July 2015 Books

Freckle Juice: 3 Stars

King Lear: 5 Stars

How to Train Your Dragon #2: 4 Stars

The Fourteenth Goldfish: 3 Stars

A Snicker of Magic: 4.5 Stars

The Incredible Journey: 5 Stars

A Single Shard: 5 Stars

Saving Lucas Biggs: 3.5 Stars

June 2015 Books

Fiction! Fiction! Fiction! Summer has begun, can you tell?

Brown Girl Dreaming: 5 Stars
Every word is perfectly placed. Every sentence moves like poetry.  There is a reason this book won all those awards. It made me think about, appreciate, and admire good writers. Must read.

Sky Jumpers: 3 Stars
LDS author.  Showed up on Isaac's Name That Book list this year.  An action-packed post-apocalyptic adventure. Worth reading. Isaac can't wait to get his hands on the next book.

The World According to Humphrey: 2.5 Stars
Brigham loves these books so I thought I'd read the first book of the series to Eliza and Lydia. Humphrey is a cute and clever class pet that has a knack for secretly solving people's problems.  A fun story for grade-schoolers, but a somewhat cloppy and boring read-aloud. Lots of words say very little in this book.

The Mermaid's Sister: 4.5 Stars
As far as mermaid fiction goes, this is a story like no other.  I was surprised by the depth of this book and how thoroughly I enjoyed it.  The magic is fresh and intriguing - a unique and absorbing tale.

The absolutely true Diary of a Part-time Indian: 3.5 Stars
This book is really good.  But bad.  My conscience won't let me give it 4 stars. But it's good. . . poignant, funny, and spectacularly written. But bad language.  Just sayin.

Taming of the Shrew: 5 Stars
I read this to the kids on our way to the Shakespeare Festival in Cedar City.  They loved it.  Any time Lydia is impossible, the boys quote these lines:
"Say she rail; why, I'll tell her plain she sings as sweetly as a nightingale.
Say that she frown; I'll say she looks as clear as morning roses newly washed with dew.
Say that she will not speak a word; then I'll commend her volubility and say she uttereth piercing eloquence." Nothing beats Shakespeare.

May 2015 Books

Here's the quick version of book reviews for May.

My Father's Dragon: 3.5 Stars
I read this book with Eliza and Lydia. And although I have read it many times before (with each of my other kids) it is still the charming, fast-paced adventure as it always has been. My Father's Dragon is an oldie (written in the 1940's) but a goodie. If I learned anything from this book it's that tangerines make for an easy and smart packed lunch. Elmer takes 64 with him on his journey!

Sweet Love Remembered: 4 Stars
I poured over this book in May. It is the account of my great-great-great grandmother Laura Clark Phelps and her daughter, (my great-great grandmother) Mary Ann Phelps Rich.  My goodness these two were incredible women! Laura and her four young children were driven from their home in Far West when her husband was taken prisoner. She moved her family to Commerce alone. Six months later she traveled hundreds of miles on horseback (including forging a raging river on her own when all the locals warned her it was too deep to cross) to be with her husband during the trial.  After weeks of illegal rulings, Laura single-handedly broke her husband (Morris Phelps), King Follet and Parley P. Pratt out of prison.  She died at a very young age in Nauvoo.  Her daughter Mary Ann married the apostle, Charles C. Rich in the Nauvoo temple. When the saints left Nauvoo, she drove her own team across the plains - much to the surprise of all the men. The experiences she wrote about along the way were extraordinary.  She became an accomplished teacher and was always a leader. I especially loved reading about her insights and experiences as a mother (ten children), particularly with "little Edward", my great great grandfather, who grew up to be a doctor, and whom my mother remembers as "Poppy Rich".

Lawrence in Arabia: 3 Stars
Scott Anderson does an extremely thorough job with this biography of T.E. Lawrence.  And when I say extremely, I mean that we don't even get to Arabia for 400 pages. I have to admit, I got lost and bored with all the WWI military jockying and Brittish political bureaucracy. There was too much information to wrap my brain around. Reading this book did make me realize, though, what was at stake in the Middle East and how on the verge of change everything was during World War I. Those changes made the Middle East what it is today. Could history have been changed if things had gone differently there? Might the Holocaust been avoided had agreements with the Arabs and Zionists been honored? T.E. Lawrence - such an intriging character and a legend, even in his own time - played a crucial and significant role in all this. Things could have gone a lot worse had it not been for him. He understood the Arab culture - in all it's complexities. The last half of the book is more exciting.  I especially enjoyed Lawrences own writing.  Here's one of my favorite quotes from his 27 Articles written as advice to Brittish officers in 1917:
"Do not try to do too much with your own hands.  It is better for the Arabs to do it tolerably then for you to do it perfectly.  It is their war and you are to help them, not win it for them.  Actually also, under the very odd conditions of Arabia, your practical work will not be as good as perhaps you think it is."

How to Train Your Dragon: 5 Stars
Have you met these books?  You should. Do not be led away by the lame-lame-lame movie which is not even the same story. These books are hilarious, gripping, heart-warming, and chock-full of life lessons.  We own the series and all 12 books (which get better as they go, by the way) have been read and read and reread and passed to friends and read again. My kids would rather read these books than eat candy. Not even kidding. We just listened to the audio version in our car and I laughed until I cried!  We can't wait to listen to book 2.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: 4.5 Stars
Oh my. The photographs alone in this book are enough to make my heart skip a beat. And believe it or not, the real story of Downton Abby is even better than the made-up version. I am head over heals for anything of this glamorous era and over-the-top lifestyle, but I am also constantly impressed with the generosity of these people and the countless contributions they made in the world. I can't wait to read Lady Catherine!

The Year of Billy Miller: 2 Stars
Can someone please explain the point of this book? I know there doesn't always need to be a point.  But this book could have gone somewhere at least! There was something sort of sweet about the whole thing - I loved Billy's little sister, for example, who was spot on as far as little sisters go. And I loved the scene with Billy's mother and the dead bird. But Billy acted much younger than a second grader and his endless worrying (seriously, every chapter was something new) was tedius and a bit grating. And then, I don't even remember the ending but I'm pretty sure nothing happened.  It just ended.  And that was that.  boo.

April 2015 Books

I checked some books off my list this month that I've been wanting to read for awhile. But the most exciting news this month is that one of these reviews is written by guest-blogger, Isaac Smith! I found him staring blankly at our bookshelf a few weeks ago, about to reach for the Harry Potter books for the eight-hundredth time, when I stepped in. For years I have been trying to convince him to read Shannon Hale's "Goose Girl" but he wouldn't have it - too girly.  Finally I told him I would pay him to read it and write a book review about it.  Money talks around here. He not only read Goose Girl, but Enna Burning and River Secrets. . . free of charge. . . and in just a few days.  So lucky you! Here's the line-up for April, including Isaac's review of one of my favorite books of all time, "The Goose Girl".  Enjoy!

