February is Black History Month, a time when we purpose to read and learn about the Black experience and about gifted Black individuals in our world. As I read to gather titles for this post, I was struck by how …
alphabet jambalaya! an A to Z of alphabetical goodies
I was going to call this post Alphabet Soup, but it got so cram-jam full of tasty bits, it turned into Jambalaya! Alphabet books sound like something for pre-readers, something that introduces the ABCs to young children. In reality they …
Read More "alphabet jambalaya! an A to Z of alphabetical goodies"
every day is Earth day
When I was a kid, I had a recurring nightmare. Someone, some Bad Guys bent on harm, were after our family for unknown reasons. We had to escape, flee the house FAST! But every time, one or another person in …
fiction faves…a variety pack
It’s time for another posting of fiction I’ve enjoyed recently. As I mentioned on Monday, today’s mix contains a mix of vintage and contemporary. There’s some fantasy, a bit of humor, and one graphic novel. Hope you find something grand! …
old and new read-alouds for young listeners
Today I’ve got some choices that are just right for sturdy, young listeners. Most can also be handed to young, capable readers. Vintage and new, books in translation, all brimming with peppy adventures. Pleasant Fieldmouse, written by Jan Wahl, illustrated …
The 2020 Orange Marmalade Juicy Book Awards
It’s time once again to award the Juicies! Each year I look back on the hundreds of books I’ve read and highlight titles that outstandingly reflect six core values of Orange Marmalade. An extra List of Ten gives me wiggle …
anticipating the new year with a spin of the seasons
I know. Life probably feels like a bit of a blur for you just now. That’s why the books I have today beckon us to slow down, sit a moment, and drink in beauty through poetic observations of nature over …
Read More "anticipating the new year with a spin of the seasons"
a flurry of books to curl up with in December
Today I’ve got one last whack of any time, any day books for 2019. If your time and reading stacks are overfull now, be sure to check out these gems after the holidays. Saturday, written and illustrated by Oge Mora …
old favorites for Christmas
This year, for the first time in 10 years, I’m not featuring any new Christmas titles. Instead, I’m going to highlight ten vintage titles that are amongst my favorites of the almost-150 gems already in my Christmas lists. (That’s a …
snow had fallen, snow on snow
We’ve had a good start to winter here in Minnesota with a snowy Thanksgiving and blizzards of snow up on the glorious North Shore. It’s high time to get the hot chocolate steaming and snuggle up with stories celebrating this …
Orange Marmalade Books-for-Giving 2019
I’ve expanded my list of books-for-giving this year. Unlike the best-of lists popping up everywhere, today I’ve got both new and classic titles, a number of which aren’t quite as well-known. I hope you discover something for people you love …
