Sony eReader & Travel Contest Entry

So, I thought I would enter into the Sony eReader Travel contest held over at The Vacation Gals website. The task was to write a creative, witty postcard of your dream destination and include where you are and what you brought to read. Please VOTE for my entry HERE! Once a day please!

And in honor of National Poetry Month, my entry was in poetic format. However, the formatting of the postcard stripped my poetic structure. You should get the hint anyway. If not, here's how I wrote it:

Pink blossoms of snow
contrast against the backdrop of
Osaka's ancient royal gardens.
It awakens memories
of an old Japanese tale
forever safe in electronic ink,
Under the Cherry Tree.
Clutching my eReader slightly tighter,
willing myself to remember
Beneath a canopy of pink rain
kissed by its fragrance
leaving swirls of cherry down
as I walk away.

Wishing you were here.

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling Review

The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


My 8 year old son began reading this and lost interest rather quickly. When I picked it up to read it I could understand why. It is written in period language. I am not sure even a girl of the same age would find this an easy read. Maybe it's the age. Maybe had my son been a bit older, say 10 or 12, it might have been more interesting. Aside from that, I really did enjoy the book.

I rather enjoyed the language of the book. The author did a very good job with the style of the period. It was proper, as any refined and educated girl would be expected to be.

The story is about a 15 year old girl who just graduated from Swanburne Academy. As governess, she quickly learns the truth about the "wild children" of Ashton Place and vows to treat them and educate them like children should be. She has a grand task ahead of her and shows just how exceptional a teacher she is by books end...but there is more to the story.

I knew from the beginning that this was a series of books, but did not realize that the story itself would not be finished in the first book. So, be warned, you may want to get the second and third book lined up for when you are done with the first!



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Stampede! -- A Poetic Book Review

Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School by Laura Purdie Salas

My rating: 3 of 5 stars




A children's poetry book
about an entire school year
From start to finish
the allegories quite dear

where else could you see
children all around
running and playing
situations abound?

From stampeding elephants
to swarming like bees
the kids swoop like sparrows
and swing like monkeys

A whirlwind of laughter
to hearts ever breaking
eighteen poems you'll remember
and keep your sides aching

Kids will see that
all their woes and fears
happen to everyone at some point
in their school careers

Adults will reminisce
of their school days past
brought vibrantly to life
the memories ever last



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