Zilot & Other Important Rhymes, Written by Bob Odenkirk, Author and Comedian with Art by Daughter Erin - A New Addition To Avi's Home Library!

Dear Avi, there are so many mysteries of the world at your age... And your family loves revealing more and more to you each day... God's light will be shared through our love, our sharing, our teaching... I so

enjoyed playing peek-a-boo with you and then pretending to be a cat or a dog...talking to each other... It's fun learning, isn't it?! And, with this latest book, you will even one day learn a new word! Zilot!

Now the question is, first, will anybody who doesn't read this book, ever hear the new word?!

Fortunately, the writer and author chose to allow several pages to be shared... So, right now, let's find out exactly what a Zilot is!

 

~~~

Now, I have this on good authority that this new word was created by the writer's son, so if you think--it is just a tent--an inside tent--well, I think you need to practice your creative thinking... For surely, new words can only arrive to our language from somebody who sees something and "names" it!

This book is hard-backed with 150 pages, jammed pack with 74 different pictures and rhymes that were written by Odenkirk who earns his living by being funny and he enlisted his daughter, Erin, who clearly participates in the humor that is undoubtedly part of their home life! Me, I was hooked when they told me to be sure to bring a flashlight to read! Of course, I use my Kindle to read in the dark... but a flashlight works for big books like this one!

~~~

And I promise you'll meet some very strange people, tall and small, are here to greet you and maybe even split a pea with you!

~~~

And sometimes we will read a very nice rhyme to learn and see! Of course, somebody else might not see the result as we...!

Old Time Rhymes

    I made this up just now

        a long long time ago

            They're new to you

                As You already know

                    They're true and honest

                        and make no sense

                            Fun for the whole family

                                except No parents

~~~

Wonderful Christmas Possibility!

Jesus is the Reason

God's Blessings Upon You All

Gabbie

Dr. Dee Dynamo's Back at BRH in Latest Children's Learning Adventure by Oneeka Williams, M.D,

I was so pleased to be contacted regarding the latest book featuring Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo! As I snoop around the Internet, I found this pic of the author and immediately realized that this was the real Dee Dee Dynamo, don't you think?! She is a role model for both young children and adults females as she shares the attitude of "I can do it!" In fact, I enjoyed listening to the following when her first book in the series came out. Her desire to support women in the sciences is very important for children as they dream of what they want to be when they get big! This is the time to plant the seeds since we don't know the fear of failure as children! That is the time for sharing that each child can be whatever they want to be when they are old enough... 

If you haven't already read the second book in the series, do check out my review. Her latest continues the adventures of a doctor who fixes just about anything she's ask to fix and her abilities have taken her out of this world to other planets! Cool, right? Children not only have a wonderful time working along side Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo, but also learn much about astronomy. In fact you and your children may be learning together, just as I did reading these fantastic books!

Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo's
  Saturn Surprise

By Oneeka Williams M.D.

Illustrated by Valerie Bouthyette

The Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo children's series, as well as her other work, has won the author, Dr. Oneeka Williams, the 2014 Science Club for Girls Catalyst Award. If you know nothing else about her, just reading her children's book series will give you an understanding for the award. When I read my first book, I was surprised that we were heading into outer space! But what better place can a doctor use all of her scientific experience where there is nobody else to help!

Everything that Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo works with is magical and helps her do her work--even the medical instruments, like scissors. For instance, Simon Scissors--See him and the others in this pic--is his name! Do you name the various items you use daily? Well, when they are called for an emergency, each one has to know exactly what to do, so Simon Scissors, for instance, knows to immediately run and jump into Marky Medicine Bag, along with all the others so that Dr. Dee Dee is ready to quickly respond...
Now check out her wrist! That's Wyndee Watch and that is how Dr. Dee Dee gets all her messages and requests for help!

