THE BOOK WOMAN OF TROUBLESOME CREEK by Kim Michele Richardson The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson is a historical fiction read that leaves you in constant disbelief. Set in the heart of Appalachia (Kentucky) Cussy Mary Carter is a rare breed. She is one of a very few humans whose skin is bluish in color. Because of this she is generally an outcast among the people who live in the "holler." She gets a job as a traveling librarian as part of Roosevelt's Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project. This takes her into the remotest of places and into the lives of some of the neediest people. It also puts her into the path of abuse as she travels the lonely trails. The Book Woman is very thought provoking and will make you cringe as to the treatment of certain individuals. There is a second book called Book Woman's Daughter. HEADS UP- There are a couple episodes of sexual abuse. One is an attempted rape.

SPRING READS I don't know what it's like in your area, but in ours it is rainy and windy and just down right blustery today. March is right around the corner and this has me in mind of lions and lambs. One of my early elementary memories is of Mrs. Wells, my first grade teacher, teaching us about March roaring in like a lion and quietly stepping out like a lamb. We made paper plate lion and lamb faces to decorate the classroom walls. I loved every minute of that lesson, because I was an outdoorsy girl and after that I would imagine the lion blowing all around me. So today I am putting up some great "windy," "rainy," and down right March oriented books to get us in the spirit! -Thunder Cake by Patricia Polocco - if you have not read this one yet, grab it! A little girl is afraid of thunderstorms, so her grandmother helps to make the time special by baking a "thunder cake." Polocco is just down right magical in her story telling abilities. -In Like a Lion Out Like a Lamb by Marian Dane Bauer is so fun to see the lion prancing around growling and strutting his stuff as March comes rushing in. As flowers start to appear, the lion sneezes and out comes the dainty little lamb. -Jeanne Birdsall's Flora's Very Windy Day is the story of a strong wind that picks Flora and her brother up and carries them away. It does have some fall leaves/colors in the artwork. However, there is a rainbow with a mention of a pot of gold, so still very Marchy. Delightful to read especially if you have a sibling set where the older finds the younger very bothersome. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITIES- Make a weather calendar for the month of March. Each day draw a picture of a sun, clouds, rain, etc on the calendar. -Learn the difference between breezes, gusts, and gales. -Fly a kite on a warm windy day -Make the thunder cake recipe from Polocco's book -Make a fun puppet craft of the lion and the lamb at www.kidscraftroom.com/march-lion-and-lamb-pupper-craft/ -Lots of great poetry for March at discoverypoetry.com/poems/march-poems/

YOURS TRULY by Heather Vogel Frederick Heather Vogel Frederick has done it again in her second Pumpkin Falls Mystery, Yours Truly! If ever there was a perfect book for February this is it. Focusing on a mystery surrounding lines being cut on two local maple syrup farms and a mystery surrounding a diary found with clues about an Underground Railroad stop in Pumpkin Falls, this book has our Pumpkin Falls Private Eyes hopping. Throw in a bookstore, little bit of love, snoopy sisters, and you'll have Yours, Truly! Excellent read! ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Aunt True's famous Bookshop Blondie recipe is in the back of the book. If you like buttery, maple bar cookies, this will be right up your alley!

CAPTAIN AMERICA THE GHOST ARMY by Alan Gratz. Illustrated by Brent Schoonover I have talked a lot about Alan Gratz in these posts. In general, when I read his work, I find a lot of it to be very moving. There is no question that in certain books you have to wade through some political mumbo jumbo, but overall they are well done. When I saw Gratz had jumped tracks into the graphic novel world my interest was piqued. Touted as a "historical adventure set during World War II" this sounds like it's right up his alley. The big kicker? It's starring none other than Marvel's Captain America. After reading the novel it's pretty clear this is more fantasy than historical. Lots of ghosts fill the pages as a spectral army is created to fight against the allies. While somewhat silly, I have very little issue with the ghosts (they are a little horrorish if you have sensitive kids). My biggest issue is the demonic elements towards the end. Ultimately the evil guy assembling the ghost army is trying to conjure up a demon known as the "eater of souls." He also has his grandfather stand on a pentagram (he tells him it is the safest place). I personally find that I draw lines where spiritual matters are concerned. To me, demons are not subjects to be taken lightly in children's books. They are true powers that we often forget are in existence around us that elicit evil. Because of this, in our home, this book is one that will hit the trash can and not have a permanent place on the shelf.

