Simple Joys of Family: Home in the Woods

Home in the Woods

by Eliza Wheeler

This book is based on the childhood of the author's grandmother, Marvel. Marvel's family is forced to move to a dilapidated shack in the woods after her father's death in 1932. Her mother cares for eight children on a small income, but through the seasons of the year, they learn to delight in their woods, their garden, each other. In the Author's Note, Ms. Wheeler writes:

What an incredibly hard time it must have been, and yet they recall the memories from those years as some of their best.

The illustrations are mostly green-tinged, as if they were alive with plants and trees. Scenes inside the house change from dusty brown to cozy warmth in the winter and open windows to the wide world in the spring.

This would be a delightful addition to a study of American History through Picture Books for the Great Depression.

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop are affiliate links. I read a library copy of this book.

 

Explanations: The Great Crash 1929

The Great Crash 1929

by John Kenneth Galbraith

I don't know how this book ended up on my to-read list back in 2012, but I enjoyed it tremendously in 2019.

While some of the conditions creating the environment enabling the dramatic rise and fall of the stock market in 1929 have been alleviated, I was struck more than once at how we saw the same problems and problematic responses during the 2008 financial crisis.

Always, when markets are in trouble, the phrases are the same: "The economic situation is fundamentally sound" or simply "The fundamentals are good." All who hear these words should know that something is wrong.

He talks about it later as well:

Mr. Mellon was participating in a ritual which, in our society, is thought to be of great value for influencing the course of the business cycle. By affirming solemnly that prosperity will continue, it is believed, one can help insure that prosperity will in fact continue. Especially among businessmen the faith in the efficiency of such incantation is very great.

Obviously in 1929 (recounted in this book) and in 2008 (when I vaguely paid attention as an adult), these "incantations" were ineffective. It would be interesting to see if anyone can point to a time when the economy was struggling and such affirmations helped steady it before there were drastic effects.

The machinery by which Wall Street separates the opportunity to speculate from the unwanted returns and burdens of ownership is ingenious, precise, and almost beautiful.

He mentions a few of these methods like funding to customers through brokers and adjustments to margins and interest rates to keep funds available.

The purpose is to accommodate the speculator and facilitate speculation. But the purposes cannot be admitted. If Wall Street confessed this purpose, many thousands of moral men and women would have no choice but to condemn it for nurturing an evil thing and call for reform.

Mingled with the financial record is a remarkable tone of humor.

To say that the Times, when the real crash came, reported the event with jubilation would be an exaggeration. Nevertheless, it covered it with an unmistakable absence of sorrow.

One of the points Galbraith makes in the book is how most people who anticipated the 1929 crash realized there was only a little hope of avoiding it, mainly they realized it could not be stopped. The only choices, though, were to allow it to happen "naturally" as a results of the market itself imploding or taking action toward a "deliberately engineered collapse." In hindsight, it seems obvious a slow controlled collapse would be preferable to the disaster that ensued, but it's difficult to assess. Additionally, whoever took action toward a controlled collapse would bear the unmitigated blame for the entire collapse despite protestations of a potentially greater catastrophe. The system, therefore, and one which continues today, discourages any person or entity from suggesting restrictions or constraints on the financial market as a whole.

One aspect I misunderstood before reading the book was the relatively small number of people trading on the stock market. According to Galbraith, at the peak of speculative trading in 1929, there were probably less than a million. Google tells me there were 121.8 million people in the United States in 1929. Somehow less than 1% of the population wreaked havoc on the economy and ravaged the lives of millions for a decade to come. One of the explanations Galbraith proposes is that the stock market crash disproportionately devastated the very wealthy in an economy that was heavily dependent on luxury spending. When the wealthy people stopped buying luxuries, the crash spread throughout the entire economy.

Galbraith also tackles the misconception that suicides increased, people were leaping to their doom from New York City skyscrapers. Suicides in New York were substantially higher in the months before the crash than after. The rate did rise, however, over the course of the Great Depression. I can imagine how the initial shock and optimism gradually deepened to unremitting helplessness. Galbraith suggests people remembering these later suicides mentally altered their dates to the time of the crash.

