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Books for Kids

2014 Reading Resolutions (and Reviewing 2013 Resolutions)

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Yesterday’s Reading Catholic Book Survey shared my favorite and best reads of 2013.  Today looks back at 2013 reading/writing resolutions, and making some new ones for 2014.

Incidentally, this was a great exercise to do, and I encourage you, whether you have a blog or not, to consider writing about successes from the past year.  I’ve been feeling rather discouraged lately about my self-perceived lack of productivity, but when I look back over the course of the year, I can see that I really do read a ton and write about it quite a bit, and I need to give myself some credit.

At the end of 2012, I had three resolutions for 2013: get more organized with review books (chiefly through getting up to speed and using well GoodReads;  get more opinions (inviting guest posting here, mostly); and share more in real life.  Two I did pretty well, and one I am adding to next year’s list.

I am mildly obsessed with tracking and rating books on GoodReads.  I love the site–I haven’t really connected with others like I had hoped, but it’s been a super way to keep track, especially for someone like me who loves lists.

Sadly, I did not find GoodReads a good way to input the Catholic review books that I receive.  I get so many, and I so I created a shelf called “catholic books received” so I could keep track when they come in.  But that just clutters up my “to-read” list, because I don’t read all the review books, and so I think I will abandon that shelf for the new year, and consider a new way to keep track of what comes in.

GoodReads also offers a way for me to keep track of all the books my homeschooled kids read during the year, and force gently encourage them to review books more often.

I love lists and tracking things like how many books I read this year (93 books & 204 kid lit as of December 30–including picture–books. Yes, I really read them all).  I definitely don’t need a resolution to read more in 2014, but it makes me happy to see all that I did read, and think of ways I can write and talk about all those good books more.

I wish I had been more intentional and organized about inviting local writers to guest post and write about books here at Reading Catholic, but this was a fail in 2013, so this is added to 2014 and setting a goal of having one guest post per month.

As it was, I would randomly hand books to people and say, “you should write about this!” or “I’d love to hear your thoughts!” But follow-up did not happen.  I even had a local friend and extremely good writer (hi, Liesa!) send me a review, and because it came in the Christmas book season, I haven’t even gotten to her yet about posting it.

Share more in real life–I did this, and I’m proud of me for starting a super-small (as in we three “more mature” women) book group to read books we love. We meet about once every six weeks and I feel so grateful for the time together.  But I was sad in December to have to leave a Catholic women’s book group that I’ve been part of for three years.  It  meets on a weekday morning.  It just doesn’t work at all with our homeschooling schedule.  Letting go was hard, but these women will be in my heart always.

For 2014?  I’ve got four.

1. get more opinions. Putting this one on the top.  Once a month–minimum–of guest posting here.  If you’re interested and local-ish (read here to see how much that fits), let me know.  And those of you who I have mentioned it to or given books to, I will be coming to get you soon.  This means you, Bonnie and Marcia.

2.  organize Reading Catholic reviews.  I’ve been pretty uneven about updating and organizing since I switched over to a WordPress blog in February, and I need to set aside several hours each month (or longer, if I could carve out the time) to work on that.  Ideas are welcome, always.

3.  try to do monthly posts on “backlist” ideas here. Last year I started Picture Book Monday after writing this post, but I wasn’t consistent about those.  I’m shooting for a monthly post on either picture book suggestions or girls book group ideas from our years of book groups and reading here.

4.  Jane Austen book group revival.  Some posting on Facebook in recent weeks about our now defunct and much-beloved Jane Austen book group from several years ago makes me resolved to start that up again. Right now I’m part of a Facebook group on Motherhood & Jane Austen, but there is nothing like real life for discussing and geeking out about Jane Austen with women of all ages, mothers  or not.  If you are local and interested in this, will you comment here or let me know? This would definitely be an evening time.

What about you? What are your favorite reads from 2013, and are you making any reading resolutions for 2014?

2013 Reading Catholic Book Survey

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At the end of last year,  I shared a self-survey of my favorite review books from 2012, and a look ahead to how I hoped to accomplish more in the new year, reading-wise.

I’ve noticed various people have posts and link-ups for topics along these lines, and I hope to link up with those after the fact, but first I’m going to share.  In a separate post (because this was getting way too long),  I also plan to review my 2013 resolutions and see how I did, and share some 2014 resolutions for Reading Catholic.

