March 2023 Book Reports

The Drovers Road Collection by Joyce West - link to my post (purchased used)

Ella Minnow Pea: A Novel in Letters by Mark Dunn - I don't always love novels written in letters, but this one was excellent. As an additional challenge, the plot of the story requires certain "letters" (like p, z, q, and so on) be avoided as the story goes on. I can't imagine how difficult it was to accomplish it! I thought it was excellent and passed it right on to my teenage daughter who agreed. (library copy)

The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, and The Death Cure by James Dashner - This series was recommended as a fun dystopian series, but I did not enjoy them that much. The whole plot seemed unlikely and so many of the scenarios contrived. I didn't bother reading any of the other books. (library copies)

Therese by Dorothy Day - link to my post (purchased copy)

Talking with God by Francois Fenelon - This is one of the spiritual books recommended in the Mater Amabilis high school plans for religion. I read it ahead of my older daughter. It's a good book on prayer, but not my favorite. My older daughter felt the same way. I probably won't assign it to the other kids, though it will be on the shelf if they choose it for themselves. (purchased used) 

Apologia Pro Vita Sua by St. John Henry Cardinal Newman - link to my post (purchased copy)

Mission to Cathay by Madeleine Polland - This is a lovely fictionalized account of the first Catholic mission to mainland China. It would appeal to a wide range of ages, even into the teens. (purchased copy)

Round Building, Square Buildings, and Buildings that Wiggle Like a Fish by Philip M. Isaacson - This is a fantastic book for introducing architecture to young students. It's full of gorgeous photographs illustrating the concepts explained in the book. My kids were a little over the age range, but they enjoyed it anyway. I read it aloud as a break from more traditional picture study. (PaperBackSwap.com)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon, Bookshop, and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

January 2021 Book Reports

The Tyranny of Merit: What's Become of the Common Good? by Michael J. Sandel - link to my post (library copy)

The Birth of the Republic, 1763-89 by Edmund S. Morgan - link to my post (library copy to start; then a copy from PaperBackSwap)

Find Another Dream by Maysoon Zayid - This audiobook was offered to Audible members, probably for free. It's hard to imagine someone more different from me than Maysoon Zayid - a New Jersey native with Palestinian parents who suffers from cerebral palsy and is an actress and comedian. Yet I enjoyed her story immensely: honest and funny. It's definitely not for children, only mature audiences. I find it helpful to listen to stories like this one, stories of people who have completely different experiences of the world than I do. In particular, I find the voices of those who are disabled to offer important insights; it's so easy to go through the world without realizing the myriad ways their every-day lives are more difficult than for me. I sought out her TED talk after listening to the book and enjoyed that as well. (Audible book)

Our Bethlehem Guests by William Allen Knight - I do not know where I got this little old hardcover book, but I'm guessing it was a library book sale. It's a short tale about an older man whose young daughter was born in Bethlehem. They left when she was young, but he continued always to regale her with tales, especially at Christmas, of the shepherds and the wise men. I read this aloud to the children this year, as I wanted something short, without having read it myself first. I think I would have anticipated their general lack of interest in the slow story. It was a nice little tale, though. (purchased used)

Words on Bathroom Walls by Julia Walton - I saw this book on a young adult list and thought it might be a good option for First Son's psychology readings this year. He's currently reading The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and is fascinated by it, but it's really more neurology than psychology, and First Son is considering counseling. I liked this portrayal of a teenager suffering from schizophrenia, and I think the format of letters to his psychologist would be a good one for First Son's interests. It's a typical young adult novel, though, with intimate activity between Adam and Maya, and some questionable comments on Catholics. I think it's more Adam's attitude and inability to understand them more than any determined malice, but it felt cavalier. Still, some good things here so I'm putting it on his spreadsheet as something to consider at the end of the year. First Son is 17 and heading off to college in a year; there's not much here he probably doesn't already know. (library copy)

Minds More Awake: The Vision of Charlotte Mason by Anne E. White - Anne White is an accomplished educator, part of the team of dedicated volunteers who have made Ambleside Online the amazing resource it is for modern American homeschoolers who want to follow in Charlotte Mason's footsteps. This book is a wide-ranging invitation to her own experiences implementing Mason's principles in homeschool life. She doesn't give a curriculum, though there are suggestions. Amid descriptions of their family lessons, Mrs. White helps to translate principles into practice, into a lifework. This would be a great book for someone young to the philosophy of Charlotte Mason. (purchased Kindle edition)

I have received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Bookshop, Amazon, and PaperBackSwap.com are affiliate links.