Smart Money Smart Kids: 3 Stars
This book gave me a lot to think about - especially as I think ahead to having teenagers, college kids, and (yikes!) weddings!  (well, and also revamping my chore charts this summer.) I like Dave Ramsey and agree with about 90% of what he says.  I love his push to get out of debt and stay out of debt, or better yet, never get into it in the first place.  I like his ideas about teaching children to value hard work - to work for something - to really earn it. That's a bigger thrill than just being handed everything.  I like his "envelope system" that teaches children to save, spend, and give.  And I especially love his emphasis on giving.  None of the money is ours to begin with.  It's Gods.  And God trusts us to do good with what we have.  I disagree with his ideas about weddings - what? "as a rule, don't spend more than half your annual income on a wedding." Half? Spending half your annual income on a wedding sounds completely insane to me. Someone needs to introduce Dave Ramsey to Mormon weddings. Also I disagree with his advice for buying cars and going to college.  I value safety above all else when it comes to cars, even if you can pay cash for the beater.  And I'd rather have my kids go to a good (and I don't mean Harvard) university even if it means giving up a full-tuition scholarship to a community college somewhere else. College is a crucial time - a pivotal time.  It's more about the kind of experience you have and the kind of people you meet than it is about just getting a degree.  Dave Ramsey might not agree, but there are some things that I value more than money. And cheaper doesn't always mean better. Great read though.  I'd still recommend it as a solid start to teaching kids to be good money managers.

By the Shores of Silver Lake: 3 Stars
This is book number five in the Little House of the Prairie series.  I can't believe we've read this far!  There is one scene from this book that I remember vividly reading as a child and would think about any time I was out on a horse.  It's the scene where Laura rides bareback with her cousin Lena for the first time.  They go racing, quite recklessly, through the country side and are scolded afterwards for not acting like civilized young ladies.  Laura also gets her first glimpse of Almanzo Wilder at the end of this book - a glimpse of destiny?  But of course she just notices his horses!

The Outsiders: 4 Stars
This book completely took me by surprise.  It's deeply emotional and very well-written - I wasn't expecting that from a 16-year-old author.  I also didn't expect that I'd love the characters (who are mostly teenage gang fighters) or even appreciate their world (on the wrong side of the tracks). But I did. There was something very real, poetic, and almost sweet about the whole story.  Like West Side Story. . . but without the singing and romance.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: 4 Stars
I loved this book. I'm chuckling as I write that because I am A) not a tidy person, and B) not the type of person to ever pick up a book about cleaning. But it kept popping up on blogs and book reviews and then I noticed there was a line like 80 people long waiting to check it out from the library. . . and. . . well, I like the word "magic". . .and. . .I got curious.  I think this summer I might try Marie Kondo's method of tidying which is really just getting rid of everything - keeping only what you need and then only things that "spark joy". I have been talking about this book so much lately that Nate is getting really worried I'm going to throw away all his stuff. Ha! I won't.  But I do plan on organizing my own things using this method.
“the best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.” 
“From the moment you start tidying, you will be compelled to reset your life. As a result, your life will start to change. That’s why the task of putting your house in order should be done quickly. It allows you to confront the issues that are really important. Tidying is just a tool, not the final destination. The true goal should be to establish the lifestyle you want most once your house has been put in order.” 
“The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.” 
Here's what Marie Kondo has to say about people like me:
“People with large book collections are almost always diligent learners.”
“Imagine what it would be like to have a bookshelf filled only with books that you really love. Isn’t that image spellbinding? For someone who loves books, what greater happiness could there be?” 
“For books, timing is everything. The moment you first encounter a particular book is the right time to read it. To avoid missing that moment, I recommend that you keep your collection small.”

The Goose Girl: 4 Stars
At first I only read this book because my mom said she would pay me but then I actually really enjoyed it.  The beginning seemed like a girly book - all princessy and la-dee-dah.  But as the book went on, more action started happening.  Be warned though, this book is not for girls who are into Disney princesses. I think it was kind of violent and sad in parts. But it was also written very well and it drew me in.  I didn't really get into it at first but then it became one of those books that I just couldn't put down.  It teaches lessons about devotion and friendship - especially Enna who is adventurous but also a good friend. I really liked Enna. I liked when she set up an oatmeal booby-trap for the boys that played a joke on her the week before.  She can be trusted to keep a secret and is a loyal friend.  I also liked Ani because she had bad things happen to her but she made the best of it and had a good attitude. I would recommend this book to other people but I probably won't read it again. Overall, it was a good book and I'm glad I read it.  If you like a good story with some unexpected twists and action, you should read this book too.  Even if you don't like princesses! -- written by Isaac Smith

Elizabeth Smart: My Story: 3.5 Stars
Okay, first of all, Elizabeth Smart herself gets 5 stars (plus a million more) for her courage to tell this story and for her incredible strength of character to endure and overcome such horrors, and for all the good she has done with her life since.  She is a living, breathing example of why we want and need to arm our children with the sword of truth, the shield of faith, and the goodness of the Gospel.  Her kidnapping is what nightmares are made of.  And, although there were many miracles and moments of hope along the way, it was an extremely difficult book to get through. It tore my heart in two and gave voice to my worst fears. It is such a terrifying story I'd have to really think hard about recommending it. I wasn't planning to read this book - too scared to pick it up on my own. It was a book group pick, and I'm looking forward to the discussion - especially about the last chapters - her rescue and long-awaited return to her family. Those chapters I would recommend! Elizabeth Smart is an inspiring person with a remarkable testimony of the living Christ.

March 2015 Books

Can you tell my children were home a lot this month?  One of the best things about having kids is having the excuse to reread again and again all my favorite children's books.  I hope I never grow out of them.

Ella Enchanted: 4.5 Stars
I still love this book as much as I did when I first read it in Children's Lit. at BYU. It is such a great twist on a classic fairytale and I had so much fun reading it with my kids.  Even the boys, who would never pick this book up on their own, got into it.  Clayton was completely stumped by the whole obedience curse and kept trying to think of ways Ella could get out of it by using trickery or play on words. It ended up being the perfect precursor for the new Cinderella movie, which I also loved. loved. loved.

Violins of Hope: 5 Stars
I can't stop thinking about this book.  I have books I leave by my bed.  Books I read to the kids.  And then I have books I carry everywhere.  This was one of those (because it was paperback).  Which meant at stop lights I was crying.  Swimming lessons. . .crying.  Middle school pick-up. . . crying. Piano lessons. . . crying. Dentist office. . . crying. I heard about these violins when they were on display in the United States a few years ago and I have been waiting to get my hands on this book.  The Israeli violin maker, Amnon Weinstein, has made it his life work to find, repair, and restore to playing condition violins of the Holocaust. The Jewish-made violins were originally decorated with the Star of David and are incredibly breathtaking.  But the stories behind these instruments are even more breathtaking. . . more heart wrenching. . . more courageous. . . and more remarkable.  I have never viewed the Holocaust from this perspective.  These instruments are performed in concerts now all over the world and have become memorials, not only of the musicians themselves, but to all the many people - mothers, fathers, and children of the Holocaust. They are also a testament to the power of music and the human spirit.  This book is a fascinating work of scholarship and research and the stories unfolded are achingly beautiful.

Think Like A Freak: 3.5 Stars
Another great read by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner from U of Chicago. These guys know how to twist and turn my thinking.  I really liked the last part about the power of decision making where, by setting up a website and convincing (seriously) thousands of people to log in and essentially "flip a coin" to determine major life decisions, they discovered that whether the outcome was heads or tails people (for the most part) reported being happy with the decision. Although tossing a coin is definitely not the best approach to decision making, I do agree that indecision can be detrimental.  In a world where we like to do things exactly the same as everyone else, I like the idea of trying to think differently. I passed this book to Clayton who is definitely getting a kick out it and already finding ways to think like a freak.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus: 4 Stars
I read this to Lydia and Eliza.  Lydia loved this book so much she talked Christine into reading it out loud to her again - which Christine did in one week! Judith Viorst (author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) captures children's emotions so well. I loved her multiple endings to this story and all the lessons learned - so clever. The illustrations by Jane Smith are equally charming.  Very cute book.  Come back and read it again, Christine!

