WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MORNING by Arthur A. Levine. Illustrated by Katie Kath. What a Beautiful Morning by Arthur A. Levine isn't your stereotypical fall book. There are no pumpkins, apples, or leaf piles. However, several of the pictures are composed of fall scenes and colors, and the story is about beginning a new season in a grandfather and grandson's life. Even though the book doesn't come straight out and mention the words Alzheimer's disease, it's very clear that the grandfather is suffering from it. Routines are changing and the grandfather gets confused very easily. In spite of this, there is one thing that helps him to break through the confusion and enter life again...songs. Sometimes books can help us explain to our kids about changes in our lives. If you are in a season of life where you need one to help explain about Alzheimer's, this is a good one!

ENDURING FREEDOM by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy Wow is Enduring Freedom a thought provoking book! I would be very interested to hear some weigh in from some of our members who had family or friends who served in Afghanistan after 9-11. Let's get age recommendations out of the way first. I would recommend this book for Jr. High and older. My son is in 7th grade, and I feel like he can read it, but with some definite discussion times. Enduring Freedom by Jawad Arash and Trent Reedy is the story of an Afghan teen, Baheer, and an American soldier, Joe Killian, who meet while Killian is deployed to Afghanistan. Before diving into this fictional account, it is important that you know that the authors, Arash and Reedy, really met while Reedy was stationed in Afghanistan. In Enduring Freedom after 9-11, American Joe Killian can't wait to get to Afghanistan to kick some Afghan butt. The process to get there isn't what he imagined. When it's finally time to go, the job isn't what he expected. Then he meets Baheer, and he realizes the majority of Afghans aren't what he believed, American haters. They have been living under the Taliban's oppressive rule, wishing for a different life. Through a long process with lots of hurdles to overcome, Joe and Baheer are able to form a friendship. This allows each of them to get a glimpse into the other's world. Sometimes this can get a little sticky. For example, at a Christmas party the Muslim and Christian faiths are compared. Several similarities are found, and a prayer is offered to the Lord "by whatever name each of us calls you." If you know anything about the history of Muslims and Jews it is very long and rocky and goes back to Abraham, Isaac, and Ishmael. There is no way these two faiths are the same or the Jews and Muslims would be best buds in the Middle East. (Remember the Christian faith is born out of accepting Jesus as Lord who was a Jew.) HEADS UP- This book is so squeaky clean on language until we get to a point where Baheer is translating a soldier's English. He can't understand why the soldiers says "Mother Ducker." The book doesn't clarify it, but we all know what the soldier is saying. There is one point where a Taliban soldier inappropriately touches Baheer at school. It doesn't go into details. There is one major battle at the end of the book. It happens at a school and is heartbreaking.

THE NIGHT WALK by Marie Dorleans The weather we have been having has been beautiful and perfect for spending time in the great outdoors. With this in mind, the book I'm sharing today is The Night Walk by author/illustrator Marie Dorleans. I love sweet adventures like this (though I'm not the best at doing them because sleep is such a blessing!). In the story, parents wake their children in the middle of the night to set off on a long walk to make it to a certain point to experience the sunrise together. If you have children (like some of mine) they love to see the sunrise and will scramble out of bed to see it break across the ocean waves, hike part of a mountain to see the first rays touch miles and miles of land beneath them, or load friends in their car brought home from college to go up the neighbor's hill to see the light touch the tops of trees and rows of corn. This picture book definitely causes memories of sweet moments spent together as a family to resurrect in your mind!

THE GRASSHOPPER AND THE ANTS retold and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney The Grasshopper and the Ants is really a four season book, but for some reason I tend to categorize it in my mind as a fall story. It probably has to do with gathering and harvest - preparation for the upcoming winter and the foolish Grasshopper's refusal to do so. "Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today" is an important moral for us all. Jerry Pinkney's retelling along with his unbelievable artistic talent make this picture book a great addition to your child's library. Be sure to check out the Artist's Notes where he talks about the representation of music and also the difference in his end pages where the Grasshopper redeems himself.

THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKERY by Gabrielle Zevin Unfortunately, this is one I did not fall in love with. It is being made into a movie, so obviously at least part of the reading world (and Hollywood) disagree with me! The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin is messy, but that is what makes it attractive to readers in today's world. Fikry and his wife owned a bookstore on Alice Island, an island that is predominantly inhabited during the summer months by vacationers, until his wife and unborn child were killed in a car crash. Now he runs the bookstore by himself. When his sales rep from Knightley Press shows up to sell him the newest releases, she finds a very disgruntled, very narrow genre appreciating bookstore owner. On top of everything his valuable, antique book of Poe's poetry is stolen, and someone leaves a toddler in the bookstore with a note addressed to the owner of the bookstore. The toddler is uncommonly intelligent, and thus begins a new chapter in Fikry's life with new possibilities. So why did I struggle getting into this book? Books about bookstores are really popular right now. A friend of mine, who works in a bookstore, tells me it is because authors are trying to ignite readers' love in bookstores again. I recently read The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin, and it was so good that it may have ruined all other bookstore novels for me. (If you haven't read it, grab it!) Also, I had a hard time relating to a bookstore owner that is so negative towards lots of books!! Then it was the casual sex encounters and the f-bombs that I was having to dodge that made this book unimmersable to me. I read at least half of it, and then skipped to the end to see how it all ends. The one thing I will say about Storied Life is the ongoing theme of hope and continuing on right up to the very end when things don't go how we plan is very evident. HEADS UP- Casual sex experiences, language including F-bombs, A.J.'s brother is constantly cheating on his wife.

OUT OF MY MIND by Sharon M. Draper Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper has been around for a few years, but it is new to me. I have chosen this moving book as one of my Top Picks for the year. This will definitely be added to my read-a-loud pile in the upcoming weeks. Melody is an 11-year-old genius. The only problem is no one knows it. She has cerebral palsy, is in a wheelchair, and cannot speak or write. Because of this, she is in a class at school that teaches on a preschool level. That is until a piece of equipment is discovered that can give her a voice. Now there is no stopping her. The only problem - the rest of the school may not be ready for Melody and her new ability. This powerful book helps us examine how we treat disabled individuals. Often times we make assumptions that if a person has a disability it affects their entire being. Sometimes this may be true, other times someone that has a physical limitation suffers no limitations in their mental capability and vice versa. We would always do well to step into a situation with a disabled person as expecting they understand what we are saying even if they may be unable to respond. Even if an individual has limited mental capabilities it is NEVER appropriate to speak about them in a negative manor while you are in their presence. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Teach your children how to respond when encountering people with disabilities. One thing that is important is to look at the person's face/eyes just as you would anyone else and not be caught up in the bodily differences. Encourage questions and discussion in a private setting with your child. Always remember ALL PEOPLE have eternal value and are created in the image of God.

WE DREAM OF SPACE by Erin Entrada Kelly  We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly is a Newberry Honor winner set in 1986. Does anyone reading this remember what catastrophe happened in 1986? (If you don't, I'll post it at the bottom.) The Nelson Thomas family is complicated. Mom and dad spend a lot of time fighting. Cash, the oldest child, has already failed seventh grade and is in danger of failing again. Twins Fitch and Bird are as different as night and day. Fitch has a serious temper problem and Bird is extremely studious. Each member is basically living in their own world with their own thoughts and dreams. At school, Ms. Salonga, their teacher, has the whole class focused on the upcoming Challenger Space Shuttle launch. There are so many hopes and dreams wrapped up in this launch. After all, a teacher is a part of the crew! Those hopes and dreams are filtering down to the students, and lives are starting to change. Then things don't go as planned. Tragedy strikes. Does that mean that it's pointless to hope and dream? That is something the Nelson Thomas kids must answer. HEADS UP- This is a coming of age book, so there is a moment of talk about body changes. Mom and dad are fighting with each other and even though there's no actual words written, it will tell you they are using bad language at each other or the kids are periodically saying/thinking bad words (again no actual words are written).The Lord's name is used 2 or 3 times. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- After reading this, Isaac and I watched the Challenger launch. 1986 Catastrophe- Challenger explosion

