I’m in book preview mode. Every summer, as part of my preparation for next school year, I make reading suggestion lists available to our school community. These lists provide parents with vetted book titles that will correspond to the history cycle our school is studying the following year. This spring, I’m brushing up our lists by previewing books about medieval and renaissance times. Right now, I have 77 books checked out from the library, most of which are part of this preview process. Some books are instant winners. Others are instantly returned to the library bag. Some need a full read-through; for others I can just scan the index or read a few pages at random. I’m happy with the list that’s taking shape! In the meantime, here are a few recent winners (and one obvious loser) that I’ve come across in my library piles.
 
Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant was perfect for my growing six-year-old reader. Nigel the chipmunk lives on Thimbleberry Lane. Each tale in this sweet collection introduces a new neighbor or friend of Nigel and an idyllic adventure they share. Reminiscent of The Wind in the Willows, the stories feature small wild creatures and highlight generosity, patience, and thoughtfulness. (No, it’s not about the Middle Ages, just a gem we found recently that was new to me.)
 
A blanket recommendation for Bill Bryson would be unwise. Some of his material, though fascinating and skillful, is also crass and sarcastic. Bill Bryson’s Shakespeare: The World as Stage, though, is safe to suggest for high school or adult readers. A short look at the known details of Shakespeare’s life (there aren’t many) is laced into a historical exploration of his era. It’s history, the fun way. Facts about life in Elizabethan England bring the time period to life and help us realize that even if we can’t know much about Will for sure, we can at least settle his context pretty firmly.
 
Roman Numerals I to MM by Arthur Geisert was a slightly silly take on learning Roman numerals. Each page features pigs on their farm, and helps young readers learn Roman numeral values by counting the pigs. It’s funny, but hopefully effective. Worth a try if number games are something your child likes.
 
I’m already a Shakespeare fan, so I’m easy to please with books about the Bard. But Will’s Words by Jane Sutcliffe was truly a lot of fun. Vivid illustrations are paired with explanations of words and phrases coined by Shakespeare. With citations from the plays in which they appear, each word or phrase is defined and given context. Add this to your list when we reach our Shakespeare studies in the coming year.
 
My ten-year-old did a preview read of The Sword in the Tree by Clyde Robert Bulla for me. He assessed it as perfect for upper elementary, with large text, short chapters and some occasional illustrations. It’s a story set in the time of King Arthur and would make a great leisure read for students studying medieval times. A fun piece of old literature about even older times.
 
Everyday Life in Bible Times by John A. Beck provided helpful information on ancient pottery making for my ten-year-old’s research speech this spring. It also looked like a promising resource for information on many aspects of the biblical time period. Topics are arranged alphabetically and include things like Engrave, Sacred Stone, Smelt, Stiff-Necked, and Yoke. Though I’m truly glad this is available at the library, this is also a book worthy of a permanent spot on any bookshelf.
 
And finally, an un-recommendation. I started Kathleen Krull’s Leonardo da Vinci with high hopes. It looked just right for middle grade: beefier chapters than a picture book, but not too overwhelming. I had only reached chapter four, though, when things took a turn. The chapter outlines da Vinci’s arrest for homosexuality, even implying that his arrest (if such an arrest occurred) was unfair. While I have no knowledge of da Vinci’s innocence or guilt in this matter, the fact that it appears in a book for ten-year-olds alarms me. My takeaway from all this was the importance of pre-reading (or at least pre-skimming) the books we give to our children. It is not enough for a book to check all the boxes externally. If the worldview of its author and publisher are not aligned with your own, you will want to assess what your child is being fed. We make choices every day about which snacks our children get, which produce to buy, which ice cream brand, which cereal. I remind you, even as I remind myself, to research just as much about the mental diet we provide for our kids.
 
Soon, the library will have these books back on their shelves. Until then, a library of my own is sprouting up in the dining room!

Book lovers often have a problem: not enough shelves. This becomes a compounded issue when a book lover decides that one edition of a prized book is not enough. No, having two different versions would be better. Or even three.
 
For some books, of course, this does not apply. But when it comes to classics of which editions abound or to collections of stories or poetry, the options can sometimes be too vast to settle on just one. In today’s issue of Endpapers, I suggest a few specific collections of which it is well worth having more than one.
 
Aesop’s Fables.
You can get a cheap paperback of Aesop’s fables anywhere. You can probably also find more than one illustrated option at your local bookstore. But with a classic like Fables, images matter. Despite individual preference, some illustrations stand above the rest. Here are a few collections of Aesop’s Fables in which the illustrations aid in the telling of the story, and will help the lesson of the fable to linger.
 
A Classic Illustrated Edition from Chronicle Books.
With illustrations by such renowned artists as Arthur Rackham and Milo Winter, this collection includes a wide variety of styles. Some are black and white; others are full color. Some are realistic, while others are caricatures. The assortment reminds us that these stories bridge time and place and are applicable wherever people and their animal counterparts dwell.
 
