Nora's Chicks by Patricia MacLachlan illustrated by Kathryn Brown*

 Recently on Read Aloud Revival's summer schedule reveal, I won this book! I was so excited to win this sweet story. RAR's summer focus is on the author Patricia MacLachlan.

Nora misses Russia. The flat, treeless American plain does not compare to hilly, arboreal Russia. It is lonely. Nora longs for a friend. Even a stray dog she finds favors her toddler brother, Milo. Then her father brings home chicks to raise for meat. Nora insists on naming each one and claiming them for her own.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

The Gardener's Apprentice adapted by Eric Metaxas illustrated by Rodica Prato

 My ninth grader is currently reading I Must Betray You for English. To enrich his knowledge of the Romanian culture, I assigned the reading of this Romanian folktale. He told me that it was one of the more unusual stories he has read. I decided to read it!

For many years a couple is unable to bear a child.  A sorcerer breaks the curse by giving the wife an apple. His only warning, "No other living creature may not eat it".  Without their knowledge, the couples' horse eats the apple peels. The woman AND the horse become pregnant at the same time . . .both giving birth to healthy offspring! Eventually the boy rides away on the horse's foal and leaves home to never return. Together, he and his magical horse have many adventures.

I agree with my son; the story was unique and also entrancing.

Lavish paintings.

-Borrowed from the library.

This book included a flower journal where the reader may record the flowers he plants. It also lists and descibes the flowers in the apprentice's garden. 

Irena's Jars of Secrets by Marcia Vaughan illustrated by Ron Mazellan*

 Growing up in Warsaw, Poland, Irena's father modeled how to respect all people. When Germany occupied Poland and started forcing the Jews to live in the Warsaw Ghetto, Irena knew she must act and save children's lives. 

An amazing story!

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Steeped in Stories by Mitali Perkins

 Timeless Children's Novels to Refresh Our Tired Souls

Mrs. Perkins focuses on various virtues found in classic children's literature. Our society and culture would do well to revisit these virtues (love, faith, hope, courage, temperance, justice, prudence). As she writes about the virtues and their opposing vices, she also discusses the prejudices found in these books. It seemed to me she spent a good chunk of time on the prejudices. One needs to consider the historical context of the time before judging the literature harshly. At least Mrs. Perkins is encouraging readers to read, admire and celebrate these classics instead of bashing and disregarding them like other literary leaders do.

Mrs. Perkins writes with such clarity that her points are well-presented. I enjoyed reading this book-content (which made me think & be uncomfortable at times) and for its artistic value. Mrs. Perkins is a superb writer.

Read Aloud Revival selected this book for their spring Mama Book Club.

-I own this book.

Half Baked Harvest-Every Day by Tieghan Gerard

 I love reading Ms. Gerard's little narratives with each recipe. 

I tried the sheet pan french toast (the sheet pan method didn't save me much time. I like another french toast recipe I have better), pumpkin struesel coffee cake (not sweet so I didn't mind serving it for breakfast or snack), blueberry lemon poppyseed muffins (took me a lot longer than the 15 min she said it would take, the boys and I really liked them), and zuppa toscana with gnocchi (the boys liked it). I wanted to try a few more recipes but had to return the book to the library. Some of her ingredients are unique and ones I do not have on hand. Also, I feel her recipes require a bit of involvment, which I do not have these days!

-Borrowed from the library.

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom with Elizabeth & John Sherrill**

 I read this autobiography aloud to my fourteen-year-old and twelve-year-old over their lunch break three days a week. All three of us were captivated by Corrie's story. The writing style is engaging and well-executed. 

Almost a quarter of the autobiography describes her life with her father, her sister and her aunts in their watch shop, which surprised me. As we read, I understood why Corrie and the Sherrills devoted a chunk of the novel to this time period .  . . it was when the foundation was being laid and preparing them for their role in the underground and when the faith that was nurtured that sustained them in the Ravensbruck. 

An amazing story. As a parent, it encouraged me to continue to be faithful in reading the Word and praying with my boys on a regular basis. These foundational years are vital to sustaining them in their adult lives. 

**Highly, highly recommend for late elementary and older.

-I own this book.

Warning/points to discuss: Corrie asks her dad about sex, cruelty and degradation of humans, a few times Corrie & Betsie must be stripped down and stand before guards naked,  killing/death, WW II/Nazi/Hitler

Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It by Gail Carson Levine illustrated by Matthew Cordell

 Using William Carlos Williams's poem, "This Is Just to Say", as inspiration, Ms. Levine has created a book containing false apology poems. Some poems are based on fairy tales/folk tales and nursery rhymes. The poems are not nice . . .so if you have younger or sensitive readers, this is not the book for them.

-Borrowed from the library.

Use when studying William Carlos Williams.

16 Words William Carlos Williams & "The Red Wheelbarrow" by Lisa Rogers illustrated by Chuck Groenink*

Since high school one of my favorite poems has been "The Red Wheelbarrow" by William Carlos Williams. The word choice is superb.

