Renewing Friendships

Today in Writer's Group, Sue Berard-Goldberg came to give us a talk on her new book.  I'll write a review on it tomorrow.  What I wanted to tell you about was how she connected with us.  First, she's a "townie."  Many felt comfortable with her for that.  Next, many (surprisingly) of us also have had "out of body experiences," or "near-death experiences." Certainly, all of us have grieved over a loved one.  Her book details all of these events, so we lapped up her Talk.

I knew Sue, fifty years ago. Our husbands worked together.  And ever since then, I run into her here and or there.  Our oldest daughters were friends and classmates.  This is her second book.  Her first was A Pumpkin for Thanksgiving.

A Plausible Pumpkin

What a pleasure to read A Pumpkin for Thanksgiving by Sue Berard-Goldberg, illustrated by Ann Handy and Judy Shammas.  I'm so used to reading children books for my own grandchild, who is only  three, that I had forgotten that children books can have a real plot to them.  A Pumpkin for Thanksgiving is a good, family friendly story, published by Three Bean Press.

The story is about a lady named, Nicole, who loved to garden.  When
she planned her garden she made sure that she left room for a pumpkin.  When she seeded her garden, she put her pumpkin seeds in a special area with room for a vine to grow.  When she cultivated her garden, she imagined a huge pumpkin, perfect for a Halloween jack-o-lantern.    She watched with pleasurable anticipation the orange squash grow.

However, what we plan is not what we get.

And that's the extent of my spoiler.  Buy the book.

Barnes & Noble

• ISBN-13: 9780988221284
• Publisher: Three Bean Press
• Publication date: 1/27/2014
• Pages: 32
• Age range: 4 - 8 Years
• Product dimensions: 8.50 (w) x 5.60 (h) x 0.40 (d)

Three Bean Press

ISBN   978 - 0 - 9882212 - 8 - 4

32 Pages

There is a twist to the plot.  Nicole adapts and makes do with what she has (I told you No Spoilers.)  Included in the back of the book is a craft that the family will enjoy.  

Not only am I reading this book to my own grandchild, but I'm planning on leaving room to  plant a pumpkin patch in my own garden.  Hopefully, the Thanksgiving craft will be a centerpiece on my own Thanksgiving table, too.  Five Stars *****