Category: Home

Distracting With Pretty

~ Emily ~ 1 Comment

I thought a pandemic would increase my reading, but it has done the opposite. I’ve found myself too distracted, too tired or too pre-occupied with life at home to do much other than collapse onto the couch in the evening. What is slowly drawing me back into the rhythm of regular reading again are audiobooks and rereads.

There’s something comforting and pleasantly familiar about rereading a beloved classic. So I was especially grateful for the free review copy of the Sense and Sensibility edition of a new series by Karen Swallow Prior. In this series of lovely, cloth-bound books, bestselling author and literature professor, guides readers through classics with insightful introductions and vast footnotes. What a good study Bible will do for you as you read Scripture – cultural context, definitions, and thematic clues – Prior’s guide does for reading and reflecting classics.

Even though I’ve read all of Austen’s work multiple times, I appreciated Prior’s educated insights and I especially loved the reflection questions after each volume. What a wonderful addition to my Austen shelf. It would also make a stellar gift for any Austen fan.

Another thing that has helped me stay sane during these surreal times is to surround myself with as much beauty as possible. I especially love each of these editions of Sense and Sensibility.

*These are affiliate links*

   .    .   .

I have now read and thoroughly enjoyed another in Karen’s series of classics – Heart of Darkness by Jospeh Conrad. I’m the type of person who enjoyed much of their high school required reading. But Heart of Darkness was among the titles I didn’t appreciate when I read it as a teen. I found it a bit confusing and just too, well, dark. Prior’s insights were so helpful when coming back to this title as an adult. It’s been 16 years since I last read it and I appreciated the background on Conrad’s life, both personal and professional. Prior’s notes and reflection questions were a good guide as I navigated this novel for a second time. It’s still not my favorite classic, but I feel like I at least redeemed my first reading with Prior’s help. It also didn’t hurt that the book was lovely.

The Wondering Years by Knox McCoy

~ Emily ~ 1 Comment

One of the biggest benefits I’ve gotten out of deep-diving into personality frameworks is the reminder that we all approach the world differently.  Looking through the lens of say, the Enneagram, has helped me to better understand these diverse perspectives and increased my ability to extend grace and compassion to myself and others as differences come in contact and often cause friction.

For the same reason, I love reading spiritual memoirs. They remind me that everyone’s journey toward Jesus is different. They remind me to extend grace to myself and others as we work out our faith. They remind me that God created us uniquely, for a purpose.

One such book just released – The Wondering Years: How Pop Culture Helped Me Answer Life’s Biggest Questions by Knox McCoy.

In a voice that is humorous and perceptive, Knox shares pop culture anecdotes and analogies that have helped him make sense of life and faith. His ability to transition from funny story to personal reflection is seamless. Though I’ve never been punched in the face (unless you count my visceral reaction to Chapter 18: The Cancer) and don’t consider myself any sort of pop culture maven*, Knox’s stories and insights were infinitely relatable. Also, his footnotes are perfection.

The Wondering Years forever inducted into my cannon of re-readable spiritual memoirs and is easily one of my favorite books of 2018.

*The Popcast with Knox and Jamie is the only reason I ever kind of know what I’m talking about in regards to pop culture. And a lot of times, I don’t always know what they’re talking about. But I still tune in every Wednesday – it’s that good. Same goes with this book. I didn’t always catch the references, but it didn’t diminish my enjoyment one bit.

The lovely folks at W Publishing gave me permission to print an excerpt (which you’ll find below) and you can listen to Knox read the first chapter here. I’m also giving away two copies of The Wondering Years over on Instagram!

In case you were wondering… Some other favorite spiritual memoirs are

Without further ado, a snippet from Chapter Three: High Stakes.

Even though I’m a card-carrying evangelical Christian*, trust me when I say that this book isn’t a low-key effort to be like To Catch a Predator, wherein I burst into the consciousness of your soul and, over the course of these pages, make you accept your salvation from Jesus Christ**. At points in my youth, I was very much that person – and with the benefit of hindsight, I’ve developed some, uh, complicated feelings about that behavior and history. Instead, my goal here is to perform something of a spiritual audit of my own faith experience. (Or at leas that’s what my editor tells me. I’m really just here to make a ton of references to Saved By The Bell and hope for the best.)

I realize that makes us strange bookfellows. I mean, why should you care about me putting my faith under a microscope? That feels kind of intimate, no? Well, I guess what I’m hoping for is that you get from this what I get from watching The Profit.

