Stories from the Old Squire's Farm by C.A. Stephens Compiled & Edited by Charles G. Waugh & Eric-Jon Waugh*

 After the Civil War, six orphan cousins find refuge and a home at their grandparents' farm in Maine. This collection of humorous, entertaining stories transports the reader to a time where hard work and problem-solving were the norm. I loved reading how resourceful and confident children were during this time period.

I was disappointed to learn that these stories were "quasi-autobiographical". They are based on some true events in C.A. Stephens's life. Despite this disappointment, I know that they accurately depict what rural life was like and what the mindset of the people was like during the late 19th century.

My ninth grader read this book last year. When he heard that I was finally reading it, he commented that he should reread it. I agree with him. It is a story I would read again!

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

 

Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle illustrated by Jason Chin**

 What an exquiste and fascinating book!! As I read, I was amazed at God's wisdom and creativity as I learned about how a whale fall supports many organisms and continuing life on earth. Not only is this book full of mind-blowing facts about creation, it contains beautiful language. Ms. Brunelle incorporates alliteration, similes, and apt verbs. She also offers the reader a better understanding of size by comparing the whale and its body parts to common objects. Diagrams and side illustrations support the text.

Although the age range is for ages six to ten, I am going to have my ninth grader read it for biology. It connects to many terms he has been learning this year. Numerous ages (from elementary through high school) will be enthralled with this book.

World magazine, January, 2025, featured this book as an honorable mention book for children's nonfiction for their 2024 Books of the Year picks. I am so glad they brought this book to my attention.

**Highly, highly recommend.

Consideration/discuss: reference to "billions of years"-old earth view, the whale dies (but hope abounds as the reader sees how it benefits swarms of life and future whales)

I see Melissa Stewart also wrote a picture book about this topic. I will be requesting it, reading it, and reviewing it soon.

-Borrowed from the library.

Feast for 10 by Cathryn Falwell*

 A delightful counting book that depicts a mother grocery shopping with her five children. Upon coming home, the husband greets them. The family proceeds to create a yummy meal for themselves and three other individuals. Readers can count up to ten two times throughout this story.

I love the cut-paper collage.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Farmer Eva's Green Garden Life by Jacqueline Briggs Martin illustrated by Christy Hale

 This picture book reveals how Eva Sommaripa starts her produce business in Massachusetts on a small patch of land between the ocean and the woods. Soon she is growing more herbs than she and her family can eat. So she drives into Boston and offers her herbs to restaurant chefs. The chefs love her herbs and ask her to bring more. Her business booms. This book emphasizes the science of gardening, especially the soil.

Lots of information after the biography.

-Borrowed from the library.

Everyone on This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson

 Newly published author, Ernest Cunningham, has been invited to the Australian Mystery Writer's Society crime-writing festival as they travel via the Ghan, a famous train, from Darwin to Adelaide. While he travels the vast desert, his agent is pressing him to write a fictional book (a departure from his typical genre). Will this train ride with its individuals maintaining secrets provide inspiration for his next book? When the most famous writer dies, Ern steps in to uncover the abundant deceptions and solve the murder. Then another person dies. They are trapped on a train with a determined murderer. Plot sound familiar? Mr. Stevenson alludes to classical mysteries but creates his own entertaining and clever storyline.

The first-person narration was interesting. Ern talks directly to the reader throughout the novel. 

Somewhat Spoiler Alert-A nice twist at the end that I did not anticipate--I thought I had figured out the twist and was sorely disappointed in Ern-felt like he was an unreliable narrator when he promised he could be trusted! But then at the last minute he proves to be trustworthy! 

I loved the allusions to classical mysteries. Although Mr. Stevenson incorporates descriptions of the Australian landscape and also historical and general information, the novel is not didactic. The amount of description is apt. I ended the book with a deeper appreciation for Australia.

