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WHISTLER by Ann Patchett YELLOW LIGHT WITH HEAVY CAUTION AGE: ADULT When your friend says that she just read a book, and she really wants someone to talk to about it, you go out for tea (I'm not a coffee drinker), go to the bookstore and buy the book, and read it in two days so you can discuss it with her. Hence, how I ended up with Whistler. Now, before I really dive into this book review, I need to state something. This book is not really about a horse. In my friend's case, she was expecting the story to revolve around something "horse-ish," and that's not the main focus of this story. However, there is a pivotal part of the book where a horse shows up in a story told that becomes a bit of a metaphor for the main situation happening. Daphne Fuller is a middle aged woman enjoying the day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with her significantly older husband, when her husband notices an older man staring continually at Daphne. A little bit alarmed at the situation, but not completely put off by it because for some strange reason Daphne tends to attract older men, they move to a different section of the museum only to be followed. They move again and are followed again. Finally, Daphne's husband, Jonathan, approaches the older man and speaks to him only to find out that many years ago he was Daphne's stepfather, Eddie, for one very significant year of her life, and then disappeared without an explanation. They haven't seen each other in a very long time which is why she fails to recognize him. This book ultimately is the story of Daphne and Eddie reuniting and understanding what happened many years ago that caused Eddie to leave. SPOILER ALERT- Eddie's leaving has to do with circumstances that surround a car accident involving him and Daphne at a raspberry farm one night. We find out that Eddie and Daphne's mom rescue each other out of difficult life circumstances - Daphne's father left, so her mother is by herself raising two daughters (Daphne has a sister), and Eddie is gay. After having a relationship with his roommate at Yale for the entirety of their college time, Eddie and his roommate make an agreement that once college is over, they will both marry and have a traditional family. Eddie's partner does this right away. Eddie does not. Rebounding, Daphne's mother finds out that Eddie is gay and says she will marry him if he exits the gay lifestyle. He agrees to this and is able to for a while. The night of the accident, however, sends everything in a tailspin when his partner shows up at the hospital, and Daphne's mother walks in on them in a lover's embrace. She divorces him and moves on to someone else. Daphne is never accepted fully into the life of her next stepfather. He and her mother eventually have two sons and she finds herself on the fringe of the new family. The whole situation leaves an unanswered hole in her life until Eddie follows her around at the museum, they are reunited, and the "why" questions are finally answered. Where does the horse show up? The horse shows up in a story that Eddie tells Daphne as they wait to be found while trapped in their car after the crash. It is freezing outside, and they both run the risk of dying. Whistler, the horse. was very faithful to its owner, and ends up saving her In a round about way that would take a lot of explaining, Whistler takes on a loose metaphorical representation of Daphne who ends up saving Eddie in more than one way. HEADS UP - Language - There is approx 3 curse words in the book including two G**D***s Sex - There is mention of heterosexual relationships both in and outside of marriage. Very little intimate detail. A decent amount of the plot revolves around a homosexual relationship that is attempted to be given up but is unsuccessful. Not much intimate detail is given. Religion - There is an attempt to create a legacy of immortality at the end of the story. The mention of Tibetan Buddhism is mentioned.

ESCAPE FROM MONTICELLO by Steven K. Smith GREEN LIGHT with Caution AGES: 4TH - 8TH GRADE You'll have to forgive the fact that I'm reviewing Book 8 in The Virginia Mysteries series. I would have happily reviewed Book 1, but my daughter found this book while we were touring Monticello, and they didn't have the rest of the series, so Book 8 it is! Before diving into the book itself, I want to spend a minute talking about the series. The series consists of 12 books based on true historical places located in Virginia, with a bit of history inserted into the story, tied up with a great bow of mystery to draw readers in. Historical sites included in the series are: Jamestown, Mount Vernon, St. John's Church, Belle Island, and many more. It's actually a brilliant way to get kids to learn about history and historical places. Escape From Monticello is a fast-paced, engaging read following Sam, Derek, and Caitlin who stumble on a journal from Thomas Jefferson's granddaughters in an old box of books. Reading through the journal, they are beyond excited to learn it mentions a hidden treasure. Beginning to work their way through the journal to uncover the location, everything comes to a screeching halt when the journal is stolen. Now, they have two mysteries to solve, hopefully, before someone else finds the treasure. It's going to take some serious legwork as they travel between Monticello. the University of Virginia, and Jefferson's private retreat, Poplar Forest, trying to figure it all out. The clock is ticking and every step that brings them closer to the answer also brings them a step closer to serious danger. The books does reference a situation that happened earlier in the series. It is possible to read this one and get an basic understanding of what happened, but it would be better to start the series from the beginning. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES - This would be a fun read aloud if your family is heading to Monticello! HEADS UP - -At one point the trio's lives are in danger for a moment. -They do lie to their parents about where they are going and who they are with which causes a serious complication for a moment. All comes out alright in the end.