This picture book delves into the man who may have inspired the poem. It also reveals when and how Mr. Williams would write his poems. The muted illustrations are detailed and transport the reader to that time period.

*Highly recommend.

Point to discuss:  one illustration shows a mother in delivery position (everything is covered) with Mr. Williams holding a clean, happy baby . . .with forceps in a bowl. Curious children may ask some questions!!

-Borrowed from the library.

Grandfather's Dance by Patricia MacLachlan*

 The fifth and final book in the Sarah, Plain and Tall series

The aunts from Maine and Sarah's brother, William, travel west to attend Anna and Justin's wedding. As the aunts and family members prepare for the wedding, Jack, the youngest Witting, follows Grandfather and imitates his every move and word. Humor, love and understanding abound in this beautifully told story about life and family.

Points to discuss/heads up: Cassie wants to marry a dog instead of a man! Grandfather gives her a  wedding to marry Nick the dog. A beloved main character dies.

*Highly recommend.

-Very short chapters.

-Borrowed from the library.

Song of the Swallows by Leo Politi

 1950 Caldecott Medal Winner

Juan loves to visit Juilian at the Mission garden, especially when the swallows are nesting there. Each spring they arrive on Saint Joseph's Day. This spring Juan plants his own garden at his house, hoping that a pair of swallows will choose to nest there.

-illustrations include several bird's eye view 

-Borrowed from the library.

More Perfect than the Moon by Patricia MacLachlan*

 Book #4 in the Sarah, Plain and Tall series

I have read books #1-3 in this series but for some reason I did not know about books #4 & 5. 

Cassie is concerned about Mama.  She believes she is sick. When Mama shares that she is pregnant, Cassie becomes more worried and decides to watch Mama all.the.time. Secretly, she despises the thought of sharing Mama with the baby and does not want it to arrive.

Sparse but perfect prose.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book (apparently this book is difficult to find online or in bookstores. I was able to purchase it at my local bookstore for less than $2!).

Jesus Superpowers and the Bully by T.M. Barton

Adventures from the Throne Room #1 

My aunt gave this autographed book to me. 

Troy's parents run a hotel. Luke, a guest Troy's age, leads Troy to Christ. Whenever Troy prays, he enters God's throne room and interacts with Jesus. Jesus outfits him with armor to combat the enemy. As Troy matures in his faith over the next few weeks, he learns how to use his armor and to recognize demons and their lies. He also befriends Brock, a new boy who relentlessly had made fun of him. Born with a partial arm, Troy experiences a miracle; Jesus heals him! Troy has a guardian angel and interacts with him.

Points to discuss: demons, spiritual warfare, lying, skipping school, guardian angels, angels who appear to be human,  healing, Brock's grandma had died before he moved to Troy's town, Jesus tells Troy to share with Brock that his grandmother is in heaven with him

The book ended abruptly. More plot development was needed to make the ending credible.  A lot of scripture was incorporated into the book and then listed in the book to encourage memorization. As I was reading, I was reminded how I can become apathetic about spiritual warfare.

-I own this book.

Beat Cancer Kitchen by Chris & Micah Wark

 Our family is friends with a family whose husband/dad has a slow-growing cancer. To thwart its progress, the family is adopting a Mediterranean diet. When I asked the wife/mom if she had found any good recipes, she showed me this book.

Chris's story is interesting and amazing. Reading the different foods that prevent cancer was fascinating. Most of the recipes did not appeal to me at the moment,  but I am thankful to know about this resource. I did make "Supercharged Oatmeal" and really liked it.

-Borrowed from the library.

William Blake

 For this month's poetry pie, we read,annotated and discussed William Blake's two poems, "The Lamb" and "The Tyger".  

Books to use:

The Tyger illustrated by Neil Waldman

Poetry for Young People -William Blake edited by John Maynard illustrated by Alessandra Cimatoribus

-Borrowed from the library.

The Tempest William Shakespeare -DVD

 Produced by Shakespeare's Globe-Globe on Screen

Superb acting . . .everything about it was stupendous. The actors's and actresses's ability to memorize the lines amazed me.  My fourteen-year-old and I watched it since he read this play for English. He said it helped to watch and hear professionals say lines; hearing where they paused helped his comprehension. Throughout the play, the actors interacted with the audience and even walked through the crowd.

Colin Morgan, who played Merlin on the Merlin television series, starred as Ariel. My husband figured out who he was! 

*Highly recommend BUT a major warning: Trinculo was dressed as joker. Part of his costume included a red cloth penis that stuck out the entire time. At one point he pretended to hump another actor. It would probably go over children's heads.

Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco

Throughout the winter Babushka decorates beautiful eggs for the annual Easter Festival. One winter she rescues an injured goose. The goose and Bubushka live congenially together until one day the goose accidentally breaks Babushka's painted eggs. After this devastating incident, the goose offers Babushka an apology gift, which Babuska titles "a miracle". A beautiful ending.