She speaks into Wyndee,
"Freeda and Kyle, please
prepare the team and
pick up up at the
Planetarium."
~~~

Buzz! Buzzzzzz! Her wrist vibrates and she looks down at Wyndee Watch. Wyndee's screen illuminates and Gordon the Gullible Clobe appears, spinning and flashing his blue lights. Dr. Dee Dee turns up Wyndee's volume.

WAHOO! WAHOO! WAHOO!
Gordon's alarm pierces the air, startling the other Planetarium goers.

"What is it, Gordon?" Dr. Dee Dee whispers.

"I heard sounds of pandemonium coming from Saturn--and when I looked out I saw that his rings were gone! Something is terribly wrong," says Gordon.

"Are you sure, Gordon? asks Dr. Dee Dee. "There are times when we cannot see Saturn's rings from Earth, you know. When this happens, it is called "ring plane crossing,' But the rings are still there."

"I'm sure, Dr. Dee Dee. We have to go!" Gordon insists.

"Sounds like we have a new mission," says Dr. Dee Dee thoughtfully. She pushes the alert button on Wyndee. It sends a shockwave signal to her team that it is time for another adventure.

~~~

"oh dear," says Freeda sheepishly. "I am so sorry. I mistakenly
entered the letters SAUURN instead of SATURN and the
GPS rearranged it as uranus."
"Don't worry, Freeda, we all make mistakes," says Dr. Dee
Dee reassuringly.
~~~

Lukas, who had been visiting the planetarium with Dr. Dee Dee, was curious and started asking questions immediately. He wanted to know why Saturn would lose its rings. So, like the helper that she is, Dr. Dee Dee takes the time to share with Lukas and readers all about what she knows about Saturn.

But then she admits that she has no idea why there would be a commotion coming from Saturn, noting that something else must be going on...

Whiles she's sharing with Lukas, Freeda, who is the Flying Ambulance that takes the team to the emergency, is gathering everybody together, picks them up, and then sets the GPS for Saturn...at least she thought she did, but they all wound up at Uranus! Do you know where that is?

Note that Uranus is right next to Saturn...then look up to see the relationship to Earth...

Now some may have already heard of the Cassini mission. But Lukas and Kyle were surprised when the first thing they were asked, by the Saturn planet, was if they were with the Mission? Everybody could tell that Saturn was tired and frustrated and admitted that since they had come in 1997, he and his rings had no privacy and now none of his secrets were secrets anymore!

Well, Dr. Dee Dee quickly introduced herself and explained why they had come. Fortunately Saturn had heard from Pluto what she had done for him so he immediately started to tell her... Instead of circling the planet like a circle, some were slanted, circling on their own without coordinating with the others! Saturn begged for help!

"My rings have gone stark raving mad. They don't want to be rings anymore."

"All of them?" asks Dr. Dee Dee.

"All of them!" complains Saturn. "A, B, C, D, E, F and G!"

"Poor Saturn," says Marky Medicine Bag. "This looks like a disaster. What are we going to do, Dr. Dee Dee?

~~~

Would you believe by the time that Dr. Dee Dee finished her review of the situation, she created the "Do The Saturn Dance" for everybody to dance and get the rings right back where they were supposed to be! You'll have to work hard to learn how to do it...it includes some crazy moves like the Electric Slide, the Moon Ring and more! Better get your dance shoes out so you can help Dr. Dee Dee and the rest of her team as they all work together to fix Saturn's Rings!

There is one character that deserves a special mention...His name is Kyle and he's someone who seems to always be negative about trying things...If you know somebody like that, you'll be able to see how Dr. Dee Dee loving scolds him at the same time he's an important member of the team...There are many small samples of this type of interpersonal relationship learning that is being taught while children

enjoy all that is happening. 

This series continues to be both high quality in the book format, the fantastic art work within, as well as one of the best children's books I've reviewed in relation to the high level of educational value provided. The creativity and imagination in turning medical instruments, such as when getting shots, into Sydnee Syringe, who can become a friend to everybody, certainly nonverbally helps children learn that the doctor is someone who is there to help in whatever way possible. I'm so happy Dr. Dee Dee invited me on her latest adventure! Saturn has a lot to learn about, so make sure your children and friends get the chance to meet her too!

Now is a good chance to add book characters that your child may not have previously had the opportunity to meet through their favorite books! This book and the series is an excellent learning experience in many very

important ways... Highly recommended!

GABixlerReviews

About the Author

What do you get when you combine a science teacher with a journalist? A surgeon who writes poetry and children’s books!

My childhood was filled with the joys of discovery and exploration as my science teacher Mom took every opportunity to expose us to the wonders of science. On the other hand my Dad shared his passion for writing and I grew up writing poetry for every occasion including birthdays, holidays and family reunions. I still have fond memories of an essay competition that my twin brother and I entered on ‘Windows to the Sea’ which was designed to highlight the overdevelopment of the Barbados beachfront. We each wrote our essays independently but when our teacher looked at them, they complemented each other so well that we combined them into one essay and won the competition.

