Author and illustrator: Leslie Patricelli

I love books!  When Leslie Patricelli's new books arrived at my door my toddler son asked hopefully "are those for me?" We sat down to read them...and again...and again...and again.  I finally had to beg off because my throat was getting sore from reading so long!  

The books we were reading were Higher! Higher! and Baby Happy, Baby Sad, both written and illustrated by Patricelli.  My favorite of the two was Higher! Higher!  The main character daughter is swinging with her daddy, pleading to go higher - and ends up higher than you would probably expect!  

Both books were a fun read.  The best part was certainly the illustrations - colorful and cute, they are beautiful and enjoyable.  They are a bit short on story line, but the pictures tell quite a bit of story by themselves.  I enjoyed asking my toddler if he knew what was going on just by looking at the pictures.  

There are definitely books written by a real-life mom, and I hope you enjoy them as much as we are.  

New Artist: Corneille

I had heard him described as "acoustic-driven R&B." As "Motown," as similar to John Legend, Tracy Chapman, and Marvin Gaye.  That's not exactly my style, but I was intrigued enough by Corneille to give him a try.  

Because I had also heard something of his life story.  His parents and family members were killed in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.  He was the only one in his family to escape.  The more I read about his history and what he had to say, the more interested I was to hear his music.  Deep experiences often make for deep artistry.  

Genre preferences aside, the first time I listened to The Birth of Corneille I couldn't help but perk up a bit.  The second time through I was swaying and humming.  By the third time I was singing along and now I've got the songs running through my head even when the CD isn't playing.  

So...not what I thought was my style, but you learn something new everyday.  If you'd like to learn more, head on over to his website.