ONCE UPON A DREAM: A TWISTED TALE by Liz Braswell Well here goes on Once Upon a Dream by Liz Braswell. We have a lot of girls in our house of varying ages. Most of these girls have had a love for fairy tales at one time or another. That love grew into fairy tale retellings, and there are some really good ones out there! Unfortunately Once Upon a Dream does not make the cut for us! SPOILER ALERT Based on the classic Disney cartoon of Sleeping Beauty, Once Upon a Dream takes place in Aurora's mind as she is sleeping. Maleficent was killed in life, by Prince Philip, but she is able to attach her soul to Aurora and create a dream world where she is queen and Aurora is her ward. If she can complete her plan she will live and rule again in the real world, but there is a serious price tag for that to happen - that Aurora not wake up before her 16th birthday. Inside Aurora's dream, Maleficent is the one who cares for the kingdom. She has penned everyone up inside the castle to protect them from the supposedly destroyed Outside. Aurora's parents are prisoners in the dungeon because they were horrible rulers and terrible parents. After all, they gave their daughter away to be raised by fairies and never truly cared for her. So begins the framework for our "Twisted Tale." So our brain begins to adjust that the good ones are really the bad ones and the bad one is really the good one. So what? To keep this simpler I'm just going to bullet point my issues with the book- -Maleficent's henchmen are actually demons that she has summoned from Hell. The references to them are too numerous to document here. They come sometimes in the forms of loved ones and Aurora must try and figure out if they are the real person or the demon that she is killing. They appear as little children. They appear as great hideous beasts. To say they are troubling is an understatement. -To remain alive in the dream Maleficent must have the blood of one of the people every month. This is done by plunging a special stone knife into their chest, chanting a spell, and collecting the blood in the orb on top of her scepter. This includes killing Aurora's parents. - There is a reference regarding suicide- the people are depressed while kept inside the castle, so some of them commit suicide. At one point Aurora is depressed and considers suicide herself. - Death scenes include details that are a little more gory in detail - shredding flesh, opening innards, delicious crunches as bodies are crushed, etc. - There is a fair amount of language in the book. - When Prince Phillip and Aurora are traveling together and have to stop to sleep he places his sword between them, then proceeds to stumble over an explanation that it's to keep them from having sex. I really struggle with books like this marketed for 12-year-olds with Disney as the publisher. If something doesn't make the cut at our house, it hits the trashcan. After our discussion that's where this one will go.

BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL COOKBOOK Have you seen this recently released little gem? Just in time for blueberry season, this perfect little book, Blueberries for Sal Cookbook, will help you dive in deeper to the sweet, children's classic. Not only does it include 30 wonderful looking recipes for using your blueberries, it includes lots of the beloved illustrations and extra bits of info on McCloskey, Little Sal, bears, and of course, blueberries! As you can see, here in Ohio, our blueberries are just starting to ripen. I always get super excited for this time and will be sharing different pictures as we put this treasure to use! ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- If you haven't read McCloskey's original Blueberries for Sal you will want to grab it! Is there a blueberry farm around you? How about a visit! Extra research you can dive into: the health benefits of blueberries, difference between wild and cultivated blueberries, bears, where wild blueberries grow. Cook up a blueberry treat and share it with someone!

