AT HOW MANY WEEKS CAN A BABY SURVIVE

Every Thing On It

A spider lives inside my head
Who weaves a strange and wondrous web
Of silken threads and silver strings
To catch all sorts of flying things,
Like crumbs of thought and bits of smiles
And specks of dried-up tears,
And dust of dreams that catch and cling
For years and years and years . . .
Have you ever read a book with everything on it? Well, here it is, an amazing collection of never-before-published poems and drawings from the creator of Where the Sidewalk Ends, A Light in the Attic, and Falling Up. You will say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid, play a highly unusual horn, and experience the joys of growing down.
What's that? You have a case of the Lovetobutcants? Impossible! Just come on in and let the magic of Shel Silverstein bend your brain and open your heart.

Amazon Exclusive: A Q&A with Toni Markiet, Shel Silverstein’s Longtime Editor

Q: What was the first book you worked with Shel Silverstein on?
Markiet: The first book was The Missing Piece in 1976. I was the assistant to his editor at that time, Edite Kroll. Was I lucky!
Q: What was his creative process like and how did you two work together?
Markiet: I remember most clearly that Shel was meticulous in every aspect of a book... the trim size, the paper, the binding and of course, the contents. No piece of the whole was too small to consider carefully. He looked at every spread to be sure art and text were positioned the best way possible. And, he considered every word and expression until it, and the whole text, was just right. I learned how a book is made in the best possible way.
Q: Shel passed away in 1999 but more than ten years later you’re publishing Every Thing On It, which includes tons of his never-before-seen poems and drawings. Can you tell us how this project came to be?
Markiet: Over the years, Shel continued to write and draw and work on poems. He left a rich archive of finished material. In the past few years, the Silverstein family has allowed us to unveil some of these in special editions of both Where the Sidewalk Ends and A Light in the Attic. The response was so amazing that the family felt it was now the right time to publish this book.
Q: What is your favorite poem from Every Thing On It?
Markiet: This is an almost impossible question to answer but if pressed, I will say “Mer-Maid.”

Lo and I go to the library every other week to turn in old books and get new ones. I've never been much of a library person- I prefer to buy and keep my books. But last year the older kids were able to get their own library cards, and since then we've been devotees. I will say that if you return your books on time.. it's a money saver. Since I do nothing 'on time', we've spent quite a bit to rent books :)

This week Lo found Hush Little Baby. I've been singing this song since Q was a baby- to all of my kids. When Q was about one, we were swinging on the swing set and he wanted me to sing Hush Little Baby- I only knew the first two verses, so i made up the rest with whatever rhyming verses I could think of quickly (at 8am with a 1 year old... need I say more to defend myself.)

This is Hush Little Baby as we've known if for almost 9 years (until getting the real verses from the library):

Hush little baby don't say a word
mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird
And if that mocking bird don't sing
mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring don't shine
mama's gonna buy you a bottle of wine
And if that bottle of wine should break
mama's gonna buy you a great big rake
And if that great big rake won't scoop
... mama's gonna put you in a pile of poop.

which then erupts each kid into laughter (the wine part must've been a hopeful wish of mine?). Imagine all of their confusion last night when they figured out the real words.....

Somogyi Barbara © All Rights Reserved.

BEST IN LARGE!

Well, I was about to take a special photo, and so this was my idea :]
You might not believe it, but it was very very difficult to find yellow, white and red stuff.

A few things about them:

-orange: well, there is my favorite bracelet! Full of medals :] There are four-leaf-clovers, hearts, flowers, balls etc. on it. I bought it in Croatia ;]
There is my ballerina, I love it so much. :]

-green: There is a ball used for tennis. I love tennis so much, that's what I put it there. :] And there's my calculator and my sis' plastic glass. :]

-blue: There is my other favorite bracelet, made by my CHIARA :]

-brown: Well, there is my famous London Teddy :] ¦ ¦ And I really love that shoe :]

-white: Well, I had to make it bw, because it wasn't white enough :]
There is my favorite butterfly medal, which my friend, Agos sent me from Argentina. And there are my favorite chewing gums! :]

-yellow: Skateboard of my troll, my keyholder (like converse) and Luigi¦ ¦ :]

-purple: Love Purple!!! ¦ :]
Well, my bracelets and my fave MILKA ruler :]

-red: Well, I don't love red but here it is. :]
My baby shoe, a Coca Cola boy and my fave Ferrari :]

-pink: My ballerina shoe (I painted it pink ;] ), candle I love and my retro ring :]

Well, and there are plastic spoons (used for eating icecream) in every color, because I love them so much and they are so cute and funny :]

Pushing the sensual limits can set off all kinds of alarms…
Turner Twins, Book 1
Inheriting her grandmother’s home is a dream come true for web designer Maxine Turner. She’s looking forward to a little freedom from the constant demands of her beloved, crazy mob of a family. When vandals expose just how vulnerable she is living alone, she seeks help.
Ryan Claymore’s well-thought-out life was wrenched out from under him when responsibility for his special-needs stepbrother landed on his shoulders. Going from military man to business man hasn’t been easy. He counts himself lucky he’s found Maxine to trade his security-system knowledge for her website expertise.
The red-hot chemistry that sizzles between them comes from out of the blue, and they both fight a losing battle to resist. Even the secret Ryan hides isn’t enough to keep Maxine from working her way into his heart—and his bed.
But something else might tear them apart. Whoever seems determined to destroy her home, and her sanity along with it.
Warning: Realistic multiple orgasm sex scenes, men getting in touch with their emotions, brothers being—well—brothers, and a very tempting back-porch swing…you have been warned.

Pushing the sensual limits can set off all kinds of alarms…
Turner Twins, Book 1
Inheriting her grandmother’s home is a dream come true for web designer Maxine Turner. She’s looking forward to a little freedom from the constant demands of her beloved, crazy mob of a family. When vandals expose just how vulnerable she is living alone, she seeks help.
Ryan Claymore’s well-thought-out life was wrenched out from under him when responsibility for his special-needs stepbrother landed on his shoulders. Going from military man to business man hasn’t been easy. He counts himself lucky he’s found Maxine to trade his security-system knowledge for her website expertise.
The red-hot chemistry that sizzles between them comes from out of the blue, and they both fight a losing battle to resist. Even the secret Ryan hides isn’t enough to keep Maxine from working her way into his heart—and his bed.
But something else might tear them apart. Whoever seems determined to destroy her home, and her sanity along with it.
Warning: Realistic multiple orgasm sex scenes, men getting in touch with their emotions, brothers being—well—brothers, and a very tempting back-porch swing…you have been warned.