WHO IS JESUS? by Kate Hox. Illustrated by Joe Hox Who is Jesus? is a wonderful devotional we just finished up in our evening family devotions. Written to a middle grade level, this book would work well if you have a wide range of ages. Author Kate Hox is very good at coming up with engaging questions that even teens and adults can find valuable for growing and self examination. Hox begins in the Old Testament and draws the evidence and presence of Christ. She then continues the thread with Jesus' life on earth. Each lesson is entitled with a Jesus is ... statement. Examples are Jesus is the Ark and the Door, Jesus is the Tabernacle, Jesus is the Mercy Seat, Jesus is the Bridegroom. The book contains forty lessons with the possibility of using it as a Lent/Easter devotional. Illustrated by Joe Hox, the author's husband, each lesson includes a thought provoking illustration and a symbol to help solidify the lesson.

THE BOOK RESCUER by Sue Macy. Illustrated by Stacy Innerst. Here I am in the car with my daughter traveling from Ohio to South Carolina. We are on our way to check out wedding venues for her upcoming wedding. Nine hours in the car leaves some space for reading! My book bag is bigger than my travel bag. No joke! So what am I reading? Well one book is The Book Rescuer. The Book Rescuer is a picture book by Sue Macy about Aaron Lansky and his amazing ongoing journey to rescue books written in Yiddish. What is Yiddish? It is the language of European Jews. Due to WWII and also the European Jews leaving old lives behind, many Yiddish books were lost or destroyed. Lansky had and still has to this day a desire to keep the history and culture of the European Jews alive through the finding and preserving of books written in Yiddish. Illustrator Stacy Innerst does an amazing job on illustrations. The pictures are mainly done in browns and grays and blacks emphasizing the history, but then, where the future is portrayed, colors touch the pages. What emerges is a feeling of bringing the past into the present.

SHADY HOLLOW: A MURDER MYSTERY by Juneau Black If you have been following this page for any length of time you will see a reoccurring genre - mystery. I love a good mystery. With that being said, it was a no-brainer when I was perusing the shelves at the bookstore and came across Shady Hollow. Shady Hollow is a fun read set in an animal community by Juneau Black. Sort of like if Wind in the Willows met Maisie Dobbs. When Otto Stumpf, the curmudgeonly old toad of the community, turns up dead in the millpond with a knife sticking out of him, the entire hollow is thrown into a panic. Nothing like this has ever happened before in the small community. But as Vera Vixen, a local news reporter who happens to also be a fox, begins to dig, secrets begin to emerge which lead to yet another death. Hopefully, she can figure out what's going on before the murderer gets to Vera to shut her up. HEADS UP- So why did I give this a yellow? For one reason. This entire story is based on an affair gone wrong. There are no intimate details shared. You just know that the affair is over and there is an individual that is seeking vengeance.

HOW TO WRITE A STORY by Kate Messner. Illustrated by Mark Siegel How about a picture book that teaches the process of writing a story by a well known author? Kate Messner takes kids through the steps of writing from a blank page to a finished story. This book is a great start for a younger child stepping into the writing world or a middle grader that is burnt out on writing lessons and needs a basic refresher about the joy of the process. Messner shares 10 basic steps that really are the backbone of writing. I, personally, love to use resources like this. We do use a writing curriculum, but from time to time I like to step away from it and see what my kids create naturally on their own without a checklist of "make sure you include." I appreciate steps that say things like, "Write Your Story With So Much Detail Readers Can See It In Their Minds." This is an activity that even I will probably jump in and do with the kids this school year!

THE WHITE LADY by Jacqueline Winspear If you like a good mystery wrapped in a bit of war mystique, Jacqueline Winspear is your author. Well known for her phenomenal Maisie Dobbs series, Winspear follows a similar vein with her book The White Lady, but with a bit of a twist. Elinor White, The White Lady, is an ex-spy from WWII who enjoys her quiet and now uneventful life. She doesn't want to be close to anyone again, because in her life she has experienced the heartache of loss too many times. But when a little neighbor girl, Susie, goes out of her way to befriend her, Elinor can't refuse. Susie's family is in serious danger because her father is a notorious crime boss's son that has left the family business to pursue true family life, and they want him back for a job. Elinor is reminded of another little girl from her past, and she can't walk away. Before she knows it, she is wrapped up in connections from long ago and on the hunt for answers to questions that were buried deep. Well written. HEADS UP- Very minor language. There is an attempted rape. Doesn't happen. You know Elinor has had an affair with a man, but no details are given.