So, without further ado, here is my 2013 Book Survey. I’d love to hear your favorite books of 2013, and what you hope to accomplish, reading-wise, in 2014. Happy reading!

What was the most important/best book that you read this year?

Easily, that would be Forming Intentional Disciples: The Path to Knowing and Following Jesus by Sherry Weddell.  I need to re-read this book every year, and share it with more people than I’ve already shared it with.

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What books were most spiritually fruitful for you this year?

Again I want to say Forming Intentional Disciples, but as I look over my 2013 reviewed books here I see that  A Season of Mystery: 10 Spiritual Practices for Embracing a Happier Second Half of Life by Patricia Huston affected me powerfully.  While I reviewed it in May, I read it during Lent and found it so nourishing.

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I also found The Miracle of Father Kapaun  to be a powerful, powerful read, and I have been asking his intercession for a  private intention; I invite you to join me.  I also remember as I write this that I resolved to give this book to a neighbor who is also a Korean War veteran, and I have not done that yet.  Oy vey.

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What were your most enjoyable books to review and/or read this year?

I’m going to limit myself with books I reviewed for The Catholic Post for this question, because it would be too hard otherwise.

I laughed a lot reading Dad Is Fat by Jim Gaffigan, but I found The Ear of the Heart (and contrasting it to Lean In) to be a great read, and fun to write about, especially contrasting it to Lean In.

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I also not only enjoyed reading and reviewing  Robin Davis’ Recipe for Joy, I truly loved getting to meet Robin in person in November.  One of my sisters and I talked her ear off on a long cold walk when our family went to Ohio in November, and we had a great coffee to warm up afterwards.   Here’s a photo of that visit.

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What was the favorite book you read (or re-read) this year?

I’m including all books I read this year.

I read Emma with a book group this year and loved it (again).  Now I’m re-reading Persuasion and loving that.   I’ve decided in the last few years that I pretty much have to pick up a new Jane Austen when I finish re-reading one.   Always have a Jane Austen going, that’s one of my life mottos.

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Reading The Royal Ranger, the last (sniff!) of the Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan, at roughly the same time as my three  children was bittersweet and wonderful.  Why can’t you write more, Mr. Flanagan, oh why?

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How did you do with your resolutions for 2013, and what are your resolutions for 2014? 

That’s coming tomorrow in a separate post.

What were your favorite books of 2013?

(Update: I linked up this post to Modern Mrs. Darcy’s  “Your Favorite Books of 2013” link-up.)

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Twitterature, November 2013

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Linking up with Anne Bogel at Modern Mrs. Darcy for her monthly round-up of quick reviews.  I enjoy doing this and sharing great current reads, and seeing what others are reading.

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For grown-ups:

I’ve recently read two novels suggested by one of my four sisters, and seconded by most of the other sisters.  That’s one of the many nice thing about having a lot of sisters–crowdsourcing good reads.

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Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple.

Hilarious and heartbreaking read about Seattle, parenthood, fulfillment, Antarctica.  Just a good satisfying read.

tlof-homeThe Language of Flowers by Valerie Diffenbaugh

I loved, loved this one, and strongly suggested that my dear “wondering” friend who is a master gardener as well as a doula, also read it.  When I put this book title up on Facebook, thanking my sister for suggesting it, and recommending it, there was an interesting discussion about therapy and recovery.  Made me rethink my thoughts on the book, but I still loved reading it and highly recommend it.

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My November column (read the whole thing here) for The Catholic Post has gift book suggestions for children and families, and top of my list is the luminous Women of the Bible by Margaret McAllister.  A mom friend stopped by the other day and I let her borrow it.  But I can’t wait to get it back, so much do I love this book, both for simple meditation on the mysteries of Scripture, as well as for reading to and pondering with kids.

Also by Margaret McAllister is the new-to-us series The Mistmantle Chronicles.

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McAllister writes, “I think, if you like Narnia, you’ll like Mistmantle.”

That sums it up nicely.  But if you want to read a more in-depth review, you can read my post on Mistmantle here.  Please write more books, Margaret McAllister.

I put on library hold Anne’s suggestion of Speak Love and I’m interested to see if I will like it as much as she did.

What are you reading these days?

A Great Read for Kids: The Mistmantle Chronicles

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From the author’s website: “I think, if you like Narnia, you’ll like Mistmantle.”

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That pretty much sums it up this fantastic series our family has discovered in the last few weeks.