For context, The Profit is a reality show starring Actual Rich Guy Marcus Lemonis. In each episode, he decides whether to invest in businesses that are in operational or financial trouble. To make his decision, he considers three principles: people, product, and process. In other words, are the people at the company hardworking, is the product viable and profitable, and are the processes in place for success? Once he identifies which of these things are broken, he takes steps to right the company, and there is much entrepreneurial rejoicing.

I like The Profit because it’s a good show, but also because I find Marcus’ thoughtful approach to business applicable to many areas of my life, especially my faith. When our faith isn’t as strong as it could be, where have we gone wrong? Is it the people, the product, the process? How do we right what’s broken if we don’t examine it?

And I realize I’m very casually tossing around the word faith as though we all distinctly understand what it means. To clarify, my use of faith is a generalized shorthand for everything encompassing my religious beliefs. In other words, faith is a lot like Mary Poppins’ purse: very simple idea, deeply complicated contents.

* Just kidding – we don’t carry cards. Too mark-of-the-beasty.

** What would this show be called? To Convert a Heathen? To Catch A Convert? Also I can’t believe this isn’t already a show on a Christian TV network.

Knox McCoy – The Wondering Years

 

My Favorite Bunny (picture) Books

~ Emily ~ 4 Comments

Best bunny

Bunny books are my kryptonite. I’ve had an ever growing collection of bunny books since I was a little girl, thanks to my mom who has faithfully given them as gifts over the years. One of the best parts of having a children’s book collection of any sort is sharing them with your own children. It’s been a joy to see my two little ones delight in these stories as much as I did/do.

Several of these recommendations are no longer in print but are worth searching out at the library or getting a used copy from an online seller like Thrift Books or Discover Books (I try to avoid previous library books when ordering from these sites so we don’t get the plasticy cover).

Whether you’re looking for a book to slip in to an Easter basket or you have a bunny loving kiddo, these bunny books are some of my favorite! I’m always looking for more bunny books, though, so please share any I missed in the comments!

Please note that the links are affiliate. 

 Too Many Hopkins by Tomie de Paola

I’m sad this isn’t in print any more (an absolute classic in our household), but it’s available used. Tomie de Paola is an iconic children’s book author and illustrator. Too Many Hopkins subtly teaches the basics of gardening, how to work together and all the Hopkins have fun alliterative names.

I am a Bunny by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry

This classic IS still in print! Little Nicholas in his cute red overalls talks about the things he does each season. The unique size of this board book is fun but it also comes in regular Golden Book size.

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld

Doerrfeld so perfectly captures the essence of empathy and kindness in her minimalist text and sweet illustrations. A very poignant reminder for me as a parent what speaks louder than words is a listening ear.


 Pat The Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt

Every child’s library should include this book. I can smell the flowers even now…

Bunnies Are For Kissing by Allia Zobel Nola, Illustrated by Jacqueline East

“Bunnies are for kissing. They’re meant for hugging too. Sure as we have floppy ears, sweet Bunny, we love you!” Quoted from memory because this book is a favorite of my kids and has a catchy rhyme scheme.

Bunny Trouble & More Bunny Trouble by Hans Wilhelm 

Naturally, I liked the characters in the Bunny Trouble stories because the little sister is named Emily. Even if you don’t share a name with one of the characters, these are fun and especially good for Easter because this troupe of bunnies paint Easter eggs for a living.

Fuzzy Rabbit by Rosemary Billam, Illustrated by Vanessa Julian-Ottie

Even though the Fuzzy Rabbit books aren’t in print, I can’t leave them off the list. Used copies abound.  Fuzzy has adventures in the park and with his owner’s little brother. The illustrations are charmingly old-fashioned.

This Little Bunny Can Bake by Janet Stein

If you’re child enjoys cooking, this little bunny will be a welcome addition to your collection. Bunny and several other students go to Chef George’s School of Dessertology and learn the basics of baking. There isn’t much of a storyline but the illustrations are packed with silliness (Dog making a shoe-fly pie…) that is fun to talk about with kiddos.

The Wonderful Habits of Rabbits by Douglas Florian, Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

What do rabbits do all day? This family of rabbits will show you all the fun things they do – smelling flowers in Spring, lazing for hours in Summer, and digging holes, to name a few. The text is poetic and the illustrations are unique and charming.The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, Illustrated by Sarah Massini

There are plenty of versions of this classic, but I’m quite partial to the illustrations by Sarah Massini in this beautiful edition.

