Favorite authors and illustrators.

Awhile ago on the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, Sarah MacKenzie had a lovely episode about Barbara Cooney. In the introduction, she discussed how anytime you see Barbara Cooney on a cover of a book, whether you be at a book sale or garage sale or thrift store, grab that book! I began wondering what other authors/illustrators elicit the same response from me and started this list. I've had this post in my drafts for MONTHS because I kept adding to it. I could probably add more but then this post would never end! I'm sure you know lots of these, but maybe you'll find some new ones. 

Barbara Cooney

Barbara Cooney...of course! My favorite is not pictured here because it is buried in my Christmas book box... The Year of the Perfect Christmas Tree. 

Lynne Cherry

We love Lynne Cherry's books about the environment and her beautiful and intricate illustrations! 

Linda Glaser

Linda Glaser is close to my heart! She was actually my parent educator at ECFE, a preschool program in Minnesota before I realized she is also a prolific children's book author. She has many books about nature but my favorite is Emma's Poem.

Ruth Heller

Ruth Heller has been a classic for decades. Take a peek inside and the reason is obvious.

Wendy Pfeffer

We need more Wendy Pfeffer in our lives. We Gather Together has a companion for each season and discusses seasonal traditions around the world and throughout time.

Gail Gibbons

Gail Gibbons has very kid-friendly explanatory illustrations.

Jessie Hartland

 Jessie Hartland. We've had How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum for years until I realized there were more! They are just a great and the kids LOVE them. 

Jim LaMarche

I was obsessed with The Rainbabies as a child so I was delighted to find more books illustrated (and written!) by Jim LaMarche. They are breathtaking and often requested at our house. 

Virginia Lee Burton

Virginia Lee Burton was a mother of sons and it shows! Our boys are big fans. I loved the biography we read about her as well, Big Machines.

Kevin Henkes

In 2019, Kevin Henkes won the Children's Literature Legacy Award and no wonder! His stories demonstrate that he truly understands children. Each one is so perfect. I grew up reading Weekend with Wendell and Owen.

Brad Metzler and Christopher Eliopoulos

We are BIG fans of the Ordinary People Change the World the series from Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos. They really engage our kids and inspire them to make good choices now. And have also inspired lots of study into flying, social justice, astrophysics and more. The corresponding PBS series, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum is also fantastic. They go back in time to meet the different historical figures. 

Betsy Bowen

Betsy Bowen is a northern Minnesota treasure! Her woodcut illustrations are so intricate and depict northern life perfectly. 

Patricia Polacco

Patricia Polacco has been a favorite of mine since my mother read The Triple Dam Creek Dam Affair to us as kids. She has so many great ones, too many to photograph! However, I think Babushka Baba Yaga is my favorite.

Jan Brett

Jan Brett is definitely a favorite too. I remember inspecting her delicate details in The Wild Christmas Reindeer as child. Now I do the same with my kids Hedgie's Surprise. I think Mossy is my favorite. We have lots of her holiday books too.

Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom

My sister sent us this series of books and they quickly became favorites. The kids, especially Colden, request them frequently. The illustrations are mesmerizing and the messages empowering. Sometimes we think kids can't comprehend big ideas like this, but they totally can.

Eliza Wheeler

 

Eliza Wheeler is a GIFT. Her imaginative perspective on the seasons in Miss Maple's Seeds is extraordinary. Home in the Woods is pretty new and an absolute treasure. Go grab it!

Quick list for thrifting or the library:

Barbara Cooney

Lynne Cherry

Linda Glaser

Ruth Heller

Wendy Pfeffer

Gail Gibbons

Jessie Hartland

Jim LeMarche

Virginia Lee Burton

Kevin Henkes

Brad Metzler and Christopher Eliopoulos

Betsy Bowen

Patricia Polacco

Jan Brett

Kobi Yamada and Mae Besom

Eliza Wheeler

Guest Post: The Cremation of Sam McGee

Wow! It's been a week since I posted! Must be a record. We are settling in quite nicely into our new place. I love unpacking and setting up house. I have also enjoyed staying a liiiittle more unplugged this week. I should do it more often.

