The Troubled Girl Named Marlena

Cat, her mother and her older brother, Jimmy, move to Silver Lake, Michigan, after their parents’ divorce. It’s an extremely small town with basically nothing to do. Based on descriptions in the book it doesn’t sound like a place that anybody would want to move to. At some point in the book, Cat’s mom says that she wanted to move as far away from where they were living because everyone knew why the divorce happened. In the beginning of the book, Cat meets Marlena. She is her next door neighbor. Cat is fascinated with her and wants to be her friend.



Cartoons for Adults

Are you an adult who loves cartoons? There are plenty of children’s cartoons that adults can enjoy, but today I want to talk about animated TV shows meant just for grown-ups. Cartoons can be just as engaging as live-action shows, and the format allows them to do things other shows can’t. Most are comedies, but even those can include strong character development and ongoing story lines that beg to be binge watched.


A Basic Gal’s Guide to Jane Austen: Persuasion

I am doing my own version of The Jane Austen Book Club. Yes – I took my inspiration from a romantic comedy (it was a book first). Just chalk it up to another symptom of my basic status. One Austen book a month for six months so I can read all of her major novels. In random order, the first book is…Persuasion. So let’s dive in, basic girl style.


Screen-free Fun

May 1st through 7th is Screen-free Week! Why not encourage your child to enjoy a few days with no TV, computer or tablet?



Throwback Thursday: Mingus, Mingus, Mingus!

Charles Mingus is one of a handful of the most important jazz composers of the 20th century. He was a giant of jazz, an innovator whose music blends classical, bop, and free jazz to create something else again. In addition, in the volatile time that he lived, he was an unapologetic advocate of civil rights in the United States.



Scott Pilgrim’s Not-So-Ordinary Life

Scott Pilgrim is a normal guy—except he has to fight a league of evil exes in order to be with his true love. Oh and did I mention that his world is some kind of cross between video games and reality?