Alex Baugh

Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Maggot Moon
by Sally Gardner

read in February, 2013

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This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading

I took Maggot Moon with me to read on a long boring trip and I don't think the time ever flew by like it did this time. To say that I was pulled into this 1950s dystopian England and the story of t...more

Alex Baugh rated a book 3 of 5 stars

Snow Treasure
by Marie McSwigan

read in May, 2013

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This review is also posted at The Children's War

One day they weren't there and the next day, Norway was swarming with Nazis, even up by the cold, cold Arctic Circle in the little town of Riswyk, where winter lasts for most of the year. But just befor...more

Alex Baugh made a comment on her review of Once

"I think Once would be OK, but I'm not sure about the next book, Then. But Gleitzman did write these for kids 12 and up and your sister must be close t...more "

Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Cameron and the Girls
by Edward Averett

read in May, 2013

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Alex Baugh liked a quote

“This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands,--This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” — William Shakespeare

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Alex Baugh recommended Building Our House to Sandra Bornstein

Building Our House
by Jonathan Bean

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Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Building Our House
by Jonathan Bean

read in May, 2013

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You know how kids can watch workers on a construction site long periods of time? Well, Jonathan Bean has written a book that should appeal to these construction site kids. Loosly based on the recollections of the house built by the author's parents w...more You know how kids can watch workers on a construction site long periods of time? Well, Jonathan Bean has written a book that should appeal to these construction site kids. Loosly based on the recollections of the house built by the author's parents when he was a child, the story takes the reader through building a house step by step through the eyes of the young girl who is going to live there.

It is a house built from scratch, in the middle of a field. The family, Mom, Dad, big sister/narrator, and little brother, arrives at the field, tools and blueprints in hand. Then a small trailer pulls in, temporary shelter until the house is finished. Most of the work is done in the evening when Dad gets home from work, and weekends, so it is going to be a long process even though everyone pitches in, doing what they can.

Begun in fall, soon winter comes, followed by spring. More work is done on the house. Soon a cat shows up among the building materials along with summer. More building and before the end of summer, a frame-raising party is held with friends and family helping, along lots of food and fun.

By winter, the basic house is finished enough to live in, mostly around the warmth of a stove. Indoor work occupies the winter. and as time passes both Mom and Kitty Cat are pregnant. In spring it is time for another party - a moving party.

Again, friends and family come by to help the family, Mom, Dad, big sister, little brother, new baby and kitties, offically move into their new home.

Building Our House is a gentle, straight-forward narrative, with sparse text that nevertheless conveys much. Not only does it give basic step by step details about how a house is built, it also revels in the idea of family and working together. Everyone in the family does what they can, and no matter how small the task, it is important.

And just as it revels in family, it also celebrates extended family and friends, working together to help accomplish something and fostering the sense of community that.

I found this to be a really delightful story to read and I think that it will appeal to both boys and girls and that if you are reading this with a child, you may find that the wonderful very detailed watercolor-and-ink illustrations done by the author are sure to spark lots of close examination and conversation. (So the idea of family/friends doing something together comes full circle).

This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was purchased for my personal library

This review was originally posted at Randomly Reading (less)

Alex Baugh said "maybe" to attending Book Tour of Where Darkness Walks By Donna Hawk

date: May 27, 2013 09:49PM
location: Internet, The United States
description: SCHEDULE FOR BOOK TOUR OF WHERE DARKNESS WALKS BY DONNA HAWK

Date: 27th of May
Spotlight
http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp...

Date: 28th May
Blog Post
www.lsengul.wordpress.com

Date:29th May
Review
aoifesheri@wordpress.com

Date:30th May
Interview
http://lmdavid54.wordpress.com

Date: 31st May
Spotlight and Interview
http://www.kyrahalland.com/

Date: 1st June
Spotlight and Interview
http://whcann.co.uk/

Date: 2nd June
Spotlight and Interview
http://writingdreams.net/
Date: 3rd June
Review and S...more

Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars

Barbed Wire Baseball
by Marissa Moss

read in May, 2013

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From the time he was a young boy and saw his first baseball game, Kenochi "Zeni" Zenimura wanted to play baseball - he wanted that more than anything. And he was well on his way towards living his dream when he was old enough, managing local teams an...more From the time he was a young boy and saw his first baseball game, Kenochi "Zeni" Zenimura wanted to play baseball - he wanted that more than anything. And he was well on his way towards living his dream when he was old enough, managing local teams and playing with the Fresno Nisei League and the Fresno Twilight League, going to exhibition games in Japan, even playing with star players of the New York Yankees. It seemed Zeni was on top of the world, at least until December 7, 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

By now married with two teenage sons, Zeni and his family were forced to move to an internment camp just because they were of Japanese descent. Located on the Gila River Indian Reservation, it was hot and dry desert with too many people crowded into barrack after barrack, each containing row upon row of cots.

