Paperback, 144 pagesPublished June 3rd 1994 by HarperCollins
Synopsis: Mrs.Piggle-Wiggle is a funny little woman who has very long hair, loves children and lives in a house she had built upside down. She wanted it built upside down because when she was a little girl she wondered what it would be like to live in an upside down house. She had the baths and kitchen put in the correct way but everything else is upside down. The chandelier in the dining room is imagined to be a fire by all the children. The children of the neighborhood love to go to her house and play because she has a child-like personality and a big imagination that the children thrive and respond to. She is also the woman everyone calls on for parenting questions. She has a creative cure for all the problems the children have. Here is a list of some of her cures: The Won't-Pick-Up-Toys Cure, The Answer-Backer Cure, The Selfishness Cure, The Radish Cure, The Never-Want-To-Go-To-Bedders Cure, The Slow-Eater-Tiny-Bite-Taker Cure, and The Fighter-Quarrelers Cure. This book was first published in 1947 and it is fairly obvious in the way people lived in the story, to me. My kids didn't notice anything nor ask any questions. :)
My Thoughts: This was a fun read. After each chapter Collin and I took some time to discuss the choices the children were making and if he ever does, then the consequences Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle came up with for the children and what consequences would work in our home. It was really very fun. Collin squealed, "May we please read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle today?" Really, how can a mom possibly say no to that? My 4 year old daughter even joined in our readings. They were fun to listen to for her as well. My son said that he gives this book five stars because it was so fun and I must say, I agree with him, too. :)
Considering the cast and crew of NBC's Mockingbird Lane, created by Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies), I was super psyched for the series this fall. When it was held back, and decided that the "Pilot" would be aired as a stand alone Halloween special, without producing more episodes, disappointment set in. That is, until it actually aired. Then disappointment of a whole other kind appeared.
It's too bad this plot is cut short, though, when Steve accidentally dies. His death is funny, but there is definitely more that could have been milked from the situation, considering Herman's internal struggle is the best part of the episode. Once Steve is dead, not murdered, Herman doesn't mind taking his organ. Which kind of ruins what is built up til that point. How much darker and deeper would it go if Grandpa killed Steve, and then forced Herman to take the heart against his will? How would that affect family dynamics, as well as how Herman feels about himself? And why not let Steve stick around for a few episodes first, so the family can get to know him, and his death would mean more? After all, Jackson is terrific in the part.
Unlike the Halloween special, which aired almost a month before the holiday, FOX let Bob's Burgers put out their Thanksgiving episode at an appropriate time, the Sunday before. Of all the animated comedies the network has on this night, Bob's Burgers is my current favorite. To see the family celebrate a holiday that is so much about family is heartwarming. And, this being Bob's Burgers, also funny.
The third season of Treme comes to a close this week in "Tipitina," and with only an abbreviated run next year left before the series bows out forever, there is a lot of closure. It's been some time since the storm now, and everyone is trying to resume a normal life. This means that there are ups and downs, as most people experience, but the catastrophe figures less and less into the residents' every day lives.
All of this is inspiring. Hurricane Katrina was so devastating, it's a wonder that so many characters are doing so well only a few years later. This is the kind of stuff viewers hunger to see, triumphs over the worst that life has to offer, people managing to move on, and make something worthwhile of themselves. They probably won't stay on top forever, but seeing them reach these heights proves that working hard and diligently pays off. Some spirits cannot be broken.
Now, that's not to say that everything is perfect, by any means. Albert (Clarke Peters) has cancer. Janette (Kim Dickens) thought she had her dream job, only to be railroaded by her business partner, who has different ideas about the restaurant. Davis' smash success comes because his pals wanted to help after seeing just how frustrated he had become with the music industry, and his inability to accomplish what he set out to do. Terry's department is hostile towards him because he stood up for justice, as several fellow officers' expense. None of these can be dismissed lightly.
Author: (info from Goodreads) 
Just about the only series to air a brand new episode on Thanksgiving, Glee avoided the holiday completely in the uneven "Dynamic Duets." Instead, the "Thanksgiving" episode is scheduled for next week. Did presidential politics screw up the schedule? And, if so, why not just air two episodes on Thanksgiving, getting things back on track, and filling the holiday void, especially since there were no other new episodes of anything else airing to compete with? Weird move, guys.
Finn's plot is really well done this week. He is coming into his own, and Glee finally addresses the recent grads-acting-like-seasoned-adults problem. He also gets a really touching moment with Bieste, which, when combined with his sweater vest combo at the beginning of the episode, makes it feel a lot like Will (Matthew Morrison) has never gone. And yet, by the end of the episode, Finn realizes that he needs to be himself, in a subtle plot point. When he does, he begins to soar.
