My daughter and I read these out loud over the summer for her Liberty Girls club. They are cute little historical fiction books about a girl named Addy. She is black and was a slave. Her family escapes and tries to make a new life being free in the North. Her brother fights in the Civil War. They were interesting and informative to read because they incorporated so much of the culture and the attitudes toward blacks during that time period. They each had a special message about standing up for what you believe and not giving up when it is hard. They were always talking about the power of HOPE even if it seems like everything is going wrong.
Whole Books
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A Dog's Life by Anne M. Martin
This is an autobiography of a stray dog. I'm glad I am not a dog. This was a very very boring book. We kept listening to it because we thought it might get better. It didn't...the poor dog went through all kinds of adventures but nothing special or remarkable. Luckily it had a happy ending with the stray dog finally finding a human to spend the old dog days with to the end.
Whole book
Whole book
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
This was a good book. It even made me cry! It takes place in thelate 1930's during the Great Depression in America. I love the descriptions from a little boys point of view, especially the vampire scares.-- And the library! I laughed at the funny impressions he got of librarians. "I have a treat for you!" He knew that librarians and little kids think treats are very different but he pretended to be excited when she showed him the huge civil war history book.
This was a great read-out-loud book. The kids enjoyed it too.
Whole Book, Healing Book
This was a great read-out-loud book. The kids enjoyed it too.
Whole Book, Healing Book
Friday, December 05, 2008
35 books, falling short this year!
sheez...we moved to Utah and I stopped reading! Yikes! My goal this year was to read 50 books and I am only at 35...I need 15 more and that is almost a book a day! I don't even have a library card because I don't pay utility bills! They won't give me one if i don't have a utility bill at the address we are staying! I did borrow one from my sister for half the summer but I usually just got books for the kids...
Okay lets see if I can still reach the goal...I did finish 3 books this week and started 2 others...uhh that isn't a book a day! Maybe I will spend all day tomorrow at a bookstore and find only short children's books...no that is defeating the point of the goal. I could stop blogging so much and watch less tv and then I would have more time to read!
Uh, maybe I forgot a few books and haven't recorded them on the list...I better check with the kids and see if I missed any...panic!
Okay lets see if I can still reach the goal...I did finish 3 books this week and started 2 others...uhh that isn't a book a day! Maybe I will spend all day tomorrow at a bookstore and find only short children's books...no that is defeating the point of the goal. I could stop blogging so much and watch less tv and then I would have more time to read!
Uh, maybe I forgot a few books and haven't recorded them on the list...I better check with the kids and see if I missed any...panic!
The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom
I heard this was a movie but I haven't seen it yet. I think my mother in law recommended the movie a while back. I just happened to see the book at the library and took it home. Yep, it was a good book. Surprising and a little creepy, death sometimes is because there is so much unknown.
Pretty much the guy dies, he meets 5 different people that have been waiting for him to tell him something about their lives, ask for forgiveness or get forgiveness or teach him something important and then they can go on to the next part of heaven themselves.
What makes the book so very very interesting is this ordinary man's life. He thinks he didn't make a different or accomplish anything but because all of our lives are connected without even knowing it he made a huge difference to millions of people. He fought in the Vietnam war, or the war before that. He was a hero but never thought about it that way when he got back because of all the garbage and yucky things he had to go through as a soldier. He loved his wife, deeply. He hated his job but this was where he made the biggest difference in the world. Little things are big things. Some parts of the book were really sad, some were yucky because war just is, but some of the book was very inspiring.
I recommend it for a good fast read that will make you reflect on life and maybe see things from a new angle.
Healing Book
Pretty much the guy dies, he meets 5 different people that have been waiting for him to tell him something about their lives, ask for forgiveness or get forgiveness or teach him something important and then they can go on to the next part of heaven themselves.
