book

Non Fiction Book Review: God in the Dock

Posted by

0

God in the Dock by C.S. Lewis

God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics
by C.S. Lewis, Walter Hooper (Editor)

4 out of 5 stars

This collection of essays and letters from C.S. Lewis covers a wide range of topics, including Christmas traditions, miracles, vivisection, morality, dogma, and prayer.
He talks about how a God who is good can allow pain in the world, briefly summarizing concepts from his book “The Problem of Pain.” He talks about the common man of his day and their objections or misunderstandings that keep them from believing in Christ. He talks about the decline of religion in Britain, and the Christian truths hidden in pagan mythology. He answers questions, refutes common mistakes of his contemporaries, and responds to criticisms from his fellow intellectuals.

Continue reading →

Book Review: Jasper and Scruff series #1-3

Posted by

1

Jasper and Scruff by Nicola Colton

Jasper and Scruff
by Nicola Colton

5 out of 5 stars

Jasper is a very elegant cat who appreciates fine art, literature, and cuisine. His greatest wish is to be invited to join the exclusive Sophisticats Club. He sets up a dinner party and invites the Sophisticats. Everything must be perfect! But a dirty puppy named Scruff follows Jasper home, and Jasper can’t get rid of him. Scruff just wants to play fetch and he gets into everything. Jasper is desperate to impress the Sophisticats, but when they arrive for the party, they aren’t very nice to him. They complain and demand extra attention and they are very rude. Scruff ruins the party with his dirty slobber and wild antics, and he licks all the frosting off the cake! But by that time, Jasper has realized that the Sophisticats aren’t at all the type of friends he wants to know. Scruff is much more fun!

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Best Test

Posted by

0

Best Test by Pippa Goodhart

Best Test
by Pippa Goodhart, Anna Doherty (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

The animals find a delicious strawberry, but begin to quarrel over who will eat it. They put together a race to see who is the “best”, and the winner will get the strawberry. They devise different obstacles and tests for the race. Frog wants a hopping obstacle. Mouse is good at coloring and wants a coloring test. They also have to guess what is in a mystery bag, and make the best funny face.
As they go through the different challenges, some of the animals struggle. But their friends stop to help them through each task. They all cross the finish line together, holding paws. They never do discover who is the “best”, but they do become best friends!

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: A Parliament of Owls

Posted by

0

A Parliament of Owls by Devin Scillian

A Parliament of Owls
by Devin Scillian, Sam Caldwell (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

A young girl calls each group of animals to convene for a huge photo. A parliament of owls arrive on a tree, along with a murder of crows. There is a warren of rabbits, a gaggle of geese, and a raft of otters. Some of the strangest groups are the memory of elephants, the charm of hummingbirds, and the pandemonium of parrots. When the animals are finally assembled, the girl takes a massive group photo with all the animals together!

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: Albie On His Way

Posted by

0

Albie on His Way by Jutta Bauer

Albie on His Way
by Jutta Bauer, Matthias Wieland (Translator)

4 out of 5 stars

The king asks Albie to deliver a message to the neighboring kingdom, but Albie gets delayed along the way. First a father squirrel needs help after a bad fall. Then a mother pig needs a babysitter while she goes shopping… for a week! Albie meets an old animal who walks very slowly, but they travel together for a while. Albie decides to take a different path through the mountains, and ends up right back in his own kingdom! By now so much time has passed, that the king decides that the message doesn’t matter after all.

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: The Unbreakable Thread

Posted by

0

The Unbreakable Thread by Emily Joof

The Unbreakable Thread
by Emily Joof (Goodreads Author), Asma Enayeh (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

As a little child begins to grow up, the unbreakable thread of love between mother and child is stretched, but never broken. The child learns a little more independence all the time, learning to walk, going to school, making friends, and finally graduating from school. But all the time the love of the mother is there to encourage and comfort. That support is what gives the child strength to explore and learn. And all the time, the unbreakable thread of their bond is always changing and always constant.

Continue reading →

Picture Book Review: The Scarlet Stockings Spy

Posted by

0

The Scarlet Stockings Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble

The Scarlet Stockings Spy (Tales of Young Americans)
by Trinka Hakes Noble, Robert Papp (Illustrator)

5 out of 5 stars

This is a bittersweet story of a young girl who passes along information to Washington’s army during the American Revolutionary War. Her brother is a soldier, and they have a secret plan to watch the movements of ships in the harbor. Maddy Rose hangs out her washing once a week. Her unmentionables, petticoats, and stockings, hung out in a certain order, will tell her brother which ships in the harbor are friendly, and which are British ships likely carrying weapons.

Continue reading →

Book Review: A Murder is Announced

Posted by

0

A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie

A Murder Is Announced
by Agatha Christie

5 out of 5 stars

An advertisement appears in the local newspaper saying that a murder will take place at a certain country house on Friday at 6:00pm. Friends of the family assume that it must be a murder mystery party, and they show up at the appointed time. What at first appears to be a mystery play turns into a deadly reality. Each of the persons present are suspected of murder and only Miss Marple can unravel the clues to discover the real murderer and the reason behind this terrible farce.

Continue reading →

Classic Book Review: The Enchanted Castle

Posted by

0

The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit

The Enchanted Castle
by E. Nesbit

5 out of 5 stars

Three siblings are spending their school holidays stuck at school, so they go exploring around the countryside, hoping to find some adventure. They stumble into a beautiful garden estate where they go through a maze, finding what appears to be a young princess in an enchanted sleep. When they awaken her, it proves to be only Mabel, the housekeeper’s daughter. But Mabel assures them that magic enchantment is real, and the children explore the gardens with a magic ring that transforms their holidays into a wild adventure.

Continue reading →