Warning: one man likes younger women and had raped one of the characters when she was young, this same man makes advances (not descriptive in the novel-a one-liner that hints at what he wants from her) toward a young woman. Unbeknownst to him, she is his daughter., one character is gay-his partner was killed by a train years ago, a series of books is discussed that is soft porn (no graphic description-just that they are that), Ern & his girlfriend share a cabin although they are not married (not intimacy takes place), some swearing-very limited

Other books in this series-Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone & Everyone This Christmas Has a Secret

-Borrowed from the library.

Well Lived by Sally Clarkson*

 I bought this book a few months ago with birthday money. Leisurely I read it in during meals when I ate alone. Of course, Sally utilizes her modus operandi-encouragement -throughout the entire book. The photographs are 99% from Oxford and are stunning. Just paging through the book and viewing the photos uplifts my spirits. Scripture and quotes, sprinkling the pages, also hearten the soul.

*Highly recommend.

-I own this book.

Silencing the Witness by Laura Conway

 When reading my denomination's quarterly newsletter, I read about this author who is local and who is a member of my denomination.

Almost three years ago Avery witnessed a murder which involved a drug cartel. Immediately she is placed into a witness protection program. Winning the teacher of the year award results in her photo being leaked in the local newspaper. The leaders of the drug ring want her dead. When she steps outside her high school on the last day of school, her car explodes. Luckily the security guard sees the explosion and rescues her. Little do they know that the next few days will require stamina beyond belief as they dodge the savvy, evil group.

Warning-when you start to read this novel, you won't be able to stop! Very suspenseful. 

I found it a bit unrealistic and also predictable at points. But it is great escape novel that is actually clean!

-Borrowed via ILL.

The Ship in the Window by Travis Jonker illustrated by Matthew Cordell*

 Mabel, the mouse, lives in a cabin along a little lake. In the cabin, a man and a boy also live. The man builds a model ship without the boy's help. All three of them admire the model ship in the window. Mabel wonders if it can sail like a real ship. One night the wind blows the door open. She seizes the opportunity and maneuvers the boat onto the lake. In the morning, the man and boy spy her on the lake. . . .

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Brothers at Bat by Audrey Vernick illustrated by Steven Salerno**

 RAR recently added this book to their "big family booklist".

The twelve Acerra brothers played baseball constantly. Eventually, they formed their own semi-professional baseball team coached by their father. What I especially appreciated about this biography is its portrayal of a supportive, cohesive family. The author interviewed a couple of the brothers while researching this story.

The biography spans from the 1920s-1997.

**Highly, highly recommend (especially children who love baseball and baseball history).

-Borrowed from the library.

The Secrets of Ormdale, Book 1: Wormwood Abbey by Christina Baehr**

 I loved every moment while reading this book. It is one of my top favorite reads of the 2024 year ( The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion  volumes by Beth Brower remains in first place!). I first read about this series at Redeemed Reader-review of Wormwood Abbey. I then asked my librarian to purchase it. Months later it was put into the library system. I am sooo glad she honored my request. 

After the death of her uncle and nephew, Edith and her family are requested to come to the old family home (an abbey) in Yorkshire since her father is the next male heir. Three female cousins await them. Gwendolyn, the oldest, is not approachable. Slowly Edith befriends her. As Gwendolyn opens up to Edith, she reveals ancient family secrets beyond imagination.

This book contains all that I love-a warm, intact family who lives out the scriptures (Edith's family, not Gwendolyn's family),  a clery father depicted in positive light, scriptures seamlessly woven into the narrative (never preachy or sappy), well-developed characters, the Yorkshire Dales setting, historical and classical literature allusions, writing that has the depth & quality of classical literature, and an exciting plot.

Series contains four more books in the series- #2 Drake Hall, #3 Castle of the Winds, #4 City of Serpents, #5 Valley of Dragons.

The author, Mrs. Baehr, is delightful. If you sign up for her newsletter, you receive warm, inviting emails that reveal more about her personally. Some highlights: she used to travel the world as a harpist, she & her husband run a hostel in TASMANIA!!, she is a mother of TEN children. She is working on another series, which will release in 2025.

