The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

436 pages

"Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. Now it's up to them to triumph over their various shortcomings, take on trolls, bandits, dragons, witches, and other assorted terrors, and become the heroes no one ever thought they could be." -Dust Jacket

My daughters and I loved this book. It is laugh-out-loud funny and has great illustrations for almost every chapter. It's cleverly written and I loved the spin on the classic fairy tales. Frederic has a father who was scarred by chicken pox and doesn't want his son to be physically marred in any way so he requires him to get his beauty sleep and not do anything adventurous. For Ella (Cinderella) that's a problem because he's boring and she loves adventure. Sleeping Beauty is a total brat and Liam refuses to marry her. This damages his reputation as a hero as the people of his kingdom turn on him. Gustav has 16 brothers who get all the fame and glory. Rapunzel, after all, actually saved herself. Duncan and Snow are married, living in the forest, but in a bit of a rut. The princes stumble upon each other at the Stumpy Boarhound, a questionable bar and inn. There they form the League of Princes and set off on an adventure to save the bards from the witch Zaubera and become heroes.

This book took us all summer to read but my girls begged to read every night and could remember details about the story that I couldn't--like the fact that Rapunzel has magical tears which proves vital at one point of the story. Fortunately, there's another book by this author called The Hero's Guide to Storming Your Castle. We can't wait to read it because this one was definitely a favorite.

An Elephant in the Garden by Michael Morpurgo

199 pages

"Lizzie and Karl’s mother is a zoo keeper; the family has become attached to an orphaned elephant named Marlene, who will be destroyed as a precautionary measure so she and the other animals don’t run wild should the zoo be hit by bombs. The family persuades the zoo director to let Marlene stay in their garden instead. When the city is bombed, the family flees with thousands of others, but how can they walk the same route when they have an elephant in tow, and keep themselves safe? Along the way, they meet Peter, a Canadian navigator who risks his own capture to save the family. 

As Michael Morpurgo writes in an author’s note, An Elephant in the Garden is inspired by historical truths, and by his admiration for elephants, 'the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures.' Here is a story that brings together an unlikely group of survivors whose faith in kindness and love proves the best weapon of all." -Amazon

This is a fast, sweet story. It is inspired by a true story of a zookeeper in Belfast who kept an elephant in her backyard to save it after the zoo ordered all large animals shot in the event of a bombing. Another part of the story was inspired by the widow of one of the men who tried to assassinate Hitler. The author changed the story to take place in Dresden, Germany. The family is helped by a Countess who is the widow. It is told from Elizabeth's perspective (the daughter of the zookeeper) as an old woman living in a nursing home. She recounts the events of that time to a nurse and her son who looks a lot like Elizabeth's younger brother did at that age and who has the same name. Karl believes Elizabeth's story from the beginning but his mom takes some convincing. 

Elizabeth, her mom, her brother, a Canadian RAF pilot and the elephant walk hundreds of miles west of Dresden after it is bombed. The relationship with the elephant, who has experienced the loss of her mother, is a special one for all of them. In a way, it's the elephant that keeps them going as they travel at night and rest during the day. The story reads so fast that I felt like it was a little hard to really care about the characters because you didn't have enough time to get to know them, but I liked how the story ended and what the author had to say about elephants and people:

"There is a third inspiration for the story though: elephants themselves. I have always thought they are the noblest and wisest and most sensitive of all creatures. I think in my next life, I would like to be an elephant, please. Then I could write about people, who, as you can tell from this story, and from human history, are often not nearly as noble and wise as they should be, sadly." 

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

355 pages

"Sometimes love does conquer all.

You are about to travel to Edgecombe St. Mary, a small village in the English countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. Among them is Major Ernest Pettigrew (retired), the unlikely hero of Helen Simonson's wondrous debut. Wry, courtly, opinionated, and completely endearing, Major Pettigrew is one of the most indelible characters in contemporary fiction, and from the very first page of this remarkable novel he will steal your heart.

The Major leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But village society insists on embracing him as the quintessential local and regarding her as the permanent foreigner. Can their relationship survive the risks one takes when pursuing happiness in the face of culture and tradition?" -Dust Jacket

I've wanted to read this book for a long time and just kept waiting for the right used-book price on Amazon. It didn't disappoint, although for some reason it felt like a story that would have taken place more in the 1950's or 60's for some reason. Maybe that's because the Major is so old-fashioned and traditional, or maybe it's because he lives in a small village that is set in its ways and cultural biases. Either way, it took me about half the book to reconcile the story with the time period. It didn't detract from the story however.

