Personal Reading:
The Christy Miller Collection: The High School Years
by Robin Jones Gunn
These 4 volumes contain the 12 books detailing the high school years of Christy Miller, a Wisconsin girl who moves to Southern California and experiences the ups and downs of life as a teenager. Though she has always gone to church with her family, she never had a saving relationship with Jesus until just after she turns 15 (through the witness of some new friends she met while visiting her aunt and uncle in Newport Beach). The books follow Christy as she learns to be a "God-lover". They deal with topics such as drug and alcohol use, pre-marital sex, eating disorders, peer pressure, respect for parent, and all the complications of the "dating scene". I'm not a big fan of teenage romances and these books illustrate (to me) the dangers and follies of girls constantly focusing on guys and their "need" for a boyfriend in order to feel good about themselves. Even in their church circles, the focus seems to be mostly on guys and girls flirting, playing dating games, and trying to pair up. I wish the author had included more discipleship of the teens by godly adults, but they seem to be mostly on their own trying to figure out how to live the Christian life. However, the characters are genuine and loveable, the banter between them is fun and realistic, and the writing drew me in to keep reading to find out what happens next (There are a lot of plot twists and surprises). These books might make good discussion starters with the young women in your life, if they are thinking about relationships and how to navigate this area of life.
Christy & Todd: The College Years
by Robin Jones Gunn
This set of 3 books follows Christy and Todd through their years in college, growing in their faith, waiting for the right timing for their relationship to progress, and learning how to communicate with each other.
Christy & Todd: The Married Years
by Robin Jones Gunn
This set of 3 books follows Christy and Todd through their first few years of marriage as they continue to learn to communicate and to grow in their faith through some very challenging times. I really enjoyed these and the college years books, as the author develops the characters' lives in a deep and realistic way. I found myself relating to Christy in her areas of struggle. I also found myself admiring and appreciating my own husband even more, as he has patiently loved me through all my immaturity. Due to the mature (but not inappropriate) content, I would recommend this for only for adults.
Christy and Todd: The Baby Years
by Robin Jones Gunn
This set of 3 books follows Christy and Todd through their first years as parents. Again, I found myself relating to Christy as she struggled to adapt to her role as mother -- one that she very much desired, but found to be more challenging than she imagined. All of these books by Robin Jones Gunn are worth reading again and again. Due to the mature (but not inappropriate) content, I would recommend this for only for adults.
Love Defined
by Kristen Clark & Bethany Baird
Written by two sisters, this book presents an alternative to the standard "merry-go-round" method of dating relationships. Or, as the subtitle says, "Embracing God's vision for lasting lvoe and satisfying relationships." The counsel in this book is just exactly what I wanted to give to the characters in the Christy Miller books... and to all the young ladies in my life. Highly recommend!
Memories before and after the Sound of Music
by Agathe von Trapp
A memoir by the oldest von Trapp daughter describing her life with her father, mama, siblings, and new mother and how it differed from the musical and movie.
The Highlander's Last Song
by George MacDonald, edited by Michael Phillps
I picked this one up because I positive memories of other George MacDonald books I read in the high school/college years. But this one was confusing and hard to read. I got totally lost and confused by his theological discussions. I never finished it.
Geography Read-aloud
Books set in Kentucky
Abe Lincoln: The boy who loved books
by Kay Winters
Although Abe Lincoln is associated with Illinois, he was born in Kentucky. This picture book tells of his love of books. He learned much just by reading, even though he didn't have much formal education.
Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek: A Tall Thin Tale
by Deborah Hopkinson
As the subtitle says, this book introduces a forgotten friend of Abe Lincoln's, without whom we may never have known about Lincoln. When Lincoln was 7, he and his friend decided to cross a swollen creek. Abe fell in and almost drowned, but his friend rescued him. This is a cute picture book where the author and illustrator argue a little over how the illustrations should be done.
A Picture Book of Daniel Boone
by David Adler
A typically well-done picture book biography by David Adler, about Daniel Boone's life.
Happy Birthday to You!
by Margot Raven
As the subtitle says, "The Mystery Behind the Most Famous Song in the World." A kindergarten teacher and her sisters wrote "Happy Birthday" and later sent to court to claim the rights to the song after it was published and popularized without attribution.
Down Cut Shin Creek
by Kathi Appelt
Describes the Horse Librarian program in Kentucky during the 1930s. This Works Progress Administration program paid local Kentucky women to travel through the mountains delivering reading material to the people living in cabins scattered throughout the region. (I didn't read it out loud because it was longer than a picture book, and we ran out of time.)
Canary in the Coal Mine
by Madelyn Rosenberg
This short chapter book is set in West Virginia and told from the perspective of a canary, who is one of many used as early gas detection systems. He escapes and flies off to the capital to try to find a way to lobby for better and safer working conditions for both the miners and the canaries. I didn't read this aloud, but strewed it (at least one child read it).
Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds
by Cynthia Rylant
A picture book describing life in the Appalachia region of West Virginia by a popular children's book author. Loved the illustrations.
Christmas in the Country
by Cynthia Rylant
Another picture book by Cynthia Rylant, depicting Christmas in a West Virginia town.
More Than Anything Else
by Marie Bradley
A picture book describing Booker T. Washington's desire to learn to read more than anything else.
Fifty Cents and a Dream
by Jabari Asim
This picture book goes into more detail than the previous, describing Booker T. Washington's desire to learn and his pursuit of an education in the post slavery era.
Willie McLean and the Civil War Surrender
by Candice Ransom
A fictionalized account of the family who experienced both ends of the civil war -- it started near their home at Bull Run and ended in their parlor when Lee surrendered to Grant.
Dear Mr. Washington
by Lynn Cullen
A hilarious picture book, in the format of letters written by a young girl whose father was trying to paint George Washington's portrait. One thing after another goes wrong, but they finally get the hint of smile from Mr. Washington.
Christopher Newport: Jamestown Explorer
by Sharon Solomon
A picture book biography of the captain who sailed several times to the Jamestown colony to help establish it as the first permanent English-speaking colony in the New World.
First Flight: The Story of Tom Tate and the Wright Brothers
by George Shea
A young boy watches and helps the Wright brothers as they work on developing a flying machine.
An Island Scrapbook
by Viginia Wright-Frierson
A picture book describing the experiences of a woman and her daughter on a vacation on a barrier island off of North Carolina.
Before John Was a Jazz Giant
by Carole Boston Weatherford
A picture book telling about the childhood of John Coltrane, a famous jazz musician.
Freedom on the Menu
by Carole Boston Weatherford
A picture book telling the story of the lunch-counter sit-ins that started in Greensboro in 1960.
Back Home
by Gloria Jean Pinkney
A young girl returns to visit family in the place of her birth. Her northern, "citified" ways clash with her cousin's southern, country ways.
Just For Fun
The Littles
by John Peterson
The first book in a series of very short chapter books about a family of little "people" who live in the walls of the house of the "Biggs." Cute.
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