Aggie Morton Mystery Queen-The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn illustrated by Isabelle Follath

 Ms. Jocelyn bases her fictional character, twelve-year-old Aggie Morton, on Agatha Christie. 

When Aggie encounters the dead of body of their neighbor, Irma Eversham, she immediately begins to gather clues. A host of suspects require her to sift through their motives and backgrounds. A new friend, Hector Perot (sound familiar??), provides support, logic, and most importantly, friendship.

I loved the quirky characters and suspenseful plot. I am not "highly recommending" it for middle grade readers (see "warnings"), although I think this is a great series for mystery lovers!

Warnings: Aggie possesses a vivid imagination. Sometimes she imagines quite graphic and  violent "ideas" or "imaginings". Sensitive readers may be offended. One adult woman in the story has child before marriage. This woman discretely explains this to Aggie. She does not say anything inappropriate in her explanation, but parents may not want to discuss this yet with their third grader! Other considerations:  Murder, the villian tries to harm Aggie and another character, a few characters in peril/frightening

Four books in the series (two are forth-coming).

-Borrowed from the library.

Farmhouse by Sophi Blackall*

 This beautiful picture book evoked memories of my Grammy and Grandpop's house where my mom lived with her nine brothers and sisters. Sadly the farm and the house are no longer in our family.

Ms. Blackall guides the reader through the years as a family with twelve children experience the joys and sorrows growing up on a farm and then when they move away, pursuing their careers and interests. The house is based on an acutal dilapidated farmhouse on a property Ms. Blackall recently purchased. She used materials from the decaying house to illustrate this book.

The story structure reminds me of the nursery rhyme "This is the House that Jack Built". The exquiste illustrations invite the reader to pore over them and also provide mini stories and details to the main story. I like the illustrations more than the words. 

*Highly recommend.

At Home in the World by Tsh Oxenreider

 Mrs. Oxenreider relates the adventures she, her husband and three children experienced as they traveled the world for a nine month time period. They plunged into unfamiliar cultures in China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Morocco, France, Italy, Croatia, Kosovo, Turkey, Germany, and England. It seemed like she was going through somewhat of a crisis of faith during this trip. God was mentioned a few times but He was not the main focus. She seemed to emphasis saints.

Her writing is genuine and conversational. Although I found their travels admirable and interesting, her story confirmed my feelings about international travel!

If a teenager reads this book, the parent may want to discuss drinking alcohol with her. The adults drink alchohol throughout the trip but did not become drunk.

-Borrowed from the library.

Britfield & the Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart*

 A very fast-paced novel for middle grade! I could have read it in one sitting if I had the time!

For most of his life Tom has lived in orphanages. Weatherly Orphanage has been the most trying and cruel of the orphanges. One night he and his friend Sarah escape with the courageous, audacious help of the other orphans. They, however, find themselves in greater danger than being locked up in the attic for a month. Tom has discovered the he may be connected to the Britfields, the rightful heirs to the crown of England. Apparently people have been keeping this history a secret and will do anything to surpress the truth. As Tom and Sarah dash across England, they experience the country's rich history and encouner interesting individuals. Whom can they trust? 

I loved the whirlwind tour of England!

*Highly recommend. Two more books in the series so far (Sept 2022). 

Warnings: mild language-no swearing-"just"-darn, heck, gosh. Violence-guns are used, and people are shot (no one dies), the kids fight back vs cruel adults/people chasing them, cruelty-in the orphange

-Borrowed from the library.

Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce

 *Award-winner-Carnegie Medal

When Tom must stay with his aunt and uncle in their flat because his brother Peter has the measles, he is fraught with despair. Their flat has no garden. He and his brother, Peter, had big plans to build a treehouse in their own garden that summer. Tom's despair and boredoom quickly disintegrate when he discovers that the concrete walkway with trash bins transforms at midnight to an expansive garden with trees, walls, orchards, a pond and  with best of all, a young girl, Hatty as playmate. Only Hatty can see him (and later the reader learns that Abel, the gardener can see him too) and delights in his company. Tom's main concern now is how can he continue to stay with his aunt and uncle to prolong his midnight adventures. 

Warning: a couple of swear words, Abel thinks Tom is a demon/devil, some discussion about ghosts

-Borrowed from the library.

Eve in Exile and the Restoration of Femininity by Rebekah Merkle*

 A new acquaintance at church asked me and another lady to read this book with her and then discuss it. Later, our pastor's wife posted that she would be hosting a book discussion about this book! I loved this book and how it has planted new ideas in my mind for further contemplation. I am even considering rereading it, which I rarely do!

Ms. Merkle briefly shows the progression of feminism and our faulty thinking about what it means to be a woman. Then she offers scriptural-based and practical ways women can live today, how God intended them to be. We have been designed to: subdue, fill, help, and glorify.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

The Huckabuck Family and How They Raised Popcorn in Nebraska and Quit and Came Back by Carl Sandburg illustrated by David Small

 A humorous story of the Huckabuck Family and their tenacity and optimism. Their daughter Pony Pony discovers a buckle in a squash and their "luck" changes. They consider the buckle a sign and wait for the appearance of it before returning to the farm.