Growing up in the tropics was an incredible experience. I appreciate it now even more, as my husband and I raise our son in the cold New England winters. Every year we ask ourselves the same question, why are we still here? My Dad dug a fishpond for us in the backyard of our home in Guyana and we fished almost every weekend. Ever so often we would catch an eel that had snuck into the pond from the neighboring alley to feast on our fish and this was always accompanied by much excitement. There was always adventure and exploration.

I love science and always knew I wanted to be a doctor. I even performed minor surgery as early as age 12 when one of my classmates ripped her earring out of her ear lobe and I came to the rescue.

My journey took me first to Johns Hopkins University, ‘the pre-med capitol’. I then went to Harvard Medical School, followed by Massachusetts General Hospital and Lahey Clinic for surgical training. All along the way my creative outlet continued to be writing and interior design. I love painting, remodeling, renovating, upholstering furniture and landscaping.

I have always participated in various community volunteer programs with young people. One weekend, as I was cutting into cow hearts at a girl’s science club activity and finding engaging ways to present the physiology, it occurred to me that I wanted to write books that would share my love for science and medicine. I was inspired by my Mom who has written several science texts.

Dr. Dee Dee Dynamo is truly the embodiment of everything I hold dear. She is caring, dynamic, energetic, positive, powerful, spunky and believes that she can do anything. She heals with her hands, brings surgery and science together and loves her family.

Diana Mitchell Presents The Grey Witch and Other Stories As Delightful Children's Picture Book!

The cat was growing bigger and his furry tail was growing
longer and longer. His fur lay down flat and shiny and turned
into scales. His neck got longer too, so that if he had still been
in the cave, his head would have bumped into the roof.
Oh dear me, something must have gone wrong, said the witch.
The cat, who had become a dinosaur, wanted to say Something
always does...

Once upon a time there was a grey witch who lived in a cave on a hill by the sea. She had a grey pointed hat and a grey robe and a grey furry cat who liked to catch mice. The grey witch had a big grey book of spells which she liked to mix up and cook in her cauldron.
Sometimes the spells smelled terrible and then the grey cat would tiptoe out of the cave and lie in the sunshine outside.
Sometimes the witch used the wrong ingredients because the book was very old and blurred, and even with her glasses on she had trouble reading it. This is why some very unexpected things often happened. One time she mixed up a nice strengthening potion for her cat to make him big and strong, and by mistake she turned him into a mouse and all his friends chased him.
Today she was trying out a new spell which smelled worse than usual and when she was finished, she called her cat to taste it.
The cat pretended not to hear.
The witch took out a big ladle and held it out to him.
The cat pretended not to see it.
The witch told him to swallow it.
The cat pretended to be asleep.
The witch bent down and tickled him and told him to drink it or he wouldn't get any supper. The cat opened his eyes, yawned, and before he knew it he'd swallowed all of it...

The Grey Witch and Other Stories

By Diana Mitchell

With Illustrations by Susan Whiting

Long before schools were available to attend like Harry Potter and his mates. witches were on their own in learning and developing their particular, unique skills. They did have ancient books, some of which were hard to read, so they kept studying, gathering materials...and experimenting. The Grey Witch was fairly young so she would have a few problems once in awhile. Her cat was not happy when she was turned into a mouse--would you be? Still, when she changed the brew a little and gave it to her cat, it too was a disaster!

At least it could have been... Fortunately, her cat was a friendly one, so while the Grey Witch went back to the books to figure out what she had done wrong, the cat, now dinosaur, headed down the hill from the cave where he lived and soon was approaching the school! While he was friendly, as a dinosaur, when he opened his mouth to speak, all that came out was a big roar! 

Well, soon the Witch realized that her cat/dinosaur was gone and she went looking. By that time, there was a crowd and, guess what, the children were taking turns riding on the dinosaur!