Illustrated by Heidi Holder.
Holder’s illustrations are richly detailed, soft in color, and include intricate decorative borders. Some span two pages. This collection does not include a large number of fables (only nine), but the illustrations are quite pleasant.
 
Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
Pinkney was a prolific illustrator who just died in 2021. His work is usually watercolor, and captures movement even in its stillness. This collection is extensive, with more than 50 fables, and quite enjoyable, though some fables do not get a whole illustration of their own.
 
Illustrated by Charles Santore.
These illustrations are distinctly more modern, with less fine detail and more striking colors. But they are memorable images and capture each fable well. This collection includes twenty-four fables, each one with its own illustration.
 
A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Every child should own a personal copy of this collection. The poems capture a time in history, as well as a time in a child’s life. Wishes for growing up, playing with neighbors and siblings, sick days, going to bed, imaginary worlds, and the changing of the seasons: all are explored with the tender insight of a child. A collection of poems like this can stand alone, but it will adhere to a child’s heart all the more permanently if it is accompanied by beautiful pictures. I recommend the three following collections. One of my favorite things is looking up the same poem in all three collections and exploring how each artist imagined the scene in her own way.
 
Illustrations by Tasha Tudor.
The copy of this at our house is inscribed from a friend of my mom’s at the baby shower before I was born. What a treasure. Tasha Tudor is one of America’s finest illustrators, and every child should enjoy her homey artwork.
 
Illustrations by Jessie Willcox Smith
This collection has fewer total illustrations. Many are small black and white images accompanying a poem, but a few full color plates are scattered throughout as well. Willcox Smith is another American illustrator, about a generation before Tasha Tudor. Her paintings are full of light and her drawings, though simple, capture the magic of childhood.
 
Illustrations by Gyo Fujikawa
You’ll probably recognize Fujikawa’s illustrative style. It’s more similar to a cartoon than any of the illustrators I’ve suggested so far, but it has a seriousness that elevates it from the sillier types of picture book illustrations. This collection has some black and white pictures and some color ones.
 
If your shelves are too full to bear the burden of another of these collections, you’re in luck: Most of these can be easily checked out from your library!

The Odyssey is one of the oldest tales in the world, one of the first epics, and a prototype for hundreds of stories that followed it over the centuries. Tackling the original may be reserved for high schoolers and adults (and I mean tackling it in an English translation) but the story has much to offer younger readers as well.
 
In this issue of Endpapers, I hope to encourage you to take a first (or second or third) look at Homer’s Odyssey and find realistic ways to integrate it into your own reading and your homeschool curriculum. One great richness that a story like the Odyssey offers is the promise of many re-reads. It may seem unlikely now, if you’re facing down your first daunting reading, but you and your child will almost certainly return to this story. It deserves the chance to be read over and over. So the first rendition that you choose for your child is an introduction only, not a final choice. Still, we must choose well each book our children read.

My library system offers 87 titles with a search for “Homer The Odyssey.” From graphic novels to interpretive essays on the epic, to rewrites from different character perspectives, to film adaptations, to CliffsNotes, and of course a variety of English translations, the ways to access this story are plentiful. But which is best? As I took the time to (finally) read the Odyssey this year, I also checked out a stack of versions for kids from the library, read some, skimmed others, kept many past their due date, and compared illustrations, searching for what makes this epic timeless and how we can help our kids interact with it. Admittedly sampling just a small segment of the options, I assessed six or seven different youth versions of the story and offer a few suggestions for you here. Whatever age your children are this year, they can enjoy the Odyssey. 

The original: I am nearly done reading the translation by Lattimore, primarily because it is the one we had on the shelf at home. The translation by Fagles is supposed to be quite good, and there are other translators as well. If you’re tackling the original (in English), I highly recommend pairing it with the podcast episodes by Close Reads. Each episode covers a few chapters, so you can pace your reading and intersperse the podcast episodes along the way. I was enormously helped by the conversations between these three wise literature lovers, learning more about the book than I ever could have figured out on my own. I am glad to have taken the time (very slowly) to read the text in its entirety.
 
A more advanced retelling: Now’s a good time to tell you: the original telling of the Odyssey is not presented chronologically. Rather, it begins near the end with an introduction to Odysseus’s wife and son in the absence of their family head. Then, it takes the reader to meet up with Odysseus and to see how he finally receives help to reach home. During this section, Odysseus himself retells the first part of his journeyings to the islanders who are assisting him. After this interlude of flashback, we return to his current trip home where he eventually is reunited with his family. The Children’s Homer by Padraic Colum takes this approach, telling the story in roughly the same sequence and structure as Homer’s original. I greatly appreciated another of Colum’s books, The Golden Fleece and the Heroes Who Lived Before Achilles, which I read to my children this winter. This author’s style has a pleasantly ancient feel to it, and is accompanied by beautiful line drawings.
 