PENDRAGON by Stephen R. Lawhead GREEN LIGHT AGES; 9TH GRADE - ADULT It's summer time which means I am catching up on a lot of the books that I gravitate towards (and not just what's popular or new). For me, that definitely includes Stephen R. Lawhead's The Pendragon Cycle series. Last summer I read the first 3 books in the series, and all truth be told, there was a twinge of disappointment when I had to set the series aside to focus on other books. I'm back at it having just completed Book 4. As soon as I cracked the book open, I was sucked back in and immediately remembered exactly why I love this series so much: the chivalry, the dedication, the sweat and blood for a righteous cause. In case you haven't guessed by this intro paragraph, this book is fast tracking itself right onto my SARAH'S FAVORITES BOOKLIST alongside its three predecessors. Pendragon continues with the story of King Arthur, but it focuses primarily on events in his life that earned him the valued name of Pendragon meaning "Chief Dragon." It portrays the greatest battles, decisions, valor, and honor that transformed him from "king" to rightly holding the highest level of respect in his people's eyes. What takes this series a step further than the average Arthurian story is that Lawhead includes the spreading of the Christian faith into the region and the influence it had. It's absolutely fantastic and the story telling is captivating. This series is perfect for high school through adult. HEADS UP - There is one place in the book where you know that Arthur and Gwenhwyvar (Guinevere) have been interrupted in their love making. They exit the tent adjusting their clothes, and that is all that is said about it.