This guest post is by Nate's cousin, Scott. (He is married to Erika, who guest posted last week). Nate and Scott are like two peas in a pod. They love all things outdoors, grow their beards the same length, buy the same clothes, are allergic to the same foods and have gray hairs in the same places on their heads. It's kind of creepy sometimes to be honest. The book Scott is reviewing today can be recited by he and Nate both. This book is for children, but it's a weird one and loved deeply by these two men. So if I have any male readers at all, maybe you will appreciate it!

By Scott.
The Cremation of Sam McGee

At some point in every man's life he sheds childhood, ventures into the wilderness, and carves out his lot in life. The burdens of bread winning and the sweat of his brow quickly replace the smell of baked goods and the soft nurturing wings of a mother. But if he is lucky - truly, deeply, lucky - he'll find someone to balance out the calluses in his hands and stubborn rough edges of his heart.

Together they will make a house a home, living, loving, and growing together. Soon, with hopeful hearts the two of them become three, and an entirely new unexplored wilderness opens in a man's heart - he becomes a father.

Many books have been reviewed on this blog. Books with messages about kindness, love, sharing, and all things needed to raise a child correctly. And while not all men may have perfected the gentler meaning of nurturing, there are things he deeply wishes to imbue into his sons' or daughters' heart; adventure, truth, work, and courage to be sure. There are not many books a man will get to read with his kids, and he may not get to bring his children into the torrent ocean or over the stolid glacier-tipped mountain peaks. But he can read with them The Cremation of Sam McGee.

There are strange things done in the midnight sun / By the men who moil for gold; / The Arctic trails have their secret tales / That would make your blood run cold; / The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, / But the queerest they ever did see / Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge / I cremated Sam McGee.

(The poem's opening and closing stanza)

Robert Service, the author, based the poem on the actual experience of Dr. Sugden, who found a corpse in the cabin of the steamer Olive May. I like that the wildest part of this story is true. I also like that its a story of a common man, thousands of miles from home and comfort, filled with passion, and a dying wish. I like that the setting of this book is in the lesser carved out parts of the map, the northern Yukon, Canada, accessible only by sled or kayak to this day. I like that it's a place where even a grown man can still exercise his imagination and dream of the cold stars and twisting northern lights.

Once published, The Cremation of Sam McGee was widely told throughout elementary schools in Canada, and contains several messages near to my heart that I hope to be successful in passing to my children. I hope they can say that their father taught them many things - truth, obedience, family, happiness, and hard work. But I also hope they can say that from their earliest age - among their first memories curled up late at night next to the fire with dad - their father taught them adventure, and he taught them courage.

Note: My live-in Canadian expert would like to note that most of the Yukon Territories can now be accessed by snow-mobile or helicopter.

Book Series Guest Post: Amos & Boris

My lovely and talented friend Erika from Oh Erika Rae shares her favorite children's book with us below. A little plug from me, they read us this book one day and it is delightful! I need it for our collection.

By Erika

Being an English major, books are everything to me. I'm one of those people who can never give a straight answer when asked what my favorite book is. I am constantly reading and reading and reading. 

That all started with my childhood, and the love for reading my parents instilled in me. They always kept a box full of books nearby, and my mom still collects extra children's books. 

Even though I don't have kids of my own, I thought I would review a children's book that I'm excited to read with my own children. 

     Amos & Boris  -  By William Steig

Scott found this book online - I don't know how, in fact I don't know if he remembers how - but I feel like it matches us and our little family perfectly. 

He was drawn to it for sailing and adventures. I was drawn to how creatively the book was written, and I later fell more in love with it when I found it was written by William Steig.

William Steig also wrote Dr. de Soto, and Sylvester and the Magic Pebble - both amazing classics that I read as a kid. We ordered an old, used library copy online, and so began our collection of children's books. 

The book is a charming story about a mouse named Amos who loves the sound of the ocean and sailing. He builds his own boat and sets sail into the ocean for his own little adventure. His friend Boris is a whale with perfect timing when things go wrong for Amos. The story is a celebration of friendship - both large and small. It includes profound questions about heave, and cute phrases like, "holy clam and cuttlefish!"

One thing I love about William Steig is that he doesn't talk dumb to children. His books are simple but profound - they actually have meaning to them. I absolutely adore the writing - it's something that even I find well done and entertaining - and the lovely watercolor sketches by the author.

Amos & Boris has sailing, adventures, whales, starry nights on the high seas, a brave mouse, and even elephants - a perfect story for kids. 

