Happy Blogiversary to us!!!!!!

Hey there Marauders.

Padfoot and Prongs here bringing you a very special post. That's right, 2 years ago today P&P were sitting in pretty much the same positions in front of our CP's writing our very first post. Crazy right!?! We are amazed, shocked, and proud to have been producing literary posts for this long with no end in site.

We thought in honor of our 2 years it would be fun to kind of 'recap' some of our favorites things we have done for you all and talk about what we are looking forward in the next 2 years of our blog life.

Favorite Posts

Padfoot: One big moment for me had to be when we opened up our Etsy store. I was incredibly proud of the items we made, and also so happy that we got such a great response. Although the store is on hiatus, I look forward to bringing it back in the near future and to continue making the best literary items we can :).

Prongs: This is probably a favorite moment+favorite post. When I turned 20 I sent Ray Bradbury a 'love letter' after finishing 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. In it I told him about how Bradbury and I have birthdays 1 day apart, just like the 2 main characters in his book. He responded with a fabulous Birthday Card for me, that I still cherishhhhh.

Favorite Books:

Padfoot: An obvious choice for me would be Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This was my first reading of the book, and has become one of my favorite books of all time. Also, even though I never wrote a review for it, I'd have to say Paradise Lost by John Milton. I read it for the first time in a Milton class that I took here at Ohio State, and although it was VERY hard to read (even with help of the class) I still think it is one of the most beautiful books I've read lately.

Prongs: It is crazy to look back at the reviews and remember some of the wonderful titles I have gotten through over the past few years.

I'd have to say the 2 that stand out most in my mind are East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. Both titles has a strong visceral impact on me, and their lessons and words have stayed with me till this day. They are also 2 of the reviews that I am post proud of.

Favorite Moments:

Padfoot: I'd have to say my moment would be meeting Ernest Hemingway's grandson. If you would harken back with us to this post here you will remember what a grand old time we had drawing pictures and not paying attention to his crazy stories. And also again, opening up our Etsy store!

Prongs: I'm not sure if I would say 'favorite' as much as 'memorable', but all of the Harry Potter moments that we have shared together, plus with other bloggers have been some of my favorite memories. I remember writing 'this' nerd note about the ending of HP and it is still s true today as it was back then. It has been fantastic to be apart of a community that can share in our similar love.

Another favorite moment was designing our first 'Good Books Inc' shirt. Little did I know that sitting and making a simple design would be the first step into making 'Good Books Inc' a reality, and it is amazing to see how far we have come since those early days.

2 years+ and beyond....

Being the new year + our blogiversary, it seems only fitting that we discuss what we have planned for the blog in the future. If you have been following us at all you know some brief tidbits about our plans, but here is a better look of what is in store for your favorite marauders....

- A 'Good Books' podcast, hosted by yours truly. We will discuss various literary topics, books, and just generally anything new going on in the literary world.
- Good Books Inc 'Ready is Sexy Calender 2012'. Over the next year we will be hard at work compiling a calender for all you literary lovers featuring various 'models' from the literary world in some alluring poses while doing the thing we love best... READING!
- Interviews with authors, bloggers, and literary folk in general. We plan on doing some interesting interviews here in the near future with some exciting interviewees you are sure to love.
- More reviews, posts, and of course contests!!!

There you have it folks, so much to look forward to in 2011. Padfoot and Prongs will be taking the next few weeks off to holiday it up at home, and to start preparations for the new year. We will return with everything we have mentioned and more, including your old favorites 'Tattoo Tuesdays' and 'caption contests'.

From the bottom of our mischievous hearts we want to thank you all again soooo much for an amazing 2 years of literary goodness. We had no idea when we started this blog what kind of wild ride we were in for, and we couldn't be happier.

read and rock on guys!

Happy Blogiversary to us!!!!!!

Hey there Marauders.

Padfoot and Prongs here bringing you a very special post. That's right, 2 years ago today P&P were sitting in pretty much the same positions in front of our CP's writing our very first post. Crazy right!?! We are amazed, shocked, and proud to have been producing literary posts for this long with no end in site.

We thought in honor of our 2 years it would be fun to kind of 'recap' some of our favorites things we have done for you all and talk about what we are looking forward in the next 2 years of our blog life.

Favorite Posts

Padfoot: One big moment for me had to be when we opened up our Etsy store. I was incredibly proud of the items we made, and also so happy that we got such a great response. Although the store is on hiatus, I look forward to bringing it back in the near future and to continue making the best literary items we can :).

Prongs: This is probably a favorite moment+favorite post. When I turned 20 I sent Ray Bradbury a 'love letter' after finishing 'Something Wicked This Way Comes'. In it I told him about how Bradbury and I have birthdays 1 day apart, just like the 2 main characters in his book. He responded with a fabulous Birthday Card for me, that I still cherishhhhh.

Favorite Books:

Padfoot: An obvious choice for me would be Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This was my first reading of the book, and has become one of my favorite books of all time. Also, even though I never wrote a review for it, I'd have to say Paradise Lost by John Milton. I read it for the first time in a Milton class that I took here at Ohio State, and although it was VERY hard to read (even with help of the class) I still think it is one of the most beautiful books I've read lately.

Prongs: It is crazy to look back at the reviews and remember some of the wonderful titles I have gotten through over the past few years.

I'd have to say the 2 that stand out most in my mind are East of Eden by John Steinbeck and Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut. Both titles has a strong visceral impact on me, and their lessons and words have stayed with me till this day. They are also 2 of the reviews that I am post proud of.

Favorite Moments:

Padfoot: I'd have to say my moment would be meeting Ernest Hemingway's grandson. If you would harken back with us to this post here you will remember what a grand old time we had drawing pictures and not paying attention to his crazy stories. And also again, opening up our Etsy store!