Daring Greatly: 3 Stars
I normally don't like learn-to-love-yourself books like this. On the one hand, I find myself constantly distracted - wondering who reads this? and why on earth do thousands of people (mostly women) like these books? While on the other hand, insanely over-analyzing my own life.  But in the end, I'm glad "Daring Greatly" was the book group pick this month. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and found Brene Brown's ideas to be very much in line with gospel principles. I had never heard of her, actually, until I picked up this book.  But from page one she blatantly assumes you know who she is (which I didn't) and that you're already familiar with her research (which I wasn't). I had to quickly do some Googling around to discover that Brene Brown is - wow - a Houston author and I had to watch a few of her TED talks to understand the groundwork for this book, which she bases on a quote by Theodore Roosevelt:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; . . . who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

When all was said and done, this book made for an excellent book group discussion.  Here are a few of my favorite quotes along with my own takes:
"Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness. Vulnerability is the birthplace of love, belonging, joy, courage, empathy, and creativity. It is the source of hope, empathy, accountability, and authenticity. If we want greater clarity in our purpose or deeper and more meaningful spiritual lives, vulnerability is the path.” 
 I agree with this mostly. Every good change in life takes some courage. Stepping out of our comfort zone is at least stepping and doing hard things only propels us forward.  Her description of vulnerability is so closely tied to my understanding of humility that I found myself swapping the words in my mind. I believe that Christ, not vulnerability (or humility) is the source of hope.  But allowing ourselves to be vulnerable (or humble) can be the beginning.
“Connection is why we're here; it is what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. The power that connection holds in our lives was confirmed when the main concern about connection emerged as the fear of disconnection; the fear that something we have done or failed to do, something about who we are or where we come from, has made us unlovable and unworthy of connection.” 
There are are only a few things we can take with us when we die - knowledge and experience, our relationships with others, our links to family, and our connections with the people we love. Which is why the fear of disconnection is real.  This section of the book helped remind me to use difficult moments with my children as a chance to connect rather than disconnect with them.
“There is no one right parenting method.  The real questions for parents should be: "Are you engaged? Are you paying attention?" If so, plan to make lots of mistakes and bad decisions. Imperfect parenting moments turn into gifts as our children watch us try to figure out what went wrong and how we can do better next time. The mandate is not to be perfect and raise happy children. Perfection doesn't exist, and I've found what makes children happy doesn't always prepare them to be courageous, engaged adults.” 
Out of the whole book, I appreciated her thoughts about parenting the most.  I love the idea that imperfect parenting can actually be very good parenting and our mistakes can be made gifts for our children.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: 5 Stars
I just finished reading this with Eliza and Lydia.  It is one of my favorite books to read aloud. Isn't a magical, magnificent candy factory every child's dream? I never get tired of Roald Dahl's wacky characters and rollicking dialogue. The other children in the book - Augustus Gloop, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee, and oh my, Veruca Salt - have become household examples of what not to be around here. There are so many life lessons found in children's books.

February 2015 Books

Great lineup this month.  Here are my book reviews for February:

All the Light We Cannot See: 4 Stars
This book is brilliantly written.  Inventive. Expressive. And powerfully rich from beginning to end. It is a novel set in occupied France during WWII and follows the lives of a blind French girl and an orphan German boy whose stories (along with a really big diamond) eventually collide by the sea in war-torn Saint-Malo. The structure of the book drove me crazy at first.  It not only jumps back and forth between several story lines but jumps around through time too.  You have to really pay attention to dates. But after a few chapters, I started to appreciate Doerr's ingenuity.  It was like watching a million puzzle pieces come together - first the corner pieces, then the edges, and then one piece leading to another until what seemed to be lots of different pictures becomes one great beautiful whole. This book made me think. It made see. It made me feel.  It made me want to read Jules Verne, listen to Debussy, and touch mollusks. The title of the book itself means a thousand different things. And I loved it.


365 Days of Wonder: 4 Stars
This is a book of really great quotes (or "Precepts" as Mr. Browne calls them) interspersed with a continuation of the story through email correspondence between Mr. Browne and his students over the summer. So you get more of the story but mostly you get some invaluable advice and a lifetime of things to think about.  There aren't very many words, it is meant to be read slowly, thoughtfully. and repeatedly. I read this several months ago but picked it up again recently and enjoyed the book just as much.  Clayton especially loves philosophizing about the quotes in this book. I'm glad it gets him thinking. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everybody had Mr. Browne for a teacher?  The world would be a kinder place.


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: 5 Stars
I started reading this with Brigham in December.  But really I read it with all the boys because they'd all show up - sprawled on the floor whenever they heard me reading.  Last month I hosted book group at my house so I checked out the audio recording of this book for the boys to listen to upstairs while all the ladies and I were downstairs.  It was all over after that. My kids decided they liked Jim Dale's reading of Harry Potter better than mine and they finished out the book with the CD's. Which meant that I, too, found myself sprawled out on their floor most evenings.  There is so much to love about Order of the Pheonix - The world of wizards suddenly becomes bigger and less stable.  The Ministry of Magic isn't what it seemed.  Umbridge shakes up Hogwarts.  Sirius. . . Oooh Sirius.  But the highlight of book 5 is definitely the Weasley twins - who. . . are. . . at their best!


The Julian Chapter: 3 Stars
R.J. Palacio revisits "Wonder" from the perspective of Julian in this book (who missed getting his own chapter in the original) Reading it gave me more insight into Julian's character and made me more empathetic toward him (and bully kids in general like him).  But still. . . there's no excuse for meanness. And although I found his grandmother's story about her escape as a young Jewish girl during WWII compelling, I didn't think Julian's story was.  Still, it's a good lesson in trying to make amends.  But perhaps the better lesson is to just be kind in the first place.  There was a lot of repetition from 365 Days of Wonder as if Palacio expected people to either read one or the other but not both.  And neither is as good as "Wonder".


A Northern Light: 3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book.  The writing is poetic and beautiful - vivid and full of life.  It is about a fictional girl named Matty who happens upon the non-fictional letters of Grace Brown just hours before her fateful boating trip at Moose Lake in 1906.  The interweaving of fiction and non-fiction is masterfully done.  I was transported back to a time when rain meant food and shoes in the winter and the loss of a parent meant devastation for the children - no matter how many.  This book is about poverty, death, racism, and choices with broad consequences and no easy solutions.  But it is also about beauty, literature, and growing up.  It is about strong families, communities, and friendship despite hardship. There were some feminist undertones that I couldn't really relate to - but then again times are different. Girls now don't have to make a choice between college or marriage. Also, Matty is such an endearing character that I really wanted her to have a fairytale ending.  But even though she doesn't - not really, "A Northern Light" still embodies the human spirit and is a book worth reading.