THEO OF GOLDEN by Allen Levi I have to laugh as I sit down to write this. I don't have my book yet. It's on it's way and will hopefully be delivered later today. Over the weekend I was in Columbus and thought about swinging by the Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy, but I love supporting my local bookstore and knew that I was going there with a friend yesterday. So, I waited. Yesterday, my friend and I went in, and don't you know, they were all sold out. This book is really flying off the shelves! ( Tuck that in the back of your mind and ask yourself why that is at the end of the book.) Scramble time. I ordered a copy from Amazon, and then proceeded to read the sample on their website. Score! All is well! I finished my reading for today, and I just had to know a bit more about Allen Levi. A book as emotionally engaging as this one is typically has an author that has some real life skin-in-the-game experience, and this one does. I found out that Levi visited a coffee shop that has 92 portraits on the wall, and as he studied them, he began to think about what would happen if someone bought them and connected with the subjects of the portraits. Also, in an interview, he shared that Theo is based off of his younger brother, Gary, who passed away. He's got emotional skin in this game. Something very interesting about Theo of Golden is that Allen Levi self published it through Amazon in 2023. It has steadily grown in popularity and has been picked up by a major publishing house. So for all of you who self publish, share your work with others. You never know where it will take you. One of the first things I noticed about Theo is how his character is developed through the chapters. We're not given a lump sum description of him and then the story moves on. We're introduced to him slowly, and that really gives us the opportunity to treat him like a friend. Typically, when we meet people we learn a little bit about them, but it takes some time to really get to know them, and as we do, we decide if we like them or not. With each chapter that passes we are given another layer to the character of Theo, and it is an absolute delight to encounter each new layer. Think about all we learn about him. He sleeps well which suggests a person at peace with themself. He notices things. He prepares. His interests dictate his movements. He speaks 5 languages. He has imagination. His is fascinated by detail: lines and intricacy. He doesn't think about himself. He takes midday rests. He's 86-years-old. He's a widower and a father. He describes himself as a "toothless lion." Our story opens by telling us that it covers one year: from spring to spring. Immediately, when I hear that I think about new birth. It will be interesting to see if that holds true here. Theo's lived many places; Portugal, France, New York to name a few. He has a "riparian instinct." (Anyone look that up? I did. It means he has a desire to live near moving water.) We have this beautiful metaphor of Theo and a moving river along with a series of names of people that have been impacted by the movement of Theo. Theo leaves snowy New York and heads to Golden. Golden is based on Columbia, Georgia. He didn't just choose this place willy-nilly. He researched out the cobblestones, the ironworks, the cotton warehouses and the antebellum oaks. (Anyone look up antebellum? It means pre-war. The oaks are older than the Civil War.) He enters The Chalice coffee shop. Notice how people greet each other. We all yearn to live in such a place. Theo notices the 92 portraits on the wall, metaphorical windows. After all, the artist, Asher Glissen, tells each of their stories by the lines and details on their faces. Theo genuflects in front of each one.( Genuflects means to momentarily bend the knee to the ground and then stand back up almost in a state of reverence.) He is bothered that no one has purchased the portraits and decides to do something about that. He asks Shep about the portraits. Notice that when Shep responds he's interested in getting to know Theo before telling him about the artwork. Oh, if we would all take an extra moment and get to know people that we interact with instead of buzzing off to the next thing! I do have say that I am interested as to why Theo doesn't offer up much information about himself and why Shep doesn't really explain the reason for the name of the coffee shop. I have a feeling we may be stepping into some deep waters when we get that answered.. Theo chooses one of the portraits and purchases it with a plan in mind. Interestingly, it has a familiarity to it in the eyes of the young woman. A mystery for sure. He pens a letter to the young woman, Minnette Prentiss, telling her he wants to gift it to her and adds that he would be happy to visit with her if she would like. He chooses a beautiful, but public spot, in the daytime We have to ask ourselves how we would feel if we received such a letter.. There's no doubt that my response to a letter like that would be, "no way!" Allen Levi respects our modern inclination to distrust by giving us the interchange that happens between Minnette and her husband, Derrick. We also get peace knowing that Derrick does his due diligence by contacting the artist, Asher Glissen, who just happens to be Minnette's uncle. Did you notice that when the phone rings with Derrick's call, we're told that Asher answers the phone even though it wasn't the call he was waiting for? Little hooks that dig into us urging us on to try and uncover the meaning behind the words. As always, there's lots more we could talk about, but I'll leave room for your thoughts. I'll end with this. I was told by more than one person that this book starts slow but to" hang in there." I was hooked immediately. The complexity of Theo that makes me wonder about him, the beautiful descriptions that allow the story to play out on my mind's screen, and the questions that I am already waiting to be answered have absolutely locked me in. I can't wait to continue on! Regarding that - once I have my book, I'll post the reading schedule. Until then, have a great week, and I'll be back with you before you know it!

THE TERRIBLE TWO by Jory John and Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Kevin Cornell GREEN LIGHT with CAUTION AGES: 4TH - 7TH GRADE When your middle school age nephew offers you a book recommendation, you listen up and check it out. At least I did, and I have to say this was a very timely recommendation for me! Miles Murphy has just moved to Yawnee Valley (Don't you love the name of this place? Score for the authors!), and he's not happy about it. Yawnee is known for its cow population, and Miles couldn't care less about cows. That's not the least of his problems. He's got to make his place in a new school, and he decides the best way to accomplish this is by using his best skill ever: pranking people. He pulls out his notebook cataloging his best pranks ever and begins working his way through his guaranteed results list. The problem is that every time Miles sets a prank up, someone else in the school alters it and steals the thunder. Miles has never dealt with competition before. Does he throw in the towel and call it quits? Absolutely not! It's time to up the pranks and find out who he's really dealing with. I love that my nephew recommended this book to me on the tail of finishing Mac Barnett's nonfiction book on children's literature, Make Believe. I've read several of Barnett's picture books, but I think this may be my first chapter book by him, and it's interesting to see his thoughts and beliefs on children's literature in action. Don't expect The Terrible Two to bring deep meaning and philosophy to your child's life. This book is relatable to kids by focusing on tough experiences with peers and difficult school authorities. (In this case, the principal is out to get Miles from Day one.) Barnett definitely doesn't subscribe to the idea that books should be used for teaching moments all the time. Sometimes books should just be enjoyed for what they are. This is Book One in the Terrible Two series, and readers should start with this one. HEADS UP - Miles Murphy uses just about every possible way to prank people which does include lying. He has a quote he uses in a couple of places in the book, "I think sometimes it's OK to do something wrong if it helps you do something right." The interesting thing in this book is that Miles finds himself being blamed for a major prank against the principal that he didn't do and is punished for it. This results in creating the biggest prank ever.

