Once again, we join over 300 people in celebrating our book finds this week. The amazing Kristi from The Story Siren hosts a Sunday meme called In My Mailbox where book lovers are given this lovely chance to share the books that have fallen into our laps (through various ways and means) over the week. Here are some of my recent acquisitions.
Bunnies and Book Bargains in Bras Basah
I have heard a lot about Watership Down by Richard Adams but have not had a chance to read it yet, so I thought, that I might as well buy these two books which I got for 5 sgd (2 books for 5 dollars). My daughter chose Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe. A rabbity-y week for books!
I have a growing collection of Sharon Creech titles in my bookshelf, here is another lovely one Chasing Redbird, which I got for only 1 dollar. The Moorchild by Eloise McGraw also caught my eye – apart from the colorful book cover, it is also a Newbery Honor book, a perfect add-in to our very own Award-Winning-Books Reading Challenge which we are hosting this 2012. Do join us if you haven’t signed up yet. It is also one of the recommended books for our bimonthly theme until the first week of May.
Library Loot: Girl Power and Women’s Wiles
Karen Cushman’s The Midwife’s Apprentice is a Newbery Medal book – reminding me that we have not made much headway when it comes to reviewing books for the Newbery Reading Challenge. Kathleen Krull’s Marie Curie could also be a contribution for Nonfiction Monday, while Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer Holm is a Newbery Honor book.
I also borrowed quite a number of picture books that celebrate the courage of girls and women and their strength of character: A Weave of Words by Robert D. San Souci and illustrations by Raul Colon. Tam Lin as retold by Susan Cooper and illustrations by Warwick Hutton also seem pretty exciting. And I got myself another San Souci book: Fa Mulan with illustrations by Jean & Mou-Sien Tseng.
Imogene’s Last Stand by Candace Fleming and Nancy Carpenter promises to be a funny and fantastic read. Birdie’s Lighthouse by Deborah Hopkinson and Illustrations by Kimberley Bucklen Root also caught my eye.
While I usually steer clear of short-story-anthologies (too fragmentary for continuous reading for my taste, I often lose my momentum), I could not help but take this off our library shelves: Newbery Girls: Selections from Fifteen Newbery Award-winning books chosen especially for girls as edited by Heather Dietz and Illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman and Introduction by Barbara Elleman. Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls collected and told by Jane Yolen and Illustrations by Susan Guevara also seem to be the perfect book for our theme.
Loads of gold medals in this photo! We have Strawberry Girl by Lois Lenski, Smoky Night by Eve Bunting and Illustrations by David Diaz, Jacob Have I loved by Katherine Paterson, Finishing Becca by Ann Rinaldi, and Hang a Thousand Trees with Ribbons also by Ann Rinaldi.
Now these last two books have nothing to do with Girl Power and Women’s Wiles but they happen to be my daughter’s thing as of the moment. Bone: Treasure Hunters by Jeff Smith and Guard Dog by Philip Wooderson. Yup, she is very much into graphic novels recently thanks to Gene Luen Yang and Vera Brosgol.
Gathering Books 
You find the most interesting book s — most I’ve not read. But, as a child I do remember readin a biography about Marie Curie and falling in love with her story. Now there is a picture book. You found some good books — do you review them, share them in your Mailbox Blog, or add them to a library?
LikeLike
Hi there Patricia, I am hoping to read and review most of the books I borrowed that are in keeping with our Girl Power theme. And majority of the ones here are from the library. I’m pretty lucky I can borrow up to 40 books in my institution’s library and a maximum of 16 books from our community libraries (both my daughter’s account and mine). The ones that I bought from bargain bookstores become a part of my ever-growing collection of children’s books/reading materials. 🙂
LikeLike
Wow, that’s a lot of books 🙂 Fabulous haul, I watched rather than read watership down and it so made me cry…and still would today if I were to rewatch it.
My IMM
LikeLike
Hi, I also have a copy of the film adaptation of Watership Down but was not able to finish it. Perhaps I should revisit it again. Thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
I don’t think I’ve heard of any of those. Interesting mailbox!
My IMM
LikeLike
Hello there Amber. Nice to see you here. I’m glad this mailbox has led you to new titles.
LikeLike
I feel like an ignorant schmuck for not having read any of these books, but I love your haul! And hah, Bunny Books! Amazing! : D
Happy Reading,
Patricia // My IMM
LikeLike
Hello there. I have the same feeling myself when I visit other mailboxes and see all those new yummy titles I havent heard of before as well. Thank you for dropping by.
LikeLike
I’ve never read Watership Down either and I suppose I should. What a wonderful selection this week! Happy Reading and thanks for visiting my blog!