Pair with The Egg Tree, Chicken Sunday and The Easter Egg.

-Borrowed from the library.

Openings by Wendell Berry

 Some day I would like to read at least one of Wendell Berry's novels. In the meantime, I decided to sample his poetry. The poems are descriptive and focus on nature. He also discusses man tendicity to be cruel to fellow man and to engage in war.  Most likely I did not understand all of the poems' deeper meanings. 

-Borrowed from the library.

The Warrior by Francine Rivers*

 Sons of Encouragement #2

Through Caleb's narrative, readers experience the exodus from Egypt, the journey to the Promised Land, the forty years of wandering, the Battle of Jericho and the battles for the land allotted to them. This book reinforced the importance of obeying the Lord with my whole-heart and caused me to ask myself numerous times, "Do I fear Him or do I fear man?". 

I wish I had remembered this series earlier this year so I could have read aloud one to my sons. A few times sexual encounters were mentioned (nothing explicit) so I would not feel comfortable handing it to them to read independently.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from my church's library.

A Ben of All Trades by Michael J. Rosen illustrated by Matthew Tavares*

 Mr. Rosen immerses the reader into Benjamin Franklin's childhood. As I read, I felt like I was hanging out with a creative, persistant and energetic friend. Mr. Rosen focuses on Franklin's disinterest in repetition and tedious pursuits and his tenacity in becoming agile in the water. He longs to be a sailor.

In the author and illustrator notes section, Mr. Rosen explains how he chose what information to include and how he developed dialogue and interactions. Great insight for readers who want to write historical fiction.

Mr. Tavares has created stunning, well-researched illustrations.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous

*Award winner-Caldecott Medal

 Last weekend my mom's neighbors taught us how to make pysanky eggs. In the neighbor's book basket (for her granddaughter), this book was displayed in the front. Not having ever read it, I decided to borrow it from the library.

Katy and Carl are spending Easter at their grandparents' farm in Pennslyvania. It is their first egg hunt on the farm. Little Katy does not know about the unique hiding spots for the eggs. Determined to find at least one egg, she ventures into the attic and discovers an old hat box full of painted eggs. Showing them to her grandmother and cousins, Katy revives the tradition of painting pictures on eggs and begins a new tradition, displaying them on a tree.

Pair with: The Easter Egg by Jan Brett, Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco and Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco.

-Borrowed from the library (but I would like to buy this book since it is based on the PA Dutch. Also in the acknowledgements, one individual who inspired the author to write the story is from the county where I  reside).

Bare Tree and Little Wind by Mitali Perkins illustrated by Khoa Le

 Little Wind relates his interactions with the palm trees around Jerusalem. As he whirls about, Tall Tree shares with him about the Real King. Little Wind is surprised how humble and quiet this Real King is. Then this Quiet Man dies on the cross and rises again. When the Romans burn Jerusalem, Little Wind mourns the loss of the city. Will hope prevail? 

Christ and his redemption are backgrounds yet the foundation to this story. Intially I thought it was too fantastical and not centered on Christ enough. When I reread it, however, I realized it beautifully displays Christ's redemption and hope. 

Book sellers recommend for ages 3-7. However, I think older kids are the ones who will appreciate and understand the deeper themes.

I love the end pages.  Vivid, apt word choice

The mixture of fanastical and realistic illustrations did not sit well with me. How do the children discern fact from fantasy? On the other hand, when I take into consideration that the narrator is the wind, the elements of fantasy do fit. Read and discern for yourself! 

-Borrowed from the library.

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift

 Lemuel Gulliver relates his travels about various singular countries and his encounters with their inhabitants. He travels to Lilliput, a land filled with tiny people, to Brobdingnap, a land of giants, to Laputa, a land in the sky & to Houyhnhnms, a land where horses rule man (aka Yahoos). By the end of his travels, Gulliver despises mankind (whom he calls Yahoos) and can barely live with his family.

 Initially, I was charmed by the creativity and humor. By the end I was ready to be finished with the book! A lot of people love this classic . . .so maybe I need to reread it at a later time.

A satire that includes every type of person . . .and finally, the human race as a whole.

To be honest I was surprised to encounter the below "warnings" in this classic book.

Points to discuss/warnings: a description of a child nursing the giant's humongous breast, maids of honor in Brobdingnap would have Gulliver strip naked and lay upon their breasts, these same maids would undress and dress in front of him, one maid had him sit astride one of her nipples, in Laputa the women often have affairs with men from other lands, one woman from Laputa returned to her physically abusive lover, to cure an illness, they insert a pair of bellows eight inches up the anus, read (by tasting, touching, smelling) feces to make decisions, the words whore, pimp,  sodomity and incest are mentioned, in Houyhnhnm, a eleven-year-old girl (aka Yahoo) aggressively "goes after" him when he is bathing naked.

-I own this book.