When I was a kid, being sent to my room was the best form of punishment. All my favorite things were there, like my Breyer horses, my boombox with stacks of my favorite cassette tapes, and my shelves of beloved books. I had discovered at an early age what American aphorist Mason Cooley put so nicely: "Reading gives us someplace to go when we have to stay where we are." Within the pages of my books, I raced my horse across the desert sands of Arabia in The Black Stallion, I solved ... Read More about Adventures to Take When You’re Stuck at Home
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When Little People Do Big Things (a review of Anonymouse)
Anonymouse by Caroline Rose Kraft is a cute story filled with darling pictures of a mouse, a post office box, and a lonely girl. The story is simple and charming enough to be grasped by younger children but filled with lessons your children will always remember. Mr. Parsnip Peppersnatch lives with his wife Coriander in a post office box. One day he notices a lonely girl, Philippa, checking the box, and he becomes intrigued. Realizing that she is sad that she never gets any mail, he sets ... Read More about When Little People Do Big Things (a review of Anonymouse)
Susan Pevensie’s Greatest Legacy and Downfall
Dirty dishes pile in the sink. Diapers need changed. Is this my adventure? Aren’t adventures supposed to involve swords, companions, and mountains to hike? The only mountains I'm crossing are heaps of laundry. This wasn’t what I expected. I wonder if Susan Pevenise felt the same. She leaves Narnia in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe with brave words. “Then in the name of Aslan,” said Queen Susan, “if ye will all have it so, let us go on and take the adventure that shall fall ... Read More about Susan Pevensie’s Greatest Legacy and Downfall
How to Prepare Your Children for an Ambulance Call
“Sherry!” My voice rose in a panic. “The car isn’t here! Mom and Dad took it!” I was standing in the garage, trying with everything my 14-year-old self had not to panic. But I knew that my older sister desperately needed the car. Sherry never even flinched or slowed down. She thundered by me and out the back door. “It’s fine!” I followed. She was going the wrong way. But I wasn’t about to argue with her when she was so clearly on a mission and nothing, not even a missing car, was goi ... Read More about How to Prepare Your Children for an Ambulance Call
When Revenge Melts into Treasures of the Snow
When I was eight, I took a trip to Switzerland that I will never forget. I was kind of excited because I had already fallen in love with the book Heidi. But this was better than I could imagine. I wandered the Swiss Alps under night skies filled with stars that shined so bright I felt like I could touch them. I even climbed to the top of one of the peaks while the sheep rested in a nearby meadow and watched the sun set. Christmas was lovely there. The small church gave out a freshly ... Read More about When Revenge Melts into Treasures of the Snow