WATCH US SHINE by Marisa de los Santos Watch Us Shine by Marisa de los Santos is a complicated moving read about much needed healing and forgiveness within a broken family. When Cornelia's elderly mother, Eleanor, is accidentally hit by a car the steady lines of family life are broken. Due to head trauma and not knowing what she is asking for, Eleanor begs for Cornelia to bring her the northern lights. Cornelia cannot understand what her mother is asking for. To her knowledge her mother has never seen the northern lights or even mentioned them in her life before. Cornelia then realizes how very little she knows about her mother's past and her upbringing. She begins to dig and unearths the story of two sisters raised by an abusive mother who suffered from bipolar disorder. They are the light in each other's lives even after each is able to escape and plant themselves into new lives. For a while everything goes well - healing begins and new possibilities unfold into realities. Then life takes a sharp curve as one of the sisters gets herself caught up in a situation that causes heartache and tragedy. While Cornelia is trying to figure all of this out, she is trying to recover from her own tragedy as a mother. A situation occurs with her own children that has left her reeling and questioning her abilities as a mother. As I close the cover of this one and set it aside I have several thoughts running through my head. I'll start with the negative ones. My first is it took me a little while to get into this book. It was a little slow and I needed to get the threads straightened out between the two ongoing stories and the different characters. Second, I get tired of what I will call box checking! Modern authors/publishers feel the need to throw in social issues that have absolutely nothing to do with the story line. In this case Cornelia has a brother who comes out as gay, and he and his partner are in the process of adopting a child. There are a handful of sentences dedicated to this. They are so minor I find myself asking did we really need to know that? The answer is no. It had absolutely no bearing on the story. Third, the antagonist is an evil church goer. The church has a little idea of what is going on, but they don't step in to do anything about it. This takes up more space than the previous item, but it is still a pimple on the overall size of the story. Fourth, motherhood is a topic that comes up and this book questions the perceived ideas and responsibilities that motherhood brings with it. Now for the positive thoughts. I'm going to lump it together into one continuous overarching theme, and that is the bond of women. In the case of this book that includes sisters, mothers, and friends. And healing. There is life after trauma and this book clearly points that out. Sometimes after a review like this I get messages asking if I'm recommending it or not. There is a lot of beauty in the story, but there's some storm clouds as well! It's not one I'll likely read again. HEADS UP- If you haven't read the above paragraphs, do! There are a couple of pockets of language including the F bomb a handful of times. Also, you find out that Cornelia is married to her sister's ex-husband. There was no adultery, but I'll just leave that at it's a unique situation.

BARBARA COONEY BOOKS Barbara Cooney authored and/or illustrated books have been on my reading pile recently. Glimpses of life with hardships overcome, lessons learned, and beauty left behind for upcoming generations are reoccurring themes in her books which invite lots of pondering no matter one's age. Beautiful illustrations, oftentimes folk art in style, adorn the pages and make them a true delight to examine. If you have never taken the time to read through her books, they are well worth it. If you happen to have a sweet, squiggly, little person full of life to share them with, all the better! (I may feature some of the books individually over the next few weeks!)

MAPS FOR PENGUINS AND OTHER TRAVELING ANIMALS by Tracey Turner. Illustrated by Hui Skipp. I am really loving Maps for Penguins and Other Traveling Animals by Tracey Turner and illustrated by Hui Skipp! Part of the Paperpie Company (formerly known as Usborne Books and More), this book comes from the Kane Miller collection.  Geography is a subject that often times is overlooked in our homeschooling. Many years ago while using a well known literature based curriculum, I learned and came to appreciate the idea of using literature to teach geography. Mapping settings and locations referenced in books was a very applicable and foundational use for geography study. Maps for Penguins would be a great base for such a study in world geography. Following the steps of 10 different types of migrating animals, this book gives the miraculous details of the long and arduous journeys these animals take. It is breathtakingly amazing! I feel like I'm about to step into an infomercial when I say, "But wait! There's more!" This book is a great science resource as well! The pages abound with information about each species. Included in each animal's section are items like size, coloring, habitat, what they eat, life span, predators, etc. Maps for Penguins brims with illustrations that are full of life and movement! Jewel tones make the pages attractive and engaging for young and old alike.

THE GOLDEN KEY by George MacDonald If you are a George MacDonald fan you might want to check out Rabbit Room Press's newest release - a graphic novel adaptation of The Golden Key. Confession time, I have 3 George MacDonald books on the shelf that were a part of a curriculum that one of my daughters have read that I have not. Reading this graphic adaptation leaves me thinking that I should pull the original down and read through it. MacDonald has a way of taking the journey of life, the search for wisdom and lifelong companionship, the journey to an eternal realm (Heaven) with our new bodies and meshing it with mythological elements such as fairies, creatures, Old Man of the Sea, Old Man of the earth, etc. I don't find these elements to be pagan. I find them to actually be imagination awakening into what can be in this world and into the next. I believe it was C.S. Lewis that referred to such works as fueling the "moral Imagination." After all we serve a God whose creative abilities far excel what we experience on a daily basis. Since closing the cover, I am finding myself pondering the imagery and trying to unravel the symbolism. There are a lot of components to this story and it is worthy of some time to unpack and examine. I will probably reread the graphic novel, but then reach for the original at some point. Even more interesting to me is that some of the greatest literary giants such as C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton refer to MacDonald as having a life changing influence on their lives. That's quite an endorsement.