A single chapter book for developing readers: The version by Geraldine McCaughrean is well organized. It does take a chronological approach, but that’s to be found in nearly any version for children. This is a short version and includes all the major episodes in Odysseus’s journey. A decent introduction, if you want something very brief.
 
A simple version for young readers: My children (ages 5 and 10 this year) listened to the audio version of Mary Pope Osborne’s Tales from the Odyssey. The story presents the epic of Odysseus as a series of short chapter books, which provide an excellent way for growing readers to read the story on their own. The audio collection we checked out (yes, we still use old-school cd’s) was a compilation of all six books and was an engaging listen! I recommend either the book series, or the audio set. This version even starts with a brief description of the Trojan War, which sets the stage quite helpfully. 
 
A vivid picture book for family reading: The Wanderings of Odysseus by Rosemary Sutcliff is a classic for home educating families. It does arrange the story chronologically, but places a chapter midway through the book about Odysseus’s son, Telemachus, and his quest to locate his father. I like the organization of this one. It’s also accompanied by beautiful art by Alan Lee, though be aware: some of the illustrations include partially-nude women. Consider previewing for your children first.
 
A few versions I did not like:
 
The Legend of Odysseus by Peter Connelly includes excessively graphic illustrations of nude goddesses. While the illustrations by Alan Lee, mentioned above, show some female nudity, it is subtle. The illustrations in this version are quite gross.
 
The Odyssey by Gillain Cross intrigued me at first, with its simple text and eye-catching illustrations. But after reviewing some versions that were so much better, I realized how inadequate this rendition was. Spare yourself and select a tried and true version, rather than a flashy new publication.
 
I hope you’re inspired to find the right version of Homer’s Odyssey for you and your family! Let me know if there’s a version you love that I’ve overlooked. Happy reading!

Magic and fun can be the doorway into enjoying literature of all kinds. In this issue, I suggest three imaginative novels for kids, a set of math adventure stories for younger kids, and a peek into the (magical?) past for readers of any age. Dive into history or fantasy worlds this spring as you choose literature for warming-up days.
 
Sweep by Jonathan Auxier tells the story of a chimney sweep girl and her somewhat unconventional friend. This novel for middle-grade readers shows the importance of love and sacrifice and demonstrates the powerful effect of putting others first. Probably most suited to 5th and 6th graders, but suitable for older middle schoolers too, or as a readaloud with younger children.
 
A boy on the fast track to a permanent life of enslavement and forced crime is whisked away to bewildering adventures in Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, also by Jonathan Auxier. The story is peopled with odd beings (talking crows, a horse/cat/goat man) and odd places (a sea into which all messages-in-bottles eventually fall, a desert with no edges), but our hero navigates his quest with fervor and courage despite his looming impediment: he is blind. This book was enjoyed in our home by a fourth-grader, but it’s not too childish for avid middle school readers.
 
If only all learning could be accomplished through children’s literature… but wait: can it? The Riddle of the Rosetta Stone by James Cross Giblin is an accessible telling of how the Rosetta Stone unlocked the secrets of ancient Egyptian language. While there is certainly much more to learn on the subject, readers of this book (adults or children) will find themselves feeling adequately informed about how the Stone was found, how it was deciphered, and even the rudiments of how hieroglyphs work. A worthy work for readers of any age!
 
Each book in the Sir Cumference series by Cindy Neuschwander tells a knightly adventure that uses math to find the solution. Math puns abound with creative character names such as Lady Di of Ameter and their son, Radius, and places such as Angleland and the Isle of Immeter (visited by Radius’s cousin Per). The stories are funny, and do not require math skills to read, but expose students to mathematical ideas in the course of each tale.
 
I prefer to take my magic seriously. This The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson, a magical tale for young readers, takes very little seriously. Though that isn’t my usual reading mood, I appreciated a number of things about this book. First, even though it’s silly from start to finish, it never adds unnecessary humor: no potty talk, nothing I’d feel uncomfortable reading aloud. Second, the silliness never affects the crisp line between good and wicked. The unsavory characters are funny, but only in their unlikableness. And the good characters, though humorous, do not lose their moral high ground amidst the humor. Third, I found the story predictable in its summary plot arc, but there was plenty to surprise me along the way.

Christmas is over, but good reading never ends. Here are a few books our household enjoyed over this season. Extend the season by reading them in January, or save them for reading next December!
 
The Book of Dragons by E. Nesbit is a collection of individual stories about children and dragons. The dragon is always the foe, and the young person is always the hero. The stories are humorous, full of little asides to the reader like “I’m sure you’d like to know what happened to so-and-so,” and references to the known traits of dragons. But each one has plot twists and even character development. We enjoyed these one at a time over a few weeks’ time and definitely plan to revisit the collection someday.
 
