I'm glad January is always a boring month. More time for reading! I read ten books this month. Ten! Seven came from Isaac's "Name That Book" list. (We are in operation mode right now as Isaac scrambles to finish all 34 books in time for try-outs this week) Three are Texas Bluebonnet Award Winners. Two received Newbery Medals. And one brought me all the way back to Africa. It was a good month for reading.
Laugh With the Moon: 5 Stars
This book brought back the memories, smells, faces, heartache, breathtaking beauty, humor (laughed out loud at the "Slow But Sure Station") simplicity, and all the smiles of Africa. It's about a teenage girl, Clare, who ends up in Africa, of all places, after her mother dies. Her dad has been assigned to work in a local hospital in Malawi and she attends the village school there - where students are crammed two or three to a desk or on the floor of mud classrooms with hardly any school supplies. Government teachers bike in from neighboring villages and only primary students with "uniforms" are able to attend. When the local school master, Mr. Special Kingsly, (love all these names!) asks Clare to teach English to the younger grades, her life takes on a whole new meaning. It's a beautifully written story about friendship, tragedy, hope, and resilience. I read this with Clayton and Isaac, pulling out my own pictures of Africa with every page turn. When Clare is given a chicken as a gift, I found the picture of me with my own "gift" chickens. When she describes the school rooms and the chalk board, I showed them with my own photos. The village bicycles? The children dancing? The tattered school uniforms? The hope in each face of making it through the next rainy season? Or bout of malaria? Dedicated school teachers with no textbooks to go by? Teenage students who study relentlessly, dream of someday making a difference, and know the value of education? It's all there. In this book. Along with all my heart. I loved every word.
Tua and the Elephant: 4 Stars
I read this with Brigham. It's one of Isaac's "Name That Book" books. But since Isaac can't help listening in whenever I read to Brigham, I figured we might as well kill two birds with one stone. It's a cute story about a 10-year-old girl in Thailand who rescues (steals) a baby elephant from two abusive mahouts in the market. She has quite the adventure, first hiding the elephant from her parents, and then escorting it through hill, river, and valley to an elephant reserve. Such a sweet story. . . guess who wants a pet elephant now?
Holes: 4 Stars
I read this with the boys, who of course loved it. (How could they not?) I can't even count how many times I've read Holes. It was a standard classroom read-aloud every year as a teacher and I've read it twice to my own kids already - who all agree it's even better the second time around. They now call each other only by nicknames and blame everything on some no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing great-great-grandfather. Ha!
Death Comes to Pemberly: 3.5 Stars
A Jane Austen murder mystery? This book was getting so many reviews - mixed reviews, that I decided to read it for myself. The Austen purists loved it. . . and begrudged it. The P.D. James (mystery) fans applauded it. . . and poo-pooed it. So now I'll tell you what I think. I really appreciated the research (especially when it came to English law) and the careful Austen-style writing. And even though P.D. James got Mr. Collins all wrong, she mastered the other characters - their mannerisms, language styles, flaws, desires, and subtleties. But truth be told, I can't stand murder mysteries. Why wait (waste) 400 pages to finally ask the suspected murderer (Wickham) what really happened? It could have been over in 30 pages - mystery solved - and I would have liked it better. Still, purist or not, who doesn't love Pemberly? I'm always happy to read about any and all of the comings and goings there.
The Watsons go to Birmingham: 3.5 Stars
I read this with Clayton and Isaac. The language is terrible. (I had to do a lot of fudging). But it is so well-written. The whole story is narrated by the youngest brother, Kenny. He tells about their life in Flint, Michigan and their family road trip to Alabama in 1963 that changed everything. It's hard not to love the Watsons. They're loyal, clever, and as funny as the Cosbys. Even Byron who kind of swears, and kind of steals, and kind of bullies is likeable. I'm glad my kids got to experience this book.
Clementine and the Family Meeting: 4.5 Stars
Clementine is the new Ramona. But better. We actually listened to the audio CD version of this book in the car. What a character, that Clementine! And so real - with good days and bad days, strengths and weaknesses. I loved Clementine's parents particularly and the way they handled family routines, relationships, and changes. Clayton, Isaac, and Brigham weren't into the third-grade girl humor. But my four-year-old loved it! Clementine had Eliza and I chuckling from beginning to end! Favorite quote:
"I heaved such a deep sigh into my mug that my hot chocolate sloshed. Waiting is my hardest thing."
Because of Mr. Terupt: 4 Stars
I really liked this book. But I like all books about good teachers. I have a lot to learn from Mr. Terupt. He never yelled. He never forcefully corrected or reprimanded. He let kids make mistakes and learn from them. He let them make their own choices. . . which almost cost him his life. I enjoyed the different narratives of each student. My kids each found one they could relate to. Excellent [dollar word] writing! [dollar word].