Bunny’s First Spring by Sally Lloyd-Jones, Illustrated by David McPhail

Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible, is a treasure. She writes books that have depth of sentiment but still connect with little readers. In Bunny’s First Spring, Bunny experiences the changing seasons for the first time and fears “the beautiful earth must be dying.” Lloyd-Jones perfectly captures the wonder and beauty to be found in the signs of passing time.

Too Many Carrots by Katy Hudson

Barnes and Noble pushed this book last Spring for good reason. Hudson’s illustrations are vibrant and engaging. She also doesn’t skimp on the end sheets and front matter, all of which are boldly illustrated with fun extras. Ultimately about sharing, Too Many Carrots follows rabbit as he tries to find a home suitable for himself and his carrots.

 It’s Not Easy Being A Bunny by Marilyn Sadler, Illustrated by Roger Bollen

Poor PJ Funnybunny does not like being a bunny. He tries living with all sorts of other animals only to figure out being a bunny isn’t so bad after all.  I can’t count the number of times I’ve read this since I was a kid. Great repeating text and an opportunity to demonstrate your moose calling abilities.

The Bold, Brave Bunny by Beth Ferry, Illustrated by Chow Hon Lam

This reminded me of a modern It’s Not Easy Being A Bunny. (One of the opening lines reads, “There were so many bunnies. It. Wasn’t. Even. Funny.”) Teetu becomes overwhelmed and frustrated by the abundance of bunnies in his family, so he takes a break from the burrow. He knows that B is for more than bunnies – B is for brave, B is for bold – but he unexpectedly discovers that B is also for belonging. Much like the title, the illustrations are bold and high contrast making it a very striking read. Thank you so much to Harper Kids for our copy.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, Illustrated by Anita Jeram

Anita Jeram is one of my favorite illustrators (think Bunny My Honey, You’re All My Favorites, and Skip To The Loo, My Darling – an amazing potty training book)

 Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

Another set (this is the first) of books that has a dad-child relationship on display. This one would be dad-daughter-bunny… Willems uses colored drawings over black and white photographs to illustrate these Knuffle Bunny adventures. They are hilarious.

La La Rose by Satomi Ichikawa

Ichikawa’s love of Paris is evident in her gorgeous illustrations of Luxembourg Gardens where poor La La Rose gets separated from her friend Clementine. La La Rose narrates her journey around the Gardens until she is finally reunited with Clementine. I am so sad this award winning book isn’t Prime-able. It’s worth searching out. If you can’t find it, cry your way through You Are My I Love You and get a sense for Ichikawa’s gift for illustrating.

 The Night Before Easter by Natasha Wing, Illustrated by Kathy Couri

For our family, Easter is about celebrating that Jesus died and rose again to give us eternal life with Him. That being said, we aren’t above bunnies and eggs and baskets of goodies. This is a clever riff on The Night Before Christmas.

A Night-Light for Bunny by Geoffery Hayes

Bunny and Papa search for the perfect night light. Bun has a bit of an attitude, but I like that this includes the dad and talks about sources of light. The end has a song that my children enjoy hearing me sing (tunelessly) differently every time we read it.

The Country Bunny And The Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward, Illustrated by Marjorie Hack 

A strong female protagonist (the country bunny, mom to 21 baby buns) makes this a timely tale despite it’s publication date almost 80 years ago. The Country Bunny proves herself wise, kind, clever, and swift enough to be one of the five Easter Bunnies who deliver eggs all over the world.

 The April Rabbits by David Cleveland, Illustrated by Nurit Karlin

Another book that I must have acquired in elementary school and have vivid reading memories of the illustrations. Robert sees an increasing number of rabbits for every day in April. Lots of humor in the illustrations.

 I’m Big Enough by Amber Stewart, Ilustrated by Layn Marlow

Confession: I still sleep with my childhood blanket. And it has a name. (Insert monkey covering eyes emoji here.) I have a very tolerant husband. Bean can’t find her blanket and learns to cope without it until she realizes she really is big enough to not have one. Apparently Bean is more mature than me.

 Bunny’s Book Club by Annie Silvestro , Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

If there were book trump cards, this would be mine. Bunny and books. Need I say more? Love by Emma Dodd

A larger board book that celebrate the everyday joys between a momma and baby bun. Impossibly cute illustrations. My beginning reader can make his way through this on his own.

 Audrey Bunny by Angie Smith, Illustrated by Breezy Brookshire

Another one I can’t make it through without crying. If you know anything about Angie Smith’s story (she’s a Christian author/blogger who lost a daughter, Audrey, in utero), it will make the name of this Bun even more poignant.