The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Sauer is an easy reader chapter book that features a boy at a lighthouse. It was part of the reading curriculum for 3rd and 4th grade last year, during the “Year Four” rotation in the classroom. The story is set at Christmastime and explores the emotions of the season from various angles. It’s a mature story for little ones, not in a way that requires adult caution, but in a way that will attune a child to the elements of Christmas celebrations that pertain to grown-ups. A very sweet story for a family read-aloud in the week or so before Christmas.
 
The Dawn of Redeeming Grace by Sinclair Ferguson is an advent reading book for December. Advent books abound, and this is just one of many good ones. It’s best if you have experience with Ferguson’s teaching so you can read it to yourself in his voice. J
 
Flower Fairies of the Winter by Cicely Mary Barker is a sweet collection of drawings and poems, each telling the imaginary story of a fairy who inhabits a wintertime plant. It’s ideal for bedtime reading with a little girl, or for inspiration to get outside during the cold months of the year. The author has other collections, which I also hope to explore.
 
Winter Eyes by Douglas Florian is a modern-day collection of poems for wintertime. While I’ll always choose classic poetry over contemporary poetry, this set of poems made me smile and was accompanied by sweet paintings. See the winter season with “winter eyes” as you make your way through this book’s pages.
 
The Twelve Days of Christmas with illustrations by Jan Brett has been a long-time favorite of mine. Jan Brett’s iconic margin illustrations enhance the telling of this story-song, while the featured “gift” of each day is given a glorious two-page spread drawing. Brett has illustrated many winter and Christmas books including The Mitten, a version of The Nutcracker, Annie and the Wild Animals, and The Wild Christmas Reindeer, but this is a classic worthy of many re-reads.
 
Favorites for winter and Christmas are often established by family tradition, so no matter which great books you choose, make sure your children can look forward to that special bundle of favorites that only come out at the close of the year.

Take a look at the books piled in every room of our house, and you’d be able to tell we read a lot. I wondered what a Week in Books would look like, if I catalogued it. I did just that over the past seven days. Here are the results! Some of these we read in their entirety; others were only sampled during the week. Some are recommended; others are just an honest look at what this family’s reading life looks like. (Note: I didn’t catalog what Dad read, just the readings of the kids and me, or things we read as a family.)
 
Pyramid by David Macauley
It took us about 40 minutes in just one sitting. The kids and I loved this fascinating telling of how an Egyptian pyramid is built. Highly recommended! 
 
A Tangled Web by L. M. Montgomery
By the author of Anne of Green Gables, this charming book for grown-ups explores the ripple effects of life choices through the fictional account of a large extended family. Each family member has his or her own dreams and doubts, fears and fantasies. As they intersect, the results create a tangled web indeed. A sweet end of summer read for me. 
 
Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
I’m not sure which of my kids read this, to be honest, but it was on the couch when it had been in the reading basket. Someone enjoyed this sweet story of a tiny owl who only wants to help keep his land safe.
 
Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page by Cynthia Rylant
Our kindergartner is making strong strides in reading and loves tackling small chapter books (this series is a favorite) with a bit of help.
 
Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome
My current read-aloud with the kids. My second time reading it, their first hearing.
 
Story of the World: Volume One by Susan Wise Bauer
Our history text. We read chapter five this week.
 
“The Big White Book” (Natural History by Smithsonian)
We often summon “The Big White Book” when we read or hear about an animal, plant, or mineral that is foreign to us. With pictures and one-line descriptions of thousands of species, it’s a perfect resource. We consulted it this week regarding swallows, gentian flowers, and milkweeds.
 
Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
After a long hiatus, we finally returned to this Narnia book, a family read-aloud that had been abruptly cut short sometime around May. Completing the final few chapters would have been more satisfying if we had read without such a long break, but it was nevertheless a rewarding read.
 
The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw  
I’m trying something new with my fourth-grader for this history novel. We both have a copy and are reading it independently, but keeping the same pace. Every few chapters, we have a little chat about it. It’s our own mini book club and so far it’s delightful.
 
Hints on Child Training by Henry Clay Trumbull
I started this book years ago. I pulled it off the shelf again this week and am hoping to finally read the whole thing. Trumbull keenly explains how to train your children toward what is good, without over-correcting or ignoring their own individuality. There are many lessons I need to learn in this book.
 
Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans
There are more prayers in here than I will ever need to pray. I have been lingering on just one of the prayers in the section “Help Me Begin the Day” for a few weeks, praying it every few days as I need its reminders again.
 
Shanghaied to China, Spy for the Night Riders, and Defeat of the Ghost Riders by Dave and Neta Jackson
The fourth-grader is picking away at all three of these stories of famous Christians during his reading times. Yes, he’s reading three at once. I guess he takes after me!  
 