...Or husbands like mine. 

"one night, in a phosphorescent sea, he marveled at the sight of some whales spouting luminous water; and later, lying on the deck of his boat gazing at the immense, starry sky, the tiny mouse amos, a little speck of a living thing in a vast living universe, felt thoroughly akin to it all. overwhelmed by the beauty and mystery of everything, he rolled over and over and right off the deck of his boat and into the sea."

Book Series Guest Post: More Non-fiction

It took a flight across the country and a summer away from home, but my lovely cousin Cassie found a love for non-fiction. Here, she reviews her two favorites.

By Cassie
Two Books That Changed My Life
(non-religious because if it were religious, this list would be longer.)

I love people. Real people with real stories. This is probably why reading fiction has been a struggle for me. With the exception of Dracula, my favorite books are nonfiction and out of all the historical and not so historical nonfiction I’ve read, two books have truly inspired me and I love to be inspired. They are The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and The Anatomist by Bill Hayes.

I didn’t become a reader of nonfiction until the summer after I graduated from high school. Most of my reading time was spent with cheesy romance novels mainly of the Mormon kind. At age 18, I jetted across the country and landed in Connecticut where I would nanny three kids at their summer home on Fisher’s Island. Fisher’s Island is nine miles long and a place for the very rich. Never was F. Scott Fitzgerald more right when he said, “Let me tell you about the rich. They are different from you and me.” 

I spent time at the local library. A teeny, tiny house-like structure with one room dedicated to books. While browsing for something to entertain me at night I came across The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. I read it in every spare nanny moment I could find. I was smitten, not by a tale of fleeting romance, but by this man’s advice on living life. I’ve learned it’s always important to take life advice from people who are dying and he had ten tumors in his liver. 

Now, if you are looking for a sad story about a man dying from cancer and everything he did to fight it, this story is not for you. Randy takes you on a tour of how all his childhood dreams came true and how we should enable others to reach their dreams. Life. Changed.

The second book that has changed my life I happened upon during my junior year of college. I was taking an anatomy class and I was completely enthralled by the make-up of human bodies. Each system, organ and structure is designed to perfection. To explore deeper my new found love, I made a trip to the local library in search of Gray’s Anatomy.

Not this one...

This one.

I went to the right shelf looking for this gigantic mother textbook and didn’t find it...however, I found  a small book hidden in the corner called The Anatomist: A True Story of Gray’s Anatomy. Checked it out, took it home, read it immediately. 

Bill Hayes, the author, gives an inside look at Henry Gray’s life mainly through the eyes of his collegue and anatomical illustrator, Henry V. Carter. The true story of the two brilliant Henry’s whose study of the human body changed medicine is enhanced by the author’s personal experiences spent in a medical school gross anatomy class. The book explores the incredible design of the human body.  I related to him as he described the pain we feel when physical limitations can get us down even though our bodies are made to function without flaw. Nobody is perfect. Life. Changed.

***

I am loving the out-pouring of love lately for non-fiction. Want more non-fiction recommendations? Read about The Best Advice I Ever Got, and some of my favorites, Into the Wild, and This Is Not the Story You Think It Is.

Book Series Guest Post: The Magical Box

Thanks to my lovely sister-in-law Jeni for providing this post on a wonderful family reading tradition!

By Jeni

We have a magical box living in our house, it does not appear to be enchanted or even remotely interesting. It sits on the top shelf of my children's closet in the back, looking battered and gathering dust. But every time I pull this box out my children excitedly crowd around me waiting to see what thrilling thing may come out of this fascinating box! The inside of this box is filled to the brim with books, not just books but stories filled with enthralling tales that stimulate every child's mind. Each book is a hidden treasure with stories rich and imaginative, for these tales do not sit on their everyday bookshelf, they are special because they only come out for holidays. As a mother I love reading and oh what fun it is to read holiday stories that are full of magical tales that create a special festive spirit. 

A couple of weeks before a given holiday I bring out the books and put them on a special decorated table. Every night we read from these books, it creates so much excitement and anticipation. It is very compelling because most of the time they do not remember the story so it is like reading a brand new book! They listen so intently and it never fails to get them excited about the upcoming holiday. I have found this to be a wonderful tradition in our family. It focuses on the holiday yet helps them enjoy the love of reading.

