Zuno’s Pick

Sci-fi fans will love this easy reader by Jane Yolen in Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole. Frog puns and wordplay abound in this deep space adventure. Commander Toad and his crew discover a black hole. When something long, pink, and sticky appears and begins to pull the ship, the crew of the Star Warts hop to it. Lt. Lily’s gun has little effect. Old Doc Peeper’s tries a huge tongue depressor, but the ship stays stuck. Will the ship be toad-ally consumed by an E.T.T., an Extra-Terrestrial-Toad? Not while Commander Toad and his secret weapon are on board. Jump over to the library or your favorite bookstore and check out Yolen’s Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole.

Cross Training

Sea Song

We’re heading for the beach this month and I can’t wait.

Sea. Sand. Crabs. Boogie boards.

 I love the ocean. The wind and waves remind me of God’s great strength and lead me to praise Him. Psalm 96 calls us to praise Him too. This psalm not only calls on every nation to praise God, but every part of creation as well. Check out this part of verse 11 (NIV): “let the sea resound, and all that is in it;”.

Picture the sea and everything in it giving praise to God. Dolphins leaping and jumping for joy. Whales blowing spray high into the air. Octopi waving all eight legs. Toothy sharks, slippery eels, colorful coral. Prey and predators alike, now focused on one thing: the Father.

Will you join them?

What is your favorite sea creature and how do you think they will praise God?

Gayle’s Gable

I ran across Erin Hunter’s Power of Three: The Sight and picked it up out of curiosity. I discovered that Erin Hunter is not one author but three and they have written several Warrior series, with Power of Three being the latest. The Sight is the first novel of this series. The novels center on several tribes of cats living in the wild. An author note mentioned Hunter’s interest in astrology and standing stones, so I was curious to see if this came through in her(their) story. The ancestral cats, the Star Clan, contact certain members of the tribes, usually the medicine cat. Other than that, the story focused on relationships between the tribes and happenings within a particular tribe. Survival, outside threats, and conflicts between tribes serve as common themes and storylines. Are any of you familiar with the various Warrior series? Let me know what you thought.

Zuno’s Pick

Cowgirls and their horses share a special relationship. They work together and play together. Cowgirl Kate ‘s horse Cocoa has a chocolate coat and a mane and tail the color of caramel. That’s a sweet ride for any cowgirl as the two work the ranch, count the cows, and finally bunk down for the night. Be sure to pack your saddlebag with Erica Silverman’s Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa. What color would your cow pony be? Palominos are my favorite.

Cross Training

“Zuno, Come!”

My dog Zuno is a white Labrador retriever. He likes to run and take naps. He likes people food and rawhide bones. He comes when I call.

Unless it’s bath time.

Then, he runs.

Bath time requires a chase and a firm hand during the bathing process before Zuno finally “escapes” and shakes off every drop of water he can. It doesn’t matter that he was dirty and smelly. Nor does he care that his fur is soft and silky now. He fights against the bath every time.

As much as I laugh at Zuno for his bath time behavior, if I look closely, I find myself doing the same thing. When God calls with blessings and things I like to do, I respond quickly. When it’s time to deal with my own dirt and stink, well, sometimes I run too. God tells us in Psalm 32:8-9 (NIV):

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”

I would never allow Zuno to stay smelly and dirty. His ears could get infected and I don’t really want him in my lap when he smells. Keeping him clean helps him stay healthy and keeps us close together, but Zuno doesn’t understand and he doesn’t come willingly.

I know better.

So God reminds me that He’s doing what’s best. The smell and dirt of sin need to go, whether it’s a stinky attitude of pride and me-first or dirty thoughts of judging someone else. God wants me to be spiritually healthy and He wants me close to Him too. Those around me benefit too when my spirit is soft and silky-clean like Zuno’s fur and I benefit from renewed humility.

So, when God deals with some of your stink or dirt, don’t make Him chase you down for a bath. Come willingly and draw close to Him, even at bath time.

Gayle’s Gable

Twists and turns fill this Amazon adventure as Jake Lansa joins his father on a jaguar expedition in Brazil. Roland Smith’s list of characters vary as much as the rain forest creatures around them. Flanna—Jake’s father’s girlfriend that he neglected to mention. Silver—the mysterious boat owner who is a little too eager to help them. The man with the scar—people get hurt when he’s around. Jake’s father searches for jaguars, but Silver seems to be searching for something else and when armed men appear in the camp, Jake finds himself caught in the middle. Explore the rain forest this summer with Smith’s Jaguar.

Zuno’s Pick

Tucker Mouse’s love of coins has trapped him in the shoeshine store. How will Harry Cat convince Papa Bellini to open the door? Harry to the Rescue! by Thea Feldman is marked as a Level Two reader and is based on the classic, The Cricket in Times Square, by George Selden. Related stories include Tucker’s Beetle Band, Harry Kitten and Tucker Mouse, and Chester Cricket’s Pigeon Ride.

Cross Training

I’ve Got My Eye on You

Have you ever had the feeling someone was watching you? Maybe you were talking in class or passing a note only to look up and find the teacher’s eyes on you.

God tells us in Psalm 1:6 (NIV) that His eye is on us and it’s a good thing:

“For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”

What about when the class bully paints his target on you? Or the mean girls talk about you behind your back? What then?

Psalm 1 begins by telling us about the righteous person and how when they focus on God and His Word, God will prosper them. Here is what Psalm 1 says about those who make life miserable for us:

“”Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor the sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the LORD watches over the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1:4-6 (NIV)

Unless you’re a farmer, wind-blown chaff doesn’t mean much. Try thinking of grabbing the blower and blowing the grass off the sidewalk after your dad has mowed the lawn. Whirr! And gone. Their hurtfulness won’t last. God sees every hurt and every unkind word that pierces your heart. He watches over you and that stuff doesn’t go unnoticed. Talk to Him when the hard stuff happens. Ask Him how He wants youto deal with it and then trust Him to handle it. I’m not saying He will take the problem away. Often He chooses to walk us through it, but trust that He will not waste the experience. Good will come out of it. Trust Him. His eye is on you.

Gayle’s Gable

For you Ranger’s Apprentice fans, John Flanagan has authored a new series called Brotherband Chronicles. The Outcasts, the premiere novel of the series, takes place in Skandia, but our new hero, Hal, has Araluen blood in his veins. This novel walks us through Skandian brotherband training which prepares boys for their adult roles as Skandian sailors and warriors. Young men are divided into small groups or brotherbands that train and compete with one another. Team leaders are chosen and then choose their teams, much like a pick-up game of football. A group of outcasts stand unchosen. Unwanted, they create a team of their own, the Herons, and choose Hal as their leader. Each boy brings a unique gift or ability to the team, but will it be enough to defeat the sheer size and athleticism of the Sharks and Wolves teams?

Also out is Flanagan’s The Ranger’s Apprentice: The Lost Stories which allows the followers of this series a last opportunity to wrap up loose ends and to say good-bye to some much-loved characters.

Zuno’s Pick

Over the next month, Zuno will spotlight some early reader books. This week, he’s chosen Cynthia Rylant’s Mr. Putter and Tabby Clear the Decks. When Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby need adventure, they go next door to Mrs. Teaberry’s house. Today, Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke head for a sightseeing boat and open water. Orangesicles. The wind in their face. This hot day feels better already. Zeke, however, takes such a liking to the boat, he refuses to come home. Will the captain have a new crew member and will Mrs. Teaberry go home alone? Join the Putter crew on their seafaring adventure. Check out all of the Mr. Putter books at the Amazon store.