From Author Rebecca Grabill
This Joyful Mess
That's Just Plain Nonsense, Eddie: Complete Nonsense of Edward Lear
Lear was the youngest of 21 children and was brought up by his sister, who cared for him until he was nearly 50. He was an eternal child with “invincible boyishness,” according to the editor. This collection...
Babe, Such a Gallant Pig
The style is hysterically understated and plays off stereotypes of the grumpy farmer and meddlesome wife. I found...
Exquisite Poetry for Two Voices
This is a Charlotte Zolotow book, which is no surprise. Such lovely language, metaphor, all the poetic devices one learns in school. I don’t read music, but this reads like I imagine music to be read...
Riverboat, Riverboat Float Me Away!
Wow, what an afternoon aboard a Mississippi riverboat (see, I know those third grade spelling lessons would come in handy - MI SSI SSI PPI). Good times had by all despite my horror at getting on an old yellow school bus. They smell the same, sound the same, feel ...
Secrets, Platforms, Bizarre Britishisms
Rich and fun fantasy. Ibbotson starts off with quaint Brittishisms, ghosts, and secret doors to other worlds. What’s not to love? Loads of fantastical invention and a heavy dose of political correctness. Atmospheric with a distant 3rd person narrator, similar in voice to others like...
Collection of Poems, linked: Carver: A Life in Poems
Would it be admitting ignorance to say I don’t like poems I don’t understand? I mean, I sort of understand “The Perceiving Self,” but I mostly don’t. It makes me wonder...
On Punctuating Dialog ...
It’s a common confusion – how on earth do I punctuate dialog? Punctuating dialog is the same as punctuating any sentence, isn't it? You put the end punctuation at the end of a sentence? Except with dialog, even if it’s not the end of a sentence, you still might put in end punctuation, but then you need more end punctuation, and ... it’s a confusing mess. The key is this...
On Homesick
The story of Fritz’s childhood in China. A memoir for children full of fun stories and written in an accessible fairy-tale tone. Rich detail, vivid storytelling, a likable protagonist. There is very little difference between...
Bizarre and Creepy: Almond's Skellig is the Perfect Middle Grade
Chapter 1 thoughts: The protagonist is sort of grouchy, but the toilet in the dining room made me laugh. Now on to the rest of the book:
Psychological honesty: Michael’s emotions aren’t simple I like this I don’t like that. He can love and hate simultaneously, feel...
You Mean Women Won Rights? News to Me.
Now here is a compelling and well-told story! Kamma never loses her narrative thread, she includes quotes and details, and she keeps the details to those that ground the story or move it forward. She, in short, finds a plot and...
Hi, I’m Rebecca. I write books and I write here at This Joyful Mess to inspire everyone to find JOY in the everyday messes of life. Here you’ll find inspiration, educational resources, and so much more. Please explore and connect. I’d love to hear from you!