The RAHM Report for 2/26/18

What My Kids Are Reading

This week's Read-at-Home Kids Report features a wide variety of books, including an excellent audiobook we heard in the car and a retelling of Noah's Ark that I read as a kid.

What I Finished Reading

• Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Barbara McClintock
  This was my second time reading this book, and this time I read it aloud to my kids. I never reviewed it back when it came out in 2012, so I'm going to try to review it this time around. 
• Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance by Betsy Byars
  I didn't like this last book of the quartet as much as the first one or two. In this one, Bingo reconnects briefly with his long-lost girlfriend, Melissa, who moved away. The book was okay, but not as deep or beautifully written as other Byars books.
• Ellen Grae by Vera and Bill Cleaver, illustrated by Ellen Raskin
  This short novel is about a girl who often exaggerates the truth. When an unusual man in her community confides in her his darkest secret, she must decide whether to share it with others or keep it to herself. The writing is really interesting, and though the book is short, it gives readers a lot to think about it. 
• Sunny by Jason Reynolds (ARC)
  This was very different from the first two books of the Track series, and there are parts of the story that did not work for me. Reynolds is a brilliant writer, but for me, this book felt a little off. I'll be reviewing it in April, closer to its publication date. 
• A Song for Kate by Lynnette Kent
  This is another one of those Harlequin Heartwarming books. It was a quick read, and it reminded me a little bit of Up at Butternut Lake by Mary McNear. I have another Heartwarming title to read - an ARC this time - but it won't come out until June, so I'm going to wait a bit before jumping in.
• The Julius House by Charlaine Harris
  I really am not crazy about Aurora's new husband, but this was another quick, light read. I'll probably read the next book in a month or so. 

What I'm Currently Reading

• All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot
  I didn't even touch this book this week, but I am technically still reading it. 
• The Little Oratory by David Clayton & Leila Marie Lawler
  I also didn't touch this book this week, partly because I don't want to read it too early and forget everything before my book club meets. I'll probably get into it later this week. 
• Fatal Frost by Karen MacInerney
  I own this book, so it took a bit of a backseat this week while I tried to read expiring library ebooks and ARCs with publication dates in the near future. It does seem a little slow to start, but I think once I get a few chapters in, it will go more quickly. 
• Carbs & Cadavers by Ellery Adams (ARC)
  I have heard a lot about this book in the cozy mystery groups I am in on Facebook, so when I saw that it was being re-released and that there was an ARC on NetGalley, I decided to give it a try. So far, after just one chapter, the writing is of the high quality I expect from Ellery Adams and I'm enjoying the characters. 
• Zucchini by Barbara Dana
  I'm reading this book, which I found randomly on Open Library, as my Z title for the A to Z Reading Challenge. It's an animal story about a boy and his ferret so I'm skeptical, but I'm hoping it will be better than I expect.

Challenge Progress

I forgot to take note of my challenge progress last week, so this is my progress for the past two weeks:

• I fulfilled four letters for the A to Z Challenge: E (Ellen Grae); I (I Know You, Al by Constance C. Greene); L (Lucky Enough by Fred Bowen); S (Sunny) and two letters for Alphabet Soup: J (The Julius House); S (A Song for Kate). Ellen Grae and I Know You, Al also count for the Old School Kidlit Challenge, along with Happy Little Family by Rebecca Caudill and Life Story by Virginia Lee Burton. 
• I read two books by Betsy Byars for the Author Love challenge: The Dark Stairs and Bingo Brown's Guide to Romance. 
• I read three mysteries that counted toward both the Cloak and Dagger challenge and the Craving for Cozies Challenge: Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien; Clouds in My Coffee by Julie Mulhern; and The Julius House by Charlaine Harris. Clouds in my Coffee and The Julius House also count for the Library Love challenge, along with A Song for Kate.
• Finally, I posted the following reviews for the Writing Reviews Challenge: 

• Meaning Well by Sheila R. Cole
• The 18th Emergency by Betsy Byars
• Hooper by Geoff Herbach
• Thatcher Payne-in-the-Neck by Betty Bates
• Life Story by Virginia Lee Burton
• Clouds in my Coffee by Julie Mulhern
• Death by Dumpling by Vivien Chien
• Lucky Enough by Fred Bowen
• Hard to Resist by Kara Lennox
• Hamlet and Cheese by Megan McDonald

I'll be linking up today with Unleashing Readers/Teach Mentor Texts and Book Date for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?