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. 

Rilla of Ingleside

When you think of this book, what image or event first comes to your mind? 

Michael: "When Rilla goes to her first dance at the lighthouse." 

Daniel: "When she comes with the soup tureen and puts the baby in it."

Evy: "When she comes home with the soup tureen. And when Kenneth Ford comes back from the war." 

Gabe: "The lighthouse dance."

Julia: "The ball place."

Mom's Notes: What a finish! Truly, I can't pick a second favorite in this series. This story is so rich with history, sweet romance, and surprising events. (Like the baby in the soup tureen and the interesting old lady who bequeaths her fortune to Jims!) It was a pleasure and honor to watch Rilla grow and learn to sacrifice during the long years of the war. I especially loved seeing Anne as a mother of older children. We all cried at the saddest news and rejoiced with the victories. We learned so much about WWI; it was so interesting to follow the whole thing through the eyes of those at home. Jonny finished this one only days after we did, so dinner conversations very often touched this story. 

We're all sad to leave this series! Surely we will return. As a token of our affection for these books and the characters, we're proud to say Clay has an official middle name, thanks to the ever-loyal Dog Monday. Clarence Monday sounds just right. 

Rainbow Valley

Which Blithe or Meredith child would you like to make friends with? 

Evy: "Walter, Faith, Una, Nan, and Di."

Daniel: "Jem... because he's Jem! And Walter, so we could write poems." 

Michael: "My favorite is Walter because he's a poet. And his name is cool. I would want to be friend with Carl, because he could teach you that you don't have to be afraid of bugs." 

Mom's Notes: This book gave us a lot to laugh about, a lot to discuss concerning harmful gossip, and definitely some tears to shed. We love the Blithe and Meredith children! We did miss Anne, though. It's hard to move on with the new focus on the youngins. But it was sweet to see glimpses of Anne in her delightful children. Oh, to play in Rainbow Valley! 

Anne's House of Dreams

Which Four Winds resident was most interesting to you? 

Evy (10): "I liked Captain Jim best because he's nice and he seems like a good guy. But Miss Cornelia was the most interesting." 

Michael (8): "That girl who got married to Owen Ford. We got to know about her a lot. Her life seemed sad, but then it was her cousin!" 

Gabe (13): "Probably Captain Jim, though they're all pretty interesting. He had a lot of stories to tell."

Daniel (8): "Miss Cornelia, she's just... interesting. She says, 'Just like a man!'" 

Mom's Notes: Each book has a distinct feel. This one is sweet and sad, with some difficult life events for several of the characters. It was interesting to see Anne grow as a wife, friend, and eventually a new mother. My longing to visit P.E.I. has only increased. I want to see a lighthouse like Captain Jim's!