Fall Reading & TV

Caitlin:

Today Will Be Different, Maria Semple. This is the second book set in Seattle by the author of Where'd You Go Bernadette. All the jokes about the Pacific Northwest are definitely a big part of why I enjoyed this book. Although the main character is not religious, a large portion of the plot settles around Seattle hosting World Youth Day. What's not to love?
To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Jenny Han. A cute high school romance recommended by Janssen from Everyday Reading. I started dating my husband in high school and this book made me fondly remember that time. I also read the equally enjoyable sequel, P.S. I Still Love You, and am eagerly awaiting the final book in the trilogy to be released this spring.
Belgravia, Julian Fellowes. Of course, I had to read the creator of Downton Abbey's latest novel. It takes place in London during the 1840s, when the mansions in the exclusive neighborhood of Belgravia are being built. The plot centers around old money - those moving into these homes - and new money - those who got rich building them. This novel is just as soapy as Fellowes' ITV miniseries, with just as tidy of a happy ending, but I certainly still enjoyed it.
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah. This is a story set in World War II that's perhaps just as famous as All the Light We Cannot See and certainly recommended to anyone who loved Anthony Doerr's novel. Although the prose is nowhere near as beautiful, I found the story of The Nightingale grabbed me even more. I immediately loved the main characters and just had to know what happened to them, which is why I neglected as many responsibilities as I possibly could and finished this in twenty-four hours.   

Adam: 

The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown. I finally got Adam to read this wonderful book, made even better because it's set in Seattle. It's about the very inspiring crew team at the University of Washington - you don't have to know anything about rowing to appreciate their story. He's not quite done with it yet because he spends most of his free time playing the piano, but will hopefully finish before it's due back at the library. It may have already been renewed three times...

Family Read Alouds: 

Gooseberry Park, Cynthia Rylant. The only book on this list that I didn't read at all because Adam read this aloud to the girls before bed each night while we were on our trip to Canada last summer. He says it's about a dog who saves a family of squirrels after a winter storm. It was actually one of his favorite chapter books from early elementary school.
The Milly Molly Mandy Storybook, Joyce Lankester Brisley. A charming collection of stories about a little girl's adventures in her early twentieth century, incredibly quaint English village. I'm so glad I found it on the Read Aloud Revival book list.
The Children of Noisy Village, Astrid Lindgren. By the author of Pippi Longstocking, this series centers around the hilarious adventures of six Swedish children - three families living on farms next door to each other. This was Claire and Maggie's favorite read of the fall.
Happy Times in Noisy Village, Astrid Lindgren. Well, actually, maybe this was! I think the children's escapades are even more hilarious in the second book of the series. There are several more books about the noisy village, but these are the only ones readily available in the United States.
Merry Christmas From Betsy, Carolyn Haywood. The four reprinted Betsy books were the first chapter books we read aloud to the girls last year. Carolyn Haywood wrote many more, a few of which are available through our library. This is a collection of Christmas stories taken from all of the books, perhaps the most memorable being the time Betsy's baby sister arrives on Christmas Eve and is thus given the name Star.
Saints For Girls, Susan Weaver. Maggie's godparents gave her this compilation of vintage saint biographies for Christmas. It doesn't really count as a chapter book, but we read about a different saint before bed each night until we settled on a longer read aloud. Spoiler alert: Charlotte's Web!

Television:

The Crown. I eagerly anticipated this show since I first learned of it. I think we watched three episodes in a row the night it came out! Adam agreed to watch it with me and enjoyed it much, much more than he expected. Our favorite episode was the one about Churchill's portrait, but there were so many moments we loved. The trip to Africa and the coronation were particularly beautiful. The only part we didn't buy was the end of Princess Margaret and Peter Townsend's engagement, which makes sense because that's not actually how it went down. I'm very excited that Matthew Goode will be playing her husband in the next season. And I loved reading Bishop Barron's take on the show.

Madam Secretary. We caught up on the first two seasons of this show on Netflix just in time for the third season premiere. Now we have to watch it a week at a time, with commercials. First world problems! We love the McCords' marriage and escaping into a world where all the world's diplomatic problems can be solved in forty-five minutes. It's the optimistic opposite of Veep, which we also love. We watched Designated Survivor over Christmas break - we didn't enjoy it nearly as much but we really, really want to know what happens.

