Category: Uncategorized
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The Wind in the Willows: A Lesson in Regret & Repentance
‘No!’ [Toad] said, a little sullenly, but stoutly; ‘I’m not sorry. And it wasn’t folly at all! It was simply glorious!’‘What?’ cried the Badger, greatly scandalised. ‘You backsliding animal, didn’t you tell me just now, in there———‘‘Oh, yes, yes, in there,’ said Toad impatiently. ‘I’d have said anything in there . . . But I’ve been searching my mind…
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Book Review: See What God Made!
Summary of See What God Made! Kathleen Long Bostrom’s newest book See What God Made! tells the story of creation in a beautiful lift-the-flap book. Bostrom specializes in lyrical, heartwarming stories for kids that are full of truth. This newest release is no exception. Her retelling of the creation story follows the biblical account with…
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Book Review: The Heart of the King
The Heart of the King has all the hallmarks you would expect of J.J. Fischer: an action-packed adventure, witty banter, and strong characters with big hearts. Summary: When Corcoran arrives to kidnap Rigan North, prophesied to bring about the end of the king’s reign, he’s not sure what he was expecting. But a woman hurling…
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The Princess and the Goblin, Curdie and Faith
George MacDonald’s The Princess and the Goblin and his sequel The Princess and Curdie are beautifully crafted fairytales. The language, the setting, and the characters delight the mind, but as in all great fairy tales, they also touch important truths. Throughout the books, MacDonald provides a picture of the nature of faith. Really, he provides…
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Book Review: The Aroma of Beauty
“Beauty could not rebuild our cities, but it helped to rebuild our humanity and to bring us closer to one another. Beauty could not bring back family and friends, but it helped us weep for them, remember them, and celebrate them,” Aroma of Beauty, pp.138 What is the role of art in the midst of a…
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People in A Story: How Book Characters Teach Us to Love Well
“I wish we could sometimes love the characters in real life as we love the characters in romances. There are a great many human souls whom we should accept more kindly, and even appreciate more clearly, if we simply thought of them as people in a story.” ― G.K. Chesterton, What I Saw in America Loving characters…
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The Giver: Choosing to Live In Color
“Sometimes I wish they’d ask for my wisdom more often–there are so many things I could tell them; things I wish they would change. But they don’t want change. Life here is so orderly, so predictable–so painless. It’s what they’ve chosen.“–The Giver, Lois Lowry (pp. 130). If given the choice between a life that’s painless…
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Learning to Empathize with Hedda Gabler
“It’s a liberation to know that an act of spontaneous courage is yet possible in this world. An act that has something of unconditional beauty.”― Henrik Ibsen, Hedda Gabler Reading a play produces a very different experience than seeing it performed before your eyes. In a play, every detail adds layers to the words–the subtleties of tone,…
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Puddle Pug: A Picture Book On Mud and Friendship
Puddle Pug by Kim Norman was originally published in 2014, but I only recently came across it. This precious gem of a picture book is now a top favorite of mine. Not only is the story utterly adorable, but it’s also a lovely reminder of the wonder of friendship. A Quick Summary Percy the Pug…
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Pygmalion: Fairness and Kindness
“The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treats me as a flower girl, and always will; but I know I can be a lady to you, because you always treat me…