The Lorax Movie...We're So Excited!

Over the Christmas holiday my daughter and I went to see the movie "Arthur Christmas".  It was a really cute movie, and we enjoyed it.  But it was one of the previews that came on before the movie that got us really excited.

My daughter has always loved Dr. Seuss, and one of our favorite books of his has always been The Lorax.  We've been reading it together since she was a baby.  I couldn't tell you how many times we've read this book.

Source:  Goodreads

Here's the preview...

We are soooo excited to see this!


“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
― Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

Newberry Medal Award Winners 1922-Present

Yesterday's post was about The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate which is a Newberry Honor book, and it got me wondering about what books have won the Newberry Medal over the years.

The Newberry Award is given out each year by the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association.  You can visit their website and check out the entire list of winners yourself by clicking HERE.

The very first book ever given the Newberry Medal was The Story of Mankind by Hendrik Willem van Loot in 1922.




Source:  http://www.uri.edu/library/cml/resources/newbery.html




The latest book awarded the Newberry Medal was Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool in 2011.

Source:  Goodreads

I've read five books that have won the Newberry Medal:


Shilioh by Phyllis Reynolds won the award in 1992.

Source:  Goodreads

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia Maclachlan won the award in 1986.

Source:  Goodreads

Sounder by William H. Armstrong won the award in 1970.

Source:  Goodreads

A Wrinkle in Time by Meleleine L'Engle won the award in 1963.

Source:  Goodreads

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell won the award in 1961.

Source:  Goodreads

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

Source:  Goodreads

From Goodreads...

"Calpurnia Virginia Tate is eleven years old in 1899 when she wonders why the yellow grasshoppers in her Texas backyard are so much bigger than the green ones.With a little help from her notoriously cantankerous grandfather, an avid naturalist, she figures out that the green grasshoppers are easier to see against the yellow grass, so they are eaten before they can get any larger. As Callie explores the natural world around her, she develops a close relationship with her grandfather, navigates the dangers of living with six brothers, and comes up against just what it means to be a girl at the turn of the century."

Jacqueline Kelly
Source:  macmillan

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is a Newberry Honor winner, which means it was a runner-up for the Newberry Medal.  The Newberry Award is an award given out by the American Library Association to the most "distinguished" children's books from the previous year.  The Newberry Medal was  the first award for children's books in the world.

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I bought this book at my daughter's last book fair because I thought the cover was beautiful.  It really caught my eye and I had to have it.  Once I read the back, I knew it was my kind of story.  I love stories from the past, coming of age stories, and stories about girls bucking the system and becoming what they want to be instead of what is expected of them.  The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate is all three.

Calpurnia is an 11 year old girl sandwiched in between two sets of brothers...3 older and 3 younger.  That in itself makes her an interesting girl.  When a curiosity about grasshoppers inspires her to ask a question of her reclusive grandfather, she is introduced to the world of a naturalist, and finds a new best friend in the grandfather she had never taken the time to notice before.  Unfortunately for Calpurnia, her mother decides that  this is also the time for Calpurnia to begin her training in cooking and running a house.  So Calpurnia struggles to balance the life she wants to lead... discovering nature with her grandfather and the life she is expected to prepare for...the life of a wife and mother.  All Calpurnia want to be is a scientist.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm excited for my daughter to read it.  I do expect lots of questions though.  There are lots of plant terms and "big words", but I will take the route of Calpurnia's mother when Calpurnia didn't know a word..."get the dictionary and look it up". 

What I Cooked Tonight!

In my previous post I told  you about the cookbook my daughter got me for Christmas, Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible.  Tonight I decided to make something from the book.  I chose Fried Pork Chops with Tomato Gravy from page 142. 

Source:  Goodreads

Fried Pork Chops with Tomato Gravy

4 bone-in center-cut pork chops (1 inch thick, 1/2 pound each)
Salt and Black Pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3 T. olive oil
4 T. butter
2 T. finely chopped onion
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. whole milk
1/2 c. chicken broth or water
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1.  Lightly sprinkle the chops on both sides with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle with garlic powder.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chops and cook, without moving, until a dark golden crust forms on the bottom of each, 5 to 6 minutes.  Flip the chops and cook for 5 minutes more.  Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.