**Highly, highly recommend (for high school & older)

-Borrowed from the library.

The Wild Horses of Sweetbriar by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock illustrated by Ted Rand

 This story is based on true events that occurred in the winter of 1895 on Tuckernuck Island (off of Nantucket).

The narrator, a seven-year-old girl, relates the months she lived on Sweetbriar Island while her father worked for the Coast Guard. She especially loved the wild horses and agonized over their desperate search for food during the winter months.

The language is poetic and descriptive. The idea living on an island with no other families there appeals to my romantic nature! When I finished the book, I felt like hardly anything had happened. .  .but I guess it is more a description of this lifestyle and the true event? I could appreciate the beauty of the sentences and the unique living experience, but modern readers may struggle with the seemingly missing plot.

I loved the illustrations.

-Borrowed from the library.

The 12 Sleighs of Christmas by Sherri Duskey Rinker illustrated by Jake Parker*

 When the elves walk into Santa's sleigh shed to prepare for this year's flight, they are disheartened when they view the damaged sleigh. They decide to create a better sleigh. Dividing into twelve teams, they have a "build off". Impressive sleighs are presented on the twelves days until Christmas Eve. The sleigh Santa selects as a winner surprises all the elves.

Humorous! Children that are mechanical and love everything cars/engines will appreciate this book.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Alice in a Winter Wonderland by Jan Brett

 Ms. Brett retells the Alice in Wonderland story by placing it in Alaska.

Alice follows a white rabbit down a moulin in a glacier and experiences events that are " almost right and not exactly wrong". I found the story odd and confusing, BUT the original story IS odd! The Alaskan wildlife and imaginative creatures Ms. Brett depicts are exquisite.

-Borrowed from the library.

What Was the Great Molasses Flood of 1919? by Kirsten Anderson illustrated by Dede Putra

 This series is perfect for introducing topics and building schema. Even though my sons are in high school, I still assign them these books to build their schema about authors or history topics. They can read it in less than an hour and glean valuable information.

When I taught third grade, one of the reading anthology stories was Patrick and the Great Molasses Explosion by Marjorie Stover (with woodcuts! Can't find this version anywhere!!). This event in history fascinates me. This book reveals the negligence and the years-long lawsuit that followed the disaster.  Actual photographs are included.

-Borrowed from the library.

The Silent Bells by William MacKellar illustrated by Ted Lewin*

 Based on a Swiss legend

Each Christmas Eve Anne-Marie dreams that she will be the one to give the perfect gift to the St. Julien's Christ Child to make him smile and to make the catherdal's silent bells to ring. Since their installation two-hundred years ago, the bells have never rung. This year Anne-Marie plans to bestow the Christ Child an exquiste shaw she has created. The village is also enlivened with the news that the Prince of Aragon, Don Carlos, will be joining their Christmas Eve tradition and will be giving the Christ Child the best gift. 

As she and Barry, her St. Bernard, run errands for her mother and prepare for Christmas, she encounters various individuals with whom she trades objects, until she is left with a crudely carved sheep to give the Christ Child. 

Although the story was predictable, I enjoyed it. Throughout the story, my Type-A personality became exasperated with Anne-Marie's day-dreaming and her lack of focus to complete tasks.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed via ILL.

 

Time of the Child by Niall Williams*

 World magazine reviewed this novel in its latest publication. Since it takes place in a small village in Ireland, it intrigued me. Mr. Williams previous book, This Is Happiness, also takes place in Faha. 

Doctor Troy spends his days listening and caring for his parish, Faha. His expressionless face and reticence has served him well over his sixty years. Then a young boy and two farmer brothers drop off a baby that was left outside the church during the Christmas season. Ronnie, the doctor's oldest, unmarried daughter, embraces the child and assumes the role of mother. The five individuals vow to keep this baby a secret. But how can one keep love a secret? 

The story of power of love  I especially liked the line, "Only through the birth of a child is the lure of death conquered." pg. 283

Life-affirming-for the newborn through the elderly 

Slow-paced and poetic, lyrical language that deserves to be savored and appreciated. 