MY LIFE BEGINS by Patricia MacLachlan Patricia MacLachlan hits the nail on the head with this one for a lot of kids. The life-changing time in a child's life when a new sibling is on the horizon. In Jacob's case, in My Life Begins, triplets are on the horizon which means the puppy he longs for is out! When the babies are born they all look and behave the same to him, so he just calls them the "Trips." As time goes by, each one begins to show their distinct personality, and little by little they win their way into Jacob's heart. This book offers a lot of great conversation. Topics such as responsibility, love, dealing with unexpected things in life, growing up, etc are just some of the possibilities. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY-I think we all have times in our lives where unexpected things happened. This could be a great time to share some of those with your child(ren) and the blessings that came out of those experiences. Growing up, my sister and I had the unexpected addition of a baby brother. I was 11 when he was born. (I was a senior in high school when he started kindergarten.) I know I can speak for my sister as well when I say we can't imagine our lives without him.

THE BULLET THAT MISSED by Richard Osman Author Richard Osman's Thursday Morning Club is such a fun idea for a series. A group of senior citizens gather together to solve cold cases. Some of these senior citizens are not your average grandparents. We have a psychiatrist and a former MI-5 ( or is it MI-6 - the group isn't even sure) agent among them. In the third book of the series, The Bullet That Missed, the Thursday Morning Club is caught up in the mysterious cold case death of a news anchor. Who was responsible for her death? Was it greed or jealousy motivated or was she working on a story that cost her her life? Is she even dead? After all, her body was never found. There are questions that need answering. While still murder mysteries, these books tend to be low on the gory list, but a great mash-up of humor and heavy subjects such as dementia and loyalty to friends. They are a fit for all adult ages, because even though our Club is senior citizens, the police officers we come to know are not. HEADS UP- Even though we are dealing with a mainly geriatric character list, there is still a decent amount of, to put it in British terms, Rumpy Pumpy going on or the talk there of. No intense details are given, but just a heads up. There is also a character who is gay, but it only shows up in a couple of conversations. There is a bit of language.

TIMELINES FROM BLACK HISTORY by DK I find timelines so interesting. They are very revealing as to why situations happened in history or people's lives. All the fluff or dress up of the story is set aside, and the cold, hard facts reign supreme. War is happening? You can see step by step the events that lead directly to the first encounter. A movie star won an Oscar? An artist a Grammy? Look at the path that got them to that place. My interest was piqued when I saw DK's Timelines From Black History. This book is a collection of timelines from events in history, but also political leaders and their rising, and famous stars and their journey to stardom. Some may want to read the book cover to cover, but I find that I flip to my interest, read, and then flip again, and that's okay in a book like this! Both styles have merit! Illustrations and actual pictures abound on the pages helping readers find bits of interest quickly. HEADS UP - Just a note that the first timeline is one of evolutionary beginnings.

RIDE ON by Faith Erin Hicks Sage is eager to share a graphic novel with you today! Do you have a girl who loves horses, showing, or is struggling with friendships? Graphic novel, Ride On, by Faith Erin Hicks is a perfect fit. Victoria has a lot going on in her life. She loves horses, but showing is expensive and intense at Waverly Stables. She may be losing her best friend who is continuing to show and is upset at Victoria, because she isn't as interested anymore. It's time to move to a new stable that's not as intense and begin again. So she does, but when the kids at Edgewood Stables try to get to know her, she ignores them. After all, she just wants to be left alone and focus on the horses, not people. Doesn't she?

