KING OF THE WIND by Marguerite Henry King of the Wind is the story of Sham, the Godolphin Arabian, whose bloodline affects the racing horses we still watch today. Opening in Morocco, author Maguerite Henry introduces us to Sham, a prize Arabian horse of the Sultan's stables, and Agba, the young, mute boy who cares for him. When the Sultan decides he wants to foster a good relationship with France, he sends seven of his best horses and their stable boys as a gift for the boy king. Included in that group are Sham and Agba. Unbeknownst to the Sultan, the ship captain responsible for carrying the precious cargo across the ocean pockets the money. The horses and their stable boys arrive in terrible condition. What is supposed to be an extremely valuable gift is laughed out of the royal stables. The horses are divided and sent to lives of employment. We follow the life of Sham. What makes King of the Wind a worthwhile read for this age group? The first reason is that the story covers three countries: Morocco, France, and England. The second is the unwavering dedication of Agba, the stable boy, to Sham. No matter what difficulties they encounter, Agba remains faithful to the care of Sham. His dedication and care are examples to us of what friendship is all about. Third, this is a story of redemption. Although not all things turn out quite as expected in the end, the life of Sham and Agba are redeemed from a life of hardship to one that finally acknowledges their worth.

SHELL SONG by Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson Shell Song is a touching, true story based on a Japanese family's experience during World War II while living in Hawaii. After the attack at Pearl Harbor came the internment of Fujimoto-Johnson's grandfather along with many other Japanese Americans. Looking for ways to pass the long hours, the prisoners often collected and studied sea shells storing them in tiny matchboxes. The precious shells have now been passed down to the author who recognizes that she holds a very difficult piece of her family's history in her hands. Fujimoto-Johnson's grandfather never fully recovered from his time in the camp. He returned with his "body brittle and his heart hollow." Despite this, he taught his children to "love the sea" and "two countries just the way he did in his short life." The book closes with a lengthy Author's Notes section complete with pictures and the US government's later investigation and apology for the treatment of Japanese Americans during this time.

A STRANGE THING HAPPENED IN CHERRY HALL by Jasmine Warga There's been some strange happenings at Penelope L. Brooks Museum. A painting has been stolen, and Rami Ahmed's mom is a suspect. Rami knows there's no way his mom did it, but to clear her name, he's going to have to figure out who really did take the painting. But that's not the weirdest thing. A floating girl has appeared, and she looks really familiar. Of course she does, she's the subject featured in the missing painting. Is she a ghost or a figment of the imagination or something else? With the help of an unlikely friend, Rami begins to unravel the mystery and a secret that stretches into the past. Overall, this book is an interesting and engaging read. It contains some whimsical elements that some readers will find endearing and some will find unrealistic and frustrating. For example, there is a little turtle who lives in the courtyard of the museum who sees the thief and recognizes them. The turtle attempts to leave a clue for the kids as to the identity of the thief.

SYLVIA DOE AND THE 100 - YEAR FLOOD by Robert Beatty SYLVIA DOE is a 13-year-old girl who doesn't remember much about her past. She has very little remembrance of her parents and where she is originally from. Currently, she is a part of the foster care system and any time she is placed, she runs away trying to return to the only home that matters to her, Highland Home for Children. At Highland Home, she has the opportunity to be around and work with the horses that have come to really matter to her. SYLVIA has just run away again when a horrific storm breaks out. The entire valley where Highland Home is located is flooded and the horses are in serious trouble. Mounting a highly dangerous rescue, SYLVIA attempts to navigate the engorged river that has more than spilled its banks. Just before she enters the water she notices things that are seriously out of place: animals that aren't native to the area or extinct even and glittering gemstones along the bank, but when she saves a boy from the river's current and he thinks he's in a different time, SYLVIA begins to put things together. Deep within the hills where the river originates, the storm has caused a doorway to open up crossing over different time periods. Ultimately, SYLVIA DOE and the 100-Year Flood is a fun and intriguing read about a girl who learns where she is really from. HEADS UP- The story is based entirely on climate change and evolution. The massive flood is happening due to the changes the earth is experiencing. Animals that are millions of years old are appearing in the river due to the different doors of time that have opened up as a result of the flooding.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DIE? by Chris Morphew. Illustrated by Emma Randall Death. What happens when it comes? A question we all wonder about at some point in our lives. In this simple, 76 page book, author Chris Morphew plunges into what we know and can hold onto based on scripture. Is eternity really going to consist of floating around on clouds strumming harps all day? Wouldn't that be just a tad surprising compared to the amazing earth God originally created for us to live in? Do we need to fear the unknown? Even though the Bible doesn't reveal everything, we are given enough to rest in the plan of a Good God, and Morphew helps to bring that to light.