SAVING THE COUNTRYSIDE: THE STORY OF BEATRIX POTTER AND PETER RABBIT by Linda Elovitz Marshall. Illustrated by Ilaria Urbinati When we hear the name Beatrix Potter images of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck, Jeremy Fisher, and many others come to our minds, and rightfully so! But in Saving the Countryside: The Story of Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit by Linda Elovitz Marshall, we get a peak into how amazing Beatrix Potter was. Born in a time when girls and women didn't go to school or work, Potter took matters into her own hands. The birth of the book of Peter Rabbit is truly a testimony to grit and perseverance, but that isn't where her determination ended. What she did with the profits from her book sales is a gift that is still enjoyed by thousands today. As befitting a work about Beatrix Potter, this book is beautifully written and beautifully illustrated. ALONGSIDE ACTIVITY- Enjoy some of the wonderful Beatrix Potter tales. -There are several additional books that may be of interest - Over the Hills and Far Away: The Life of Beatrix Potter, Beatrix Potter's Gardening Life: The Plants and Places That Inspired the Classic Children's Tales, The Art of Beatrix Potter: Sketches, Paintings, and Illustrations. - How about some food dishes to go along with some of the different tales? A garden salad would certainly be fitting for several of the tales, maybe a nut bread with Squirrel Nutkin, a fish dish with Jeremy Fisher, and of course a good English tea! -Google pictures/videos of the Lake District, England and locate it on a map.

MISS SUZY by Miriam Young. Illustrated by Arnold Lobel. Squirrels are everywhere right now! There is a lot of scurrying this way and that as they collect their stores for the coming weather. Because of that, my fall share today is an oldie but a darling goodie! Miss Suzy by Miriam Young is the story of a very efficient gray squirrel who has everything in order. One day, a band of red squirrels takes over her home and chases her out. Miss Suzy takes up residence in the attic of an abandoned home where she meets some new friends that may be able to help her out. Arnold Lobel (Frog and Toad series, Fables, etc) doesn't disappoint with his wonderful illustrations. They are such a joy to look at in this sweet book.

MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING by Viktor E. Frankl Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir of his time spent in a Nazi concentration camp is a powerful read. Man's Search for Meaning is the story of Frankl's experiences plus his observations of suffering and how some were able to survive and others gave up the will to live. At the core of his observations is his disagreement with Freud that when people are lacking pleasure they fall into a state of depression. Frankl's observations led him to conclude that when people lack meaning in their life (a sense of purpose) they tend to give up hope. This message is as true today as it was then. Suffering will always be with us in life in different amounts. When we have a clear purpose we tend to be able to push through those times and make it through to the other side. As with other concentration camp reads, this book deals with a lot of deep suffering. However it is very thought provoking.

SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL by Patricia MacLachlan Callie and I are reading through the Sarah, Plain and Tall series by Patricia MacLachlan. We are currently in Caleb's Story, so I will probably do a follow up post when we have finished as to which book was Callie's favorite. Callie is in 4th grade, so our setup on this series is to read each book independently and then get together for a discussion at the end of that book. Sarah, Plain and Tall is the beautiful story of a father, Jacob, and his two children, Caleb and Anna who live on the prairie.Told from Anna's viewpoint a few years after their mother died in childbirth, there is a huge hole left in their lives, and their father decides to place an ad in a newspaper looking for a wife. Sarah, who lives in Maine, responds to the ad and comes for a trial visit. However, it is clear that the golden browns of the prairie are a lot different than the greens and blues of Maine, and Sarah is homesick. Sarah, Plain and Tall is not a fast paced book. The problems that typically happen on the prairie are ones that are not easily solved over night. They are worked on in the same way that the crops are planted, slow and steady with time. Books following Sarah, Plain and Tall -Skylark -Caleb's Story -More Perfect Than the Moon -Grandfather's Dance Alongside Activity- There are 3 movies that follow the Sarah, Plain and Tall series produced by Hallmark:Sarah, Plain and Tall, Skylark, and Winter's End. Glenn Close and Christopher Walken play Sarah and Jacob.

ESCAPE GOAT by Ann Patchett. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser Oh my! Escape Goat by Ann Patchett is fun in so many ways! The Farmer family owns a little goat who decides to check out the world on the other side of the fence. Now all kinds of mishaps are happening around the farm, but are they all the little goat's fault? This picture book is great for all ages. It teaches an important lesson on blaming. It also (in a tongue-in-cheek way)teaches us the meaning of the word scapegoat. Robin Preiss Glasser illustrates Escape Goat in ink and watercolors. If you are a fan of Fancy Nancy you will recognize her delightful, flowery work right away.