January 2019 Book Reports

Coraline by Neil Gaiman - This twisted fairy tale was wonderful and disconcertingly creepy. Coraline goes through a door in her house into a copycat world. She escapes only to find her parents are trapped there. She emulates her father's courage and follows her mother's love to try to save them. Pre-read if you have sensitive children. My twelve-year-old read it and thought it was pretty good. It may be the kind of book that speaks to parents in a way children miss. (library copy)

The Glorious Adventure by Richard Halliburton - link to my post. (purchased used)

Season of Storms by Andrzej Sapkowski - the newest Witcher book, though it goes back in time a bit. I've been reading some of the King Arthur myths (part of our ninth grade curriculum) and it struck me how much the Witcher is like a roaming knight. (library copy)

Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman - link to my post. (purchased Audible book)

Tales of Ancient Egypt by Roger Lancelyn Green - link to my post. (purchased new)

Red Hugh Prince of Donegal by Robert T. Reilly - This is another great book from Bethlehem Books, recommended by RC History for Connecting with History volume 3. I read it aloud to the children and they were very interested (even when I was a little tired of poor Hugh being stuck in a tower). It's kind of fun to read a book in which the English are the "bad guys" and I was able to torture my own children with my not even passable Irish accent. (purchased new)

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman - I picked this up at a library sale. Some of the stories were interesting. Many were a bit disturbing. I think if you're a Gaiman fan, you'd enjoy it, but it's probably not the first Gaiman book I'd recommend. (purchased used)


These opinions are my own. I received nothing in exchange for this post. Links to Amazon and RC History are affiliate links. The link to Bethlehem Books is not an affiliate link.

Entertaining but not Enlightening: The Shadow and Bone Trilogy

Shadow and Bone (and subsequent books)

by Leigh Bardugo

This trilogy (including second book Siege and Storm and third book Ruins and Rising) traces the life and actions of Alina Starkov, who discovers an amazing innate power to summon light as a teenager. She enters a world of privilege and intrigue, a pawn of others, and must learn not only to manipulate her powers but to navigate confusing and frightening events, searching for a way to serve her country, stay alive, and still be herself (as she figures out who she is).

The abilities of the Grisha are not magic, but manipulation of the natural world, and called the Small Science. In the course of the novels, though, Alina encounters and participates in the world of black magic.

This was not the Small Science. This was magic, something ancient, the making at the heart of the world. It was terrifying, limitless. No wonder the Darkling hungered for more.

The books are written for teenagers, which means that while they contain some mature content, the language is fast-paced and not challenging. I read the first book at the end of a long day at airports and on airplanes. I was tired and anxious to be home and it was perfect; it kept my mind occupied and entertained but didn't require very much serious thought.

One of the main characters is a Rasputin-like advisor who tries to force Alina to do his bidding while presenting her to the peasants as a living saint. In the course of the book, she's seeking out black-magic-formed amplifiers created by one of the "saints," through stories passed down through the centuries. There's a lot of ambiguity, not so much in the plot line as in the background and environment, about religion and faith. Alina isn't particularly faith-filled at the beginning of the books and doesn't question her belief in the religion (which is ill-defined), but the events would seem to have given her great reasons to do so. The blending of religion and faith and the Small Science and magic may be disturbing for some parents.

I have grave concerns about the final events of the third novel. It's difficult to express myself fully without spoiling it entirely, but Alina takes an action I believe is immoral and only necessary because the author wanted it that way (not because the trilogy could not be resolved another way). Fighting a war as they do in a book like this often requires physical sacrifice, but the way it's portrayed in this particular book is troublesome. It's similar to the problem I had with the end of the Divergent series; I'd like books to give our teenagers examples of the kind of daily sacrifice that develops in a relationship not heedless sacrifice for the sake of some grand gesture.

For those who are concerned about such things, there is also a same-sex couple in the third book. It's not presented as a major plot point; they are just two of the main characters who are in a relationship which of course means it's a significant statement.

