THE CURSE OF PIETRO HOUDINI by Derek B. Miller All truth be told, last time I went to the bookstore I bought two books based on their covers. Oh I flipped the books over and read the synopsis, but it was the covers that really got me. This was one of them. Hang tight with me with what I am going to say next. It is a WWII book (I know. The book industry is saturated with WWII reads) , but it's not your typical WWII read. This one is set in Italy and deals with an art heist. Miller's writing is breathtakingly beautiful. His characters are rich with personality. The war causes a very unique group of individuals to be thrust together at a Benedictine Abbey that sits atop Montecassino. These individuals have had to take on other identities or become shadows of the people they were in order to survive the horrors of the war. Located inside the Abbey is an unbelievable amount of amassed art including paintings, music, and literature. When word reaches the Abbey that the Germans are coming to take the collection, a plan is orchestrated to smuggle out three of the paintings. This story takes place in 1943, so this small band finds themselves in the struggle between the Germans and the Americans. While they know that the Americans are liberating them, they wrestle with the destruction that is left in the wake of that liberation. There is also a very real problem with the Moroccan forces that are supposedly on the Allies' side as well. (We'll talk about that more in a moment.) This book is a journey that will try each of the characters to the absolute extreme. Be prepared for some unexpected twists. HEADS UP- SPOILER ALERT . Overall, this book is very light on profanities. There was one spot where one of the main characters is captured by the Germans and they use the F word three times. It doesn't appear after that. One woman owns a small restaurant that the Germans are frequenting. No info is given, but you know that the officers are raping her. There is one very short but somewhat graphic sexual scene. It would be possible to skip over. The last thing is when the Moroccans come. They are brutal including one soldier preparing to rape one of the men in the group. Both men are naked. The act does not happen, and the scene is over very quickly. Some would rate this book as a yellow light. Some would rate it as a red light. I'm going to go with a yellow with CAUTION, because the book's intended audience is adults and the scenes are few and skipable despite being a bit graphic.

THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR by Eric Carle We cannot pass by Eric Carle's birthday without adding his wonderful book The Very Hungry Caterpillar to our post collection. Carle's delightful caterpillar story introduces children to the metamorphosis process and the days of the week in such a fun way that kids don't even realize it's happening. They're too busy following the greedy little guy as he munches on his food in preparation for his miraculous change. Be forewarned that The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a gateway book to Eric Carle Bookland in which you may never return. Illustrating seventy books and authoring most of them, Carle's books are gems of stories wrapped around some type of information that kids don't even realize they're consuming. Let's talk about Carle's recognizable artwork. Created by lots of painted, textured papers cut and collaged together into such enjoyable illustrations, you can recognize a Carle book in an instant. Typically brightly colored and very engaging, taking an extra moment to study the pictures is well worth the time. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES - Love butterflies? This is a perfect opportunity to take a look at some close up! My kids used to spend summer days with butterfly nets in hand chasing down these winged wonders. Plant flowers in your yard that butterflies enjoy such the butterfly bush, coneflowers, hollyhocks, cosmos, zinneas, etc. They tend to be attracted to bright colors. Don't have the room? Try setting out fruit in sunny areas. Sliced oranges, melons, rotting bananas, etc are favorites. Track down milkweed and carefully watch the process of the monarch butterfly. Be very respectful not to knock eggs or caterpillars off the plants. Be aware not to trample the plants. Monarchs and milkweed are disappearing, and there is a movement to increase their numbers. Need butterfly book resources? I share a few of our favorites in another post. Just type "butterfly" in the search bar and it will pull up! Happy hunting!

THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander We are a basketball loving family. All my kids play, so when my daughter, Lauren, slipped me this book and told me to read it, it went to the top of my pile. Written in free verse, but don't let that deter you because the story shines through, THE CROSSOVER is told from the point of view of baller Josh Bell. The Bell family lives and breathes basketball through Josh, his twin brother, Jordan, and their dad, who went pro for a short time. Life revolves around the game until Jordan meets a girl and their Dad starts experiencing health issues. Left to muddle through the emotions of feeling lost without his twin and answering how important basketball really is in the grand scheme of things, this is what we call a coming of age book. HEADS UP- Super minor here, but there is a reference or two to noticing girls' bodies.