The singular feature of the great crash of 1929 was that the worst continued to worsen. What looked one day like the end proved on the next day to have been only the beginning. Nothing could have been more ingeniously designed to maximize the suffering, and also to insure that as few as possible escaped the common misfortune.

Those who survived early dips with intact capital were lured back to the market for the "bargains," companies now priced below their estimated value. The price of the stocks stabilized after November, but continued to decline over the next twenty-four months, dropping to a third or a fourth of their "bargain" price. So even those who bought "bargains" found their investments worthless over the course of the next few years.

My library only had this book in an anthology: The Affluent Society and Other Writings. I only read The Great Crash 1929 but I enjoyed his style so much I put the whole book on my to-read list. (At my current rate, I'll get to it in about ten years, when my youngest son graduates high school.)

This post contains my own opinions. I did not receive anything in exchange for it. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.

The Dust Bowl for History: Years of Dust

Years of Dust: The Story of the Dust Bowl

by Albert Marrin

This is one of the "further reading" books I selected for First Son for his first term of American History following the Level 4 history program at Mater Amabilis™. He's been reading from this book once a week and will finish it in five weeks. I didn't ask for narrations.

I picked this book from our library after searching for an option on the Dust Bowl. I wanted something with this concentration because we live in Kansas and the causes of the Dust Bowl and dust storms are important to consider as citizens of the Great Plains.

This book provides an excellent explanation of how settlers did not understand the ecology of the Great Plains when they moved in and started farming aggressively and how killing the buffalo was the first act to sabotage the health of the Great Plains. There are quotes throughout from a variety of sources: fictional books, poetry, songwriters, and presidents, to name a few. Wendell Berry is quoted:

We ployed the prairie and never knew what we were doing, because we did not know what we were undoing.

There are lots of pictures, clear descriptions, eyewitness accounts, and a text that draws connections between the actions of farmers and ranchers in the past with the Dust Bowl of the 1930s and how that story is being repeated (or not) into the current day. The final chapter is a little heavy-handed at times, but I wasn't bothered too much because I agree with much of what Marrin wrote.

This is an excellent option for further reading for Level 4, especially for a student who is perhaps not quite as agile a reader or reads well but only reluctantly. As I mentioned, First Son read it in five weeks, but a more interested Level 4 student could easily read it more quickly and have time for other readings.

Week 1
Darkness at Noon and The Great Plains World pp 1-16

Week 2
Conquering the Great Plains and The Coming of the Farmers pp 17-40

Week 3
In Hard Times and Dust Bowl Days pp 41-74

Week 4
Refugees in their own Land and The New Deal pp 75-106

Week 5
Future Dust Bowls pp 107-122

Another good option for a student who reads voraciously, would be The Worst Hard Time by Tim Egan, an excellent book for anyone interested in the Great Plains and the Dust Bowl.

My Favorite Picture Books: Rocks in His Head

Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst, pictures by James Stevenson

Based on the true story of the author's father, this book is a fantastic addition to a geology study. He loved rocks from the time he was a young boy, collecting and studying them his entire life. Every few pages the phrase "rocks in his head" repeats, to which her father always agreeably replies, "Maybe I do."

There's a little history (the rise of the automobile and the Great Depression) in addition to the geology, but most importantly is his humility and quiet perseverance. His rocks give him a steady joy, even when faced with struggles. In this end, his dedication to his passion and his never-ending quest for more knowledge earn him his dream job.

Second Daughter has been inspired to not only collect rocks after reading this book, but to search through myriads of library books to identify her rocks and label them. Now she and First Daughter have rock displays on their dressers.

American History Picture Books in 2012-2013 Post 4 of 5: The Great Depression and World War II

This is the fourth post in a series on the picture books we read along with our American History studies in 2012-2013 when First Son was in  third grade, First Daughter was in kindergarten, Second Daughter was four and Second Son wasn't paying attention.

Leah's Pony by Elizabeth Friedrich, illustrated by Michael Garland, is the sweet story of a girl's sacrifice for her family. There are a number of picture books featuring "penny auctions," but this one is my favorite.

Angels in the Dust by Margot Theis Raven, illustrated by Roger Essley, is based on a true story of a woman growing up in Oklahoma during the worst of the dust storms. It's description of the daily lives of people living through in the Dust Bowl is real, including the death of her mother from dust pneumonia. The girl and her sister create a dust angel, like a snow angel, to remember her mother. The times were hard, but the family was together and there are examples of how all the people helped each other live.

Hannah and the Perfect Picture Pony: A Story of the Great Depression by Sara Goodman Zimet, illustrations by Sandy Ferguson Fuller, is (I think) based on a true story of the author's grandmother of one day when a photographer with a pony came to the neighborhood, offering to take pictures for a small fee. The illustration at the end showing a grandmother holding a real photograph of a sweet little girl on a pony. It's a fine story but the illustrations were just alright and there were so many books to read! So I didn't read it aloud, but I did put it in the book basket because I thought the girls would like to see the pony.

Born and Bred in the Great Depression by Jonah Winter and Kimberly Bulcken Root is about growing up in East Texas during the Great Depression. It is full of information about what life was like for the large family without indoor plumbing and electricity. There's one scene in which the mother cries, "Oh Lord, we're all gonna die!" while a storm rages above the family huddled in the storm cellar that seemed a little scary for my kids who do have to huddle in a storm shelter sometimes, so I decided to leave this one in the book basket. It's a really nice book, though, for people with older kids or ones that won't remember that particular phrase the once every year or so they have to run to the storm shelter. The last page is especially good - the text and the illustration.

Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell, illustrated by James Ransome, is one of my favorite picture books. Uncle Jed saves for many years for his own barbershop before he loses everything during the Great Depression. Undaunted, he begins saving again. It's a wonderful book of perseverance and good stewardship, including the important truth that the people we love are always more important than money.

Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Munoz Ryan, pictures by Brian Selznick, is just a fun story of Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart and a crazy ride they took together. It's fictionalized, but based on a true story. Little girls will love it because it's crazy and fun, but the women were also strong and courageous (though that doesn't play into this story quite as much).

Eleanor story and pictures by Barbara Cooney is a biography of Eleanor Roosevelt, whose young life was not a very pleasant one, though quite inspiring. I decided against reading it aloud, though I think I will the next time we come around to this time in American history. I left it in the book basket for the kids to look through.

Mr. Williams by Karen Barbour is one of my favorite picture books. It's about a simple man with a hard life, but one lived fully and appreciated.

A new book I've discovered is Mrs. Harkness and the Panda by Alicia Potter, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, which is now one of my favorite pictures books. Set in the 1930s, it shows an era of adventure and discovery when most of the focus was on poverty, hunger, and dust.

Across the Blue Pacific: A World War II Story by Louise Borden, illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker, was my first choice of a World War II story to share with the children. Told from the perspective of a young girl at home who connects with a single Naval officer in a way that made the far away war more real, it's a book that was still focused on the war experience of children. It is a little sad, but nothing I thought the children would not appreciate. Sadly, it was checked out during our study.

Lisette's Angel by Amy Littlesugar, paintings by Max Ginsburg, is a book set in Normandy. The arrival of World War II has shrouded Lisette's world in shadows and fear of the soldiers. Her family is relatively safe, though they face hardship, but a friend is arrested and shown held at gunpoint by soldiers. The arrival of an angel, though, changes everything: an American paratrooper who floats down into their yard. Lisette and her brother help him, becoming a part of the D-Day invasion. This could be a difficult book to read to young children, but my girls were entranced, especially by the beautiful illustrations.

Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot: A True Story of the Berlin Airlift and the Candy that Dropped from the Sky by Margot Theis Raven, illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen, is another great book connecting a European child with American servicemen. Unfortunately, our library has only one copy and it seems there are always people waiting for it so I didn't request it for our studies.