Seeing the books, First Son (who is 14) asked if he could read them. If he asks again before I return the second and third to the library, I'll let him, but I don't think I would seek them out. There are a few other books set in the "GrishaVerse" but I don't feel much desire to read them myself.

Kansas Dad received the first book of the trilogy as a gift. I checked the second and third out from the library. The links to Amazon are affiliate links. The opinions in the post are my own.

April 2018 Book Reports

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen - link to my post. (received as a gift)

1917: Red Banners, White Mantle by Warren H. Carroll - link to my post. (purchased used)

Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski - Another book in the Witcher series, a fantasy novel of elves, magic, monsters, and the end of the world. Fun, easy read. (library copy)

Boys to Men: The Transforming Power of Virtue by Tim Gray and Curtis Martin - link to my post. (purchased used)

The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture) by Francis Martin and William M. Wright IV - link to my post. (used in a parish adult education class)

Divini Redemptoris (On Atheistic Communism) by Pope Pius XI - link to my post. (available free online)

The Face in the Flames: A Story of Saint Bridget of Sweden by Brother Roberto - link to my post. (purchased new)

Introduction to Catholicism: A Complete Course, General Editor: Rev. James Socias, The Didache Series, first edition - link to my post. (purchased used; here's a link to the second edition)

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo - This is the first in a trilogy in the "Grishaverse," in which some people have inherent abilities in the Small Sciences, like magicians. I'll write about the whole trilogy next month sometime. (Kansas Dad received this book as a gift.)

Dracula by Bram Stoker - Kansas Dad was reading this for one of his fantasy and theology classes. I remembered I had it on Audible and decided to listen as he read so we could talk about it together. I spent a good part of the book wanting to yell at the characters, "Don't you know what's going on here? His name is Dracula for goodness's sake!" But of course that didn't make any sense because this book is the only reason anyone knows the name Dracula. The Audible book was wonderfully done. The different voices made it very easy to recognize who was speaking. With all the different diaries and letters and telegrams it would be challenging otherwise. (purchased on Audible, probably on sale)

Quite Early One Morning by Dylan Thomas - link to my post. (library copy)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014) 
• A Century of Sonnets edited by Feldman and Robinson (May 2017) 
• The Power of Silence by Robert Cardinal Sarah (December 2017) 
• In the Steps of the Master by H.V. Morton (February 2018) 
• History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons they Teach from The Great Courses (February 2018, listening with the older two or three) 
• Ember Rising by S.D. Smith (March 2018, listening with Kansas Dad and the kids) 
• Know and Tell: The Art of Narration by Karen Glass (April 2018) - I've finished this but lent it out to first one and then another friend so I haven't written about it yet. To sum up: If you want to use narration in your homeschool, read this book. 
• 1984 by George Orwell (April 2018, listening on Audbile) 
• Nino by Valenti Angelo (April 2018)
• The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge (April 2018, aloud to the children)
• The Singing Tree by Kate Seredy (April 2018) 

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). Links to RC History and PaperBackSwap.com are also affiliate links to their respective stores. Other links (like those to Bethlehem Books) are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.

November 2016 Book Reports

Peter and the Shadow Thieves by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson is the second in the Peter and the Starcatcher series. In it, Peter travels from his warm island back to England to save Molly and her family from a dark and looming threat. There are two deaths in the book, one which happens in the backstory and involves cannibalism at sea and a second that happens before the eyes of the children to an old friend of Molly's family. So I suppose it's a little darker than the first one. I still think it would be acceptable as an audiobook for our whole family (youngest is 6), but I'm going to hold off until reading the third installment. (library copy)

Rifles for Watie by Harold Keith was on First Son's list for historical fiction in the time of the Civil War, recommended in Connecting with History. Jeff's experiences in Bloody Kansas and along the Kansas-Missouri were an excellent read for our Kansas son. Trapped behind enemy lines, Jeff learns to respect and admire the Confederate Cherokee forces. There's a little bit of romance and plenty of death, so probably best for the older students. First Daughter (4th grade) asked to read it and I allowed it once First Son had finished. (library copy)

Who Was Robert E. Lee? by Bonnie Bader was a substitute I made for Connecting with History's recommendation of Robert E. Lee: Gallant Christian Soldier, which our library did not own. It was a fairly easy read for First Daughter (age 10) and gave a respectful biography of this heroic man even though he fought against the Union in the Civil War. (library copy)