DRAGON POST by Emma Yarlett Dragon Post is a tons of fun picture book that you'll find added to my SARAH'S FAVORITES BOOKLIST! Seriously, who can resist a book about a boy who discovers a dragon in his house? Can you even imagine? This ignites a whole series of questions that need answered because of it. What do you feed this guy? How about the fire risk? What does one do about his size? That's exactly where Alex finds himself! The good news is, he knows just who to write to to get his questions answered, and that's what makes this book doubly fun! There are five envelopes with the letters in them that kids get to pull out and read. Get ready for some laughs, some wonder, and yes, a tinge of sadness as it is impossible to keep a dragon in the house. (Don't worry, though. Everything turns out okay!) And maybe, don't be surprised if you're child starts looking for dragons in YOUR house. After all, you never know where and when you might find a friend like that!

WHERE'S WALDO? THE MIGHTY MAGICAL MIX-UP by Martin Handford I think it's pretty obvious that one of the things I enjoy in life is connecting people with books. Every once in a while, I like to set out a book somewhere and see if people will pick it up versus pulling out their phones. When I saw that there was a brand new Where's Waldo book, I thought this would be a fun one to take on our extended family vacation trip. This is the trip we do with my parents, my siblings, their spouses, and kids. The good, old-fashioned kind of 20 people living in a lakehouse together for a week. Early in the week, I got the book out and sat down to look thorugh the first pages of it. I was happily hunting and little by little the kids came over and joined me. I found everything except the key. I could not find that crazy thing anywhere, and I knew it was just hanging out somewhere in plain site! I told the kids I'd give 50 cents to the person who found it first. (I'm a big spender!) It was game on! Those kids hunted and within just a few minutes, my nephew found it. He showed it to me (yes, it was completely in plain site!), and I happily paid up. After that, I left the book in the living room for the kids to enjoy. Several times, I would walk in to find different groups of them pouring over the pages. It was such a beautiful site! I think Where's Waldo? belongs in the lineup of some of the greatest books ever. Why? They are patience builders, and that's a big thing in today's world. When I do a Where's Waldo book with my kids, we find every item! Some things we find quickly, others take a long time. Sometimes we move on to the next item on the list without having found the current one we were looking for, but you can bet as we are scouring for that next thing our eyes continue to look for the previous missing item. Sometimes we put the book down and come back to it with "fresh eyes" later. Often times when we do, the item we were looking for pops out pretty quickly, and we laugh at how we missed it. Is it necessary to find every item in the book? No! You might have kids that would burn out at that idea. The fact that they are still hunting is a win by itself. One more reason Where's Waldo? belongs in the lineup of greatest books ever is it's the perfect book to keep in the car with you for long waits. Pull it out at the doctor's office, restaurants, while siblings wait for a brother or sister to finish practices or lessons. Set your phone aside and join in the fun of the hunt! It's truly fantastic!! HEADS UP - This particular edition of Where's Waldo has to do with his friend Wizard Whitebeard who lost his wand and caused everything to "mix-up." If you don't want as much of a magic influence, there are books where you find the wizard, but they don't deal with any magic.

