McTavish on the Move
by Meg Rosoff (Goodreads Author), David Shephard (Illustrator)
The Peachey family has to move to a new home. Some of the family members are excited, but Betty is worried about having to go to a new school and make new friends. She will miss her old house and her old friends. Betty is sure that she will hate the new house. But McTavish the dog has a plan to make everything better and help Betty settle into her new surroundings.
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Crimson Twill: Witch in the City
by Kallie George, Birgitta Sif (illustrator)
Crimson is different from other witches. She doesn’t want to wear a pointy hat; she wants a hat with a bow. She doesn’t like black dresses; she wants a dress with pretty polka dots. When Crimson accompanies her mother to the department store, Broomingdale’s, Crimson wants to shop for something unique that will reflect her own style. But she finds much more than she bargained for!
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The Adventures of Snoop: The Mountain of Hope
by SENIOR TASSE
Snoop, the mountain goat, dreams of going on a quest to find the primordial grass. In this first volume, Snoop remembers a legend of an ancient goat who discovered the primordial grass and made a deal with cavemen to protect his herd.
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The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine
by A.W. Tozer
This book dives deep into spiritual truths and how we can strip away foolish lies we tell ourselves and truly pursue God with our whole heart. There are chapters about what real spiritual treasure is worth compared to earthly riches, how Christ has removed the barrier of our sin so that we can approach God, and the “universal Presence” of God and how we can be more aware of His Presence in our lives. I especially loved the chapter about “The Gaze of the Soul” and how faith is simply looking to God and turning our spiritual eyes to Him. There is also a lovely chapter about the meekness of Christ and how we can rest in Him.
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The Girl from Montana
by Grace Livingston Hill
3.5 stars
After her parents and her brother die, Elizabeth is all alone in their remote cabin. A group of rowdy men threaten her, and Elizabeth flees in the night. She rides her horse across country, worried that the men might pursue her. She encounters a fellow traveler, a man who is lost, and they ride together for a few days. They form a tentative friendship, but are separated once they reach civilization again. Elizabeth travels on her own, searching for her relatives back East, and hoping to find her friend once again.
This is such a sweet and wholesome story! I actually cried a couple of times because Elizabeth is so incredibly brave and good. She suffers terribly, but manages to keep her heart pure. It was really inspirational to read about how she doesn’t let the everyday ugliness of life tear her down or make her bitter.
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We Live, Volume One
by Inaki Miranda (Writer/Artist), Roy Miranda
3.5 stars
Tala and her little brother, Hototo, have to travel through many dangers to reach the Beacon, an alien rendezvous that will rescue five thousand children from the coming disasters which will cause the extinction of all humanity. They are attacked by wild animals and greedy humans, but Tala vows to protect her little brother. Hototo wears a cape and pretends to be a superhero. Along the way they team up with Humbo and Alice, who are also trying to reach the Beacon. But time is running out, and the countdown for the end of the world has already begun.
Five on a Treasure Island (Famous Five, #1)
by Enid Blyton, Eileen A. Soper (Illustrator)
3.5 stars
Three siblings go to visit their cousin and explore a small island just off the coast. One day a storm uncovers a wrecked ship that had been sunk generations ago. The storm throws the sunken ship up onto the rocks of the island. The children explore the wreck and discover a treasure map for gold ingots that are hidden in the ruins of the island.
It took me half the book to realize that the fifth person of the “Famous Five” is actually the dog. I kept waiting for another character to show up in the story, wondering where the mysterious fifth person was going to come in. Haha! I was a bit disappointed that it’s only the dog.
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Dragon and Herdsman (Dragonback, #4)
by Timothy Zahn (Goodreads Author)
In this fourth book of the series, Jack and Draycos visit a distant planet with their friend, Alison Kayna. They discover a herd of creatures called Phooka that appear similar to K’da like Draycos. However, the creatures are insentient, unintelligent, slow, and behave like animals with no language. Draycos wonders if his people, the K’da, could have evolved from this lower animal form. He questions what that could mean for his species in the future.
The mercenaries from the Malison Ring track Jack and Draycos to the planet, forcing them all to flee into the dense forest. Jack must herd the Phooka through miles of dangerous terrain to save them from being slaughtered by the mercenaries.
Aunt Jane’s Nieces in the Red Cross (Aunt Jane’s Nieces, #10)
by Edith Van Dyne (Pseudonym), L. Frank Baum
3.5 stars
In this last book of the Aunt Jane’s Nieces series, the girls are upset by news of the Great War (WWI) in Europe. Although the United States is remaining neutral so far, the nieces and their Uncle John decide to join the Red Cross as nurses and ambulance drivers to help the wounded French and Belgian soldiers near Dunkirk. Their friend volunteers his yacht as a hospital ship, and Uncle John provides all the necessary supplies. They obtain their approval from the Red Cross, their nurses’ training, and their official credentials, but they still need a surgical doctor who will volunteer to join them. Uncle John hears of a medical man with a severely disfigured face who might be willing to help, but they will have to convince him that his features are not an obstacle.
Beyond the Stars (The Captain’s Daughters, #2)
by Doreen D. Berger (Goodreads Author)
3.5 stars
Diane and Robin are thrown into another adventure in this second book in the series, when they befriend Jannel, the future ruler of a planet under quarantine. Jannel is a girl their own age, who comes aboard their spaceship for safety away from the virus that is threatening her planet. The girls try to help Jannel overcome her fears for her future, but they wind up in terrible trouble.
I liked the world-building for this new planet that we visit with Diane, Robin, and Jannel. I appreciated that there is a history of politics that has led to the current unrest on the planet, and the way the virus plays into that is really interesting. We also get to learn a little bit about the wild flora and fauna of the planet!
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