I’ve just finished reading Elizabeth Strout’s Lucy by the Sea, and as with her other novels, I enjoyed its calm pace and window into the domestic lives of its characters. Strout’s “Lucy” series is not for readers who prefer more action-driven novels. Lucy is a protagonist who readers watch doing very domestic, simple things, and…
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What I’m Reading: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
I’ve just finished reading Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, who is the author of one of my all-time favorite novels, All the Light We Cannot See. Cloud Cuckoo Land is a different kind of novel, a different kind of story. It is about an ancient myth where a man turns into a donkey; it…
What I’m Reading: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Fans of Miss Benson’s Beetle, also by Rachel Joyce, will quickly become fans of Harold Fry. Harold embarks on a journey to see an old friend whom he has just learned has terminal cancer. His walk is spontaneous, and since it is across the country of England, he is more than a little unprepared. The…
On My Bookshelf: Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
I toured the New York Historical Society recently where they have a two-floor display of Tiffany stained glass lamps. Few things in life are more exquisite than a Tiffany lamp. The wisteria lamps were my personal favorite, although the daffodil, tulip, and dogwood were just as fabulous. If you’ve read Clara and Mr. Tiffany by…
Independent Reading: Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Care Givers, Independent Reading, Teacher Resources, What I'm ReadingLeave a Reply
Another great middle-grade novel to add to your classroom library or independent reading list is Skyler Schrempp’s Three Strike Summer. Set in Oklahoma and California during the Dust Bowl, this novel would also complement an American history class. Gloria, the protagonist, must leave her farm in Oklahoma and move to California where there is work…
On My Bookshelf: The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in On My Bookshelf, What I'm Reading, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
I’ve just finished reading Ken Follett’s The Pillars of the Earth. Although it’s been on my bookshelf for awhile, I had not read it, and so while completing final edits for my own trilogy, I chose this volume for something different from my story, and something that I hoped would be engrossing. I was not…
What I’m Reading: Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Care Givers, What I'm Reading, Writing InspirationLeave a Reply
This is the time of year when we may be looking to change our habits, become more productive, or try something new. Over the past year, I have read daily meditations from Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book. Her message of Simple Abundance is to cultivate joy, gratitude, creativity from our daily lives – doing what we…
On My Bookshelf: A Charlie Brown Christmas by Charles M. Schulz
When decorating for the holidays, I savor the memories that each ornament or decoration holds. This slim paperback edition of Charlie Brown was a gift from my Aunt, who always made Christmas, and especially Christmas Eve, that much more exciting. The book is worn, and has a few scribbles in it, but it’s a word-for-word…
On My Bookshelf: The Christmas Pig by J.K. Rowling
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in Care Givers, Independent Reading, On My BookshelfLeave a Reply
Looking for a fun, seasonal, adventure story to read with your students, children, or grandchildren? Try JK Rowling’s The Christmas Pig for something different. Published in 2021, it’s not a new book, but it is a new take on a Christmas miracle story. It also touches a sensitive subject for many children: what happens when…
A Classic to Consider: The Birds’ Christmas Carol by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Posted on Author Jill M SmithPosted in A Classic to Consider, Care Givers, Independent ReadingLeave a Reply
While at the library looking for something else, I came across this thin Christmas novella. Kate Douglas Wiggin’s The Birds’ Christmas Carol is a charming and less popular holiday story that may be just what you are looking for. Wiggin, who also wrote the Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm series, tells the story of little Carol…
