For the Littles:
If You Go Down to the Woods Today by Rachel Piercey
This book has so much to offer—good nature poems, beautiful illustrations, AND a search-and-find aspect for the kids. My youngest loved it (2 years old) and my oldest loved it too (11 years old). We kept this one until the 3rd Final Overdue Notice (then we gave it back).
A Perfect Day by Lane Smith
I didn’t expect much from this book, picking it up for Barnes and Diana, since the word to picture ratio was about right for the 5-years-old and under crowd, but I thought it was charming and funny. The perfect day for a kitty, a dog, a squirrel, and a bird…until it becomes the bear’s perfect day.
For the Family:
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
I’ve always heard “don’t be a Pollyanna!” in a negative sense—like don’t be so annoyingly optimistic (however my husband has always heard it the other way! Like “Try to be a Pollyanna”), so I had little desire to read this book for the longest time. I am glad I did though! Pollyanna is an unwanted orphan pastor’s daughter, sent to live with her mean spinster aunt. What is special about Pollyanna is her gratitude in the face of hard circumstances, and she shares it with everyone she meets. Pollyanna the book is similar in style, circumstance, and character to Anne of Green Gables, so may be worth a read if you are an Anne Fan. Where I think Anne has her beat though is that Pollyanna can be a bit perfect — she needed a break-a-slate-over-a-boy’s-head moment to truly endear her to the reader the way Anne is beloved. However, having read the book now, I think being called a “Pollyanna” is much more a compliment than an insult—I hope that I too can look for light in the darkest of times.
For Myself:
The Language of the Birds by Amy Nemecek
This is my lovely friend Amy’s first poetry collection. This book is beautiful inside and out, and I was lucky enough to hear her read from the collection on a virtual poetry reading one snowy day (with my kids—what better way to teach poetry than take a child to a poetry reading). As a Christian poet, she finds God’s hand in the everyday moments of motherhood and work, drawing her metaphors from nature and from the bible. You can read a sample poem, “Grandmother’s Breakfast,” at This Link.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
A good rich-people-being-bad book. I thought I guessed the killer a couple chapters in, and I was wrong until the very last chapter. Oh Agatha, you keep me on my toes!
Shaky Ground by Traci Rhoades
I have a full review of Shaky Ground by Traci Rhoades up in the Englewood Review, but I am going to give y’all the informal, quick version. This is a nonfiction book that encourages the reader to explore different liturgical and spiritual practices within the various denominations and branches of Christianity for personal use. For example, praying through written prayers (like the Valley of Vision prayers) when one is used to only praying spontaneously. There are some theological fine points I did not agree wiht the author on, but I appreciated her love for the Church and her open-minded approach to church tradition, especially in our culture which tends to discard all tradition for the shiney and new. I especially liked how she urges readers to go to the bible, prayer, and church liturgy when facing challenges in life, and how these can be grounding, comforting strategies when faith is hard.
All Manner of Things by Susie Finkbeiner
A Christian novel that WASN’T cheesy! Basically a miracle. I liked the Vietnam-war era setting, the romance was realistic and sweet, the family dynamics believable. The truth that God allows hardship in everyones life is a truth I am familiar with. My one criticism is that the title is totally forgettable (literally—I forgot what the title of this book was maybe a dozen times). I get that she’s quoting Julian of Norwich, but “All Manner of Things” just doesn’t stick in the mind since it sounds sort of vague. But go read this one, you will like it (if you can remember the title)!
Writing Update:
!!! My third poetry book, Church Ladies, will release June 2nd from Fernwood Press !!!
AND: Fernwood is looking for reviewers for Church Ladies—if you are interested, you can get a free copy
(also I have a couple new poems up in Jarfly and a couple new poems up in storySouth)
June Edition
I'm glad you liked All Manner of Things! But haha yes the title. :) I love the look of that first woods book, thanks. Congrats on your book release tomorrow!!
Also, have you read Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz? It's SO fun after you've been reading Agatha Christies! And then I read all of his mysteries, I absolutely love him.