Biography
Katherine Luther : Kitty, My Rib
by E. Jane Mall
A fictionalized biography of Martin Luther's wife. Interestingly tells the story from her perspective as a woman during the Reformation time period. It reads more like a novel than a regular biography.
Courage and Conviction
by Brandon Withrow
A collection of short biographical sketches of various characters during the Reformation, told in an interesting story format rather than dry facts.
I'm working on Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, but didn't finish it yet.
Newberry
None this month.
Nonfiction
None this month.
Just For Fun
The Mystery of the Pirate's Treasure
by Idella Bodie
A boy and his brother spend a week with their mother visiting their mother's friend at a drama camp in Charleston, South Carolina. After hearing a story about pirates, the boy, Chris, is intent on discovering some kind of pirate treasure. My younger daughter read this before I did and thought it was very funny. I wasn't as impressed. The boy says "heck" a lot and is sneaky, untruthful, and disobedient to his mom (without any real consequences or change of heart depicted in the story). There is also some "boy becomes aware of pretty girl" that is not necessary for the story.
The Storm
by Cynthia Rylant
A short chapter book with a wholesome story of a cat who is the keeper of lighthouse. She has been tending the lighthouse alone for years and is getting lonely. Her life changes when a storm washes up an injured sailor dog. Sweet and innocent.
Lumber Camp Library
by Natalie Warnock
A young girl grows up adoring her father who works at a lumber camp. She wants to work in the lumber camp like her father, but her mother wants her to be a teacher. At her father's urging, she reluctantly goes to school. Not so reluctantly, she learns to read and begins to teach her younger brothers and sisters, even her father, how to read. Her father's tragic death brings hardship to the family, but they work hard and God provides for them. Some parents may be cautious about the superstition that a gray jay embodies the spirit of a deceased lumberjack.
Read-aloud
Paddington Takes the Test
by Michael Bond
Book 11 in the series. Paddington accidentally takes a driver's test, gets a visit from his Aunt Lucy, and has several encounters with the Brown's infamous neighbor Mr. Curry.
Toyland Tales
V. Gilbert Beers
Another collection of retold Bible stories and related Muffin Family stories.
History
The Shakespeare Stealer Series
by Gary Blackwood
This contains three books in one : The Shakespeare Stealer (which I read separately last month), plus Shakespeare's Scribe, and Shakespeare's Spy. In Shakespeare's Scribe, the acting company hits the road because the plague in London has caused the authorities to ban public gatherings. After Mr. Shakespeare injures his arm, Widge becomes his scribe and ends up helping him write one of his plays. In Shakespeare's Spy, someone is stealing costumes and reporting their activities to the queen's anti-papist investigators. Widge enters into a plot to find out who it is. I found these books to be very fascinating. In addition to learning more about Shakespeare and his times, there are some valuable lessons Widge learns about family, belonging, and finding your purpose and place in the world. There are some violent scenes and some use of the Lord's name in vain, as well as more unusual forms of swearing. The last book also features a brief infatuation with Shakespeare's daughter and some encounters with a fortune teller whose predictions come true, but not in the way people expect. The predictions are pretty general and vague and can be interpreted many ways, so they can't really be considered real prophecy. Overall, I thought the stories were worthwhile.
I am the Great Horse
by Katherine Roberts
The story of Alexander the Great, told from the point of view of his horse Bucephalus. It's got some funny parts, especially for those who know something of horse behavior : for example, he talks about the humans "squealing" at each other before a battle, the way stallions do, except humans do it by "making marks on flattened grass" (writing on paper). He also talks about giving "flat ears" to people who bother him or try to take liberties with him. Of course, it has battle scenes, though I didn't find them too overly graphic. Unfortunately, the author brings in magical/mystical/fantasy elements that kind of spoiled the historical fiction part of it. The horse sees the "ghosts" (spirits) of people as they leave their bodies when the people die. Some Amazon she-warriors appear from a "hole" between the worlds of the living and dead. I lost interest and quit at that point. There is also a girl who says that her mother was raped by a conquering soldier, and she is the result. I had great hopes for the story as an interesting perspective into history, but the fantasy elements ruined it for me.
Follow That Map! A First Book of Mapping Skills
by Scot Ritchie
A fun introduction to reading maps. Through the pages, a group of children are searching for a cat and dog who are in such obvious places the kids can't find them. My younger kids enjoyed this one and its fun pictures.
If You Lived Here : Houses of the World
by Giles Larouche
Describes houses in various countries and people groups around the world. Interesting illustrations and text, with extra information in sidebars. I just read the main text and left the book out for any who wanted to explore it further.
My Librarian is a Camel
by Margreit Ruurs
A fascinating book about mobile libraries around the world, from camels to donkeys, buses to boats, and more. It reminded me of the fascination I've had with libraries throughout my childhood (and adult life), including the bookmobile that came to my elementary school.
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof : Tooth Traditions from Around the World
by Selby Beeler
Describes what people in various countries do with their baby teeth. I was surprised at how many cultures throw their teeth on the roof or under the bed. Many cultures who were influenced by Spain have some kind of rat or mouse in their traditions. Cultures influenced by England have the tooth fairy. Others feature other animals such as a rabbit or squirrel. Hmm... all these are rodents with fast-growing front teeth...
A Question of Yams
by Gloria Repp
A boy in Papua New Guinea watches as his father goes against the "head men" of the village, refusing to pray to the ancestor spirits before planting his yams. Instead, he prays to and trusts in the mighty God of the Bible whom some missionaries have taught him.
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