Prongs: I'm not sure if I would say 'favorite' as much as 'memorable', but all of the Harry Potter moments that we have shared together, plus with other bloggers have been some of my favorite memories. I remember writing 'this' nerd note about the ending of HP and it is still s true today as it was back then. It has been fantastic to be apart of a community that can share in our similar love.

Another favorite moment was designing our first 'Good Books Inc' shirt. Little did I know that sitting and making a simple design would be the first step into making 'Good Books Inc' a reality, and it is amazing to see how far we have come since those early days.

2 years+ and beyond....

Being the new year + our blogiversary, it seems only fitting that we discuss what we have planned for the blog in the future. If you have been following us at all you know some brief tidbits about our plans, but here is a better look of what is in store for your favorite marauders....

- A 'Good Books' podcast, hosted by yours truly. We will discuss various literary topics, books, and just generally anything new going on in the literary world.
- Good Books Inc 'Ready is Sexy Calender 2012'. Over the next year we will be hard at work compiling a calender for all you literary lovers featuring various 'models' from the literary world in some alluring poses while doing the thing we love best... READING!
- Interviews with authors, bloggers, and literary folk in general. We plan on doing some interesting interviews here in the near future with some exciting interviewees you are sure to love.
- More reviews, posts, and of course contests!!!

There you have it folks, so much to look forward to in 2011. Padfoot and Prongs will be taking the next few weeks off to holiday it up at home, and to start preparations for the new year. We will return with everything we have mentioned and more, including your old favorites 'Tattoo Tuesdays' and 'caption contests'.

From the bottom of our mischievous hearts we want to thank you all again soooo much for an amazing 2 years of literary goodness. We had no idea when we started this blog what kind of wild ride we were in for, and we couldn't be happier.

read and rock on guys!

Tattoo Tuesday!!

Hey there Marauders!! It's our favorite time of the week once again!!
For those of you who are new to the site here's a bit of background. Tattoo Tuesday was started by our good friend Tara over at 25HourBooks and celebrates our love of literature plus the people like us who are obsessed enough to ink something literary on their body! Every week we feature a literary tattoo that interests or compels us. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ink.
This week one of our lovely readers, we have a tattoo from Molly, on one of our favorite sites, Contrariwise.org

Personally, this is one of the coolest tattoos we've seen in a long time!




Here's Molly story of her tattoo:
"This tattoo was inspired by a trip to Bread Loaf this summer, where I studied poetry with Ellen Bryant Voigt. I have always admired the ways we can re-imagine poems outside of typical lineation, how poems can become sculptures and books can be objects of art with textures and breath. A bit of fortune converged with my desire: I have a dear friend in my MFA program whose husband happens to be a tattoo artist, and that husband just so wanted to spend some time on a letterpress, and I had just acquired a Kelsey platen press. A trade was proposed, and Shawn designed the whole thing with wings in mind, something that would also resemble lungs and breathing and the lift of freedom at the end of Sharon Olds‘ oft-studied “I Go Back to May 1937.” The poem is there, on my arm, in its entirety. Olds is my most beloved living poet, and this poem speaks to me with my own work–taking life experiences and professing: “Do what you are going to do, and I will tell about it.” Olds once said that poetry comes out of her lungs, and now I have this reminder, this collection of gorgeous language, that tells me again and again: don’t forget to breathe, don’t forget who you are."



Alright folks, that is all for this Tuesday. Don't be too remiss, for we will return next and every Tuesday with a brand new literary tattoo for your viewing pleasure. We encourage every one to check out Tara's site as well, or even feel free to send us an e-mail with any tattoo's of your own!

Tattoo Tuesday!!

Hey there Marauders!! It's our favorite time of the week once again!!
For those of you who are new to the site here's a bit of background. Tattoo Tuesday was started by our good friend Tara over at 25HourBooks and celebrates our love of literature plus the people like us who are obsessed enough to ink something literary on their body! Every week we feature a literary tattoo that interests or compels us. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ink.
This week one of our lovely readers, we have a tattoo from Molly, on one of our favorite sites, Contrariwise.org

Personally, this is one of the coolest tattoos we've seen in a long time!




Here's Molly story of her tattoo:
"This tattoo was inspired by a trip to Bread Loaf this summer, where I studied poetry with Ellen Bryant Voigt. I have always admired the ways we can re-imagine poems outside of typical lineation, how poems can become sculptures and books can be objects of art with textures and breath. A bit of fortune converged with my desire: I have a dear friend in my MFA program whose husband happens to be a tattoo artist, and that husband just so wanted to spend some time on a letterpress, and I had just acquired a Kelsey platen press. A trade was proposed, and Shawn designed the whole thing with wings in mind, something that would also resemble lungs and breathing and the lift of freedom at the end of Sharon Olds‘ oft-studied “I Go Back to May 1937.” The poem is there, on my arm, in its entirety. Olds is my most beloved living poet, and this poem speaks to me with my own work–taking life experiences and professing: “Do what you are going to do, and I will tell about it.” Olds once said that poetry comes out of her lungs, and now I have this reminder, this collection of gorgeous language, that tells me again and again: don’t forget to breathe, don’t forget who you are."



Alright folks, that is all for this Tuesday. Don't be too remiss, for we will return next and every Tuesday with a brand new literary tattoo for your viewing pleasure. We encourage every one to check out Tara's site as well, or even feel free to send us an e-mail with any tattoo's of your own!

Bronte Sisters: Action Figures!!

Hey there Marauders. Padfoot and Prongs here just giving you something hilarious for your humpday. Hope your weeks are going well! P&P are hard at work on stuff for the blog/the literary world in general. We have so much in store for you guys and we can't wait to share!
Until then... enjoy these HILARIOUS literary video.