Augustus Caesar's World by Genevieve Foster - link to my post (purchased used)

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is a relatively new book set in Germany during the second World War. A young girl is left with a foster family after her father's disappearance and her brother's death. Her obsession with books and her kind and loving foster father anchor her in a tumultuous time. Her father also shows great courage in the midst of a fearful populace rather than in the horrors of a battlefield. It's mostly depressing, as you might expect of a wartime novel. Death as the narrator allows insertions on the greater events of the war and a lot of commentary on humanity and war. It seems like a decent enough young adult book, though the choppy flow and casual insertions early in the plot line of the eventual deaths of certain characters annoyed me. (library copy)

The Bat-Poet and The Animal Family by Randall Jarrell - link to my post (inter-library loan and PaperBackSwap.com)

The Ides of April by Mary Ray - I almost didn't buy this book recommended in Connecting with History's volume 2, but found it at a deep discount directly from the publisher (a great way to get Bethlehem Books) and I'm so very glad I did! I enjoyed this story of murder, intrigue, courage, and justice based in Rome at the time of Nero. Though Christianity is not a major part of the story, a Christian plays a pivotal role and explains that he does so because of his faith. (purchased from the publisher)

Lincoln, in His Own Words edited by Milton Meltzer is a compilation of much of Lincoln's own speeches and correspondence, gathered and presented as a coherent whole by the work of the editor. First Son will read this during independent reading as we study the Civil War. I myself have read little of his words and appreciated his wit and wisdom. I kept thinking more of us should read Lincoln on a regular basis. I think this was recommended in Connecting with History volume 4, but I couldn't find it on their website. (library copy)

The Long Road to Gettysburg by Jim Murphy is a riveting account of the Battle of Gettysburg with quotes from a Confederate soldier and a Union soldier. Interspersed with the text are clear maps and illustrative photographs showing the hardships of the soldiers and the immense casualties. I wish I had read this book before I visited Gettysburg as a high school student. First Son read this (7th grade) and, while I would not have encourage it, I would have allowed First Daughter to read it as well (4th grade). (library copy)

My Several Worlds by Pearl S. Buck - link to my post (purchased used at a library book sale)

Books in Progress (and date started)

• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• Transforming Your Life through the Eucharist by John A. Kane (June 2016)
• The Innocence of Father Brown by G.K. Chesterton with my book club (September 2016)
• Between the Forest and the Hills by Ann Lawrence (October 2016, with the children)
• Simon Brute and the Western Adventure by Elizabeth Bartelme (September 2016) 
• The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis (October 2016)
• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy, with First Son (October 2016)
• The Wright Brothers by David McCullough (November 2016)
• Three Short Novels by Wendell Berry (November 2016)

The italic print: Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order).

Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - another affiliate link.

Any links to RC History and PaperBackSwap are affiliate links.

Other links (like those to Bethlehem Books) are not affiliate links.

These reports are my honest opinions.

May 2015 Book Reports

Mikis and the Donkey by Bibi Dumon Tak is the story of a young boy on a Greek island who adores the donkey his grandfather purchases to carry firewood. I came across is recently and thought it might make a good substitute for one of the Level 1A Year 1 People and Places selections for Second Daughter. (She listened to all of The Wheel on the School rather closely just this year.) It has its moments of humor and would be an adequate book for modern Greece, so it's a possibility, but I might keep looking. (library copy)

The Perfect Egg: A Fresh Take on Recipes for Morning, Noon, and Night by Teri Lyn Fisher and Jenny Park - my review. (review copy from Blogging for Books)

Pioneer Girl: The Annotated Autobiography by Laura Ingalls Wilder, edited by Pamela Smith Hill - my review. (library copy)

Persuasion by Jane Austen is wonderful. I'm still thinking about it weeks later. Read it. (library copy)

Thunder from the Sea by Joan Hiatt Harlow is the story of an orphaned boy in 1929 Newfoundland who goes to live with a new family. He miraculously rescues a dog in rough seas, fulfilling a life-long wish. It would be great as a read-aloud or for young independent readers. (library copy)

The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 5) by Lemony Snicket. I'll probably write more about this series when we finish all the books. (audio CD from the library)