Major Pettigrew is very endearing. He has some great one-liners and the conversations between him and Mrs. Ali are flirty, intelligent and amusing. There are some other quirky characters in this book. The ladies in the village are gossipy--think the type of women in The Music Man. That's what they reminded me of. The annual gathering/dance was hilarious, right up until the point where it creates conflict for the Major and Mrs. Ali. That's the catalyst for forcing the Major to confront his feelings for Mrs. Ali.

This was an entertaining and heart-warming story of finding love a second time and of overcoming cultural diversity to do it. I liked the Major's internal dialogue of not being a young man anymore as he pursues Mrs. Ali and his finally being brave enough to say how he feels as he rescues Mrs. Ali from her overbearing family. She in turn, is quite forward, especially toward the end of the book. They're a cute couple and the story ends in the perfect place.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

278 pages

"In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli's mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest." -Dust Jacket

This was a delightful book from beginning to end. I love stand-alone books (i.e. no sequels) that make you smile and feel good. This book is different from the other fantasies we've read in that it's mixed with Chinese folklore, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The full-color illustrations were a lovely bonus.

I know I've picked a good book when my kids ask me to read more and don't want it to end. My 8- and 10-year-old did just that with this book. My 12-year-old apparently thinks she's too old to be read to every night (I'm sad about that), but she put this book on hold at the library and has enjoyed reading it too. Not only was it a great story, but it also has a great moral at the end: be thankful. I loved the way Minli's mom and Minli learn this lesson in the end. There were so many "coincidences" in this story that made everything work out just how it was supposed to. I loved how the author brought everything together at the end. I highly recommend this. I'm sure we'll re-read it.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

313 pages

"August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity that prevented him from going to a mainstream school--until now. He's about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been that new kid, then you know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like them, despite appearances?" -Dust Jacket

I have read a lot of books. Some have moved me to tears, some have made me laugh, some have kept me up late, but only a select few get to be called favorites. This is one of them. This book is all about the power of kindness. I love that. I think the world needs that. I will be reading this book to my kids before they start school this year and maybe every year after that.

Auggie is a normal 10-year-old boy in every way but his face. His family loves him and they love each other. (I like when families aren't dysfunctional.) I love that this book changes points of view--brilliant!--because it adds insight into what some of the other characters are going through and it helps the reader be less judgmental of some of the bad things they do and proud of the heroic things they do. I also love that you don't know exactly what Auggie's face looks like until his sister's chapters (which are especially touching, I thought) and by then you love Auggie and could care less what he looks like, yet what he looks like is the reason the kids do what they do because they don't get that luxury. It's an interesting juxtaposition.   

One of the teachers posts monthly precepts in his classroom that are little gems for all of us:
SEPTEMBER: "When given the chance between being right or being kind, choose kind." -Dr. Wayne W. Dryer
OCTOBER: "Your deeds are your monuments." -inscription on an Egyptian tomb
NOVEMBER: "Have no friends not equal to yourself." -Confucius
DECEMBER: "Audentes fortuna iuvat." (Fortune favors the bold.) -Virgil
JANUARY: "No man is an island, entire of itself." -John Donne
FEBRUARY: "It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers." -James Thurber
MARCH: "Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much." -Blaise Pascal
APRIL: "What is beautiful is good, and who is good will soon be beautiful." -Sappho
MAY:
"Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as you ever can." -John Wesley's rule
JUNE: "Just follow the day and reach for the sun!" -The Polyphonic Spree, "Light and Day"
AUGGIE'S PRECEPT MAILED TO MR. BROWNE DURING THE SUMMER: "Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world."

Makes me want to have monthly precepts for our family, starting with these.

I think the theme or message of this book is summed up by Mr. Tushman at the fifth grade commencement:

"...but what I want you, my students, to take away from your middle-school experience, is the sure knowledge that, in the future you make for yourselves, anything is possible. If every single person in this room made it a rule that wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is necessary--the world would really be a better place. And if you do this, if you act just a little kinder than is necessary, someone else, somewhere, may recognize in you, in every single one of you, the face of God."

Love this book!

