Evil Under the Sun
by Agatha Christie
5 out of 5 stars
Poirot is on vacation at a hotel on an island. He likes to people-watch and get to know the other tourists at the hotel, but he becomes uneasy when he sees a married lady flirting with another man who is also married. The entire hotel is gossiping about the affair when the lady turns up dead on the beach. Did her husband kill her in a jealous rage, or did someone else have motive for murder?
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2 out of 5 stars
Liyana’s father moves their family from America back to his home in Jerusalem. Tensions are high between the Arab and Jewish peoples, but Liyana befriends a Jewish boy. Her family don’t know how to react. They believe in peace, but can they accept someone so different from themselves after all the years of hatred that surround them?
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On the Shoulders of Hobbits: The Road to Virtue with Tolkien and Lewis
by Louis A. Markos, Peter Kreeft (Foreword)
This book explores the classical virtues and vices through the lens of Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. Although they may be fantasy, these stories guide us to live a life of virtue. As the characters in fiction represent virtues such as courage and faith, we can be inspired to follow in their footsteps in our own life stories. They teach us to fight for justice, to cling to hope, and live with temperance.
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Wizards at War (Young Wizards, #8)
by Diane Duane (Goodreads Author)
Kit and Nita return home from vacation to discover that the very fabric of wizardry is unraveling. As dark matter expands in the universe, reality begins to bend and the older wizards start to lose their wizardry. It’s up to the younger wizards to find a way to combat the growing darkness. Kit and Nita find some clues which suggest that the evil Lone One is creating the dark matter in order to distract them from something it wants to keep secret – a special weapon that could win the war.
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The Adventures Of Tom Bombadil
by J.R.R. Tolkien, Pauline Baynes (Illustrator)
This collection of poems set in the world of Middle Earth is a perfect companion to The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote these poems as if they had been written by Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam and included in the Red Book along with all the stories of their adventures. It’s really interesting to see how each poem is written in a slightly different style depending on who is supposed to have written it.
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The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses
by C.S. Lewis
This collection of essays from C.S. Lewis includes “The Weight of Glory”, which explores humanity’s innate desire for God. The essay says that the ultimate reward for a Christian is, not just to know God, but to be known by God. To be acknowledged and to receive approval from the Creator is the very essence of “glory”. Lewis talks from his own experience about how one of the most awful human experiences is to be ignored as if you did not matter, but to be noticed and invited in and welcomed as one who belongs is the highest happiness. We are not only to delight in our own glorious fellowship with God, but to also delight in the glory of our fellow human souls. Appreciating God and enjoying His Presence is the ultimate goal and design for every soul.
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Everything You Know About Bugs (and Other Tiny Creatures) is Wrong! (Everything You Know About… Is Wrong, 2)
by Dr. Nick Crumpton, Gavin Scott (illustrator)
You probably have some misconceptions about bugs. Did you know that spiders aren’t actually insects? Centipedes don’t actually have a hundred legs. Not all bees die when they sting you, only some species and only the females. We learn about beautiful butterflies right alongside the lowly dung beetle.
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The Greatest Stuff on Earth: The Amazing Science of Sunlight, Smartphones, Microphones, Mushrooms & Everything In-Between
by Steve Tomecek, John Devolle (Illustrator)
2 out of 5 stars
Starting with atoms, molecules, and energy, this book explains where all the “stuff” in the universe comes from and then takes us through various common objects and tells how they are made and what materials they are made of. We learn about paper, food, DNA, magnets, light waves, dirt, ovens, fabrics, and building materials like concrete.
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How Do Fires Protect Nature?: A Book About Fire Ecology
by Dinyar Minocher, Srimalie Bassani (illustrator)
Fires can be dangerous, but they can also be helpful. A controlled burn can revive an old forest and provide a new habitat for animals where new plants can grow. In this book we learn all about how ecosystems can bounce back after a fire and emerge better than ever!
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Charley Mouse Cleans House
by Katerina Gorelik
3 out of 5 stars
Charley Mouse is a cleaning lady and she goes around the magical forest and wild wood to clean the homes of the other animals and magical creatures. She cleans the home of Mr. Fox, but is told not to go in the bedroom. We can see that he is hiding caged animals for his dinner. She cleans for Mr. Wolf, and doesn’t see the bones piled up in his pantry. The witch’s house is always filthy, and Charley Mouse knows to stay away from the poison potions brewing in the kitchen, especially one labelled “gin”. The unicorns are sweet clients, but Charley has to clean out their chamber pots. At least their manure smells like strawberry jam, so it’s not too unpleasant. Charley cleans for the gingerbread people, a dragon, the moles, and frogs and snails. But when she gets home, it’s time to clean her own little house!
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