Today I will be sending out the new issue of the Growing Bookworms email newsletter. (If you would like to subscribe, you can find a sign-up form here.) The Growing Bookworms newsletter contains content from my blog focused on children's and young adult books and raising readers. There are 1487 subscribers. Currently I am sending the newsletter out once every two weeks.
Newsletter Update: In this issue I have seven book reviews (four picture books, one middle grade and two YA). I also have two children's literacy roundup posts (one published in detail at Rasco from RIF and the other at The Family Bookshelf, but both with added content here). All of my posts for the past 2 weeks are included in the newsletter.
Reading Update: Since the last newsletter, I finished five books, two middle grade books, two young adult books, and one adult novel (as well as various picture books and board books read aloud to Baby Bookworm, see those here, here, and here):
- Jen Bryant: Kaleidoscope Eyes. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Completed September 1, 2011. Review to come.
- Andreas Steinhöfel: The Spaghetti Detectives. The Chicken House. Completed September 9, 2011. Review to come.
- Jessica Warman: Between. Walker. Completed September 5, 2011. Review to come.
- Amy Kathleen Ryan: Glow. St. Martins Griffin. Completed September 5, 2011. My review.
- Bernadette Pajer: A Spark of Death: A Professor Bradshaw Mystery. Poisoned Pen Press. Completed September 8, 2011, on MP3. First of a new historical mystery series about a Seattle engineering professor in 1901. A likable protagonist and a nice attention to historical detail. I expec to read other books in the series as they arrive.
I'm currently reading The Inquisitor's Apprentice by Chris Moriarty and listening to A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny (one of my very favorite mystery authors these days). I'm also reading my very first e-book: Ashes by Ilsa J. Bick. I'm planning to do a comparison of whether the Kindle or iBooks app works better for me on the iPad on my upcoming trip to KidLitCon. I have Shelter, the first Mickey Bolitar book by Harlan Coben also queued up. Of course I'll still have to take at least one print book with me for backup (and for the record, I'm still not accepting eBooks for review - this is an experiment, for which I've purchased books).
How about you? What have you been reading and enjoying? Thanks for reading the newsletter, and for growing bookworms.
© 2011 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved.
Did you notice a theme with the covers of the books you read lately? Wonderstruck, Glow, and A Spark of Death all seem eerily alike!
I just finished the first 2 books in the Dairy Queen series (Catherine Gilbert Murdock) and now I am taking a break from that to read The Berlin Boxing Club (Robert Sharenow). So far it is very powerful and different.
Posted by: WonderMama | September 12, 2011 at 10:29 PM
I'm interested to hear what you think of Ashes! It was a quite the read.
Posted by: Michelle | September 13, 2011 at 02:55 AM
Can't wait to hear your thoughts on kindle vs ipad. Still haven't fully immersed myself in the world of e-books but am stating to see their benefit...
Posted by: Stacey | September 13, 2011 at 09:21 AM
I hadn't noticed that, WonderMama. The Spark of Death I listened on audio, so didn't have the cover. But that is a weird similarity. I've actually found that to happen pretty often, though, when you end up reading books with funny similarities. Must be some sub-conscious thing happening. Recently I picked up two books at random from my TBR shelf, and they were both translated from German!
Do you like the Dairy Queen books? I adore them. I'm going to re-read one day (maybe with BB when she's older...)
Michelle, I intended Ashes to be a read for KidLitCon travel, but I can't put it down, and am already nearly half way through. It is something else!
Stacey, I don't actually have a Kindle. I'm just testing the Kindle vs. iBooks apps on the iPad. But if I find myself doing more reading online (and I may, I'm liking it so far) I may have to also get a Kindle. We'll see how the iPad holds up to extended reading time on my trip. I will report back!
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 13, 2011 at 11:41 AM
The Dairy Queen series is a win so far. I am looking for Front and Center to read now. I also enjoyed Murdock's Princess Ben.
Posted by: WonderMama | September 13, 2011 at 08:06 PM
I adored all of the Dairy Queen books. I haven't read Princess Ben (though I think I have a copy ... sigh. So many books...)
Posted by: Jen Robinson | September 14, 2011 at 08:26 PM