Three Little Kittens by Paul Galdone
A favorite. This was a bedtime story one night this week.
 
With Love, Edith by Edith Schaeffer
Speaking of missionary stories, I have been savoring this collection of Edith Schaeffer’s letters for years. Even just one page of this book displays enough faith to coast on for a few days. Edith, her husband, and their three (later, four) children followed God’s call to ministry in Switzerland. Her stories of the highs and lows and everyday middles of ministry life are a huge encouragement to me.
 
Mio, My Son by Astrid Lindgren
After finishing Caspian, we picked up this sweet fairy tale to start as our next read-aloud. We’ve gotten through a few chapters now. I read it to our now-fourth-grader a few years ago. He and I both loved it, so I hope the whole family enjoys it!
 
The Ology by Marty Machowski
Every couple days, I read one (very short!) section of this to the kids and we discuss it. This week, it was “God is Perfect.”
 
New City Catechism
My fourth grader has been memorizing these question and answer sets for a few years. He is on question sixteen. My kindergartner is just getting started. In the past week, she mastered questions one and two.
 
In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World by Virginia Hamilton and Creation: Read-Aloud Stories from Many Lands by Ann Pilling
I skimmed these two collections, hopeful that they would aid me in teaching my kids how unbelieving cultures have distorted the true story of God’s creation, yet retained a kernel of truth. While that aim could certainly be met in careful reading and discussion of these stories, I found too many of them to be distasteful and/or desperately off-base, and decided not to spend time unpacking them with my children. It could be an excellent study topic for older students.
 
The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry collected by Louis Untermeyer
We’re gearing up for our next Family Poetry Night, so I found one in this book to memorize myself and two short ones to help our 5-year-old memorize. I can’t tell you what they are; it’s a family rule to keep the poems a secret until Poetry Night.
 
An Illustrated Catalog of American Fruits and Nuts published by the US Dept of Agriculture
To be clear: I didn’t read this book. It’s more drawings than words anyway. But I did page through it, appreciating the skill and care of the artists from 1886 – 1942 who brought these fruits to life on the page. Though I doubt the publisher intended this result, I found myself impressed once again at the way God built his world of orderly categories and creation that is both beautiful and useful. I stumbled upon this tome when searching on the library web catalogue for books on Egyptian or Sumerian agricultural life. It looked intriguing, so I requested it. And that is the beauty of a good library system.
 
There you have it: the reading life of one family in just one week. What would your reading spread look like if you collected it over seven days?

For Your Kids

We all love our kids to read biographies of famous figures, especially famous Christians. J.R.R. Tolkien for Kids by Simonetta Carr is just such a book… but with a fun twist. In the book’s eight chapters, Carr tells the life story of this much-loved inventor of Middle-earth from his childhood through his retirement. But scattered amongst the narrative of his life and literary achievements are instructions for projects: a recipe for marmalade, directions for building a kite, a sample of a fictional map, a guide for inventing a new code, and many others. While the text of the biography may be slightly advanced for elementary reading, the projects are spot-on for kids in grades 3-ish through 6-ish. That makes this an ideal book for home educating families: enjoy the biography as a read-aloud, or let older kids read it solo, while the whole family can choose a few projects to try together. 
 
Grammar. I love it. Maybe you do too, or maybe it’s among your fake-it-til-you-make-it subjects. Either way, this collection of grammar picture books from Ruth Heller is likely to be a treat. It will either make you grin with the way she plays with parts of speech, or open your eyes afresh to how our lovely language works. I especially like Many Luscious Lollipops, the one on adjectives, but they are all good.
 
The aptly titled Classic Myths to Read Aloud, collected by William Russell, makes myths bite-sized. A few years ago, I was astounded to learn how little of Greek and Roman mythology I actually knew. If you’re in a similar boat, knowing where to start can be daunting. Many great anthologies of mythology are available, and this is just one good one. Each story is preceded by a short summary along with a pronunciation guide for the names, and description of each character. The myths are short, and each one even tells you how long it takes to read aloud! It’s been a great mythology introduction for me and my kids!

For You

If your tea comes in gauzy paper packets (like mine does), you may not even know what a tea plant looks like. I didn’t. You may also, occasionally, stumble over the realization that tea is not native to England, yet seems to issue forth from that motherland like the steaming of great boiling teapots. For all the Tea in China by Sarah Rose will set the record straight. It’s a fascinating look at the history of the tea trade, its link with the opium trade, the geopolitics of the nineteenth century, and the journey of a botanist-turned-spy into the interior of China on a quest to collect living tea specimens. It’s told in sparkling detail and laced carefully together with firsthand accounts. Recommended for any tea-drinker!
 
