(no subject)

In the time it took me to burn off 300 calories on the elliptical machine*, I read The Princess Test by Gail Carson Levine.  Her earlier book, Ella Enchanted, is one of my most highly recommended books for 8 to 12 year old girls (the book has nothing in common with the sucky movie).   The Princess Test, a retelling of The Princess and the Pea, is a small, darling book and will be the perfect read-aloud for kids who have studied fairy tales as a genre.  It has all those fairy tale elements they learn about,  but is told in a sweet, clever, subtly funny way.  It's a gem of a book that I think may be even deeper than it appears at first glance.  I'm curious especially about the names the author used and would love to know how she chose them.

My mother is having back surgery tomorrow.  Please think good thoughts for her, and say a prayer if you are the praying type.  Thanks.




*that would be 38 minutes for those who are interested.  I don't move too fast.