book review

Book Review: Fire and Forgiveness

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Fire and Forgiveness by Martha Dunsky
Fire and Forgiveness: A Nun’s Truce with General Sherman 
by Martha Dunsky

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads


In the midst of the American Civil War, two schoolgirls at the Ursuline Convent School for Girls are at war. Jane and Clara play pranks on each other and call one another names. Mother Superior Baptista Lynch urges the girls to reconcile, reminding them that everyone has good in them, but the girls find it difficult to forgive each other.
General Sherman’s army is marching into Columbia, South Carolina, and Mother Baptista writes to him to beg for protection for her school and convent. The cannons are firing on the city, and the Confederate Army retreats, leaving the city defenseless.
In the middle of so much violence, how can Jane and Clara learn to make the peace, when the adults are constantly at war?
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Picture Book Review: Hoo Hoo Who?

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Hoo Hoo Who?

By Mary Maier, Laura Horton

5 out of 5 stars on Goodreads

This picture book is adorable! Owl is throwing a surprise birthday party for his friend, Mouse, but his glasses are broken, and he can’t tell which party guests are arriving. The reader has to help him figure out who has come to the door, by listening and looking for characteristics of each guest.

The illustrations are so cute! I love how the colors are heavily black and white with vibrant accent colors to draw in the readers attention.

Owl is just adorable, and each animal guest that arrives for the party is interesting and sweet.

This would be the perfect book to read aloud with a young child!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts and are not influenced by anyone.

Book Review: Emily’s Fortune

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Emily's Fortune by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Emily’s Fortune
by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

When Emily’s mother dies, Emily plans to travel West to live with her aunt, but the state orphanage has other plans, and Emily is forced to run away from the Orphanage Child Catchers. With the help of another orphan boy and her trusty turtle, Rufus, Emily will travel by train and stagecoach through the Wild West to reach the safety of her aunts home. 

This is a funny and cute little story with plenty of adventure and hilarity! It would be a wonderful book to read aloud to children, because there are so many opportunities for funny voices and dramatic voices. 
I enjoyed the story, but it’s not particularly amazing or special. The plot is simple, the characters are static, but it’s the writing style that really keeps the reader interested. The writing is witty, the dialogue is snappy, and the scenes flow smoothly into a cohesive story. And young readers aren’t looking for complex plots or deep characters, so it’s a perfect book for children!

Book Review: Mudshark

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Mudshark by Gary Paulsen

Mudshark
by Gary Paulsen

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Mudshark is the smartest kid in school, finding lost objects and solving mysteries for his classmates and teachers. When a psychic parrot takes up residence in the school library, Mudshark’s detective agency is threatened, and he’ll do anything to outsmart that talking bird. Between stolen chalkboard erasers, a missing gerbil, and a toxic situation in the faculty restrooms, Mudshark will have to think and scheme and plan to save his school!

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Book Review: Jonathan Livingston Seagull

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Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach

Jonathan Livingston Seagull
by Richard Bach (Goodreads Author), Russell Munson (Photographer) 

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

Young Jonathan is a seagull who longs to unravel the secrets of flight, but the other seagulls only care about simple basic flight, enough to get them to food and shelter. Jonathan is banished from his flock for practicing and perfecting aerial tricks, high speed turns, and low-level glides. He finds a higher purpose in his love of flying, but the other birds don’t understand his obsession with flight. 

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Book Review: John Winthrop, Oliver Cromwell, and the Land of Promise

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John Winthrop, Oliver Cromwell, and the Land of Promise by Marc Aronson

John Winthrop, Oliver Cromwell, and the Land of Promise
by Marc Aronson 

3 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This book explores the connections between two historical figures, John Winthrop and Oliver Cromwell, as both attempt to establish a new order in their respective lands, America and England.
John Winthrop based his new colony on the idea that God was guiding the Puritans’ community to a righteous way of life. Oliver Cromwell believed that God was guiding his army to purge England of the old evil ways and establish a better government for the British people.

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Book Review: The Joy of Less

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The Joy of Less by Francine Jay

The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify
by Francine Jay
K

4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

This book is perfect for those who are curious about minimalism and want to declutter their homes and try it out. I love that the author emphasizes that minimalism is a mind-set and a life-style, not an aesthetic or a decorating trend. It’s not about how your home looks; it’s about how you feel in your home. It’s not about having a set number of belongings; it’s about having the right number of items that belong in your life for a reason.

I find the philosophy similar to the KonMari method of decluttering. Every item must have a purpose, whether it is useful or brings beauty into your life or just makes you happy.

This book takes you room by room, and gives common-sense advice on decluttering each space, how to get rid of things you don’t need or want, how to store what is left, and how to keep more clutter from building up again. 

There is also a chapter all about how to get your family involved in decluttering the house and keeping it tidy. 

I really enjoyed reading this book, and it inspired me to do a mini-decluttering session in my closet! (My house is already pretty minimal, but my clothing needed some pruning.)

I would recommend this book to anyone who isn’t sure about minimalism, or who hates minimalism but just wants to declutter and find more space in their home. This book might change your mind about minimalism and what it really stands for!

Book Review: The Book of Boy

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The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Book of Boy
by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads

A young hunchback goatherd named simply “Boy” is indentured as a servant to a shrewd pilgrim traveling through France in search of various relics of Saint Peter. As the two journey together, they boldly endure various adventures in their pursuit of the holy relics of Saint Peter, until they arrive at last within the holy city of Rome. Boy discovers that the pilgrim is hiding a dark past, and the pilgrim gradually reveals Boy’s most closely guarded secret, his own true identity.

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