Here's why I don't take time to blog

In January of 2008 I read:

The Woods by Harlan Coben
Covering Ground by Barbara W Ellis
Potshot by Robert B Parker (the 28th Spenser)
Widow's Walk by Robert B Parker (the 29th Spenser)

and I got a brief start on:

Duma Key by Stephen King

I enjoyed the unabridged audio presentation of these:

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke
The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
Rangers Apprentice #3, The Icebound Land by John Flanagan
You've Been Warned by James Patterson and Howard Roughan

In addition to all that book reading and listening, I read a few magazines and the daily newspaper.

I also do storytime once or twice every week, and that activity adds u to a lot of books read. In January the kids and I enjoyed:

Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming
Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri
There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea by Jennifer Wood
Smitten by David Gordon
Necks Out For Adventure by Timothy Basil Ering
Fish Kisses and Gorilla Hugs by Marianne Richmond
Blue Goose (again)
Josephine Wants To Dance by Jackie French
Imagine A NIght by Sarah Thompson
A Day With No Crayons by Elizabeth Rusch
A Kitten Tale by Eric Rohman
Skippyjon Jones by Judith Schachner
The Fabulous Bouncing Chowder by Peter Brown
Kitten's First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
Winter is The Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer
Toy Boat by Randall Deseve
Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Conner
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy by Jane O'Conner
Super Completely and Totally the Messiest by Judith Viorst
Happy Birthday to You by Marianne Richmond
Thumper Finds a Friend by Laura Driscoll
Big Chickens Fly the Coop by Leslie Helakoskie
Little Quack's New Friend by Lauren Thompson
A House is a House For Me by Mary Ann Hoberman
Your Personal Penguin by Sandra Boynton
365 Penguins by Jean-Luc Fromental
Ugly Fish by Kara LaReau
Maybe aBear Ate It! by Robbie Harris
I'm a Manatee by John Lithgow
Tusk Tusk by David McKee
Stay Awake Sally by Mitra Modaressi
The Prince Won't Go to Bed by Dayle Ann Dodds
A Kitten's Tale (again)
Maybe a Bear Ate It! (again)
Bear Snores On by Karma Wilson
A Isn't For Fox: An Isn't Alphabet by Wendy Ulmer
Princess Me by Karma Wilson
Duck on a Bike by David Shannon
Duck at the Door by Jackie Urbanovic
Duck Soup by Jackie Urbanovic
The Three Pigs by David Weisner

The best books I read in January were the Spensers, especially Potshot. In it, Spenser and Susan define heaven: The place where all the dogs you ever loved are waiting for you. My own definition includes cats too!

Since I'm only a few pages into Duma Key, I can't really include it but know I'll love it.

The best three books I heard were The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke. Burke always captures southern Louisiana in such lyrical and beautiful language, and he continues that tradition in this book. He also brings a perspective to Hurricane Katrina that was stunning in it's honesty and depth of feeling. Next was The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. This mystery novel for 8 to 13 year olds is full of wonderful, quirky and very real characters and a plot that twists and turns in unexpected ways. Very good! Finally, The Quickie by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge was tremendous! Every single chapter bent my head in a new direction. I was truly surprised several times during this story, and considering how many mysteries I consume, it is not that easy to surprise me!!

As for the storytime books, here are my brief notes:

Blue Goose and A Day Without Crayons are both wonderful ways to reinforce the color wheel for kids of all ages.

For the joy of rhyming read-a-loud, I most loved I'm A Manatee!, A House is a House for Me, and Beetle Bop.

The most beautiful illustrations were in The Three Pigs, A Isn't For Fox and I'm a Manatee!

The kids most enjoyed Beetle Bop, There Was a Coyote Who Swallowed a Flea, Big Chickens Fly the Coop, Bear Snores On and A Isn't For Fox.

I'm shooting for a monthly update, so see you again in March to go over what I read, heard and read aloud in February.