Bronte Sisters: Action Figures!!

Hey there Marauders. Padfoot and Prongs here just giving you something hilarious for your humpday. Hope your weeks are going well! P&P are hard at work on stuff for the blog/the literary world in general. We have so much in store for you guys and we can't wait to share!
Until then... enjoy these HILARIOUS literary video.

Tattoo Tuesday: Bradbury

Hey there Marauders!! It's our favorite time of the week once again!!
For those of you who are new to the site here's a bit of background. Tattoo Tuesday was started by our good friend Tara over at 25HourBooks and celebrates our love of literature plus the people like us who are obsessed enough to ink something literary on their body! Every week we feature a literary tattoo that interests or compels us. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ink.

This weeks tattoo comes from Contrariwise and belong to a J. Rippel

The tattoo text is taken from the first lines in Ray Bradbury's poem: 'Byzantium' Which happens to be Prongs 2nd favorite poem of all time. It can be found in the introduction of Bradbury's book 'Dandelion Wine.'
The poem is about Bradbury's relationship to his hometown, and plays off of the poem of the same name by Yeat's (which is one of my other all time favorites).

And lucky you... today we have the whole poem for your reading pleasure!

Byzantium, I come not from,
But from another time and place
Whose race was simple, tried and true;
As boy
I dropped me forth in Illinois.
A name with neither love nor grace
Was Waukegan, there I came from
And not, good friends, Byzantium.
And yet in looking back I see
From topmost part of farthest tree
A land as bright, beloved and blue
As any Yeats found to be true.
So we grew up with mythic dead
To spoon upon midwestern bread
And spread old gods’ bright marmalade
To slake in peanut-butter shade,
Pretending there beneath our sky
That it was Aphrodite’s thigh…
While by the porch-rail calm and bold
His words pure wisdom, stare pure gold
My grandfather, a myth indeed,
Did all of Plato supercede
While Grandmama in rockingchair
Sewed up the raveled sleeve of care
Crocheted cool snowflakes rare and bright
To winter us on summer night.
And uncles, gathered with their smokes
Emitted wisdoms masked as jokes,
And aunts as wise as Delphic maids
Dispensed prophetic lemonades
To boys knelt there as acolytes
To Grecian porch on summer nights;
Then went to bed, there to repent
The evils of the innocent;
The gnat-sins sizzling in their ears
Said, through the nights and through the years
Not Illinois nor Waukegan
But blither sky and blither sun.
Though mediocre all our Fates
And Mayor not as bright as Yeats
Yet still we knew ourselves. The sum?
Byzantuim.
Byzantuim.


Beautiful right? The first 3 lines are high up on Prongs list of tattoos to get. Were you just as inspired?

Alright folks, that is all for this Tuesday. Don't be too remiss, for we will return next and every Tuesday with a brand new literary tattoo for your viewing pleasure. We encourage every one to check out Tara's site as well, or even feel free to send us an e-mail with any tattoo's of your own!

Tattoo Tuesday: Bradbury

Hey there Marauders!! It's our favorite time of the week once again!!
For those of you who are new to the site here's a bit of background. Tattoo Tuesday was started by our good friend Tara over at 25HourBooks and celebrates our love of literature plus the people like us who are obsessed enough to ink something literary on their body! Every week we feature a literary tattoo that interests or compels us. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ink.

This weeks tattoo comes from Contrariwise and belong to a J. Rippel

The tattoo text is taken from the first lines in Ray Bradbury's poem: 'Byzantium' Which happens to be Prongs 2nd favorite poem of all time. It can be found in the introduction of Bradbury's book 'Dandelion Wine.'
The poem is about Bradbury's relationship to his hometown, and plays off of the poem of the same name by Yeat's (which is one of my other all time favorites).

And lucky you... today we have the whole poem for your reading pleasure!

Byzantium, I come not from,
But from another time and place
Whose race was simple, tried and true;
As boy
I dropped me forth in Illinois.
A name with neither love nor grace
Was Waukegan, there I came from
And not, good friends, Byzantium.
And yet in looking back I see
From topmost part of farthest tree
A land as bright, beloved and blue
As any Yeats found to be true.
So we grew up with mythic dead
To spoon upon midwestern bread
And spread old gods’ bright marmalade
To slake in peanut-butter shade,
Pretending there beneath our sky
That it was Aphrodite’s thigh…
While by the porch-rail calm and bold
His words pure wisdom, stare pure gold
My grandfather, a myth indeed,
Did all of Plato supercede
While Grandmama in rockingchair
Sewed up the raveled sleeve of care
Crocheted cool snowflakes rare and bright
To winter us on summer night.
And uncles, gathered with their smokes
Emitted wisdoms masked as jokes,
And aunts as wise as Delphic maids
Dispensed prophetic lemonades
To boys knelt there as acolytes
To Grecian porch on summer nights;
Then went to bed, there to repent
The evils of the innocent;
The gnat-sins sizzling in their ears
Said, through the nights and through the years
Not Illinois nor Waukegan
But blither sky and blither sun.
Though mediocre all our Fates
And Mayor not as bright as Yeats
Yet still we knew ourselves. The sum?
Byzantuim.
Byzantuim.


Beautiful right? The first 3 lines are high up on Prongs list of tattoos to get. Were you just as inspired?

Alright folks, that is all for this Tuesday. Don't be too remiss, for we will return next and every Tuesday with a brand new literary tattoo for your viewing pleasure. We encourage every one to check out Tara's site as well, or even feel free to send us an e-mail with any tattoo's of your own!

Let it Snow!!

Photo Credit: Yserbius123 on Twitter. To see this scenario happen in real life,
please hashtag #gaimanbubblebath.

Good afternoon ye ol' readers!