As I wrote on my GoodReads review, before I read Mistmantle #1,  Urchin of the Riding Stars, (but heard my kids raving about it), I said “it looks like a worthy and noble successor to Redwall.” But now that I’ve read the first book, I can now say the series is far superior to Redwall.

Even though animals, such as squirrels, otters and hedgehogs, are the characters (like in Redwall), the spiritual content of The Mistmantle Chronicles, by Margaret McAllister,  is more like C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. There’s a ton of action, mystery and virtue. These books are well worth reading if you have anyone in your house who has enjoyed Narnia or Redwall books.

That’s pretty much the important part—you can go order the first five Mistmantle books from the library or Amazon now, or you can continue reading about how I discovered this series.

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With the gajillion of children’s books published every year, you might find it strange (and I do, too) that I get genuinely surprised when I discover a great author or series previously unknown to me.  How did I not know that this person existed and was writing fantastic books?

Part of the reason is that while many books are published, it’s rare for one to stand out. Even among the many good books I review, there are only a few that I give as gifts to my own friends and family. (Some recent ones include Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell and anything by Colleen Swaim).

women-of-the-bible-2Women of the Bible was one of those books. Paraclete Press, a publisher I know and love for well-designed books, sent a review copy, and I was immediately enchanted. It was “highly recommended” in my November column for The Catholic Post).  I was so struck by the writing—it really wasn’t just run-of-the-mill, but lyrical.

I skimmed through most of it, and then I read to my older children one of the stories. I couldn’t get through it without tearing up. That has only happened to me a handful of times, and so I can recall them easily. The first time this happened to me was many years ago, when I first read to my then-preschooler the time in By the Shores of Silver Lake when Jack the bulldog dies. If you have ever loved a dog and tried to read that part aloud, you know what I mean.

Anyway, we all wondered if McAllister has written anything else. Turns out, Mistmantle!

I ordered the first in the series from the library, and we all LOVED it, to the point of putting it in the next person’s hands when you are finished, to the point where I ordered two copies of Book #2 from the library so that there wouldn’t be fistfights over it, and so on.

(Yes, sadly, we occasionally come to blows at our house over books, we are that serious about it—I might exaggerate a little, but this has nearly happened before with at least two of the Penderwicks books, and one of The Ranger’s Apprentice books.)

There are currently five in the Mistmantle Chronicles and I just hope and pray McAllister is planning to write more. Margaret McAllister, may you continue to be as wise as C.S. Lewis and may you be as prolific as Brian Jacques.

Gift Book Ideas for Children & Families

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Following is my November column that appears in this weekend’s print edition of The Catholic Post.  I invite your feedback here as well as any book suggestions you have.  A few more great books have arrived since I wrote this column, so that I may need to do an update.  December’s column will feature books for adults.

Recommending books for gifts at Christmas—or any season—can be tricky. And yet books can be a great source of enjoyment and encouragement, and, at the right time and the right place, evangelization.

In the must-read Forming Intentional Disciples (my review of that book is here), Sherry Weddell writes of the thresholds that people cross on the journey towards Christ. Before any other step, a person must have a “bridge of trust” in either someone in, or some part of, the Catholic faith, before curiosity, openness, or truly seeking a relationship with Jesus can take place.

Well-designed and well-written books can foster or strengthen that “bridge of trust” that can lead to curiosity and beyond, planting seeds for future spiritual growth.

With that in mind, I’ve tried to select books that would appeal to a wide range of readers, especially those at a beginning level of trust or curiosity.

This month, the books column features books for children, and also more general “coffee table” type of books suitable for all ages. Next month’s column will feature books for adults.

women-of-the-bible-2*I was drawn to Women of the Bible by Margaret McAllister because of Alida Massari’s expressive and lovely watercolor illustrations. But after reading several of these enchanting stories, in which McAllister beautifully imagines vignettes based on women described in the Bible, I can confidently say the writing is even better. This is a delightful read-aloud for children of all ages. Highly, highly recommended.

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*Bambinelli Sunday: A Christmas Blessing by Amy Welborn, illustrated by Ann Kissane Engelhart. This is the latest of three picture books by Welborn and Engelhart, and their best collaboration so far. (Here’s hoping the two do many more in future years.)

