Jessica Haight's Blog, page 132

Answer to Monday's Riddle! I Spy!

Excellent guessing Riddlers! Ifrah is correct- the answer to the puzzle is a spy. Lizzy's review will help us sneak a peak into a secret tree, and Thursday on Top of the Heap, we have our own spying game to share with you. Friday is a mysterious plan, and Saturday, we always look forward to hearing from you on The DMS Wants to Know . So, grab your gadgets and follow along with us all this week! Spy you all around book block ; ) ~ F

I want to know what you do. I patiently watch and wait for a clue. Beware of me, for I can be clever- I'll tell what I've found to thwart the endeavor. Behind a newspaper or perched in a tree, maybe sitting in a cafe drinking some tea. My interest is keen when I study my charge, using my gadgets if you're at large. It's always an adventure when I track my case. My identity is masked, but perhaps not my face.


What am I? Answer: A Spy Clue: A spy circled in red

Make time to riddle and rhyme!62 original riddles and illustrations  
Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on SmashwordsFEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! A Stolen Glance...

Good morning Riddlers! Here's this week's puzzle. Can you guess the theme? Marcus is our go-to man when the DMS needs one of these ; ) ~ F
I want to know what you do. I patiently watch and wait for a clue. Beware of me, for I can be clever- I'll tell what I've found to thwart the endeavor. Behind a newspaper or perched in a tree, maybe sitting in a cafe drinking some tea. My interest is keen when I study my charge, using my gadgets if you're at large. It's always an adventure when I track my case. My identity is masked, but perhaps not my face.

What am I? 
I gave you a clue!
The answer is happening in this picture  
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

The DMS Visits Flanders Elementary School!

The DMS was invited to Reading Night at Flanders Elementary School in Southington, CT. Stephanie and Jess talked about their journey co-authoring a middle grade book together and answered questions about Fairday's adventures with the DMS. A wonderful time was had by all, and we are happy to share this fun event with you!


The audience was excellent! We enjoyed spending time with these inquisitive, young readers.

Alexa is our featured artist from Flanders Elementary School. She was the winner of the 5th drawing contest. Her lovely illustration of the high-heeled sneakers was truly inspired!

In addition to winning a copy of The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow , Alexa also received this original illustration by J. Haight as a bonus prize. Thank you so much for sending us your photo, Alexa! Your bright spirit lit up the day : )





Thank you Flanders Elementary! We had a magical time : ) ~ Jess & Stephanie

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

The DMS Wants to Know!

Monday's Riddle clued us in on our memories, and Lizzy's review of The Giver by Lois Lowry was a journey into a dystopian world where a young boy receives a very special gift. The Leap into Books Hop is happening on Fairday's Blog! Stop by the post and enter for your chance to win a copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry , a signed hardcover edition of the mysterious new middle grade novel The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson , plus a bonus $10 gift card to Amazon.com- giveaway runs until March 7th. Thursday on Top of the Heap Jess and Stephanie stopped by to tell us about their fondest memories, and Friday, in the spirit of spreading brightness, Margo chimed in with her choice in new children's picture books, Brightness Sailors: Bit by Bit by Claudine Gueh. Today, we want to hear from you!

The DMS wants to know: What sparks your memory?
(ie. smell, sound, taste, color, etc.)

We told you ours. Now, let's hear yours! 


Brightness breezing by you today...
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Margo's Musings! A Bright Light...

Margo has been anticipating spotlighting a unique, new children's book today.  Brightness Sailors: Bit by Bit by Gueh Yanting, Claudine is a wonderful story. The whimsical words and powerfully simple illustrations will take you on a journey into the open space inside where we simply allow the churning waters of our minds to flood and flow. On that infinite shore, we can rest in the ripples of life's wake and enjoy the beauty and joy of just being here with each other.

My whole family enjoyed this story. Last year, we were introduced to this author when we reviewed her children's picture book  My Clearest Me . That story was absolutely beautiful, and we were lucky enough to get to interview Gueh Yanting, Claudine , whose delightful stories are traveling on the wind all around the world- we are happy to breeze them by you, and hope that you reach out and catch your breath.
 
Climb aboard with En as she sails her ship of brightness and lights up her grandma's cloudy skies with sparkling fireflies that hold her memories, which are as big as the world and as deep as the oceans. ~ F
  

There's a fickle stream in Grandma's headTrickling, thrashing, dark and cold.Thoughts that fill her world are hard to hold ...



En's grandma is losing her hold on clear thoughts and memories. It is a scary and lonely place. So En sails out to bring Brightness from their past and releases them to relight Grandma's world. Will Grandma remember them? 




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FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle inspired us to remember, and Lizzy's review of The Giver by Lois Lowry was an interesting trip down memory lane. Friday,  Margo will be cheerfully chiming in, and Saturday, we always look forward to hearing your thoughts on The DMS Wants to Know . Sunday, we have something special planned, so be sure to check back! Today, Stephanie and Jess are stopping by to tell us about their special memories...

