RAISING A STRONG DAUGHTER IN A TOXIC CULTURE: 11 STEPS TO KEEP HER HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND SAFE by Meg Meeker, M.D. Well, it's time to wrap this great read up, and as I close the book I find myself in an interesting place in life.I'm straddling both sides of the fence as far as launched kids and kids at home. Three of mine are launched or in the process of being launched, and two are still at home. The story of the sister-in-law that had cancer was such an eye opening and moving one. One of the main goals from day one of our children's lives is to work ourselves out of the job of parenthood. Yes, we as parents are still here for our kids. (At 49-years-of-age I periodically still call my parents for advice on things.) But cutting the strings is necessary. We all know people with adult kids that have had their wings clipped. We know what that picture looks like. They're essentially nothing but a caged bird staring at life through the bars of one of a million created prisons. They have no life, ambition, faith, goals, dreams, courage, etc. It's heartbreaking to see., because it's unnatural. Standing back and letting your child endure hardships is one of the toughest things ever. When friends betray them, people mistreat them, commitments don't pan out to what they thought they were going to be, it isn't easy. You pray alongside them. You encourage them to stick it out where that needs to happen, and sometimes you cut bait and fish in a different hole. We've had to do that a time or two. But we don't let them become a victim. There's too many opportunities in life, and God has a calling on each one of our lives with a purpose. Parents, we must be faithful at helping our kids become what they were designed to be. If we don't, we cripple them for a lifetime. It's been wonderful going through this book with you! I hope that it has both strengthened and challenged you in how you approach your daughters! Next up, TEATIME DISCIPLESHIP. First post goes up next Thursday! I hope you plan on joining in! It's going to be another great read with true application for our lives!

THE SHADOW THRONE (BOOK 3 OF THE ASCENDANCE SERIES) by Jennifer A. Nielsen This series seriously rocks! Jennifer A. Nielsen continues to bring us the best type of reads in the Ascendance Series that are full of adventure, love, friendship, honor, castles, kingdoms, and pirates but squeaky clean! I cannot ask for better! In Book 3, The Shadow Throne, Carthya is under attack. King Jaron has his troops spread far and wide trying to protect the kingdom. Just when things couldn't possibly get worse, King Vargan captures Imogen. With everyone else gone, Jaron knows it's up to him to mount a rescue that may cost him everything. But that's the kind of king he is. The kind that won't run from danger. The kind that will risk it all when what is right and what he loves are at stake. Highly recommend!!

AND THEN THERE WERE NONE by Agatha Christie I just completed Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None with my high school lit group. I love how this brilliantly written murder mystery keeps everyone guessing until the big reveal. There is a reason Agatha Christie has been crowned the Queen of Mystery, and this book is one of them! Ten invitations have gone out to ten different people inviting them to a weekend at the solitary, yet well known, Soldier Island. Expecting a weekend of relaxation and fun, the mood shifts dramatically when the first person dies. Surely it was just an accident. Even if one of the ten soldier figurines has disappeared from the middle of the dining room table, and the death matches the first line of the poem about 10 Little Soldiers posted in everyone's rooms, right? When a second person dies and the whole routine happens again, it's painstakingly obvious that a killer is somewhere on the island and is eliminating people one by one. Why? What's the connection? These ten people have never laid eyes on each other before, and they come from all different walks of life. What is the string that ties them all together? That's what they're desperately trying to figure out...before they all die. This fantastic read is full of unexpected twists and turns, and the motive behind it all,,,,well, I guess it's one to die for. HEADS UP- There is some language. The general periodically adds in d*** when he speaks. Obviously, murder is at the heart of this story. The murders are not gory in detail, but it is an intense read.

SQUASH & PUMPKIN by G. G. McQueen. Illustrated by Michael Slack Pumpkin and Squash are the best of friends. That is until fall comes around, and Pumpkin becomes the superstar of the season! Then, Squash tends to feel a bit jealous and maybe just a tad left out. However, this year Squash determines she'll be right up there in the limelight with Pumpkin stealing the fall show. But what if being famous isn't everything it's cracked up to be? This great picture book has some super great messages baked right in the heart of it all! First, it's good to be you and not someone else! Second, when friends work together, they can accomplish great things! This is a fun fall book worth checking out!

THE RUNAWAY KING (BOOK 2 OF THE ASCENDANCE SERIES) by Jennifer A. Nielsen SPOILER ALERT - IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK 1, YOU MAY WANT TO SKIP READING THIS AS TGERE ARE SONE GIVEAWAYS Now that Sage has been crowned King of Carthya, and it is proven that he is the real Jaron, it's time to settle in and bring order to the Kingdom again. When an unexpected attempt on his life occurs, it's clear that not all situations have been resolved. His regents determine, against his will, that it's best for him to go into hiding, but while he's away someone will be ruling in his place and that someone may not be willing to give up the throne if and when Jaron returns. Meanwhile, Jaron must determine who wants him out of the picture permanently. His journey leads him to the heart of a pirates' lair. While there, he establishes just how far he is willing to go for his kingdom and just how important trustworthy friends are. This series is fantastic. High action. Engaging story. Good plot twists. Squeaky clean! Couldn't ask for better!

