February Books

Here's the line-up for February:

The Hobbit: 4.5 Stars
I read this with Clayton and Isaac, who loved it. We all loved it. How is it that I have lived this long without ever reading The Hobbit, of all books? It's a great book to read aloud and the boys and I looked forward to the adventure every night.  Isaac's favorite part was the spider battle - the first time Bilbo showed real courage and earned the respect of all the dwarves.  Clayton's favorite part was when Bilbo secretly traded the Archenstone (worth more than all the gold of the mountain combined) to use as leverage for peace.
"If more of us valued food, and cheer, and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world indeed."
I loved the ending.  The going home.
"Surely you don't disbelieve the prophecies just because you had a hand in bringing them about yourself? You don't really suppose that all your adventures and escapes were managed by pure luck, do you? You are a fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide wide world after all!"
And now I can't wait to see the movie.


Life Lessons From Fathers of Faith: 3 Stars
This could have been edited much better - it felt kind of thrown together, actually.  And it could have been more consistent - the stories kept switching between famous LDS people talking about their dads and famous LDS people's kids talking about them.  It was a little confusing and hard to keep straight who was talking about who.  But, that being said. . . there were some gems. And overall it made me grateful for good fathers everywhere.  It made me reflect on my own life and how I have been influenced by experiences with my own (wonderful, amazing) parents.  It also made me ever more appreciative of Nate.  This book inspired me to have (and make!) more meaningful moments with my children.  Here are a few of the gems:
   - Matthew Holland talks about how he and his father, after losing their way on some back roads near the Arizona border, leaned on the Lord to know which road to follow only to have it lead to a dead end.  They later realized that by following that road first, they eliminated the option and could confidently navigate the right road even though it seemed long and unfamiliar in the dark.  It was a powerful lesson on how the Lord leads us down unexpected (round about or even dead end) paths to teach us and to protect us.
   - There were several mentions of special (even life-changing) letters written by fathers.  Senator Jake Garn (whom I met once and interviewed for a high school research project) told about how a letter that his father had written to him on his 12th birthday had influenced the rest of his life.  One part of the letter said, "hitch your wagon to a star.  Set your goal that high.  Son, I am proud of you and expect good things of you."  Senator Garn did hitch his wagon to a star - he became the first sitting member of the United States Congress to fly in space when he flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery.
I was reminded of the letter my dad wrote to me on my 12th birthday (which I still have) and how it shaped the way I thought about myself and influenced the direction of my life.
   - The most riveting story of all was told by Robin Russell about her father Pete Russell tracking down his father during WWII by enlisting in the Navy and doing all he could to get to Japan where Leo Russell was being held as a prisoner of war.  It's an unbelievable, amazing, and heroic story. Truly the Lord's hand is in all things.


Okay for Now: 5 Stars
Wow.  I have never wanted to reach my arms into a book and hug a character so badly.  Hug a whole town! This book. . . I don't even know if I could describe why or how it wraps around your heart.  The writing is flawless, seamless.  Gary Schmidt has a real gift for giving voice to his characters.  The story itself is tough and heart-breaking.  It's rich and beautiful.  It's engaging and endearing. This book is a true work of art (no pun intended, if you've read it)  I love more deeply after having read this book.  "Do you know how that feels?"  

Gooney Bird Greene: 4 Stars
One of the kids came home from school with a Gooney Bird Greene book.  I picked it up after "Lois Lowry" caught my eye.  I didn't know she wrote young children's books.  I read the first chapter and couldn't put it down.  Since then we have checked the whole series out from the library.  I'll be buying these books.  Clever.  Hilarious. Smart. Good. Good. Good.  Gooney Bird is charming, intriguing, and ever bound to make a difference in the world! Lois Lowry captures second grade perfectly.  And her writing is superb.  Such a nice change from the borderline rude Junie B. Jones and the horrendous writing of Magic Tree House. I'm excited for anyone who stumbles across Gooney Bird Greene!    


Picture Book Spotlight:

I swear this book was written about me.  It's the story of a mother who takes her five children to the grocery store.  The youngest, Edwin, talks constantly in baby language which no one can understand.  Sounds like my life, right?   Just wait till you see the illustrations. . .

After the mother drove all the way to the store with her purse on the roof of the car, here she is attempting to get a shopping cart.  Notice how the cart is already full before she even begins shopping?  This is me.

Here she is pretending that the rowdy children that just completely destroyed the soup aisle aren't any relation whatsoever.

Notice the wrestling match in the corner?  Notice the distracted mother accidentally walking off with the wrong shopping cart?

Finally time to check out.  Yep, there are the kids headfirst in the candy.  The yelling baby.  The shopping cart gymnast.  The look from the cashier.  Ahhhh. . . it's all too familiar.

My kids think this book is entertaining enough.  But they don't have the faintest idea why on earth it has me rolling with laughter.