This week's top of the heap: Fondest Memories : ) 
(conversation below events)

Here's what's happening on Fairday's Blog! 

The Leap into Books hop is happening on Fairday's Blog, so stop by to enter for your chance to win a copy of The Giver by Lois Lowry , plus a signed hardcover of the mysterious, new middle grade book The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson along with a $10 bonus gift card to Amazon.com.



The DMS Monthly Newsletter will be making its way around the book block March 1st. Sign up to receive updates about upcoming author interviews and book giveaways!

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Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on Smashwords

Our thanks to Alex over at The Children's War for passing along the Inspirational Blogger Award. All this week we are spreading cheer around the blogosphere, and here are just a few wonderful people who have been swapping stories with us, and helping to sprinkle a little magic around... 
The Children's War
Carry Us Off Books
March House Books
Pen & Paper
Karen Pokras Toz
* Top of the Heap
Jess: I have so many wonderful memories, but I thought I would share one that is very special for me. When I was in my 20's I worked at an equestrian farm in Rhinebeck, NY called Southlands Foundation . It was a beautiful horse farm located on the Hudson River. My job was taking care of the horses; feeding, blanketing, turn-out, etc. This was a hard job, however I loved it! As physically demanding as it was, it was also extremely enjoyable, as I have always wanted a horse of my own. One of my duties was to bring the ponies back to the barn for breakfast in the early morning. Here is a short poem that I wrote, which describes it perfectly- this is definitely one of my best moments. ~ Jess 
Morning with the Ponies
Air so crisp it pierces the lungs; morning walking to the meadow.
Leather bound in one hand, sweets in the other.There is nothing but sky and land awaking to a new horizon.
Sounds of nature resound at low, early tones.
For one moment, to stand in all of this. To be one with it, until...
The crack of the whip snaps across the ground.
A rush of hooves follows.A scent of something free and wild.
The ponies run towards the day.They run from the sleeping hills.
Spirits of many.A herd of one. 
Copyright  © Jessica Haight 2004

Stephanie: Some of my fondest memories are of traveling cross country and getting to see all the sights across the United States. I loved being in the car and listening to music while new scenery went flying by. Forest, rocks, desert- the landscapes are so varied. What a beautiful country we live in! With my husband by my side, nothing is better than when we hop in the car and just drive. :) ~ Stephanie

Stephanie enjoying the Scenery :)
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Leap into Books!

Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and  Jinky is Reading  for hosting the Leap into Books Giveaway Hop! Fairday's Blog! is giving away a paperback edition of The Giver by Lois Lowry, a $10 Gift Card to Amazon.com , plus a signed hardcover edition of the spooky, new middle grade adventure, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow  by J. Haight & S. Robinson . 

The Leap into Books Giveaway Hop will run from February 28th- March 7th, so, join in the fun! This is a huge hop, and there are lots of delightful blogs participating, giving away all sorts of books and other fabulous prizes. 

Open to US and International : ) 

☞ Be sure to visit the hopping blogs! ( click here for the list )

Enter to win:1) Follow Fairday's Blog!2) Leave a comment and let us know: 
What is the first thing that you can remember? 3) Fill out the Rafflecopter form below
The Giver by Lois Lowry Can you imagine living in a world where everything is the same? Imagine a place where everyone celebrates their birthday on the same date and on that date they are given the same gift. No one gets to pick their husband or wife, because they are selected for them. Pills must be taken to suppress feelings, and everyone lives a life of sameness. Nothing bad gets in the way of the peacefulness. Even jobs are determined by the skills one has, and everyone is presented with their job on their twelfth birthday... read more.





The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, the DMS enters into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Follow along with Fairday and her friends, as spooky meets lovely in this twisting tale of dark secrets and hidden pasts.  Read the first seven chapters 

☞ Read the reviews!
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Thanks for popping over! We hope that you will stay and visit with us for a while. Below, you will find an overview of the topics that we discuss on Fairday's Blog! They range from riddles, to reviews, to just things that we like to shout out about : )
What Fairday's Blog! is all about...

Fairday's Riddles are posted on Mondays- they can be written about anything and everything, all at the same time!

Lizzy's Book Reviews are posted on Wednesdays. Lizzy has read just about every middle grade novel out there, and she loves to share her thoughts and, of course, her opinions.

The Top of the Heap  is a post we put up on Thursdays. We thought it would be fun once a week to put up two things that we appreciate and have been thinking about during the week.

Margo's Musings  Fridays belong to Margo, Fairday's little sister. This post focuses on reviewing local children's book authors, which we follow up with an  Author Interview .

The DMS Wants to Know  was a post we came up with for Saturdays because when we get together to hang out on the weekend, we always chat about different situations and ideas that are floating around in our brains and we like to listen to what other people think about them- some of the comments we've gotten have been absolutely fascinating!

Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on Smashwords


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Brightness breezing by...

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Is It a Gift?

Can you imagine living in a world where everything is the same? Imagine a place where everyone celebrates their birthday on the same date and on that date they are given the same gift. No one gets to pick their husband or wife, because they are selected for them. Pills must be taken to suppress feelings, and everyone lives a life of sameness. Nothing bad gets in the way of the peacefulness. Even jobs are determined by the skills one has, and everyone is presented with their job on their twelfth birthday. Jonas is curious about what job he will be given. He doesn’t seem interested in anything enough to do it forever, but he knows at the ceremony he will find out his destiny. When he learns that he will be the Receiver of Memory his life is forever changed. He must begin training with “The Giver”, who has to pass down memories to him from the time before their world was the same in case anyone every needs that information. The process is full of images and senses that Jonas has never experienced. Some memories are beautiful and others are sad or painful. The more Jonas learns about his new position, the less he likes it and the more he has to think about. It is lonely being the Receiver of Memory and there are so many rules! Does Jonas have what it takes to be the Receiver of Memory? Will he be able to handle the pressure and memories bestowed upon him? Is it fair to make one person hold so many memories? What would you do with new memories about another type of life so different from your own? You must read this book to find out how Jonas reacts to his new position and how he deals with the world around him.
The Giver by Lois Lowry was not what I expected. The title sounds so pleasant that I thought the book would be filled with happy thoughts and memories. I thought the memories would be a gift. Lois Lowry creates a dystopian world with some familiar elements from our world that I could easily relate to, but it was different enough to capture my interest and make me want to keep on reading. I think the plot was unique, and it made me think about life and memories. As Jonas discovered more than he ever wanted to know about the world around him, I was anxiously turning the pages to find out what would happen next. Jonas is a regular boy, who doesn’t really want to grow up, and I could relate to that. Memories are so important to us because they are our connection to our friends, family, and the world around us. I can’t imagine not knowing about love, pain, sadness, excitement, and the kaleidoscope of emotions that I have felt. I can hear a song and remember something that happened last year, or smell the muddy air in spring and think back to a time three years before that had the same scent. The Giver made me think long and hard about memories and what they mean. I can’t say that I have it all figured out, but it has been thought-provoking to say the least. There are definitely some sad situations in the story, which is why I think this book would be most enjoyed by kids in fifth grade and up. The best part- I recently found out that this is just the first in a set of four books, which are loosely based on the same world. I am intrigued to learn more about this series!

Has anyone else read The Giver? Or read another book by Lois Lowry? If so, what did you think?

Happy Reading! ~LFEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle! Visiting Memory Lane...

Pat & Pru Morrow
A good memory, kept : ) Fabulous guessing Riddlers! I love the creative thinking- 1st draft is brilliant, Lee! However, it was Joanne Fritz that guessed correctly with her answer of memory, and yes, my first one was a smell. It wasn't a pleasant smell, but rather a somewhat pungent odor that I can still easily distinguish today- it's the scent of a dead mouse in a house. I have thought long and hard about this memory, and I think I must have been about two or three when it all went down, but when I trace everything all the way back as far as I can remember, that's what I come up with- fascinating!

We are shining our bright lights on the world this week, thanks to the spirited writer, Gueh Yanting, Claudine and her unique children's book Brightness Sailors: Bit by Bit . This story focuses on children learning to understand their elders as they navigate through the changing tides of memory loss. It's a touching book that resonates within all of us, especially those who have known a close family member that has suffered from dementia. Stop by our Sunday post to hear our stories of the people who have helped to fill our worlds with joy.

Lizzy's review will be a trip down memory lane, and Thursday, we have something special planned for Top of the Heap . Friday, Margo  has her luminescent beam ready to spotlight this excellent new book, and Saturday on The DMS Wants to Know, we hope that you will hop onboard our twinkling ship and tell us a tale or two of your own! Happy reading people! See you all around the book block ; ) ~ F

Dreams and notions go streaming by- catch them quickly with your naked eye. Chart the scene in inky thought and connect the dots how you're taught. It makes no difference, the world around, when lost inside familiar ground. You and me, we have such time to watch ourselves learn the rhyme. When floating easy in your space, view a clip, and know my face.  

What am I? Answer: Your Memory



Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on Smashwords
Free today! Coupon Code: CM55M


Brightness breezing by you today...
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! Travel into You...

Hello Riddlers! Can you guess the theme this week? I remember that my first one was a smell... interesting ; ) ~ F

Dreams and notions go streaming by- catch them quickly with your naked eye. Chart the scene in inky thought and connect the dots how you're taught. It makes no difference, the world around, when lost inside familiar ground. You and me, we have such time to watch ourselves learn the rhyme. When floating easy in your space, view a clip, and know my face.  

What am I? 

I gave you a clue!



FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED