Kate Constable's Blog

The Library Book Sale Haul (February)

Pretty slim pickings this time round. There were no YA books at all; they must have cleared those out last time, when unfortunately I couldn't go. But for $4.50 I was still quite happy with this little lot!

For Evie
My brief from Evie is simply "puppy books." She's able to read chapter books by herself now, so I was thrilled to find Nobody's Dog by Lynn Hall, Sea Dog by Dale Campbell Gaetz, and (gulp) The Tale of Greyfriars Bobby by Lavinia Derwent. I have been reading the last one to her at bedtime; I'm not sure how she's going to cope when she realises just how sad it is! Greyfriars Bobby was the only animal story that ever touched me as a child*, so I hate to think what effect it's going to have on my sentimental, animal-loving little daughter. I wouldn't be surprised if she orders me to stop reading... I haven't told her yet that I visited wee Bobby's grave when I lived in Edinburgh.
I also picked her up Evie's Seaside Lullaby by Mandy Sutcliffe, even though she's really too old for it now. It's a sweet picture book, featuring a new baby, which is a popular topic in our house at the moment, and I think it's fun to have books with your own name in the title. Alice has HEAPS but Evie is quite rare, so I grab them when I can.

For Alice
On the same principle, I got Alice, I Think by Susan Juby, which I will probably end up reading before Alice does, but hey.
The Lion Book of Humorous Verse was a good pickup. Alice's literacy teacher was using a lot of poetry with her last year; I'm hoping to find lots of gory, silly poems here.  Also lions are Alice's special thing, so that was a nice coincidence.

For me
The Sunday Philosophy Club by Alexander McCall Smith. Haven't read this one, but AMS is usually a reliable light-but-enjoyable read. Also set in Edinburgh, which can only be a good thing (see also Greyfriars Bobby...)
Maestro by Peter Goldsworthy. I recently read Piano Lessons by Anna Goldsworthy and really enjoyed it. In it, she refers to her father writing this novel, which was inspired loosely by Anna's piano teacher, which of course made me want to rush out and read Peter's version. Rapt to see how THIN it is, should race through this in no time.
Cancer and Virgo, Julia and Derek Parker. Silly astrology books, just because we happened to be talking about star signs that morning. Evie is a Cancer (home-loving, clingy), Alice is a Leo (hence the lions? dogmatic, creative) and Michael and I are both Virgos (perfectionist, anxious). Pity I couldn't find the Leo book to complete the set!

For Michael
Ahem... nothing.
I did toy with getting him Tobruk, but it isn't really his war (his special thing is WWI, especially the Western Front). Also I picked up The Psychology of Cricket, but I knew in my heart of hearts that he wouldn't read it, so I left it for someone else who would.


* Oh, and Black Beauty. Wasn't really an animal kid myself.