It’s a story of a boy learning from his grandfather that “Love brings all the pieces together,” even when those pieces are broken. The book is also a charming introduction to the real-life newer tradition of Bambinelli Sunday, when Italian children gather on Gaudate Sunday (the third Sunday of Advent) to have the baby Jesus figures from the family creche set blessed by the Holy Father.

822438The “Saints & Me!” series of books from Liguori Press, with clever illustrations and approachable text for younger readers, is authored by Barbare Yoffie, and illustrated by Katherine A. Borgatti.. Added this year were four new saints–Damien of Molokai, Rose Philippine Duchesne, Andre Bessette, and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, as well as a Saints of North America Activity Book (pictured above), with coloring pages, word puzzles and other goodies to keep little hands busy.

91d609_b164ad51c1fba59ea03b4ea3b716549f.jpg_srz_471_726_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srzFor more mature young readers, Nancy Carabio Belanger’s newest novel, The Gate, is beautifully written story of a teen boy’s struggle through the death of his father and accidental friendship with a nursing home resident. I’ve loved and highly recommend Belanger’s other award-winning novels—Olivia and the Little Way for middle-grade readers, and Olivia’s Gift for slightly older readers (review here and author interview (with a twist) here).

Because the narrative is told by an adult looking back, there’s a certain melancholy and maturity that would be most appealing for readers further along in their faith journey; I would say a slightly older audience than Olivia’s Gift. But’s its a great read for older children and adults.

Here are some “coffee table” style books suitable for all ages:

HOLY-LAND-BOOK-full*If you’ve ever had a desire to do a Holy Land pilgrimage (raising my hand here), Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s The Holy Land: An Armchair Pilgrimage offers a lush virtual tour in a handsome, well-designed book with tons of photos and many old illustrations and maps of Holy Land sites.

The book is substantial but not oversized, so it’s perfect for couch perusal, meditation, prayer and perhaps a little dreaming about your own Holy Land excursion.

item3834_250_x_250*Three new gorgeous books offer introduction to paintings well-known and obscure, all with religious themes: Sister Wendy on the Art of Mary; Sister Wendy on the Art of Christmas (pictured above), and Sister Wendy on the Art of Saints.

Sister Wendy Beckett, who became justifiably well-known in the 1990s for her BBC art history documentaries, is the author of these slim but powerful volumes. Each section offers a reproduction of artwork, plus Sister Wendy’s prayerful and educated—but never stuffy—commentary about the work and its religious meaning.

“When you look at the pictures in this book, really look, opening your heart to take in what is there before you, you are not only responding to a particular work of art, you are practicing the habit of openness to the beauty of God as he illuminates every moment of your every day…. it changes us.”

Looking at even one picture a day, and reading the short but rich narration, is a beautiful way to introduce yourself or anyone in your family to the delight of reflecting on beauty. Gorgeous artwork made richer by Sister Wendy’s commentary makes these books well worth having and cherishing.

Twitterature (September 2013)

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Linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy for her round-up of short, Twitter-style reviews of recent reads.

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Grown-up reads:

 

Unknown-1The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age by Catherine Steiner-Adair.

A sober must-read about digital age’s effect on families. Excellent advice based on research for parents can create a family culture that promotes intentional togetherness rather than just “giving in” to our digital age and all its distractions.  She’s very explicit about the wide availability of porn to kids and terrible consequences of that. “The Sustainable Family” chapter is worth price of book.  #highlyrecommended

Among-the-Janeites-Deborah-Yaffe-Cover-199x300Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom by Deborah Yaffe.

You must allow me to tell you how ardently I love and admire this literary “memoir” of sorts.  Deborah Yaffe is a kindred spirit to me, similar in age, temperament, and obsession about Jane Austen before Jane was cool. She’s convinced me to do what my husband has long encouraged: join JASNA and attend a convention. #JaneAustenForever

Books my children and I have been reading, either together or apart:

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Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

We got this from the library after beach vacation, where young cousins were reading and loving. I’m generally not a fan of sci fi anyway, but I found this truly horrible & hard to get through.   Graphically and psychologically violent. #degustibusIguess 

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The One and Only Ivan By Katherine Applegate.

Author and homeschool mom Melissa Wiley recommended this book, or I would have passed it by, suspecting an agenda. Once I got into the story, I cried openly. Good book. Good tears. #kidslovedittoo

Thanks to Anne at Modern Mrs. Darcy for hosting!  I really enjoy getting to see what everyone is reading, as well as (briefly, thank goodness!) summarize what I’m reading.