TOO MANY PUMPKINS by Linda White. Illustrated Megan Lloyd. It's time to start loading you up on fall books! This one is especially sweet! Rebecca Estelle detests pumpkins. As a child, she grew up in a poor family and for one month everything the family ate was pumpkins. Now, she promises herself she will never grow or eat pumpkins again. When one falls off a truck and breaks open in her front yard, she attempts to dispose of it but is unable to get rid of it all. The pumpkins sprout, and Rebecca is faced with a decision: get rid of them or share them with her neighbors and change her perspective on pumpkins.

THE FALSE PRINCE (BOOK 1 OF THE ASCENDANCE SERIES) by Jennifer A. Nielsen Recently, while on my week off with my family, I read through Jennifer Nielsen's 5 book Ascendance Series. I had read the first 3 a few years ago when it was a trilogy, but recently, Nielsen added two more books. The two new ones sat in my closet, members of my monstrous TBR pile. Knowing that to really do the series justice I needed to start from the beginning, I dove in and didn't come up for air until it was done! This series is down right fantastic. Every one of the books will be heading to my TOP PICKS LIST as I review them for you in order over the next few days. Four boys have been secretly selected from different orphanages across the Kingdom of Carthya by one of the noblemen, Connor. Connor's plan isn't to give these boys a good home. Instead it is to try and pull off one of the greatest attempts in history to fool the people of the realm. He's going to attempt to convince the country that one of these boys is the presumed dead Prince Jaron coming to claim his throne. Connor has two weeks to whip these boys into shape, and it's plain to see that only the chosen one will survive, because dead boys tell no tales. This high action adventure is squeaky clean to read! Get ready for an ending that will wrap some of the story up, but leave you clamoring for the next book. Thank goodness, they're all out, so you can read it all the way to the end!

A DAY AT THE BEACH by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge A Day at the Beach is exactly what you would expect. Each "chapter" is dedicated to a different kid or teen and what's going on during their day visit to the beach and sometimes into their lives outside of the beach. The fun element of this is that usually different kids' paths cross as they interact with each other or with adults around them. Because of this, you deal with kids from all walks of life. For example, there's one family there whose dad is dealing with cancer. Formerly a very physically strong individual, he leans on his son to get into the water and ends up riding around on his son's back as he swims through the waves. Another follows the story of a kid who loses his brand new prototype I-phone his dad got him for losing weight (Dad works for the company.) The kid is in a panic hunting for it throughout the day. Others include a foster family, a rescued dog, girls meeting up with cute guys that turn out to be jerks, a famous popstar just wanting some time off, a wealthy girl interacting with a girl pulling food out of the trash can, a dad verbally abusing his child, a boy who loses his swim trunks and the girl he has a crush on helping him recover them, etc. Some of the stories are a lot of fun to read. Some deal with rough situations. You know... Just a typical day at the beach. HEADS UP- A few things to be aware of: -a smidgen of profanity, God's name used in vain a handful of times, and also a reference to "hooking up." No details given. -One family has recently gone through a divorce. Mom's new friend is a woman. -One story contains a negative view on faith and the church -Small evolution reference

THE HIDING PLACE: A GRAPHIC NOVEL by Corrie Ten Boom with Elizabeth and John Sherrill. Adapted by Mari DeMatteo. Illustrated by Ismael Castro. The Hiding Place. I can remember first watching the movie somewhere around 6th-7th grade. From there, I read the book. Like so many others, I was moved by the bravery, the commitment to conviction, and the power that one's faith can play in their life. To say this book has impacted my life would be an understatement, and while today, I am going to sing the praises of the graphic novel adaptation, reading the book in its entirety is still extremely valuable. The Ten Booms were a well respected family of watchmakers located in the heart of the Netherlands. Strong in their Christian faith, when the Germans invaded their country, they were appalled by the treatment of the Jewish people. Instead of standing by and watching the abuse, a secret room was constructed in their home and they became part of the underground movement to help Jewish people hide and ultimately escape from the horrors the Germans were inflicting on them. Eventually, the Ten Booms were discovered and the family was sent to the concentration camps. Several of them ended up losing their lives. The graphic adaptation does a marvelous job of sharing the highlights of The Hiding Place story. Readers are aware of the terrible times depicted, but the pictures are not gory making this a good fit for introducing what happened during WWII with the concentration camps to older kids. Be aware that while not gruesome, there is a good chance that this will spark deeper conversation about the horrible atrocities. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