Padfoot here, playing on my brand-new early Xmas present: Macbook Pro! I cannot peel my eyes away from the computer screen, and it's snowing like crazy out, so I thought I'd do something productive and share with you a nice little walk down memory lane. Here it is, the best selling children's books of all time!

http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0203050.html

Paperback

Here are the best-selling children's books of all time (through the end of 2000), with author and year of initial publication, compiled by Publishers Weekly. OP means the book is no longer in print.

1. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
2. The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (1968)
3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume (1976)
4. Love You Forever, Robert Munsch; illustrated by Sheila McGraw (1986)
5. Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls (1973)
6. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell (1971)
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling (1999)
8. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume (1972)
9. Shane, Jack Schaeffer (1972)
10. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks (1982)
11. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
12. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
13. Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
14. The Incredible Journey, Sheila Burnford (1984)
15. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1968)
16. Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes (1969)
17. Just Me and My Dad, Mercer Mayer (1977)
18. Go Ask Alice, Anonymous (1976)
19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. J. K. Rowling (2000)
20. Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Judy Blume (1976)
21. Blubber, Judy Blume (1976)
22. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare (1972)
23. Superfudge, Judy Blume (1981)
24. Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (1987)
25. Freckle Juice, Judy Blume (1978)
26. On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
27. That Was Then, This Is Now, S. E. Hinton (1972)
28. Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Louis Sachar (1985)
29. The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger (1951)
30. Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
31. Just Go to Bed, Mercer Mayer (1993)
32. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak (1984)
33. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
34. The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
35. The Berenstain Bears' New Baby, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1974)
36. By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
37. Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
38. The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
39. The Pigman, Paul Zindel (1978)
40. The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1961)
41. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg (1973)
42. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad, Mercer Mayer (1982)
43. Just Grandma and Me, Mercer Mayer (1975)
44. Just for You, Mercer Mayer (1975)
45. Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan (1987)
46. When the Legends Die, Hal Borland (1984)
47. Bunnicula, James Howe (1980)
48. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Nancy Burkert (1988)
49. The Berenstain Bears Go to School, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1978)
50. The Night Before Christmas, Clement Hurd; illustrated by Douglas Gorsline (1975)
51. These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
52. All By Myself, Mercer Mayer (1983)
53. Stuart Little, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
54. The First Four Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
55. Hatchet, Gary Paulsen (1988)
56. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson (1979)
57. The Cay, Theodore Taylor (1970)
58. Kristy's Great Idea (Babysitters Club #1), Ann M. Martin (1986)
59. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
60. Then Again, Maybe I Won't, Judy Blume (1973)
61. I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer (1983)
62. The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
63. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1994)
64. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
65. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (1988)
66. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
67. The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
68. Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George (1974)
69. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
70. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
71. Gremlins, George Jipe (1984) OP
72. Stone Fox, John Gardner; illustrated by Marcia Sewall (1983)
73. I Just Forgot, Mercer Mayer (1988)
74. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1976)
75. How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell (1975)
76. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary (1980)
77. When I Get Bigger, Mercer Mayer (1983)
78. The Berenstain Bears in the Dark, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
79. 500 Words to Grow On, Harry McNaught (1973)
80. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor (1984)
81. Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1987)
82. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry (1990)
83. The Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White; illustrated by Edward Frascino (1973)
84. The Cricket in Times Square, George Selden; illustrated by Garth Williams (1970)
85. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry (1956)
86. It's Not What You Expect, Norma Klein (1976) OP
87. Matilda, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake (1990)
88. The New Baby, Mercer Mayer (1983)
89. The Chocolate Touch, Patrick Catling (1984)
90. Corduroy, Don Freeman (1976)
91. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (1970)
92. The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
93. The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
94. Sounder, William H. Armstrong (1972)
95. The Return of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1987)
96. The Kitten Book, Jan Pfloog (1968)
97. Dinosaurs, Peter Zallinger (1977)
98. Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays (1977)
99. The Truck Book, Harry McNaught (1978)
100. Barney's Hats (1993)
101. The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (1984)
102. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Judy Blume (1978)
103. The Berenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
104. Farm Animals, Phoebe Dunn (1984)
105. Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You, Richard Scarry (1973)
106. Rascal, Sterling North (1964)
107. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (Babysitters Club #2), Ann M. Martin (1986)
108. Just Me and My Mom, Mercer Mayer (1990)
109. Me Too! Mercer Mayer (1983)
110. A Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
111. Iggie's House, Judy Blume (1976)
112. Meet Samantha, Susan Adler; illustrated by Dan Andreasen (1986)
113. Poems & Prayers for the Very Young, Martha Alexander (1973)
114. The Farm Book, Jan Pfloog (1964)
115. The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
116. Just Me and My Puppy, Mercer Mayer (1985)
117. Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1), R. L. Stine (1992)
118. The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier (1986)
119. Chocolate Fever, Robert K. Smith (1978)
120. Say Cheese and Die (Goosebumps #4), R. L. Stine (1992)
121. Meet Addy, Connie Porter; illustrated by Dahl Taylor and Melodye Rosales (1993)
122. Frog and Toad Are Friends, Arnold Lobel (1979)
123. The Alphabet Book, P. D. Eastman (1974)
124. The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1988)
125. Rumble Fish, S. E. Hinton (1976)
126. The Little Duck, Judy Dunn; photos by Phoebe Dunn (1976)
127. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Madeleine L'Engle (1979)
128. The Secret of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1990)
129. Curious George, H. A. and Margret Rey (1973)
130. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (1979)
131. Good Work, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish (1996)
132. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
133. The Zoo Book, Jan Pfloog (1967)
134. 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith (1976) OP
135. The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
136. The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
137. In & Out, Up & Down, Michael Smollin (1982)
138. Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1983)
139. The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
140. The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
141. Amelia Bedelia and the Baby, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1982)
142. Just Shopping with Mom, Mercer Mayer (1989)
143. Richard Scarry's Find Your ABC's, Richard Scarry (1973)
144. Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum, (1974) OP
145. The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
146. Sunshine, Norma Klein (1976) OP
147. Deenie, Judy Blume (1974)
148. The Berenstain Bears and Moving Day, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
149. Meet Kirsten, Janet Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef (1986)
150. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Norman Bridwell (1985)

Holy crap, I'm feeling old! Berenstain Bears?!?! Superfudge!?! Time to do some Googling and relive my childhood...