The Grey Witch Goes to School (Excerpt!)
The grey witch went on down the hill toward the
school. The children were out in the yard playing,
and when they saw her coming, they ran out to
meet her. They opened the gate and helped her
carry some of the things which were in the
cauldron. Then they helped her to set it up on
a tripod, and some of them went inside to fetch
the teachers...
Some of the people who were driving past the
school saw it and forgot about driving carefully
and bumped into each other. When the police
came, the people said they were watching the
archaeopteryx.
~~~

www.kids-dinosaurs.com

With a new brew, soon the dinosaur started getting smaller...and finally became the cat again. Many were sorry to see the dinosaur go! 

But the day was such fun that The Grey Witch was invited back! That day, she went inside to demonstrate her magic...but I'm not going to tell you what happened that day! Let's just say that it might be a long time before she gets another invitation...LOL

Now, before I go any further, take a look at the beautiful cover! Inside are additional full-page portrait-style pictures that places this book into library quality...That house on the front? it belongs to The Orange Witch. Boy, would I love to live in that great tree house! Wouldn't you? In the larger picture, you can see that you can reach out of a window and pick an orange for breakfast!

The police said "What archaeopteryx?
and then they saw it and forgot to give the people tickets...
~~~

 The Yellow Witch always wore a long yellow dress and a yellow pointed hat and used a yellow cauldron to cook up her spells; while The Orange Witch always wore an orange dress, hat and used an orange cauldron. If you didn't see the cats along with their witches, you might think they were the same color--but they really are different. The yellow witch was interested in meteorology and so while studying all of her witch's books, she also studied all about the climate and used the breeze, wind, or rain in casting her spells! That worked out very well for her because she heard some men talking about tearing up the hill where she lived and building apartment houses! Ha! Even bulldozers couldn't stand under all the weather issues that developed!

Fortunately the Orange Witch's tree house was safe! And it was Halloween--her favorite time! One day she met Peter walking nearby and he started talking about going trick-or-treating. Well, would you believe she decked him out as the astronaut he wanted to be--and even created a space ship to travel around that night! "A silver fish In a starry sky, A child's true wish, Personify!" There stood the little space ship that even had room to take the cat with them!

Wait until you ride in it, said the witch. Come on,
jump in.  I'll push you down to the lake.
The cat was trying to think of a polite way to refuse
when she picked him up and dropped him into the
boat...The boat was rocking gently in the water.
The cat wanted to jump out but was afraid to get wet.
He went and curled up on the deck in the sunshine.
~~~

Now the last witch also had a cat, but she wanted to be known as the Blue Witch--she had a blue cape and a blue pointed hat and bluebells grew all around her save...She had a blue furry cat who was really white but she turned him blue whenever she remembered to! LOL and her eyes brilliantly shown against her cape and hat! 

But no matter what color she was, when the Blue Witch decided she wanted to go out on a boat and water ski, that was just toooo much! But, of course, soon there was a new blue boat with a roaring noise, ready to go! 

The cat was not happy! But it got worse! The witch decided she needed a shotgun--and the only animal

who liked water was a terrier... Ohhhhh nooooo...!

Now you haven't seen a great picture for children until you see a terrier dog riding water skis! Wow!

Do you have a library for your children, to read and keep their books for the rest of their lives? Children are always interested in magic and when the witches are kid-friendly, although maybe not so cat-friendly, I think that readers will enjoy meeting each of the "colorful" witches... don't you?! The book is 7 x 10 and the cover is glossy. The pictures seem to be pencil drawn, I think, but are simply beautiful and includes pics of their homes, yellow butterflies, a very large white long-hair cat turned blue, LOL, and many more! While the oranges grown by the Orange Witch might not be magical, how about candy apples growing on trees?

Check this out for your kids, but don't be afraid to admit that you'll enjoy it too... I did! Highly recommended...

GABixlerReviews

About the Author

Diana Mitchell was born in England and went to school at Stoetley Hall in Surrey. She attended college in Godalming. At age 18 she joined the WRNS. During this time she met and married an American flyer and moved to America. She now lives in Rolling Hills, California. She has 6 children, 8 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and many pets.

Allison Flannery and Vesper Stamper Presents Superb Children's Storybook Based on Edvard Grieg's In the Hall of the Mountain King!

In The Hall of the Mountain King
Based on the 1867 play Peer Gynt by Henrik Ibsen, set to Edward
Grieg's musical masterpiece

Adapted by Allison Flannery

Illustrated by Vesper Stamper

I was almost overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and quality of the Children's Storybook created by Allison Flannery and Vesper Stamper.  There is both a paper full-colored cover guard as well as a full-cover hardcover! Truly a desired book for personal home libraries and a MUST for all libraries. Included is an adapted CD made for the book, also with artwork! I've used a video to give you the flavor of the music here, but you have GOT to visit the site to get the full effect available to readers. When I have to give this a rating of maximum stars--my words tell the truth: Deserves At Least 20!

Allison Flannery, a music teacher, was talking to children about the Peer Gynt story and music and one of the students asked for the book...

Well...here it is! My personal thanks to Creed, that enthusiastic child who wanted "more"--he wanted to hold the story in his or her hands and be able to carry it, go back and pick it up to read and read, to listen to the haunting music that so perfectly goes with the words... Toned down to be suitable for children, but I'll wager YAs and adults will be just as excited as I was to see and explore this book and site!

"This book is meant to be an interactive experience between
readers and listeners, the story, and the music the story is
names after. It's a perfect tool for elementary school teachers,
music educators, and parents to use to bring a piece of classical
music to life for children, while engaging their visual, gross
motor, and listening skills. A three-step process is suggested.
"1. Read the story aloud.
"2. Listen to the music as you act out the story, walking your
fingers across your lap to represent Peer on his adventure."
~~~

