A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍
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Food and Life

Book Review: Molly the Pony

May 15, 2013 · Narrative

madeline at the libraryI went to the front desk at our local library, to pick up a stack of books that they were holding for me, while the kids headed off to the children’s section to search for their own selections. When I found them, Madeline was holding Molly the Pony in her hands. She asked if we could get it.

With her own library card. Because now that we’re entering Kindergarten, she has her own.

Just stop the growing up already.

Seriously.

I looked at the book and said “of course,” and asked if there was anything else that she saw she liked. Then she came back to me and said she wasn’t sure about getting the book, because maybe it was sad.

And given the cover picture, I completely understood her hesitation.

But I told her that I’m sure everything in the story would end up ok and let’s just go for it.

So we did.

And man, what an awesome book.

Based on a true story, by the way.

Molly the pony was on her family’s farm, and they were scurrying around, getting ready for the approaching Hurricane Katrina. They secured her in the barn and left the property.

Days later, they hadn’t returned and she was still there.

Alone.

Luckily some locals noticed that the entrance to the barn was blocked by a fallen tree, and when they went to investigate further, they saw the pony inside. They worked to remove the tree, and help Molly, taking her back to their own stable so they could properly care for her.

Since she had been alone for so long, she needed extra food and plenty of TLC.

One day, while she was out in the field, a stray dog came up and started messing around with her. She tried to get him away, but not before he bit her on the leg.

The injury turned out to be so bad that a portion of her leg had to be amputated.

She certainly had quite the hard life, doesn’t she?

Molly the PonyAfter her leg had a chance to heal from the surgery, she was outfitted with a prosthetic. Once she began to get more and more comfortable with the prosthetic, she ended up becoming a therapy animal, going to visit sick children and the elderly in hospitals to cheer them up.

I find that when I’m reading a lot of books, I sometimes change the words as I’m reading them, putting in words that I think would sound better. Or words that are more appropriate for my five-year-old audience.

I didn’t do that with this book. And what I really liked about the book is that it didn’t shy away from using bigger words. It would just use the bigger word (prosthetic, for example), and then in the next line, it would explain what it meant.

Which is pretty awesome. I don’t want to read a book that is dumbed down. I’d much rather read something to Madeline that has a storyline and words that she understands easily, with a few bonus, more challenging words thrown in for good measure.

Although you certainly felt for the challenges that Molly was enduring, it had such a sweet ending and outcome, you couldn’t help but smile at the end of it.

And given that Madeline has pretty much dedicated the rest of her life to saving, helping, and working with animals, it was the perfect book for her.

Tomorrow? Gywneth and meatballs.

Hungry for more children’s book reviews?
Professor Wormbog and the Zipperump-a-Zoo was a recent read from Mercer Mayer and it had gorgeous pictures throughout.
Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun is all about embracing the different.
The Kissing Hand is a favorite classic, and is perfect especially if your little one is just starting school.
If I Could Keep You Little is one of my favorites, and a wonderful reminder on how quickly this time goes.
A Bad Case of Stripes is a run, lively, colorful story that your kids will love.

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: children's book, library, Molly the Pony

Comments

  1. Joanne says

    May 16, 2013 at 6:31 am

    Aww that is a sweet book! I’m glad it did have a happy ending.
    Joanne recently posted..Recipe: Pasta with Yogurt, Peas, and Chile

    Reply
  2. Paula Ann says

    May 16, 2013 at 10:38 am

    I always enjoy your book reviews, Cate. Now I appreciate them even more, as I’m starting my first day as the new librarian in our little town’s library. I’m hesitant to even call it a job, since I’ve always been such a bookworm! How wonderful that you are raising your children to be readers. It seems kids these days either want to park themselves in front of the t.v., or play video or computer games for hours on end. I’m hoping I’ll be able to encourage more young people in this town to love reading too!

    Reply

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻

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A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if A friend was taking a trip to Ireland and asked if I wanted her to bring me back anything. Would you believe me if I told you I asked for salt? I love picking up different varieties, whether we’re traveling or I’m just visiting a new shop. Maddie grabbed me a super cute one from her trip to Paris last year, and the Magic Unicorn Salt I get locally is another favorite. What’s yours?
One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a One of us hops like a bunny down the steps, has a serious case of FOMO on the daily, gets hiccups more than anyone we know and has perpetual bed head. She’s quite the unique roommate but may be exactly what our home needed. 💛
I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw th I haven’t had a bagel in ages, but when I saw that @njdotcom had picked six bagel shops at the “best in the state,” and one was reasonably local, all the sudden I needed one. I was never one to fall prey to peer pressure, but I’m very definitely a marketer’s dream. 😂 Alfa Bagels is on Route 10 in Randolph and has a good assortment of bagels, including all the usual suspects, but with a few others like rainbow, Asiago and French Toast throw in for good measure. Their bagels always seem to have a nice chew, which I appreciate and I love their sesame one. My go-to order lately is a double toasted flagel with lox spread and tomato. Their lox spread is a little ho hum, but the bagel is delish. Check them out next time you’ve got a craving (or get motivated by a local news story 😝). What’s your bagel order?
✌🏻 ✌🏻
When you really really really want to be best frie When you really really really want to be best friends. 💛
When a stressful week with deadlines ends with Nat When a stressful week with deadlines ends with National Cheese Lovers Day, how could I not partake? Tbh, I wasn’t especially hungry, and the appetizers are always the best section of any menu, so the queso blanco from El Mejicano in town wasn’t too hard a choice. It’s smoky and cheesy and I could have licked the bowl clean, but a girl’s gotta have some boundaries. Happy weekend, friends! ✨
A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her A friend saw this placard and said it reminded her of me and dropped it off in our mailbox, which really touched me. 💛 Life is too freaking short not to make conscious decisions to do more of what makes you happy, and to cut out the things that don’t. Rainbow Rowell said it best, “So, what if, instead of thinking about solving you whole life, you just think about adding additional good things. One at a time. Just let your pile of good things grow.”
The face and the daily hiccups… 😍 The face and the daily hiccups… 😍

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