Which ones on the list, or not, were your favorites??

Let it Snow!!

Photo Credit: Yserbius123 on Twitter. To see this scenario happen in real life,
please hashtag #gaimanbubblebath.

Good afternoon ye ol' readers!

Padfoot here, playing on my brand-new early Xmas present: Macbook Pro! I cannot peel my eyes away from the computer screen, and it's snowing like crazy out, so I thought I'd do something productive and share with you a nice little walk down memory lane. Here it is, the best selling children's books of all time!

http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0203050.html

Paperback

Here are the best-selling children's books of all time (through the end of 2000), with author and year of initial publication, compiled by Publishers Weekly. OP means the book is no longer in print.

1. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
2. The Outsiders, S. E. Hinton (1968)
3. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Judy Blume (1976)
4. Love You Forever, Robert Munsch; illustrated by Sheila McGraw (1986)
5. Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls (1973)
6. Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell (1971)
7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, J. K. Rowling (1999)
8. Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, Judy Blume (1972)
9. Shane, Jack Schaeffer (1972)
10. The Indian in the Cupboard, Lynne Reid Banks (1982)
11. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
12. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
13. Little House in the Big Woods, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
14. The Incredible Journey, Sheila Burnford (1984)
15. The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1968)
16. Johnny Tremain, Esther Forbes (1969)
17. Just Me and My Dad, Mercer Mayer (1977)
18. Go Ask Alice, Anonymous (1976)
19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. J. K. Rowling (2000)
20. Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great, Judy Blume (1976)
21. Blubber, Judy Blume (1976)
22. The Witch of Blackbird Pond, Elizabeth George Speare (1972)
23. Superfudge, Judy Blume (1981)
24. Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson (1987)
25. Freckle Juice, Judy Blume (1978)
26. On the Banks of Plum Creek, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
27. That Was Then, This Is Now, S. E. Hinton (1972)
28. Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Louis Sachar (1985)
29. The Catcher in the Rye, J. D. Salinger (1951)
30. Farmer Boy, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
31. Just Go to Bed, Mercer Mayer (1993)
32. Where the Wild Things Are, Maurice Sendak (1984)
33. Goodnight Moon, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
34. The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
35. The Berenstain Bears' New Baby, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1974)
36. By the Shores of Silver Lake, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
37. Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
38. The Berenstain Bears and the Messy Room, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
39. The Pigman, Paul Zindel (1978)
40. The Yearling, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1961)
41. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E. L. Konigsburg (1973)
42. Merry Christmas, Mom and Dad, Mercer Mayer (1982)
43. Just Grandma and Me, Mercer Mayer (1975)
44. Just for You, Mercer Mayer (1975)
45. Sarah, Plain and Tall, Patricia MacLachlan (1987)
46. When the Legends Die, Hal Borland (1984)
47. Bunnicula, James Howe (1980)
48. James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Nancy Burkert (1988)
49. The Berenstain Bears Go to School, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1978)
50. The Night Before Christmas, Clement Hurd; illustrated by Douglas Gorsline (1975)
51. These Happy Golden Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
52. All By Myself, Mercer Mayer (1983)
53. Stuart Little, E. B. White; illustrated by Garth Williams (1974)
54. The First Four Years, Laura Ingalls Wilder; illustrated by Garth Williams (1971)
55. Hatchet, Gary Paulsen (1988)
56. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Barbara Robinson (1979)
57. The Cay, Theodore Taylor (1970)
58. Kristy's Great Idea (Babysitters Club #1), Ann M. Martin (1986)
59. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
60. Then Again, Maybe I Won't, Judy Blume (1973)
61. I Was So Mad, Mercer Mayer (1983)
62. The Berenstain Bears Meet Santa Bear, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
63. The Giver, Lois Lowry (1994)
64. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much TV, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1984)
65. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl (1988)
66. The Berenstain Bears Forget Their Manners, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
67. The Berenstain Bears Learn About Strangers, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1985)
68. Julie of the Wolves, Jean Craighead George (1974)
69. The Berenstain Bears Visit the Dentist, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
70. The Berenstain Bears and the Truth, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1983)
71. Gremlins, George Jipe (1984) OP
72. Stone Fox, John Gardner; illustrated by Marcia Sewall (1983)
73. I Just Forgot, Mercer Mayer (1988)
74. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst, illustrated by Ray Cruz (1976)
75. How to Eat Fried Worms, Thomas Rockwell (1975)
76. The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beverly Cleary (1980)
77. When I Get Bigger, Mercer Mayer (1983)
78. The Berenstain Bears in the Dark, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
79. 500 Words to Grow On, Harry McNaught (1973)
80. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, Mildred Taylor (1984)
81. Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1987)
82. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry (1990)
83. The Trumpet of the Swan, E. B. White; illustrated by Edward Frascino (1973)
84. The Cricket in Times Square, George Selden; illustrated by Garth Williams (1970)
85. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry (1956)
86. It's Not What You Expect, Norma Klein (1976) OP
87. Matilda, Roald Dahl; illustrated by Quentin Blake (1990)
88. The New Baby, Mercer Mayer (1983)
89. The Chocolate Touch, Patrick Catling (1984)
90. Corduroy, Don Freeman (1976)
91. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S. Lewis (1970)
92. The Berenstain Bears Go to the Doctor, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
93. The Berenstain Bears Get in a Fight, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
94. Sounder, William H. Armstrong (1972)
95. The Return of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1987)
96. The Kitten Book, Jan Pfloog (1968)
97. Dinosaurs, Peter Zallinger (1977)
98. Wee Sing Children's Songs and Fingerplays (1977)
99. The Truck Book, Harry McNaught (1978)
100. Barney's Hats (1993)
101. The Sign of the Beaver, Elizabeth George Speare (1984)
102. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself, Judy Blume (1978)
103. The Berenstain Bears: No Girls Allowed, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
104. Farm Animals, Phoebe Dunn (1984)
105. Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You, Richard Scarry (1973)
106. Rascal, Sterling North (1964)
107. Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls (Babysitters Club #2), Ann M. Martin (1986)
108. Just Me and My Mom, Mercer Mayer (1990)
109. Me Too! Mercer Mayer (1983)
110. A Wind in the Door, Madeleine L'Engle (1974)
111. Iggie's House, Judy Blume (1976)
112. Meet Samantha, Susan Adler; illustrated by Dan Andreasen (1986)
113. Poems & Prayers for the Very Young, Martha Alexander (1973)
114. The Farm Book, Jan Pfloog (1964)
115. The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
116. Just Me and My Puppy, Mercer Mayer (1985)
117. Welcome to Dead House (Goosebumps #1), R. L. Stine (1992)
118. The Chocolate War, Robert Cormier (1986)
119. Chocolate Fever, Robert K. Smith (1978)
120. Say Cheese and Die (Goosebumps #4), R. L. Stine (1992)
121. Meet Addy, Connie Porter; illustrated by Dahl Taylor and Melodye Rosales (1993)
122. Frog and Toad Are Friends, Arnold Lobel (1979)
123. The Alphabet Book, P. D. Eastman (1974)
124. The Berenstain Bears Get the Gimmies, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1988)
125. Rumble Fish, S. E. Hinton (1976)
126. The Little Duck, Judy Dunn; photos by Phoebe Dunn (1976)
127. A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Madeleine L'Engle (1979)
128. The Secret of the Indian, Lynne Reid Banks (1990)
129. Curious George, H. A. and Margret Rey (1973)
130. The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams (1979)
131. Good Work, Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish (1996)
132. The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Birthday, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
133. The Zoo Book, Jan Pfloog (1967)
134. 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith (1976) OP
135. The Berenstain Bears and the Trouble with Friends, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
136. The Berenstain Bears and the Week at Grandma's, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1986)
137. In & Out, Up & Down, Michael Smollin (1982)
138. Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel (1983)
139. The Berenstain Bears Go Out for the Team, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1987)
140. The Berenstain Bears Go to Camp, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1982)
141. Amelia Bedelia and the Baby, Peggy Parish; illustrated by Lynn Sweat (1982)
142. Just Shopping with Mom, Mercer Mayer (1989)
143. Richard Scarry's Find Your ABC's, Richard Scarry (1973)
144. Grover and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Museum, (1974) OP
145. The Runaway Bunny, Margaret Wise Brown; illustrated by Clement Hurd (1977)
146. Sunshine, Norma Klein (1976) OP
147. Deenie, Judy Blume (1974)
148. The Berenstain Bears and Moving Day, Stan and Jan Berenstain (1981)
149. Meet Kirsten, Janet Shaw; illustrated by Renee Graef (1986)
150. Clifford the Big Red Dog, Norman Bridwell (1985)