What makes the book so very very interesting is this ordinary man's life. He thinks he didn't make a different or accomplish anything but because all of our lives are connected without even knowing it he made a huge difference to millions of people. He fought in the Vietnam war, or the war before that. He was a hero but never thought about it that way when he got back because of all the garbage and yucky things he had to go through as a soldier. He loved his wife, deeply. He hated his job but this was where he made the biggest difference in the world. Little things are big things. Some parts of the book were really sad, some were yucky because war just is, but some of the book was very inspiring.
I recommend it for a good fast read that will make you reflect on life and maybe see things from a new angle.
Healing Book
An Assembly Such As This (Book 1) byPamela Aidan
Fitzwilliam Darcy - Gentleman
I have wanted to read another Jane Austen but she is dead and can't write anymore. Luckily lots of writers like to pretend they know the rest of the story so this is a Pride and Prejudice rewrite but from Darcy's perspective. There are a lot of books like this out there but luckily my sister Danna found this series and recommended it.
It is really really worth reading if you are a Pride and Prejudice fan, which I am. I don't think it would make too much sense if you haven't read Jane Austen's book first. Darcy is the guy that is just weird and mostly banished from her book. But Austen's book is all from Elizabeth's perspective and her world. We don't ever hear what Darcy is doing the whole time the rest of the story takes place. In this book we can peek into his world and hear what he thinks about things. (Isn't that what every woman wants, to hear what the guy thinks?)
He has a dog, a horse and loves to spend time outside with them. He wakes up very early, he loves to read. He is a very shrewd but fair businessman. I never knew this from Austen's book. AND he is madly in love with Elizabeth by the second time he sees her but no one knows this. He won't even admit it to himself for a while and every time he comes around her it always goes wrong so she thinks he is a mean, snobbish guy and steers away from him for two thirds of Austen's book. Secretly the whole time he is struggling with himself because he wants to pursue her yet he can't stand her family and their rank in society, plus he would be a hypocrite because he just talked his friend out of marrying her sister for almost the same reasons. What a mess, what an interesting mess.
This novel is in three parts compared to Austen's one book novel. Bummer, I only checked out the first one because I didn't know it would be such a fast read. Now I am left hanging and really want to know what Darcy will do next. EVEN though I know what happens in the end already I don't know what happens from Darcy's angle.
Whole Book
I have wanted to read another Jane Austen but she is dead and can't write anymore. Luckily lots of writers like to pretend they know the rest of the story so this is a Pride and Prejudice rewrite but from Darcy's perspective. There are a lot of books like this out there but luckily my sister Danna found this series and recommended it.
It is really really worth reading if you are a Pride and Prejudice fan, which I am. I don't think it would make too much sense if you haven't read Jane Austen's book first. Darcy is the guy that is just weird and mostly banished from her book. But Austen's book is all from Elizabeth's perspective and her world. We don't ever hear what Darcy is doing the whole time the rest of the story takes place. In this book we can peek into his world and hear what he thinks about things. (Isn't that what every woman wants, to hear what the guy thinks?)
He has a dog, a horse and loves to spend time outside with them. He wakes up very early, he loves to read. He is a very shrewd but fair businessman. I never knew this from Austen's book. AND he is madly in love with Elizabeth by the second time he sees her but no one knows this. He won't even admit it to himself for a while and every time he comes around her it always goes wrong so she thinks he is a mean, snobbish guy and steers away from him for two thirds of Austen's book. Secretly the whole time he is struggling with himself because he wants to pursue her yet he can't stand her family and their rank in society, plus he would be a hypocrite because he just talked his friend out of marrying her sister for almost the same reasons. What a mess, what an interesting mess.
This novel is in three parts compared to Austen's one book novel. Bummer, I only checked out the first one because I didn't know it would be such a fast read. Now I am left hanging and really want to know what Darcy will do next. EVEN though I know what happens in the end already I don't know what happens from Darcy's angle.
Whole Book
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Elder Wirthlin passes away...
He was a favorite apostle of the LDS church. Died on the first day of Dec. peacefully in his sleep. I will miss him. I really liked his last conference address. If you haven't read it you should. It is about being happy and finding humor in challenges. Even if you bump your head or something, instead of grumbling or swearing you should laugh. "Come What May and LOVE it!" great advice!
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