What We have been reading

Twas the Night Before Christmas illustrated by Jessie Willcox Smith

Read the whole story with her original illus. at gutenberg.org

Free Audio Books and eBooks

I just found out about Books Should Be Free with FREE audiobooks and eBooks. Some of the audiobooks are linked to LibriVox, but others are part of their website. Many are part of the MODG curriculum. I have not had a chance to listen to them. A head's up; parents should not allow their children to look at the website unattended because of some of the book covers and some of the books listed in the children's category clearly do not belong there--Margaret Sanger. Books that she recommends include Outlaws-of-Ravenhurst, Priest-on-Horseback, Tom-Playfair, Man-Who-Fought-the-Devil, God's-Troubadour, First-Communion-Days, and more. Enjoy!

Year of Faith Idea

For the Year of Faith, some members of our homeschool group are attempting to read the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in one year. To subscribe to read 2 pages a day, visit

here.

Hana in the Time of the Tulips

Sometimes I surprise myself. I was looking for something else when I found this past article in Faith and Family (now the magazine has been completely redone) online. You can find it in the archives faithandfamilylive.com.

The article is base on the book Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes, illus. by one of my favorite illustrators Bagram Ibatoulline. It is now out of print.

The Firefly Cure

Rembrandt Helps Win a Father's Heart

May/June 2008 Issue | Posted by Elizabeth Yank in Features

My children and I devour picture books. On rare occasions, we find a book that magically transports us into another world. Its breathtaking illustrations and captivating story steal our hearts and minds. Hana in the Time of the Tulips is one such book.

Although it is a story about a young girl growing up in the Netherlands long ago, it is a book that transcends time, as well as the borders of any country. It is al­ so a tribute to the genius of Rem­ brandt, reflected in the gorgeous illustrations of Bagram Ibatoulline.

As my daughter Kateri said, “It is a story about Hana and her father.”

On the cover, a sweet little Dutch girl stands in the midst of a vast field of red and gold tulips. She smiles shyly as she holds a bouquet of brightly colored tulips. The subheading emblazoned across the cover could easily be “Little Girl Conquers the World Through Her Beloved Father’s Heart.”

The story opens in the evening with Hana and Papa playing a familiar, favorite game of doctor and patient in the garden. Papa, the patient, has “fainted” once again on the bench and Hana, the illustrious doctor, bending over Papa and listening “anxiously to his heart,” prescribes a cure. It could be “a kiss. Or a race to the woodpile. Or a noseful of roses.”

Our first impression is the joy the little girl has in spending time with her father.

They don’t do anything elaborate. They simply spend time together enjoying one another’s company in a simple game. We also see a rather ordinary man, a bit portly and not so young anymore, like many of the people Rembrandt painted. While he is not ugly, her Papa is certainly not Prince Charming.

He is also not a same-age playmate; he is her Papa, her hero.

Spring Tide

Historical fiction author, Mary Ray, brings to life Roman England in Spring Tide. The time is 311, the place is Great Britain. Friends Con and Julius are out in the countryside cutting saplings for beansticks and poles when they are attacked by the Deisi. After fleeing to the protection of a nearby home, a stranger helps them stave off the raid. Who is this stranger? Why is he so different? After entering their lives, will they be the same. A thrilling story that has many ramifications for these modern times.

Joan of Arc or Jeanne d'Arc

To view an incredible array of paintings and other artwork depicting St. Joan's life, visit Maid of Heaven.com--Historical Pictures of Saint Joan of Arc

On the yahoo group, The History Place, someone asked for a book recommendation on St. Joan of Arc. Definitely throughout history there has been a fascination with Joan of Arc, also known as Jeanne d'Arc. Just type in Joan of Arc into the library catalog and a plethora of books comes up. I, myself, have 14 titles, but then again, I don't seem to have one book of anything. This list includes both books that I have read and not read. Some are rare. Some are certainly better than others. Amazon Associates is not working, so I don't have time to put this all together at once.

Picture Books

 

Hands down my all time favorite book of St. Joan of Arc is Joan of Arc by Maurice Boutet de Monvel. The artwork is spectacular, the story is moving and she is heroic, saintly, and real. Amazingly, it has been reprinted. Even though it is a picture book, it is not designed for young readers.

Another beautiful picture book is Joan of Arc by Josephine Poole, illus. by Angela Barret.











For Middle School:

Saint Joan of Arc, God's Soldier by Susan Helen Wallace, FSP, Encounter The Saints Series (Ages, 8-Up).

Saint Joan, The Girl Soldier by Louis de Wohl, Vision Books
Ages 10-Up

Fiction Books for Teen Girls

Here is a list of fiction books for Teen Girls. I will update it.

 Alex O'Donnell and the 40 CyberThieves by Regina Doman, pbk, 2010.
A good series to discuss with teens. Recommended for mature teens. One of my favorites by Regina.







 The Amaranth Enchantment by Julie Berry. An interesting mixture of romance, fiction, fairy tale, and more.











The Complete Anne of Green Gables Boxed Set (Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, ... Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside) by L. M. Montgomery






 Bella at Midnight by Diane Stanley, pbk, 2008. A more mature retelling of Cinderella.









Black as Night: A Fairy Tale Retold by Regina Doman, pbk, 2008. Second in series. A good series to discuss with teens. Recommended for mature teens.








The Good Land (Texas Panhandle Series) by Loula Grace Erdman, Bk. 3










The Lark on the Wing by Efrida Vipont, pbk, 2008









Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and her other novels.









The Midnight Dancers: A Fairy Tale Retold by Regina Doman, pbk 2008.
A good series to discuss with teens. Recommended for mature teens.

My Heart Lies South is now available as an e-book from Bethlehem.  Offers a glimpse into another culture.















Princess Academy by Shannon Hale, pbk, 2007








Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George (In this fantasy world, there is a "nasty" Bishop, but he is balanced out by a kind and good Bishop.) Provides a good lesson in why not to make a bargain with an "evil" entity.






 The Shadow of the Bear: A Fairy Tale Retold by Regina Doman, pbk, 2008. For mature teens. A good series to have discussions with your teens.







That Girl of Pierre's by Robert Davis, pbk, 2007, Bethlehem reprint










Under a Changing Moon by Margot Benary-Isbert, reprinted by Bethlehem Books. This is a lovely story of a girl who has just returned from her happy days going to a convent school in France to live with her family in the Rhineland area of Germany in 1866. The story is timeless in how the realistic characters interact. Her five brothers recreate the battle of Lepanto in the flooded basement cellar, they prize pocket knives, and they squabble and fight like normal little boys and apologize and make up. At the same time, the family's Catholic life and culture is intertwined throughout the story.They take their decorated Easter eggs to church to be blessed.


Waking Rose: A Fairy Tale Retold by Regina Doman, pbk 2008. 

A good series to discuss with teens. Recommended for mature teens.






The Wide Horizon (Texas Panhandle Series) by Loula Grace Erdman, pbk, 2007, Bk. 2









The Wind Blows Free: A Tale of the Texas Panhandle (Texas Panhandle Series Book 1) by Loula Grace Erdman,pbk, 2006