Charlotte's Web: 5 Stars
I love this book so much.  And although I don't love spiders.  I love Charlotte.  It's hard to name a better, wiser, or kinder friend in literature.  She is in a class of her own.  I read this to Eliza and Lydia who loved it - especially the baby pig! Our little stuffed pig, forgotten about for years, is now dressed and pampered and taken for stroller rides and car rides. It is nestled into purses and bed covers and loved and fed with a bottle like no other stuffed animal ever before! Wilbur has come to life for these girls!  They were sad when Charlotte died but loved the end with all her baby spiders. I have read this book countless times with all my children.  And I never get tired of it.  It's the kind of book that makes me long for a quiet breeze and a barn cellar full of animals. . .
The ending line of the book just might be my favorite ending of all time, "It is not often that someone comes along that is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both."  Charlotte was a true friend - as true as they come.  But it was her words that saved Wilbur. This is one of the best stories out there about friendship and loss but it is also a story about writing and the power of words. I really enjoyed reading this with my writing-maniac Eliza and my spider-loving Lydia.

January 2015 Books

My book reviews are back! I may eventually catch up on October, November, and December of last year but for now, it's a new year and here's the line up for January: 

Wonder: 5 Stars
I just can't stop reading this book!  I think this is my 3rd book review of R. J. Palacio's "Wonder".  And it is every bit as good (if not better) the third (fourth, fifth. . .) time around. After you've read the story and you don't have to wonder (Ha! no pun intended) what's going to happen, you can enjoy all the other little things - like the heartfelt lessons and charming humor. I read it this month for book group, and I discovered new insights that I hadn't before.  Like the realization that people love "Wonder" not just because it teaches empathy but because it builds courage.  Bad and hard things will happen in our lives and we can still be okay. We can even be more than okay!  We can be stronger, happier. . . we can thrive! Just like Mommy Cannon always used to say whenever anything bad happened, "It will all work out in the end."  I think she would've liked this book.

The House Girl: 3.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book.  It's about a young ambitious attorney who gets the difficult assignment of finding a convincing plaintiff for a slavery reparations case.  She ends up uncovering a remarkable story about a house slave named Josephine and tracks down her descendants - one name and story at a time. It is a wonderfully vivid and eye-opening work of historical fiction.

Pay It Forward: 2 Stars
I really wanted to like this book.  And I do like the idea of using our time, talents, and means to do big planned acts of kindness as opposed to only random acts of kindness. And I already do think that one person can make a difference in the world - there are countless (true and better) real-life examples of this.  "Pay it forward" is catchy though and it sounds like a great idea, right?  Except that the book itself is poorly written and the idea of being kind to other people has actually been around for. . . well, forever. Besides, I like Christ's version better - where you don't wait for someone to "pay it forward" to you before you "pay it forward" to someone else. And even when someone does something unkind to you, you still "pay it forward". The fifth graders at Lydia's school just read this as part of a school assignment.  They sent letters to all the parents at the school describing what they'd learned and spearheaded their own "book drive" as their way of "paying it forward". I was impressed with their entrepreneurship and cheerful enthusiasm. And it made me wonder if Clayton would like the book. I'm glad I read it first though because I decided not to hand it off to him.  There were too many parts (ask me, I'll gladly tell you) that rubbed me wrong and quite frankly, there's better literature out there.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: 5 Stars
We listened to this on our drive back from Florida. (It's the only way we'll ever get Nate to read the books!) I never get tired of Harry Potter. In fact they just get better with time! Prisoner of Azkaban is one of my all-time favorite books!

Call the Midwife: 5+ Stars
This book was every bit as enchanting as the PBS miniseries.  I enjoyed reading Jennifer Worth's memoir so much that I found myself trying to read it slowly, like I was savoring a sliver of flourless chocolate cake with a smooth layer of ganache and raspberry drizzle. Not that life in the Dockland slums in the 1950's has anything to do with fancy desserts, but "Call the Midwife" is writing at it's best! A deliciously charming, hilarious, heart wrenching tale of deliveries and . . .deliverance!
Here are two of my favorite quotes:

"Their devotion showed me there were no versions of love there was only. . . Love.  That it had no equal and that it was worth searching for, even if that search took a lifetime."

"Was it love of people?" I asked her.

'Of course no.' she snapped sharply. 'How can you love ignorant, brutish people whom you don't even know? Can anyone love filth and squalor?  Or lice and rats? Who can love aching weariness, and carry on working, in spite of it?  One cannot love these things.  One can only love God, and through His grace come to love His people."

The Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time: 3 Stars
Wow.  This book is one of the most fascinating works of fiction I have ever read.  It is a novel (a dog murder mystery) told from the perspective of an autistic boy named Christopher who doesn't like to be touched, cannot decipher human emotions, but is a complete genius at solving mathematical puzzles. His quirks make his life both hindered and extraordinary at the same time. It is a story of love and bravery. And it gave me a glimpse into the mind of an autistic person. The language is terrible (do all British swear so much?) which is why I can't give it more than 3 stars and would feel uncomfortable recommending it. But besides the swearing, I thought it was ingeniously written and I'm glad to have the enriched perspective.

2014 Books

I read 82 books this year.  That's about a book every 4 days or about 7 books every month. But the bigger news is that I finally finally finished writing book reviews for all of them! There are so many books here that I loved, but if I had to pick my top favorites of the year - books that I would reread in a heartbeat, or that significantly changed the way I think, they would probably be (in no particular order):

1) The Lincoln Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard

2) The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable by Nassim Taleb

3) The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

4) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis.

December 2014 Books

Here's the line-up for December.  Three 5-star ratings all in one month!
City of Tranquil Light: 5 Stars
 I loved this book.  It's the love story of a young couple who meet each other as Christian missionaries in China, marry on a dime and a prayer, and spend the rest of their lives in that foreign land taking care of the poorest of the poor.  It is based on the lives of the author's grandparents and although they faced unimaginable calamities (kidnapping, persecution, earthquakes, civil war, devastating fires, hunger, intense poverty, the loss of a child, and the burdens of a nation) there is an underlying thread of hope and joy through it all.  I could read it again and again.

The Black Swan: 5 Stars
 Wow.  This book gave me a lot to wrap my brain around. Nate and I both read it this month and it has made it's way into practically all our conversations since.  Taleb's main premise of the book is that things simply cannot be predicted based on past experience (Just because a Thanksgiving turkey has been fed routinely day after day for his entire life does not necessarily mean he will be fed tomorrow.) and that the unknown is actually more important than the known.  The title of the book refers to an expression dating back to 16th century London, "It's a black swan" - a statement of impossibility.  When the phrase was coined, a black swan was presumed not to exist.  But then a hundred years later, a dutch explorer discovered black swans in Western Australia. The analogy shows the fragility in any system of thought.  In his book, Taleb explains how almost all major historical events, scientific discoveries, and artistic accomplishments are "black swans" - undirected and unpredicted. He does not set out to predict black swans but rather build defenses against the bad ones that occur and exploit and utilize the good ones. It is a fascinating read. I have enjoyed discussing it with Nate and will be thinking about it for a long time. Here are some of my favorite lines and quotes, I like his writing style:
“The black swan surprise to the turkey is not a black swan at all to the butcher.  Avoid being the turkey."
"I don’t run for trains. Snub your destiny. I have taught myself to resist running to keep on schedule. This may seem a very small piece of advice, but it registered. In refusing to run to catch trains, I have felt the true value of elegance and aesthetics in behavior, a sense of being in control of my time, my schedule, and my life. Missing a train is only painful if you run after it! Likewise, not matching the idea of success others expect from you is only painful if that’s what you are seeking. You stand above the rat race and the pecking order, not outside of it, if you do so by choice.”

“Ideas come and go, stories stay.”

“If you survive until tomorrow, it could mean that either a) you are more likely to be immortal or b) that you are closer to death.”