While families tried to make a home out of their allotted space, putting up curtains and decorating with all kinds of personal mementos, Zeni still dreamed about baseball and decided he was going to play - right in the desert!

And so he picked a spot and began to clear the grass and rocks, hard work in the desert heat. Yet before he knew it, others joined in to help, including his own sons. Using his ingenuity, his power of persuasion and any other means possible, little by little, Zeni and his helpers began to turn the desert into a baseball field, right down to bleaches for people to sit and watch games. And while the men worked on building a field, the women sewed uniforms out of potato sacks. Lastly, equipment was purchased with funds collected from among the detainees.

Barbed Wire Baseball is an excellent introduction to both Japanese American baseball and the internment of Japanese American in World War II. Marissa Moss gives the same attention to detail in her text that Zeni gave to creating his baseball field. And the beautiful illustrations by Yuko Shimizu bring the whole story together. This is the first children's book that Shimizu has illustrated and for it, she used a Japanese calligraphy brush and ink, than scanned and colored the illustrations with Photoshop, so that the colors give a real sense of the time.

At the end of Barbed Wire Baseball, there is an Afterword about Kenichi Zenimura life, as well as an Author's Note and an Artist's Note, which you may not want to miss reading. Moss has also included an useful Bibliography for further exploration of Japanese American baseball.

I had never heard of Kenochi Zenimura before, probably because I'm not much of a baseball person, but I really was impressed with his perseverance and dedication to creating a place where he and his fellow detainees could enjoy playing or watching baseball in an otherwise desolate place and that would give them all a sense of accomplishment and community. And having lived in Phoenix, AZ for 4 years and being somewhat familiar with the desert around it, I really understood what an accomplishment it was.

This book is a Picture Book for Older Readers and is recommeded for readers age 7+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL

This book was orginally reviewed at The Children's War (less)

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Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars Maggot Moon by Sally Gardner read in February, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading I took Maggot Moon with me to read on a long boring trip and I don't think the time ever flew by like it did this time. To say that I was pulled into this 1950s dystopian England and the story of t...more
23 hours, 54 min ago · see review
Alex Baugh rated a book 3 of 5 stars Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This review is also posted at The Children's War One day they weren't there and the next day, Norway was swarming with Nazis, even up by the cold, cold Arctic Circle in the little town of Riswyk, where winter lasts for most of the year. But just befor...more
May 24, 2013 06:14am · see review
Alex Baugh made a comment on her review of Once "I think Once would be OK, but I'm not sure about the next book, Then. But Gleitzman did write these for kids 12 and up and your sister must be close t...more "
May 23, 2013 12:42pm · see review
Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars Cameron and the Girls by Edward Averett read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 22, 2013 05:41pm
Alex Baugh liked a quote “This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle, This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, This other Eden, demi-paradise, This fortress built by Nature for herself Against infection and the hand of war, This happy breed of men, this little world, This precious stone set in the silver sea, Which serves it in the office of a wall Or as a moat defensive to a house, Against the envy of less happier lands,--This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.” — William Shakespeare like
May 20, 2013 07:35am · more quotes by William Shakespeare
Alex Baugh recommended Building Our House to Sandra Bornstein Building Our House by Jonathan Bean	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 20, 2013 06:37am · like
Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars Building Our House by Jonathan Bean read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
You know how kids can watch workers on a construction site long periods of time? Well, Jonathan Bean has written a book that should appeal to these construction site kids. Loosly based on the recollections of the house built by the author's parents w...more
May 20, 2013 06:37am · see review
Alex Baugh said "maybe" to attending Book Tour of Where Darkness Walks By Donna Hawk date: May 27, 2013 09:49PM location: Internet, The United States description: SCHEDULE FOR BOOK TOUR OF WHERE DARKNESS WALKS BY DONNA HAWK Date: 27th of May Spotlight http://theviolethourbookreviews.wordp... Date: 28th May Blog Post www.lsengul.wordpress.com Date:29th May Review aoifesheri@wordpress.com Date:30th May Interview http://lmdavid54.wordpress.com Date: 31st May Spotlight and Interview http://www.kyrahalland.com/ Date: 1st June Spotlight and Interview http://whcann.co.uk/ Date: 2nd June Spotlight and Interview http://writingdreams.net/ Date: 3rd June Review and S...more
May 20, 2013 06:08am · like
Alex Baugh rated a book 4 of 5 stars Barbed Wire Baseball by Marissa Moss read in May, 2013	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
From the time he was a young boy and saw his first baseball game, Kenochi "Zeni" Zenimura wanted to play baseball - he wanted that more than anything. And he was well on his way towards living his dream when he was old enough, managing local teams an...more
May 20, 2013 06:06am · see review

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