Biography
John Adams
by David McCullough
A fascinating look at our second president and a major influence in the declaration of American independence. I listened to the audio book and thoroughly enjoyed learning many new things about this man. One interesting aspect was how the lives of Adams and Thomas Jefferson intersected. They were from very different backgrounds, cultures, and faiths, but came together as delegates to the Continental Congress. They were both on the committee to write the Declaration of Independence, became friends while serving in France, and later became political opponents. In their later years, they resumed their friendship through the writing of many letters. They both loved to read. In fact, Jefferson is quoted as saying, "I cannot live without books" (after he sold his library to Congress to help pay off debts). I will be investigating some of McCullough's other books after this. Listening to them helps get me out to exercise some days when I'd rather not go get hot and sweaty!
Maria von Trapp and the Trapp Family Singers
by Amy Tiehel
A picture book biography of Maria von Trapp (of The Sound of Music fame). After we watched the movie, I was curious to read more about the real story of the family.
Classics (or at least kind-of old books)
Jack and Jill
by Louisa May Alcott
Two friends end up having a serious sledding accident and spend the next year recovering from their injuries and learning to develop their characters while they convalesce. Like most of Alcott's books, there is more emphasis on character development than plot, so modern readers might find it a bit slow, but I enjoyed it. Clean and wholesome.
An Old-Fashioned Girl
by Louisa May Alcott
Polly is a poor, but content, country girl, who goes to visit her friend in the city. Fanny is a rich, fashionable girl who is somewhat embarrassed by Polly's "old-fashioned" ways. Tom is Fanny's annoying (but neglected) brother. They have various adventures, scrapes, and character-building opportunities. Eventually, they all wind up as mature (or maturing) young adults and each marries the one he or she truly loves. Reminds me of Alcott's other books, such as Little Women and Eight Cousins. Also reminds of Jane Austen, but it is set in a different country and time period and customs. It's a romance, but a clean, wholesome one with a focus on character development rather than on passionate physical descriptions.
The Matchlock Gun
by Walter D. Edmonds
This 1942 Newbery Medal book gives a vignette of family in the time of the French & Indian War. A 10-year-old boy is at home with his mom and little sister while his dad is gone to fight Indians. When Indians attack the farm, he shoots an ancient, heavy "matchlock" gun that his mother's parents brought over from the "old country". He kills the attackers, but they've already set fire to the cabin. He helps his sister and injured mom escape. Apparently, it's based on a true story handed down by the little sister's descendants. It's a very short book (45 minutes as an audiobook), just telling of this one incident in the family's life, with no backstory. It is violent, of course. It was OK, but I wasn't overly impressed. I certainly would not have given it the Newbery medal over Little House on the Prairie which received a Newbery "honor" award the same year.
All-of-a-kind family
by Sydney Taylor
Describes various episodes in the life of a Jewish family with 5 girls growing up in New York in the early 1900s. A sweet story and a nice glimpse into the practice of Judaism (especially the holidays) at this time and place in history.
More All-of-a-Kind Family
by Sydney Taylor
The second of 5 books, this is a continuation of the story begun in All-of-a-Kind Family. The audiobook was very well narrated. Again, a good description of the life of a Jewish family in New York.
Miracles on Maple Hill
by Virginia Sorensen
A young girl, named Marly, and her family move from Pittsburgh to the farm that used to belong to the mom's grandmother. The dad is back from being a prisoner of war (the book never says which war), and they hope that moving to the country will help restore him to physical and mental health. Marly delights in all the little miracles she discovers on the farm, including harvesting maple sap and turning it into syrup, and all the changing seasons. Until near the end, there doesn't seem to be a central conflict or plot to be resolved. I didn't like how the mom, dad, and older brother are always belittling the girl. Winner of the 1957 Newbery Award. I think I would have chosen Old Yeller as the winner instead that year.
Miss Hickory
by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey
This short book won the Newbery Medal in 1947. Here's the synopsis from wikipedia: "The protagonist is Miss Hickory, a doll made from a forked twig from an apple tree and a hickory nut for her head (hence her name). She lives in a tiny doll house made of corncobs outside the home of her human owners. Her world is shaken when the family decides to spend the winter in Boston, Massachusetts, but leave her behind. Miss Hickory is aided during the long cold winter by several farm and forest animals. Prickly and a little stubborn, she slowly learns to accept help from others, and to offer some assistance herself." As one reviewer wrote, "Up until the last two chapters, I thought this was a very cute book. Each chapter is a little mini story of different forest creatures and how their paths cross from autumn to spring. I loved seeing how the author tied in different aspects of nature and spun a story around them. I also liked the look inside the domestic life of Miss Hickory (cleaning, canning, gathering food, etc.) However, the last two chapters were simply disturbing." A squirrel eats her head, and then she runs around, still alive but without a head to think with. Kinda weird.
A Doctor Like Papa
by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock
Young Margaret has three wishes as she grows up in Vermont: a dog, a sister, and to be a doctor like papa. She has a little brother, her mama doesn't care for dogs, and her mama definitely doesn't want her to be a doctor. When the influenza epidemic strikes in 1918, papa is kept away from home for several months as he tends to the many sick and dying people. Margaret and her brother are sent by themselves to go to an aunt's house to get away from the epidemic. But on the way, they hear a howl, investigate, and find a starving dog, a dying woman, and a little girl left as an orphan. She does what she can to help the woman (doing what she knows her papa would do), then cares for the little girl and the dog. In the end she gets all her wishes: her mama sees her talent for doctoring, and they adopt the little girl and the dog. Inspired by true events. Young or especially sensitive children may not be ready for the sickness and death depicted in the story. Nothing gruesome. A very short chapter book.
Nonfiction
Wise Guys: A Guide to Building Godly Character in Boys
by Dan and Carol Fiddler
Sort of a devotional book written to teen and pre-teen boys focused on, as the subtitle says, "building godly character in boys". It could be read by boys on their own or read and discussed together.Read-aloud (for fun)
The World According to Humphrey
by Betty G. Birney
Humphrey, the classroom hamster, gives his perspective on life as he watches, learns from, and helps the children in his classroom. We listened to the audio with my younger 3 children.
Friendship According to Humphrey
by Betty G. Birney
The second of the Humphrey books. A frog joins Room 26 as an additional classroom pet. Humphrey learns about the difficulties of making and being friends as he tries to make friends with Og the Frog and also helps the students with their friendship trials. Listened to the audio book with my 3 younger ones.
The Magician's Nephew
by C. S. Lewis
The first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series, where we learn how Narnia got started, how the white witch came to be there, etc. Listened to the audiobook. There are a few uses of "damned". And if you have an issue with "magic" and "witches", you may want to find a way to let it be the fantasy story that it is and appreciate the many Biblical allusions and pictures contained in it. We thoroughly enjoyed it.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by C. S. Lewis
Probably the most famous of the Chronicles of Narnia. Four children accidentally find their way into Narnia through a wardrobe, help the lion Aslan defeat the white witch, and become kings and queens of Narnia.
The Horse and His Boy
by C. S. Lewis
The third book in the Chronicles of Narnia. Takes places during the time that Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy reigned as kings and queens of Narnia.
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