I thought I would share two of my absolute favorite Christmas books.

Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by: Don and Audrey Wood.

My mother-in-law gave this book to my daughter when she was quite young. I thought it was just another run of the mill board book but it has become a favorite.This is a board book, typically for toddlers, but it teaches a beautiful story about sharing and spreading the
Christmas cheer to those who seem to least deserve it. Even though my children are not toddlers anymore this is still a favorite book that they request for me to read to them around the Christmas holidays.

Christmas Magic by: Michael Garland

This past Christmas season I was at the library with my children, it was pretty crazy, they literally picked out 40 Christmas books for us to check out. Every night we would read a few of them and to be honest most of them did not strike me as a book I would want to own. They were sweet and fun but not worthy of my magical box. Then I read the
book, Christmas Magic, it brought back all those wonderful magical feelings associated with Christmas as a child. I literally felt like I was transported back to my childhood and experienced the wonderment of Christmas.

Isn't that such a sweet tradition? I need to increase our holiday book collection!

Images 1 & 2

Book Series Guest Post: Non-fiction

My friend Catherine from The Willenbrechts shares with us why she loves non-fiction and even gives us a great recommendation. Thanks Catherine!

By Catherine

If you're looking for my husband, you can usually find him eyes down, enthralled in a fiction book. Every time he opens to a fresh page, he is off on a new and exciting adventure. He and many others like him have tried their mightiest to convert me to being a reader, and for some reason it just does not stick. I take that back, it has stuck with a select group of books, including my most recent read, " The Best Advice I Ever Got" by Katie Couric. I have always enjoyed biographies, non-fiction, real stories about real people. This is the perfect choice. It not only delves into personal experiences that the author has, but hundreds of people she knows.

The book includes excerpt after excerpt of personal revelations, words of wisdom and advice that Katie has gathered from people she knows and has interviewed throughout her career. For the length of their sermon, the curtains are peeled back and the reader gets a glimpse into other peoples lives. Their struggles, triumphs, joys, heartache, love, success. The best part about each one is, the reader can relate. Every reader has their own adventure they want to take when they open up a new book. As my husband prefers skipping off into another land with gnomes and dragons, I prefer taking a step into the lives of others and learning from their legacy.

I would highly recommend this book to any and all readers. It can be read like a novel, or broken up into one story per night.

Enjoy!

Do you have any non-fiction favorites?

Book Series Guest Post: Billywise

Our first guest post in the Up to Parr Books series is my dear sister Mitzi. I wasn't going to start this series until it was officially March, but I'm so excited about it, I'm sharing it a day early! Mitzi has spent years teaching little ones to read as an elementary school teacher and is now teaching in a slightly different way, as a mommy. Read on to learn about a beautiful moment she had with her daughter that started with a book...

By Mitzi

". . .knowledge is like the bee that made that sweet honey, you have to chase it through the pages of a book." 

- from Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco.  

In school, children first learn to read, then read to learn.  However, there's no need for your child to wait that long to learn something from a book.  Reading to your child is one of the best gifts you can give them - the gift of learning!  If your child can sit in your lap and has an attention span of a few minutes, he or she is ready to be enlightened.  With a picture book in hand and a voice in your throat, you're ready to teach!  

From the time that my daughter was a few months old, she has sat in my lap in our rocking chair while I read to her at least once a day.  At the rate at which we devour books, we quickly exhausted our sizable personal collection and have become avid patrons of our local library.  While my daughter (now 2 years old) frequents the usual favorites within her age level, such as Curious George, Fancy Nancy and Olivia, I also encourage her to explore titles that she finds interesting across various genres and more advanced age levels.  We often underestimate what a child can absorb even when the material may not be marketed primarily to them.  

Our latest treasure was Billywise by Judith Nichols.  This is a story about an owlet discovering self-confidence and his encouraging mother's kind words as he leaves the nest.  When others dampen his spirits and he doubts his self worth, his mother wins us and Billywise over as she continually boosts and strengthens him.

Engaged by the realistic paintings inspired by nature, my daughter desired to know more about these creatures that seemed to be within her grasp.  Afterwards she would inquire:  "How do owls sleep?" "Where do owls sleep?" "Where's he going?" (pointing to the owl flying) and exclaim, "I want to see the owls!".  A teachable moment had arrived and I was grateful to oblige.  Our discussions then led to the fact that owls are nocturnal; that they sleep during the day and are awake during the night.  Owls hunt for food at night and sleep in trees.  