SECRETS OF THE NILE by Tasha Alexander If you love the mystery and romance of Egypt then you will love Tasha Alexander's most recent Lady Emily Mystery, Secrets of the Nile. Book 16 in the series, Lady Emily and her husband Colin find themselves swept up in the mysterious poisoning of a family friend while visiting the Pharaoh's playground of the past. Alternating chapters have us in 1904 and then flashback to the days of artisans preparing the fantastic tombs for Pharaohs. A connecting thread spans the years and helps shed light on some troubling circumstances. If you are new to the Lady Emily series you will want to start with book 1, but don't despair! They are a wonderful historical fiction series that are hard to put down, and you will be set on summer reading material! HEADS UP- Lady Emily is a very passionate woman who is deeply in love with her husband. With that being said there are many mentions of the couple spending quality time together with no intimate details throughout the series. There are periodic mentions of affairs, again, with no intimate details. Overall this series remains clean and full of world traveling adventures. Highly recommend!

STALIN: RUSSIA'S MAN OF STEEL by Albert Marrin This is not an easy read. Beautiful Feet's book Stalin: Russia's Man of Steel by Albert Marrin absolutely broke my heart. In our current typical study of history we tend to learn a lot more about Hitler and the horrible crimes he committed. Stalin, not so much. The atrocities he committed against his own people are almost unspeakable. Notice I said almost, because if history can teach us anything it should be about the actions that should never be forgotten so they can never be repeated. Men, women, and children destroyed so many times due to paranoia and the covering of sins. How evil, selfish, and so very worthless. I find myself trying to make this book's lessons applicable to myself. What can I learn from these words, this life, the choices that were made? Leadership equals responsibility. No matter how big or little your sphere of leadership is, it should always be to the betterment and care of others. What other point is there to genuine leadership? Why have a leader if not for those reasons? Ironically, as I write this I am listening to my son's basketball practice. The coach is constantly calling to the boys to encourage them to better themselves, to work together as a team for the ultimate success of the team. His tone can lift them or break them in a moment. And I can't leave this post without mentioning Christ. The ultimate leader who gave his very life for us. We could have no better example. You are a leader in some form. It may be in your home, church, work, coaching, etc. Be a worthy leader. HEADS UP- This book contains a lot of death. While the scenes are not gory, it is emotional. Know also that cannibalism is mentioned.

PICTURE BOOKS FOR MOMS OF BOYS For all of you boy moms out there! I had 3 girls, then a boy, then 1 more girl. My boy's no longer a little guy, but fully in the beginning of his teenage years. I'm finding with each day that passes I'm looking straighter across into his face instead of down. He gets sweaty and his socks may have a slight odor to them called eau de boy. But when he was little I came across a sweet book called Even Firefighters Hug Their Moms by Christine Cole MacLean. We read that book a lot, and it MIGHT have been for the sole reason that I wanted to implant the idea in his head that his momma loved his hugs and no sweat or stink or age would alter that! A few months ago I came across a self published book written by a mother to her son. It's entitled If You Ever by Kaitlin Bishop. It reminded me of my Firefighter book in that it portrays the fierce love of a mother for her son. In this case, Bishop knows her son is a born adventurer, and she reminds him in poetic form of all the ways she'll help him, and that she can't wait for him to come back and share his journeys with her! As a mom who can testify to how fast time goes with your kids, I pray this is the case with all of them, but for now, I'm going to sit on the rocker with him and read him this book. Then kick him off quickly, because my legs will be numb! On a side note, Bishop does all her own illustrations which gives the book that extra bit of sweetness.