A BOY CALLED BAT by Elana K. Arnold. Illustrated by Charles Santoso Recently I read aloud A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold to my 10-year-old. I had picked it up at the bookstore with her in mind because it involved the rescue of a sweet, skunk kit. (Yes it is possible for skunks to be sweet.) She loved it! While I knew loving the skunk was a given I didn't know how much we would enjoy the character of Bat, short for Bixby Alexander Tam. Bat is on the autism spectrum. He likes his room a certain way. He likes his life a certain way. He tends to be blunt with his words and struggles with making friends. Enter Thor the skunk. Bat's mom is a vet, so when an expecting skunk is hit by a car, she is able to save one kit. The little kit requires around the clock care and Bat is all in. What Bat doesn't know is how much this little animal is going to change his world! This is Book 1 in a series that I know my 10-year-old is chomping at the bit to continue. HEADS UP- Just a couple minor notes: Bat's parents are divorced. Everything is very peaceful between them and there are no stepparents. Bat and his sister struggle in their relationship a little. Bat's tendencies can be annoying to her and she loses her patience at times with him.

MANSLAUGHTER PARK by Tirzah Price SPOILER ALERT After two wonderful YA books based on Jane Austen's classic novels, author Tirzah Price pulls a major switch on Manslaughter Park. In my past posts I shared about how much I enjoyed Pride and Premeditation and Sense and Second Degree Murder. I was absolutely delighted with the idea of a murder happening within a known classic while maintaining the foundation of the story. Unfortunately, Manslaughter Park does a complete 180 from that original model. In the original Mansfield Park we are introduced to Fanny Price, a young, shy girl who is born into poverty. Her relatives, the Bertrams, take her into their sprawling estate as a sort of family charity. Here she is mistreated by everyone except for the younger son, Edmund. After a series of hard events falls on the family, Fanny's value and dedication is very apparent to most of the family. She and Edmund, whom she has loved for a long time, marry and live happily ever after. Forgive the very short overview of an amazing, classic work. In Tirzah Price's Manslaughter Park we do see the appearance of all the main characters. Lord Bertram is a famous art dealer who ends up murdered. The family mistreatment of Fanny is very evident, and Fanny fancies herself in love with Edmund. However, before long we discover that a guest in the home , Mary Crawford, begins to catch her eye. Confused about her feelings, but then arriving at the point where they can no longer be denied, the book shares several passionate kissing scenes between the two women. And what about Edmund? He ends up being the murderer! Definitely a neat and tidy way to remove him from the picture.

RIVER by Elisha Cooper Good picture books are for all ages and this one is no exception. In fact, I'm going to tell you that this book is especially for mommas. River by author/illustrator Elisha Cooper is the story of a mother's journey, on her own, down the Hudson River in a canoe. Beginning in the water of Lake Tear of the Clouds in Adirondack Park and paddling 315 miles to New York City, this is a book of endurance, overcoming, and completion. You can love canoes or not love canoes. You can love nature or not love nature. This book is about setting out with a goal and seeing it through, even when there is difficulty. Every momma can relate to that! Cooper's artwork is wonderful. Blues, grays, and greens give us the feeling of open, endless waterways. White fills the sky with puffy clouds, but also brings to life rapids on the water to navigate. Be sure to see all the notes in the back of the book! Very well done!

THE BLACK BOOK OF COLOURS by Menena Cottin. Illustrated by Rosana Faria I wanted to give my kids a glimpse of what it means to be blind. We take for granted the ability to see and the colors of a beautiful world so easily. Author Menena Cottin and illustrator Rosana Faria give us as close to a glimpse as possible in their amazing "picture" book, The Black Book of Colors. Prepare to let your fingers do the majority of the work. Yes, there is text for you to read, but the words describe what a color sounds like. For example, yellow "tastes like mustard, but is as soft as a baby chick's feathers." The words are embossed on the page in braille so you can run your fingers over them and feel them. The accompanying picture is also embossed for finger feel. If you hold it in the light the images are shiny, but if turned away from the light the images fade into inky blackness. This can be a very moving experience with your child when you realize what it means to be blind. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- This would be a wonderful opportunity to pair a biography about Louis Braille or Helen Keller with this book. Margaret Davidson wrote a wonderful one about each- Louis Braille: The Boy Who Invented Books for the Blind and a book simply titled Helen Keller. With a "fat" needle or pin and a piece of cardstock have your children practice writing their names, a sentence, Bible verse, etc in braille.