2.  Add the butter to the skillet and melt.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Go ahead and reduce the heat if the onion starts to brown too quickly.  Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk, then the broth or water.  Simmer the mixture until thickened , about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the tomatoes, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper.  Spoon the sauce over the pork chops and serve to a hungry family.
(Recipe Source:  Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible, pg. 141)


I chose to serve the pork chops over brown rice along side crispy fried okra, and here's the finished product.

Source:  My Photo

This was a fairly easy recipe, fun to cook, and the end result was yummy!  The okra went very well with the gravy and rice...it added the needed crunch to the meal.  Plus I think tomatoes and okra go well together.

That's what I cooked tonight!!!

A Christmas Gift From My Daughter

One of the best gifts I got this Christmas was from my 8 year old daughter.  She thought of it all by herself and I love it.

She got me Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible.  She knows me so well, and it makes me happy that she pays attention to what I like.  I love books, cooking, and the Food Network, so what could be a more perfect gift than this book.

455 Pages
Source:  Goodreads

From Goodreads...

"Hi, y’all!This book is my proudest achievement so far, and I just have to tell y’all why I am so excited about it. It’s a book of classic dishes, dedicated to a whole new generation of cooks—for every bride, graduate, and anyone who has a love of a great Southern meal. My family is growing and expanding all the time. We’re blessed with marriages and grandbabies, and so sharing these recipes for honest, down-home dishes feels like passing a generation’s worth of stovetop secrets on to my family, and yours.I’ve been cooking and eating Southern food my whole life, and I can tell you that every meal you make from this book will be a mouthful of our one-of-akind spirit and traditions. These recipes showcase the diversity and ingenuity of Southern cuisine, from Cajun to Low-Country and beyond, highlighting the deep cultural richness of our gumbos and collards, our barbecues and pies. You may remember a few beloved classics from The Lady & Sons, but nearly all of these recipes are brand-new—and I think you’ll find that they are all mouthwateringly delicious. It is, without a doubt, a true Southern cooking bible.I sincerely hope that this book will take its place in your kitchen for many years to come, as I know it will in mine. Here’s to happy cooking—and the best part, happy eating, y’all!  Best dishes,Paula Deen"

This is a really good book with LOTS of recipes, a very detailed table of contents, and a great index in the back that makes it so easy to find any recipe you're loooking for.  My husband actually tried the book first.  He cooked the ham biscuits from page 17, and they were really good.

I really love the movie, "Julia & Julia".  I loved how she took Julia Child's cookbook and worked her way through it one recipe at a time.  Although I won't go as far as she did (one new recipe every day), I am inspired to commit to one new recipe from my new cookbook a week.  I want my daughter to see that I really love her gift, and I'm using it.  I know she'll be proud to try the new food that she inspired.

I've Joined a New Reading Challenge

The Cupcakes War Reading Challenge 2012

Hosted by Brenda Gail

at

Curling Up With a Good Book



Click HERE to visit this great blog and join this challenge.

Secret of the Night Ponies



Source:  Goodreads



Joan Hiatt Harlow
Source:  Goodreads

From the Back Cover...

Jessie Wheller is a girl who knows her own heart and will do everything she can to follow it.  So when Jessie discovers a neglected orphan girl and a captured herd of wild ponies, she is ready (or at least, more than willing) to come to the rescue.  With her Newfoundland dog, Blizzard, Jessie is never at a loss for helpful companions.  And help is what she will need to survive a daring midnight adventure.

Author Joan Hiatt Harlow revisits the rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965 in this exciting story of a girl and her beloved horses.

Joan Hiatt Harlow is the award-winning author of Star in the Storm, Thunder from the Sea, and Blown Away!

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Secret of the Night Ponies is a book that my daughter purchased at her last school book fair.  I really enjoy reading children's books and I try to read most of the books my daughter buys and reads.  It's something that I really enjoy being able to share with her, and something I feel that all parents should do.  We should know what our kids are reading, watching, and listening to.  Plus I know it makes her feel good for Mom to read her books.  I love talking books with my little girl.

I really enjoyed this book, and I loved the main character, Jessie.  She is an innocent yet spunky girl.  Her love for her family, her animals, and her home is refreshing.  She is a great illustration of what courage means:  doing what's right even when it scares you. 

I feel like this is a great book for kids, and I can't wait for my daughter to read it.