Except, where is Unique (Alex Newell) this week? I understand that recurring characters won't appear in every episode. And s/he didn't need to do the costume thing because his would have been a female, and that story would have felt like a retread of last week. But in an installment about embracing one's self, and the integration of everyone as one, having one of the most stand out members of the glee club MIA is an extremely glaring omission. Bad move, Glee.
Music aside, the real reason Blaine considers leaving is because he is down on himself. After cheating on Kurt (Chris Colfer), and never really allowing himself to feel accepted by the others, it makes sense for him to leave. It's part punishment, to help ease his guilt, and part melancholy. Thank goodness Sam (Chord Overstreet) is paying attention, though, because as soon as he steps in, Blaine not only begins to feel better, thanks in part to hokey good deeds that come out of nowhere, but it also leads to a terrific duet of "Heroes." Blaine is finally a full-fledged member of the ensemble in this episode, in a way he hasn't been all season, in the eyes of both viewers and the character himself.
Back to McKinley, with the influence of Finn, and a little advice from Puck (Mark Salling), Ryder (Blake Jenner) and Jake (Jacob Artist) manage to bury the hatchet. This not only makes Jake more likable, as he pretty much stops straddling the line between good and bad, but it also gives Ryder a chance for some decent focus, proving Jenner can do better than he did in the previous two episodes. After a weak introduction, he warms up to the role more this week, and his chemistry with Jake is really great. Their duet, "Superman," is quite nice.
To do this, we need to see what is behind her pain and hate, and begin to deal with it.
The set up to get the whole group together is slightly convoluted. Ryan (Matthew Perry) has feelings for his college chum, Amy (Lauren Graham, Parenthood, Gilmore Girls), but isn't ready to act on them, since he is still mourning the loss of his wife, Janie (Christine Woods). Steven (John Cho), on the other hand, is interested in starting something with Amy right now, taking away Ryan's future possibility. So Ryan selfishly invites his support group to the station for Thanksgiving, where he can keep an eye on things, and try to thwart any budding romance.
The group, along with Steven and Carrie, are Ryan's window into being a fully developed person. The only chance he has of improving himself is through learning to care about these other people. He might often consider himself better than them, but what he is slowly realizing is that he isn't, and others have feelings, too, a fact most adults acknowledge. This is helped along when other characters have their own stories, with resolutions that don't concern Ryan, such as Owen's mother thanking Lauren (Laura Benanti) this week for helping her son.
ABC's Castle has had a very satisfying and varied last few episodes. First, there was the geek-centric installment, wherein we learned of Beckett's (Stana Katic) cult obsession. Then, a documentary crew showed us what happens when the staff gets in front of cameras, throwing off their game. Finally, this past week, "After Hours" explores the romance between Castle (Nathan Fillion) and Beckett, which has finally been allowed to flourish this season, under scary circumstances.
I love, love, love Eyal (Oded Fehr), and it has been such a pleasure to see him week after week this fall. Now that Annie (Piper Perabo) has repaid the debt of a saved life, disobeying her agency to rescue the friend that saved her when no one else could or would, it may be time for him to fade away again, until returning at some future date, as he is clearly a character that won't permanently go away until he's dead or the show ends. Then again, it may not be time for him to leave. Having quit his own government's agency, why not make Eyal a series regular, whether working for the CIA, or as a freelance consultant that Annie frequently goes to for help?
But now that we've seen her alone, why not see how she behaves as part of a couple, with a man who is always around? One thing Covert Affairs has avoided is giving Annie true romance. In season one, she had an absentee guy who played her, and it is flirted with earlier this season when she beds an asset, but ultimately, that ends in tragedy after a short time together, hardening her soul. Now, Auggie is laying his heart on the line, someone Annie already cares deeply about. Fans surely want her to give him a try, and with Auggie, it has to be more than a mere test. She must commit completely, or else it will fail. This could be a whole new frontier for Annie, one that requires bravery of a sort she hasn't yet had to exhibit.
Which could be why, when Henry (Gregory Itzin) shows Annie a file, she agrees to work with him. Did Henry reveal something bad about Joan or Peter, killing Annie's good will towards them? Or is she playing Henry, enticed by whatever he has offered, at least in the sense that she must get involved to stop him? Good cliffhanger, and a promise to bring back a fantastic, slimy bad guy more next year.
Happy Cyber Monday! The Pop Culture Junkie Black Friday/Cyber Monday offer ends tonight at midnight! It's your last chance to get a FREE Charley bracelet with any purchase (offer excludes Charley Bracelet Lusters Collection). Choose from 30 colors! At checkout simply mention the color of the Charley bracelet you would like (and either a gold or silver chain and any sizing requests) in the Note to Seller Box! Happy Shopping!
Well anyway. I recently got into a reading stump through the first way. After reading just so many so-so novels, I couldn't make myself sit down and read a new one. That's why my blog has been kind of bare this summer. 
