Bunjitsu Bunny Review

Tales of Bunjitsu Bunny by John Himmelman is so great.  It is made up of short stories that impart Eastern wisdom.  I didn't love all the stories, but I did love most. This book is great for bedtime stories and the fables will reach big kids or little kids. 3 Poppies for content, 4 Poppies for brevity.  7 Poppies total.

Harry Potter Graphic Organizer

I am not a powerful enough wizard to do a graphic organizer a day.  Even for books I love as much as the Harry Potter series.  But I did manage to complete a graphic organizer for Sorcerer's Stone.  I cut off Snape on the right side, but otherwise I'm pretty proud of it!

It was a tough graphic organizer to complete because so much happens in the first book AND because I didn't need to write stuff down to remember the book - it's all so memorable!

Cloudy with a Chance of Boys by Megan McDonald

I read Cloudy with a Chance of Boys and I loved it!  It's one of the books in the Sisters Club series by Megan McDonald, author of Judy Moody. The sister stuff is really cool that you could copy if you have sisters or try with friends if you don't have sisters (like me), and on top of that, there's a lot of cool Shakespeare references.  You'll like it even if you don't know or don't like Shakespeare.

This organizer was inspired by all the weather in the book.

I give it 3 for content, 4 for brevity because so much happens!  7 Poppies total

Harry Potter Challenge: COMPLETE!

I finished!  I finished all seven Harry Potter books in seven days.  I am so proud.  It was tough, especially because I had a babysitting gig on the final day, so I really had to buckle down Friday afternoon to be finished by my start time last week. 

If you haven't read all seven Harry Potter books, do it!  If you've read them all before, read them again!  J. K. Rowling crafted these books so cleverly that there's something new each time you read them.  Honestly, I like the series even better now that I can prepare myself for the emotional losses that Harry experiences.  And once you know what twists are coming, it's really interesting to go back through the books and look for hints (especially about a certain sniveling character).  My favorite book is book three, Prisoner of Azkaban, because of the brilliant hints.  But I also love Sorcerer's Stone and Goblet of Fire...okay, all of them! 

Tips:
If you've never read the Harry Potter books before, get the hard copy.  Kindles won't give you the cool pictures or the magical font at the start of each chapter.  (I told you I'm a nerd.  I love fonts.)

If you have read the Harry Potter books before, here are some things to look out for as you re-read:

• animal symbolism
• meaning of names
• dreams and foreshadowing
• magical power vs. strength of character
• duality - are bad characters all bad?  are there any flaws in the wonderful Wizarding World?

Halfway through Harry Potter Challenge

Last night I was sweating it out because I hadn't finished the fifth book yet.  But I stayed up late and did it.  For those of you stuck on the fifth book, push through!  Did you know that Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix book is the longest in the series? Once you get done with it, you'll be over the hump.

I am really glad I pushed through because it feels like once I committed to doing the Harry Potter Challenge, all kinds of things started popping up.  I got a babysitting job for the first time in a long time, and then people started calling me and texting me out of the blue.  Why now?!?  

I think the key here is that "it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." (Dumbledore - so wise!!) I am avoiding a few of my chores at home because I am dedicated to completing the Harry Potter Challenge, but I'm not avoiding my social life.  I am going to finish.  Yes, I'm taking this babysitting job, and yes, I'm going to text and call and hang out with my friends.  If I can't complete the Harry Potter Challenge without being a jerk, then it's not worth doing. 

But of course I won't be making my social calls extra long...I have an appointment with the Wizarding World!

P.S.  I've found that I got stuck about two-thirds of the way through books four and five.  They are great, but soooo long.  If you have that problem, too, take a break and come back to it.   Once you finish a book, you'll be proud that you did and you'll have motivation to start the next, so you won't have to take a break then.  Stay strong, my fellow Muggles!

HP Challenge Day 1 and Sorcerer's Stone review

I have been doing pretty well on the Harry Potter Challenge so far.  I finished the first book, and got 75 percent through the second one before my  first 24 hours were up.  Now we're on the second day, and I've finished the second book, hoping to finish the third by the day's end.  So far, I haven't had to forgo food or sleep, and I've even fit in some social events, so I am darn proud!

My friend Bea didn't start with as strong a plan as mine, and she only read the first book on the first day.  That's fine, but I hope her reading rate accelerates enough to read all of the seventh book on the seventh day - it's a long one!

If you're joining us and you've only read the first book, or haven't even finished it yet, don't give up!  I noticed that the first book took me longer to read than the second because there's just so much information to cover.  The second has more action, and you know the third has even more! 

Poppy's Review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J. K. Rowling:
Wow.  Sorcerer's Stone is fantastic.  Rowling takes us to a magical place and makes us believe in it - REALLY believe in it.  Rowling makes us love Harry and so many other characters.  I felt like this book was as short as it could be - no fluff at all.  Rowling tells us the exact basics to help us understand what's going on in the wizarding world and the bare minimum of events and characters to set up all the other books.  It is an amazing stand alone book and the clues in it that set up the rest of the series are brilliant.  Can we just take a minute to marvel at the game of Quidditch?  There are so many things that are genius about this book.  If you've only watched the movie, you are really missing out.  Five Poppies for content, five Poppies for brevity.  TEN out of ten Poppies. 

P.S.  I would love to do a graphic organizer for the Harry Potter series someday, but I just can't during the Harry Potter Challenge.  I'm not that powerful a wizard ;) 

Before the HP Challenge

Seven books, seven days.  It's daunting, isn't it?  That's why we need friends to cheer us on...and JOIN us!  So far I have gotten my mom and my best friend, Bea, to commit to reading the whole Harry Potter series this week.  I am so excited!!!

I'll keep you posted on my progress and theirs.  The challenge starts tomorrow, so there's still time to get in on it!  Join us!

Right now, I am stuck helping my mom prepare food for the week (so that she can fully commit to the HP Challenge).  That's not so much fun, but I am SO excited for the challenge that I might just start tonight.  If I do, it won't be until 9 PM tonight, and then I'll have until 9 PM next Friday.  Eeeee!  I am already starting to feel the pressure. 

Last chance to join us!  Just do it!  Do it for Dumbledore!  Do it for the Hogwarts letter you haven't yet received.  Do it for Harry.  Do it for yourself.

Potter Fan Throwdown

Seven books, seven days.

Are you fan enough?  It's time for the summer Harry Potter challenge - to read the entire series in a week.  That's a book a day.  And they're not short books.  Only a true fan can finish!

Join me next week (starting Saturday) in completing the ultimate test of Potter Fandom. 

If anyone has tips or has done this before, please share.  It's a daunting task!  Kids: put away your phones and parents: bake your freezer dinners...you're busy next week!

P.S.  I haven't gotten my Hogwarts acceptance letter yet, but that might be because this will be my first attempt at the Harry Potter challenge.  This just may be the entrance exam we've been waiting for...