Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt Block and What's on Your Nightstand?

Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt Block

 

I'm participating in the monthly feature, What's on Your Nightstand?  Participants post what they've been reading the past month as well as what they're planning to read in the future.

Picture Books:
Autumnblings by Douglas Florian
wonderful autumn poems written and illustrated by Douglas Florian

The Blessing Cup by Patricia Polacco
The story of Patricia's great-grandmother Anna's life before leaving Russia and about the legacy of the family's china tea set.  It's a prequel to her well-loved book, The Keeping Quilt. 

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen
Fabulous writing and fabulous illustrations
On a winter's night under a full moon, a father and daughter trek into the woods to see the Great Horned Owl.

Owly by Mike Thaler
A great toddler book
When Owly asks his mother question after question about the world, she finds just the right ways to help him find the answers. 

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
A perfect book for the month of October!
Rebecca Estelle, an old woman who has hated pumpkins ever since she was a girl, had nothing to eat and finds herself with a full crop of them.
 
Middle Grade Novels:
Rules by Cynthia Lord - 2007 Newbery Honor Book
Realistic fiction set in contemporary Maine

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal
Fantasy set in a mall in Washington - but based on the real life of Ivan the gorilla who spent 27 years in a cage in a shopping mall in Tacoma, Washington
You can read more here.  I highly recommend this book!
     I'm reading these two novels with small groups of students at school. 

Plunked by Michael Northrop - NPR's Backseat Book Club Selection for October
A realistic fiction story about a 12-year-old boy, Jack Mogens, whose life revolves around baseball.  But during the first game of the season, he gets hit in the head with a baseball.  That really shakes him up, and he has to figure out how to get rid of his fears and step back up to the plate again.  The author spent twelve years working at Sports Illustrated Kids.  A fun, free online book club for middle graders!

Book Club Books:
State Fair: a Benni Harper Mystery by Earlene Fowler for the online Quilters' Book Club
Mystery set in the fictional town of San Celina, California, which is based on the real town of San Luis Obispo, California.

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway for my local book club
One of the selections for the All Pikes Peak Reads - our library district's annual community reads project.  It's held every September and October.  The One and Only Ivan above is the children's selection this year.

Books I've Listened to:
Call the Midwife by Jennifer Worth
I've watched this series on PBS and have really enjoyed it so wanted to listen to the book, 11 CD's in all.  The book is a memoir set in the impoverished Poplar district of East London in the 1950's.  Jennifer served there as a midwife with the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent (part of the Anglican religious order.)  If you have watched the series, I think you'll enjoy listening to this book, too.   

Cookbooks:
Get-Togethers with Gooseberry Patch: Food to Bring Family and Friends to the Table
The recipes are arranged by seasons in this colorful and fun cookbook.

Just for Fun:
Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman. 
Southern fiction set in Savannah, Georgia
I read another book by Beth last month so asked for another one of her books at my local library.  I really enjoy this author's writing and would read any book she writes!
Favorite quote:  "When we're born, the Good Lord gives each of us a Life Book.  Chapter by chapter, we live and learn...It's not a book you can see or touch.  It's a book that's held deep within your heart.  It's guarded by your spirit...When a chapter of your Life Book is complete, your spirit knows it's time to turn the page so a new chapter can begin.  Even when you're scared or think you're not ready, your spirit knows you are."

Creative Grandparenting: How to Love and Nurture a New Generation by Jerry and Judy Schreur with granddaughter Erin Schreur 
A dear friend sent this to us as a surprise when she found out that we had become grandparents. 

What's on your nightstand?  Inquiring minds want to know!  Answer in the comment section below.  If you are reading via email, you must first
click on the blog title to be able to comment and read the comments of others.  By commenting, you are entering your name in a giveaway for a $20 gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop!  The more times you comment throughout the month, the greater your chances of winning!  A big thank you to Fat Quarter Shop for this wonderful giveaway!

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.