The Good Place. Oh, man, this sitcom by Michael Schur, the creator of Parks & Rec and Brooklyn Nine Nine, is seriously the best. Ted Danson plays a celestial being who works as an architect and designed a new neighborhood in "the good place," where only the most worthy humans end up in the afterlife. Kristin Bell plays kind of a jerk who somehow got there by mistake. It's just so hilarious and well done - I really hope it gets renewed for a second season!
This is Us. I have been watching this one on my own while sewing and editing photos and such. It's definitely not Adam's type of show. Basically, it's like Parenthood except way better and with less talking over each other, but if you don't want to cry at the end of every episode, it's probably not the show for you. 
Bunheads. I'm glad I watched the Gilmore Girls revival on Netflix (definitely enjoyed Emily's story arc the most, then Lorelai's, then Rory's) but I'm mostly glad that it introduced me to Bunheads. It was created by the same writer, Amy Sherman-Palladino, and stars Kelly Bishop, who plays Emily, as well as many of the character actors from Gilmore Girls. Kirk returns as a fantastically pretentious barista. It's about a ballet studio in small-town southern California and sadly lasted just one season. You can find the episodes for free at Free Form, which is apparently ABC Family's edgy new name.
Speechless. This is a sitcom about a family with a child who has cerebral palsy. The actor playing him really does have cerebral palsy. It seems very true-to-life while also being very, very funny. Minnie Driver is particularly great as the mom fighting for her special needs child. We've also enjoyed American Housewife, another new ABC sitcom, although perhaps not quite as much.

Claire and Maggie have been obsessed with Clifford this fall, finally breaking their very, very long Daniel Tiger streak. On that note, though, I loved this interview with Mr. Rogers in which he tells Daniel's very surprising origin story.

Summer Reading + Fall TV

Caitlin:

All The Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr. A poetic, engaging book that lives up to all the hype. I feel like I need to read it again to really appreciate every beautiful sentence. I loved listening to the Fountain of Carrots podcast episode on the book and reading Bishop Barron's review. I tried to read his memoir, Four Seasons in Rome, next but only got halfway through before it was due back at the library.
The Secret Keeper, Kate Morton. My very first Kate Morton novel, set in WWII era London, although it also jumps around to the 1960s and the present day. I stayed up until midnight to finish and totally did not see the twist coming at the end. From what I've heard, most fans agree that this is her best work yet. I think I'll have to read more to find out!
The Knock Off, Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza. When Modern Mrs. Darcy published her summer reading guide, I immediately went to Overdrive to place everything on hold. The Knock Off was available right away. It's about an editor fighting to keep her magazine from being turned into an app. If you loved The Devil Wears Prada, this will be right up your alley. Except this time the older and wiser editor is the good guy in the story.
Eight Hundred Grapes, Laura Dave. This was the next novel that came available from Modern Mrs. Darcy's guide. It's a love story set on a winery in Napa Valley. I didn't enjoy this nearly as much as The Knock Off, but it was still a pleasant read overall. I read it while sitting in the back of the van with Betsy while driving to my parents' house and it certainly wasn't a bad way to pass the time.
The Cuckoo's Calling, Robert Galbraith. These mysteries are actually written by J.K. Rowling. They center around a London private detective, Comoran Strike, and his assistant, Robin. The first in the series is about a supermodel's suicide. Or perhaps murder? I'm not really a murder mystery person, but I was intrigued because of J.K. Rowling and figured it's good to branch out sometimes. 
The Silkworm, Robert Galbraith. The second mystery in the Comoran Strike series is about the publishing industry and the unusual murder of an eccentric author. It was considerably more gruesome than the previous mystery. I started the third in the series, but it was about a serial killer and even more gruesome. Way too much for me! I stopped after the first chapter.
The Collapse of Parenting, Leonard Sax. I heard many, many good things about this book. I don't think a title in the parenting genre has generated so much hype since Bringing Up Bebe. Honestly, I didn't quite see what the big fuss was all about. He makes a lot of great common sense points, but nothing ground breaking. Maybe that's the whole point? With all of my children under five, I'm probably just not the target demographic.
Better than Before, Gretchen Rubin. I love Gretchen's Happier podcast and listen without fail every week, but when this book came out last year, I just couldn't get into it and slogged through the first half. I'm not sure why because I really enjoyed The Happiness Project and Happier At Home. I didn't have data on our trip to Canada and it was the only book already downloaded onto my phone, so I picked it up again while nursing Betsy. I guess I was in the right frame of mind to appreciate it this time, because I quickly flew through the second half of the book. Weird.

