Goodnight Moon and An Extra Ordinary Day

     A few nights ago I happened to capture this beautiful image from my backyard. The lights you see below it are actually cars on the interstate in the distance. What is it about a full moon that takes your breath away? I think it is right up there with rainbows and falling stars!

     My favorite children's book has always been Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. I loved reading it to my children when they were small. Did you realize it was published in 1947? At the moment, I have a new favorite children's book that I can't wait to read to my little grandsons the next time they visit. I wanted to share not only the book with you, but also the fun, fabulous book signing event that I went to on Thursday night.

     One of my dear friends has written and published her first book and I'm so excited for her. Debbie is one of those people that does everything "over the top". She seems to never need sleep, has 3 busy kids and always seems to find the time to do anything for anyone. She throws the parties that everyone wants to go to because you know that you are going to have a good time and that everything will be perfect at the party. Regular readers of my blog may remember the annual Halloween "Witch Party" that I attend...that is Debbie's party.

     There was no doubt in my mind that I would love the book and that the book signing would be a fun event. I got my copy of the book from Barnes and Noble (it is also available on Amazon) and read it with a smile on my face. As a friend of Debbies, I could almost hear her voice reading it to me. As an objective reviewer, I love the way she found an artist (Jan VonBokel) who was able to capture the story in such whimsical images. I also love the fact that the book opens up a dialog with the child by asking questions and even having a few pages at the end of the book where the child can draw his own pictures in response to the questions.

     There is a definate moral to the story, which is expressed in a way that even the youngest child will grasp it. As for the book signing...see that ice cream cone in the picture above?

     In fact, all the sweet treats mentioned in the book...were at the party. I felt like I was 5...what should I try?

     Of course the plates and napkins matched the book cover. The bowl in the back, filled with bags of cotton candy and ooey, gooey chocolate chip cookies...

...there were cupcakes and huge

ice cream cone cookies (my choice, yum)!

     The signing was in a local coffee shop, which just happens to be featured in the book. Check out those balloons...ice cream cones!

     This odd photo is actually Debbie's outfit. Jan had her artwork made into fabric and then made into clothing. I told you Debbie never does anything "small". The fabric looks exactly like the book cover!

     I really have high hopes that my friend finds great success with her first book and hopefully more to come. I'm so proud of her for having a dream and following it through! Wouldn't it be wonderful if decades from now people are still reading An Extra Ordinary Day to their grandchildren?

Do You Half.com?

     If you read my recent post about Nancy Drew books, you know I have had a lifelong obsession love of books. Sometimes I want a book to be brand new, all mine and untouched by the hands of others. Okay, really I always want them to brand new, but I can't always afford every book I want, so I settle for a little wrinkle in a cover, a bent corner or a little bit of loving use. I've used Half.com for years. When my daughter was in college, we literally saved hundreds of dollars on her textbooks buying and selling them through this website.

     My most recent purchase started innocently. I had a picture of a book torn from a magazine. I googled the title and found they had it on Half.com. I immediately went to the site and ordered the book.

Phyllis Hoffman's book was mine for $6.43! Woo Hoo! Of course now I was on the webpage and it asked if I wanted to continue shopping...that is where the trouble began.

A Nell Hill book for under a dollar, Shabby Chic for $3.09. It didn't stop there...I was in the decorating section and a few more clicks and look what I found...

All three of these were under a dollar each.

This one was calling my name for $2.78. I love it!

Who could resist the title of this one?

The Relaxed Kitchen: How to Entertain With Casual Elegance

and Never Lose Your Mind, Incinerate the Soufflé or Murder the Guests

It was only .75!

     What about shipping? You do pay $3.99 per book shipping, unless you happen to do what I did...combine purchases. Once I put a book I wanted in my shopping cart, I tried to find other books from the same seller. Each book from the same seller has a slightly lower shipping charge. Sometimes that worked, sometimes not. My total for all of the above books, plus a landscaping book that I picked up for my husband ($1.89) was $42.37 including the shipping. The retail price of the original book I was looking for, $24.99.

     I buy so many books from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Borders and Books-a-Million that I would never suggest that anyone should stop buying books through these wonderful stores/websites. There is nothing better that being the first person to open the pages of a new book. On the other hand, sometimes it is fun to get a big package in the mail and not know exactly what you are getting. Now, if I could just find the time to sit down and read them all!

Worth it!

* I was not compensated by half.com for this review.