Kelly Polark: January 2014

Thursday, January 23, 2014

A Very Tricky Spider

Have you heard of Anansi the spider? I hadn't until I bought ANANSI AND COMPANY by my blogger buddy, Bish Denham. Anansi is a tricky little guy. He can be bold, he can be clever, he can even trick a tiger!
ANANSI AND COMPANY is a fun collection of retold Jamaican tales with Anansi as the star. I'm so glad that I met Anansi and read about his clever adventures. Not only is this collection an entertaining read at home, but I can also see this collection being used in classrooms while studying fables or folklore from various countries.

I give ANANSI AND COMPANY 8 out of 8 spider legs! :)
Congratulations to Bish on her fabulous collection! Cute illustrations, too!

About Anansi and Company

How do you escape a hungry tiger? Why do ram-goats smell? What happens if you get too greedy? In this collection of ten retold Jamaican stories, Anansi the spider tricks, sings, and dances his way into and out of trouble. But who is Anansi? It was the Ashanti of West Africa who brought the spider into the Caribbean. He clung tight to the web he wove in the minds of those who had been captured, surviving not only the harrowing passage across the Atlantic Ocean, but hundreds of years of slavery. As a trickster, Anansi has both good and bad traits, which makes him very human. Sometimes he wins, sometimes he loses. When he wins he dances and sings for joy. When he loses, he shakes it off and keeps on living, a lesson for us all.

About the Author

Bish Denham, whose mother's side of the family has been in the Caribbean for over hundred years, was raised in the U. S. Virgin Islands. She still has lots of family living there and visits them regularly. She says, "Growing up in the islands was like living inside a history book. Columbus named them, Sir Francis Drake sailed through the area, and Alexander Hamilton was raised on St. Croix. Pirates plied the waters and hundred of years of slavery left its indelible mark. It was within this atmosphere of magic and wonder that I grew up. My hope is pass some of that magic and wonder on to my readers."

You can learn more about Bish by visiting her blog:
Random Thoughts: http://bish-randomthoughts.blogspot.com/
She can also be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bish-Denham-Author-Page/553261998061448?bookmark_t=page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BishDenham
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6439315.Bish_Denham

Monday, January 13, 2014

Random Thoughts While Watching the Golden Globes

Yes, it's that time again. Time for actors and actresses to get gussied up, down a few cocktails, and pat each other on the back with a faketastic smile. The amazing Amy Poehler and Tina Fey served as the beautiful and funny hosts of the glamorous evening, and that is always a plus. Though they should have been featured more on the show.

For a complete list of last night's winners, check here (who do I look like, Billy Bush?).

And my usual
RANDOM THOUGHTS WHILE WATCHING THE GOLDEN GLOBES

1. Amy and Tina look amazing! Fave zinger in opening act: "Gravity- It's the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age."

2. Of course. JLaw wins! She's soooo breathless! And so darn cute.

3. Is Jacqueline Bisset really so shocked or on something???

4. Paula Patton is gorgeous, but what the H is draped over her shoulder?!

5. U2 wins for "Ordinary Love" from the Mandela film. Music icons for sure. U is for U2 in that cool picture book, ROCKABET, too!

6. Olivia Wilde has the cutest baby bump ever.

7. Not just a pretty face or amazing rock frontman - Jared Leto wins!

8. Ha ha! Amy plants a big one on Bono! And wins!

9. Uma Thurman just may get my pick as Best Look of the Night. Uma or Tina Fey.

10. Does Leo DiCaprio have a dip in his lower lip??? (as in tobacco????)

11. Alright, alright, alright! Matthew McConaughey wins! I've adored him since A Time to Kill. What a handsome, laid back, quirky son of a gun. Just keep livin', man.

Did you watch the Golden Globes? What did you think?

Thursday, January 2, 2014

2013

is so last year.
But a good one! I started working full days in Early Childhood this year. First time working a full school day since I had kids. It's so wonderful to see a child grow and learn so much in one year. Two picture books were released (ROCKABET and HOLD THE MUSTARD!). Thank you so much for your support! We took fun family vacations to Wisconsin, Grand Canyon, Vegas, Utah and Arizona. And three of my three children are currently playing on basketball teams (my favorite sport to watch!). So it was a busy year!

So busy I only read 14 books (but enjoyed them!).

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

The Duff by Kody Keplinger

Make It Morning by Jody Bainter

Tenth of December by George Saunders

The Truth About Letting Go by LTM
Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie
Life of Pi
Safe Haven
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
Dragonfly by Leigh T. Moore
Fingerprints by Suzanne Casamento
All of You Christina Lee
Indiestructable Edited by Jessica Bell
Undertow by Leigh T. Moore

I watched these movies (as you can tell, comedies are my favorite).

Ted

Escape from Planet Earth

Life of Pi

The Hobbit

Monsters University

Man of Steel

One Direction: This Is Us (twice!)

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Dumb and Dumber

This Is The End

GrownUps