Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates

 

Mom's Notes: This has been on my "To Read" list for years. It seemed a fun, seasonal story. And I always love to trip to the Netherlands. It did end up being just the thing for December, and we learned more about Saint Nickolas Day as we read and researched. Hans and Greta's dedication to one another, their work ethic, and their hope for their father all made for a beautiful story. I didn't realize this story was so steeped in Dutch history. We learned quite a bit as the boys were on their great skating trip! If we ever make it over to Holland (and I truly hope we do), we'll have to revisit this story and pay closer attention to the historical details. 

Homer Price

Mom's Notes: This book was just plain fun! After visitng the bronze ducklings in Boston and an island off the coast of Maine, we were all about reading more Roberty McCloskey. I felt a kind of kinship as his beautiful artwork came even more alive when rereading our favorite picture books. This chapter book had a very Lentil feel, as it's also set in Ohio. It is more silly than most of his books as well, which was just right after our more serious history study. We had fun extending this story by designing and advertising  our own "time-saving devices" and looking for diamonds in donuts. We're glad to know Homer Price! 

What was your favorite tale from Centerburg, OH? 

Evy (11): "Probably the donut one. It was funny, with the bracelet and all." 

Daniel (9): "I think the donut one. It was so funny that they made all those donuts."

Michael (9): "The donuts! Because the lady lost her ring in the dough."

 

Gifts from the Sea

Mom's Notes: We read the first few chapters of this beautiful story in the quaint coastal house at Pine Point, Maine. I brought it along on our trip, in anticipation of lighthouses and rocky shorelines. Then we brought those images home with us and finished reading Quila's story of loss and unexpected love. Evy especially loves this book, as well as all those we have read by Natalie Kinsey-Warnock. 

Johnny Tremain

 

Mom's Notes: This was exactly the right thing to read before our trip to Boston! Esther Forbes masterfully weaves the early events of the revolution into a gripping story with realistic characters. I pulled the map out a whole lot as we read, looking forward to visiting those very streets. We got to know Paul Revere, Sam Adams, and John Hancock better than any documentary could've done. Reading about the unfair taxes, the Tea Party, the Battle at Lexington and Concord, and other key events from Jonny's viewpoint really helped the history to come alive for us. The story became the backbone of our study, and many lessons and activities and discussions were derived from the chapters. Then, to be in Boston! It was kind of surreal for me. I'm truly so grateful that we get to read, study, travel, and repeat! It adds such a depth to our wonder and learning. 

Little Pilgrim's Progress

Mom's Notes: I have never read John Bunyan's original story, though I've heard of it over and over throughout my life. Most recently we have been reading about how Louisa May Alcott and her sisters would act out Christian's journey, as do their literary counterparts in Little Women. So we picked this up! The book was beautifully illustrated and the story gently told. I'd like to read the original for myself because I think some things are lost in the translation to a children's book. It also seemed quite repetitive, I'm not sure we needed to read Christiana's tale. Anyway, it was an insightful Sunday afternoon read for a few months. The most memorable and meaningful part for me is Christian laying down his burden at the Cross. The names of the characters also give us much to ponder. 

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Which room/area in the factory would you most like to visit? 

Evy (11): "I want to go to the chocolate river and its surroundings." 

Daniel (9): "The chocolate river one."

Michael (9): "Definitely the wall paper. It would probably taste so good."

Do you like the Oompa Loompas better in the book or the movie? 

Evy: "The book, because the movie ones are kind of strange. Also, the ones in the book have more back story." 

Daniel: "I like them better in the movie because the details in the words of their songs."

Michael: "Book, because they look better." 

Mom's Notes: Jonny quotes the 1970s movie all the time. Julia showed us a preview for a new Wonka movie coming out. We needed a light, fun summer read while we live temporarily in the townhome. So we picked up this book! It's been years since we read it, so the youngers had no recollection. It was fun to read this wacky, delicious story to the younger kids, with Julia and Gabe listening in on occasion. We finished the last few chapters around the campfire at Ophir. A few weeks later a movie night was definitley in order. The kids each chose a king-size chocolate bar for refreshments as we laughed at Gene Wilder's take on Willie Wonka. "A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men." 