The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 6) by Lemony Snickett, performed by Tim Curry, continues the story of Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. In this book, one of their guardians is obsessed with the current fashions, even of ridiculous things. For example, elevators are "out" so she successfully campaigned to have the elevators removed from their building. While walking around in Chicago on a recent vacation, Second Daughter (6) commented, "Mom, I think headphone are in because everyone is wearing them." Perceptive. (audio CD from the library)

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry, second in The Giver Quartet. I reviewed this for another website, but you can read about it on the blog here. (library copy)

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose - my review. (library copy)

The Sod House by Elizabeth Coatsworth - my review. (library copy)

Lost in the Barrens by Farley Mowat is a story of adventure, courage, friendship, and ingenuity in a freezing Canadian winter. It is a good book for First Son (11) to read this summer. (PaperBackSwap.com)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• Good Poems ed by Garrison Keillor (October 2014) 
• For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (January 2015, with my Start Here book club)
• The Story of the Amulet by E. Nesbit (February 2015, listening with the children on LibriVox)
• Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo (February 2015)
• The Reb and the Redcoats by Constance Savery (April 2015)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare Made Easy) (May 2015)
• Towards A Philosophy Of Education (Charlotte Mason's Original Homeschooling Series) by Charlotte Mason (May 2015)

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. As an affiliate with Amazon, I receive a small commission if you follow one of my links, add something to your cart, and complete the purchase (in that order). My homeschooling budget is always grateful for any purchases.

These reports are my honest opinions.

A Fairyland Like Oz and Wonderland

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M Valente

September is a twelve year old girl living in Nebraska during WWII. She's invited to adventure in Fairyland by the West Wind and promptly accepts a quest. Along the way she attracts friends with compassion, kindness, and courage.

It's beautifully written, full of quiet insight, with a rich vocabulary beyond that of many middle grade readers. The tale itself is probably too simple for teenagers, though adults will again recognize its value. I think it's probably best suited for young girls who are reading far above grade level (and their parents). While there are references to smoking, drinking, divorce, and procreation, they all seemed to fit the environment. None of them seemed likely to encourage such behavior in the reader. I would be comfortable sharing this book with my 11 year old son or my 8 year old daughter, though I think my son wouldn't be interested enough to wade through the vocabulary and my daughter wouldn't be able to do so.

But no one may know the shape of the tale in which they move.

I had a difficult time immersing myself in the Fairyland world at first. Though it reflects the traditional fairy tales and books like those of Oz and Wonderland, it's almost an alien world. Only in the last few chapters did I feel comfortable enough to stop imagining the world and simply be in it. Those last few chapters were worth the effort, though! I imagine it would be easier in subsequent books, having already been introduced to much of the world.

I cannot help that readers will always insist on adventures, and though you can have grief without adventures, you cannot have adventures without grief.

Interestingly, September is described in the text as having the dark skin of her father and dark curly hair, which might appeal to minority readers, but the illustrations don't seem to show her as dark.

The title, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, seems unnecessarily unwieldy.

The link above is an affiliate link to Amazon. I borrowed this book from the library.

January 2015 Book Report

It's a little worrisome to see how long the list of books I am currently reading looks compared to the list of books I managed to finish in January (especially since the finished list includes one middle grade fiction, two young adult fiction, one middle grade biography, and a book of comedy of the six I read). A good bit of my reading time has been consumed by Bleak House which is time well spent. I just haven't finished it yet.

No Other Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup, the third in the Whole Nother Story series was a pre-read for First Son. It's silly and ridiculous and I think he'll love it. First Daughter could probably read it, too. It'll be on their lists for next summer (after fifth grade and after second grade). (library copy)

The Song of the Quarkbeast: The Chronicles of Kazam, Book 2 by Jasper Fforde is the second book in his young adult series. I enjoy everything I read by Fforde and this was no exception. (library copy)

The Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis (a review for Blogging for Books, found here)

Ben Franklin of Old Philadelphia by Margaret Cousins is a book First Son started this month in our American history studies. It's one of the Landmark books and an engaging biography of Ben Franklin. Even First Son admitted it was more enjoyable than he expected. It's such a shame our modern times have trained us to be distrustful of people who love children. There was one whole chapter that had me squirming in my seat as it described how Ben Franklin would invite children to his house and play with them. Rightfully or not, it all seems so inappropriate now. First Son, however, will read that chapter as it was meant, as an encouragement and inspiration. (purchased copy)