Adam: 

America's War for the Greater Middle East, Andrew Bacevich.

The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Society in the Aftermath of a Cataclysm, Lewis Dartnell.  

All I know is that Adam found both of these non-fiction titles fascinating and constantly peppered me with interesting facts while reading them. He spends a lot his down time playing piano, while I spend a lot of my down time feeding a baby, hence the large disparity between us reading-wise this year.

Together: 

The Awakening of Miss Prim, Natalia Sanmartin Fenollera. This novel was originally published in Spanish, but takes place in a tiny French village. It's part love story, part conversion story, and part treatise on the Benedict Option. So many beautiful passages on marriage and the Catholic faith! We'd both highly recommend it. It's the next Fountain of Carrots book club pick - I can't wait to hear Haley and Christy's insights.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts 1 & 2, J.K. Rowling and Jack Thorne. Of course this wasn't as great the original stories, but we found it really fun to slip in the wizarding world again. Since it's a play, we read it aloud together, which is probably a large part of why we enjoyed it as much as we did. We'd definitely love to see the play if it ever comes to Seattle. (I've heard rumors that Hamilton is coming in 2017!)

  

Read Alouds: 

Beezus and Ramona, Beverly Cleary. I read this to the girls while driving to my parents' for Memorial Day weekend. We'd already read the first two books about Ramona, which take place during her kindergarten and first grade years. We went back in time to read this one, which is told from Beezus' point of view when Ramona is in preschool. The next book in the series is about heavier stuff, like her dad getting laid off, so we'll come back to Ramona in a few years.

A Bear Called Paddington, Michael Bond. I read this one aloud while driving to my parents' for the July 4th weekend. Adam and I both missed out on reading Paddington growing up, so we enjoyed the escapades of this little marmalade-loving bear from darkest Peru just as much as our girls did.

Adam read "Gooseberry Park" to the girls before bed each night on our Canada trip. They were sharing a bed for the first time and reading aloud really helped settle them down. He hasn't quite finished that one yet, but next on the docket will be "The Milly Molly Mandy Storybook."

Favorite Shows: 

Watching funny shows together at the end of the day just makes us happy. We look forward to new episodes of The Middle and The Goldbergs the most, followed by all the shows on Fox (Brooklyn Nine Nine, New Girl, Last Man on Earth) and then Black-ish and Fresh Off the Boat. Jane The Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend aren't technically sitcoms (actually one's a telenovela and one's a musical) but they're both absolutely hilarious. This kinda feels like a lot, so I was surprised when I figured out it clocks in at under four hours, which is really just a little more than thirty minutes a day.

We watched the first episode of This is Us. We'll see if we, and by that I mean mostly Adam, stick with it. It's definitely in the Parenthood and Friday Night Lights vein. Adam's really just a comedy kinda guy when it comes to something he'll be tuning into once a week. Any other new shows we should check out?

We're also working our way through past seasons of Madam Secretary on Netflix. We're pretty obsessed. Like every other female in America, I'm really excited about the new Gilmore Girls movies and "The Crown" miniseries on Queen Elizabeth coming out in November.

Have you heard of A Place To Call Home? It's like Downton Abbey, except set in Australia after World War II and it's soooooooooo good. You can watch it through Acorn TV on Amazon. They're airing new episodes in Australia at the moment and I can't wait until the next season is available here. Be forewarned that it will make you look up airfare and fantasize about visiting Australia one day!

Recent Reads: January to April

Caitlin:

How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk, Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlich. We read this for our parish mom's group book club this fall and finished in January. It was easily the best parenting book I've read. Adam even read large sections of it, which is quite a feat. We had the anniversary edition, which included an afterword from one of the author's daughters. She said that no matter what happened at school or on the playground, it would always be okay because she could go home and talk about it with her mom. I'm pretty sure that's what we all want most as parents!

Little Victories: Perfect Rules for Imperfect Living, Jason Gay. I saw a review of this book and then it popped up on the Overdrive app when I was looking for something to read right before Betsy arrived. Apparently he's a sport columnist for the Wall Street Journal? It was amusing enough to finish but not particularly memorable. The review mentioned it was perfect for fans of Dave Barry, but I've never read anything by him.

Shopaholic to the Rescue, Sophie Kinsella. The day I got home from the hospital with Betsy, I got an email that the digital copy of this was now available on Overdrive. Perfect timing! Even though I wasn't a big fan of the last Shopaholic book, I'll always have a soft spot for Sophie Kinsella. This was much better than the previous installment of Becky's adventures and I happily breezed through it in less than twenty-four hours.

Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies, J.B. West. This was one of those fascinating reads that had be constantly regaling Adam with interesting facts. West was the chief usher at the White House from the Roosevelt through the Nixon administrations. The Chief Usher is pretty much the head of operations for the White House, so he worked with all the first ladies constantly to plan events and manage the household staff. If you're as interested in American history and the presidency as I am, you will absolutely love all the intimate details in this book, like how many presidents and first ladies took daily afternoon naps. I'm sure you could easily guess which president like to take daily swims....in the nude!

Lizzy and Jane, Katherine Reay. Modern Mrs. Darcy has a Kindle Deals page on her site that she updates daily. I snagged this one when it was on sale for $1.99. It's about Lizzy, a chef at a New York restaurant who goes home to Seattle when her sister, Jane, is diagnosed with cancer. Jane has a penchant for Austen novels, hence the title. I always love reading books set it in Seattle! This was a really enjoyable read, still firmly in the chick-lit category like Sophie Kinsella's novels, but definitely on the more serious side.

Dear Mr. Knightley, Katherine Reay. I also got this one in a Kindle sale. Apparently it's a modern retelling of "Daddy Long Legs," a book from the early 20th century. The main character, Samantha, grew up in foster care and is awarded a full scholarship to Northwestern from a private foundation. The only caveat is that she has to write weekly letter about whatever she'd like to the foundation's director. I think this one was my favorite of Katherine Reay's works. She's apparently part of the Christian genre, but I didn't find her preachy at all.

Brooklyn, Colm Toibin. I heard many, many good things about this movie and was so excited it for it to be released on DVD. I watched it the day of and became completely obsessed, so of course I couldn't wait to get my hands on the book. I think I loved the book even more. The way they had premarital sex in the book made much more sense to me. Immediately afterward they decide to go to confession. Eilis is too embarrassed to see her Irish priest, Father Flood, so Tony suggests they go to his Italian parish instead. When Eilis points out that those priests only speak Italian, Tony assures her that they understand certain key phrases in English!

Happier At Home, Gretchen Rubin. I'm a big fan of Happier, the podcast Gretchen does with her sister, Elizabeth. Listening to them week after week made me want to reread my favorite of her books. It was just as good the second time! For some reason I couldn't really get into her latest book, Better Than Before. Maybe because I've heard most of the information after following the podcast for the past year?

Wait Till Next Year, Doris Kearns Goodwin. This memoir of a girl growing up in Long Island in the 1950s as a Catholic and a Dodgers fan was the perfect follow-up to Brooklyn. My favorite parts were her descriptions of growing up in the church before Vatican II. Most her friends in town were Catholic, except for her Jewish next-door neighbor, whose parents bought her a white dress so she wouldn't feel left out when everyone was celebrating their first communion! Doris Kearns Goodwin is now a major presidential historian - the movie Lincoln that came out a couple years ago was based on her biography.

Adam:

The Martian, Andy Weir. I gave this to Adam for Christmas. We both devoured it in early January and then watched the movie. I knew it would be right up Adam's alley, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it as well. I haven't read any science fiction besides what was assigned in school. It was, quite unexpectedly, really funny and the movie was a great adaptation.

Forming Intentional Disciples, Sherry Weddell. We are supposed to read this for a committee we're on at church, but because we only have the hardcopy and I've read anything outside of the Kindle app on my phone in months Adam's just been sharing interesting passages with me.  Like a parish in Michigan that's produced thirty priests in thirty years. In contrast our parish has produced just one in a hundred years! The author actually goes to the parish we attended for a few months when we first moved to Seattle - the liturgy was beautiful but we quickly realized it was too far away.

Claire & Maggie:

Matilda in the Middle: A Bunny Ballet Story, Cori Doerrfeld. Our library system recently reorganized all the children's books by category - holidays, fairytales, animal stories. There's a "sparkly" section filled with tales of ballerinas and princesses that our daughters make a immediate beeline towards. This was actually a really cute find though, about a bunny born into the middle of a large family whose siblings all gather to cheer her on at her first ballet recital.

Ballerina Gets Ready, Allegra Kent. Another find from the sparkly section. It's written by a former principal dancer from the New York City Ballet and chronicles an average day in the life of a professional ballerina - rehearsals, costume fittings, and finally the big performance.

