Review: Amazing Animal Facts

We all know that "adult" coloring books are all the rage right now.

But what about adult coloring... post cards?

Okay, so I've got to admit that I've seen a few different colorable postcard sets floating around, but none are quite as fun and informative as this new set from author, illustrator, and architect Maja Säfström. Amazing Animal Facts is a set of 50 collectable, colorable postcards based on her book, The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts. These fun postcards feature a wide variety of animals from the seas, forests, fields, jungles, and skies. Each card, printed on easily colorable uncoated card stock, has a lovely drawing of an animal and one or more facts about said animal.

For example, "Sloths are so slow that they grow green algae on their fur."

Or, "Kangaroos are the size of a kidney bean when they are born."

Or, "Shark moms lose their appetite before giving birth so they won't be tempted to eat their own babies!"

Oh, the things you will learn from this delightful set! Cute animals, fun trivia, and stress relief from coloring? What's not to love?!

In fact, chances are good that you won't want to send any of these postcards out; you'll want to just keep them in their cute recipe-collection-style box to refer to periodically, or to place them on an end table somewhere where guests can amuse themselves with fun new factoids. This is a fun set that is sure to delight lovers of animals, lovers of art, lovers of coloring books, lovers of trivia, and more.

***

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own!

2017 Reading Challenges

In 2017, I have decided to tackle three specific reading challenges, as well as one more open-ended option. I do a lot of reading, between reviewing for two websites (San Francisco Book Review and San Diego Book Review), writing for a digital magazine (Natural Mother Magazine), and occasionally writing about books here, on my personal blog.

Last year, I just assumed that the sheer number of books that I read would mean that all of the challenge categories would just line up for me. At the end of the year, I learned otherwise. So this year, I'll be making some more discerning choices when I select new review choices, and I may be seeking out some specific books at the library or for my Kindle.

This year, I also have the added challenge of an incoming newborn, who I am expecting in May or so. We'll see how much a new baby puts a damper on my reading aspirations.

Now, the challenges.

First off is Book Riot's 2017 Read Harder Challenge. (I didn't do too great on their 2016 challenge, so here's hoping I'm more successful this year!) This is only the third year of Book Riot's challenge, but it definitely promises to be the best one yet. There are 24 tasks on the list, with each one designed to help readers create a "perspective shift." With book spanning all kinds of genres and a wide variety of author categories, this one is sure to be fun... assuming I can fit more of the options into my reading list!

Second is the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2017, which I also attempted last year (see my 2016 challenge results here!). This year, there are 40 normal categories and 12 bonus categories, covering a wide variety of topics. Some have to do with authors, some with plot or genre, others with more fun things like what's on the cover. It's quite a list, though, so we'll see how far I get.

Then there's the Picture Book Reading Challenge, which I picked up from a book blog called Becky's Book Reviews. Seeing as my son is on a quest to read 1000 books in the next six months or so, this one was an obvious choice. Even when my son isn't in reading-machine mode, he still loves to read, so I imagine this one will be easily doable for us. I might need to use a little foresight and put some specific books on hold at the library, to make sure we hit specific authors and subjects, but that's easy enough, too.

The non-specific challenge I'm taking on is the Foodies Read 2017 challenge from SpiritBlog.net. This isn't an exact thing; instead of reading specific books, or even books that fit specific categories, readers/bloggers are to simply write and post reviews of books where food plays a major part. That can be cookbooks, novels set in restaurants or food-related settings, memoirs... anything where food is an important part of the book. And since I occasionally review cookbooks, I figure why not? Maybe it'll motivate me to get a cookbook review up here at least once a month; we'll see.


So that's my reading challenge agenda for 2017. What are you reading this year??

Review: Wake Up to the Joy of You

It's a new year, and January is a time when many people make resolutions to make some big changes. Author Agapi Stassinopoulos is all for change, but rather than making potentially unobtainable resolutions, she advocates that this year be one of self-discovery, a year when we look inward to learn more about ourselves and, in the process, create the kind of life we really want.

Her newest book is Wake Up to the Joy of You, and it's a collection of meditations, thought-provoking questions, and simple life practices that can help readers change themselves for the better.

There are 52 chapters in this book, and each focuses on a specific theme. Each features a short(ish) reading about the topic, followed by either a guided meditation, simple practices readers can take to truly hold that message in their hearts, or both.

