The Christmas Tree by Julie Salemon was a nice story, but the writing seemed forced to me. Having just read A Right to be Merry, I didn't find the characters of the nuns convincing or attractive. (library copy)
The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart was a pre-read for First Son and highly enjoyable. Four unusual children are unlikely heroes in a battle for the hearts and souls of...well, everyone. Friendship, teamwork, perseverance, trust, really, there's too much good stuff here to list it all and wonderfully entertaining, too. This is on First Son's list for next summer's reading. It's the first in a series of four and I intend to read them all myself just because I want to know what happens. (library copy)
A Right to be Merry by Mother Mary Francis (inter-library loan)
Love Wins by Rob Bell (library copy)
The Year of the Christmas Dragon by Ruth Sawyer came up in my library search when I was looking for Joy to the World. A young Chinese book travels by dragon to a new land (Mexico) and the dragon participates in the Christmas festival hundreds of years later. It's a short book, written for children, and I think I'm going to read it aloud to the children next year. I love how the story of the Nativity and Christ's appearance on earth is so enthralling for the dragon. I think it might help the children think about what a wondrous story it is, this Nativity they've known since they can remember. (library copy)
Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax, M.D., Ph.D. (library copy)
Saint Clothilde: The First Christian Queen of France Tells Her Story by Blandine Male and Helene Fabe-Henriet is a book I saw recommended on some homeschooling sites and wondered about adding to our history studies. I thought it was a nice book, but I'm not yet convinced it would be worth the investment. (inter-library loan)
Books in Progress (and date started)
- Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling (September 2013)
- How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish (October 2013)
- Parenting Without Borders: Surprising Lessons Parents Around the World Can Teach Us by Christine Gross-Loh (December 2013)
- Dust (Silo Saga) by Hugh Howey (December 2013)
