nightstand notes/ wanna view some reviews?

I have a confession to make: I'm a terrible, terrible book blogger. In order to post reviews of books, you need to be reading a respectable number of books on a regular basis, and this past month has been one of very little reading for me, it seems. I could bore you with the details of why I've been so, so busy (blah, blah, blah), or I could go on and on like a cocky fool and describe our family vacation that's still ongoing and how we're so busy soaking in the Florida sun that I haven't read more than 20 pages of the three books that I packed. Whatever. Suffice it to say that I just haven't read much lately.

Which makes it somewhat challenging to post about my Nightstand! Of last month's five posted nightstand books, two are currently in my travel bag right now, having had a few pages read here and there. Yeah, I gots to get my reading butt in gear.

Since The Art of Roughhousing and The Ninth Wife are still works in progress, I won't list so many books this month. Here are two other books on my shelf that will hopefully get read in the coming weeks:

*Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, As, Praise and Other Bribes by Alfie Kohn -- This big book will be due back at the library soon, so there's even more push to get this one read. I'm interested because we've become completely enmeshed by this rewards system in school, and honestly, my ten year old son doesn't even seem to care anymore... I'm curious to read Kohn's perspective, as I respect his complete body of work and his courage to speak out against the norms of the current education model.

*Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking Sense About Sex by Deborah Roffman  -- Yeah, I started this one a while ago, then put it back on my bookshelf unfinished. It's been made clear to us recently that this is perhaps a must-read right now... raising a pre-teen son is quite confusing, to say the least. I feel like we've been more open and direct than the average parent about sex and sexuality, but I still find myself perplexed about the whole big picture. I'm hoping that this book helps me to feel a little clearer about what and how we should be talking with the kids, especially the oldest!

Okey dokey, this is me committing to getting back in reading shape. If you're interested in taking a peek at others' nightstands, head over to 5 Minutes for Books' What's on Your Nightstand?

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If you're so inclined, you can check out my reviews from the past few weeks:

*The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses -- a fabulous six-book series about princesses from history.

*The Anti-Romantic Child -- my first post on the Kirkus Reviews Blog (incredible!!) was on this outstanding parenting memoir

*Nonfiction for Bird Loving Kids -- two nonfiction picture books that knocked my socks off!

*Skinny -- loved, LOVED this novel- fabulous contemporary author

*The Little Engine That Could: Books on Screen -- cute new kids' DVD based on the classic story

*The Last Letter -- a historical novel taking place on the prairie in the late 19th century

*Bee & Bird -- a sweet new wordless picture book

*Sports Books for Kids -- two books about basketball and baseball reviewed by fellow 5M4B staffer Lauren, and a book about the wackiest sports you can imagine reviewed by yours truly

*Planting Dandelions -- not your average parenting memoir- prepare to laugh out loud!


Off to get reading,