Thank you to everyone who entered the Hereville Giveaway Contest. I was truly touched by your comments and how passionate you are about the books in your life. For fun, I have assembled a reading list from your favorites; it is available below. Many of the books mentioned are ones I have overlooked. I’ll be taking the Hereville list with me to the library today.

Happy Reading! Strength to your Sword Arm!!

Hereville Giveaway Contest Reading List

Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett (audio book)

Away Went Wolfgang by Virginia Kahl

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Skinnybones by Barbara Park.

Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling

Bartimaeus Trilogy (series) by Jonathan Stroud.

The Earthsea Trilogy (series) by Ursula K. Le Guin

Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster and illustrated by Jules Pfeiffer

A Hole is To Dig: A First Book of Definitions by Ruth Krauss, illustrated by Maurice Sendak.

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie.

The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by C.S. Lewis

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl and illustrated by Quentin Blake

The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien

The Pussycat Tiger by Joan Chase Bacon

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (series) by Robert C. O'Brien.

Maniac McGee by Jerry Spinelli

Little Women, Eight Cousins and their sequels by Louisa May Alcott

The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett (with the Tasha Tudor illustrations, of course)

Anne of Green Gables (series) by L.M. Montgomery

The Chronicles of Prydain (series) by Lloyd Alexander

The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge

The Dark is Rising Series by Susan Cooper

Wrinkle in Time trilogy Madeleine L'Engle (yes, I know, but it was only a trilogy back then)-reader’s comment!

The Children of Green Knowe (series)by L. M. Boston's

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth Speare

The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope

Swallows and Amazons (the first two, and "We Didn't Mean to Go To Sea")by Arthur Ransome

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (first four in series) Joan Aiken

Winnie the Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne

Squirrel Nutkin by Beatrix Potter

The Protector of the Small Quartet and other books by Tamora Pierce

Mr. Putter & Tabby, Henry & Mudge, (series)by Cynthia Rylant

Picture books by Jan Brett

Time for Bed by Mem Fox and illustrated by Jane Dyer;

The Waterhole by Grahame Baes

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White and illustrated byMegan Lloyd

The Midnight Farm by Reeve Lindbergh and illustrated by Susan Jeffers

All-of-A-Kind-Family (series) by Sydney Taylor

Melendy Quartet by Elizabeth Enright

Little Witch by Anna Elizabeth Bennett

The Cat in The Hat by Dr. Suess

January 20, 2012

Michelle Edwards

Knitting

Slippers and the Studio Campfire

January 20, 2012

Michelle Edwards

Knitting

This week a bitter cold settled over Iowa, a cold that seeped through my studio floors, freezing my feet. So my evenings have been dedicated to knitting and felting the ultimate slippers. My favorites so far, Duffers in Lion Brand Alpine wool.

All week, the setting on the Presto Heat Dish in my studio remained on High. Wherever I went-- from the writing table to the drawing table, and then, over to the computer--it went with me. From outlet to outlet. Yesterday, I got to thinking about exploring my electric campfire’s other possibilities. Maybe adding a little summer fun to my studio rituals with a pair of chop sticks and bag of marshmallows.

News and Notes:

Duffers are on the Knitting if not Eccentric blog. They are very fast and simple to make. Check out the revised pattern here.

The Hereville contest ends on January 22. There’s still time to enter. I ‘ll announce the winner on next Friday’s blog.

January 13, 2012

Michelle Edwards

Red Knees and Snowflake Knee Socks

January 13, 2012

Michelle Edwards

In my grammar school days when the dress code was understood and obeyed without questioning—no pants for girls—tights and knee socks were our cold weather essentials. All my knee socks back then were machine made in some acrylic blend, not very warm, really. My favorites always were the ones with the snowflake pattern. I loved wearing their Nordic look.

In those days before down jackets and other forms of lightweight warmth, we piled on layers to stay warm. Our parkas were sturdy and thick. Often I wore a wool coat instead. I remember being cold on the walk to school or waiting for the bus. And I remember my red knees, how the cold ached above my snowflake socks, which were better suited for cool fall days.

Thursday morning we were hit with our first real winter weather. Snow and wind and cold. I headed out for my morning walk dressed in my best cold busters; polar fleece sweater and leggings, smart wool socks, Gore-Tex wind breaker, hiking boots, handmade merino and mohair hat and mittens. As I trekked over to Hickory Hill Park, I saw him, a junior high boy, running from one of the cul-de-sacs that feeds into our street. He cut across backyards, seeking the fastest shortcuts. A few minutes later, I watched his sweatshirt flash up the hill by the park's entrance. He was still running. No hat. No gloves. And of all the wintry attire impossibilities, he chose shorts. Khakis. And red knees, I'm sure.

News and Noteworthy:

Remember the Hereville Contest is on until January 22. Click the share button on the contest post and help spread the word. For your 2012 reading pleasure, when the contest is over, I'll post a pdf with all the favorites.

My new Lion Brand essay, The Sartorialist Mittens, appears iin today's, January 13 newletter, The Weekly Stitch.

If you live in the Iowa City area, I hope you'll join me in and others in clebrating children's books at The Children's Book Festival this weekend. Do stop and enjoy an author reading.

9:00am - Claudia McGehee - Where Do Birds Live?
9:30am - Dori Hillestad Butler - The Buddy Files: Case of the Lost Boy
10:00am - Wendy Henrichs - I AM TAMA, LUCKY CAT: A Japanese Legend
10:30am - Tess Weaver - Frederick Finch, Loudmouth
11:00am - Kathryn Erskine - Mockingbird
12:00pm - Michelle Edwards - Chicken Man
12:30pm - Jeni Reeves - Pocahontas (Illustrator)
1:00pm - Jill Esbaum - Tom's Tweet
1:30pm - Linda Skeers - Tutus Aren’t My Style
2:00pm - Ana Merino - Hagamos Caso Al Tigre
3:00pm - Linda Gerdner - Grandfather's Story Cloth

#Scrawls