Book No. 91.

Queen Latifah, Jay Leno, Spike Lee, and now John Lithgow. Apparently "L" is a good section for celebrity authors. Lucky for me, Lithgow knows his way around a book.

My favorite quality of The Remarkable Farkle McBride is that it's a fantastic read regardless of what name is published on the cover. In fact, it makes me appreciate Lithgow even more.

Farkle is a born musician, a virtual virtuoso, the Mozart of his time. Only, like most kids, Farkle quickly gets tired of his instrument and ditches it for another. The realization Farkle experiences at the story's climax when the conductor has suddenly fallen ill is perfectly befitting and just feels good to read.

Bonus: What an excellent book for a guy married to an elementary Music teacher to come across! Her students are going to love this book!

Now, onto Mr. Lithgow's seven or so other titles. I'll test drive them at the public library, but I have a feeling Farkle McBride won't be the only remarkable one!

- Matthew

Book No. 28.

Please, Puppy, Please is the second book I've read so far by a celebrity author. (For those keeping count at  home, I read Queen of the Scene by Queen Latifah early this week.)

Go read this book now. 

Read it twice. Or three times. 

Read it to a kid, then see if they ask you to read it again. 

This is the first book our son has ever requested over and over again. Tonight we read it at bedtime. He immediately requested a second reading. I was able to sneak in Llama Llama Red Pajama (Dewdney), but didn't make it half way through Brown Bear (Martin, Carle) before more requests for "Puppy! Puppy! Puppy! Prease? Prease? Prease?"

Our son is 20 months old. He knows what he likes. 

Puppies. Cats. Red balls. Repetitive words that he knows.

Of course, I couldn't help but enjoy Please, Baby, Please, as it's something I say to him several times a night as we brush our teeth, put on pajamas, take a bath, and go night-night (not in that order, of course).

- Matthew