soup of the day: the small adventure of popeye and elvis!

September 15, 2009July 25, 2011 ~ jama ~ 16 Comments

Yoohoo!

Calling all readers who love adventure!

We have a very good reason for Yoohooing and Woohooing and twirling ourselves silly with excitement, because it’s official pub day for Barbara O’Connor’s brand new middle grade novel, The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis (FSG, 2009)!!

THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS by Barbara O’Connor
(Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2009), Ages 8-12, 160 pp.

It’s always such a treat whenever Barbara publishes a new book; you know you will fall in love with the characters even before you meet them. I’ve been following the book’s progress on Barbara’s blog, from the time she announced the title, which still makes me smile every time I see it, to the arrival of her author’s copies.

Continue reading →

soup of the day: greetings from nowhere by barbara o’connor

March 18, 2008 ~ jama ~ 15 Comments

CALOO-CALAY! IT’S BARBARA O’CONNOR DAY!

It’s finally here!

The day I’ve been waiting and waiting for.

Today, Barbara’s latest novel, Greetings from Nowhere (FSG, 2008) is officially out!

Get ready for a trip to the Sleepy Time Motel in the Great Smoky Mountains. Aggie hasn’t had any guests in months, and the place has been getting harder and harder to keep up ever since her husband died. But Clyde and his mom need a place to stay when their car breaks down, and Loretta and her parents pull up in their van, followed by Clyde and his daughter, Willow. Can a run-down motel in the middle of nowhere change their lives forever?

appropriate for ages 10 and up

To learn more, watch the book trailer on Barbara’s website. As always, visit her blog for all the latest news, a wealth of tips on writing and promoting books, and information about doing school visits. Fans of her other books, including, How to Steal a Dog, Moonpie and Ivy, and Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia, know that Barbara creates enduring characters who stay with you for a long time. So trot on over to your nearest bookstore, or order Greetings from Nowhere online right now!

Okay, okay, I’m going already . . .

Big congratulations, Barbara!

Everyone, dip your spoons into this hearty celebration soup. As a special tribute to Barbara, vigorous lapping from the bowl is also allowed for today only (she loves dogs)! Come on, let me hear you slurp!

I hope I added enough postage for this soup greeting to reach you. I hear the USPS is raising their rates again soon . . .

how to steal a cookie

December 3, 2007November 13, 2017 ~ jama ~ 8 Comments

The easiest way would be to distract the person in possession of said cookie with this fabulous book:

Once that person begins reading all about Georgina and the irresistible dog in question, he/she will forget all about cookies. This book has already been nominated for a Texas Bluebonnet Award, is recommended by Parents Choice, and is a School Library Journal Best Book of 2007. I freely admit to having read this book sans cookies.

But looking at you, I sense your weakness. You’re probably the type who wants to have your cookie and eat it, too.

It’s a good thing the author herself, Barbara O’Connor, is here for the Cookie Party. She has brought one of her favorite recipes from The Silver Palate Cookbook (Workman, 1982). I recommend eating these very slowly,and savouring every crumb while reading Barbara’s book, to facilitate the ultimate canine cookie experience.

MOLASSES COOKIES

12 T (1-1/2 sticks) sweet butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
1-3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter, add sugar and molasses, and mix thoroughly. Lightly beat egg and add to butter mixture; blend well.

Sift flour with spices, salt and baking soda, and add to first mixture; mix. Batter will be wet.

Lay a sheet of foil on a cookie sheet. Drop tablespoons of cookie batter on foil, leaving inches between the cookies. These will spread during baking.

Bake until cookies start to darken, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven while still soft. Let cool on foil.

(These are soft and chewy, and definitely worth stealing.)

TIP: I know you will like How to Steal a Dog so much, you will bark for more. But no need to beg, roll over, or steal. Just pre-order Barbara’s next book, coming in Spring 2008: