Happy Almost Thanksgiving, readers! I am excited to be entering into this holiday season in a new place this year! My parents and my brother and sister-in-law will be coming in for Thanksgiving, and we are looking forward to their visit. In light of the beginning of a busy season for most families, I thought I had better go ahead and get this month’s Reading Report written up so that it isn’t lost in the holiday shuffle. Besides, as promised last time, this edition is chalk full of favorite picture books, all of which would make great gifts for the children on your list! Keep in mind, this is not an exhaustive list, just the most recent favorites the kids and I have been enjoying together. Many are classics, but some are newer books. All are well-worth a spot on a child’s bookshelf!
Picture books we’ve been loving:
What I’ve Finished Reading:
I can’t publish this month’s Reading Report without mentioning a few of my own books, of course. I certainly cannot skip over my thoughts on finishing Gilead. I turned its final page just a couple nights ago, and I have still been thinking about the book ever since. It did take a while to get into, and I will admit that for a while it seemed to move so slowly and quietly that it nearly put me to sleep a couple of times. However, the pace of the storyline and tension between characters picked up later on, and the ending was very moving to me. I actually honestly cried big fat tears at the end. The book had so many themes woven through it: grace, forgiveness, reconciliation, family relationship, generational heritage, aging, youth, beauty of creation, small town life…I could go on! It is more of a fictionalized memoire than a plot-driven book, which may not be for everyone. I seemed to me very much a chronicle of a man coming to peace with himself and his fellow man near the end of his life. And I loved it.
Also, if you are looking for a fun fantasy sort of book to read with your kids, Edith Nesbit’s Five Children and It is a great read aloud or audible choice! The kids and I listened to it on our car rides recently, and we fell in love with these ordinary children who have extraordinary adventures (and learn some good lessons) thanks to finding an unusual mythical creature who can grant their wishes!
What I’m Reading Next:
The Penderwicks: I saw this one while browsing at the library today and decided to pick it up for my own light reading. If I think it is appropriate, I may read it aloud to my son once I am finished.
I also just started in on Last Child in the Woods. This book has been on my radar for a long time, but I never had a chance to actually sit down and read it. Seeking to spend more time outdoors is always a goal I have for myself and my kids, and I know this book is just going to drive home the point. But so far I am finding the statistics and other information in the first few chapters very interesting.
The next Close Reads podcast pick is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. My son and I just read the E. Nesbit synopsis version in Beautiful Stories from Shakespeare, so I am looking forward to reading and watching the play next!
What I Shelved:
The Explosive Child: Since I mentioned this book in the last Reading Report, I thought I should let you all know I ended up returning this title to the library after only reading the first few chapters. There was just too much emphasis on the psychological and developmental theories from a secular point of view, not taking into account the sin nature of the child. I do not know if I would have found some helpful tips later on in the book, but I decided it was not a book for me right now.
And that is probably enough from me for now! Happy Reading, friends!