A Long Walk to Water: 4 Stars
I'll read anything about Africa.  This book appeared recently on several book award lists and I can see why. It's written for children and it's written well - which is hard to do. It chronicles the events of "the Lost Boys" in Sudan and is based on, and alternates between, the true story of two characters - a boy, Salva, who lost his family during the war and escapes Sudan to trek across the African continent with a group of refugees, and a girl, Nya, living in an impoverished village in modern Sudan 30 years later. I read it with my boys and although there were some intense scenes (especially at the beginning when the soldiers invade Salva's village and several times when they run into trouble while fleeing Sudan), it is still very age-appropriate and it opened my children's eyes to a fairly recent and startling part of world history.

On The Banks of Plum Creek: 3.5 Stars
I love the Little House on the Prairie books.  I loved them as a child and I still love them.  I love simple joy, the endearing family bonds, Pa on the fiddle and Ma lovingly teaching her daughters how to make perfect stitches. These stories are more than just history lessons.  They are stories about what's really important in life.  I'm glad my own kids are enjoying them as we make our way through the series.

The Princess in Black: 5 Stars
This is Shannon Hale's newest book - the first in a series for young readers. And it's absolutely charming. It's about a very pink and proper princess who doubles as a superhero - saving goats. Every detail, phrase, word, illustration is just perfect.  Eliza got this book for Christmas and cannot stop reading and rereading it!  I seriously can't wait for the next one.
 
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: 4 Stars
I know, I know. . . it's Harry Potter and not a 5 star rating?!?!  But truth be told, book two is not my favorite.  We listened to this in the car on the way to Hogwarts Theme Park in Florida. The flying car at the beginning is pure genius.  And for my boys nothing in literature will ever compare to the excitement of Ron and Harry racing to school in a stolen flying car and crash landing at Hogwarts.  And Gilderoy Lockhart loosing his memory at the end (because his memory charm backfired when he tried to use Ron's broken wand) is unbelievably hilarious - my boys still quote him,"What an odd place to meet.  Do you live here?" and  "What? Am I professor?".  But everything else in between is just really not for me.  Big snakes.  Big spiders.  Moaning Myrtle's obnoxious whine.  House elves? (I still don't get them)  And worst of all an evil diary.  (J.K Rowling, how could you? I love journal writing!). But it made for a fun and fast car ride and Jim Dale is absolutely brilliant on the audio recordings.

November 2014 Books

Here's the line-up for November:

Dead City: 2.5 Stars
This book is not quite as stupid as it looks and it's better written than you'd think.  But still, some books can be judged by their cover.  It's the story of an ordinary girl who discovers she comes from a long line of zombie hunters, hones her own inborn hunting skills, and joins a secret team of zombie fighters.  But you could have guessed that from the cover. It kept me turning pages, so that's something. . . and the actual history of New York City was interesting.

Shiloh: 3 Stars
I read this to Brigham who loves dogs about as much as any boy I've ever met. Until they make dogs without fur or slobber though, Brigham is allergic and will probably never have a dog of his own.  Breaks my heart.  So we do the next best thing - read about them. This is a great dog story.  With a happy ending.  And a lot of really great lessons along the way.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: 5 Stars
The Quidditch World Cup and the Triwizard Tournament all in one book? You really can't beat that.  Brigham and I are making our way through the Harry Potter books together and this one is his favorite so far.

Odette's Secret: 4 Stars
This story, written in entirely in free-verse poetry, is about the real life of  a Jewish French girl named Odette Meyers and her escape from Paris with her mother after her father was taken by German soldiers. She and her mother hid themselves in a country village, changing their names and identities. It is beautifully written and captures all the emotions of a young girl. It's not as intense or scary as Diary of Anne Frank - a good introduction to the Holocaust for elementary students.

Interpreter of Maladies: 4 Stars
I reread this book for book group this month and loved it as much as I did 10 years ago in Chicago.  It's a collection of stories about Indian Americans - some interesting and some not, but all so beautifully told that you can feel the weight of every word and the shape of every phrase.  Jhumpa Lahiri is one of my favorite writers.  She can describe perfectly how someone is feeling by describing what they are wearing. This is the kind of book that makes you feel more than it makes you think.  It's a stunning work of fiction and every bit deserving of the Pulitzer Prize.

David and Goliath: 5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this book.  I especially loved revisiting one of my favorite bible stories. Malcolm Gladwell's insightful retelling of the David and Goliath set the stage for a fabulous book about enduring, rethinking challenges, turning the tables in our favor, and never giving up. Here are my favorite quotes:

“Giants are not what we think they are. The same qualities that appear to give them strength are often the sources of great weakness.” 

“It was not the privileged and the fortunate who took in the Jews in France. It was the marginal and damaged, which should remind us that there are real limits to what evil and misfortune can accomplish. If you take away the gift of reading, you create the gift of listening. If you bomb a city, you leave behind death and destruction. But you create a community of remote misses. If you take away a mother or a father, you cause suffering and despair. But one time in ten, out of that despair rises as indomitable force. You see the giant and the shepherd in the Valley of Elah and your eye is drawn to the man with sword and shield and the glittering armor. But so much of what is beautiful and valuable in the world comes from the shepherd, who has more strength and purpose than we ever imagine.” 

“Courage is not something that you already have that makes you brave when the tough times start. Courage is what you earn when you’ve been through the tough times and you discover they aren’t so tough after all.” 

October 2014 Books

Two Newbery Award winners.  One Booker Prize winner.  One Coretta Scott King Award winner.  One children's classic.  And one of the most inspiring and best written biographies I have ever read.  Here are my book reviews for October:

I Will Lead You Along: 5 Stars
This is an incredible and inspiring biography - maybe the best I have ever read. It's so thoughtfully done - every detail. Elder Eyring kept such a profound and reflective journal over the years.  His journal entries, along with the drawings and sketches that went with them, are interspersed throughout the biography, adding powerful insights and beauty to the whole flow of the book.  I have learned so much by reading about this great and humble and loved man.
Here are a few snapshots of some of the many pages I flagged.  I especially enjoyed his artwork in the margins and his introspective thoughts about his children, his wife, parenting, and family. This book made me rethink my own journal keeping.

Wolf Hall: 4 Stars
What a fascinating slice of history!  This book is incredibly researched and well-written.  It captivated me and made me rethink my opinion of Thomas Cromwell, who rose from a poor stable boy and a runaway to the most powerful man in England next to the king. The cast of characters and breadth of this novel is immense (600 plus pages).  But I was completely sucked in by the politics and the outrageous amount of power jockeying between just a few men. Thomas Cromwell summarizes his role best when he says, late in the book, that "worlds are not changed by kings and popes, but by two men sitting at a table, coming to an agreement, or by the exchange of thoughts and ideas across countries." I think any lawyer would appreciate the craft and intellect of Cromwell, despite his ruthlessness. This book gave me a new perspective on one of the tumultuous times in England's history. I can't wait to see the Masterpiece film adaptation on PBS this spring!

Little House on the Prairie: 4 Stars
We are making our way through the Little House books and loving them!  What a fun way to learn about how the West was settled and pioneer life.  Reading about a time when a small cake for Christmas was a real treat and hand-made mittens were a luxury is also a good reminder to be grateful and that sometimes less is actually more!