Instead of providing additional excerpts from the story, I wanted to share what (above) is probably one of the most important parts of the book... Allison's musical guidance on how to merge the book, the music, and the readers in acting out the story! Provided are "simple instructions to help parents and educators use the book and music together to create a wonderful learning experience with whole-body movement." 

Please do also visit Vesper on her Site or on Facebook! I've shown you just samples from this book but her portfolio is truly outstanding! Kudos, Vesper, for your work on this book!

There are also "lesson plans and information on how the characters from the coloring page can be turned into puppets to use along with the music," again on linked site! 

I was introduced to classical music by an Aunt who often took care of me when young and I remembered
how I was so drawn in by the first notes In the Hall of The Mountain King, especially the sound of the oboe has stayed with me through the many years. I've retained my love of all classical music since that time...

Personally, I now believe it is the responsibility of parents, and all others to ensure that children are adequately exposed to the great classical musicians. This book is a delightful way to make those first steps to help them both hear the music and tie it into a story and pictures to which they can relate!

Frankly, I'm excited to just play a small part in making people aware of this. I've read other children's books that were correlated with the Classics and have found them just as rewarding. I'm hoping that these two professionals, each experts in their respective fields will find it at least profitable enough to consider producing further books merged with music! 

This page of characters is actually a downloadable coloring page from the site which I urge you to visit. I wanted to at least have you see these drawings of the characters for immediate reference. 

Check there also for discount information, including for bulk orders.

These characters are boldly created inside just as revealed on the cover and, again, the artwork has been reproduced beautifully in a multi-color format. If books can be used for decoration in your child's room, this would be perfect for a bedside table...

If you have children on your Christmas shopping list, do consider this book...I can't say it's a must read, but if your child is bouncing up and down in time with the music...you KNOW what that means! Get This as Their First Book in their permanent home library!


GABixlerReviews

Allison Flannery is a Kindergarten music teacher in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She is passionate about bringing music to life for children. She sings, dances, marches, and teaches eleven classes of five to six-year-olds at two local elementary campuses, and team teaches a music and movement class for four- to seven-year-olds at the Colorado Springs Conservatory. 

Also a long-time piano instructor, Allison loves inspiring youngsters to listen and learn from the great classical composers.

Hopelessly lost among the wintry wardrobes of Pauline Baynes’ Narnia,Shaun Tan’s mysterious foreign lands, and the watery open spaces in Lisbeth Zwerger’s illustrations, Vesper Stamper’s calling as an illustrator began when she cracked open Hilary Knight’s Cinderella and spent the rest of her childhood meticulously copying each graceful page.

Vesper has a BFA degree in Illustration with Honors from Parsons School of Design. Her career has spanned fifteen years, dozens of album covers, four picture books and countless other exciting projects. Vesper brings a refined style and emotional depth to her work that pays homage to the rich illustrative tradition from which she comes.

Vesper was recently named the People’s Choice Finalist in the 2013 Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search and is the recipient of the 2012 Lincoln City Fellowship for her graphic novel, The Sea-King’s Children. She lives in Jersey City, NJ with her husband, filmmaker Ben Stamper, and their two children.

Not Just Another Review: Guest Reviewer Emilia!

