Time Enough For Drums

Time Enough For Drums by Ann Rinaldi

Loved it! Found it amidst Matt's old books. He said he'd never read it and that it might have been one of you girl's books. It's a historical fiction novel about the revolutionary war. A fabulous story with just enough of a good clean romance. I'd read this again.

A Room With A View, EM Forster

The book is mostly about Lucy Honeychurch who with her aunt travels to Italy for an educational vacation that ends up expanding her view of the world in unexpected ways.

I think this is the 3rd time I've read this book, and I think I like it more every time. That's a good book! I picked it up again because I wanted to read something that I wouldn't get obsessed with but would still offer a little escape before bed at night. I enjoy Forster's characterizations and his subtle humor. He creates some strange and memorable scenes that really stick with you. Definitely recommended.

The Truth About Sparrows

I just read The Truth About Sparrows, by Marian Hale. It is a young adult book, and I liked it. It is the author's first book, and it looks like she's written a couple more since then.

It's about a family who, during the Depression, has to leave their farm and move to where they can find work fishing. The 12 year old girl comes to realize a lot about life as she watches new people observe her father, who can't use his legs, and as she works in a shrimp factory to help out, take care of her mom and siblings, etc., all while feeling very upset about losing their home and living in a shack by the sea.

I suppose it's kind of a "coming of age" book, where she goes from being a girl with a happy life to growing up in her thoughts and actions through her adversities.

The Enchanted Chocolate Pot

Sorcery and Cecelia, or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot
by Patricia Wrede and Caroline Stevermer

A friend recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad she did!

The novel began as a writing game. The two authors wrote letters back and forth to each other, one as each character, without discussing plot or anything. This is the result. It's the story of Cecelia and Kate, two cousins living in Jane Austen's England -- but with a magical twist.

Highly recommended!

The Chocolate Touch

The Chocolate Touch
by Patrick Skene Catling

Jared, Calvin and I read this book aloud as a bedtime story. Here's what the boys have to say about it (beware of many spoilers):

Calvin:
"I liked when everything turned into chocolate, whatever he put in his mouth, in The Chocolate Touch. I thought it was funny when his trumpet turned into chocolate. I think other people would like to read this book because when they bobbed for apples, the water turned to chocolate syrup then he ran home, it was so funny."

Jared:
"I really liked the chocolates. It was funny when the Mom turned into chocolate. I liked that he kept eating chocolates. It was so funny."

And there you have it. :)

Walk Two Moons

I read this book on the plane to and from Denver. It's a young adult book I first read in a children's literature class in college. It's a Newbery Award Winner. It's about a girl driving across country with her grandparents to Lewiston, Idaho. She is telling her grandparents a story about her friend, while at the same time discovering her own story. I like it, it's easy to read and has some good messages to it.

Chronicals of Narnia Books

Hi, this is Regan. A few months ago Hadyn and I wanted to watch the Narnia movie, but we had to read the book first. So we started reading the Narnia books. When we were done with the second book, which is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we watched the movie. I liked the movie better than the book . The book is mostly about four kids. The kids' names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. My favorite people in the movie was the witch and the two girls, Lucy and Susan. Lucy discovers the wardrobe when they were playing hide-and-go-seek on a rainy day. She hided in the wardrobe and she met a half person/half goat , and the goat guy is Lucy's friend. Then the witch finds the half person/half goat and then he gets arrested. Lucy and her brothers and sister, Peter and Edmund and Susan, helped Lucy find Mr. Tumnus (that's the half person/half goat). I think you should read this because it's cool.

We are still reading the Narnia books. Right now we are in the middle of the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. I like it because this mean kid, Eustace turns into a dragon because he was selfish. Eustace had a gold bracelet on, and when he turned into a dragon it got stuck on his arm, which was now a dragon leg, and Lucy wanted to help the dragon with the bracelet.

You'll like the books as much as me. I promise.

See you later!

Regan