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Reading Black Books by Claude Atcho - Not to start off with a bang, but this I knew when I completed this book it'd easily be one of my top 10 of the year. I found this book via a webinar by the Trinity Forum with the author and had the library purchase it. It is one of the best literary criticism anthologies I've ever read, and not only that, the writing itself is academic yet not overwrought, and just really beautiful. I will now be reading anything Atcho puts out, highly recommend for those who want to learn more about African American literature/history, and/or just really love literary criticism as a genre. Atcho is a great guide.
Cast Away by Naomi Shihab Nye - Nye is the Young People's Poet Laureate and her collection here
focuses on global garbage, throwaway culture, poverty, and the implications of climate change. I don't
remember any exact poems, but I remember liking this collection. Her observations were put into accessible
poems that anyone over 13 or so could enjoy and take inspiration or action from.
Planted by Leah Kostomo - This short memoir of the woman who helped start Canada's first A Rocha
spot (which is now where my son works!) was interesting, creative (hand-drawn photos for
emphasis!), and heartwarming. We are big supporters of A Rocha, from their Restoration Saturday volunteer
days to helping connect my kids' DL school into a partnership so that high schoolers can receive credits for
Environmental Science toward graduation! I will basically read/enjoy anything about this global non-profit!
Tranquility by Tuesday by Laura Vanderkam - Just when I wonder how she will write another time-tracking book about recording our individual habits, she does it again and knocks it out of the park. I really enjoy Vanderkam's writing and her can-do attitude, and her firm pushes to realize we have more time than we think we do. This was no different, and I highly recommend her books if you need a kick in the pants to get more done (that you want to do, not just that you have to do) or if you just want to enjoy your life more in the cracks of time between parenting/job/sleep.
Read Alouds:
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe - This was one of my and the kids' favorite books we read this year for Socials and Literature. It was published in 1719 and is essentially a fictional diary of a man who was shipwrecked on a deserted island for 28 years. It's the story of how he went from despair to hope, and from ennui to stewardship and advantageous work. I realize reading this it may not sound like much, but I guarantee, you'll be rooting for him by the end of the novel.
He Went With Champlain by Louise Andrews Kent - This historical fiction novel was set in the time of Samuel Champlain's exploration of the land of "Kanata" (Canada) during the early 1600s. Although this book is for a slightly younger crowd than my two, it was full of geography we could map, highlighted real people from Canadian history, and told the story of Champlain's first journey to the new northern world, and his experience upon first contact with the Indigenous peoples of the land.
Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill - This historical fiction novel was also about New France, but was based on a true story about Madeleine de Vercheres and their surprise Iroquois attack and holding the fort in New France, while her parents were away. She was 14 at the time.
The Hand of Robin Squires by Joan Clark - This historical fiction story was very short, and packed full of adventure and engineering expertise. I can't give the ending away because it's too wild to believe, but it's also a little bit of Canadian history that is still being sought after today. The mystery of Oak Island still has not been found...! (Not suitable for under 12/13 yo)
The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (unabridged, illustrated) - This classic and beautifully illustrated edition from Usborne was a gift Ani was given for Christmas, and she loved it. I read it aloud to her (again, another British classic!) and although Tolkien would have put it into the 'fancy animal stories', it really was very clever and funny. British humor in children's books really does shine. Though I wouldn't put it on my list of favorites, we did enjoy it.
Ben & Me by Robert Lawson - This silly little story was part historical fiction part 'fancy animal story' (!), the "Me", being a mouse that Ben Franklin may have met and who gave him his best ideas. (HAH!)
Book of Trees by Memoria Press - This short and descriptive text was a great primer on dendrology, which Ani studied this year in science. It was concise, had excellent drawings and diagrams, and would be great for budding scientists interested in trees (gr 4-8).
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