Coal Camp Girl

Stories that describe the work and lives of people in the past are interesting to me. In this instance, I am writing about Coal Camp Girl by Lois Lenski. She began working on this story in 1943 . . . almost 80 years ago! After many years of contemplation and setbacks, this book was finally…

A Blizzard Year

I don’t recall how I acquired A Blizzard Year. It’s a very interesting little book that could have belonged to one of my children once upon a time, or I may have picked it up at the library book sale. No matter, I have had it a while, and picked it up on a whim…

Keeper of the Bees

The Keeper of the Bees has to be one of my all-time favorite books.  When we talk about the love of things Good, True, and Beautiful, this book comes to mind.  It is the last book written by Gene Stratton Porter before her death in 1924. Our hero, James Lewis MacFarlane, a stalwart Scotsman, has…

Harold and the Purple Crayon

“Wow,” you’re thinking, “she’s really going deep with this one!”  Well, laugh all you want, but Harold is one of my favorite characters, and it pains me that there are so many folks out there who have never even heard of him.  I will fix that right now! Harold has been around since before I…