a blog all about thrifting
I grew up surrounded by money trees, spotting them not only during my rare trips to big-box nurseries but also in Asian homes and supermarkets. According to feng shui, they’re supposed to be lucky and bring about prosperity. Now, I’m not sure if mine has given me any luck, but it hasn’t died on me … Read more
Days With Frog and Toad is an understated and humorous collection of stories about love that’s perfect for all ages. My kid lit read today is a deep cut — the deceivingly simple Days With Frog and Toad. The book is notorious for its subtext of Frog and Toad being a same-sex couple. Arnold Lobel, the … Read more
This weekend passed away like a cloud of smoke. Literally, because I smell smoky air whenever I crack open a window! There are fires just half an hour away from me towards the South Bay. The crunchy air quality (yes, it is crunchy to my lungs), combined with the heat wave and the pandemic and … Read more
Crotons are the pumpkin spice lattes of the plant world. To put it bluntly, they’re pretty basic. You’ll find them overtaking nurseries towards the end of the summer and throughout fall. Their bright orange, red, and yellow foliage are instantly recognizable. Instantly. Crotons do have a cozy and comforting quality to them, though. While their … Read more
I’ve been picking up more adult-oriented books lately (lots of romances by Jasmine Guillory and a few thrillers by Megan Miranda), but I’m still reading kid lit! I went on a lovely afternoon excursion yesterday, checking out local mom and pop shops and picking up some books from the library. (I also had the best … Read more
The ZZ plant is nothing to yawn at! Dubbed the “unkillable houseplant,” zamioculcas zamiifolia makes for an agreeable and low-key addition to any plant collection. Its beautiful foliage almost looks plastic, coming with a dark green glossy finish. But despite growing relatively slowly, the ZZ is much more rewarding than a fake plant (in my … Read more
Kelly Yang’s Front Desk illuminates issues of poverty and immigration with a heartwarming story and fiercely self-aware protagonist at its core. Hello, kid lit book hive! I’m back with a review of Kelly Yang’s Front Desk. Yang’s middle-grade novel is extremely my speed — that is, a slice-of-life story that so lovingly invests in its details and characters. The … Read more
Last summer, my grandma visited us from Canada for a few weeks. She had a lot of life hacks and liked to call things easy, except she’d say it like “E-Z.” When I’m tending to my philodendrons, I think of that hard emphasis “E-Z” because philodendrons are incredibly low maintenance houseplants! My philodendrons have survived … Read more
Hello, hello, hello, my fronds! It’s me, Count Olaf — just kidding. I’ve been slow to post this week because work has me l-e-v-e-l-e-d. I’m back with a kid lit blog, though. This week, I read not one, not two, but three books, not to toot my own horn. Specifically, those great American classics were … Read more
Introduction Don’t ever talk to its son or its son’s son or its son’s son’s son or its son’s son’s son’s son ever again! There’s no other word to describe the spider plant other than prolific. When given adequate water and sunlight, they grow incessantly. Spider plants are those giant tufted mounds of striking leaves that … Read more