UP FROM SLAVERY by Booker T. Washington Wow! I feel like I have started this year off with so many TOP PICKS! Booker T. Washington's Up from Slavery is a worthy addition to that list. Both moving and motivating I found myself captured in his writings and scribbling lots of discussion notes to be sure and go over with Annie, my current high school student. Born into slavery in Virginia somewhere between 1858 and 1859, Washington had many adversities to overcome in his unquenchable desire to learn. ( I truly am overwhelmed with writing this post, because there is so much I want to say about this book!) Up From Slavery is a testimony to never giving up, doing your best job every time, the benefits of hard work, and so much more. I could not emphasize enough to my daughter how much Booker desired to learn, and how blessed she is not to have to work 10 hour days and then attend night school. Tuskegee. It is amazing to read Washington's goals and desires with this school he started in the south. Did you get that? The South- Alabama to be exact. When it was time to buy grounds for the school, an old burned out plantation was purchased. The students, alongside Washington, repaired the kitchen, stable, and chicken house for their school buildings. They cleared about 20 acres for planting crops to begin raising their own food. Washington believed strongly that his students should do manual labor along with their studies. Attitude. It is amazing to read Booker's words and note his attitude. He didn't complain about things. He approached life as a series of opportunities. He never wasted time on grumbling or defending himself when criticized. He did his best as he thought fit, and moved on. Focus. Washington had the opportunity on more than one occasion to enter the world of politics and self gain. He denied it every time. He felt called to teach and help his fellow man, and that was where his focus remained. As I finished reading this book I was heavily convicted. There was so much to take in and challenge myself with. There is no doubt that reading this book will cause growth and change for good within my own life.

WHAT IS LOVE by Mac Barnett One more for the Valentine collection. This sweet picture book by Mac Barnett is not a lovey dovey sort of book. Instead, What is Love? is the question a boy asks his grandmother. The grandmother sends him into the world to ask people. He is given all kinds of answers that he cannot relate to that people describe as love. After a time he returns to home and family and learns what love truly is. Water color illustrations by Carson Ellis fill the pages. Most pictures hold at least a bit of pink in them reminding us of the search for love. However, where there is life in that love for the boy, the pictures are full of greens and blues of growth and sky alongside the pinks. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- It might be fun to have your child watercolor some of the colors or a scene from this book and have them write what love is to them. It can be fun to get a look behind your child's eyes and see what fills their "tank!" Don't direct this! Let it come naturally!

HEART AND SOUL: THE STORY OF AMERICA AND AFRICAN AMERICANS by Kadir Nelson Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson is a beautifully illustrated combination of chapter and picture book. Spanning 12 chapters (101 pages), Nelson writes his book through the eyes of an unnamed black girl/woman who shares her journey as she reflects back to her ancestors and lives through major events in the black history timeline. Thought provoking quotes begin each chapter, and are great foundations for discussion about the events that follow. Artwork in this book is pure perfection. Kadir is a master of portraying his subjects. The illustrations are worthy of being poured over and studied. From looks in facial expressions of the suffering of men chained together on a slaving ship to the steadfastness of Booker T. Washington's eyes, Kadir paints the souls of the African American in full view of the reader. There is no hiding. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Review the post about Martin Luther King, Jr and suggested activities -Choose a black artist or musician to further study. -Enjoy some jazz, swing, blues, etc as you study. -Google pictures of events in history -Map states, cities, etc where significant events happened

BECKY'S BIRTHDAY by Tasha Tudor Don't let the banged up, stained up, discarded by the library cover of this book fool you. This book is a true treasure to me. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a home with a mother that read out loud to us. My mother introduced us to the great writings of C.S. Lewis, Richard Scarry, E.B. White, Carolyn Haywood, Mercer Mayer, and so many more. One of her all time favorites, to this day, is Tasha Tudor. Becky's Birthday by Tudor is a very endearing story of a farm family preparing for their daughter Becky's 10th birthday. The family is very hardworking, but throughout the day of completing chores there are preparations for a special birthday celebration. Becky is allowed special privileges because she is now 10. She is now old enough to go with father to town to get the family's groceries. However, the most beautiful, breath-taking part of the book is when the family gathers with friends at the river for Becky's celebration. It is almost Secret Gardenish (actually Tudor did the illustrations for one of the versions of this great classic). It is priceless. This book may very well have been what cemented my love for picnics in the woods in quiet places. Tasha Tudor's illustrations are some of the greatest of all time. Her sweet pictures are normally centered around people, farm animals, and nature. Warm and inviting, they draw you right into the story and make you wish you were there. Unfortunately, this book is no longer in print, but I believe you should be able to get it through the library. Try for it. It is so worth it!