Dart and the Squirrels

A Special Request by Alex Weis' Baby Critters

By Nicole Izmaylov

All of you know that I normally only invite cat stars

to visit Book Readers Heaven; but I got a special

request to feature this book during Alexandrea Weis' spotlight, which has included many of her critters.

What I'd like to know is how these three even knew

I had this book on my TBR list! Methinks those noises from my attic might not have been from either cats or coons!

In any event, I just knew Nicole and Michelle Ismaylov wouldn't mind since the book in question is written in the same style! Say what?! Yes, Dart and the Squirrels is Dart and he does a wonderful job...but since the requesters were, you know, of the squirrel family...and since I saw that the least talkative in the book was Emilia, I figured she'd have a good handle on telling my readers about their book! Welcome Emilia!

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/squirrel/
I get Boy’s shoes. They’re black, in compliance
 with the school dress code. Yeesh.
Not only do humans wear clothing,
they even have whole rule books that tell them how
 to wear the clothing. And I thought I had problems.
So I bring over my leash and Boy’s shoes. I nudge him.
Boy glances down at me. He laughs.
“You want to come with me to Show and Tell, Dart?”
Boy says, giggling. “It’s all right, Dart.
You’ll be able to rest today.” Oh, sure.
Like you’ll be able to find your way around the school
 without me. He scratches me behind the ear.
“Babe and I fought over it, but I won.” Fought over what?
 “See, I’m taking Emilia.”
What?! “
‘Cause everyone has a dog.
But no one has a squirrel.”
~~~

Oh! Hello down there! I was so happy to see that you live in the woods with all these beautiful trees that I just had to come up and see your cabin from my normal point of view, shall we say?

And I'm so happy to hear about the special request for us to come at this time! Yoo! Hoo! Boys...

Well, Hi Emilia...glad to see you made yourself comfortable! Since you live in a house now, I'm happy to give you a vacation into your own habitat for a little while!

And thank you so much for visiting us at Book Readers Heaven...I so enjoyed meeting all of you in your book!

Well, I was surprised to be the one invited...When we heard about your reading our book, everybody figured you'd invite Dart...In fact, he was quite disappointed! And then Ferdinand, the great wordssquirrel thought surely he...

So, I hope you don't mind, but they sent a couple

of pictures for me to share, just so you know

what you're missing for not inviting the... Oh, my,

I didn't mean to say that here, but they both pestered me so much that I kept worrying about

how to bring them into our discussion.

LOL, Cool, I'm happy that you did, let's see them!

http://www.dailypuppy.com/dogs/-the-german-shepherd_2007-09-21
“I love dogs because they don’t say, ‘Oh, my day’s been rotten, and I’ve had two tests, and one in math, too. I don’t want to hear about your problems.’ They say, ‘Oh, poor you, poor you, let me make you feel better!’” -Anastasia Zelda Scribe
  
Don’t get me wrong. I love humans. I just don’t understand them.
Exhibit A: The family in front of me. Life’s not easy for a pound dog.
We crazy canines are lean, mean, adopt-me machines. We have to wag our tails until our rear ends fall off, whimper until we’re hoarse, and cock our heads until our necks snap clean off. Maybe I ain’t nothing but a pound dog, but I sure do know that’s what the humans just drink right up.
But wait! There’s more!
That’s right, folks; it only works if you’re a puppy! Goodness me, when did I ever think those little tricks could work for a grizzled old German Shepherd dog like me?
So, while the rest of the population of Happy Endings Adoption Center is busy making a primate out of itself, I’m lying on the opposite side of the Doggy Crate, pretending to be asleep.
~~~

So, I'd better go ahead and tell more about the story... Dart Onion (I always say his name this way since I fumble over the spelling of his real name--“D’Artagnan.”) was selected by Charlie, the boy in our family...and I have to laugh as to why he was selected...he "passed gas" (I refused to say that other word as a lady) and the Boy went wild laughing and immediately gave him another name which I also refused to say...)

Anyway, he was just getting used to the family life when I came into the picture. He was not happy...