Blackmoore: 2.5 Stars
Wow. This book seriously included every Jane Austen character-type and plot. It was like trying to make the perfect cookie with every cookie ingredient known to man. Way too much of a good thing. I loved her first book, and I really wanted to love this one, but Julianne Donaldson let me down. The characters seemed either schizophrenic, moody, or immature and I just couldn't get into any of them. The setting and estate on the moors, however, was stunning. . . breathtaking descriptions of land and sea. Made me dream of going there.
The Humming Room: 4 Stars
Isaac started reading this but the first few chapters freaked him out and he wouldn't pick it up again. So I did. It's a contemporary retelling of the Secret Garden - set on the St. Lawrence River. A bit spooky at first, I admit. But so is the original. I still prefer Burnett's version, but this was a pleasant surprise - an interesting and clever twist on a timeless classic.
The Mark of a Giant: 4.5 Stars
Though poorly edited (feels very Deseret Bookish), the content of this book is thought-provoking and rich. Ted Steward examines the lives and contributions of seven incredible people (Abraham of the Bible, Pericles, The Apostle Paul, Isaac Newton, Marie Curie, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Teresa) and how each changed the course of history. It was fascinating to see these great lives in context - to gain a sense of how the world thought and lived before they came along, and then, through their achievements, courage, and relentless dedication, see how the world was changed. . . because of them. I loved learning more about Marie Curie (I've had a fear of her ever since I saw the display at Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum in London. I was twelve. If you've been there you know what I'm talking about - Little Madame Curie in her black dress hunched over her bubbling mixtures, the dark smoke, the rats. . . it's creepy.) Anyway, I have finally overcome my fear. I didn't know anything about Pericles, nor his successes (and failures) with democracy. Of course, I love the Apostle Paul. But I enjoyed reading about Martin Luther King Jr. and Mother Teresa the most. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
"In recent months, I have also become more and more convinced of the reality of a personal God. . . Now it is a living reality that has been validated in the experiences of everyday life. Perhaps the suffering, frustration and agonizing moments which I have had to undergo occasionally as a result of my involvement in a difficult struggle have drawn me closer to God. Whatever the cause, God has been profoundly real to me in recent months. In the midst of outer dangers, I have felt an inner calm and known resources of strength that only God could give. In many instances I have felt the power of God transforming the fatigue of despair into the buoyancy of hope. I am convinced that the universe is under the control of a loving purpose and that in the struggle for righteousness man has cosmic companionship." - Martin Luther King Jr.
When the segregation of buses was deemed unconstitutional, King sponsored training sessions for the black community. Written guidlines were prepared,
- Remember this is a victory for all men. Do not boast! Do not brag!
- Be quiet but friendly; proud, but not arrogant; joyous, but not boisterous.
- If cursed, do not curse back. If pushed, do not push back. If struck, do not strike back, but evidence love and goodwill at all times.
- If another person is being molested, do not arise to go to his defense, but pray for the oppressor and use moral and spiritual force to carry on the struggle for justice.
Unfortunately, no white leaders or organization showed the courage or the forsesight to provide the same type of training for white passengers.
The day before he was killed, Martin Luther King said:
"Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
I love ever word spoken by Mother Teresa. Here are a few quotes from this book:
"If the poor die of hunger, it is not because God does not care for them. Rather, it is because neither you nor I are generous enough. It is because we are not instruments of love in the hands of God. We do not recognize Christ when once again He appears to us in the hungry man, in the lonely woman, in the child who is looking for a place to get warm." - Mother Teresa
"Peace and war start within one's own home. If we really want peace for the world, let us start by loving one another within our families." - Mother Teresa
"We all have a duty to serve God where we feel called. I feel called to help individuals, to love each human being. I never think in terms of crowds in general but in terms of persons. Were I to think about crowds, I would never begin anything. It is the person that matters. I believe in person-to-person encounters." - Mother Teresa
"The worst desease today is not leprosy or tuberculosis, but the feeling of being unwanted. There is more hunger in the world for love and appreciation than for bread." - Mother Teresa
As Mother Teresa was preparing, for the first time, to undertake a mission to Ethiopia, she was approached by little children in India who had been told about the terrible conditions of the children in Ethiopia. They came to offer up small amounts of money for her to take. She tells a story of a little boy who explained that he had no money, but he did have one piece of chocolate. He told her to "take that with you and give it to the children of Ethiopia" Mother Teresa expressed later, "That little child loved with great love, because I think that was the first time that he had a piece of chocolate in his hand. And he gave it. He gave it with joy to be able to share, to remove a little of the suffering of someone in far Ethiopia. This is the joy of loving: to give until it hurts."
2 comments:
I love your book reviews- glad you're still doing them!!! Most my books are chosen from your goodreads account :)
I rely on your monthly book reviews for my reading material. I'm glad you're going to keep doing them. I just finished reading Laugh with the Moon and Because of Mr. Terupt. I loved them both! I'm hoping that I can convince Jordan to let me read both of those with him. Next up is The Humming Room.
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