 The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown, Illustrated by Clement Hurd

A classic by the author of Goodnight Moon and Little Fur Family (just realized that connection and my mind is a little blown).

Bunnies for Tea by Kate Stone

The book is shaped like a tea cup. Sweet illustrations and rhyming text.

Bunny Slopes by Claudia Rueda

It’s always good for me to have books around that help me (and the kids) celebrate Winter. This one gets readers to interact and help Bunny get skiing. Bunny Overboard and Hungry Bunny are also so fun!

I can’t vouch for these yet, but I did just request ALL the Betty Bunny books by Michael Kaplan from the library…

An Epistolary Book Flight

~ Emily ~ 6 Comments

There’s something intimate about reading letters. When we write them, we give permanence to what has previously been in our minds and hearts, and when we read them, we get a peak into the feelings others. I’m guessing that’s what makes epistolary novels so engaging – connections built on the pieces of self we see embedded in each missive.

Here are five of my favorite epistolary novels:

Love, Mary Elisabeth by Christy Martenson

Set in the Pacific Northwest, this  charming novel is reminiscent of the Dear America books I so loved in grade school. Instead of diary entries, Love, Mary Elisabeth is comprised of letters written by eleven-year-old Mary Elisabeth and a few of her family members. Mary Elisabeth is a city (Seattle) girl who goes to live with relatives on a farm while her mother recovers from tuberculosis and her Papa works in the shipyards.

Christy has captured the joy of a childhood spent navigating the triumphs and trials of country life that is so captivating in classics like Understood Betsy and Up A Road Slowly. Sometimes I find young narrators to be grating, but Mary Elisabeth’s youth is full of believable innocence without being saccharine. I can’t wait to read this gem with my kids. The pretty cover and inside sketches are a wonderful bonus with the paperback!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Guernsey has so much to recommend itself. The plot centers around a writer, Juliet, who receives a letter from a stranger that catapults her into the middle of an off-beat society formed on the island of Guernsey during the German occupation in WWII. I love historical fiction about WWII and this offered a setting and events I wasn’t familiar with previously. Plus, the letters are written by a cast of colorful characters who have unique voices that are witty and endearing. Having so many people writing letters can get a wee bit confusing but keeps the novel moving and interesting. The love story is sweet but doesn’t dominate the narrative. I feel like I’m rambling about this book, but I thought it was lovely and re-read worthy.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

I’ve said it before, Katherine Reay is a master at integrating classic literature into original plot lines and Dear Mr. Knightley is my favorite. The title alone would convince the likes of me that it was worth reading – because who can pass up a nod to Austen (and Emma for that matter)? – but Dear Mr. Knightley can stand alone with it’s nuanced plot that is both charming and poignant. Plus, she gives a nod to epistolary forerunners like Lady Susan and Evelina. 

The story centers around Sam, a twenty-three year old orphan who is back at Grace House after getting fired from her desk job. When an anonymous benefactor offers to fund her continued education, Sam reluctantly applies to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. There’s a catch: on top of her doubts about the program, she must write regular letters to the mysterious donor who chooses to be addressed as Mr. Knightley. A unique relationship develops as Sam begins to sort through her painful past in the one-sided letters. (You can read my more lengthy review here.)

If that description reminds you of Daddy Long Legs by Jean Webster (another wonderful epistolary classic), you’d be right in seeing similarities!

The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis

The work of C. S. Lewis is important to my spiritual growth and The Screwtape Letters is no exception. Sometimes you have to hear truths from a different perspective to have them sink in and that’s what The Screwtape Letters did for me. The slim novel is comprised of correspondence between a more seasoned devil, Screwtape, and his young nephew, Wormwood. Screwtape gives advice on how best to derail Wormwood’s “patient.” With his characteristic wit, creativity, and faith, Lewis explores good and evil, temptation and grace.

My family readThe Screwtape Letters around the dinner table over the course of a few weeks when I was in late middle school. It took me a few letters to wrap my mind around it being written from a devil’s perspective. I had to keep reminding myself that “the Enemy” wasn’t referring to Satan but God. But because I had to pay a bit more attention to keep things straight, I found the story/message more impactful.

Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn

What would happen if it were illegal to use an increasingly large number of the letters in our alphabet? Ella and the residents of Nollop find out when the island’s council bans the use of letters as they mysteriously drop from a memorial statue commemorating the author of the phrase “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog,” which contains all the letters of the alphabet. The letters written in the book contain the alphabet restrictions being laid on the citizens of Nollop.

