Books we love

Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall and

  Tumtum and Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Tales 

I discovered this series of chapter books via Teaching Stars.  To say that Bear loves these is an understatement.  Even I find myself unable to stop reading aloud to find out what will happen to the Tumtum and Nutmeg. Tumtum and Nutmeg are two mice living in a grand house hidden away in Rose Cottage. They much prefer to sit at home relaxing than being in the throes of an adventure.  However, somehow, it just seems like they are always in the middle of excitement, such as when a rat steals another mouse's furniture during a seaside vacation, or when their friend, General Marchmouse gets involved with a circus of thieves.  The one thing I didn't like was that the rat smokes; it's mentioned a couple of times in that particular story and I just skipped it while I read.  I don't understand why it had to be included.  Overall, the books are delightful and suspenseful and when my throat is so dry that I can't keep reading, Bear takes over and reads for me.

Mercy Watson books are J-jo's new favorite books.  I was at the library looking for a Kate DiCamillo book for Bear and all that was available was Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride.  When we got home, J-jo picked it up first and asked me to read it.  I had to read the book 5 times in a row.  These books are about a pig who lives at 54 Deckawoo Drive with Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson.  She is a porcine wonder who saves her owners from falling through the ceiling, dresses up as a princess for Halloween, drives a car, and captures a thief.  The illustrations by Chris Van Dusen are delightful and have prompted me to find some other books illustrated by him.  I think J-jo loves to sit through these books because of the illustrations because he certainly has not sat for other chapter books thus far.  I made the mistake of putting the whole series on hold and they all arrived at the same time, meaning that my husband and I had to sit and read 5 Mercy Watson books in a row multiple times daily.  We don't mind the repetition, but it was getting to be a little much so we got him his own copies (because I'd exhausted the renewal limit) along with the audio books so he can "read" them by himself sometimes too.  He's got the one pictured above memorized. There are currently 6 books in the series and we've read all but Mercy Watson: Something Wonky this Way Comes.


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