Literary Euphoria

Thomas, my husband, gave me the gift of $100 to spend on anything I wanted on my jaunt around town last Friday. The text with the announcement came after I browsed through a few stores where I probably could have easily found something on which to spend the money (all the pretty art). I could not find anything the rest of the day; however, I was not deterred. Exhausted and sore from walking through several stores and malls I returned home resolved to get something out of the adventure. I turned to my trusty friend Amazon and purchased 12 books. The second book in the new Beyonders series by Brandon Mull will arrive next year. I also got the final book in the Alchemyst series by Michael Scott which will also arrive next year. I guess you can call me a die hard. The rest of the books are themed around the American Revolution. (We loved Johnny Tremain so much I decided to dive into more books on the topic.) Titles include books written by Avi, Collier and Brady. I am especially excited for three of the books in particular.

The first is Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin by His Good Mouse Amos by Robert Lawson. Disney made a short cartoon called Ben and Me that I loved as a child. When you love the movie you often love the book more. I figured I can relive a childhood love. It is my playful take on two birds with one stone. The second book is Francis Macon and the Legend of the Swamp Fox by Kate Salley Palmer. It is a picture book. A picture book always has a place in a home library no matter how old the readers are. Again, I can attribute the excitement to receive this book on good old Disney. I am still heard singing, "Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, tail on his hat. Nobody knows where the Swamp Fox at." And, I will sing this a lot until the literary euphoria wears off. Finally, I got Swamp Fox: General Francis Marion and his Guerrilla Fighters of the American Revolutionary War by William Dobein James who fought side by side with the Swamp Fox, Francis Macon (I wanted to call him Sir Francis Macon but the irony was too much even if he is a knight in shining armor of the American Revolution.). It's a first hand account: A primary source. It cannot be more cool than that. If you were here you could palpitate the excitement that has a strangle hold on the air.

Now I just hope I can make it until Tuesday. I love Amazon but sometimes the lack of instant gratification is too much to bear. I plan on being quite happy on Tuesday when my dog goes berserk at the sound of the doorbell.