Selby G.

  • Strategies and Techniques for Language Learning

    Learning another language can either be a daunting task or a fun hobby- depending on how you look at it. Most people tend to put it into the ‘daunting task’ category but there are a few who find it to be a fun pastime. To get myself in the mindset of learning another language I… Continue reading

  • Language Learning for Business

    Today’s job market is very competitive and being able to speak another language might just give you an added edge. If your end goal is to be fluent or nearly fluent in a language so that you can put it on your resume then I suggest you start your language learning journey with the resources… Continue reading

  • Language Learning Resources for Children

    Learning another language is not just for adults who want to travel. When children learn another language they improve their vocabulary and cognitive ability, so it is no wonder many parents are now starting their kids off young. Even just learning a few words can be useful. There are many fun and easy ways to… Continue reading

  • A Plethora of Language Learning Resources

    Have you decided what language you want to learn? If you missed our first post on language learning and want advice on how to decide which language to learn then click here. If you already know which language you want to learn then let’s jump right in. The majority of language learners are doing it for… Continue reading

  • Resources for Learning Another Language

      Have you ever thought about learning another language? Are you interested but not sure where to start? Overwhelmed by the options and not sure what would work best for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this series of posts is for you. Learning a second (or third or fourth) language… Continue reading

  • Awesome Upcoming Children’s Fantasy Titles

    -posted by Selby G.  This is your ‘fair warning’ to get your ‘fantastic eyes’ on these great kids’ fantasy books and become a ‘reader’ before the latest installments come out. I am insanely excited for March 1st, and not because it is National Pig Day or the sixtieth day of the year. I am excited because… Continue reading

  • Gift Books for Kids (Nonfiction is your friend!)

    ~posted by Selby G. If you are reading this post to get ideas about what book to gift a child for the holidays you are probably envisioning a fiction book. Maybe a classic like Treasure Island or an award winner such as Brown Girl Dreaming. And although I fully support loading a kid’s life with… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Halloween Traditions

    ~posted by Selby Tonight is THE night for the dead to crawl out of the underworld and roam the streets. Where are the best places to celebrate both in the US and around the world? In the USA Sleepy Hollow, New York. As home of Washington Irving’s chilling tale about a headless horseman who terrorizes… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Fall Foods!

    ~posted by Selby G. One of the best things about the fall is eating. It is the harvest season but the cold weather also makes us want warm comforting food. Hot soups, filling casseroles and baked goods galore are what the fall is all about. Here are some cookbooks to help you eat your way… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Books About Bodies

    ~posted by Selby G. “It is difficult to put words to the smell of decomposing human. It is dense and cloying, sweet but not flower-sweet. Halfway between rotting fruit and rotting meat.” ― Mary Roach, Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers With a description like that it is not difficult to understand why most living… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Harry Potter Nostalgia

    ~posted by Selby G. Nothing screams fall for me like Harry Potter. The music, characters, scenery, the entire vibe of the books and movies epitomize what I think Halloween, and Fall, should be like. For the last couple of years my husband and I have the tradition to watch the Harry Potter movies again when… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: The Death of Poe

    “The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. Who shall say where the one ends, and where the other begins?” ― Edgar Allan Poe, The Premature Burial One hundred and sixty six years ago today, Edgar Allan Poe mysteriously died at the age of 40. Though his life was tumultuous… Continue reading

  • October Takeover: Morbid Museums

    ~posted by Selby G.  Haunted Houses may be tradition at this time of year, but there are places that will make your skin crawl (and teach you a thing or two) all year long. Medical Museums are institutions to educate the public about medicine and health, although entertainment and a dose of gore help bring in… Continue reading

  • Fantasy Checklist Challenge: Romantic Fantasy

    ~posted by Selby G. Romance novels, by their very nature, are usually not considered great literature. This is not to say that romance novels are not worth reading, but perhaps they should be judged with relaxed criteria. It is no different in the fantasy romance subgenre. Stories abound with sexy witches, shape shifters of all… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo: Translated from Another Language

        – Posted by Selby This summer The Seattle Public Library, in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures, is excited to offer a summer reading program for adults called Summer Book Bingo! In order to help you along on your quest to complete your bingo sheet, we have pulled together some book suggestions based on each… Continue reading

  • Book Bingo: Books to Re-Read

         – Posted by Selby This summer The Seattle Public Library, in partnership with Seattle Arts & Lectures, is excited to offer a summer reading program for adults called Summer Book Bingo! In order to help you along on your quest to complete your bingo sheet, we have pulled together some book suggestions based on… Continue reading

  • Fantasy Checklist Challenge: Children’s Books

    ~posted by Selby G. All ages love the possibilities bound in the pages of a fantastical book and children are no different. Some of the most creative and entertaining fantasy books I have read were written for kids. So don’t let the age vector deter you. The books in this post may be geared towards… Continue reading

  • Fantasy Checklist Challenge!

    ~Posted by Selby G. Fantasy is a genre of fiction that usually conjures up images of wizards battling dragons or beautiful maidens riding unicorns. While these are common elements in many fantasy novels, they are by no means the only ones. Fantasy novels run the gamut from hints of magic popping up in urban settings… Continue reading