REALLY TRULY by Heather Vogel Frederick If you have been following this page for any length of time, you know that I really like the Pumpkin Falls Mystery Series (aka Absolutely Truly and Yours Truly) by Heather Vogel Frederick. I recently finished the third book, Really Truly, as a read aloud to the family. I had held off reading it out loud until it warmed up outside. (The first 2 are set in winter in New Hampshire.) This one deals with summer vacation and camp, so despite the very loud, verbal protests from the family, I made them wait until Ohio was experiencing sunny days and warmer temps. Truly finds herself wrapped up in two mysteries this time while away at Mermaid Academy (the worst place she could ever be in her opinion). The first has to do with a sentimental trophy from Pumpkin Falls that is stolen and the second has to do with pirates and the possibility of buried treasure. Learning to swim like a mermaid while knee deep in mysteries away from home isn't how Truly planned on spending the summer, but valuable lessons are learned about revenge and lying to one's parents. Besides the mystery element, what makes the Truly series so engaging is that Truly is a bit of an awkward girl. (Do you remember that age?) She sticks out due to her height when she would rather blend in and her plans often times have a way of going askew. All these things make her not only believable but relatable. I will stick a little end note on here. If I am being brutally honest this was my least favorite of the 3 books so far. It is still good and worth the read, but I felt the storyline wasn't quite as smooth as the first 2 books. By the way, Book 4 will be out around the third week of August.

CLOAK OF THE LIGHT by Chuck Black This book really surprised me. If you are looking for a good spiritual warfare novel for your teens, this book is it! Cloak of the Light is the first in the Wars of the Realm series by Chuck Black.  Drew Carter has experienced loss in his life. Heavy duty loss. Then his best friend asks for his help on a college science experiment, and it explodes leaving him blinded. Drew begins to try to adapt to a new way of life, but he has no idea how different his life is going to become. Miraculously, his eyesight is restored over time, but with it comes some added abilities including the ability to see in another dimension. What Drew thinks he is seeing are aliens, but they are really demons and angels and the effect of spiritual warfare going on around him. As an unsaved young man who has often blown off the idea of God and Christ, his life is in great danger. This book is brilliantly written and is a great reminder of the warning that Ephesians 6:12-13 gives us. We are not battling against the flesh with what we encounter in this world, but against principalities. Putting on our armor needs to be a daily occurrence! As a former F-16 pilot and tactical communications engineer, Chuck Black knows his military "stuff!" The jargon and battle scene descriptions are very descriptive, but not bloody or gory. Highly recommend!

BIRDSONG by Julie Flett Changes in life are never easy, no matter the age. As I closed the cover to Julie Flett's Birdsong, I took a minute to reflect over my own life and the good things that have come out of some of the biggest (and hardest) changes. One of those changes was the beginning of this Facebook group. During COVID I lost one of my closest friends. There are only a few in a lifetime that know you inside and out and are willing to get down in the muck with you. She was one of them. She was also my book buddy. Every time we talked we shared about what we were reading. Instead of trying to find a new person to start a book relationship with, I started this group. I enjoy reading the comments you guys leave. I also enjoy running into you all while I'm out and about and stopping to chat about books. My friend will always hold a special place in my heart, but the Lord has allowed my circle to grow. SPOILER ALERT Julie Flett's Birdsong takes us through some life changes for a mother and daughter. We don't know if the mother is a single mother, or if a divorce has happened, or a recent death. There's just change. This is manifested in a major move away from a sea of water to a sea of grass. Initially, the girl loses her love of drawing. It is because of this and because of the picture of the mother and daughter sleeping together that I get a vibe that there has been a loss. The book takes us through the seasons of the year. Through these seasons, an elderly neighbor becomes a friend, and life begins again in a new direction. Time is spent together. Memories are made. Art begins again. Then we hit a point where the neighbor becomes sick and is not recovering. The girl makes a special gift of her art to her friend. As she says goodbye to her you wonder if her friend is dying. The book never answers that for us, but as the girl goes back home to her mother she is so thankful for her friendship. This book is beautiful! Not only are the illustrations soft and muted giving an air of quiet and healing, But the girl and her mother are Cree Indians. Several Cree words are included in the text. There is a glossary for pronunciation on the first page.