The Giver by Lois Lowry, a book I read and reviewed last year and back in 2011. I was asked to review it for another site and meant to just write a brief review on what I remembered, but I couldn't resist reading the whole book again. If you have not read this book, please do. (library copy)

Food: A Love Story by Jim Gaffigan - review found here. Kansas Dad and I bought this book for my dad for Christmas and I think he'll love it. (library copy)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler (September 2014)
• The Bible Compass: A Catholic's Guide to Navigating the Scriptures by Edward Sri (September 2014)
• The Religious Potential of the Child: Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children by Sofia Cavaletti (September 2014, with a book club at our parish)
• Good Poems ed by Garrison Keillor (October 2014) 
• Bleak House by Charles Dickens (January 2015)
• Happy Times in Noisy Village by Astrid Lindgren
• Evangelizing Catholics: A Mission Manual for the New Evangelization by Scott Hahn (January 2015, with our adult education class at our parish)
• For the Children's Sake: Foundations of Education for Home and School by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay (January 2015, with my Start Here book club)

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Other links are not affiliate links.

Reading 2014: A Year in Review

I'm a bit behind the other blogs and I always wonder if these kinds of posts are helpful. After all, I usually end up adding more books to my lists after posts like these than I can read in a year! But reading is what I do, so here we go.

The book covers below are affiliate links to Amazon. Underneath, I've linked to my book reviews or monthly book report.

Favorite Book of 2014

The Hidden Power of Kindness by Lawrence G. Lovasik - my review. More than any other book I read in 2014, this one changed how I live.

Best Fiction

The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk - my review. Please read this book before you watch the movie! (Or just read the book and skip the movie altogether.)


Best Non-Fiction

These Beautiful Bones by Emily Stimpson - my review. If you only read one book on theology of the body, make it this one.

Best Book of Poetry

Still Life with Dirty Dishes by Ramona McCallum - mentioned here. This book inspired me to start reading a poem or two every day.

Best New-to-Me Author

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri J.M. Nouwen - my review.

Best Classic Book I'd Never Read Before

I don't have anything to put here. Hopefully I read a classic in 2015 I like better.
 


Best Book I Pre-Read for School

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart - my review. I pre-read this mostly for First Son and expect him to read it over the summer, but now that I think about it, I just might read it to the whole family. It's most certainly my favorite book in the series.

Book that Made Me Cry

Why did I even keep this category? All the books make me cry.


Book that Made Me Laugh

The Hero's Guide to Being an Outlaw by Christopher Healy - my review. All of the Hero guides are laugh-out-loud funny and perfect middle grade reading books.

Best Homeschooling or Education Book

How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig - my review.

Most Challenging

The Idea of a University by Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman - my review. This was a fantastic book for contemplating the purpose of higher education.

Best Book I Read Aloud

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus - mentioned here. I cheated a little and checked out the audio CD from the library. It was nice to have someone else pronounce the Japanese words. We had the book as well, though, because the illustrations are fascinating.

Best Science Fiction or Fantasy

UnDivided by Neal Shusterman - The whole series is great. Read about it here, along with my musings on young adult dystopian literature.

Best Memoir

Something Other than God by Jennifer Fulwiler - my review.

Most Surprising (in a good way)

Clare's Costly Cookie by Julie Kelly - my review. This was originally recommended to me by the owner at Sacred Heart Books and Gifts. I bought it there and highly recommend the store. My 7 year old daughter loved this book.

Best Book on Faith

My Sisters the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell - my review. Six of the books above are on faith, so it seems a little much to pick another one, but this one was also surprisingly good.

My Other Favorite Books They may have been beaten out by one of the books above, but they still deserve a mention as one of my favorite books read in 2014. In alphabetical order by title, for lack of a better system:   

The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story by Craig G. Bartholomew and Micheal W. Goheen - my review.
The Giver Quartet boxed set by Lois Lowry - my review (spoiler warning). I haven't seen the movie yet but I think I will.
The Nesting Place: It Doesn't Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful by Myquillyn Smith - my review.
A Place in Time: Twenty Stories of the Port William Membership by Wendell Berry - my review.
Way of Holy Joy: Selected Writings of Sofia Cavalletti by Sofia Cavalletti - my review.

