Booking it March 2012

February reading -

I've been doing a lot better this year about being intentional about reading.  I've been reading for fun, reading for knowledge, and reading for my daughter.
For fun -
I went back and read two books from the Sierra Jensen series by Robin Jones Gunn.  I wanted to be able to remember them because my daughter will read them.  She's little now, but gets bigger every day and I want to be ahead of her on the reading list.  I read Close Your Eyes and Without a Doubt.  Both books were great.  Full of teenage wonder, curiosity, and total lack of knowledge and experience when it comes to love.  I love the way Gunn handles the subjects. 
A Sound Among The Trees by Susan Meissner was by Blogging for Books read and it was really interesting.  Not at all what I expected but I really enjoyed it, especially the parts that flashed back to the civil war.  Part of the book was written as letters from a woman to her cousin during the civil war and they were really interesting.  For more about the book check out the rest of my review here.

For Knowledge -
I really want to plant a garden this year, a little bit more than just one tomato plant. :) so...
The Backyard Orchardist - I don't really plan on planting any trees this year, but I would love to have fruit, so I read it anyways.  Unfortunately I don't have the right climate for pretty much anything that I like to eat, so probably no fruit trees in my future.
The Urban Homestead - This book was great with a lot of great information about growing in small spaces, but also just what is required to grow things.  The cool part is that they have a pretty unique way of looking at things, so even if it is information it was presented in a new way.  The only problem I had with it was that it had some language.  It was still worth the read, but be aware that the language is there.
The Backyard Homestead - This book had so much good information.  I borrowed it from the library, but it is one that I wouldn't mind buying when I had the funds.  It gave information on a lot of different aspects of gardening, land use,and preserving. 

For my daughter -
Mandie and the Forbidden Attic I'm starting to read chapter books with my little girl and she loves it.  The Mandie books seem to be a fairly easy read and she enjoys it.  We haven't finished this book yet, but like it.  This is a series that was originally written by an 11 year old girl (and published much later) it is about a little girl whose father dies, but through that she finds an uncle and a mother she never knew.  This particular story is about Mandie going to boarding school.  This is her first time away from her family and it is all new for her. 

For more great reads check out Bookin' It at http://lifeasmom.com.