So every time we ventured outside that week, she would gaze up into the trees and insist that we wake up the owls!  It's quite amazing and wonderful how innocent children are and that it seems very logical to them that waking the owls is the only answer.  At that very moment, it dawned on me that she had not only learned a new concept but she had applied it into a part of her life.  It was a proud moment!  

Share your experiences and book recommendations in the comments below!

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Book Reviews: An update

What I've been reading lately:

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Achingly sad and yet triumphant. At times while reading this you think the human race has gone to the pits, but in the end you know it is exactly the opposite. Although I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
This is a good one to make you feel smarter. Like do you know why manhole covers are round? I didn't until I read this book. It's because any other shape could fall through the whole. A good thinker.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
If you liked Food Inc., you will appreciate this. She and her family decide to eat only what they can produce in their garden or buy locally (ie, made locally) for a whole year. Long story short, they succeed. And I am all the more ready to start my own garden next summer and each year buy fewer and fewer groceries. I love the idea of living off of your own land. It's romantic, I know. But also possible and enjoyable, as you will find out in this book.

And because I saw Lois Lowry speak at the Provo Library:

The Giver
Her books are written for middle schoolers, but the lessons and stories are applicable to so many. I kept seeing parallels to the Atonement in this one.

Gathering Blue
I felt like the ending was a little abrupt, but it's an interesting story.

Number the Stars
I think this is one I will tell to Bridger at bedtime as he gets older. Such a great story of bravery and love.

Book Reviews: Half Broke Horses

Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls.

You might know Jeannette Walls for her best-selling memoir, The Glass Castle. Half Broke Horses was written in response to readers' questions after reading The Glass Castle. I haven't read The Glass Castle yet, but it's on my hold list at the library now!

Anyway, onto Half Broke Horses. I couldn't put it down! It's full of adventure and great life lessons. I kept telling Nate while I was reading that we needed to move to a ranch! The author creates a very authentic voice which made me wish I could meet the real Lily Casey Smith.  This should go under the new girl heroes list, along with Beryl Markham. Obviously, I highly recommend it.

P.S. Great video about the book with the author.


image via google.

Book Reviews: Room

Room by Emma Donoghue.

I was afraid this would be depressing and hard to read, but it was the opposite of that. The author really captures the voice of a child so well. His innocence in the face of so much tyranny is endearing.

I highly recommend it!

Book Reviews: Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua.
When I heard about all the controversy surrounding this book when it came out last year, I was excited to read it. I finally got my hands on it a few weeks ago and couldn't put it down. I'd like to share a few thoughts on this memoir/guide to Chinese parenting.

For starters, it's an easy read. However, she is a Yale law professor. I wish I would have kept a dictionary handy while I was reading!

While she is often self-depreciating, I think she is purposefully making herself out to be utterly outrageous. Some of her parenting practices seem unreal. Threatening to leave her 3 year-old out in the snow because she wasn't obeying her, spending tens of thousands of dollars on violin lessons, making her daughters practice their instruments for 5+ hours daily, no playdates, no sleepovers...the list goes on.

Much of the book is pointing out differences between Chinese parenting and American parenting. Which is funny because her daughters know they are not really Chinese. They have a Jewish dad and are growing up in Connecticut. Another theme in the book is one I have labeled as how not to parent your daughter whose personality clashes with your's. She and her youngest daughter often have screaming fights that seem to reduce the mother to a savage. Again, I wonder if this is how it actually went. Perhaps she is being over outrageous to sell books. Or maybe she really is crazy. (Read her explanation of the book here.)

Throughout the book I kept wondering how her husband was putting up with all her outrageous behavior. She writes him up to be patient and only intervenes in the most extreme examples. I wish he would write his own memoir.