TALES FROM MAPLE RIDGE by Grace Gilmore. Illustrated by Petra Brown. This great series set in Illinois in 1892 following the adventures of a boy named Logan Pryce is a family favorite. We discovered this set when my son was launching out into reading on his own. It was one that each time we traveled to the bookstore, he picked up the next book. He loved the stories of Logan having adventures with his friends and working in his Fix-it Shop. Not long after, my youngest daughter found it on the shelves. She quickly moved all the books down to her room where she had easy access to them. The pages are filled with delightful black and white illustrations that bring the stories to life. Highly recommend!

THRONE OF GLASS by Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass is book one in the Throne of Glass series and follows assassin Calaena Sardothien's attempt to become the King's Champion in a competition.  Imprisoned as a slave in the Salt Mines of Endovier, winning the competition would mean winning her freedom and never returning to the prison that would most likely claim her life. But Calaena is in a struggle. This king is ruthless and responsible for the deaths of many innocent people. The only way she could serve him is to keep her mind on the ultimate prize of freedom, but first she must win. Competing with 23 other criminals and soldiers, Calaena is surviving the tests and slowly gaining ground. Then someone or something starts killing off the contestants one by one, and these killings don't appear to be committed by a human hand. The state of the bodies suggest something more animalistic in nature. When rune type signs are found around the bodies the question of ritualistic killings is considered. Calaena isn't just a warrior, she's a woman and a beautiful one at that. Now the Crown Prince and the Captain of the Guard are both paying attention to her and things continue to become more and more complicated. Calaena needs to figure out who she can trust, who is killing the competitors, and win the competition before it's too late. HEADS UP- While this is a "cleaner" YA book there are still some things to be aware of. There is a light sprinkling of language. The Crown Prince is known for his womanizing. References are made that allude to the idea that he has bedded several maidens in the past. There is magic involved. The king has banned the use of magic, but it is clear with what is happening that something unearthly is being used in these killings. There is also goddess worship mentioned that I find mimics Christianity. The goddess has a son and everyone partakes in a holiday known as Yulemas. While perusing the next volumes in the series I have discovered they are spicy with sexual content, so unfortunately this is as far as I'll go in the series.

RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI by Rudyard Kipling. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney I loved reading this book to my kids when they were younger. Any day was a great day to read it, but the hot, dry days of summer took us to India where cobras slithered through gardens and a brave mongoose battled for the life of a little boy against these poisonous foes. Such is the story of Kipling's RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI. Part of the collection of stories in The Jungle Book, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is set during the days of British colonization of India. (Think of the beginning of The Secret Garden.) Once upon a time in history, John Wilson was known to have said, "The sun never sets on the British Empire," and that is how we come to meet a young boy named Teddy that befriends a mongoose. Named from the war cry that he gives when he attacks snakes, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a fierce fighter that proves his devotion to Teddy multiple times. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES - There are so many fun things you can do with this book. First find India on the map. Learn a little bit about British colonization. How about a snake study? Start specifically with cobras and kraits, the two snakes mentioned in this book. You can also learn a lot about mongooses, tailorbirds (Darzee), and muskrats(Chuchundra). Maybe eat some melon while you read the book in honor of where Rikki-Tikki-Tavi finds Nagina's eggs (in the melon patch).

THE CROSS AND THE SWITCHBLADE by David Wilkerson Sometimes we don't know the lasting impact a book will have on our children. I'm holding the evidence of that in my hands right now. My oldest daughter, Claire, leaves for Costa Rica Saturday for 2 months on a mission trip. What is her mission? I'll answer that in a moment. Claire is in her second year of a master's program at a dramatic art school in South Carolina. One of her projects this year was to write a play based on a book that she will direct on their stage next year. She chose the Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson. If you aren't familiar with the book, it is the true story of a small town pastor called to New York City to work with the gangs. He was way out of his comfort zone, sometimes wondering why God called him from his comfortable little community to a highly dangerous situation. An opportunity arose for Claire to travel to Costa Rica to work with kids who have come out of the gang life. While they may not personally know the story of the Cross and the Switchblade, they have lived it. This summer Claire will be working with these teens, directing them to perform the play to hopefully reach others who are still in the gangs. Today I held in my hand the translated Spanish script, and I have to tell you I am in awe. HEADS UP - As this book deals with gangs, there are references to drug use, prostitution, alcohol, fighting, and sex. There is a YA version and an Adult version.

