Category: General

Posted in Book Review, General

2017 Year in Review

Posted on by Bridget

This has been a great year here at Bridget and the Books! Thank you to my readers for being part of it!

First a review of the numbers:

  • 9,651 views of my blog
  • 4,891 visitors to my blog
  • 231 posts (mostly book reviews)
  • 611 likes on posts
  • 76 comments on blog (but we also chat on twitter, facebook and instagram)
  • The most popular post was my interview of Dylan Tuet followed by my review of Cleopatra in Space 4

Some highlights of the year were:

 

My 2018 goals will be:

  • Meet Mike Maihack (don’t know how yet, but working on it) and Aimee Bissonette (planned for March)
  • Read Cleopatra in Space 5 and Nick Tapalansky‘s next book
  • Make a dent on reading my book shelf aka READ MORE!
  • Bring back the Librarian interviews  (know anyone interested? drop me a note)
  • Create an interview series about awesome kids doing extraordinary things! Let me know about a kid you think should be featured!

 

I am closing 2017 on a happy note and excited about what 2018 brings! Have a wonderful New Year and see you next year!

Smooches,

Bridget

 

Posted in Author Meet Up, General

Special news flash

Posted on by Bridget

You can meet your favorite author. Just follow them on social media or write to them. I have found most respond so write!

You can also meet authors and illustrators at events. Check your libraries and book stores for events. I went to an event to meet three authors and saw another author I knew, so authors also support authors. There was another author at Salina Yoon’s library event!

On Saturday, when I met Marcie Colleen, some kids didn’t even realize they were with an author. They didn’t seem to believe it when I told them she was the author. For all you know your favorite kids author is standing next to you.

And if you connect with them, you might just give Jarret J. Krosoczka a ketchup and mustard high five, play mime with Salina Yoon, be on the radio with Guy Raz or get Mike Maihack’s Cleopatra’s before they are released.

So write to your authors and illustrators!

Posted in General

Thank you

Posted on by Bridget

Yesterday I got a nice surprise from an author I had reviewed. Well, he wasn’t one of my author friends but now he is. I had only read that one book by him!

I love his compliment. It is so nice. This is one of the reasons I do what I do. It is hard sometimes when you are trying to do homework, be a kid, go to school, go to sleep and be a literary critic (ps. New favorite phrase). It is very nice to know it is appreciated.

Tomorrow I meet a favorite author and on Monday, Salina will be at my school! Big few days ahead.

Posted in General

A kid’s guide to summer vacation

Posted on by Bridget

First you need to do a lot of reading. Next make sure you do a lot of swimming and fishing. 

Another fun thing is going on hikes, having picnics, picking blueberries, riding bikes, and seeing new things like trains.

And repeat the next day

Posted in General

Big News

Posted on by Bridget

Did you notice the change when you came to visit? It is a little one but super cool… The address here is now bridgetandthebooks.com . 

With this upgrade, I hope to be able to post video reviews and interviews. Please give us a little time to work out the new set-up. I have been reading a lot already – my grandmother says I am reading at least 5 books right now.  Plus we have some interviews prepped to load.

Posted in General

Big Milestone!

Posted on by Bridget

Today is a super exciting day! Today is my blog’s first birthday! I didn’t make a cake for it but check out this cake my mom made for my first birthday!

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I want to thank all of you for supporting me over this past year. I am really excited by the support I have received. I want to send a special thank you to Salina Yoon, Mike Maihack, Aimee Bissonette, Guy Raz and Mindy Thomas, who have really done a great job sharing my blog to their audiences.  Thank you to  Stephanie at Detroit News for the article on my blog and Fox 2 News Maurielle Lue for interviewing on her show.

Thank you also to my guest reviewers who shared their thoughts on books too!

Mom helped me look at what I have accomplished in the past year

  • Posts: 296 counting this one 
  • Visitors: 5946+
  • Views: 11,876+
  • Book reviews: 185 (wow and I have read a lot more books I haven’t reviewed yet)
  • Authors interviewed: 40
  • Librarians interviewed: 30
  • Illustrators: 9
  • My most viewed post is my interview with Meaghan Battle

Thank you for helping me be so successful this year!

And here is a new addition to my room! Guess who made it – yep, my mom! (She is good like that)


 

Posted in Comics, General

Making Stuff with Bob Bukoski

Posted on by Bridget


Bob Bukoski

 

http://www.MST3KBots.com

stores.ebay.com/mst3kbots

 how did you get into making things?

I’ve been making and crafting things since I was very young. I’ve always enjoyed making something out of nothing. When the first Star Wars movie came out I built a life size R2-D2 out of a barrel, a hair dryer dome and and some wood. I also sculpted a Darth Vader mask out of plaster to wear as a costume.

– why did you create MST3K replicas?

I started making the MST3K robots shortly after I became a fan of the show when it first aired back in the 1990’s. It was obvious that the robots were made out of all kinds of junk parts so I started searching for all the correct pieces to make each robot. Eventually I got most of the parts and built my own versions of Crow and Tom Servo.

– what is your favorite thing about MST3K?

I’ve always loved the jokes used on MST3K. It fits in with my sense of humor. Also they do so many jokes with every episode that it’s easy to find some you like.

– do you have a favorite episode?

My favorite episode is probably episode #402 – The Giant Gila Monster. I’ve always liked monster movies

– do you have advice for kids who like to make things?

The best advice I can give young people is what ever you are passionate about just do it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it or discourage you from trying. The hockey player Wayne Gretzky once said “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. If you really want to do something you have to take your shot.