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

148 pages

"The whole world was golden with forsythia in bloom that noontime when Bill walked me home for lunch. He'd come off the morning train with just time to see Mom first. His uniform buttons sparked sunlight, and there was a little strut in his step. I rode all the way home on the wings of my hero. So did Scooter, as far as his house.

When Bill and I got home, Mom had all our favorites. Toasted cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. A pie was in the oven.

Bill was only home for a few days before he had to report for training. On Saturday he went out to Dad's station, and I tagged along. I shadowed him the whole time, trying to match his stride and memorize him for later." -Dust Jacket

This is my second Richard Peck book and I'm starting to realize that he is a genius at writing books about delightful, normal, everyday people. He manages to bring characters alive in a few short pages in a way that few authors can and I think I'm going to have to read one of his books to my kids. They're great for families. I laughed out loud several times reading both this book and A Long Way From Chicago.

In 148 short pages the reader experiences typical life on a suburban American street before the war, then the effects of the bombing of Pearl Harbor - rationing, blackouts, loved ones going off to war, and the toll war takes on a community. Davy's family is full of lovable characters, but Miss Titus steals the show for me. Everybody needs a teacher like Eulalia Titus. Oh, and a dad who plays hide-and-seek on Halloween and lies in wait for the teenagers out playing pranks.

A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

148 pages

"What happens when Joey and his sister, Mary Alice - two city slickers from Chicago - make their annual summer visits to Grandma Dowdel's seemingly sleepy Illinois town?

August 1929: They see their first corpse, and he isn't resting easy.
August 1930: The Cowgill boys terrorizes the town, and Grandma fights back.
August 1931: Joey and Mary Alice help Grandma trespass, poach, catch the sheriff in his underwear, and feed the hungry - all in one day.

And there's more, as Joey and Mary Alice make seven unforgettable summer trips to Grandma's - each one funnier than the year before. Now an old man, Joe Dowdel remembers these seven summers and the 'larger than life' woman who outsmarted the law and used blackmail to help those in need." -Cover

A friend recommended this book after reading it in her book club and I'm so glad she did. It's pure joy from start to finish. Grandma Dowdel is a total crack-up but she's also a woman with a big heart who goes about doing good in strange and funny ways. She's the type of grandma everyone wishes they had. This book had me smiling and laughing out loud. It also had me glad that the copy I bought on Amazon also came with the second book, A Year Down Under, more experiences with Grandma Dowdel from Mary Alice's point of view. Definitely one of my favorites this year.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

444 pages

"Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.

Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.

Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.

Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed." -Dust Jacket

I LOVED this book. LOVED IT! It's my favorite type of book: a fictional story about life and "real" every day people. It reminded me of The Secret Life of Bees, with characters that jump right off the page, grab your heart and make you fall completely in love with them. Their Southern talk and spunk brought a smile to my face. I just love Aibileen, Minny and Miss Skeeter. They are inspiring, brave women. All the characters are so well-written. Miss Hilly is a good protagonist. You love to hate her. She's so prejudiced and nasty. Which makes Minny's revenge so sweet. Then there are those characters who want to go against the status quo and just aren't quite strong enough but you feel hopeful for future generations. Writing the book within the book changes the characters' lives in ways they both imagined and didn't. My two favorite quotes:

"Sometimes, when I'm bored, I can't help but think what my life would be like if I hadn't written the book. Monday, I would've played bridge. And tomorrow night, I'd be going to the League meeting and turning in the newsletter. Then on Friday night, Stuart would take me to dinner and we'd stay out late and I'd be tired when I got up for my tennis game on Saturday. Tired and content and...frustrated." -Miss Skeeter, page 419

"We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I'd thought."

That last statement pretty much sums up the message of the book for me. This should be a "must read" for everyone. Despite the bad things that happen it was pure joy from beginning to end.  

Life Is So Good by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman

260 pages

"What makes a happy person, a happy life? In this remarkable book, George Dawson, a 101-year-old man who learned to read when he was 98, reflects on the philosophy he learned from his father--a belief that 'life is so good'--as he offers valuable lessons in living and a fresh, firsthand view of America during the twentieth century.

Born in 1898 in Marshall, Texas, the grandson of slaves, George Dawson tells how his father, despite hardships, always believed in seeing the richness in life and trained his children to do the same. As a boy, George had to go to work to help support his family, and so he did not attend school or learn to read; yet he describes how he learned to read the world and survive in it. 'We make our own way,' he says. 'Trouble is out there, but a person can leave it alone and just do the right thing. Then, if trouble still finds you, you've done the best you can.'