The Graveyard Book: 3.5 Stars
I read this book again for book group.  It is the perfect Halloween read.  But be warned, the book opens with a grim murder scene, which I am still taken aback by considering this is a children's book.  But, despite the ghoulish setting, the rest of the story is not scary.  It is a clever and well-written coming of age story (based on the Jungle Book) about an orphan who is raised by a community of ghosts in a graveyard.

Black Diamond: The Story of the Negro Baseball Leagues: 3.5 Stars
This is an interesting (but sad) history of baseball during segregation.  Patricia McKissack tells the "untold" stories of baseball legends and heroes - players as good and even better in some cases than Babe Ruth - who, because of their skin color, were not allowed to play in the major leagues and were harassed and even booed off the fields.  So they organized their own leagues (traveling by second-class seats on buses and trains and hitchhiking from town to town) and became heroes in their own right.

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle: 4 Stars
This book was on Isaac's Name That Book list this year.  It was fun to read it again with the kids - especially Isaac, my lover of ships!  This book is quite an adventure and a classic worth reading.

September 2014 Books

Here's the lineup for September.  Some really great books here. . . plus a couple of duds - blah.

The Goldfinch: 1 Star
This Pulitzer Prize winner is no winner. It's overindulgent, overrated, overblown, and overlong. It gets one star only because I'm proud of myself for finishing it. Yes, all 750-something pages thankyouverymuch! There were parts that were interesting (I loved all the art and music history) and characters that were worth getting to know (the kind and eccentric antique collector, Hoby).  But most of it (practically all of it) was terrible (long drawn-out, self-indulgent descriptions of drug and alcohol addictions, profane language, redundant and immature plot lines - ugh, who cares?). And, although I had high hopes for an ending that would make it all worth it. . . it never got any better.  There was no redemption. As I finished the last page I thought, "Well, lame. That was just a big, long, boring, depressing nothing". This book was such a letdown. Don't listen to all the hype and comparisons to Charles Dickens - sorry, The Goldfinch is not Charles Dickens.  Don't waste your time.

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library: 3.5 Stars
This is a wacky library game version of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. I read it with my three boys and, like The Westing Game, every chapter had us thinking, guessing, and puzzle-solving.  Fun book - all the way to the end!

Lucia Lucia: 4 Stars
This book made me want to eat Italian, listen to Italian, sing Italian, and breathe Italian!  It's a story about "the most beautiful girl in Greenwich Village" - an ambitious seamstress in the 50's who thinks she can have it all.  Clever, funny, and full of old-fashioned Italian charm. Lucia Lucia won my heart.  I would've preferred a more storybook ending, but as Lucia would have said, "The good things that happen to us were meant to happen, and the bad things that happen are lessons meant to teach us to be better."

The School for Good and Evil: 2 Stars
This is a story about two girls who accidentally get swapped and sent to the wrong fairytale school.  Or did they?  It is well-written, fresh, and imaginative as far as wannabe Harry Potter literature goes, but some of the "evil school" scenes (torture chambers, evil spells, etc.) were over-the-top gross or scarier than they needed to be and it had some strong feminist themes that rubbed me wrong.  I'd probably let my kids read it, but I'd think twice about it.

Bridge to Teribithia: 4 Stars
This book is so so sad.  I read it when I was in elementary school and I almost didn't want to read it again because I knew what was coming. But there is something sweet and profound about it too.  And reading it as an adult was a whole new experience.  Some good reminders in this book about life, people, and the connections we have with them - even the brief ones.

The Smartest Kids in the World: 5 Stars
This is a fascinating and insightful book. One of the best I've read this year. It takes a well-researched and first-hand look at education in the world's top performing countries - Finland, Poland, and South Korea. Amanda Ripley tackles some big questions about education reform, particularly why, regardless of wealth, social status, ethnicity, or school funding, virtually all children in these nations are learning to think critically, make complex arguments, and solve problems they've never seen before?  How do they generate a culture of academic rigor and what can the United States do to follow suit?
   I learned some interesting things that changed the way I view education in the United States and the world.  It made me glad for teachers who challenge my children and insist they do hard things - teachers who understand and send the message that the only way to get smart is to work hard and learn well. I've been watching Eliza struggle, fail, but improve slightly week after week (after week after week. . .) as she tries to earn a plastic egg from "Ms. Hen" at piano lessons. Seriously - a tiny plastic chicken egg! Where I dish out praise and jellybeans for every right note, Eliza's piano teacher sets the bar high and expects her to work for it.  I see the value in that kind of teaching. Kids need an education that allows them to fail - fail early and fail often. Winston Churchill said, "Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." It's called grit. The Finnish use the word sisu - a word meaning determination, bravery, spirit, and resilience. It is central to their culture.
   Finland, Poland, and South Korea, though they have flaws of their own, have figured out that a real education is a hard education for students (rich kids and poor kids), but it's also hard for teachers.  These countries are more selective in the way they train and hire teachers. In top performing countries, teachers are paid more (the best teachers in South Korea are millionaires), culturally they are more respected (teachers are revered in Finland, more than lawyers and doctors), and the process of becoming a teacher is more rigorous (you won't find a science teacher in Poland who was hired for his ability to coach football).
   The numbers are in and it's clear that raising smart, resilient, and problem-solving kids directly impacts the economy and the overall well-being of the entire nation.  It's worth the investment.

Picture Book Spotlight:

 This. Just came out. Is it not every baby girl's dream?

 This is Lydia's favorite page, of course.  I love the mice.

 All will sleep well tonight.  Who wouldn't after this book?

August 2014 Books

August was another month of mostly children's novels!  I love summertime.

The Silver Chair: 4 Stars
We finished listening to the Narnia series in the car.  It was fun to relive those books.  They're not gone for long though, I'm sure we'll be back in Narnia again in few more years. The Silver Chair - with the beautiful evil Emerald Witch, a race of dangerous and intelligent giants, an elaborate underground world, Puddleglum - the pessimistic but heroic marsh-wiggle (such a well-crafted character), a quest to save a prince, and lots of wise meaningful lessons about spiritual welfare - is C.S. Lewis at his best.  Here are a few of my favorite Puddleglum quotes:
 “Don't you mind," said Puddleglum. "There are no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant king caused the letters to be cut, and he knew already all things that would come of them; including this.”
 “I'm on Aslan's side even if there isn't any Aslan to lead it. I'm going to live as like a Narnian as I can even if there isn't any Narnia.”

The Last Battle: 5 Stars
This was never my favorite book in the Narnia series until I listened to the audio version narrated by Patrick Stewart. It is absolutely fantastic.  He had the kids and I hanging on every word. The Last Battle is apocalyptic fiction at it's finest.  Narnia faces it's enemies for the final time, but it also faces an enemy within - a false Aslan.  This book spearheaded so many great conversations with the kids (the boys especially) about recognizing truth and standing for the right against all odds.  Magnificent end to a wonderful children's series.
“I have come home at last! This is my real country! I belong here. This is the land I have been looking for all my life, though I never knew it till now...Come further up, come further in!”
 “All their life in this world and all their adventures had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Chomp!: 3.5 Stars
This is a funny and strange book.  It's an outlandish behind-the-scenes-of-a-crocodile-survival-show adventure.  Wacky characters.  High speed chases.  Rollicking turns and twists of events.  A crazy reality star who gets lost and thinks he's a vampire. Beware though, Chomp addresses some societal issues (reality TV, cruelty to animals, alcoholism, and abuse) that are definitely better suited for older kids.