The Farm Summer 1942 by Donald Hall, pictures by Barry Moser, is the quiet story of a young boy who lives with his grandparents on a farm in New Hampshire while his father was on a destroyer in the Navy and his mother worked for the government. It shows clearly what life was like for the farm families at that intersection of modern and more traditional farm life. I love this book, but it is a little slow for young children, with lots of text. The illustrations are lovely, though, and it is a nice way to counteract a lot of the scarier stories of World War II. There was still sunshine and family and quiet somewhere during that time of war.

Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Loren Long, tells the true story of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II. It focuses more on the joy of one man (the narrator's uncle) when he flies rather than the harshness of the war. It's a great book to share, incorporating history, aviation, racism, but most of all, the celebration of the achievement of a dream.

Mama Played Baseball by David A. Adler, illustrated by Christ O'Leary, tells of Amy's mother who becomes a professional baseball player during World War II. It's a sweet little story and one my girls enjoyed. The illustrations are done in a style reminiscent of 1940s war posters.

So Far from the Sea by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Chris K. Soentpiet, tells of a visit to Manzanar by a family whose parents had lived in the camp during World War II. In the end, I didn't cover the Japanese internship camps with the children this time through American History, but this would be a wonderfully illustrated poignant book to accompany that discussion. It manages to convey the isolation, fear, confusion, and anger of the Japanese-Americans without being too overwhelming for children.

Another book that touches on the Japanese internment camps is The Bracelet by Yoshiko Uchida, illustrated by Joanna Yardley. This story focuses on the confusion and anxiety of a family as they are being moved to the internment camps, but also highlights a special friendship between Emi, a young Japanese girl, and her white friend. The book ends soon after they arrive at the camp, so it doesn't talk about what life was like there, but it does show the strength and courage of the Japanese people who lived there as well as a good lesson on the importance of our relationships rather than connections to material belongings.

The Unbreakable Code by Sara Hoagland Hunter, illustrated by Julia Miner, is the fascinating true story of the Navajo code talkers that risked their lives in the Pacific in World War II. I put this in the book basket for First Son to read on his own because I didn't think the girls would be very interested.

One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II written and illustrated by Lita Judge is a sweet tale of reaching out to people in a war-ravaged Europe after World War II. I put it in our book basket for them to look through.

Posts in This Series - I'll update this list with links to all the others after they post.
#1: Slavery and the Civil War
#2: Progressive Era and Immigration
#3: World War I, Women's Suffrage, and the 1920s
#4: The Great Depression and World War II (this post)
#5: Civil Rights, Hawai'i, Alaska, and Space Exploration

Some of the books we've read set during the Great Depression are here and some post-1930s picture  books are here. In addition, you can find links to all the picture books we read through American history in 2009-2010, when First Son was in kindergarten.

Homeschool Review: 2012-2013 Family Read-Alouds in American History

This year, I decided we'd set aside a little time each day to share a read-aloud with the family focused on the time period we were studying in history, one for American History and one for World History. I found some of these in resources like Let the Authors Speak, books I already owned, or through library searches.

We would read through the American History read-aloud two or three times a week until it was done. Then I'd start a new book that matched up with our current studies. We read these when First Son was in third grade and First Daughter was in kindergarten. Second Daughter (four) and Second Son (two) were intermittent listeners.

This year in American History, we started with a study of slavery and the Civil War. Then we just moved chronologically up to the present times.

Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman by Dorothy Sterling is a biography of Harriet Tubman for children. I thought it was a nice way to learn about slavery and the struggle for freedom. (purchased copy, I think at a library sale)

Old Sam: Dakota Trotter by Don Alonzo Taylor is the story of a trotting horse with an injured leg who proves himself time and again on the frontier. It's told wonderfully from the perspective of a young boy who loves the prairie life. The kids loved this book! (purchased copy, from Bethlehem Books)

All-Of-A-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor is one of my very favorite books. Set in New York City, it chronicles the delightful daily life of a Jewish family with five young girls. All of my children loved this story. We followed it up with the next two books on audio CD from the library (All of a Kind Family Downtown and More All-of-a-Kind Family). I'll be checking the next one out of the library to read aloud as the children are all asking for more - even Second Son! (The first one we read was also a library copy.)