December 2014 Book Reports

Somewhere More Holy: Stories from a Bewildered Father, Stumbling Husband, Reluctant Handyman, and Prodigal Son by Tony Woodlief - my review. (library copy)

The Other Side of Dawn by John Maarsden is the seventh book of the Tomorrow series which I reviewed for another website. It's probably not worth your time. (library copy)

Cast Two Shadows: The American Revolution in the South by Ann Rinaldi is the story of a fourteen year old girl on a South Carolina plantation during the Revolutionary War. Exploring issues of war, loyalty, family, slavery, and identity, this book would be a good addition to a history study. The audience was too old for me to read it aloud to my kids (11, 8, 6, and 4). I think a mature 11 year old could read it (one who already knows how babies come to be), but I don't think my son is mature enough to appreciate the themes of the book so I put it aside. Perhaps one or more of them would be ready the next time we cycle around to the Revolutionary War. (library copy)

Not God's Type: An Atheist Academic Lays Down Her Arms by Holly Ordway - my review. (library copy)

Men and Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body by Mary Healy was the book for our parish adult education class. It's a very simple introduction to theology of the body and appropriate for class discussions, but I didn't find it challenging myself. If you are interested in theology of the body, I'd recommend These Beautiful Bones. (copy borrowed from the parish)

Come, Lord Jesus: Meditations on the Art of Waiting by Mother Mary Francis provided daily readings for Advent. There were just a few pages for each day drawn from her talks to her convent over the years. Though directed at cloistered nuns, I found much of the exhortations to be perfectly adapted to a mother of active young children. (received as a gift) 


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler (September 2014)
• The Bible Compass: A Catholic's Guide to Navigating the Scriptures by Edward Sri (September 2014)
• The Religious Potential of the Child: Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children by Sofia Cavaletti (September 2014, with a book club at our parish)
• Good Poems ed by Garrison Keillor (October 2014) 
• The Joy of the Gospel by Pope Francis (November 2014, for Blogging for Books)

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Other links are not affiliate links.

October 2014 Book Reports

The Postman by David Brin started out really well. I was most interested in how the main characters actions seemed to be bringing about the kind of world he sought despite his recognition of it, but the last third took a different direction and I think the book suffered because of it. Apparently, it's a movie, too, but I haven't seen it. (library copy)

Kiln People also by David Brin was much more interesting. In addition to being fun and exciting, it raises questions about what it means to be human. I might have read more by the author after this book, but I had the chance to hear him speak and found him so obnoxious I decided against it. (library copy)

My Sister the Saints by Colleen Carroll Campbell (review copy from Blogging for Books)

UnDivided by Neal Shusterman (library copy)

These Beautiful Bones by Emily Stimpson (Kansas Dad's university library copy)

Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift is a book I had never read, and now I have. Some of it was fun and much of it was...long. But now I know what a yahoo is. (purchased copy)

The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma was the inspiration for one of the Read-Aloud Revival podcasts at Amongst Lovely Things. I loved the podcast and immediately requested the book. The book is a memoir of her childhood so it is about more than just the reading she and her father did together or even the direct effect of the reading promise on her life. It was a sweet memoir, but I thought the best parts were the ones that most concerned the reading. (library copy)

The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough is a book I couldn't put down. I literally read it in a couple of days, mostly in a few hours of straight reading in the evenings. It's fast-paced and fascinating. I didn't know much about the flood before I read the book but was constantly comparing it to recent events, how people survive and overcome tragedy, how corporations behave (in good and bad ways), and how people are held responsible. Most of all, I thought of how we should all pay attention to credibility and expertise of the "experts" who are telling us everything is fine (or not so fine). Kansas Dad thought it looked depressing, and it was sad in parts, but I felt in some way that the people who spoke with the author wanted to tell their tales and want them to be remembered. The author has some problems with other books, but as far as I can tell this book is reliable. (library copy)


Books in Progress (and date started)

• Open Mind, Faithful Heart by Pope Francis (January 2014) 
• The Education Of Catholic Girls by Janet Erskine Stuart (February 2014)
• A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller (April 2014)
• Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol 2 (sixth edition) (August 2014)
• Men and Women Are From Eden: A Study Guide to John Paul II's Theology of the Body by Mary Healy (September 2014, with our parish adult education class)
• The Little Oratory: A Beginner's Guide to Praying in the Home by David Clayton and Leila Marie Lawler (September 2014)
• The Bible Compass: A Catholic's Guide to Navigating the Scriptures by Edward Sri (September 2014)
• The Religious Potential of the Child: Experiencing Scripture and Liturgy with Young Children by Sofia Cavaletti (September 2014, with a book club at our parish)
• The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch (October 2014)
•  Another Whole Nother Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup (October 2014)

Links to Amazon are affiliate links. Other links are not affiliate links.