For example, one chapter urges readers to focus on worries, and how chronically worrying about things--especially things outside of your control--can lead to anxiety and fear; this reading is followed by a guided meditation to help readers let go of worry about things they cannot influence or change. Another chapter inspires readers to find their calling, to think about the things in life they are there to learn or teach, the challenges they must overcome, and more; this is followed by a short list of simple suggestions, including a journal prompt and a writing project to help readers fully visualize what their lives would look like if they could truly follow their calling.

This book is not one to be rushed through. Readers would do best to savor each chapter, to read one per week (or so) as suggested in a time and/or place where they can focus on what Stassinopoulos has to say and to truly take her words to heart. Readers will get even more out of the book if they take the time to actually do the guided meditations and/or attempt the activities she suggests.

Really, this is a gorgeous book. It's small and compact; it'll fit nicely on your bedside table, or in your handbag or backpack for a trip to your local coffee shop. Each chapter, peppered with personal anecdotes and quotes, is long enough to get readers thinking but not so lengthy that readers will find their minds wandering. The author's warmth shines through, and readers will get the sense that she really does care about the personal progress they're making.

Wake Up to the Joy of You promises a "calmer, happier life," and readers who work through the whole book are sure to discover the truth in that!

***

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own!

Raising a Bibliophile

Several months after moving to Virginia, I finally got around to getting a local library card.

Okay, to be fair, I got a card for the local city library months ago. Bug and I have hit story time there a few times, and it's a cute library with a decent set of books. But we hadn't made it to the county library yet. The closest branch is actually right across the street (almost literally), but it's currently closed for renovations (reopening next summer or autumn), and I didn't figure out that there's a temporary branch open a block away until just a few weeks ago. And since I did discover that, it's just been too cold to go.

I know. Whine, complain. I'm serious, though; it's been in the 20s and 30s lately, and most of the time we don't have a car during the day, and there's no way I'm walking even a few blocks when the temperature is at freezing or below.

So. Anyway. We finally got a library card to the county library a few days ago, and when we were there, we heard about a new program they just started called 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, which is exactly what it sounds like. The goal is to read kids 1000 books before they start kindergarten. They don't all have to be different books, and you don't have to track every individual title. Instead, the librarian gives you a series of coloring sheets, if you will, which each have a certain number of butterflies on them. Kid colors in a butterfly for each book, and once you fill in a sheet, you take it to the library for a reward. There are different milestones to aim for: 100 books, then 250, 500, 750, and finally 1000.

Almost done with this sheet!

Theoretically, you sign up for the program after first having read 25 books. Considering the amount Bug and I read every day, I just signed up same day, because we've obviously read way more books than that over the course of his life so far. Parents can sign up even their little babies, so I figured we're covered.

Once I explained the premise to Bug, he got very excited. Because: prizes. Actually he took it as a personal challenge of sorts (which is guess *is* technically the point).

The result? We read more than 75 books over the past three days. Bug claimed his first reward this morning.

It's a magnet!

And there's no slowdown in sight.

Bug has always been a big reader, just like his mama. He has an overstuffed bookshelf in his bedroom, plus there are always other books rotating in and out of the house: review books; library books; new arrivals from bookstores or book sales or Paperback Swap coming in, other books we weren't too thrilled with heading out.

While we lived in both San Diego and the Sacramento area we hit story times nearly every week. Bug has participated in the Summer Reading Program every summer he's been alive (again, because: prizes). When I request new review books from one of the outlets I write for, I almost always ask for a few picture books for his sake (and before too much longer, he'll be able to start reviewing books himself!). We frequently buy books from library book sales and I can't walk into a regular bookstore without picking up at least one new selection for him. Bug obviously can't actually read to himself yet, but he enjoys having even longer stories read to him, including ones meant for 2nd and 3rd graders. He's got a short attention span for most things, but he'll happily bring me book after book after book. We can read for hours on any given day.

So a challenge like this is really not pushing us to do anything new. We're already big fans of books. But it is bringing out Bug's competitive spirit, and it's giving us something specific to work for.

Just another way I'm working to raise a book lover, I suppose. Bug loves being active, playing board games, being wild outside, watching cartoons, and doing other normal almost-five-year-old things. But it's very important to me that he not only appreciates books, but that he love them. Books are amazing tools, and I dearly want my son to grow to love them the way I do. And programs like this are a fun way to motivate him to do something he already enjoys.