Holy crap, I'm feeling old! Berenstain Bears?!?! Superfudge!?! Time to do some Googling and relive my childhood...

Which ones on the list, or not, were your favorites??

Prongs 19th Review : The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson

Preface: As some of our older readers may know, for the past 2 years or so I have been devoting myself to the reading of ‘Classics’ or at least what I consider to constitute classics. It is only recently that I have taken off the modern blinders I have been wearing (aka. My hand physically hiding titles when I walk into bookstores) and begun to play catch up on the last 15 years or so of literature. I have made a brief but succinct list of titles that are essential modern works and once those are done I can finally rejoin the rest of the world in embracing new releases. The ‘Millennium Trilogy’ was high up on the list of titles due to its international success as well as intriguing background of the now deceased author. Assuming that most of you have read at least the first book in this series, I will tell you right now there are some SPOILERS, but nothing that will absolutely ruin the story for you.

As I have only read the first part in the ‘Millennium Trilogy’ I was hesitant to write a review on a book that is meant to be accompanied by two other works. However, I have made the executive decision that while ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is meant to be read with its sequels, the novel can stand on its own as a piece of writing complete in all areas of ‘literary checkpoints.’ From the beginning author Stieg Larsson sets us on a slow, complicated journey with Casanova-journalist extraordinaire Mikael Blomkvist into a world of Swedish secrecy, seduction, and above all scandal. Scorned professionally after losing a brutal ‘libel’ case against a powerhouse industrialist, Mikael is given the perfect opportunity to reestablish his reputation when he meets the intriguing Henrik Vagner, ex-tycoon and devoted uncle to the 40-years missing Harriet Vagner. Henrik hires Mikael to aid him in the solving the seemingly impossible case of his missing niece and in return guarantees Mikael a way to win back his integrity at Mikael’s failing ‘Millennium Newspaper’.