SENSE AND SECOND-DEGREE MURDER Author Tirzah Price is back with another great murder adaptation of a classic Jane Austen story. Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a fun, mysterious YA rendition of the well-known book Sense and Sensibility. Let's talk YA for a moment. YA literature can be very difficult to navigate with its rebellious, try anything mentality. After all, it is directed to teens through early twenties young people who are in the process of "spreading their wings." There are some who consider YA a genre in itself, and I don't really subscribe to that idea. It is directed to a particular age, just like middle grade readers, easy readers, etc. Even though oftentimes it is controversial and morally corrupt, that isn't true of all volumes, and we are seeing more infiltration of that same mindset into middle grade readers. Just like Pride and Premeditation, Sense and Second-Degree Murder is a witty retelling with all of the beloved (and not so beloved) characters of Sense and Sensibility. Beginning in the home of the wonderful Dashwood family, a mystery unfolds with the murder of Mr. Dashwood, owner and head investigator of Norland and Co. The book quickly follows a similar path of its predecessor. Mrs. Dashwood and her daughters are not included in the will and are turned out due to their stepson/half-brother and his money grubbing little wife. A home in Cheapside is quickly secured and a new way of life unfolds for the women. However, Elinor and Marianne cannot let go of the unsolved murder of their father. On top of that, opium seems to be popping up everywhere they turn. Of course our book would not be complete without the characters of Willoughby, Brandon, and Edward. Tirzah Price does not disappoint in keeping the true spirit of each character. HEADS UP- Two minor things to report on this one. There is a semi-intense kissing scene between Marianne and Willoughby. It only includes passionate kissing, but it does promote body tingles. Also the word "Bastard" is used once. -LATER UPDATE - I really liked Pride and Premeditation and Sense and Second-Degree Murder in this series. However, Manslaughter Park had a lot of "HEADS UP" issues. Each book is a stand alone

THE SILVER CHAIR by C.S. Lewis I recently finished the fourth book in C.S. Lewis' Narnia series, The Silver Chair, with my 10-year-old. We are slowly making our way through the series interspersed with lots of other reads. Narnia was one of those series that for me as a child became my go-to books, and I dearly love revisiting them with my children. The Silver Chair takes on a little different start than the previous books. After all, this is the first book, if you follow the original order, where a Pevensie child is not involved. We do have some familiar faces, however, with Eustace Scrubb (that is just one of the best names ever to fit a character!) and some quick appearances of a very aged King Caspian. But what really shines in this book is the journey that unfolds that we can all relate to! Each of our lives is created for a purpose. When we yield our lives to the Lord a path is revealed waiting for each of us! That path will test our character, our endurance, and will help us to grow in ways we never could on our own. That is what you see in the journey of Eustace, Jill Pole, and Puddleglum as they try and recover a prince from Narnia who disappeared many years ago. The rough terrain and weather exposes selfishness, laziness, and bickering in Eustace and Jill that must be overcome. Puddleglum is the steady hand that tries to keep them pointed in the right direction. This journey goes much deeper though. This is an expedition of redemption for the lost prince. Aslan has not forgotten him just like God does not forget us. Just like the Good Shepherd who searches for his lost sheep, we are sought after, released from our bonds, and restored to our place as a rightful heir as we see played out in the rescue of Prince Rilian. Lewis masterfully tells this in a way that young and old can understand.

MAKE WAY: THE STORY OF ROBERT McCLOSKEY, NANCY SCHON, AND SOME VERY FAMOUS DUCKLINGS by Angela Burke Kunkel. Illustrated by Claire Keane. I was so excited to find this picture book! There's nothing quite so satisfying as loving a book for years and then one day being granted the wish of knowing just a bit more about the story! Most of you are familiar with Robert McCloskey's Make Way for Ducklings, but recently Angela Burke Kunkel wrote Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schon, and Some Very Famous Ducklings. It is priceless! (I think I heard several of you gasp and the keys start clacking as you pull up Amazon!) In the book initially we follow two threads, the life of McCloskey and how Make Way for Ducklings came to be in existence today, and the life of Nancy Schon who sculpted the famous bronze ducks that reside in the Boston Public Garden. Both encountered road blocks in their journeys that took time to overcome. Eventually the two threads come together and the result is an endearing line of Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack following their mother to their island home that more than 3 million people visit and play around every year. Reading stories like this is so important, because it helps us realize that an author or artist didn't just make a decision, and the project was done. It took time and dedication to see these treasures through! Make Way (the back story) is illustrated by Claire Keane. It is printed in color, but very muted colors. She uses a lot of browns and bronzes as what I would guess is a tribute to the original work. It is well done! The book is brimming with action as two people work steadily to see their dreams become reality! Just a side note! I did a little extra reading on McCloskey and he originally hoped to illustrate Make Way for Ducklings in watercolor. Massee declined due to the high cost, so it was printed in the sepia color we all love today. To accomplish this he had to draw every print backward in zinc lithographic plates. Can you imagine? https://www.mfa.org/news/make-way-for-ducklings HEADS UP- 1 minor item to note. There is a lot of great info in the Author's Notes. Two thirds of the way down the page, however, it shows the ducks dressed up in rainbow colors for PRIDE. In the text it shares how they are dressed for holidays and "political statements" including BLM, PRIDE, Border protest, etc. You can include or skip this area as you see fit. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- Lots of extras you can do on this! Note on a map the different places mentioned in the book. If you are able to go and see the ducklings at Boston Public Garden it is a delightful place. (Along with many other things in Boston!) Find a place locally where you can observe ducks. Parks are a good place and here in Ohio we have a wonderful, historical ice cream parlor Velvet Ice Cream  that has ducks you can watch and feed. Ducks have such wonderful personalities! We typically keep a few around on our acreage, because I just love watching and hearing them!