At ninety-eight, George decided to learn to read and enrolled in a literacy program, becoming a celebrated student. 'Every morning I get up and I wonder what I might learn that day. You just never know.' In Life Is So Good, he shares wisdom on everything from parenting ('With children, you got to raise them. Some parents these days are growing children, not raising them') to attitude ('People worry too much. Life is good, just the way it is').

Richard Glaubman captures George Dawson's irresistible voice and view of the world, offering insights into humanity, history, and America--eyewitness impressions of segregation, changes in human relations, the wars and the presidents, inventions such as the car and the airplane, and much, much more. And throughout his story, George Dawson inspires the reader with his message that sustained him happily for more than a century: 'Life is so good. I do believe it's getting better.'" -Dust Jacket

George Dawson is an amazing example of a quiet, gentle, hard-working, humble man who lived his life trying to treat people with respect and do the right thing. His story is entertaining, enlightening and informative. I loved his simple approach to life, family, and values, but especially his approach to work. He had a lot of common sense and didn't complain about the hard things in his life though he easily could have; he just accepted them and kept going.

Some of my favorite quotes:

"Most folks, if they saw a rattler, and had a gun, they would try and shoot it. People always say that it tastes like chicken. But I swear some folks will say anything tastes like chicken. No one ever says that a chicken tastes like a rattlesnake, though. Go figure that one." -Page 22

(Talking about Bonnie & Clyde) "Nowadays, a lot of people say they were heroes. I hear there was even a movie about them. But I didn't see it; don't generally go to movies. I guess they gave some of that bank money to the poor, but they killed some people and scared a lot more. That's wrong. The Bible tells that straight off. They weren't no heroes. They were famous all right, but they weren't no heroes." -Page 198-199

"I even have some pictures from when me and Mr. Henry went to NASA for something about pioneers of this century. There are some senators and politicians in the pictures with us. Nobody ever noticed me before, but everyone wants to see me now. They showed me and Mr. Henry around. We saw some big rocket ships like the ones that go into outer space. They say that someday people might even live up there. Not me. I don't think it's going to work for people. God didn't make us to have wings. People fly in airplanes, but living on other planets, that's something else. They even gave me a picture of Mars. It's got poor-looking soil and it's too rocky to grow anything. Maybe they plan to bring food with them. Even so, I just don't see it. A man will come out on the front porch and there won't be nothing to do." -Page 232

There is also some great parenting advice but too much to quote. This is a feel-good book with some sound advice and important life lessons. I love books about real people whose lives inspire me to live better. George Dawson's does just that. I smiled, laughed, and cried. I love when that happens.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Take 2

I just had to read it again.

It was even better the second time.

There are a lot of characters in this book and I wanted to make sure that I really knew each one. I wanted to catch any little details I had missed the first time. There were several that made me laugh out loud.
There are so many things I love about this book:

1. Letter-Writing
Letter-writing is a lost art in this world of Twitter, Facebook, blogs, email, etc. I honestly can't remember the last time I wrote a letter - let alone one by hand - or bought a stamp. I figure my relatives and friends see what I'm up to through my blog. I communicate through comments. This book made me somewhat nostalgic for the days before all that modern technology. I also loved how the author threw in cables and telegrams when the characters needed to convey something urgent.

2. Literature
Reading and the love of books play a major role in this story. (Obviously, since it's about a literary society.) I've said it before and I'll say it again: Books are magical. They have the power to transport you away to new worlds, new ideas, and away from your troubles. Books brought these characters together and gave them an escape from a grim reality. After reading this book I'll be re-reading Wuthering Heights, Agatha Christie, and discovering Charles Lamb.

3. The Human Spirit
The human spirit is a powerful thing. So are characters who display it. The second time through I learned so much more about Dawsey and his quiet strength. And I still wish I could be more like Elizabeth.

4. Well-Written Characters
The characters in this book are so, so endearing. They are brought to life brilliantly - and so full of life. A well-written character stays with you. You learn from them. You are inspired by them. I've decided to add Guernsey to my list of places I want to visit someday.

