By the Great Horn Spoon!

What was the most interesting thing about the Gold Rush that you learned in the story? 

Michael (6): "Somebody found the gold and then one person told the guy that there was gold. And then another, and then another!" 

Daniel (6): (He recapped many parts of the whole book with detail and accuracy! But I just typed out this last part.) "The gold on their belts was pushing them down. So they had to unbuckle their belts and swim up. The gold went down and they couldn't find it!" 

Evy (8):  "It was interesting that the guy had gold in his hair. He said they could keep his hair! And I liked when the cats came on the ship because Praiseworthy had fish!"

Gabe (11): "Gold was really plentiful then, it actually wasn't very rare. Where they were searching and got it, it wasn't worth very much there. It's worth a lot more in other places." 

Julia (13): "The voyage there and how long it took." 

Mom's Notes: We learned so much while reading this book! We continually pulled out the map as we followed their sea voyage, and were relieved they ever even made it to California! Praiseworthy and Jack's adventure hooked us from the very beginning, and their success story after so many failures was an inspiring lesson in persevering. (Praiseworthy's optimism was astonishing and exemplary! We'll not forget his patience in tough times. There's plenty to apply to life there.) 

The Princess and the Goblin

What Christian allegory was most powerful and vivd for you in this story? 

Julia (13): "When she walked through the mines with the thread. It kind of made me think back on girls camp activities and Young Women activities with the iron rod type thing." 

Gabe (11): "I think the Grandmother's lantern. It was like a symbol of God and Jesus and if you follow the light, which is Him, you will have faith and never give up. Like the string, if we follow in faith like Irene did in the cave with the goblins, she still had faith even though it looked like they would never get out."

Evy (9): "The string attached to the ring reminds me that He will always guide you." 

Daniel (6): "Her grandmother reminded me of Jesus."

Michael (6): "I don't know. But I like when the princess promised she would give him a kiss... and she made it all the way to the end."

Mom's Notes: I'd read George MacDonald was a favorite of C.S. Lewis and had been meaning to read some of his books for a while now. After reading HCA's short fairytales, I thought we'd continue on with a novel in that same vein. This story had the kids hooked from the very beginning with a sweet young princess, creepy goblins, secret stair cases, and mystical "Great, Big, Huge Grandmother," and an adventurous miner boy. The Christian allegories throughout were beautiful and not missed by the older kids especially. Meanwhile, I was underlining many beautiful and meaningful passages, while trying not to hold up the exciting story! Before we were even finished with the book, all the kids were begging for the sequel.