Given her extremes, her version of parenting does have some aspects that Nate and I want to implement into our own family on a much smaller scale. I really hope our children will learn to love music and will play an instrument. I also think there is something important in encouraging your children to stick with an activity. Chua refused to let her daughters quit their instruments. I really gave my mom a nasty time in order for her to let me quit piano. But what if she hadn't given in to my fits? (Not that I blame her, I have a long history of starting a new hobby and quitting as soon as it gets hard). What if I had taken lessons into high school? Maybe I wouldn't be a concert pianist (definitely not), but maybe I would at least be able to play hymns for church and some simple songs to entertain my children. The moral of the story is, I want to teach our children  enough determination and foresight in order to see the need to stick with great hobbies/activities/talents like playing an instrument and playing sports or painting or making ceramics or whatever it is!

I also hope that we can help them understand that we have high expectations for them. I hope this will demonstrate to them their potential.

Have you read this? What did you think of it?
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Book Reviews: Various books on motherhood

I was planning on writing a post for each of these books, but let's face it, I don't have the time or energy for such nonsense anymore. So let's quickly get to the point here.

What to Expect When You Are Expecting.
Broadly considered in the U.S. as the pregnancy bible. My advice is to borrow a copy from a friend and use it for reference. I think reading it cover to cover just encourages extra worries. And what pregnant girl needs more to worry about? I read the introductions for each section and then skimmed until I found something that I needed to know. And just skip over the "pregnancy diet" section. Girls, just eat when you're hungry. Sheesh.

The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. 
This is published by La Leche League so it's full of more earthy ideas than perhaps other books on breastfeeding. It had a few ideas that helped me the first few weeks. I wish I would have read this and some other books on breastfeeding before giving birth. This is another good one for reference rather than reading cover to cover.

Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman.
Go read this now! I am so in love with this book. It's hilarious and eye-opening. The author not only draws on her observations of American and French parents, she compares these observations with past and current research. For the sake of time, I'll just list a few of my favorite ideas that we want to incorporate into our own parenting:

• The Pause: Babies often wake in-between sleep cycles because they don't know how to connect them yet. The idea is to observe your baby for a few minutes before picking them up. I think American parents, (myself included) are so worried about creating a secure attachment that we jump to pick up our babies as soon as we hear the first wimper. We have been practicing "the pause" for the last two weeks and it makes such a difference. Infants have "agitated sleep" which seems like they are waking up. But when we listen and observe Bridger for a few moments when we hear him stir in the night, he usually goes right back to sleep without our help. When he does become fully awake, we of course pick him up and see to his needs. 
• Cadre: Frame. This is the over-arching theme of French parenting according to the book. Parents have firm limits, the frame. But within the frame, kids have lots of freedom. For example, one family she met has a firm bed time for their kids. But once they get ready for bed and go to their rooms, they can do anything they want in their rooms.
• Bonjour: Much like saying "ma'am" and "sir" in the South, French kids are taught to say "bonjour" to adults. Saying hello to adults indicates that a civilized encounter will follow. It is respectful to the adult and also "cements the idea that kids are people in their own right."
• "You must teach your child frustration." This is an idea that I think many American parents practice as well. You should always see to the needs of your infant, but after the age of 3 or 4, kids should pick themselves up from time to time. The point of this is to teach independence and self confidence.

I hope this helps some moms-to-be out there! What motherhood books were helpful to you? I would love to hear!

Book Reviews: The Hiding Place

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

This is such an inspiring book of bravery and faith! Go read it. That's all. :)

Book Reviews: Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English

Mr. Rosenblum Dreams in English

Natasha Solomons

This book has become a new favorite. As the story begins, you learn that Mr. Rosenblum and his wife and daughter immigrated from Germany in 1937 to England to escape Hitler.  The story is about the rest of his life as he tries his hardest to become the ideal English gentleman. I found it to be witty and a little quirky. It has both comedy and tragedy. It really made me want to visit the English countryside! It does get a little slow in the beginning, but once you get past that, you won't be able to put it down. It's a very interesting look at what life was like for Jewish immigrants. I'll be looking out for more from this author!

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Books lately

With all my recent flying and road trips, I've been able to read several good books. I won't do a review post on each one, but here is a quick synopsis/thoughts on each one:

Source: barnesandnoble.com via Claire on Pinterest

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
I picked this up in the BYU Library hoping to get back into the classics. I've read some short stories by Tolstoy in the past and liked them. This however, was just sooo long. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed many long books. But in this one, there are so many characters and story lines, I found it hard to keep track of. I stopped when I wasn't even halfway. So maybe I'll just watch the movie ;)

Source: eighteen25.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Heaven is Here by Stephanie Nielson and Amy Ferguson Hackworth
I LOVED this book. (Just like everyone else that has read it). If you've ever read her blog, you'll know that it's a good thing she hada real writer helping her. (Her grammar and spelling drive me nuts!) Reading this made me so much more excited to be a mother. And I hope it has made me be more grateful for my abundant blessings. It has also inspired me to help my future children be more kind to those who look different. Go read this book!!