And now I'm off to see if my collection of Agatha Christie includes any Miss Marple...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 274 pages

"January 1946: London is emerging from the shadow of the Second World War, and writer Juliet Ashton is looking for her next book subject. Who could imagine that she would find it in a letter from a man she'd never met, a native of Guernsey, the British island once occupied by the Nazis. He'd come across her name on the flyleaf of a secondhand volume by Charles Lamb. Perhaps she could tell him where he might find more books by this author.

As Juliet and her new correspondent exchange letters, she is drawn into the world of this man and his friends, all members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, a unique book club formed in a unique, spur-of-the-moment way: as an alibi to protect its members from arrest by the Germans.

Juliet begins a remarkable correspondence with the Society's charming, deeply human members, from pig farmers to phrenologists, literature lovers all. Through their letters she learns about their island, their taste in books, and the powerful, transformative impact the recent German occupation has had on their lives. Captivated by her stories, she sets sail for Guernsey, and what she finds there will change her forever." -Jacket

READ THIS BOOK.

Read this book and if you don't absolutely love it, then you are absolutely insane.

This book is written as letters sent back and forth between its characters, Juliet being the main one. Every single character is so delightfully wonderful. Their letters make me wish we would all stop texting and start writing again. I found myself wishing they were real people and that I could meet them. I would be perfectly content (like Juliet) to spend the rest of my life in a place like Guernsey, with people like Amelia, Dawsey, Eben, Isola, Sidney and even high and mighty Adelaide Addison. And we can all learn a thing or two from Elizabeth.

I'm going to read this one again. One of my favorite lines was on page 32: "...so far my only thought is that reading keeps you from going gaga."

I couldn't agree more.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester: Kids Edition

I read and reviewed this myself awhile ago so you can click here for that. I finished reading it with my kids last night. It helped that I had read it before. I usually don't do that but I think I will from now on.

For this book I created voices for each character. Piper spoke with a southern drawl and Conrad had an English accent, although he isn't from England; his dad is a U.S. senator. But, it fit him and the girls loved it. Dr. Hellion's voice was silky smooth. My kids were always asking me to talk like one of the characters at the breakfast table or while brushing their teeth.

My kids loved this book. They got really into the story and would try to predict what was going to happen next. Every time I would stop reading they would say, "Oh come on! Can't we just read a little bit more?!" I tried to always find a suspenseful part to end on so it would keep them hanging until the next night.

Piper is just so dang lovable and hopeful. She's always looking for the good. I think she teaches a great lesson about being true to yourself. She also teaches about compassion and empathy. Even after everything she goes through with a certain character (who shall remain nameless so as not to spoil it) she is still able to feel sorry for him/her. And so does the reader.

*It struck me as I was writing this that I should have the kids write their reviews as well so I'll have to add those when two of them get home from school. The oldest is laying on the bean bag today trying not to throw up.

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester, 328 pages

"Piper decided to jump off the roof. It wasn't a rash decision on her part. This was her plan: Climb to the top of the roof, pick up speed by running from one end all the way to the other. Jump off. Finally, and most importantly, don't fall. She didn't make plans in the event she did fall, because if you jump off the roof of your house and land on your head, you really don't need any plans from that point on. Even Piper knew that. So that's what she did. She jumped clean off her roof. But before we get to what happens next, you'll probably need to know a thing or two about a thing or two..." - Back Cover

I first came across this book on Stephanie Meyer's website. She described it this way: "It's the oddest/sweetest mix of Little House on the Prairie and X-Men. I was smiling the whole time (except for the part where I cried). Prepare to have your heart warmed."

I was intrigued by that description so I bought the book, and let me just say that it's exactly as Stephanie Meyer described it. Piper is so Laura Ingalls-like. I laughed out loud at some of the things she said. I tried really hard not to cry at one point in the book, but Piper is just so darn sweet and lovable.

There is a great deal of child-appropriate X-Men-type adventure but I won't spoil that for you. You'll just have to read it for yourself and in the words of Stephanie Meyer: "Prepare to have your heart warmed."

Marley & Me by John Grogan, 289 pages

"The heartwarming and unforgettable story of a family and the wondrously neurotic dog who taught them what really matters in life." -Back Cover

I'm going to be honest, I have never been a pet owner beyond a bird, fish and an obnoxious rabbit. I've always felt like having a dog would be like having another child, and a more demanding one at that, so I have only seen the relationship between human and dog from the outside looking in and can only speak from that point of view. Marley would be one of the many reasons I wouldn't get a dog - I would get grossed out by all the saliva for one. I could just imagine being one of the neighbors who got jumped up on and licked by a 100-pound dog as I came over to visit. Gross.

