penguin sex on young impressionable minds (which any kind of penguin sex, gay or straight, would probably be too much for), but rather point out that not every child, or penguin, comes from a home with one mommy and one daddy.  I think that's something today's kids already have figured out.

Overall  I enjoyed by Banned Book Reads.  Although neither of them qualified as Midnight Reads, both were enjoyable.  Both books require the reader to be willing to open their minds a bit, which of course book banners hate.  So what did you read this week?  What do you plan  on reading?  I have The Perks of Being a Wall Flower on hold at the library, so don't think my adventures with dangerous, challenged books has come to an end, it hasn't.  As long as there is ignorance and fear of the written word, I will strive to read the books that cause that panic to rise in the small, dark, bitter hearts of the book banners.  Read on, because as The Reading Rainbow points out, you can go anywhere in a book, do anything.  LeVar Burton never said anything about books making you into a different person.