How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice
A fascinating picture book how Jane Austen developed her "voice" and type of story. This book reveals how she transformed and matured as a writer and also reinforces how writing well requires perseverance.
Lots of back matter and even famous lines from her novels included.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
We recently watched and participated in a writing workshop via Read Aloud Revival featuring Irene Latham. She instructed the attendees how to write a nonet poem. After my boys wrote their nonet, they shared it with her via Google Docs, and she commented on their poems and the specific lines. I will publish a review of her book with nonets soon.
This book of poems contains "nestlings", poems derived from another poem. The author may only use words from the source poem to create new poems. I had never heard of this type of poetry. Reading all one-hundred-sixty poems she created, I was amazed at the variety of poems created!
In the back, Ms. Latham explains how to create nestlings.
-Borrowed from the library.
Matilda Pages, aka Tilly, lives with her grandparents in their bookshop called Pages & Co. Her mother disappeared when she was a baby. Her grandparents never discuss her father. Over fall break Tilly begins to see and talk with literary characters, specifically, Anne from Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland. Then she is transported into their stories. . . .Tilly begins to unearth secrets her grandparents have kept, including information about her father. With her new friend Oskar, Tilly ventures into the new world of bookwandering. Can they thwart the plans of the evil Enoch Chalk?
As of April 2021, there are three books in the series.
-Borrowed from the library.
Warning: Matilda Page is born out of wedlock and under unusual circumstances.
Two families joined my sons and me as we read the original play, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Using Ken Ludwig's book, How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare and other resources, I was able to host five "classes"! We had so much fun discussing the play together and sharing favorite lines and parts. The boys ranged from the ages of eleven to fourteen.
I recommend reading a copy with modern English on the opposite page. Below are books different boys/moms used during the "class"-
Folger Library-
-Award winner -John Newbery Medal
I read this aloud to my boys, ages eleven and fourteen. We all thoroughly enjoyed. My fourteen year old liked it the most out of the books I have read aloud so far this year. The boys probably would not have read it on their own. But it is a worthy book to encourage kids to read!
Bud Caldwell is weary of living in the orphange or in foster homes. So after a particularly abusive foster family, he goes on the "lam". He knows his father is Herman E. Calloway, who is part of the famous band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression!!!!!! From Flint, Michigan, Bud sets off to find his father in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
What I loved about this book was the character development. Bud is so likable and well-developed. Even the gentlemen in the band, minor characters, are well-developed. Mr. Curtis is a master of portraying real life--heartbreaking situations coupled with laugh-out-loud comments and events. This book brought tears to my eyes and also made me burst out laughing.
We also listened to some chapters on audio during weeks we were in the car more frequently. Mr. James Avery was a delight to listen to and portrayed the different characters well.
Warning: Although it is marketed to middle grade, I would recommend it for middle school and up. The themes would be valued more by an older audience/readers. Bud faces abuse in his foster care setting. A girl kisses him, and he likes it! His mom's death is brought up a few times. This is a book I would recommend reading with and discussing with your kids.
**Highly, highly recommend.
-We own this book. We borrowed the audiobook.
Our small group read this book over this past year. Mr. Youssef unpacks I and II Thessalonians. Through vivid analogies and examples, Mr. Youssef creates lasting impressions of God's Word.
-We own this book.
*Highly recommend.
Marcel, the hedgehog, resides in a movie theater with two chickens. After theatergoers leave, the threesome feasts on the leftover candy and popcorn. Despite this pleasant arrangement, Marcel misses Dorothy, his former owner. When the theater closes and Marcel is dumped in the countryside, Marcel commences traveling back to the city and to his Dorothy. Along the way he forms new friendships and begins to deal with his past.
A lot of connections to The Wizard of Oz. I am not a huge fan of The Wizard of Oz so the connections did not excite me! 😉
Warning: One of the characters dies.
-Borrowed from the library.