Have you read the first few chapters of Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman? It’s not too late to join the community-wide read-along as we prepare for our Parent Book-Talk this fall! If you haven’t started yet (or even if you have!), here’s a shameless plug to add this book to your nightstand or coffee table or library hold list. Postman wrote his book in 1984, an ominous year if ever there was one. But though the reality of 1984 was nothing like George Orwell’s famous predictions, the predictions that Postman made in Amusing Ourselves to Death (now nearly forty years ago) have been uncannily accurate. He worried that the cultural conversation would shrink to its least common denominator, i.e. the media of the masses. Today, this is precisely what we see in a world dominated by the ultra-brief clip. He foresaw the shift from the preeminence of print, which is necessarily slower in all ways, to the preeminence of the screen, which capitalizes on a far shallower and quicker form of thinking. Possibly most intriguing of all, he briefly discusses the two dystopian pillars: 1984 and Brave New World, suggesting that “Orwell feared… those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one.” And isn’t the unnerving plight in which we now find ourselves? Amusing Ourselves to Death isn’t an easy read, but it’s a gripping one. Get a copy so you can catch up and join the conversation this October!

For Both You and Your Kids

Have you ever longed to enjoy a riverbank picnic? Sip campfire cocoa or make toast over a fire? Make paper dolls (and not the storebought kind) or magical chalk-drawing lands? I know you have. Turkish Delight and Treasure Hunts by Jane Brocket is the book for you (and for your kids). Collecting inspiration from classic children’s books like The Wind in the Willows, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, A Little Princess, A Wrinkle in Time, Heidi, The Borrowers, Betsy-Tacy, and many more, Jane Brocket (whose name sounds like it was lifted right out of one of those stories!) provides instructions for bringing the activities of our best-loved characters to life. Her introduction alone is splendid, exploring the reasons why some activities that make up children’s literature are not feasible for attempting in “real life.” Yet she yields to the magic of making a cake from scratch, decorating a hat with flowers, creating a tiny post office or secret spot, or even sitting up late to enjoy a dark and stormy night. This book is good enough to read even without scheduling the activities. But you’ll want to try them all.

Books for Interacting
 
Cavern of Clues and Museum of Mysteries, part of the Math Quest series by David Glover come highly recommended by an ALC nine year old. “This series engages readers with a fun story using math puzzles. To finish the book, you have to solve many math problems and have an adventure as the plot unfolds. You’ll want to read this again and again.” It’s true: our home has had these from the library more than once.
 
In The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base the reader must determine the identity of the birthday feast thief from clues hidden in the rhyming text and lush illustrations. Code-breaking and puzzle-solving come together in this interactive book. Best of all, the answers (assuming you buy a brand-new copy of the book) are sealed in the final pages until you slice open the sticker to reveal the pages. You must be quite sure of your intention to see the answer before sneaking a peek.
 
 
Books for Snuggling
 
If you, too, long for the good old days, The Little… Series by Judy Dunn is for you. Each book features a child who adopts a pet (The Little Puppy, The Little Lamb, The Little Rabbit, etc) and learns the challenges and joys of animal care.  Each story is told through photographs, an illustration tactic that is works perfectly here even though it can sometimes feel artificial. I grew up with these books so they are extra nostalgic for me, but even if they are new to you, I expect you’ll find them charming.
 
The wistfulness for the bygone era of the 1830s is palpable in Rachel Field’s sweet novel, Hitty: Her First Hundred Years, about Hitty, the mountain-ash wood doll. As Hitty adventures – at the hands of her various owners – across the globe and over a century of history, she watches the world change around her. Hitty witnesses life aboard a whaling ship, missionaries in the Far East, a Quaker household, the effects of the Civil War (on Northerners and Southerners), poverty and wealth, family life and old maids, the evolving methods of transportation, and a change in her own monetary value as she slowly becomes “an antique.” A darling story from 1929 for any girl who has loved a doll.
 
 
A Book for Savoring
 
They just don’t make ‘em like they used to. Or write ‘em, if we’re talking about books. I don’t trust much new literature these days, but The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill is a stellar exception. This book is packed full: full of good characters, good lessons, good imagery, and great insights. From questions of virtue and vice to the power of simple things to the creative playfulness of time itself, this book plants themes like seeds, letting them take their sweet time to bud and flower. The parallels to Biblical truth are strong, and more keep rising to the surface the more I think about it. Highly recommended as a read-aloud for the whole family, or for independent reading for any middle school or even high school reader. (Bonus: it’s already been vetted by our 7th and 8th grade book club!)
 
 
A Game for Inhabiting
 
Board game players: lend your ears! Everdell has become a fast favorite in our home. Though our five-year old is still too young to play, the rest of us have played well over a dozen times since we received the game at Christmastime. Each player collects resources in order to build a personalized “village” of woodland critters and constructions, vying for the best elements to add from the “meadow” and deciding how to build a city that will yield the most end-of-game points. We’ve spent many a weekend afternoon in the realm of Everdell and I suspect other game-lovers will feel at home in Everdell too. If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try one of the expansion packages!