I appreciated the life lessons that Marley taught his owners. I've learned those same lessons from my children and other experiences. I guess I just prefer the ease of a non-pet life. I'd love to see a book by John Grogan about life with his three kids since there was very little written about them in this book. I did laugh out loud a lot and enjoyed the author's sense of humor and wit. He described situations and events brilliantly. I felt the void and pain Marley left behind after he passed away (another reason I am not a pet owner) and the impact that he had on the Grogan family. Overall, I enjoyed the story. (There is some language.)

All Moms Go to Heaven by Dean Hughes, 95 pages

"Some might wonder whether a man really knows much about motherhood. But I can talk with a certain degree of authority. After all, I was once a mother myself."

"In All Moms Go to Heaven, well-known Latter-day Saint writer Dean Hughes describes the summer he spent taking care of the kids while his wife, Kathy, worked on her master's degree. After a few weeks of drying tears (sometimes his own), changing diapers, and watching Sesame Street, Dean came to understand what mothers really do and why they're so important. In this thoughtful and often hilarious book, you'll find plenty to ponder and to laugh about." -Back Cover

I loved this book! It was very thoughtful and very hilarious. I laughed out loud and I cried. Sometimes moms need a little boost and reminder that what we're doing really is important and this book provided that. The author shares the lessons he's learned about motherhood, his wife, his daughters, and his own mother in a way that will make you want to read this book again and again...then pass it along to your husband!

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan, 346 pages

"The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio introduces Evelyn Ryan, an enterprising woman who kept poverty at bay with wit, poetry, and perfect prose during the 'contest era' of the 1950s and 1960s. Standing up to the church, her alcoholic husband, and antiquated ideas about women, Evelyn turned every financial challenge into an opportunity for innovation, all the while raising her six sons and four daughters with the belief that miracles are an everyday ocurrence. The inspiration for a major motion picture, Evelyn Ryan's story is told by her daughter Terry with an infectious joy that shows how a winning spirit and sense of humor can triumph over adversity every time." -Back Cover

I think that pretty much sums it up! Evelyn's spirit and tenacity are inspiring and her contest entries are skilled and amusing. You can tell that her children adored her. Terry Ryan is a great writer. I loved all the copies of the contests she put in as well as several fun pictures. One of my favorite lines is when her mother says, "I'm not fat for my height. I'm short for my weight." Talk about a good sense of humor! I love the relationships the family has with the pets, especially Barney the bird and Charley the chicken. The relationships Evelyn and the kids have with their alcoholic father are complex and I disliked him immensely until the very end when he somewhat redeemed himself in a way that brought tears to my eyes. I'd definitely recommend this book!

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel, 275 pages

This book was delightful, insightful, entertaining and humorous. I laughed out loud in several places and my husband, who doesn't have much time for books, eventually requested I read out loud so he could hear what was so funny. My favorite paragraph would probably have to be this one: "I figure heaven will be a scratch-and-sniff sort of place, and one of my first requests will be the Driftwood in its prime, while it was filled with our life. And later I will ask for the smell of my dad's truck, which was a combination of basic truck (nearly universal), plus his cologne (Old Spice), unfiltered Lucky Strikes, and when I was very lucky, unleaded gasoline. If I could have gotten my nose close enough I would have inhaled leaded gasoline until I was retarded." That still makes me laugh out loud, probably because I used to love the smell of gasoline too and maybe it made me retarded! I also loved the last chapter about Santa and the piano.

I didn't find this book to be one I couldn't put down which is probably why it took me awhile to finish it - well, that and the fact that I now can't read without my glasses. Dumb left eye! There's nothing more frustrating than one good eye and one bad and I guess I was protesting. Still, it's a fun book about "growing up small in Mooreland, Indiana." It's like Junie B. Jones for adults.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, 336 pages

A young girl runs away from home and winds up living with 3 African American women who raise bees, help her discover more about her mother and ultimately teach her about life. This was an enjoyable book. I wanted to visit the ladies' house because they seemed full of life and energy.

It Takes a Mother to Raise a Village by Colleen Down

This book is all about the importance of mothers - written by a mother. It is a humorous and poignant look at how mothers can save children, the family, and even our country. It left me feeling empowered, inspired, and encouraged in my role of mom.