WENDY'S EVER AFTER by Julie Wright GREEN LIGHT AGES: 9TH GRADE and UP Hurray, hurray for squeaky clean YAs! For those of us that love the adventures and magic of Neverland and wonder about what happens to Wendy when she becomes of age and considers marriage, Julie Wright's book, Wendy's Ever After, answers that question. Wendy wants nothing to do with the suitors that pursue her constantly. The balls, the gorgeous flower arrangements that arrive (she wishes she could send a stalk of poison hemlock in return), the glitz and the glitter mean nothing to her, but her mother insists that it's time to secure her future.. How can any of this compare to where her heart really lies - in Neverland where adventures abound and with the spunky boy at the heart of it all, but he has forgotten her. He promised to visit, but she hasn't seen him in years. Then one night, at a masquerade ball, a handsome, masked stranger appears that immediately captures her attention. When he whispers words about Neverland in her ear Wendy knows that at least one more great adventure awaits her, and the possibility of love might just be a reality. Not everything is as straightforward as it seems in Wendy's Ever After. There are some great twists and turns that will leave readers guessing as to the final outcome of the story. Highly recommend! HEADS UP - There is light magic in the story. A character thanks a flower in passing for its healing quality.

ALL WE THOUGHT WE KNEW by Michelle Shocklee GREEN LIGHT AGES: 9TH GRADE - ADULT All We Thought We Knew is the squeaky clean, 2025 Christy Award Winner for Historical Fiction that does what feels like is the impossible. It brings together the unlikely worlds of the Vietnam War and World War II's Pearl Harbor. Both theaters inflicted loss that affected families in astronomical ways with significant lasting impact. The silver lining of this moving story is that God never leaves nor forsakes us and healing occurs when we choose to forgive. This heart warming story will leave you wondering how it's all going to connect until the very last minute

30 POEMS TO MEMORIZE (BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!) Edited by David Kern AGES; 9TH GRADE - ADULT I have a love/not so much love relationship for poetry. Sounds complicated, doesn't it? There are times that I enjoy reading it: crisp fall days while staring at "two roads'" that "diverge in a wood," or watching my "woods fill up with snow," etc, but the truth is, poetry can very quickly become frustrating to read and understand. Not always, but often, poetry is born out of a moment that moves the writer's soul, and words gush out that embrace or lament those moments. It can quickly become a turnoff if you really have no idea what the author is talking about. Enter 30 Poems to Memorize. This book is a collection of beautiful works of poetry from a variety of poets. Some poems you may recognize. Some poet's names you'll recognize. What makes this collection so valuable is the essay that follows each poem that helps us, the amateur poetry enthusiast or the mom who desperately wants to add poetry to her homeschool lineup but has no idea where to begin, unlock the meaning behind the words. Whether you choose to memorize the poems or just savor them, this book is a tool that will help you leave the table with some true understanding in what you've just read. Some of the poets included are: Wendell Berry, T.S. Eliot, Robert Frost, Emily Dickenson, William Shakespeare, Homer, Langston Hughes, John Keats, Wallace Stevens, and many more.

LOST by Tom Adams. Illustrated by Daniela Martin Del Campo. GREEN LIGHT AGES: 5TH - 8TH GRADE Kids love the idea of buried treasure, Egyptian tombs still hidden under desert sands, and stolen priceless artwork waiting to be found. It's the grueling pursuit, the moment of discovery, and forever having your name tied to something great that causes minds and eyes to light up with the possibilities. DK offers kids an overflowing buffet to ponder and wonder about in Lost . Everything from places to people to art to treasure and more is covered in this great book. This is the type of book you could get at the library or bookstore and hand to your kids, or you could set it out somewhere in plain sight, stand back, and see if they naturally pick it up. It's black cover with bright yellow and green coloring draws immediate attention. Don't be surprised if you start hearing all kinds of really cool stories. I know that I was hooked and had a hard time putting this book down! HEADS UP - Periodic evolutionary dating occurs.

THE HAPPY HOLLISTERS ON A RIVER TRIP by Jerry West GREEN LIGHT AGES; K - 6TH Grade as a Read Aloud 3rd - 6th Grade read by myself I recently returned from a family vacation on Lake Anna in Virginia. How fun it was to read The Happy Hollisters on a River Trip in the hot weather while overlooking the water! This book is perfect for elementary age kids who love a good mystery. Similar to The Bobbsey Twins or a step before Nancy Drew/The Hardy Boys, this series is packed with pictures, good wholesome family values, and a mystery to boot. The Happy Hollisters on a River Cruise is a perfect summer read either as a read aloud or on your child's own to enjoy. Full of fishing competitions, disappearances, and a family trip down the river, summer adventures don't get much better!