We swim, in this information age, in an almost bottomless pool of potential learning. Podcasts, online lectures, streaming services, and instant media coverage of news items large and small can overload us. In fact, the greater the pool of knowledge, the smaller our own knowledge seems to be. The books in this issue of Endpapers may help you cut ties with this endless web of clickbait.
 
The first selection, a nonfiction book highly recommended for older teens and adults, will challenge your engagement with this rather new thing we call the internet. The second set of books is meant to convince you that bite-sized nonfiction aimed at children can sometimes be just the right amount for readers of any age. And the final book, an early reader for little ones, reminds us that simple is so good.
 
Nonfiction for Big-ish Kids (and Grown-ups)
 
You're reading this review on a screen, probably a very small one in your hand. And you probably don't want to read any further. You're itching to move on. Nicholas Carr unpacks why this is true for you and it's scary. The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr has been out for thirteen years and it feels both prescient and timely. Carr argues that our internet-sourced ability to find tiny nuggets of information leads us away from the practice of deep reading. Worse, we actually become unable to do it. If you have the attention span to read this book (oh, the irony), your eyes will be opened. I cannot recommend this book enough to any internet user.
 
History for Middle-ish Grades 
 
I have often learned the most about history from children’s books. If well illustrated, a picture book can make a slice of history memorable in a way that even the most engaging adult version often cannot. A few examples stand out in our recent reading at home.
 
Dazzle Ships by Chris Barton taught us about a unique war tactic of the First World War that was completely new to me. Painting sea vessels to camouflage with the ocean itself: sound like the stuff of cartoons? Nope. It was a valid sea-faring defense plan. This book led to a fun painting project for our homeschool that week.
 
The Amazing Impossible Erie Canal by Cheryl Harness provides impressive depth for a picture book. Maps and diagrams intersperse with regular illustrations to bring canal construction and the specific success of the Erie Canal to life on each page.
 
Fallingwater by Mark Harshman offers a light introduction to Frank Lloyd Wright and his architectural highlight found right here in Pennsylvania. This book doesn’t dwell heavily on Wright’s life (which is not a model of virtue), but discusses the architectural ingenuity of this landmark structure built in the 1930s. As an introduction to artistic architecture, it’s worthy of a read.
 
The Greatest Skating Race by Louise Borden is fiction but provides a glimpse into what life may have been like in the Netherlands during WWII. Three children use the frozen canals of Holland to find safety in the face of Nazi oppression. Sweet characters and charming illustrations make this long-ish picture book an enjoyable read-aloud for elementary kids, or a quick one-sitting read for middle schoolers.
 
Picture books can offer more than meets the eye, but for a deep dive, more is obviously required. After scratching the surface of Russian history over this past year, I became slightly obsessed with the topic and spotlighted that piece of history in my own reading. Here are a few books I found helpful.
 
The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming follows the collapse of Czar Nicholas’s power alongside the rising drama of WWI and the simultaneous crescendo of Russian cry for self-rule. Told in story form, with plenty of direct quotes from the historic figures, the book made for an engaging read, despite the inescapable heartbreak. Every element lent a new facet to the story, reminding readers that history does not happen in a vacuum.
 
Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin looked like a good possibility for my third-grader: a chapter book, but with illustrations. I found the themes a bit too heavy and decided not to pass it along to him, but I did appreciate it as an eye opening read about life in Communist Russia. Not gruesome, but dark. Worth reading for the historical context, perhaps along with your middle-grade child.
 
Reading for Small-ish Ones
 
The Henry and Mudge series by Cynthia Rylant is dear to our hearts as a family with a Henry of our own. But aside from that favoritism, these early reader books are still darling. Henry and his huge, slobbery dog Mudge are always learning new things in the best possible settings of love and fun. Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend is a special favorite in our home, but grab any book in the series for your emerging reader and you won’t be disappointed. 

The YA (young-adult) genre is notoriously murky waters for Christian parents.
 
First, there’s the spectrum of ages represented. Books considered “middle-grade” (some tagged J for junior and others YA for young adult in a library system) are aimed at kids from age 8 (third graders) to age 12 (seventh graders), a wide range of sensibilities. Which do you hand to your third grader? Which ones do you save for a few years later? And then, when a child’s reading ability soars past the material written for this age, what do you feed your reading-hungry child? The books he or she is now able to read often include mature themes not suitable for a 10 or 11 year old.
 
Compounding this, we face the unknowns of a book’s content. We know enough not to trust the suggested age ranges provided by a publisher. Yet, a voracious middle school reader may be hard-pressed to stick within the bounds of what you – the parent – have pre-read and approved.
 