RETURN TO SENDER by Vera Brosgol Return to Sender is a middle grade read that deals with the topic of not fitting in. Vera Brosgol confronts some hard issues, but she pairs it with some odd whimsy that for some kids may help break the toughness of the subject matter, and for others it may frustrate them to deal with in the middle of such seriousness. Oliver and his mom have moved around a lot since his dad passed away. For the first time in a long time, they finally have a place to settle down, and his mom has a steady job. She's taken the position of janitor at the exclusive private school close to them, and because of that, Oliver will now attend school there. The new school is a nightmare for Oliver. From his out of date clothing to his lack of the newest technological devices to the fact that he doesn't jet around the world on exclusive vacations, Oliver is seriously out of his depth. And, if the kids ever found out that his mom was the janitor, it would be complete social suicide. So, how does one compete with this world? Serious issues, right? Okay, the whimsy parts. I'm not going to cover or spill it all, but I'm going to share a bit. Inside the apartment that Oliver and his mom now share is a letter slot located in a wall. There is no backside of this letter slot to see where things may be going that are dropped in Through a series of events, Oliver discovers that he can write a wish and stick it into the slot. As a result, he will receive a paper with directions that seem strange, but will ultimately end up granting his wish. What he doesn't realize at first is that there is a price to pay for every wish that may not be affecting him directly, but still is happening somewhere in the world. Still good so far. The story finally hits a point where Oliver ends up on the other side of the slot where he finds SPOILER ALERT strange creatures that look borderline alienish handling all sorts of these requests from even other planets. A huge confrontation happens in this space that affects the rest of the story. There are several other little quarks that happen throughout the story, but you get the idea. Ultimately, Oliver learns some valuable lessons that will help him decide what is truly important in life HEADS UP- Oh my G** is used a handful of times. The one thing that took me a minute to get straight was that Oliver was the one with long hair (and looks a bit girlish), and his friend Colette is a girl who has short hair and looks a bit boyish. The story does mention in passing that sometimes when people see them they get mixed up as to whether they are a girl or boy, and that's all that is mentioned about the subject.

FORTS by Katie West. Illustrated by Kenard Pak Kids love forts. From built playhouses and treehouses to constructed hideaways of tree limbs in the woods or blankets in the living room, my kids spent (and still do) hours creating spaces they could call their own and defend to the last man standing. FORTS is a book lovingly written by Katie Venit about this childhood fascination. Coming in all shapes and sizes and constructed of every possible material known to men, forts are safe spaces, wild spaces, retreats, snug spaces, and dusty spaces. There are a million ways to describe and a million ways to construct these places that grow to have so much meaning in our lives, and the book Forts pays honor to them in the best of ways. About the illustrations - I have really grown to be a Kenard Pak fan! His beautiful illustrations are so worth the view time. He has this amazing ability to create gorgeous backgrounds of color and within those areas have eye-catching elements that pop off the page. With this technique, there is a movement that happens to the pictures that fits the movements in a child's world. It is an absolute delight to the eyes as you study the pages.

THE JUNGLE BOOK & JUST SO STORIES by Rudyard Kipling Rudyard Kipling. Isn't just saying his name tons of fun? As a child I loved The Jungle Book movie, the Just So Stories, and I was mesmerized by Rikki Tikki Tavi, the little mongoose who saved his family from Nag and Nagaina.The faraway adventures set in the climate of India. It was time to pull out the book and read it. Not surprisingly, there are some clear differences between the Disney movie and Kipling's writings. Some of the differences I was disappointed in, but some of them were very thought provoking especially the part about Mowgli's interactions with the monkey people. He is attracted to and defends the flattery they have heaped upon his head. Baloo and Bagheera, Mowgli's bear and panther teacher/companions, immediately reprimand Mowgli for speaking to them, because there is a very clear Law of the Jungle that the monkeys refuse to obey. In fact they have no law, no order, and because of that, to the rest of the jungle creatures, they are outcasts. This really caused me to pause and think how many people are attracted to the idea of no boundaries, no restraint, no law, no order. It's not long after this exchange that the monkeys snag Mowgli, and he learns first hand what it is like to live in such a chaotic social structure. The Jungle Book story takes up about a third of the book. The second third of the book contains some miscellaneous animal stories that are quite fun and interesting such as Rikki Tikki Tavi. The last third is made up of the Just So Stories that highlight Kipling's amusing ideas of how different animal characteristics came to be. All in all, if you have a child that loves animal stories, adventure in foreign settings, and a healthy dose of whimsy, than The Jungle Book just might be a great fit. One quick side note! Later on in life I learned about Rudyard Kipling's powerful poem entitled "If." If you are not familiar with it, get a copy! It is fantastic! HEADS UP- There are some light references to religious beliefs of the people of India at the time. There are also some light magic references in a couple of the Just So Stories. If you have a child that struggles with any animal cruelty even from an animal to animal standpoint, this would not be your book! Kaa hypnotizes several monkeys and you know what happens, seal hunters club a group of young seals, etc.