Cobble Street Cousins

In this review I lamented that it was a shame that Cynthia Rylant did not restrict her Mr. Putter and Tabby book series to three or six well-crafted stories.  I am so glad to be able to tell you that that is exactly what she did with this series. Perhaps because of her restraint, this…

Grandma’s Attic Series

Several years ago this book started popping up in my Amazon recommendations because I was buying Caddie Woodlawn, Understood Betsy, What Katy Did, and Betsy-Tacy for my little girl. The cover art, however, was so off-putting to me that I resisted any inclination to even consider the book. I thought, for sure, that this book was…

Love Never Ends

A year ago this month we had the privilege of reviewing The Corner Room’s beautiful album, “Psalm Songs.” In that review, I commented that I think The Corner Room musicians are like modern day Davids – musicians who play to please the Lord. “Psalm Songs” is rich, textured, and melodic. When listening to that album,…

Mr. Putter and Tabby

With 25 books in the series, Cynthia Rylant’s “Mr. Putter and Tabby” books range from sweet and endearing to naughty and questionable. I think that the series can best be understood by reading a sample of just two or three particular examples.  The inaugural book, Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea, is one of…

Shiloh

I am not a fan of surprises. I especially don’t care for surprises in my children’s reading. I take the sacred vocation of being my child’s first and foremost teacher very seriously and I am extremely careful about what kind of  intellectual and emotional foods I am giving them to eat. As a lover of…

Signature: The Story of Clara Barton

Published by Grosset and Dunlap, the Signature “Story of” books are a biography series very similar to the famous Landmark and North Star children’s biography series. Like those series, the publishers at Grosset and Dunlap commissioned excellent authors to write biographies that would be appropriate for children. After having read several books in each series,…

Betsy-Tacy Books

I am a Wisconsin girl. Even though most Wisconsin children grew up reading Wisconsin based Caddie Woodlawn, I grew up reading the Betsy Tacy books because my mom was raised on the Western side of the state which borders Minnesota. Maud Hart Lovelace is one of the great authors to come out of Minnesota in…

A Muse Meant

muse: “to consider reflectively; a state of deep reflection or meditation.” (Webster’s II, 1984) I require time to muse.  One thing I’ve been musing about lately is how often we a muse ourselves.  The etymology of the word amuse gives me pause.  From the Old French, amuser, to stupefy; from Latin, a, meaning “to” +…

The Mad Scientists’ Club

Bertrand R. Brinley lived a fascinating life. I suggest that readers read this article (written by his son) before proceeding. I think that it will help give some insight into the things that I must say. In short, Brinley’s early life was not dissimilar to that of Louisa May Alcott’s. After a peripatetic childhood (I…

The Mitchells: Five For Victory

Drawn from real-life World War II experiences, Hilda van Stockum created an endearing story about children and family life during the second world war in Five For Victory. Hilda van Stockum was born in Holland to Dutch-Irish parents where she was homeschooled through the age of eight. As a teen, she moved to Ireland to…

Kavik the Wolf Dog

Kavik the Wolf Dog, by Walt Morey I see by the listing of several of our addresses on the flyleaf in my immature handwriting, that I loved this book between the ages of about 10 and 14.  As I reread it this week, I was struck by how familiar the beginning scenes were.  I wish I…

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer

John Grisham is one of my favorite living authors. He’s one of the few for whom I’ll take a two or three day break from other reading when I hear he’s come out with a new book. He doesn’t exactly qualify, to me, as brain candy, but he’s definitely a brain vacation. Years ago I…