Book Review: UnDivided (and a Small Commentary on Young Adult Dystopian Fiction)

UnDivided by Neal Shusterman

This is the fourth (and final) book of the Unwind series and it's a fantastic ending to one of the best young adult dystopian series in recent years, if not longer.

Lest you think I say that lightly, let me remind you that I have read The Hunger Games Trilogy, the Divergent Series, the Matched Trilogy, the Legend Trilogy, the Tankborn trilogy, at least one other trilogy not even worth the time to look up its name and link here, and the beginnings of a few series still in progress. Many of them were enjoyable (not the third Divergent book, as I wrote in another post), but I was troubled by a recurrent theme: cynicism. In all these books, young people recognized injustice or even outright evil in their worlds and attempted to right the wrongs. That's what young people should do, even the real ones. In book after book, series after series, the young adults in question seem to learn that even among those fighting for "right," there are none who are hold fast to their integrity if it means losing the battle. You'll see, for example, atrocities on both sides not just among a few people here and there, but in the upper echelons of any group in power or seeking to be in power.

I'm making some generalizations here and some of these series are more permeated by this idea than others, but I kept saying to myself, "There are people of integrity in the world! It is possible to fight injustice without merely inflicting it on someone else!"

I feel this is an important aspect of young adult fiction not only because there are people of integrity, but because we are already living in the time of God's kingdom on earth and we are called to be a part of that transformation which means standing for Truth and Love without falling into the same sins as those we are fighting. Ideally, we wouldn't be "fighting" at all, but rather leading. In some ways, dystopian fiction is a genre that is perfect for young people precisely because it can accentuate some subtle (but present) flaw to extreme proportions and then allow young idealistic people to battle those flaws, all in ways not possible in contemporary realistic fiction (which also happens to often be quite depressing; there's more room for joyous success in dystopia).

Then I read the Unwind series. From the very beginning, I was excited by the big ideas presented in the books. The questions raised regarding abortion, faith, the value of a person, what it means to be human, the commercialization of medical procedures, and so much more, are fascinating and strikingly relevant. In the books, a tragic civil war broke out in the United States over abortion. In the end, a compromise made abortion illegal, but allows parents to "unwind" teenagers in a medical procedure that takes every piece of the young person apart so they can be used to heal, cure, or replace parts in other people. The technology is later advanced further, resulting in the ability to put pieces of people together to create life (just like Frankenstein without the need to pilfer cemeteries for dead bodies). Of course it's ridiculous to think such a thing could happen, and yet the scenario provides an interesting way to contemplate humanity. Personally, I think it provides a fertile ground for discussions about abortion, all the more so because the reviews on Amazon (which I glanced at before writing this post) often neglect to mention it at all.

To return to my point above, do characters on the "right" side of the debate in the Unwind series show integrity? I think they do, absolutely. There are plenty of people who seem to be on the "right" side who end up to be only looking out for their own interests and there are plenty of people fighting for reason and hope who make mistakes, some of them tragic and devastating, but there are a great many people who sacrifice whole-heartedly. There are also many people who yearn for a better way, who take small risks when offered an opportunity and indicate a desire to do even more, if only they could muster up enough courage and had the right leaders.

In each of these books, there is a great hope, a hint that a society can recognize mistakes and rectify them. (A few people, and then more, begin to think, "My God...what have we done?)

Most importantly, there is hope for forgiveness.

I fully intend to read these books with my children when they are older. There are plenty of mature themes in the books (mainly of violence and abuse) so they are definitely for older teens. I also think the Catholic church is not portrayed at all as it would really be if something like unwinding were to become a reality, which I believe is more due to ignorance of Catholic beliefs than an anti-Catholic bias by the author. That portrayal gives even more to discuss with young Catholics (and probably other Christian denominations as well).

I hope I have written enough to make you rush out to your library or bookstore and read these books but not so much to give away any spoilers!