Blue Willow by Doris Gates is another one of my favorite books. It's such a sweet story of courage and every day life during the Great Depression. Janey's father lost his ranch in the Dust Bowl and now they follow the field work. She longs for a permanent home and a regular school. Her family is loving and supportive and she finds new and wonderful friends. (library copy)

Gentle Ben by Walt Morey is the story of a young boy and his pet bear set in the territory of Alaska. It's a wonderful addition to any story of Alaska or a nature study on northern habitats. (purchased copy, at a going-out-of-business-sale)

Every one of these books would be worthy of reading aloud regardless of any history studies. In fact, those are exactly the kind of books I seek out for our family read-alouds.

These were a number of other books I had ready and waiting but we did not have time to read them aloud together this year during our American History read-aloud time.

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink - Because it's one of my favorite books, we read it as one of our regular family read-alouds (which we read every day!), so we didn't miss out on it. (I own this book from my childhood.)

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - I wanted to read this, but we didn't really have time for it and Kansas Dad thought First Son probably wouldn't be that interested. When the girls are older, we're definitely going to read it aloud! (I own this book, too.)

Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder - This is a wonderful book of post-Civil War life, forgiveness, and family, but we just didn't have time to read it. I might ask First Son to read it independently next year. (We would have used a library copy.)

Thimble Summer by Elizabeth Enright is a nice story of a young girl in Wisconsin, but I don't think it's quite as good as the other books. (I picked this up at a library sale.)

The Mitchells: Five for Victory by Hilda van Stockum is a lovely tale of five Mitchell children at home during World War II. It's a read-aloud appropriate for all ages about what life was like in the war years. It's predictable, but in a sweet way. I'm very tempted to ask First Son to read this independently next year or read it aloud just for fun with the girls. (I purchased this for my Kindle from Bethlehem Books, though I do not see it offered at the moment.)

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata is the story of a young girl sent to one of the Japanese internment camps in the United States during World War II. I liked this story on many levels and think it would be great for older children, especially girls, as an accompaniment to a World War II study but in the end decided against reading it with my younger children. There's nothing really inappropriate; I just think older kids would appreciate Sumiko's emotions and struggles more. (library copy)

My Favorite Picture Books: Mr. Williams

Mr. Williams written and illustrated by Karen Barbour

Mr. Williams was a real person, a friend of the author's mother. She has created this picture book based on his words and it shows. Sitting and reading this book is like listening to a wise man recount his youth in simple but profound words. He was born in 1929. His large family worked every day (except Christmas), struggling to feed themselves and make ends meet. In one page, he admits he feared white people and that white boys would sometimes threaten them with his cars. Because his language is so straightforward, readers and listeners are left to wonder what this means without forcing any specific reaction.

The illustrations are not my usual style; they are bold with occasional green skies and blue faces, but their very flamboyance interacts with the starkness of the words in a fabulous way.

Mr. Williams had a difficult youth, full of hard work, but reading this book does not give the impression that he or his family were unhappy. They seemed to love each other and to work well together. Reading this book will give a young child a wonderful glimpse into the life of poor black Louisiana farmers in the 1930s and 1940s, but more than that, it will make readers wonder what beauty and goodness surround us every minute of every day (and night). It's worth sharing even if you're not reading through American History in picture books.

June 2012 Book Reports

Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder was a pre-read for our study of the Civil War in American history next year. Twelve-year-old Will has lost his father, brother, mother and two sisters, along with his home and way of life by the end of the Civil War. He's sent to live with his mother's sister and her family, people he's never met. Struggling with a hatred of the Yankees and of his uncle who refused to fight with the Confederacy, Will has to confront bullies and the loving kindness of his family, especially his cousin, Meg. He learns to be more compassionate and to recognize true courage in one's convictions. The subject matter of the Civil War is a difficult one to present to children, but I think this book does a good job of showing the horrors indirectly. I intend to read this book aloud to First Son in third grade (next year) and won't be concerned if the girls (who will be 6 and 4) hear it as well. (library copy)

Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson is an easy reader on the inspiring life of Helen Keller. I thought it did a good job of showing what Helen's life was like, a difficult thing for children who can hear and see to understand. First Son will be reading this independently next year and narrating it to me. (requested copy from PaperBackSwap.com)

Jungle Islands: My South Sea Adventure by Maria Coffey with Debora Pearson, photography by Dag Goering is one First Son will read next year in third grade, as recommended by Mater Amabilis Level 1A. It's a fabulous tale of adventure that seamlessly includes geography, culture, language, animals and oceans. First Son will read it on his own, interspersed with other activities I intend to set before him. (purchased copy)

Five for Victory (Kindle version)

Sipping from the Nile: My Exodus from Egypt by Jean Naggar is a memoir of the author's opulent childhood in Egypt and her family's flight in the midst of upheaval when the Suez Canal as nationalized. I really enjoyed it, learning much about how Jewish families in Egypt lived. More than anything, it is Ms. Naggar's memories of her beloved family, of which she is obviously proud. I can only hope one of my children or grandchildren would write so lovingly of their home and family when they are grown. (borrowed for free from the Kindle Owner's Lending Library)

The Great Wheel by Robert Lawson follows Conn from Ireland to New York and then to the Chicago World's Fair where he helps to build the first Ferris Wheel. It's a fun story. We might read it aloud next year. I would certainly be pleased if First Son read it himself. I think it would be cool to read the story and then build a Ferris Wheel. K'Nex has a few of them. (library copy)

From Kansas to Cannibals: The Story of Osa Johnson by Suzanne Middendorf Arruda is a short chapter book on a woman who traveled to the Solomon Islands and Africa with her husband in the 1920s an 1930s to film the people and the animals of those lands. It's an interesting look at life in that era as well as the kinds of attitudes prevalent in those times. The book is adequate and a perfect fit for a Kansas connection to the Solomon Islands which we'll be studying a bit next year (in third grade). So I'll add this local book to First Son's independent reading. Hopefully we'll have lots of interesting discussions about it and may even fit in a visit to the Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute. (library copy)

Sister Noon by Karen Joy Fowler is an entertaining book of historical San Francisco, but it didn't seem like anything special to me. (library copy)

Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata is the story of Sumiko, a young Japanese American who is interned in Arizona on a Mohave reservation during World War II. I'm considering reading it out loud to the children during our American History study of the war. It manages to convey much of the fear, prejudice and racism of the time without any dramatic or extreme violence, though I'm not sure how interesting First Son would find it. Personally, I loved it. The historical aspect is nicely done, but the story of friendship and family is worthwhile on its own, which is what makes the best historical fiction. (library copy)

Reviving Ophelia by Mary Pipher, PhD (library copy)

Blue Willow by Doris Gates is the story of Janey Larkin, a young girl whose family follows the harvests, her father a seasonal worker, during the Great Depression. She longs for a home, a place to belong. It's a gentle story without a great amount of action, but it shows us a family of love, compassion and courage. One of the things I like best about it is how Janey's stepmother is a woman of strength and a good mother to Janey. Sometimes I worry we read too many fairy tales of evil stepmothers and my children (who don't really know any stepmothers) will show a lack of compassion themselves for families in such situations. I really loved this book and am hoping we have time to read it in the coming year as one of our American History read-alouds. (library copy)

By Truck to the North: My Arctic Adventure (Adventure Travel) by Andy Turnbull and Debora Pearson is one of our third grade books on Extreme Environments. A reporter travels with a truck driver along ice roads and permafrost to sell fresh fruits and vegetables to people who live above the Arctic Circle in Canada. First Son will read it himself and narrate it, along with some notebook work. I have a little more work to do on our Extreme Environments plan (which includes Jungle Islands above) and then I'll post the plans. This series is a great one! (purchased copy)