At the Back of the North Wind

Mom's Notes: Our study of the weather, our fondness for the other two George MacDonald books we've read, and finding out that this was one of L.M. Montgomery's favorite books, had me picking this one up off of our shelf. It was indeed beautiful - two pages of quotes in my notebook showcase just a bit of that to look back on. Little Diamond's journey was more of an advanced allegory at times, but the softness of his character and his eagerness to learn about the world and help others brought it back to timeless truths anyone can grasp. We're grateful we have this story with us. 

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Who is your favorite Oz character? 

Michael (8): "Scarecrow, because he's not smart. Not yet..."

Daniel (8): "I like the Scarecrow, the Lion, and Toto. I can't choose! The Lion is funny, Scarecrow has good ideas, and Toto just barks." 

Evy (10): "The Lion." 

Mom's Notes: I had never read this until now. We picked it up because of our weather study, because they put on the play in the Sweet Home Alaska book we just read, and because the younger kids are auditioning to be in an Eagle Mountain city production of the play this summer! We know the classic movie very well, so it was very interesting to read the original story. We also discussed the silver standard and the economic/political allusions in the book. 

Sweet Home Alaska

Mom's Notes: I had never learned about the Palmer Colony in Alaska. It was fascinating to read about what it might have been like for those Depression-era pioneers. Of course it sounds like an amazing adventure to me, and I hope I'd be up for it! But struggling to keep mosquitos out of the canvas tent that would be home for months, along with the lack of supplies and help for illness, plus the lack of plumbing conveniences do have me feeling for the mother in the story especially. We enjoyed the familiar references to Shirley Temple, Little Orphan Annie, and especially Almanzo Wilder. I did purposefully read that book before this one! (Note: While the historical subject was very interesting, we weren't much impressed with the writing. The characters just never came alive for us. There were some hitches in the plot here and there, too. Still, a fun read, and one I'm grateful we spent time with.) 

Farmer Boy

Would you want to live on a farm like Almanzo did? Why or why not? 

Michael (8): "I would. You get to eat all that stuff. And you would have a lot of animals."

Daniel (8): "Yes, because it would be fun and I'd get to ride a horse, get two oxen, and eat stacked pancakes and big meals!"

Evy (10): "Yes. Then I could plant a lot of stuff like corn and apples. And I could have a horse to ride around everywhere." 

Mom's Notes: It was entertaining and enlightening to spend some time in Almanzo's childhood. This is one series we're reading after watching film adaptations, so we always interested in comparisons to the original story. We were amazed at little Almanzo's pie capacity! (And his mother's cooking and baking capabilities!) We were impressed with the hardiness of these farm families in the early-morning cold especially. The story had us shaking cream into butter one day, then making ice cream in a bag the next. We watched am interesting documentary about Laura Ingalls Wilder, which was hosted by Almanzo-actor Dean Butler. And we'll just keep on with the Little House series - happy to know a little more about the true Almanzo now. (We know how to accurately pronounce his name... unlike the actors in the show!) 

Summer of the Monkeys

 

How would you try to catch those sneaky monkeys? 

Michael (8): "I would put a banana on the ground, and then put a trap on a tree above the banana. Then when the monkey comes, the trap falls down." 

Daniel (8): "I would make a trail of crumbs. I'd be hiding in the bushes somewhere watching the monkeys go in a line, one by one, eating the crumbs. Once the last monkey was by me, I'd grab a long net fishing pole and launch it where Jimbo is, at the front of the line. A net would go over all of them, and there would be a net at the end. I'd catch all of them." 

Evy (10): "Well, I'd definitely do something like bananas in a trap." 

Mom's Notes: We (re)read this book in anticipation of hopefully encountering some monkeys on our upcoming trip to Costa Rica. It was a riot to read about Jay Berry's dealings with the mischievous monkeys. (The buddies laughed out loud throughout the book!) We also loved the doggy behavior of Rowdy, since we can now relate with Clay, who was snuggled up with us during readings. We were touched, grateful, and relieved when Jay Berry was finally inspired to help his sister. Learning of both of their wishes in the fairy ring was beautiful, especially when read among siblings. We finished the last three chapters in Costa Rica, reading about the beloved pony the night before we went horseback riding through the hills of lovely Monteverde. We DID have several monkey encounters - the first one during breakfast at Stella's when several Capuchin monkeys visited the outdoor dining area to snatch some leftovers. It was highly entertaining and unforgettable! Just like this story.