The Invention of Wings: 4 Stars
I really enjoyed this book based on the life of Sarah Grimke and her sister Angelina who, in the 1830's were the most infamous women of their day. They were not only the first female abolitionist, but among the most influential and powerful writers and speakers in America - drawing crowds of thousands, and directly inspiring Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. I am embarrassed to admit I knew nothing of the Grimke sisters before reading this but I am amazed by their story.  The Invention of Wings alternates between the well-researched life of Sarah Grimke, the daughter of a prominent plantation owner in South Carolina, and the story of a fictional slave girl of about the same age named Handful. The two lives interweave beautifully with each other - culminating in a poignant ending. This book gave face, names, smells, and sounds (on both sides of the coin) to a monumental time in history, a time of changing tides and upheaval during the antislavery movement.
"History is not just facts and events.  History is also a pain in the heart and we repeat history until we are able to make another's pain in the heart our own."

Twelve Mighty Orphans: 3 Stars
This was a great book to kick off football season. Especially in Texas.  It's the story of a football coach during the Great Depression who, on a penny and a prayer, organizes a football program at an orphanage in Fort Worth - the end of the line of the Orphan Train.  The Mighty Orphans are underdogs in every sense of the word.  They are underfunded, underfed, inexperienced, and smaller - in size and in numbers - than any of the schools they're up against. Yet, despite all odds, they go undefeated season after season and become Texas state champions.  The team brought hope, not just to Texas, but to the whole country at a time when people needed something to cheer for.  Newspapers from all over the country covered their games.  Police escorts accompanied them everywhere.  And the boys themselves grew up to be (for the most part) successful in their lives and careers.  It was an inspiring read.  And I'm not even a sports person.  The writing was very circular  - confusing at times - and difficult to sort order of events, other than that I'd recommend it to anyone who loves football.

The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck: 2 Stars
This book had some good ideas as a mystery-solving adventure, but it is poorly written. I read it with Clayton and Isaac who liked solving each puzzle (via Google) before the characters in the book, but the choppy writing made for an obnoxious read aloud - ugh.  I'm surprised this book made it onto Isaac's Name That Book list.

July 2014 Books

Can you tell I was surrounded by children in July?  Six children's novels and a book about raising children. All good stuff.  Looking back on these books feels like remembering old friends. Here's the (long time in coming) lineup for July.

Liar and Spy: 3.5 Stars
Rebecca Stead is a fantastic writer.  I loved her Newbery Award winner, "When You Reach Me" and, though a bit slower moving, I was equally captivated by "Liar and Spy".  The ending completely took me by surprise and made me rethink the entire story from the beginning. This somewhat quirky tale is full of unexpected twists and turns, humor, deep questions, and unforgettable characters.  It's worth reading.

Prince Caspian: 4 Stars
Our long road trip in July meant that we got to listen to two more Narnia books in the car.  My boys love the sword fighting and trickery in this book. Like everything C.S. Lewis writes, I love the subtle, but deep and thoughtful reflections of Christ. These stories create such meaningful images.  Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
"you come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve," said Aslan.  "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth.  Be content."

"Aslan" said Lucy "you are bigger".
"That is because you are older, little one" answered he.
"Not because you are?"
"I am not.  But every year you grow, you will find me bigger".

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader: 4 Stars
C.S. Lewis must've had my seafaring, animal-loving, adventure-driven boys in mind when he wrote Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Brigham's favorite literary character is Reepicheep (as you can imagine), Clayton loves that, in this book, Narnia becomes bigger and extends further than ever before, and Isaac (of course) is enamored with the ship itself - as evidenced by all his sketches of the Dawn Treader over the years. I'm with Brig - Reepicheep makes this book!  Here are my favorite Dawn Treader quotes:
"In our world," said Eustace, "a star is a huge ball of flaming gas."
"Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is, but only what it is made of."

I am there too, dear one," said Aslan. "But there I have another name.  You must learn to know me by that name.  This was the very reason why you were brought to Narnia, that by knowing me here for a little, you may know me better there."

"But I will not tell you how long or short the way will be; only that it lies across a river.  But do not fear that, for I am the great Bridge Builder."

And this is why I love Reepicheep:
"My own plans are made. While I can, I sail east in the Dawn Treader.  When she fails me, I paddle east in my coracle.  When she sinks, I shall swim east with my four paws.  And when I can swim no longer, if I have not reached Aslan's country, I shall sink with my nose pointed east, to the sunrise."

The Lincoln Hypothesis: 4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book and July was a great month to read it. It made me appreciate even more the blessing of living in a covenant land, and realize the intertwining connections between Church history and U.S. History. Aside from the question of whether Lincoln was influenced by the Book of Mormon or not, (we know that he checked it out from the Library of Congress for 8 months, and we assume he read it because, well, it's Lincoln.  But that's pretty much all we know), the biggest realization for me was that before Lincoln, the United States was a place where temples were not protected and men, women, and children could be persecuted (even exterminated) for their religious beliefs. The Civil War wasn't just about slavery.  It was about freedom and protection of rights for all people. Ballard also claims it was about keeping a covenant with God. "Freedom is not free! The Almighty offers these gifts contingent upon our willingness to turn to Him as a nation.  It is a covenant relationship.  That covenant is in force today, and the rules still apply."  Though, I'm skeptical of some of his speculation, I found Ballard's connections and parallels thought-provoking and very inspiring. The format of the book, with all the flashy inserts, drove me crazy. But the content was fascinating and kept me eagerly turning pages. The Lincoln Hypothesis, although Ballard admits is just that - a hypothesis, is also well-researched and documented, making for a very interesting read!

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: 3 Stars
How did I miss Sherlock Holmes all these years?  What great, smart, mind-challenging, and charming tales. A great taste of English history! My boys loved this collection of mysteries. I was a little disappointed to learn that Holmes actually never does say, "Elementary, my dear Watson."  Oh well, we enjoyed Sherlock Holmes (and everything else he did say) anyway. Thanks for the suggestion, Autumn.

Counting by 7s: 5 Stars
Okay, I loved this book! The whole story made me smile. You'd expect a book about a twelve-year-old genius/orphan/misfit to be lonely and sad but it's not. This book is funny, quirky, and absolutely melt-your-heart happy. It is about renewal, rebuilding, uniting unsuspecting people, being a catalyst for change, and putting down new roots and rising toward the sun. It's one of those books that needs to be read and reread! And made into movies!