Ramona the Pest, Beverly Cleary. After finishing all of the Carolyn Haywood Betsy books (at least all the ones still in print), I chose this for my next read-aloud book with Claire. The chapters are a bit longer and there's not as many pictures, so it took her a bit longer to get into. Beverly Cleary is so great at describing children's emotions! Several times in this book she hinted that children don't appreciate when their parents talk about them as if they're not even there.

Ramona the Brave, Beverly Cleary. Ramona the Pest chronicles her kindergarten year and Ramon the Brave is all about first grade. Again, Beverly Cleary just really gets kids. There's a part at the end when Ramona gets in trouble at school over a misunderstanding. Her parents say, "Oh, Ramona, what are we going to do with you?" And Ramona, despondent and frustrated, answers, "Love me!" I am not ashamed to admit I cried when reading that exchange to Claire. After we finished both books, we watched the Beezus and Ramona movie. My mom was visiting and watched it with us. By the end all three of us were crying!

We finished both of those Ramona books before Betsy arrived. I think Betsy's old enough for Claire and I to dive into chapter books again. I just ordered Beezus and Ramona, which is actually the only book in the series from her sister's point of view. But after that I'd like to take a break from the series because some of the other books deal with heavier stuff, like her dad getting laid off, that I don't think Claire would quite understand yet. Anyone have any chapter book recommendations for a newly minted four-year old?

Easter Reading: A Guest Post

My friend from church, Michelle, offered to write a guest post about her family's favorite Easter books. She's a homeschooling mother of four and a trained Catechesis of the Good Shepherd teacher. We've bonded over attending the same Newman Center (although she went to Carnegie Mellon, not Pitt) and over our in-laws living in the same Houston suburb. The Catholic world is surprisingly small sometimes!

I am the mother of four small children (ages 2-7) and a catechist, trained in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In our family, we follow the philosophy laid out in the Religious Potential of the Child where we don't separate the crucifixion from the resurrection. Not only were the founders of CGS wise people who understood children through their observations, this philosophy matches my experience as a parent. Sofia Cavaletti explains in the Religious Potential of the Child:

"the proclamation of the death of Christ should never be disjoined from the announcement of His resurrection. We believe it is necessary to tie them together; we do not even pause temporarily on the death alone, considering perhaps it a well-known fact that the death was followed by the resurrection. Yes, it is known, but the fact is that very often the accent is applied to the death and so it comes to assume a greater vividness than the resurrection. The disturbing proclamation we give is of the resurrection, and it is on this that we should concentrate. Death is a common event; many men have had the courage to face death for love of their brothers. What is absolutely new is that, in Jesus, death is followed by renewed and eternal life. What we find so hard to grasp is the fact that, in Christ, life is stronger than death."

She then goes on to say that the length of any passion narrative should be no longer than the resurrection narrative.

This is a problem for most Easter books that go on and on and on about the Passion, only briefly mention the Resurrection and then end. Worse are the books that try to explain the Passion. Small children have no concept of sin, so trying to explain the why is of no help. We just state it simply: "Jesus died, but he rose!"

I want an Easter book emphasizes the Last Supper and the Resurrection. It should have the words "This is my body" and "This is my blood" and the Resurrection account should go for more than one page. I want it to simply tell the story of the passion but not unduly emphasize it or try to explain it away. I really thought I might need to write it myself.

On that Easter Morning, by Mary Joslin

This book satisfies all of the criteria above, and the account is close to that in scripture. This is not a new book, but I only discovered it last year, and I am satisfied. This is my favorite.

Easter, illustrated by Fiona French, with words from the Revised Standard Version

Most picture books that have words straight from scripture use the King James Version, and while I know it's a classic in the English language, as a Catholic, I don't love the KJV. Our library has Fiona French's Easter with words from the KJV, and while I enjoyed the stained glass pictures, it has the KJV problem. I was so thrilled to find out that there's another version, published by Ignatius Press. Be careful; it took me two tries to get the right used one.

The Easter Story, by Brian Wildsmith

We love Brian Wildsmith's colorful illustrations, and especially love his colorful angels and gold accents. This was the first acceptable Easter story I found (fulfills most of the criteria laid out above). While it stays close to scripture, it's from the point of view of the donkey, which is just an unnecessary complication to the story.

Petook: an Easter Story, by Caryll Houselander, illustrated by Tomie dePaola

I don't particularly love the story of Petook, but I do love the Easter story that plays out in the background of dePaola's illustrations. I read it when my oldest was small, and she totally didn't get it. Now that she's seven, we are going to try again.

