After reading what Wilma is doing to Cancun and could be doing to Florida in a few days I should not be fussing over our winds and rain squalls. But, I gotta admit I am getting tired of the rain. The white caps on the ocean are pretty though. I am just glad I am not on one of those ferries bound for St. John and Tortolla that are bouncing by.

We started watching The Chronicle of Riddick last night. What a strange movie! I am not a big SF movie person but this is one of those you just keep watching because it is so creepy. Guess we will finish it tonight - we have the director's un-cut version so it is looong. I never know what Steve is going to pick via our Blockbuster online. For awhile it was the old episode of The Prisoner. I could never figure out why the guy couldn't say anything in a normal tone of voice - he had to scream it. Gave me a headache.

But, Matthue Roth's Never Mind the Goldberg certainly didn't give me a headache. What a fun and educational reading experience. I now know a lot more about Orthodox Jews than I ever did before. That is one of the things I love about this book - a teen reader can relate to Hava as she is a typical teenager (has an attitude and love anything punk) in many ways, but her life is built around her religious views and mandates. Pretty hard to be in a heavy metal mosh pit and not touch a male in the crowd. Consume large amounts of alcohol, but only kosher varieties. Hava is one of the most delightful novel characters I have read about - the only true Orthodox Jew acting in a sitcom about an Orthodox Jewish family. The baby hollering "osser" all the time is hilarious. What I do wish was included is a glossary of the Yiddish terms that are used throughout the book. In most cases I could figure them out from the context, but an affirmative glossary would have helped. Although there are plenty of new 2005 YA novels to choose from, there isn't another one like this Scholastic Push offering - it is raw, gritty and very Jewish! :-) Booktalk it and it will find a wide readership. Also give Roth's website to the teens - www.matthue.com. Fun site to browse through - he is also a musician. As Hava says, "Oy vey, dude!"

Shoe Baby by Joyce Dunbar is sitting on my desk in front of me. I love the bright blue cover with the exuberant illustration of a smiling baby inside a giant shoe. What fun - the rhyming text has the baby visiting the ocean, the zoo, having tea with the King and Queen, while asking everyone, "How do you do?" Finally he falls asleep to wake up to a giant fussing over his lost shoe and a giant mother crying over her lost baby - who, of course, is the infant in the shoe. Great book to read aloud to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The rhyme romps along with the baby and the illustrations are bright and colorful enough to enchant a little one. It certainly is a delight for my tired eyes - reading glasses and all. Candlewick is a premier publisher of books for little ones!

Bagel and soy cream cheese for lunch - here I come! :-) Oy vey, dude! I love it. :-)