Author 69: Warnings about Apostrophe by Carr

Author: Jan Carr

Illustrator: Ethan Long

Sound advice about the appropriateness of using an apostrophe. Advice that I do not always follow. Apologies.

Bargain Buy #3: A hefty new skillet

I was a tad worried that maybe I'd over estimated the nice weight of this skillet when I first picked it up at the local thrift store but decided I'd better hang on to it since large pans go quickly. It was still in my cart when I reached the check-out so I paid the $3 purchase price, figuring I could just donate it to the thrift store if it didn't meet our needs.

By the time I brought it home I'd resolved that it was a good buy since our lone large skillet has lost much of its Teflon coating over its many years of usage and we really did need new pan. After doing a bit of research on the internet, I'd not only confirmed it was a good buy, but that it's one of the best made skillets on the market for the price (usually in the $30 range).

This particular Tramontina skillet was made in Brazil. The pans feature triple-layer construction and were rated very high in a Cooks Illustrated magazine review, coming in just under All-Clad at a fraction of the price. We've already used our "new" used saute pan to fry up chicken, hamburger and fish and we've been pleased with all the results.

(Disclaimer: We have no connection with Tramontina or Cooks Illustrated or All-Clad. We just like finding things that can be reused and recycled for bargain prices and enjoy sharing a few of these finds with others.)

Author 68: Michael Garland entertains with vivid and detailed illustrations

How Many Mice? by Michael Garland is just one of his many colorful and meticulous books in which one can practice counting skills and observation of details. Mr. Garland lives with his wife and children in New York but has visited Ireland which inspired another book, King Puck. He has also written and illustrated the popular Miss Smith books of which the most recent, Miss Smith Under the Ocean, is scheduled to come out in June of 2011. He also has a number of puzzle books where one searches to find hidden pictures such as Christmas City, Mystery Mansion, and Americana Adventure. Read more about Mr.Garland on different websites or obtain his books from Amazon or your local bookstore or library.

Author 67: Joanne Ryder and twin polar bears

Joanne Ryder has written numerous books, among which is: A Pair of Polar Bears - about the twin polar bear cubs that were adopted by the San Diego Zoo after they were orphaned in Alaska in 2001. The cubs, a male named Kalluk and his sister, Tatqiq, are still at the San Diego Zoo-along with another polar bear, Chinook. MSNBC recently had an article on November 8, 2010, extolling some of the many sights of the San Diego Zoo and mentions the bears. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39970366/ns/travel-family_travel/ The book takes us on a photographic journey of the cubs as they transition to zoo life and grow to adulthood.

Find more books by Joanne Ryder on Amazon. Another couple of facts about Ms.Ryder include that she was an editor before becoming a writer and she is married to a writer: Laurence Yep.

Author 66: Barretta with the past and the present

Gene Barretta gives us the book: Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin designed bifocals for himself, invented the lightning rod, designed the Franklin stove, invented the odometer and more! This colorful foray into the inventions of Benjamin Franklin was both enlightening and entertaining. The book also points out that many of his inventions are still in use today.

Mr. Barretta has created films for Sesame Street and characters for the Jim Henson Company. He also has more books to his credit. His illustrations are found in the following magazines: Cobblestone, National Geographic, and Odyssey (just to name a few). For more about Mr. Barretta, visit his website at: http://www.genebarretta.com/home.html

Guinea girl said the book was wonderful!