An Easter Gift for Me by Crystal Bowman

This is a short rhyming board book. Most of it is a very short synopsis of the life and ministry of Jesus, there's one line about the crucifixion, and on the next page he rises. I like the emphasis on the Resurrection rather than the Passion. I don't like that it leaves out the Last Supper entirely, but it's published by Zonderkidz, so it's not surprising (they are very not Catholic). This is the best I've found for toddlers (sad).

Me again! We've given the girls a themed book in the Easter basket every year. These have been our picks thus far:

My First Pictures of Easter by Maite Roche. We gave this to Claire when she was just barely one. It's very simple; each page has a scene from Holy Week with one sentence of text. We absolutely love Maite Roche's illustrations and have all her board books available from Magnificat and Ignatius Press.

My First Easter by Tomie de Paola. When Maggie was six months old, Anne from Modern Mrs. Darcy posted about this book offered on super sale at Amazon - I think for less than $2. I'm a big Tomie de Paola fan, so I didn't think twice. Again, this is very simple and not particularly religious; just pictures of typical Easter symbols - lilies, eggs, bonnets, etc.

The Golden Egg Book by Margaret Wise Brown. That same year, when Claire was two, I waited too late to order a book online for her and had to shop in person at Barnes & Noble. This was the least offensive book I could find in the Easter section. It has absolutely nothing to do with Easter, but it's a cute story of friendship between a bunny and a duckling.

A Tale for Easter by Tasha Tudor. Maggie received this in her Easter basket last year. Like the other board books I mentioned, it has beautiful illustrations and very simple text; this time about a little girl preparing for Easter Sunday.

The Egg Tree by Katherine Milhous. Claire received this one last year. It's a Caldecott winning story of two children visiting their grandmother for Easter and painting eggs in the traditional Pennsylvania Dutch style.

We've also received a few books as gifts (including the Fiona French title mentioned by Michelle above) and found others at Goodwill, my favorite hunting ground for children's books. Ours has a surprisingly good selection!

The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Dubose Heyward. A mother of twenty-one little bunnies aspire to audition for the lauded position of Easter bunny. She's done such a good job teaching her children responsibility and how to contribute to the household. Not only do they reflect so well on her character that she gets the job, but they can pitch in and keep the house running in her absence.

The Easter Egg by Jan Brett. Don't you just love her artwork? All the bunnies in the forest are decorating eggs in hopes of winning the contest and getting to help the Easter bunny. Hoppi can't decide how to decorate his egg, until stumbles upon an abandoned robin's egg that needs keeping warm.

The Tale of Three Trees by Angela Elwell Hunt. Three little trees have big dreams - to become a holder of treasure, a fine ship, and a hilltop beacon pointing to God. Each gets his wish, although it doesn't look at all like they imagined.

The Colt and the King by Marni McGee. This book is about Palm Sunday. A donkey tells of the time he was called to carry Jesus through the streets of Jerusalem. He's scared of the huge crowds and comforted by Jesus.

You'll have to wait a couple weeks to find out my selections for the girls' baskets this year!

Recent Reads: September to December

Caitlin: 

All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood, Jennifer Senior. This was a really interesting look at modern parenting from a secular perspective, i.e. how do people who don't believe openness to life is an integral part of marriage feel about parenthood? If your goal for your children isn't getting them into heaven, what is your goal for them? The author's TED talk is very informative and gives you a good summary of the book.
A Paris Apartment, Michelle Gable. This had a very similar feel to "The Girl You Left Behind" by JoJo Moyes, which I read earlier in the year. Both about a piece of art, both telling two stories - one about the subject of the painting in the early 20th century, one about the painting's current owner or discoverer. And both set in France, which is always a plus in my book. I picked it up from the new releases display at the library and read it on the plane to and from Nashville, even though I was traveling solo with two toddlers. Thank you screen time!
A Spoonful of Sugar: A Nanny's Story, Brenda Ashford. I heard about this book from Sarah at Clover Lane and immediately put it on hold at the library. I loved this book so, so, so much and did not want it to end. It's the memoir of a British nanny, written when she was in her nineties. She came of age and started working as a nanny right at the onset of WWII. I loved the description of her peaceful childhood and the old-fashioned child-rearing advice she doles out - the importance of a routine, spending time outdoors, reading aloud together, etc. Seriously such a charming story.
Why Not Me?, Mindy Kaling. When I had a stomach bug a few weeks ago, I spent the day in bed reading this book. It's a very easy and funny read. I like Mindy's books more than those of other female comedians, like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. She just seems more relatable somehow. My favorite chapter was her day-in-the-life on the set of the Mindy Project. Writing and starring in your own show is a ton of work!
 