WHO HQ BOOKS Anybody else out there a WHOHQ lover? I just picked up a stack at our recent homeschool convention to add to our collection. These great books are a perfect nonfiction read for elementary kids, and they're also a fantastic option for a teen (or adult!) who wants a quick brush up on a topic!

WATERSHIP DOWN by Richard Adams I recently read WATERSHIP DOWN with my high school literature group, and I really enjoyed it. Honestly, what's not to love about an epic adventure with rabbits at the heart of it all, right?! The really cool part is that when you peel back the story layer and dig in, these rabbits are pursuing the very same thing in life we are. They just want to live in a safe warren, raise their young, and belong to a group where they are cherished and valued. WATERSHIP DOWN opens with the posting of a sign outside of Sandleford Warren where the rabbits live. The rabbits are unable to read, but one of them has premonitions, and he knows it's time to leave. Danger is in the air. (The sign is indicating that the area is about to be developed.) Inviting all who will join them, a small band of unorganized, somewhat misfit rabbits leaves their home and sets out. What follows is a journey that will try these rabbits and bind them together in such a way that they are willing to sacrifice their lives for each other. They encounter humans, prey, other warrens, imprisonment, and hardship, but along the way they form friendships with some unlikely animals that will give the story a Lion and the Mouse type feel at different points. WATERSHIP DOWN was a story told by Adams to his two daughters. They begged him to write it down which he did thankfully. It can be read as an enjoyable story for children. However, if you want to dig into the fantastic quotes that start each chapter or compare the leadership of the Efrafa Warren to a true, historical governmental example, you'll want to read this with a little older group (hence my recommended age range). Adams and his family claimed the book has no allegorical tie, but it's interesting to note that he served in the British Armed Forces during WWII. I always tell my literature kids that books can be windows into author's hearts and minds without them even realizing they are there. Often times we write from what our hearts are full of, whether we start out with that purpose or not. The last thing I'll share that makes this book super interesting is while it is written with an anthromoporphic foundation, the rabbits still retain a lot of their rabbity-ness. Meaning, that Adams wanted the rabbits to still be rabbits despite having the ability to think, reason, speak, etc. He strove to draw a dividing line between humans and animals, because in this story there is a very clear difference between some of the motivations humans have and motivations animals have. All that being said, I highly recommend you give this one a try, and before you know it, you'll be driving down the road spotting rabbits and your kids will be saying, "There goes Fiver. There goes Hazel or Bigwig!" HEADS UP - There were 2-3 d***s in the story.

THE GIANT LEAF: TAKE A GIANT LEAF OF FAITH by Davy Liu and Douglas Wood What do you get when you take two guys who have worked for top notch movie producers such as Disney, Steven Spielberg, Universal Studios and more who desire to share a more Biblical message in their works? You get Bible story retellings like The Giant Leaf. The Giant Leaf is a story based on Noah's Ark but told from the animals' perspective. The world is becoming a dangerous place and Kendu, the fox, dreams of freedom, but his dreams always involve something that resembles a giant leaf that he can't make sense of. Then, there's the whispers about the giant Animal Eater and the many animals who are disappearing. It's enough to make any animal very afraid, but not all is as Kendu thinks it is. Someone is orchestrating a plan of rescue, and they have Kendu and the other animals personally in mind. The Giant Leaf is a story of friendship, courage, and ultimately salvation. This is definitely a very unique version of the Noah's Ark story. It might take a little pondering to really understand the storyline and the beauty of it. However, the illustrations are absolutely marvelous! I don't know quite how to describe them except to say that they are very rich with a Disney-type element to them. They are delightfully eye catching. I will include a sample in the comments!