Ella Minnow Pea is lots of fun for the English Major type or those who love words. It’s also an interesting reflection on freedom of expression, fear mongering, and totalitarian government.

What’s your favorite epistolary novel?

A book flight is a curated sampling of reading material that shares some defining quality: theme, setting, time frame, subject matter, etc. Like a beverage flight, the samples are selected with care and presented together intentionally with the purpose of expanding the sampler’s horizons, developing literary discernment, and encouraging reflection and analysis as she considers, compares, and contrasts each book.

A Sisters Book Flight

~ Emily ~ Leave a comment

Many of my favorite classics feature sisters. Instead of including the Bennet sisters or the little Ingalls, I’m focusing on modern classics some of which give a distinct nod to the aforementioned sisters.

After choosing this flight and writing these reviews, all I can think of is Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye dressed up in sequins and boas singing, “sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters,” in White Christmas.

I’ll leave you with that image and these four fun reads about sisters.

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay

I’m a Katherine Reay fan! She writes emotionally driven novels with nods to Austen (and other great literature) without being straight up fan fiction. (Though there’s nothing wrong with a Mr. Darcy’s Diary or Lost in Austen, both of which are on my bookshelf next to Reay’s fantastic first novel, Dear Mr. Knightley.) Her novels have originality while maintaining the substance of classics.

In this, her second, novel, Katherine tells Lizzy’s story. Lizzy is a talented chef who has lost her food inspiration. Her sister, Jane, has cancer. Together, they have a messy sibling relationship that keeps getting more complicated. I love how Reay adds modern elements, like the importance of social media hype to new businesses, in a timeless fashion. Lizzy and Jane gives an intimate look at caregiving and what you can learn about others by what they read.

If any of this review piques your interest, check out the interview I did with Katherine on Kindred Grace. We talk about why classics are appealing, what she hopes her novels will be saying years from now, and the challenges of incorporating classics into her own work. 

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

A friend with excellent taste recommended this to me and I can’t resist her suggestions, rabbits, or a New England setting. The Penderwicks is a an absolutely heartwarming  middle grade novel about four motherless sisters who spend a Summer on the grounds of a sprawling estate in Massachusetts with their father. Adventures ensue and I loved every minute. Jeanne Birdsall captures the tipping of child into adolescence so perfectly with the oldest sister, Rosalind. I cannot wait to read these with my kids and to finish the series (four books altogether) myself.

Jane of Austin: A Novel of Sweet Tea and Sensibility by Hilary Manton Lodge 

Jane Austen created several recognizable sets of sisters, two of which can be found in Sense and Sensibility, her novel about practical Elinor and fanciful Marianne. In Jane of Austin, Lodge has modernized the Dashwood’s story, putting the sisters in a Texas setting as tea shop owners. For me, Jane Austen retellings always have the potential to be too similar to the original (Sense and Sensibility by Joanna Trollope) thus boring, or too convoluted that they miss the appeal of the original (The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine ).

Jane of Austin was the perfect fusion of contemporary and classic with a fun Southern twist. Here are a few things I loved: I’m not always a fan of quotes to start chapters, but these were diverse, contributed to moving the plot along and alternated in subject depending on the narrator of the chapter (clever!). The author is a foodie and she includes a few recipes scattered throughout the novel. They were actually things I’d like to make. Plus, her use of food in the novel is tastefully done, not excessive. Sweetly romantic AND clean. The 10 discussion questions included at the end went beyond plot-points. The cover is lovely.

The Other Alcott by Elise Hooper

The well-known set of sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women is loosely based on the author and her own three sisters. One of those sisters, Abigail May (went by May), is the subject of The Other Alcott. May is plagued by the fictional reputation of Amy March in Louisa’s utterly successful novel and burdened by the underlying competition between herself and her older sister. The novel follows May as she wriggles out from under the control of her sister, trying to establish herself as an artist.

This book was such a pleasure to read. Elise Hopper brings the Alcott family to life. I learned so much about art in the nineteenth century and I loved seeing how May’s journey intersected with familiar painters like Degas and Cassatt.

What is your favorite book about sisters?

A book flight is a curated sampling of reading material that shares some defining quality: theme, setting, time frame, subject matter, etc. Like a beverage flight, the samples are selected with care and presented together intentionally with the purpose of expanding the sampler’s horizons, developing literary discernment, and encouraging reflection and analysis as she considers, compares, and contrasts each book.