Adam: 

Gilgamesh: A Verse Narrative, Herbert Mason. This epic poem clocks in at not quite a hundred pages, but it's kind of a major classic, so we'll count it towards the book total. He saw this on the clearance rack at Half Price Books and, for the grand total of a quarter, was inspired to pick it up.
The Thirteen Gun Salute, Patrick O'Brian. He's still chugging along with the Aubry-Mautrin series about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars.
The Nutmeg of Consolation, Patrick O'Brian. The title of this one makes me laugh. This is book fourteen out of twenty-one, so he's two-thirds of the way done. 
Walkable City, Jeff Speck. We actually both read this book. I read it first, on our trip to West Virginia (another big win for screen time) and interrupted Adam's reading so often to tell him interesting facts that he was inspired to read it as well. It's a really fascinating look at urban living, city planning, biking, public transportation, etc. These are already issues we build our priorities around, since we pay more in rent to live close enough to Adam's work that he can have a quick bike commute, allowing us to spend more time together and rely on one car. But this book helped us narrow down the ideal area we'd love to buy a house in one day - Adam would have a slightly longer bike commute but we would be able to walk to our church and a strip mall with a grocery store, drug store, hardware store, post office, etc. We would both highly recommend it. I heard about it from my favorite book bloggers, Janssen of Everyday Reading and Anne of Modern Mrs. Darcy. 

Claire and Maggie: 

B is for Betsy Series, Carolyn Haywood. I started reading this series aloud to Claire in September. It's about a little girl named Betsy growing up in small-town America during the 1940s. The stories are irresistibly charming, with short chapters and illustrations every few pages. I loved reading about how childhood used it be - Betsy doesn't start school until first grade, but even then it's only half day and she takes a nap every afternoon! We read the first four books, which have been re-printed, and then found one more out-of-print story at the library, Betsy's Winter House, all about a big blizzard right before Christmas.
Ella Bella Ballerina, James Mayhew. When I'm looking for a picture book to capture both Claire and Maggie's attention, lately I've been turning to ballet for inspiration. Our girls are a little obsessed. This series tells the stories of all the most famous classical ballets - Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and a Midsummer's Night Dream.
Tallulah's Tutu, Marilyn Singer. Another cute series about a little ballerina, Tallulah. I love that her younger brother also takes ballet, illustrating that it's not just for girls. There are five books in this series as well - my favorite is probably the one about her first performance in the Nutcracker.
Peek-a-Boo, Allan and Janet Ahlberg. If I'm reading just with Maggie, we will usually still go for a board book. She doesn't have as long of an attention span for stories as Claire did at her age. She loves "Each Peach Pear Plum" by the same authors and has been asking for this one on repeat since she received it as a birthday gift. It's about a family's day, through the eyes of their baby boy, in what appears to be mid-century London.

 More of what we read in 2015: January to April and May to August.

Recent Reads: May to August

Caitlin:

  

The Five Love Languages of Children, Gary Champan and Ross Campbell. We read this in our parish mom's group book club this spring. It was much better received than Parenting With Grace, which we read in the fall, but not as big of a hit as The Temperament God Gave Your Kids, which we read the previous year. Apparently you can't figure out your kids' love languages until they're over five, so pretty much a moot point for me right now.

Teaching in your Tiara, Rebecca Frech. We have two years until Claire is in kindergarten and I want to spend this time educating myself about all the different schooling options. Obviously, homeschooling is the option I know the least about, besides the expertise of several older friends who are a few years in already. Rebecca, a Catholic homeschooling mom of many, does a great job of covering the basics of how homeschooling actually works.

Outlander Series Books 1-3, Diana Gabaldon. These Kindle version of these books go on sale really cheaply all the time and it's only a couple dollars extra to add the audio too. Then you can use Whisper Sync to seamlessly switch between the two. Perfect for fueling my obsession with this story of a woman time traveling to 18th century Scotland while still allowing me to finish chores. There's eight books total and I'm currently on book four, but found myself losing steam.