THIS PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank Peretti Once upon a time a little boy was born to a Canadian pastor and his wife. Born with a noticeable deformity called cystic hygroma, the boy's tongue was very enlarged and tumorous in appearance. Black and bleeding it protruded out of his mouth, and despite multiple surgeries, the boy remained very small in size and became the recipient of endless bullying when he entered school. Gym class especially became an open invitation of nonstop harassment and physical torment for him. In those days there were no other options but to go to school, and the repeated useless chant of "just try and ignore the bullies" led to a beaten down existence. The boy fell in love with the idea of monsters. The often misshapen, misunderstood creatures that would rise up and overpower their enemies. He would dream of being able to perform similar feats. This went on through high school. Finally, everything came to a head. The boy, now a young man, ran into one of his tormentors in the store when he was trying to buy deodorant. The bully grabbed the spray deodorant and unloaded it directly in his face. Stumbling out the front door, the young man collapsed on the sidewalk and cried out to God. He begged for mercy. He just "couldn't take it anymore." The next day at school, he walked into his gym class and for the first time a teacher really looked at him, and asked if he was alright. The young man realized a door had been opened to him, and he later sat down and wrote out everything that he had experienced at the hands of the bullies. That day was a turning point in the young man's life. He was removed from gym class, given some new opportunities that allowed him to flourish. Of course, I'm sharing the early life of author Frank Peretti, and as I write this, I somewhat feel like I am writing a modern day version of Joseph. He didn't suffer as a result of his family, but an innocent young man received about every hardship possible. God had a plan for Frank Peretti, and it centered around his writing ability. He became known as the "father of Christian fiction in the modern era" as his writing ushered in an entirely new genre. His genre? Christian thriller. Taking his experience of good overcoming evil and adding the spiritual battles that ensue behind the scenes, Peretti writes from a depth that few can claim. Want to know more about his story? Check out The Wounded Spirit, one of the most powerful biographies written for teens in my opinion. Buckle your seatbelts! We're about to pull back the curtain and view worldly events from a different realm - a spiritual one!

THIS PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank Peretti Before we really step into the discussion of this new book, I feel that it's important to take a few minutes and think about spiritual warfare and what we know about it. Coming from a Biblical Worldview, I believe in the existence of a spiritual realm. I believe in the Trinity - God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. I believe in the existence of created spiritual beings - angels, Lucifer/Satan, and demons. I believe Satan is on the prowl in this world like a lion "seeking those whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8) It's easy to think of spiritual warfare as some tribal group somewhere in the world under the influence of a "witch doctor," but I fully believe that spiritual warfare is alive and well right here in the US. (Eph. 2:2) One glimpse we really get of the interaction between angels and demons in the Bible is Daniel 10:10-14. Fascinating. One of the last things I'll mention here is the fall of Lucifer and the demons. You can read about it in Rev. 12:7-9 and Isaiah 14:12-17. I live outside Small Town, USA. It could easily be Ashton. Our small town has a yearly county fair in the fall. I can almost hear the sounds and smell the smells that Peretti describes emitting from the celebration. It appears wholesome, idyllic, but picturesque can be oh so deceiving, can't it? I think Peretti wants us to feel that connection, because the reality is what's going on in Ashton could be Anywhere, USA. I love Peretti's descriptions: the richness of his word choice, the images he vividly paints for us. We can see the angels, the demons, the town, the people. It's as if we have stepped right into the pages of the book and are viewing it all first hand. The last thing I'm going to cover is the tenseness of relationships. The pressure is already building right out of the gate in several areas: Bernice's arrest and the denial of Brummel seeing her, Pastor Busche and some of his parishioners, Marshall and Brummel, Marshall and his daughter Sandy, the confrontation between the professor and Marshall. Already we can feel strong lines being drawn, but we don't know the why, and in the midst of it all, spiritual beings are appearing and affecting outcomes. Okay, I just left a basketball game, so I've got basketball metaphors on the brain! The ball is in your court. Grab it and go. Expand on what I've started, or comment on what stuck out to you!

