October Edition
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." — Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
For the Littles:
The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams
This is one of my kids favorite fall books—there’s great repetition, spookiness but not too much spookiness, and, obviously, bravery. We own this one, and I have literally read it a billion times.
Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White
I picked this one up thrifting last year, and it is our other favorite October book! This old lady hates pumpkins and yet more and more pumpkins come. There are concepts of generosity, making the best of what you have, and hard work.
Family Readaloud:
KiKi’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kendono
This is a reread for us—we wanted to reread it before watching the Studio Ghibli film again (which differs slightly from the book, but captures the essence). This is a coming of age story about a young witch who must (in this world) leave her parents at age 12 to go make her own living in a new town. She starts a delivery service! I thought it was clever of the author to limit the main character’s powers—she can fly, but can’t do every kind of magic—and to get her away from her parents so she can have an adventure, without orphaning her (as many middle grade books do). Our favorite chapter is about the belly bands—an old lady is obsessed with knitting bands that go around the belly—not just for people, for every object she comes in contact with. I missed this chapter in the movie adaptation!
Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
I saw a miniseries of this forever ago, and recognized the author name so picked it up at the library book sale. This is like Hobbit-level fantasy reading, y’all. The kids are loving it, but it is heavier than some of our previous books, and definitely scarier. I skip the scary parts so the kids don’t get nightmares. It isn’t a tremendous amount to skip—maybe a few paragraphs for every one of the (very long) chapters. Still, I would recommend this for 10 and up, and particularly for boys. Actually, I like it for myself and may keep reading the series on my own when we’re done with this first book.
For Myself:
The Tale of Hilltop Farm by Susan Wittig Albert
My Grandma (an avid Agatha Christie fan) gave me this one to read when we last visited. I was reluctant. Talking animals and Beatrix Potter as the main character? Barf! But I read it and actually enjoyed it. It’s much less murder-y than my favorite lady of crime tends to write, so I think it’s perfect if you want a bit of Jane Austen-ish mystery but not so much blood.
Funerals are Fatal by Agatha Christie
This was a really good one! Hercule Peroit, a rich family knocking people off right and left, and kept me guessing to the end. In contrast, I started Endless Night and put it down a few chapters in because I hated it (sort of had this modernish, Walker Percy feel to the main narrator). But Christie wrote 80 books, so she had the right to experiment!
The Time-Saving Mom by Crystal Paine
If you are wanting to read a great book on how to get yourself organized and get more done, this one is it. I already do most of what she had in here, but it was a good reminder (I particularly loved her chapter on praying over your day in the morning, and I’ve started doing that too!). She is really partial to Google Calendar and I am not, so I disregarded that part of the book (I like pen and paper, forever!). She also likes to Time Block her day, and I prefer to have a rhythm not necessarily tied to exact timesI liked that this book was intensely practical—it is a game plan, complete with worksheets! I wrote on my blog about my own morning and evening routines and how this book inspired a few tweaks.
Writing Updates:
I have had a very productive month of writing—many poems, a few nonfiction essays, and sending my book out to two reading periods of presses I’d love to work with.
Which book are you sending out right now? Also, I love all things Beatrix Potter and talking animals. 😅 I still need to read that one. I thrifted a copy a couple of years ago but I am not too sure where it is. Right now I’m reading “Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want to Come” -- I think the subtitle is “An Introvert’s Year of Saying Yes.” It’s very funny so far; I think you’d like it.
I don't think time blocking would work for me, but I do love my Google Calendar. But I also have a paper calendar and a work calendar. So maybe my first task is to only have one calendar??