LikeLike
Hello there Annette, always a pleasure to have you come by and visit. My daughter and I were unable to finish the movie Watership Down. I’m hoping that we’d fare better with the book.
LikeLike
Wow, you got a ton! I hope you enjoy all you got 🙂
Here’s my IMM!
LikeLike
Thanks Jessica. I hope you enjoy yours too.
LikeLike
My friend highly recommends Bone! I have yet to check it out, but definitely will have to some time 🙂
Thanks for stopping by!
Michele | IMM
LikeLike
Hi there Michele. My daughter enjoys Bone. This isnt even her first one. You should try it.
LikeLike
My husband loved Watership Down, but I’ve never read it. Enjoy your books!
LikeLike
Hello there Tina. I’m pretty excited to read it too. 🙂
LikeLike
When I was a kid I loved Bunnicula and nobody knows what I’m talking about when I try to describe the books.
My IMM
LikeLike
Hi Jen. I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed Bunnicula. I have always been intrigued by it. I’m happy to have found it on sale.
LikeLike
So many interesting books! I always see books that I’ve never heard of in you IMMs. Love it! Happy reading 🙂
MaryAnn
Chapter by Chapter
LikeLike
Hi there Mary Ann. I’m glad my IMM posts have led you to new titles! 🙂
LikeLike
Wow! Lots of books! 🙂
Our Imm!
LikeLike
Hi Sash and Em, yes! lots of books to enjoy. 🙂
LikeLike
I love your theme!!! Your daughter is very lucky to have you as a mom! I hope I can do cool themes for my son later on when he’s reading more than picture books (he’s 5 so I’m lucky he reads at all!!) And what a coincidence that one of your books is by Jane Yolen and I literally just bought How do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight for him today!!! I will have to check out Bunnicula 😉
Thanks for visiting me!! Have a great week!!
-Kristin @myparahangover
LikeLike
Hello there Kristin! Im so glad to have you come and visit. I always feel that its the other way around. I feel lucky to have my daughter, otherwise i would never have been led to fabulous children’s books to begin with. She does enjoy it when i go on a book borrowing frenzy (libraries here are just great) each time we launch new themes here in Gathering Books. Enjoy your 5 year old. Jane yolen is classic. We love her books too!
LikeLike
Wow big haul! Lots of new titles to me! 🙂
Giselle
Xpresso Reads
LikeLike
Hi there Giselle, it IS a big haul, isn’t it? 🙂 Thanks for dropping by.
LikeLike
Oh, definitely an interesting looking IMM! It’s fun seeing books new to you. 🙂 I hope you’ll enjoy them all! Thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike
Hi Rebecca, it’s precisely the reason why we religiously join IMM – to see books that are little known to us. 🙂 Cheers to fellow bibliophiles.
LikeLike
Great mailbox! I don’t think I’ve ever read any of these books, but they all look good and you got some great deals! Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!
LikeLike
Hi Olivia, nothing beats great deals on fabulous books, no ma’am. 🙂 Thanks for dropping by too.
LikeLike
Some great looking books there- I have to confess I’ve never read any Sharon Creech but I like the look of these. And hooray for the library!
Thanks for stopping by my blog earlier 😀
LikeLike
Hi Sally! While I do have a few Creech titles, I haven’t had a chance to read through them yet, I’m sure I’d enjoy them though. Thanks for coming by as well to visit. 🙂
LikeLike
I haven’t hear of any of these before, but I hope you’ll enjoy every single one! 🙂
Carina
Fictional Distraction
LikeLike
Hi Carina, many thanks for dropping by. I’m glad it has introduced you to new titles.
LikeLike
Hi Myra, late but couldn’t pass up your books! Bunnicula (& others in the series) was a favorite of my daughter’s when she was young-so fun) & I have taught Watership Down to my students & often recommended it to them. It’s a step up in reading for gifted readers. And you’ve made my day with Imogene’s Last Stand, my youngest granddaughter’s name. I will certainly get it for the future! I’m reading various books this week from a pile I bought weeks ago & at our school’s Scholastic Book Fair last week. One book I’m really intrigued by is a longer book that re-tells the tale of Whittington the cat-looks interesting!
LikeLike
Hi there Linda, no such thing as a late comment! hahaha. I’ve been fascinated by Bunnicula ever since I’ve seen it in a book sale before, and I knew I just had to purchase it for my daughter. Watership Down does look promising, and I am sure that it would take a great deal of books before a child is eventually led to this particular one, so I get what you mean about the book being a step up for gifted readers.
You would lovelovelove Imogene’s Last Stand, I’m thinking of sharing it for Perfect Picture Book Friday. Soon! 🙂
LikeLike
You got a great mix of titles this week! I hope you enjoy reading all of them 🙂
LikeLike