Under the false pretenses of writing the ‘Vagner Family History,’ Mikael begins to blunder his way through the records of the intricate Vagner clan, unintentionally uncovering family secrets which have been buried for years. Mikael’s quest begins slowly but picks up speeds as our modern day heroine Lisbeth Salander’s story makes itself known. Working as a private eye, the ‘dragon tattooed’ Lisbeth Salander enters the story gently but makes soon her presence roughly felt proving herself to be a feminine force to be reckoned with. A friend of mine made the comment that Lisbeth seemed almost like a surprise to the author and I would have to agree. While the work seems to focus originally on Mikael, Lisbeth’s allure is undeniable as her character quickly becomes the unexpected femme fatale that literary lover’s dream of. Larsson takes his time uniting Lisbeth and Mikael, but once the two characters are finally brought together the story races ahead with full force keeping the reader on edge until the very end.

“In her world, this was the natural order of things. As a girl she was legal prey, especially if she was dressed in worn black leather jacket and had pierced eyebrows, tattoos, and zero social status… On the other hand, there was no question of Advokat Bjurman going unpunished. Salnder never forgot an injustice, and by nature she was anything but forgiving.’

The supporting characters all lend a hand in the complicated web that the Vagner family has spun. Unless you have a proclivity for distinguishing Swedish names, I would suggest copying the family tree down and keeping it handy. The motivations of all characters, even minor ones, is essential to understanding the events that unfold and the justifications for almost every plot point. With out the complexity of every single characters morals, this book would easily have slipped off into 'thriller genre' obscurity.

This is the second book in a row I have read where the author seems to forgo elaborate prose for the sake of detailed action. The plot moves along at a slow simmer burning up the pages with its violent bursts of sexual and physical aggression that culminate at the big reveal. “Eighteen percent of women in Sweden have at one time been threatened by a man.” From these first words you know that this book is going to be brutal. The writing has a distinct ‘European’ feel, especially when Larsson tackles issues of sexuality and violence. Not a fan of the euphemism, Larsson writes explicitly about the sexual conquests and retributions of a variety of characters, laying out events in a blunt fashion that can set even the strongest of stomachs on edge. From Wikipedia I read that “Larsson, who was disgusted by sexual violence, witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was 15. He never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth.” Through this story Larsson is able to empower that young girl as well as himself, creating an environment for him to seek vengeance on the ‘men who hate women’ (Which is the Swedish translation of the books title.)

Apart from the two major plot lines, ‘Dragon Tattoo’ is riddled with side stories and commentary about the state of political, economic, and moral affairs in Sweden. Larsson does a superb job in collecting bits of historical trivia and references to tie in the fact with the fiction, helping to immerse the reader in to a perhaps unmerited view of modern day Swedish life. With enough of the fantastical to keep it interesting, and enough of the factual to make it plausible this modern day mystery seems like it could be found on the headlines of tomorrows news. It is the kind of story that keeps entire towns discussing theories for days, the kind of events that ignite discussions. This is the book that the ‘Da Vinci Code’ wishes it could be.

I was impressed by ‘Dragon Tattoo’ for accomplishing all of the things I hope to walk away from a story with. Suspense, intrigue, style, and integrity; this work stands alone in the abundance of mystery-thrillers that can never seem to pull off all of these elements at once. As soon as I turned the last page I rushed to Amazon to order the next installment. If that work shows half of the command that ‘Dragon Tattoo’ did… I am sure I will be reviewing it too.

Prongs 19th Review : The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Stieg Larsson

Preface: As some of our older readers may know, for the past 2 years or so I have been devoting myself to the reading of ‘Classics’ or at least what I consider to constitute classics. It is only recently that I have taken off the modern blinders I have been wearing (aka. My hand physically hiding titles when I walk into bookstores) and begun to play catch up on the last 15 years or so of literature. I have made a brief but succinct list of titles that are essential modern works and once those are done I can finally rejoin the rest of the world in embracing new releases. The ‘Millennium Trilogy’ was high up on the list of titles due to its international success as well as intriguing background of the now deceased author. Assuming that most of you have read at least the first book in this series, I will tell you right now there are some SPOILERS, but nothing that will absolutely ruin the story for you.

As I have only read the first part in the ‘Millennium Trilogy’ I was hesitant to write a review on a book that is meant to be accompanied by two other works. However, I have made the executive decision that while ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’ is meant to be read with its sequels, the novel can stand on its own as a piece of writing complete in all areas of ‘literary checkpoints.’ From the beginning author Stieg Larsson sets us on a slow, complicated journey with Casanova-journalist extraordinaire Mikael Blomkvist into a world of Swedish secrecy, seduction, and above all scandal. Scorned professionally after losing a brutal ‘libel’ case against a powerhouse industrialist, Mikael is given the perfect opportunity to reestablish his reputation when he meets the intriguing Henrik Vagner, ex-tycoon and devoted uncle to the 40-years missing Harriet Vagner. Henrik hires Mikael to aid him in the solving the seemingly impossible case of his missing niece and in return guarantees Mikael a way to win back his integrity at Mikael’s failing ‘Millennium Newspaper’.

Under the false pretenses of writing the ‘Vagner Family History,’ Mikael begins to blunder his way through the records of the intricate Vagner clan, unintentionally uncovering family secrets which have been buried for years. Mikael’s quest begins slowly but picks up speeds as our modern day heroine Lisbeth Salander’s story makes itself known. Working as a private eye, the ‘dragon tattooed’ Lisbeth Salander enters the story gently but makes soon her presence roughly felt proving herself to be a feminine force to be reckoned with. A friend of mine made the comment that Lisbeth seemed almost like a surprise to the author and I would have to agree. While the work seems to focus originally on Mikael, Lisbeth’s allure is undeniable as her character quickly becomes the unexpected femme fatale that literary lover’s dream of. Larsson takes his time uniting Lisbeth and Mikael, but once the two characters are finally brought together the story races ahead with full force keeping the reader on edge until the very end.

