“Once there were two married mice called Mr. and Mrs. Nutmouse, and they lived in great style.” That is a great opening line for a children’s book! Children immediately know who and what the main characters are - married mice, that they live in such a way that we might be interested in knowing more … Continue reading Tumtum and Nutmeg
Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls
Darn it. Double darn. Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls by Raymond Arroyo has me so frustrated! So much creativity. Such an interesting concept. Such a great infusion of Catholic traditions into the spiritually diverse genre of fantasy. Such a great opportunity to do what N.D. Wilson does so brilliantly: reveal how all good … Continue reading Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls
Bambi
Oh, Bambi! I had no idea. My husband inherited his dad’s copy of Felix Salten’s Bambi, so it was in our family library until we passed it on to our son. Though my husband assured me that it was nothing like the cartoon, for over 30 years I resisted reading it. I assumed that … Continue reading Bambi
The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling
“In this way Penelope’s happy and sad feelings got all mixed up together, until they were not unlike one of those delicious cookies they have nowadays, the ones with a flat circle of sugary cream sandwiched between two chocolate-flavored wafers. In her heart she felt a soft, hidden core of sweet melancholy nestled inside crisp … Continue reading The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling
Anne of Avonlea
Anne of Green Gables is pretty nearly a perfect book. Even if you don't love the story or the character, it is hard deny that Anne Shirley, in her debut novel, has been an international sensation for more than 100 years. According to Wikipedia, Anne of Green Gables has been translated into 36 languages and … Continue reading Anne of Avonlea
The Chronicles of Prydain #1: The Book of Three
More than 10 years ago, family friends were raving about Lloyd Alexander and The Chronicles of Prydain. At that time, I had a newborn baby and didn't have enough headspace to investigate their recommendation, but for some reason, I never forgot how much they loved the books. A few years ago I was studying the … Continue reading The Chronicles of Prydain #1: The Book of Three
Emily’s Quest
It seems that even in the 1920s there must have been some demand for trilogies. As much as I love Emily herself, I think Montgomery might have done better to have resolved all the love affairs in a longer second book. In this book we see Emily grow into an admirable, caring woman intent on … Continue reading Emily’s Quest
Emily Climbs
In this sequel to Emily of New Moon, Emily is 14 years old and has successfully graduated from the local country school. In order for Emily to go on to high school, she has to board in town with nasty, suspicious Aunt Ruth. Aunt Ruth is a trial to Emily because if she doesn't understand … Continue reading Emily Climbs
All of a Kind Family
I didn’t read Sydney Taylor’s All-of-a-Kind Family until I was homeschooling my children. My first thought was, “Why didn’t I know about this sweet story when I was a child?” The first book in the series was published in 1951. June Cummins, who wrote the foreward for a 2014 edition of More All-of-a-Kind Family, says … Continue reading All of a Kind Family
Emily of New Moon
Besides loving L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables because it’s a great story with a timelessly loveable heroine, it is special to me because it is one of the few books my mom introduced me to that she had loved when she was young. Montgomery’s Emily of New Moon is special to me because … Continue reading Emily of New Moon