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: 3 Stars
I hate reading parenting books, and this was one of those hard-pills-to-take kind of books. It was all stuff I needed to hear - things I agree with - and I took tons of notes. But that didn't make the experience any less painful. This book is also geared toward families with one or two children.  Not five!  And some of the suggestions just don't make sense (like spending 20 minutes a day with each child one-on-one where the child picks the activity and the parent devotes their whole attention to that child.  Ha!  And what are the other 4 children doing during the two hours a day it would take me to get through every child's "Special Time"? in principle, I agree.  In practice though, it doesn't make much sense) So, just so I have them all in one spot, here's my scribbled notes from "Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids":
PART ONE: Making Connections with our Children
Yelling is not good.  Connecting is. Children who feel strongly connected to their parents are happier and better behaved. We connect by investing our time and attention. (physical play - roughhousing, wrestling, dancing, etc - is good) Before you correct, you have to connect. Instead of yelling, take a deep breath and choose love (this takes lots and lots of practice). Focus on coaching not controlling. Correction is more effective when it comes through love not anger.  If parents have modeled the right thing, children will want to do it because of their connection with them. Every difficulty is an opportunity to connect. (love that statement!) You can't really "make" anyone do anything.  Love is the most effective motivator.  How to set empathic limits: 1) touch 2) set limits calmly and politely 3) empathize 4) offer a choice so your child feels less pushed around. Eliminate the word "consequence" from your vocabulary and replace it with "problem-solving".  Focus on problem-solving not blame. Do not force your child's apology - remember the three R's (Reflection, Repair, Responsibility) Turn "time-out" into "time-in". Isolating children does not help them learn. Study shows people need 12 hugs a day for optimal growth (moms with lots of children cash in on this!). Emotion Coaching: 1) acknowledge and empathize 2) allow expression of emotion 3) respond to the needs behind the problem behavior 4) when a desire cannot be fulfilled grant it through wish-fulfillment. "I'm sorry but we're not having cookies now.  I bet if you were the queen, you'd order platefuls of cookies for everyone!  What kind would you order?" 5) tell the story so your child understands her feelings - name the feelings. 6) teach problem-solving.  do not solve problems for him. 7) play it out using role play. The memories that will color our children's lives will be about how they feel.  Not what we said to them.
PART TWO: Achievement vs. Mastery
Parents (this is me!) have impulses to over-stimulate, over-protect, over-assist, over-schedule, and over-control.  What is the antidote? 1) Unconditional love and empathy.  This does not always mean praise.  Sometimes praise kills the joy in our own accomplishments and giving kids rewards sometimes ruins the motivation. Instead of praising or labeling, what if we simply connected? 2) Respect - this includes respecting even a child's struggles and failures. Try not to rush in and fix.  Intervene as little as possible but as much as is needed for your child to be successful. (that is a good rule of thumb) Appreciate the value of struggle as a learning experience but provide scaffolding to help them succeed. 3) Scaffolding - routines, habits, safety, structure, respectful observation. Positive thinking is not as important as positive action! Let your child know it's okay to make bad choices.  Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. Instead of saying, "You always work hard." or "You're a good girl for working hard.", just simply say, "You worked really hard!" Point out the good thing of the moment. The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice. Try to make interactions more meaningful. Here's an example:
Conversation 1:
"Mom, do you like my picture?"
"Yes, I love it!"
"But do you like my trees?"
"Yes, I love them.  I love the way you draw trees."
"But do you see the witch?"
"Oh is that a witch?  It's so cute, I really love it."
Conversation 2:
"Mom, do you like my picture?"
"I saw you working hard. Tell me about it."
"I drew a forest with a witch.  But I think the trees are too big."
"Trees can be hard to draw.  Did you know that even professional artists have a hard time with trees?  When I'm done with dinner, we'll look at pictures of some ways other artists have drawn trees. What do you like best about your picture?"
"I like that the witch is hiding."
"Why is the witch hiding?"
(do you see where this conversation is going?)
In the end, I got a lot out of this book and I'm glad I read it (despite the guilt trips).

Tales from Shakespeare: 5 Stars
This fantastic collection of Shakespeare's best-loved tales by Charles and Mary Lamb has been around forever.  There are seriously hundreds of editions. Why?  Because it's still the best.  Each story is about 25-30 pages long and remains true to Shakespeare's language and dialogue. It is beautifully written.  I brought a simple paperback version to read to the kids on our drive out to Utah.  While staying in my sister's old room back home, I found this illustrated edition of the same book!  The paintings are gorgeous and I fell in love with it.  Nate surprised me with a copy of the book when I got home and I am still smiling to have this as part of our family library.

June 2014 Books

 What?  I never posted this?  It feels like a million books ago, but here's the lineup from June:

The Horse and His Boy - 4.5 Stars
This is sort of the odd one out in the Narnia series.  It doesn't even take place in Narnia.  But it's one of my favorites and when I was a kid, it was my favorite. The idea of running away on a talking horse through hill and desert just seemed like the adventure of adventures to me. We listened to this book in the car and were so into it that we didn't want to get out of the car!  I can't even tell you how many extra times we drove around the block just to buy us more time with the story.  It is full of wise and wonderful lessons. 

The Mysterious Benedict Society - 3.5 Stars
This is kind of like Harry Potter meets Willy Wonka except creepier and not quite as good as either. I read it a long time ago and remember not being able to put it down.  I handed it to Clayton last year and it gave him nightmares.  This summer it showed up on Isaac's "Name That Book" list so I read it aloud to both boys.  The "whisperer" wasn't as scary to Clayton the second time around.  And we all enjoyed this wacky, hilarious, mysterious, and puzzle-solving adventure!

The Headmistress of Rosemere - 3 Stars
I really like this author.  Her story lines draw on Christian principles without being too cheesy. This is her second book and I liked it as much as "The Heiress of Winterwood".  A fast read and an enjoyable lazy-day escape for me.


The Fault Is In Our Stars - 4 Stars
I started reading this book before I knew it was a hit movie. (that's how out-of-touch I am) I haven't seen it yet, and not sure I ever will.  But, surprisingly, I really loved the book.  Books about cancer scare me.  I hate them, actually.  But books that get more than 30,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and over a million on Goodreads, also catch my attention. Even cancer books. The truth is, I expected, and geared myself up for a tragedy. But instead The Fault is In Our Stars had me chuckling. . . and laughing. . . and smiling the whole time. (until the end, when I bawled my eyes out) It's more about hope and triumph than it is about sadness.  Masterfully and sensitively written, this beautifully poignant book is not about dieing - it's is about living. "It's like a roller coaster that only goes up, my friend."
 

The American Frugal Housewife - 3 Stars
This book is a gem.  It was written in 1832 and it's not meant to be hilarious, but it is.  I read huge sections of this out loud to Nate on our drive to Utah - we laughed over and over again at recipes like Roast Pig ("When the eyes pop out, the pig is half done.  Baste it with butter then cut off the head, split between the eyes.  Then take out the brains and chop them finely with the liver and some sage."), Bullock's Heart ("save the bones, they can be sold at market for 10 cents"), Calf's Head ("it is better to leave the windpipe on for if it hangs out of the pot while the head is cooking, all the froth will escape through it.") as well as advice for educating daughters ("with regard to matrimonial speculations, young ladies should be taught nothing!  Leave the affections to nature and to truth and all will be well." and "When tracing the evils of any kind, we must be brought up against the great cause of all mischief - mismanagement of education.  A girl of moderate means should not idle her time practicing the piano, but should be skilled in the useful employment of darning socks.")
But, all hilarity set aside, this little gem is an unfettered history.  It gave  me a vibrant perspective of  daily life - the struggle to make do - in a typical 19th century home. Not only that, it is full of age-old wisdom and principles (frugality, honesty, simplicity, beauty, kindness, hard work) that we would do well to remember today.


Shakespeare: The World as Stage - 4 Stars
I had such a fun time reading this book just before heading to the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Bill Bryson admits from the beginning that we know practically nothing about Shakespeare. Nevertheless, he takes all the documented tidbits we do know, as well as the (sometimes contradicting) scholarly research and interesting speculation, and weaves it into a fascinating, witty, and very entertaining compilation of Shakespeare's life - or at least what very little we know of it.  In the end, I learned quite a lot about 17th century England, Shakespeare's works, and hardly anything about the man himself. It was so cleverly written though, that I'm almost positive Shakespeare would've liked it. . . though, I think even he'd agree that the whole book is just much ado about nothing!