One of Our Thursdays Is Missing: A Novel by Jasper Fforde is another adventure in BookWorld with Thursday Next, though this time the protagonist is the written Thursday. Or is she? All of Mr. Fforde's books are worth reading. This one is at its best when the action is moving along with quips and puns flowing rather than when it's describing BookWorld's processes in minute detail. It was fun, though, and once halfway in, I could barely put it down to feed the kids lunch. (library copy)

My Favorite Picture Books: Uncle Jed's Barbershop

Uncle Jed's Barbershop by Margaree King Mitchell, illustrated by James Ransome

I discovered this book a few years ago, when we read through American history in picture books for First Son's kindergarten year. I checked it out again as I was planning our financial history course for next year as it's a wonderful example of working and saving toward a business goal.

Uncle Jed is a traveling barber, serving the black community at a time of sharecropping and segregation. He is always saving his earnings to invest in a barbershop of his own. He sacrifices savings for his family. He suffers a total loss in the Great Depression. Yet he perseveres. It's a beautiful story, lovingly illustrated.

As with all great picture books, it introduces us to a range of issues like race relations, discrimination, family, sacrifice, dedication and perseverance, all seemingly without effort. They are simply part of the story. As a real tale based on the life of the author's great-uncle, it appeals especially to my kids who love to hear about real people.

My Favorite Picture Books: The Gardener

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, pictures by David Small

This book, set during the Great Depression, is written through letters from Lydia Grace to her family members. Her parents are struggling, so she travels to the city to live with her uncle. She'll be helping him in his bakery, but what she wants to do most is plant and tend gardens.

Her arrival in the city is gloomy indeed. The train station is all grays and blacks. Her uncles bakery and home are surrounded by browns. Lydia Grace's first thoughts are of the plants she can put in the empty window boxes.

In brief letters and through the wonderful illustrations, we see Lydia Grace slowly changing everything. Flowers appear in the rooms and all around the shop. There is a brightening that spreads from Lydia Grace's flowers to the street and the neighbors. She wins over everyone with her flowers, her hard work, and her sweet disposition.

Lydia Grace is a delight. I'd welcome her to my home anytime.

We included this book in our history and culture readings for kindergarten with First Son for the Great Depression, when we read through American history in picture books.

March Book Report

The Virtues by Pope Benedict XVI (a review for The Catholic Company)

Tanglewood Tales, Illustrated Edition (Yesterday's Classics) by Nathaniel Hawthorne - another delightful collection of myths retold in the same style as in A Wonder-Book for Boys and Girls.

Bone Dance: A Fantasy for Technophiles by Emma Bull wasn't that great.

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

The King of the Golden City by Mother Mary Loyola is an allegory to aid children in learning the value of the Eucharist. I'm considering it as part of our preparation for First Communion next year. The protagonist is a little maid, but I think First Son would have a problem with that. It seems to be a quality story and one that could help develop an appreciation of and love for the Eucharist. If I do decide to include it, I'll be using the free study guide for some of our discussions.

Book Review: The Worst Hard Time

The Worst Hard Time

by Timothy Egan

This is a enlightening book on a dark time on the Great Plains. Mr. Egan tells the story of life in the Dust Bowl through the lives of families, real people who suffered through the storms and graciously shared their stories.

Reading this book was particularly interesting as a Kansan (and a transplant from Illinois, where agriculture is just as integral but the soil is completely different). It was strange to find myself torn between aching for the families that failed and straggled away from the land (poor, hungry and dirty) and amazed at the hubris, greed and ignorance that caused the environment disaster that was the Dust Bowl. Many of the same struggles continue in modern agriculture; it's always beneficial to review our past. (In fact, Kansas still struggles with emptying rural counties and debating how to serve those communities best.)

I admit to relative ignorance myself on more modern history. As a child, I moved from state to state quite a bit and managed to duplicate American History up to the Civil War many times without learning much at all about what happened in our country beyond that conflict. It's a significant deficit in my education. I did not realize how horrible the dust storms were or that they were caused primarily by ripping up the native grasses to plant wheat, corn, alfalfa and oats. You can watch some pretty scary footage of these storms by searching online. There are plenty of sites with free videos (like the History Channel). The author of this book even makes appearances in some of them.