THIS PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank Peretti Whew!! Our plot is starting to thicken! As always, there is so much in these chapters, so I'll hit on a few things and then pass it over to you for your thoughts! By the way, I thought the discussion thread that took off last week was fantastic! Starting off, I really enjoyed seeing the interaction between the angels and then later the demons. As I finished up the demon section, I definitely felt as if I had stepped a bit into Screwtape Letters. Anybody else feel that? The demons discussion  of where to attack, the fact that they are named, the hierarchy (the arrival of Rafar and establishment of his authority)- you get the drift. Back to the angels a moment though. I loved the history that some of these beings have together. I found myself fascinated by the idea of the beauty of different races within the angelic ranks (obviously pure speculation). Prayer directly affects their abilities. The mention of the remnant - those words give us hope when it feels as if we are the only ones left. God reminds us constantly of it in His word. (Isaiah 1:9, Jeremiah 23:3-8) I googled it and the word remnant is used over 90 times in the Bible. God always preserves a group of the faithful. Chapter 6 opens with a stereotypical setting, a dark and stormy night. Immediately, we know something is up. We all recognize what happens on these types of nights. The intense nightmares, the felt presence, the vocalization of the demons, the disappearance of Sandy all lead to building a night of terror for Hank and Marshall. Peretti gives us two different reactions and outcomes of the encounters. While both men and their wives are clearly troubled by the attacks, Busche recognizes what is going on and calls on the name of Jesus. Marshall ends up scared and agreeing to go talk to Pastor Young. 40 demons were plaguing him. As I read this, my mind drifted to the story in the Bible of the possessed man among the tombs ( Mark 5). When asked what his name was he replied, "Legion, for we are many." Ever meet anyone who claimed to have an encounter with a demon in today's world? I'm going to pick up the speed - Marshall's encounter with Pastor Young. Scripture warns us of "wolves in sheep's clothing." (Matt. 7:15) I hope we all know to test the words of ANY person against the authority of Scripture. I'm not going to go too far off the beaten path here, but we have a lot of wolves in pulpits in the Christian community. We have a lot of people who are more concerned about the message of the world than the message of God. The powers of evil don't have to worry about churches and congregations that operate under that mindset. I'm sure there will be a lot more to come on this topic. Now, it's your turn. Anything really striking you and causing yo to stop and ponder out of these chapters? Tell us about it! Last thoughts - Sandy's question of why can't her dad just love her for what she is? I think we all know as parents that sometimes "love" is one hundred percent the act of trying to help our children move away from the danger they are in. Langstrat and Brummel's relationship - it's clear Langstrat is pulling the strings, but who are "The Masters" and what is "The Plan" for the sleepy town of Ashton?

THIS PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank Peretti Wow, we are really starting to move in the story now. Already we're starting to see some interesting twists and turns emerge. There is so much to ponder in these chapters. I'm going to just tackle a couple of areas, because I'd really like to hear about what's causing you to stop and think. Right at the start I loved the picture of Marshall and Kate setting a place for Sandy at the table in hopeful anticipation that she would come home. The importance and commitment to family is evident despite the messiness.. Didn't Shawn seem like such a likable guy? Is God in everything or do we see His handiwork in everything? Deception moves in many ways, doesn't it? Speaking of Deception I want to focus on that for a moment. What a striking thought that Complacency doesn't even have a place in the ranks of evil. He messed things up, so he's gone and Deception is on the move. I found the conversations that Hank and Marshall had with their predecessors very interesting. There is an agenda, a power behind this town, and anything that gets in its way is bulldozed under. How interesting the enemies attacks are focusing on the family. Our families are powerful motivators for us, aren't they? Didn't you love the story that Edith Duster shared? Do you know an Edith in your life? The faithful, prayer warrior matrons that storm Heaven's gates? The ones that see the angels and feel their movement. Women who have experienced difficulties in their lives, they've seen spiritual warfare, they've been around the block a few times. You know who comes to my mind? Anna from the Bible that waited in the Temple for a glimpse of the Messiah. Have you ever really thought about her story? She knew tragedy, and she waited for her Lord. She dedicated her life to Him. That's Edith. Last thing, Bernice's sister, Pat. How can we not feel Bernice's pain - the wonder about what really happened, the rejection of the explanation, the dedication to ferreting the truth out? A pawn, used up and dumped. The stark realization of what we really mean to the enemy and what we really mean to God. You're turn.