I love David Small's illustrations. He is an illustrator of some of my favorite picture books (The Library  & The Gardener both written by his wife, Sarah Stewart). 

-Borrowed from the library.

Later this year for poetry cake, we will focus on Carl Sandburg. I will display this picture plus The Sandburg Treasury -Prose and Poetry for Young People.

Kate's Light by Elizabeth Spires illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully*

 Kate Walker at Robbins Reef Lighthouse

The end pages are intriguing! It contains a depiction of the port of New York in 1892.

German immigrant Kate Kaird, who is a widow,  arrives in America determined to work hard to provide a good life for her son Jacob. John Walker, a lighthouse keeper, soon notices her energy and determination and marries her. Together they run the lighthouse at Sandy Hook Lighthouse and eventually the lighthouse at Robbins Reef. When John dies from complicatons from pneumonia, Kate resumes his position and finally retires at the age of seventy-one! The difficulties, the hard work required and the loneliness of a lighthouse keeper are depicted well. 

A stunning book!

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

 Ms. Gray integrates all of Jane Austen's novel characters into one novel, where they gather for a month long house party at the Knightley residence. Unfortunately, deplorable Mr. Wickham arrives and derails the party with his blackmail and secrets. Then one night someone kills him. Almost every person has a motive save Mr. Jonathan Darcy (Mr. & Mrs. Darcy's son) and young Juliet Tilney. The two secretly gather and share clues with each other. Trying to adhere to propriety proves challenging as they sort through clues. Some marriages are strained. By the end of the novel, all relationships are restored, with even more affection and love for each other!  I liked how the positive view of marriage and its value  are portrayed. 

Very well-written and a well-developed plot and characters. I really enjoyed this novel! My favorite character was Jonathan Darcy, a neurodivergant. 

Warning: I, however, did not find it necessary for the inclusion of a character's homosexual relative. It was interesting to read how the characters involved handled this news and how they incorporated the Bible in how they reacted to the homosexual relative.  The woman relative wondered how two men could engage in sexual activity.

-Borrowed from the library.

Focus on the Family Radio Theatre -Father Gilbert series

 Whenever we travel for more than an hour, I like to have books on audio available. I was disappointed in this selection. I was expecting mysteries that Father Gilbert solves. Instead, the story focused on the drama in his life and unexpected family secrets. The first production, "The Silver Cord" involved a mystery but was not central to the plot and hardly any time was given to it.

The acting and the story lines are superb. "Mystery" in the title, however, is a misnomer. I would call these "dramas". Maybe the ones we listened to  were ones that were more family secrets than mystery? In the introduction, the producer warns listener that mature themes are prevalent and recommends the audience to be fifteen-years-old and older.

  Spoiler alert:The second production reveals that Father Gilbert had intimacy with his girlfriend before marriage (before he was following Christ and had become a priest). Unknown to him, she became pregnant and raised their daughter on her own and then with the man she eventually married.

-Borrowed from the library.

Mr. Malcolm's List-DVD*

Rated: PG

 I first read the review of this movie in World magazine this summer and was intrigued. My fifteen-year-old son read the review also and said he would watch it with me since it was similar to Jane Austen's books, in which he has enjoyed the movie versions. Since it was based on a book, I wanted to read the book first. I loved the book (see an earlier review). Then Sally Clarkson and her daughter-in-law recommended the movie on a recent podcast. My excitement to see the movie grew!

Our whole family watched the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not as clever or meaty as Austen's novels or movies based on her novels, but still humorous and delightful. It is rated PG, but the only part that I found overtly concerning was how  Julia Thistlewaite dresses to show cleavage. Some kissing occurs at the end. The book had more "concerning" parts in it than the movie! How I wish they produced more movies like this one!

Julia Thistlewaite is enraged that Mr. Malcolm, a bachelor, does not ask her for another outing. Her cousin reveals to her that Mr. Malcolm has created a list of qualities he wishes to find in a wife. Julia has failed to meet his requirements. To exact revenge, she invites a school friend to join her in London and involves her in a nasty scheme.

*Highly recommend for junior high and older.

-Borrowed from the library.

My Big Fat Greek Wedding -DVD

 Rated: PG (see warnings)

Toula, a thirty-year-old Greek woman, falls in a love with a non-Greek guy and throws her family, especially her father, into a tail spin. Laugh out loud humor abounds! Written by the lead actress, Nia Vardalos (based on her family and dating and marrying a non-Greek). 

*Highly recommend for upper high school and older.

I own this DVD. I had not watched it in years and decided to rewatch it. It was a delight to laugh and appreciate family dynamics!

Warnings: passionate kissing a couple of times, Toula jumps on Ian and then we see them together in bed later...nothing explicit but it says enough, Toula's brother has Ian say a few vulgar sentences in Greek-the English translation is on the screen (Ian thinks he saying something else), cousin Nikki dresses suggestively