Sadly, the devastation of the agricultural misdirection of the few years before the Great Depression has still not been healed. A few areas of land were reseeded and hold just enough topsoil in place to avoid the most horrific of the dust storms, but times of drought still bring dust storms.

Mr. Egan is a journalist, not a historian. He interviewed people across the Dust Bowl and really tells their stories as a way to walk the reader through the worst times. This book is incredibly readable. I was enthralled by the people and families, anxious to learn what happened to them.

I did not receive anything for this review. I borrowed the book from my library. If you follow the link to Amazon and make a purchase, I receive a small commission. In theory.

History & Culture: The Great Depression

Leah's Pony by Elizabeth Friedrich, illustrated by Michael Garland, tells the story of a little girl's sacrifice to help her parents. What I love most about this book is how the friends and neighbors follow her lead. I choked up a little while reading it and, for the first time, First Son noticed it and commented on it. I explained that I was crying a little because I thought it was such a sweet story, even though it seemed a little sad. He accepted that and said he really liked the story, too.

Mr. Williams by Karen Barbour. A note at the end of this book explains that it is based on the recollections of the real Mr. Williams, a family friend. It tells of his childhood in the South, poor and black. I love descriptions of their simple life, a hard life raising crops and animals on the farm, but not unhappy. His large family seems to really care for each other and enjoy their time together.

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart, pictures by David Small, is a wonderful story of a young girl who travels to the city to stay with her uncle, helping in his bakery, while her parents are struggling financially. The story highlights her love of gardening, her compassion for her uncle and his employees, and a transformation at the bakery and her uncle's building. Lydia Grace is courageous, optimistic, kind and joyful. This is one of my favorite books. First Son and First Daughter enjoyed it as well. First Son has even read it to himself a few times since we read it together. I particularly enjoy the illustrations by Mr. Small. They move the story along wonderfully by illustrating the reactions to the flowers that appear everywhere as the story unfolds.

Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream by Crystal Hubbard, illustrated by Randy DuBurke, tells of a young black girl who dreams of playing professional baseball. In the book, she concentrates all her energy on her goal to play at a baseball camp. I love how her effort only increases when all her dreams seem lost. The story is based on the real life of Marcenia Lyle who realized her dream when she played for the Negro League Indianapolis Clowns. My children probably understood little of the plays described in the baseball games because we don't watch of play much baseball around here (though we have attended one of the university games), but First Son still grasped the significance of her struggles and her dreams. These kind of stories make it easier for me to introduce topics of race and poverty within the context of an uplifting story. Personally, I think it would be just as good a story if she didn't eventually make it to a professional baseball team.

Saving Strawberry Farm by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Rachel Isadora, is another farm auction story. Davey and his sister learn the plight of a neighbor about to lose her farm and are integral in bringing out the town to help her save it. It's a nice little story, but I don't like it (or the illustrations) as much as Leah's Pony, which we read earlier. The kids did not seem quite as interested, either.

Uncle Jed's Barbershop (Aladdin Picture Books) by Margaree King Mitchell, illustrated by James Ransome, is a wonderful story based on the author's real Great-Uncle Jed. He struggled and saved for many years to open his own barbershop. I love the how the family supports and helps each other, how Uncle Jed handles disappointment and setbacks and how the community supports him when his dream comes true.

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton is a classic. First Son kept insisting the city growing around the little house was just in her imagination. I'm not sure quite why he thought that, but at least we all enjoyed it. If you haven't read this book, do and soon!

Sky Boys: How They Built the Empire State Building by Deborah Hopkinson and James Ransome is the story of the construction of the Empire State Building. I'm not sure I love how it's written in second person, but the descriptions of the construction include enough detail to be interesting without overwhelming a young crowd. First Son and First Daughter are now enthralled with New York City and beg to take a trip there every time we read a NYC book. I guess that's partly my fault since we read so many and then talk about how First Son has been to many of the sites. Hopefully we'll be able to take a trip before too long! Not this summer, though.