Dana sent me this beautiful postcard from Amsterdam where they had traveled after visiting Zürich, then the Alps, then a river cruise from Basel to Amsterdam. They also spent a few days in the Hague.
She reports that Amsterdam has bikes. Everywhere! And that it’s a good news, bad news situation.
This was a very fun postcard to receive!
A very nice triptych of Brașov, where Shawn and Sara stayed.
Sara reported that they stayed in a wonderful small boutique hotel that their friends found for them. Also that Brașov was a great jumping off point for many adventures.
Also, it seems I got the prize for most postcards sent. Win!
Sara sends this treasure from the once-home of Vlad the Impaler.
As I hung out with Hungarians, I knew that though Dracula is supposedly based on Vlad, Bram Stoker never visited. Hungarians can be very touchy about Dracula.
Sara sent this from Arcata because she couldn’t find any Romanian stamps. I also had trouble finding stamps in Romania.
We had fancy birthday dinner at Eem on Williams. They have a strict proof-of-vaccination policy to dine indoors, which I appreciate. We ended up sitting outside because the indoor tables were full. I was fine with this as I don’t love dining indoors in a crowded restaurant.
The food was amazing! We got some hot cauliflower, fried chicken, and amazing fried rice. Then we also ordered curry (mine was green, Matt’s was red) and that was amazing too!
Plus, because I forgot what drink I ordered, and the drink delivery person delivered drinks to the wrong table, I got two cocktails for the price of one.
It was a great birthday dinner!
Mina
Matthew Forsythe
Read for Librarian Book Group
Mina the mouse’s father brings home things. One day, he brings home a squirrel. But maybe it isn’t a squirrel?
Bathe the Cat
Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts
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A familiar situation to many: frantically cleaning the house before guests arrive. This leads to many funny mix-ups.
Gigi and Ojiji
Melissa Iway
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Gigi looks forward to her grandfather moving from Japan to the US and into her family home. There are some unmet expectations that make the transition a little bumpy, but make for a good story.
Where is Bina Bear?
Mike Curato
Read for Librarian Book Group
Tiny can’t find Bina Bear during her big party. That’s because Bina Bear has some inventive hiding places. But also, why are there no other guests? How early did Bina Bear come to this party?
The Last Mapmaker
Christina Soontornvat
Read for Librarian Book Group
Soontornvat weaves a rollercoaster story about a girl from the preverbal wrong side of the tracks making her way in the world. This hits all the adventure markers and has the plus of being set in a world where ships move about by sail power, and women are equal to men.
Aviva vs. the Dybbuk
Mari Lowe
Read for Librarian Book Group
Solid middle grade with a bit of mystery. I don’t run across many children’s books set in modern Orthodox Jewish households, so this was a nice change of pace. There’s a glossary at the back for anyone who might need to brush up on some terms.
The Summer of June
Jamie Summer
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The book opens in the aftermath of June dramatically shaving her head. She did this to curb her tendency to pick at her hair when she is nervous. In this brief book, Jane finds ways to control her anxiety.
Vinyl Moon
Mahogany L. Brown
Read for Librarian Book Group
A compact story of Angel’s first few months in Brooklyn, where she moved to live with her uncle after a bad boyfriend and subpar mother experience. Very brief chapters and a sprinkling of poetry provide rich details about characters and emotion.
Nothing Burns as Bright as You
Ashley Woodfolk
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A novel in verse that perfectly captures the highs and lows of a first love that isn’t really good for either person in the relationship, but feels so very good to both at the time.
Also, the cover!
Always Jane
Jenn Bennett
I’m torn between thinking two teenagers coming together because of a traumatic event is a sign that they haven’t healed from the event, or whether it means they are meant to be. Regardless, Bennett works her usual magic with two people in love. The story makes a nice turn partway through, and it was interesting to see what life is like in service, in this case as the personal assistant to the daughter of a music producer (who might also be the bio dad.)
African Town
Irene Lathan and Charles Waters
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A novel in verse about two interesting historical things: the last ship to enter the U.S. carrying enslaved people (It was long after the ban on importing people was passed) and the lives those people built once they were brought here.
Gallant
V.E. Schwab
This is a spooky book that feels like a back-in-the-day gothic novel, but takes place today. From the orphanage-like opening, this was very fun.
See You Yesterday
Rachel Lynn Solmon
For people who have not see the film Palm Springs this is a delightful time loop story set at the beginning of freshman year of college. For people who have seen Palm Springs this story will sound very familiar right down to a plot turn.
Radio Silence
Alice Oseman
I enjoyed this because the author did a great job putting us in the shoes of the narrator. I wasn’t really sure what was going on with that guy that lived across the street. She also kept us from knowing what happened to his sister in a way I found realistic. I also enjoyed the “Welcome to Night Vale”-type setting.
Blue: A History of the Color as Deep as the Sea and as Wide as the Sky
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond & Daniel Minter
Read for Librarian Book Group
For a long time, it was tough to dye things blue. I learned this and other facts in this engaging picture book.
Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America
Selene Castrovilla and E. B. Lewis
Read for Librarian Book Group
Who knew that the path of emancipation started with a self-liberated man hiding in the woods and a major general writing a letter? You will, if you read this picture book.
Run Towards the Danger
Sarah Polley
I’ve been missing Polley both as an actor and as a director. So I was happy to read these six essays.
A Little Too Familiar
Lish McBride
It was fun to see McBride’s considerable talent with YA fantasy settings and characters applied to an adult romance.
Sara’s postcard made its way to me quickly! The postmark says June 23 (actually it says 23-06-22 La Poste, but I know how to translate) and it arrived on June 29! Speedy delivery!
I was quite excited to get this composite card. Sara reports that they have visited three of five things depicted: Eiffel Tower (from the ground) Sacré-Cœur, and Notre-Dame, which is under construction after the fire.
She also said that they just finished a canal and Seine boat tour that took them through three locks. This reminded me of the book Just One Day.
Guess what bush liked the cold and rainy spring followed by not-yet summer?
Did you guess the Western Syringa outside our front door? You are correct! I have never seen it bloom as much as it has this year. It’s especially nice to see that growth after it fell over when it snowed in April this year.
Since childhood, Matt has used this not-Lifesavers coin bank. You can see where he scratched his name.
Sadly, the bank has reached the end of its useful life. Matt is saying goodbye.
However, he still has a coin bank in his life. I bought him a Tootsie Roll one on eBay.
Or as we call at the Orange Door “Fours!” (Tim Riggins on Friday Night Lights remains a very quotable character, all these years later)
The mothers, Matt, and I celebrated by going out to eat at The Old Spaghetti Factory and then eating Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. Which was delicious!
I like a song that tells a story.