“In her world, this was the natural order of things. As a girl she was legal prey, especially if she was dressed in worn black leather jacket and had pierced eyebrows, tattoos, and zero social status… On the other hand, there was no question of Advokat Bjurman going unpunished. Salnder never forgot an injustice, and by nature she was anything but forgiving.’

The supporting characters all lend a hand in the complicated web that the Vagner family has spun. Unless you have a proclivity for distinguishing Swedish names, I would suggest copying the family tree down and keeping it handy. The motivations of all characters, even minor ones, is essential to understanding the events that unfold and the justifications for almost every plot point. With out the complexity of every single characters morals, this book would easily have slipped off into 'thriller genre' obscurity.

This is the second book in a row I have read where the author seems to forgo elaborate prose for the sake of detailed action. The plot moves along at a slow simmer burning up the pages with its violent bursts of sexual and physical aggression that culminate at the big reveal. “Eighteen percent of women in Sweden have at one time been threatened by a man.” From these first words you know that this book is going to be brutal. The writing has a distinct ‘European’ feel, especially when Larsson tackles issues of sexuality and violence. Not a fan of the euphemism, Larsson writes explicitly about the sexual conquests and retributions of a variety of characters, laying out events in a blunt fashion that can set even the strongest of stomachs on edge. From Wikipedia I read that “Larsson, who was disgusted by sexual violence, witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was 15. He never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth.” Through this story Larsson is able to empower that young girl as well as himself, creating an environment for him to seek vengeance on the ‘men who hate women’ (Which is the Swedish translation of the books title.)

Apart from the two major plot lines, ‘Dragon Tattoo’ is riddled with side stories and commentary about the state of political, economic, and moral affairs in Sweden. Larsson does a superb job in collecting bits of historical trivia and references to tie in the fact with the fiction, helping to immerse the reader in to a perhaps unmerited view of modern day Swedish life. With enough of the fantastical to keep it interesting, and enough of the factual to make it plausible this modern day mystery seems like it could be found on the headlines of tomorrows news. It is the kind of story that keeps entire towns discussing theories for days, the kind of events that ignite discussions. This is the book that the ‘Da Vinci Code’ wishes it could be.

I was impressed by ‘Dragon Tattoo’ for accomplishing all of the things I hope to walk away from a story with. Suspense, intrigue, style, and integrity; this work stands alone in the abundance of mystery-thrillers that can never seem to pull off all of these elements at once. As soon as I turned the last page I rushed to Amazon to order the next installment. If that work shows half of the command that ‘Dragon Tattoo’ did… I am sure I will be reviewing it too.

Just a quick wave Helllo

Hello favorite readers!

Prongs is currently with her long lost New York bff, and it's Padfoot here trying not to drown in the numerous final essays I have to write for school. But I thought I'd take a short break and tell you about an interesting Reddit link I found.

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/egp83/does_any_one_else_thing_that_the_harry_potter/

Should Harry Potter be written again in Hermoine's perspective?? We want to know what you think! Personally, I'd say Snape, but when I think about it I don't think my heart could take that.

Miss you all, and once finals is over, we won't be such hermits!

Just a quick wave Helllo

Hello favorite readers!

Prongs is currently with her long lost New York bff, and it's Padfoot here trying not to drown in the numerous final essays I have to write for school. But I thought I'd take a short break and tell you about an interesting Reddit link I found.

http://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/egp83/does_any_one_else_thing_that_the_harry_potter/

Should Harry Potter be written again in Hermoine's perspective?? We want to know what you think! Personally, I'd say Snape, but when I think about it I don't think my heart could take that.

Miss you all, and once finals is over, we won't be such hermits!

Winter Reading: What's on your list?

Winter Reading: Padfoot and Prong's Piles!

Hey there Marauders! We are just doing a quick post to welcome you all to December, the holidays, and best of allll

our winter break from school!

You all know what that means.... tons of time to read!

Above we have included some pics of our winters lists

Just in case they are too hard to see here is a list

Padfoot:

The Stand - Stephen King

Four Past Midnight - Stephen King

Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane

Ease of Eden - John Steinbeck

The Master and the Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov

The Mysterious Benidict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

Prongs

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

The Naked and the Dead - Norman Mailer

Bad Things Happen - Harry Dolan

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Everything is Illuminated - Foer

The Hunger Games - Susanne Collins

So what do you think? Where should we start?

Now we have a mission if you choose to accept it:

We would love to see photos of your own TBR winter book lists!! Take a photo and post it here, on twitter, on your own post, whatever! Just spread the love and make sure to let us know so we can check it out!!

Read and rock on guys!

Winter Reading: What's on your list?

Winter Reading: Padfoot and Prong's Piles!

Hey there Marauders! We are just doing a quick post to welcome you all to December, the holidays, and best of allll

our winter break from school!

You all know what that means.... tons of time to read!

Above we have included some pics of our winters lists

Just in case they are too hard to see here is a list

Padfoot:

The Stand - Stephen King

Four Past Midnight - Stephen King

Shutter Island - Dennis Lehane

Ease of Eden - John Steinbeck

The Master and the Margarita - Mikhail Bulgakov

The Mysterious Benidict Society - Trenton Lee Stewart

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman

Prongs

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - Stieg Larsson

The Naked and the Dead - Norman Mailer

Bad Things Happen - Harry Dolan

The Book Thief - Markus Zusak

Everything is Illuminated - Foer

The Hunger Games - Susanne Collins

So what do you think? Where should we start?

Now we have a mission if you choose to accept it:

We would love to see photos of your own TBR winter book lists!! Take a photo and post it here, on twitter, on your own post, whatever! Just spread the love and make sure to let us know so we can check it out!!

Read and rock on guys!