Facing this hydra of a dilemma, what is a wise parent to do? Thankfully, resources abound which provide trustworthy book recommendations. But there is no substitute for your own thoughtful decision-making. If your child is reading – rather than engaging in screen activities – your family is already succeeding. As you encourage reading, though, never yield to the maxim “At least he’s reading.” Be a zealous gatekeeper of your child’s mind. If your child asks to read a book that a friend or neighbor suggests, pick it up yourself. Read one chapter. It won’t take you very long; I promise. Or, flip to the middle and read a few pages. (I did this at a bookstore recently with a popular graphic novel series. The page I opened to, at random, featured a character in the background of the scene singing “If you’re happy and you know it, poop your pants.” That’s all I needed to see.)
 
With this in mind, here are a few “middle grade” books that I recently found charming and safe.
 
I read Beauty by Robin McKinley three years ago, so I can’t believe it hasn’t been recommended here yet. It’s a retelling of Beauty and the Beast written in 1978. For a kid who grew up on Disney’s take (and it’s a great take), this rendition lifted the story out of animation and into literature. This version of the fairy tale is told from Beauty’s first-person perspective and while there is no dancing candlestick or Mrs. Potts serenading in the ballroom, the charm is still rich. Additional side characters give the story depth while the story’s main arc remains familiar. I recommend this book quite heartily!
 
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau sets its characters in a place of total darkness. The only light sources are electric flood lights which are turned on for the day hours and turned off for nighttime. And lately, they’ve been flickering. Lina and her friend Doon, twelve-year-olds, take it upon themselves to find out if Ember’s survival is as precarious as it appears, and what can be done if it is. This is an entry-level “post-apocalyptic” tale, but without the violence that often accompanies more mature stories in the genre. It’s simple: Ember’s heroes are pure-hearted, villains are easily identified, and circumstances work out conveniently for our heroes. But it’s just right for kids reaching up for those first higher-level stories. (The sequel is also good!)
 
Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones abounds with mistaken identities. From a pair of characters who swap appearances to a girl cursed to take the form of an old woman to a main character who can shapeshift at will, no one is what they seem. Yet like many fantasy stories, it’s not the plotline itself that the author intends to leave you with, but the bigger questions (along with their answers) that hover over the story. Will Sophie realize her own value? Will Howl learn how to care about others? The story is filled with whimsical fantasy details and the themes of faith, hope, and love.
 
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald would probably be unlike anything a typical 2023 middle schooler has read before. The story is about a small boy in an impoverished London family and his encounters with North Wind, a magical lady who takes him flying at nighttime. It’s also filled with digressions and rabbit trails that seem to drag the story away from its main thoroughfare. Yet, as a friend who read the book said so poignantly, “The plot is not the point.” The story explores the nature of love, the mysteries of fear and bravery, and other spiritual truths. Any child educated in the classical tradition should be familiar with George MacDonald. He was a primary literary inspiration for C. S. Lewis. If your child reads North Wind, consider reading it with him or her and discussing along the way while George MacDonald wrote this child’s fairy tale.
 
The White Mountains by John Christopher is set in a futuristic dystopia. The main character, Will, about to face his “capping ceremony” is approached with an alternative option – and an alternative perspective on the “Tripods” who seem to reign in this updated version of planet earth. With his new path forward, the external risks are great and the internal risks are equally fierce. Selfishness and the petty irritations of friendship rise to the surface in a believable way making Will feel like a close-to-home hero. The book is not great literature, but for the voracious reader, hungry for a new world to explore, this story is compelling and though-provoking.
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An opinion about a popular series: Having just exhorted you to sample your child’s reading selections before approving them, I offer this critique with the caveat that it’s simply my opinion. If you haven’t had a chance to form your own opinion, I warmly invite you to do so. But here is my take on the first book in the Percy Jackson series.
 
They say you can read “100-minus-your-age” pages to assess a book’s value. After 64 pages, I had no trouble making a call on Percy Jackson.
 
Our narrator and “hero,” young Percy, is an underdog, a troubled kid from a messy home who hasn’t managed to succeed yet anywhere in his young life. True, an underdog hero can be the best sort. But Percy’s attitude is calloused and sarcastic, everything with a tinge of smirking, disrespectful in his narration even as he paints himself as a kid who’s trying to be good and stay out of trouble. Rather than earning his readers’ affection, he demands it.
 
The potty humor, or just shy of it, sours the story even further. Chapter 3 is titled “Grover Unexpectedly Loses His Pants” and Chapter 6 is called “I Become Supreme Lord of the Bathroom.” And those are just chapter titles.
 
The plot in Percy Jackson is compelling. Were it done well, it could be a wonderful introduction to Greek mythological characters, an effective rags to riches story of a boy who thought he was a nobody coming to grips with his deep significance. Instead, it’s a weak imitation of a true hero story told in language meant to appeal to the masses. When there is so much good literature to read (and re-read!), books like this one can easily afford to be skipped.