As we all continue to stay home, and stay safe, I am full of gratitude for all those who work on the frontlines – health care workers, of course, and all those employees at stores and other public services that continue to do their jobs so we can live our lives in the safe cocoon of our homes. And on today’s national day – National All is Ours Day – I am also full of gratitude for all that is ours – all that we can look at and share with loved ones and the rest of the world.

“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

April 7th was World Health Day, so a shout out to all the healthcare workers for all they are doing!! And to girls all over as well on National #GirlMeToo Day for April 7th.

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The ‘G’ Books

Going Up

Book Info

My Thoughts

As Sophie and her dad take the elevator from the first floor to the tenth floor to a birthday party, they are joined by others on each floor. Each new person or group that joins them is unique. The friendship and affection between them is obvious and a thrill to see through both text and art.

This book, simply said, is a book that promotes unity in diversity, and Sherry Lee does it super sweetly. In addition, I love Charlene Chua’s bright, colorful illustrations full of cheer and details that make it a fun I-Spy-type of book.

Children will enjoy looking for those hidden details (for example, the floor number is uniquely displayed on each different floor) and figuring out what floor is next and who will enter the elevator there. It is perfectly written and illustrated for the intended audience to help them learn while having fun; though I know I enjoyed playing the ‘looking-at-the-details’ game too – and there is so much more in the details in this book!

In Summary

A cute book celebrating diversity and inclusivity in an adorable and fun way, with lots of hidden learning opportunities!

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust

Gardening for Geeks

Book Info

My Thoughts

If you are a gardening geek, then maybe this book is not for you. But this book is definitely for me – a geek who is still struggling to garden. And also for all who are beginner gardeners (geek or not).

I loved the layout and structure of the book, as Christy takes the beginner gardener from creating an ecosystem in your garden to picking your harvest. As we take this journey, we learn about soil, irrigation methods, planning and planting our garden, and keeping it free of pests while ensuring the beneficial insects stay to help.

Interesting tips are included in info-boxes throughout the book. I have learned many cool facts in one quick read – dill and marigold are among the many plants that can help control pests (because one attracts beneficial insects while the other repels the pests).

The photos as well as the drawings help with understanding the concepts explained (how to plan a keyhole garden, build a trellis, plant your different vegetables so they all get the best sunlight and soil nutrients based on their needs, and so much more). I know that I will be using the detailed plant profiles provided.

In Summary

Get this book if you are a beginner gardener! And now is the perfect time to get started at least, as we stay home.

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Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the original eARC of the books; these are my honest opinions after reading the books.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” — Cicero

Other ‘G’reat Reads I have Enjoyed

• The Grave Digger
• Grobblechops
• Gone Fishing

My ‘G’ Book Stack

The Books

• The Great Railway Bazaar by Paul Theroux
• The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
• The Girls of Central High
• Garfield in Tune by Jim Davis
• Game Changers by Mike Lupica
• Grandma’s Bag of Stories by Sudha Murthy
• Gently Falls the Bakula by Sudha Murthy
• Great Books for Girls by Kathleen Odean
• The Guide by R.K.Narayan
• Gut by Giulia Enders
• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
• The Greatness Guide by Robin Sharma
• Great Short Stories of the World – Reader’s Digest
• Get, Set, Go Noddy by Enid Blyton
• Garfield Brings Home the Bacon by Jim Davis
• The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
• Good-Bye, Grace (The English Roses) by Madonna
• The Gilded Web by Mary Balogh
• Glitter Baby by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
• The Giver by Lois Lowry
• Guinness Book of World Records (for one year – not pictured)
• Gone With the Wind (not pictured – missing:( – I realize I need to find my edition of the book . Where are you, Scarlett?

Quick Notes

My kids have read some of the books(bolded above) here while I am yet to read them. The Great Railway Bazaar is one I have planned to read for a while now, hopefully soon!

“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.” —Winnie the Pooh

Random Thing(s) for ‘G’ Day

A Githerment of Words

Githerments: A random assortment of unmatching things. First saw this on MentalFloss and on further research also noticed it in a book titled The Dialect of Leeds and its Neighborhood.

And looking for some more weird words, I found two more ‘g’ words that generally mean the same as githerments.
galimatias means nonsense, or a confused mixture of unrelated things; as does gallimaufry which refers to a mixture of different things, also termed as hodge-podge.

And while on the subject of nonsense or confusion, here are two more words for you: gibberish and one of my favorite words (don’t know why) gobbledygook. Both essentially mean speech that is (or appears to be) nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, or word games and specialized jargon that seems nonsensical to outsiders. Do you know who is most often accused of gobbledygook (other than turkeys)? Bureaucrats!

And if you want to have some fun, try out this Gobbledygook Generator!

“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”
― Maya Angelou

And now, the end of this post

So, dear reader, as always, a couple of questions for you. Have you read any of the pictured books in my ‘G’ stack? Any comments on them?

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” —Anne of Green Gables 

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