Emilia hasn’t said a word. 
Turns out she just doesn’t know much Canish
. Mostly just Squirrian. I don’t understand
 Squirrian. It’s all Greek to me.
 Which technically doesn’t make sense,
 since it’s all Squirrian to me. She seems 
vaguely depressed, and she barely eats
 at mealtimes. Just a few quick bites, 
then she’s gone. I don’t really mind, seeing as I
 ‘inherit’ her uneaten scraps, 
but I still feel sorry for her. 
I mean, I’m allowed to go outside whenever
 I want, but the Scribes worry that, 
if given half the chance, Emilia might prove
 herself to still be a wild squirrel and try to run, 
which she undoubtedly is, of course. 
But they don’t have to know that. Emilia
 now spends most of her time quietly watching the
 windows.  I can feel her yearning for the outside
 world.
 Strangely, she has fallen out of the favor with
 The Powers That Be—also known as Mom
 and Dad—
and I seem to the center of the attention again.
~~~

Well, you can be sure I wasn't happy either! I wanted to be outside where I belonged...getting to meet someone special, but here I was getting involved with a dog, two girls and a boy, all of whom just wanted to touch and play with me...well, I was having a very hard time!

And then one day I saw him! He was lurking out in the yard,
and every once in awhile, he would peek out from behind the
tree. Was he really looking at me? I wasn't totally sure, but
you know how we female squirrels are...Sigh, I began to dream that maybe he was my knight in shining armor.

But even if he did like me, I couldn't get out and he couldn't get in. Even poor Dart began to worry about me--he could tell I was getting more and more depressed. Was it possibly "love" I was feeling?

Oh...my... [sigh]!

What was a squirrel to do? And I didn't even realize that Dart was trying to get rid of me!

He was developing his plan, called CRUD--did you ever hear of such a silly name for a plan? Anyway, he was going to run away and make the rest of our family know just how important he was to them, and then when he was the top dog again, he would figure out how to get rid of me...

But guess what? When he got out, he met my secret admirer out in the yard! And, well, you just won't believe what happened then! Hey, Check out my SuperSquirrel! (I tried to talk him out of wearing that, butttt...Men!)

http://cuddlebugs.onslow.org/cuddlebugs/2011/08/super-squirrel-faster-than-a-speeding-acorn-able-to-leap-tall-trees-in-a-single-bound/

Outside the house, I smile at the passersby. If only I had an accordion. Ah, well. I pick a nice spot to do my business, far away from any Peeping Toms. And by that I mean tomcats. When I’m all finished, I start walking on the sidewalk back to the beef’s house. 

A sudden movement catches my attention. It’s a total squirrel moment. Complete with squirrel. “Squirrel!” I cry out, the fur on the back of my neck standing straight up. My nose twitches. “Squirrely squirrely squirrel!” I sprint after it on all fours, moving as quickly as I can. From the rough, wild animal scent, I can tell it’s not Emilia. It’s a wild squirrel. So much more fun. The squirrel is panting, its bushy tail twitching like a homicidal Mexican jumping bean with half a bucket of fire ants in its pants. It scurries up a tree, eyes wide and full of fright.

 “Please, faithful canine, I beseech you, hurt me not, for my knowledge shall fetch, mayhap, a greater treasure than the fine, warm fur coat I perchance happen to possess,” says the squirrel. I freeze, staring at it, whom I realize is a him.

 “Did you just . . . talk?” I ask. 

The squirrel nestles himself in his tail. “I doso pride myself in my extensive knowledge of Dog.” “That’s Canish, not Dog.” The squirrel nods knowingly. “Naturally, naturally. ‘Tis to canine what Spanish is to Spain, with the exception, mayhap, of the difference ‘twixt the added ine and the lack of i in the differing tongues. I know, I know; indeed, I am quite gifted, I do believe, in the scholarly study of tongues.” 

My ears twitch in annoyance. “You know Canish?”

~~~

Oh, before I forget, I'm supposed to tell all you readers that our book is BRH Recommended! I'm so happy to have visited today and have enjoyed every moment...except now!

Ahhhh...could you please tell your baby that I'm more of a dog person...
https://plus.google.com/u/0/100188557028585168265/posts

GABixlerReviews

with Illustrator Michelle Izmaylov

About the Author

Nicole Izmaylov Born in Atlanta Georgia, Nicole Izmaylov won the Reflections contest several years in a row in the categories of literature and musical composition, including multiple first places at the state level. She also received national recognition for her poetry, won the Georgia Author of the Year Award for her children’s book, Ronnie and BB (2009), and has been nominated for the 2011 GAYA for her second book,The Draçian Dance (2010), which was written for young adult audiences. Nicole's interests include playing violin and piano and participating in the Academic, Debate, and Drama Clubs at her middle school.