*Highly recommended for those who appreciate the beauty of language and non-plot driven novels (the baby does not appear until after one hundred pages into this two-hundred eighty-seven page novel).

-Borrowed from the library.

Mistletoe by Tad Hills*

 Mistletoe, the mouse, loves to play in the snow. Her friend  Norwell does not enjoy being cold and refuses to go outside with her. In the days before Christmas, Mistletoe decides to create him a gift that will guarantee Norwell will venture outside in the snow.

A sweet book  I love how oversized it is (perfect for a group story time).

*Highly recommend-Consider: It does not mention Christ, just Santa Claus coming and leaving gifts.

-Borrowed from the library.

To Walk Invisible The Bronte Sisters-DVD by PBS Masterpiece*

 In the new year my ninth grader will be reading Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. As I was searching for resources to build his background knowledge, I discovered this movie at my local library. I watched it to build my schema. He will not be watching it.

This movie focuses on the Bronte sisters' desparate situation with no way to support themselves. Charlotte, the oldest, initiates the sisters' novels' publications. 

As I watched the movie, I was struck how "nothing new is under the sun" in regards to addiction. Throughout their lives, the sisters and their father faced heartache as their brother/son, Branwell, struggled with alcohol and drug abuse. It seems like some of those who produce great art  suffer much. My heart broke as I watched this family endure disappointments and sadness.  Oh the joy, though, the viewer experiences when the ladies' novels are published and when the publishers meet them with great enthusiasm!

The Yorkshire moor landscapes are raw and breathtaking. 

Warnings: "f-bomb" a few times, alcohol abuse, violent arguing, Branwell has an affair with his employer's wife (nothing is shown), Charlotte at one point loved & became obsessed with a married man but did not act on it (nothing is shown-Emily just relates it to Anne),  & why my son won't be watching this movie-Branwell has a withdrawal dream where it shows the married woman he loves having sex with another man (they are fully clothed but the position and movement of bodies indicate exactly what is going on)

*Highly recommend but see warnings.

Little Christmas Carol based on the classic text by Charles Dickens envisioned & illustrated by Joe Sutphin*

 RAR Christmas School is centered on this version of The Christmas Carol  this year. By changing the characters into woodland creatures, Mr. Sutphin creates a welcoming invitation to younger readers to enjoy this classic. The rich vocabulary remains. 

The end pages are classy, elegant, and apropos.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

Santa's First Christmas by Mac Barnett illustrated by Sydney Smith

 On Christmas Day everyone is opening their gifts. How does Santa spend the day? He sleeps, of course! This fun picture book tells how the elves provide Santa with his own special Christmas Day. 

The illustrations were not in a style that I prefer.

-Borrowed from the library.

Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker*

 On a Thursday night Cooper, Gordy, and Hiro are hanging out in a favorite local restaurant  after hours, Frank 'n Stein's when they witness a brutal robbery, which leaves the owner in a coma. When one of the thieves threatens Cooper and his family (it seems like some of the thieves may be dirty cops), Cooper convinces Gordy and Hiro to not reveal the three of them were witnesses. They take the "Code of Silence" as they try to figure out who the thieves are. To maintain their anonymity, they begin telling lies to the police, their teachers, their parents, and their families. Lies grow and become more complicated. 

A fast-paced book that will make the reader to want to devour it one sitting  This book showcases the danger of lying and how easy it is to fall into the habit and to justify it. God is mentioned but only in reference to praying to Him (and will He answer prayers when you are sinning and knowing you are wrong?) about the situation. This book will stimulate conversations.

My fifteen-year-old has read it twice and told me to read it. He likes the depiction of consequences of lying and how the book requires you to think about your choices. 

*Highly recommend for junior high readers and younger high school students (the main characters are in 8th grade).

It looks like Mr. Shoemaker has written two other books in this series featuring Cooper, Gordy, and Hiro, all featuring a mystery/suspense theme-Below the Surface and Back Before Dark.