To add insult to injury, our family read-aloud was a bit underwhelming. We kept wishing it would improve. After all, it was from a well-known and well-loved author who we've enjoyed in the past. But, when we turned the final page, we let out a collective groan, articulating our pent-up disappointment.
Needless to say, we are hoping for better outcomes by the end of February!
Here's what we're reading.
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Read Aloud- everybody
The Call of the Wild- After watching a trailer for the upcoming Call of the Wild movie with Harrison Ford, I decided to select the Jack London classic for our February read aloud. I have no idea if the movie will be appropriate for us to watch as a family, but I do know that my kids will hear about it from friends. By reading the book to them, I'm giving my kids a chance to discuss something culturally relevant with their peers without having to be completely inundated by the culture.
Jamie- that's me!
Rest- I'm doing some research for my next book and while my work-in-progress is not necessarily about Sabbath rest, it does share some overlapping themes. I picked up this title based on a recommendation from a friend. It is a simple call to bring Sabbath-style rest into every area of life instead of relegating it to a Sunday-only duty.
To be honest, the writing is a bit lack-laster. I'm only about a fourth of the way in and I've already contemplated a forfeit. But since it is giving me some good direction for my own writing, I'll probably soldier on to the end.
To be honest, the writing is a bit lack-laster. I'm only about a fourth of the way in and I've already contemplated a forfeit. But since it is giving me some good direction for my own writing, I'll probably soldier on to the end.
The Witness Wore Red- This is my February pick for the Storied Mom Reading Challenge. It's been on my TBR since the raid of Warren Jeff's Polygamist compound in 2018. I've only read a few chapters, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to finish it. It's a very well-written memoir. But the topic is just a bit too heavy for me to hold in this season. I know that child and spiritual abuse is not something I can turn a blind eye to. But I've also come to realize that I don't need to know every minutiae of a person's depravity and abuse in order to have sincere compassion and empathy for them. It's not always healthy for me or helpful for the situation.
Sweetie Pea- 11th grade
Grace for the Good Girl- My daughter read the teen version of this book last year and was really encouraged to lay down her list of spiritual To-Dos and try-hard expectations in order to embrace the grace offered to her by God. This is the adult version--same author, same message, slightly different take-aways.
Super Boy- 8th grade
No Hero- My eldest son is still working his way through this military memoir he began last month, In full disclosure, I would not recommend this book to the average 8th-grader. It contains many heavy themes, graphic war-time scenes, and mild language. That said, my son has aspirations of joining the military someday, has read many war-themed memoirs, and as a member of a local CAP squadron is more familiar with the realities of a soldier's duties than the average teenager.
This is the sequel to a book he read last year and details the early military years of Mark Owen, one of the Navy SEAL Team Six soldiers responsible for killing Osama bin Laden.
This is the sequel to a book he read last year and details the early military years of Mark Owen, one of the Navy SEAL Team Six soldiers responsible for killing Osama bin Laden.
Blonde Warrior- 7th grade
Brisinger- This is the third book in a wildly popular fantasy series written by a former homeschooler. It follows the adventures of a dragon rider, Eragon, and his attempts to rid the land of tyranny.
Greased Lightning- 5th grade
Mystery of the Roman Ransom- My older children and I read this Roman-era, Hardy-boys-style mystery a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Naturally, I assumed that their younger brother would develop a similar appreciation for it. He hasn't, which just proves that one child's literary hit can be another child's miss. That doesn't mean it's a bad book. It just means that it's not the right book for that child.
The Dude- 2nd grade
Escape North- Step into Reading has an excellent series of easy biographies including George Washington, Ben Franklin, Henry Ford, and Hellen Keller for more advanced emergent readers. I'll be sprinkling these into my son's reading plans throughout the remainder of the year.
That's what we'll be reading in February. How about you?
What was the one book you read in Jan that you really enjoyed?
ReplyDeleteIt was Remarkable Advent. We started it in December, but finished it up in January. It was so great!
DeleteI didn't care for Tale of Desperaux at all, either. :(
ReplyDeleteGlad to know we weren't the only ones. It's been praised on all the lists. I just don't get it??!
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