Issue XXVI

Our at-home reading has been all over the map this fall. Here are just a few things we’ve read and appreciated recently. Grab one or two for the long nights of darkness this season.
 
The Enchanted Hour by Meghan Cox Gurdon takes a scientific approach to finding the benefits of reading aloud. I skimmed through some of the anecdotes and data, but overall I found the book inspiring and helpful, as I continue to think regularly about the place reading aloud has in our family. (It remains a high priority, in case you’re wondering!)
 
If you’ve ever loved any animal, you will enjoy On Animals by Susan Orlean. I might get bored reading a whole book about donkeys. Or rabbit illnesses. Or lost pet dogs. Or homing pigeons. But in this captivating volume, Susan Orlean dishes up amazing stories on all of these animals and more, each chapter no more than 20 or so pages, some quite a bit shorter. I found myself invested in stories about taxidermy, the ethics and laws surrounding animals used in films, and diseases running rampant among wild rabbits. The stories also brought people to life, the owners, caretakers, veterinarians, and trainers of these many creatures. I loved everything about this book. It’s the sort I wished would never end.
 
Michael Morpurgo’s Beowulf adaptation is a real literary treat. Despite the adaptation into modern English for kids, Morpurgo kept much of the original language’s gorgeous alliteration. Much of the story is beautiful to speak. I read this to my children, aged 6 and 10, and would happily read it aloud again. While it would be a good independent read too, its musicality keeps it connected to the many times in ages gone by when the Beowulf tale was undoubtedly told aloud.
 
Our family discovered The Kingdom of Wrenly books by Jordan Quinn this fall and fell in love. Each one is a mini adventure for Prince Lucas and his friend Clara, with mild peril and some threatening foes, but written on a first grade (or so) reading level. Lovely black and white illustrations accompany the stories, and repeating characters bring a whole world to life. A few of them involved spells and magic, so if that is something your family censors, you will want to pre-read the books before passing them to your kids.
 
You’ve read Corduroy, but did you know Don Freeman wrote other books too? I stumbled upon Don Freeman’s Come Again, Pelican, and as a beach lover I found it delightful. It would make a good Christmas present for picture-book lovers in your family who long for summer days throughout the winter months.
 
Since our trip to the Czech Republic this summer, central Europe has held a new interest for me. Stars of the Night by Caren Stelson tells the story of children escaping from pre-WWII Czechoslovakia. While the illustration style isn’t something I’m naturally drawn to, I loved the untold slice of history unpacked in this book. Not everyone has a special spot in their heart for the Czech Republic the way we do, but this book is a great way to appreciate one tiny piece of a faraway land.
 
Birth of the Bicycle by Sarah Nelson is packed with gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text about the history of the bicycle. Looking for something to break up your usual library fare? This is a great option.