April flew by, and there were weeks that I didn't even pick up a book--or if I did, I was minutes away from my neck suddenly jerking downward indicating I could barely read a page before turning off my light and heading to bed.
The pressure of the end of the school year is here, and it won't really let up for another 6 weeks. It's not that I've been lacking in diligence the rest of the year, but we're so close, yet do have lots of finish up before we can officially have more lingering days with our hobbies, more free time to catch up with friends, and ultimately, freer reading time!
The titles I finished this month were:
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter - I first heard of this book from the What Should I Read Next? podcast with the author as the interviewee. (#157 found here) I wanted to pick this up immediately but instead bought it for numerous friends who I thought would enjoy it (weird projection, I know). I know one of them did, and really liked it, but I splurged over a year later, and bought it for myself. Then, the final step of accountability to actually read a book I own: I made it my book club pick for the year.
There were only four of us who met on a super chilly and windy day outside while restrictions allowed us use of a local park's shelter, with candles lit and popcorn spilling everywhere because of the wind.
Enough about that, though-the book was great. I give it a solid 4 stars. I loved the story, the characters, and I particularly like books that 1) I know nothing about the place or the specific group of people and learn immensely about one or both of those things and 2) that have a really good ending. This fit both categories and even though it jumped between multiple characters and places, I didn't find it hard to bridge the gaps. I especially liked that the author gave us factual dates and events before most of the chapters, to help put the account into context. The amazing thing is that this book is a true story. I wouldn't have believed it could be true until I heard the author talk about her family's past.
The Aeneid for Boys and Girls * by Alfred J. Church - This was a book that I "read back and forth" with the kids. I have never read the Aeneid, but it is one of Ancient Rome's most touted works, famous by the poet Virgil. Although this (i.e. for boys and girls) was not in the original poetic form, I did find the story worthwhile enough to be studying it alongside the kids. I found this story to be a little less interesting than the Odyssey, and much less interesting than the Inferno. It's the story of Rome's founding.
Native by Kaitlyn B. Curtice - Although I can't remember how I came across this book, I knew I wanted to read it because it is written by an Indigenous author and the subtitle is: "Identity, Belonging, and Discovering God". I really liked the poetry that the author wrote to divide the sections of the book, but aside from a few chapters here and there, I really didn't care for this book (squeamish face). I found it to be rambling and more of what the author didn't find, than what she did. I'm glad I read it, I think it contributes to a great discussion happening in culture about Evangelical Christian spaces, but as a memoir it sort of fell flat for me. This is one of those instances where I love what the author says on social media, but reading the book felt hard to follow or see where she was going sometimes.
Read Aloud with the Kids
Theras and His Town *by Caroline Dale Snedeker - This was a book we read aloud as part of our Ancient Greek history section before finishing it up and starting Rome. It was about a young boy who is kidnapped in Athens and becomes a slave in Sparta; forced to learn to fight like a Spartan, and ultimately runs away to get back to Athens and any surviving members of his family. This book was just a tad young for my kids (grades 6 and 8) though it would be excellent from grades 4-6. It was from the Beautiful Feet Books Intermediate Ancient History *curriculum.
I liked that the author is known for putting as much historical information as possible into her novels, and really gave a great insider look into both Athens, Sparta, and what it would have been like for slaves, free people, and also the expectations of both cultures (they were so different even though they were both Greek!).
The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome *by Jonathan W. Stokes - Another hilarious book from the Thrifty Guides non-fiction for the middle-school student. The chapter on the 5 worst (8 worst?) Caesars was probably my kids' favorite - they were some pretty sour dudes. The Covid pandemic is a walk at the beach compared to what some of the people had to go through in Ancient Rome.
* Anything with an asterisk is a link directly to the store I work at, Classical Education Books, with a referral link.
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