What We're Reading in December 2018

December reading always seems to be a toss-up for us. Some days find us nestled under blankets reading for hours--the falling snow and the quiet pace of winter mornings inviting us to linger.

Other days, however, are filled to the brim and overflowing with holiday hubbub. Parties and activities pull us at both ends, leaving us no time to turn the pages of our books.

Will nestle win the battle this December or will it be noise? It's anyone's guess. I suppose we'll just have to have our books ready and waiting to be devoured in bite-sized chunks if need be.

Here's what we'll be reading this month.


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Read Aloud- everybody

The Bird's Christmas Carol- A friend urged me to buy this little novel at a used book sale last year. I'd never heard of it before, but she assured me it was worth a read. To be honest, the cover (different from the one displayed here) was a bit lackluster. But, I cracked it open this past week and have been pleasantly surprised by the sweet, simple story of kind-hearted, but sickly Carol, born on Christmas morning to the Bird family. The book's wholesome plot points remind me of Little Women, but the occasional humor and characterization bear a slight resemblance to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.     

Jamie- that's me!

Book Girl- As a lifelong Book Girl, I can not get enough of this book! Like her mother, Sarah Clarkson has exquisite taste in literature and a profound understanding of the importance of being well-read. Since much of the book is an extended book list/book review, it's a quick read. What sets it apart from other books about books is the fact that Clarkson clearly understands that reading doesn't just develop a woman's mind, but it also shapes her soul and nourishes her real-life relationships. 

How to Find Love in a Book Shop- I'm half-way through this one and am tempted to toss it aside. The writing is fairly decent. The storyline, however, is only so-so. The author has attempted to weave the love stories of several different couples together with the common thread being that each pair met in the fictional Nightingale Bookshop. But, her efforts fall flat, in my opinion. Just when I get drawn into one couple's story, the plot veers to a different couple, leaving me no time to really appreciate any of the characters or their relationship struggles. 

Sweetie Pea- 10th grade

Hamelin Stoop: The Eagle, the Cave, and the Footbridge- In a similar tradition of C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien, new author Robert Sloan has created an adventurous series that combines fantasy and faith. My daughter is reading the first one and will be getting Book 2: The Lost Princess and the Jewel fo Periluna in her stocking on Christmas morning. (But let's just keep that between you and me.)

If you're still looking for a book to give a tween/teen in your life, might I suggest the Hamelin Stoop series written especially for Christian tween and teen Narnia fans? In fact, I'm currently running a giveaway of Books 1 & 2. Head on over to Instagram for your chance to win!

Money, Greed, and God- She's finishing up this heady non-fiction book which seeks to prove that Christianity and capitalism can co-exist. 

Super Boy- 7th grade

Hatchet- My oldest son is still working his way through the first book of the 5-part Hatchet series. Admittedly, it's one of the most "culturally relevant" books he's ever read as it features a young boy who struggles to come to terms with his parent's divorce. But since that's only a subplot of the story, I thought it appropriate for my adventure-seeking son.

Blonde Warrior- 6th grade

Myles Standish, Adventurous Boy- My three oldest boys are each reading a biography of one major player of the Plymoth colony for our Truthquest history curriculum. In addition to sitting in on our every-other-day family history read aloud, they will each read their assigned biography and then present a narration of what they read to the rest of us. I've selected titles from some of my most favorite living literature series. This particular title is one of the out-of-print Childhood of Famous Americans biographies.

Greased Lightning- 4th grade

The Sign of the Beaver- How can a Native American boy and the son of a white settler become friends and eventually brothers when they don't speak the same language nor share the same customs? This survival story has been loved by each one of my older children and is now in the hands of their younger brother. Like all great living literature, it is not only teaching him about the history and culture of a different people group, but also helping him to appreciate both. 

John Billington Friend of Squanto- This is another out-of-print Plymoth biography that coincides with our history curriculum. I've not personally read it, but since it's written by Clyde Robert Bulla, I have no doubt that it will meet the reading standards of even the most conservative families. 

The Dude- 1st grade

Easy But Not Boring Readers- This month, my son will be reading through a collection of easy but not boring readers found in our home library. 

The Cricket in Time Square- He and I are almost done reading this book that we started last month. It is the whimsical tale of a cricket who forms unlikely friendships with a boy, a mouse, and a cat in a subway tunnel of New York City. 

That's what we'll be reading this month. How about you? What will you be reading 

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