Source: indg.ca via Nicole on Pinterest

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda
This book is about an Indian woman who puts up her daughter for adoption at birth. It follows her story, eventually her daughter's story and the story of the American couple who adopt her. I love reading fiction about other cultures and this was no different. The issues in the book are real ones which makes it all the more tragic. I thought the writing was a little weak. It's almost like the writer got tired in the second half and just kind of gave up. The story line continues well, but the dialogue is a little dry. But really, I would recommend it to anyone. Beware, it will make you crave Indian food!

Source: goodreads.com via Hannah on Pinterest

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
One of the wittiest books I have read in a while. I really loved it! It's about a teenage cancer patient and her relationships. I feel that I should warn you that it is incredibly heartbreaking and you will cry. A lot. One evening when Nate was gone, I thought I would read this on our balcony. I forgot my key and thus locked myself out. I had the book, so I wasn't distressed and I knew Nate would be home soon-ish. Just as I came to a particularly distressing chapter, our neighbors began a picnic just below our apartment. So there I was, trapped on my balcony shoeless and bra-less, reading and crying my eyes out for the whole neighborhood to see. It's funny now. Emotions aside, this book gets a high recommendation from me. And I still have this one if you want to borrow it!

Have you read anything good lately? I'm always looking for something new!

Book Reviews: The Hobbit

The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien

I started The Hobbit literally because it is the only book in our house that I have not read. And Nate just loves it. And he doesn't like many books, so I knew it must be a big deal. I'm not much of a Lord of the Rings fan, besides drooling over Legolas in the movies. I remember trying to read The Fellowship of the Ring sometime in middle school, maybe high school, and hating it. So my expectations were low for The Hobbit.

Of course, I was in for a surprise. I absolutely loved it! I am a new Tolkien fan. Bilbo is such a likable character that you really can't help smiling as you turn the pages. It's a classic story of adventure with all the right villains (goblins and dragons of course).  And the unexpected heroes. (I won't ruin that one for you if you haven't read it). He includes some interesting characters that I wish had surfaced in LOTR (maybe they do in the books, I don't know).

In classic British style, Tolkien writes with wit and charm. I even laughed out loud at a few parts. The writing is not very technical and you don't have to have a degree in Middle-Earth geography to understand it. Another classic that I highly recommend.

Have you read The Hobbit? What did you think of it?

 image via

Book Reviews: To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee

I'm sitting next to Nate in a computer lab on campus as he works on a project and I wonder what I could say about "To Kill a Mockingbird" that has not already been said. Timeless. A classic. A must-read for all. An important part of American history. An important part of Southern history.

And I honestly cannot think of much else to say. Of course I loved it. Even after reading it several times before. One new thought (for me at least) was that, "if only more parents would parent like Atticus!" His love for his children was never a mystery to them. He seemed to teach them life lessons with ease. I would have liked to have known him. (If only we could jump into our favorite books).

If you haven't read it, read it now. And if you have, well, read it again.

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Book Reviews: This Is Not The Story You Think It Is

This Is Not The The Story You Think It Is...
Laura Munson


**Spoiler alert!**
Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I really enjoyed this book. I did study marriage and family in school after all! This was the first memoir I've read. Because I read the article she wrote, I knew the basic outline of the story, including the ending. I was just excited to learn more about her experience.

Basically, her husband of fifteen years comes to her to let her know that he wants to leave and that he doesn't love her anymore. Instead of fighting, begging, pleading or a multitude of other responses, she remained calm. She told him she did not believe him. She chose to believe that his problem was about himself and not their marriage. For a whole summer, she chose daily to be happy and to create beauty with their children, despite the increasing absence of her husband.