DEVOTIONALS FOR YOUNGSTERS After posting about The Storm That Stopped, one of our members asked about devotionals for toddlers. I went upstairs and pulled a few of the ones we read multiple times to the kids when they were little. I hope all of these are still available out there somewhere whether new or used, because they are gems! Good Night Hugs From God is such a fun read! I have no idea how many times I read it to the kids. To us it was called Little Gray Lamb, because the genius of this story is that it follows the Shepherd searching for his lost lamb (Little Gray Lamb) through many of Jesus' parables. They meet the Prodigal Son, The Wiseman and the Foolish Man, The Woman with the Lost Coin, and others. This is a fantastic read! Kenneth Taylor's Good News for Little People (Stories About Jesus), Big Thoughts for Little People (ABCS to help you grow), and Giant Steps for Little People (Sermon on the Mount and the Ten Commandments). These are simple little stories packed with truth with super sweet illustrations. And guess what? Hidden in the pictures are ladybugs for the kids to find. We read loads of Bible story books. One of them was The Beginner's Bible. Filled with some of the well known Bible stories, this book uses simple text to reach young hearts.

FOR THE LOVE OF HORSES by Amber H, Massey For those of us who know horses (or in my case are learning about horses) they have an uncanny ability to bring about the teaching of many life lessons. Some of those lessons are beautiful, and some of those lessons are really difficult. Endurance rider, Amber Massey, takes us along on her journey of purchasing her dream horse, an Arabian named Marquise, and the adventures of life they experience together. Through the mountaintops and the valleys she shares her stories and what God teaches her in the process. This book is not a heavy read. It's light with great reflection.

THE STORM THAT STOPPED by Alison Mitchell. Illustrated by Catalina Echeverri. As I sit in the car waiting for basketball practice to finish up, there's a storm rolling in. The thunder is echoing across the hill, and periodically the lightning flashes across the sky. Slowly, the raindrops start to splatter onto the windshield, and I read through the picture book The Storm that Stopped. I couldn't ask for a more perfect setting to enjoy this book. This wonderful picture book deals with two very important topics. The first, who Jesus is and the second, His love and care for us. These are two powerful topics to share with our children. Who is Jesus? He is God, all powerful, the Creator of the wind, the waves, and the rain. Does he truly care for us? Absolutely. In fact so much so, that he calmed the storm and quieted the fears of his disciples. Everyone of us will face storms in life. This is a powerful read that helps us know that when we do, we are not alone.

THE BALTER OF ASHTON HARPER by Millie Florence Sometimes in our lives, while pursuing our dreams or attempting to help someone out, everything goes wrong. Sometimes, when that occurs, we stop hoping and dreaming, desiring to play it "safe." That's where Ashton Harper finds himself in The Balter of Ashton Harper. Ashton and his sisters are known for their piano playing and ballroom dancing. When an opportunity arises for them to win a scholarship at the prestigious Overmorrow Academy, the girls jump for it, but Ashton isn't so sure. After all, someone else could easily win the scholarship, and if they did, would going through the heartache of losing really be worth it? This is a great read for middle graders that enjoy Jane Austen type Regency Era books. HEADS UP- Just a tiny one. There is a small amount of magic in the book. Located in some ruins is an area that helps you remember the past and emotions associated with the memories.

DUEL by Jessixa Bagley. Illustrated by Aaron Bagley You wouldn't think that Lucy and Gigi are each other's worst enemies. After all, they're sisters. But, ever since their Dad passed away, and in all truthfulness, even a bit before that, their competitive nature got in the way of their sisterhood, especially when it came to fencing. I'm not talking about wooden slats that enclose animals. I'm talking about rapiers and en garde. Since, she's older, Gigi has the advantage of more lessons from their instructor, their Dad. Oh, but don't count out Lucy just yet. Early on she showed a lot of natural ability. Then Dad died. Now both are in middle school, Lucy in 6th grade and Gigi in 8th grade, and finally something so catastrophic happens between them that Lucy challenges Gigi to a duel and the whole school knows about it. But what if the two of them having been missing out on the greatest possibility of friendship ever with this crazy duel? HEADS UP- There are a couple of issues to be aware of. First is the use of OMG and Oh my G** several times. The second is that a couple of times in the book the girls tell each other that they hate each other. If you decide to read the book, hang tight to the end, because the relationship will right itself.