Her writing is clear and most of all, honest. I started this book thinking she was never angry at him. But she was. Many times. But she just chose to have better reactions than those based on her emotions. And what was so beautiful about this story is that she continued to love him. Unconditionally. She doesn't make him into the villan. And I really respect her for that.

At the end of the summer, he starts figuring his life out and coming out of his funk. The reader learns throughout the story that his issues had to do with his lack of pride. Not the evil kind. The kind that pushes you to do your best and be happy with your work. Confidence might be a better description. He had lost confidence in his abilities as a provider and that affected all of his relationships. As he realized what his real problem was and through giving true service to others, he found his way back.

She makes it very clear that this is not the "magic pill" for every struggling relationship. And it would have been very, very different if he had been unfaithful. But I think she is really onto something here. You will never go wrong with unconditional love and forgiveness being a part of your marriage.

"Each marriage starts with two built-in handicaps. It  involves two imperfect people. Happiness can come to them only through their earnest effort. Just as harmony comes from an orchestra only when its members make a concerted effort, so harmony in marriage also requires a concerted effort. That effort will succeed if each partner will minimize personal demands and maximize actions of loving selflessness." -Russell M. Nelson October 2008 General Conference

My favorite chapter is entitled, "Indian Summer" and begins on page 310 of my copy. She illustrates the "pickle jar philosophy" that is especially applicable in marriage:

A friend of her's "says a whole hosts of tensions can be solved in her marriage when she hands her husband the pickle jar. She's having a hard time opening the pickle jar. She passes the jar to her husband. He opens it. She says, smiling, 'Yeah, well, I loosened it for you.' But they both know it was a meeting of intention...All she had to do was state her need. Acknowledge his 'strength.' Ask for his help. Get out of his way. And receive what he had to give. How is she powerless? She's not."

Of all the classes and papers and books I have read about marriage, somehow I missed this. When you each are working towards a goal--whether it be large or small--each partner must acknowledge the other's strengths in order to have a happy ending.

**I recommend this to everyone! Married or not, this will help with all your relationships!

P.S. Watch out, she's got quite a sailor's mouth at times!

On my nightstand

Source: blog.hgtv.com via Lacey on Pinterest

I usually like to write little book reviews about what I've read lately. However, I have gotten behind. So here is a quick re-cap of what I've enjoyed reading lately:

Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer.
This came as a result of a recommendation from my husband. It is a personal recount of the Mt. Everest tragedy that happened in '96. The author did some major research after the disaster to gain the most truthful depiction, which I applaud him for. Despite it being a "manly" topic, I really enjoyed it. It is shocking and factual. He writes to non-climbers which makes the technical portions more understandable. I recommend it. Also by Jon Krakauer is Into the Wild, which I read last summer.

Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman.
This was actually a required text for one of my classes last year. Several of my professors have recommended it. John Gottman is one of the foremost researchers and experts in child and family life of our generation. He knows his stuff. Basically it teaches the importance of teaching your children empathy and how to express their emotions effectively. It's one you don't have to read cover to cover. Just learn the 5 steps of emotion coaching and then read the chapter on application. I definitely recommend this to any parent or future parent.

Covenant Hearts by Bruce C. Hafen.
My mom recommended this to me when Nate and I got engaged. Several professors (family life and religion) have also recommended it to their students. I like to flip through and start at a random chapter each time I pick it up. His experience and insight into marriage is compelling. A good inspirational read.

This Is Not the Story You Think It Is by Laura Munson.
I read this article several weeks ago (via Designmom) and was intrigued by this woman's response to when her husband said he was leaving. Then, Designmom recommended her book on the topic and I ordered it within days. I loved this one so much I want to do a whole post on it, so stay tuned! In the meantime, you should read it yourself! The article will pretty much tell you the ending of the story, so don't read the article if you don't want to know the ending before reading the book. :)

The Book of Mormon.
I am currently reading in Alma and loving it. Last night I read the famous chapter 32 on faith. In verse 27, Alma describes the beginning of faith. By simply having a desire to believe, the word of God can be placed within our hearts and will bring light to our minds. I love that!

On my to-read list: 
West With the Night. (Simply because we already have it and Nate recommended it. Which is a big deal, he rarely finishes a book).
The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay.
Possibly the Uglies series since it's been recommended to me so many times recently.

Any more I should add to my list? Now that I am done with school forever, I need good books to fill up my evenings when Nate is studying!