The Royal We, Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan. So I switched to this book instead, after hearing favorable reports from all my favorite book recommendation sources (Christy, Anne, and Janssen). I was totally hooked immediately and finished over the course of three days. It's been billed as Will and Kate fan fiction. While the novel does share some similarities with their story, it's always got plenty of differences, like the fact the princess is American and the prince's mother is still alive, to keep the story fresh.

Adam:

Aubrey-Maturin Series Books 10-12, Patrick O'Brian. Adam's still plugging away at this series about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. There's twenty books all together, so the finish line is in sight!

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke. When the BBC miniseries came out, Adam discovered this book and knew it would be right up his alley. Considering he stayed up until 2:00 am to finish it one night last week, I'd say he was most definitely right. 

Claire and Maggie:

 

These are all books I'd grab when reading to the girls together. They're short enough to hold Maggie's attention, but long enough to still captivate Claire without her feeling like it's a "baby book."

Yes Let's, Galen Goodwin Longstreth. This book about a family of six spending a day hiking is one we checked out from the library and immediately loved enough to purchase for our own collection.

Owl Babies, Martin Waddell. Maggie loves to chime in with "I want my mommy!" on every page, while Claire loves how brave the two older owl babies are when they wake up to find their mom out hunting for breakfast.

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Bill Martin Jr. Maggie likes to shout "Boom!" whenever appropriate, while Claire is busy pointing the first letters of each of our names. They both enjoy singing the ABCs and pointing to each letter on the first and last pages.

When Sophie Gets Angry, Molly Bang. Sophie's sister takes her the toy she was playing with and her mom insists that it's her sister's turn now. Oh, is Sophie angry. The rest of the book walks us through Sophie calming herself down and returning to play with her family.

50 Below Zero, Robert Munsch. Out of all the hilarious Robert Munsch stories, this one consistently has both girls erupting in peals of laughter. I not-so-secretly love how they insist that Mommy read it, because apparently I do the voices so much better than Daddy.

I Want My Hat Back, Jon Klassen. A bear searching the forest for his favorite hat. That rabbit really shouldn't have crossed him...

Recent Reads: January to April

Now that I'm not nursing anymore, I've had a harder time fitting reading into the day. Adam is actually beating me so far this year for the first time ever!

Caitlin: 

The Girl You Left Behind, JoJo Moyes. About a court battle over a painting that disappeared from a hotel in rural France during the first world war. The question is: was it stolen or was it a gift? A good book to read before seeing Helen Mirren's new film, The Woman in Gold.

My Paris Kitchen, David Lebovitz. It's technically a cookbook, but there are quite a few essays about life and food in Paris interspersed throughout. Our semester in France was five years ago this spring and this was the perfect read for reminiscing about all the glorious food we enjoyed there.

Parenting With Grace, Greg and Lisa Popcak. This was our first pick of the year for our mom's book club at church. A couple members suggested it and we chose it because the authors spoke at our parish conference in November. The problem is that it's very attachment-parenting minded. The members of our group that practice that style of parenting were at home co-sleeping with their babies while the rest of us had some disgruntled discussions about the book's judgmental tone.

Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh. Adam and I read this aloud together this winter. Accompanied by hot cocoa and shortbread, it was the perfect evening activity. We loved reading and discussing it together - it's such a rich, fascinating story. We plan to watch the miniseries this summer.

All the Money in the World, Laura Vanderkam. This isn't a traditional personal finance book. It's about the intersection of money and happiness. It led to some interesting conversations with Adam, like what we would change if we all of sudden came into extra money - hiring a house cleaner and lawn guy!

More Than Happy: The Wisdom of Amish Parenting, Serena Miller. This a sweet book exploring how and why Amish children seem to be so well-behaved. They certainly have a lot more chores than the average American child and, of course, have access to a lot less technology. The secrets of their success seem to mostly boil down to their religion's emphasis on humility.

Adam:

The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin. Somehow, Adam completely missed reading this and The Princess Bride in seventh grade, so he rectified the situation this winter. I don't think the mystery was quite as intriguing as it would have been at age twelve, but it was still a fun, quick read.

Life in a Medieval Castle, Joseph and Frances Gies. Adam has something of a fascination with medieval culture. He also read "Cathedral, Forge, and Water Wheel" and is currently reading "Marriage and Family in the Middle Ages" both by the same authors.

Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives, Joseph Ratzinger. This was his adoration companion for a couple months. Pope Benedict is such a wonderful writer! And, as I already mentioned, we read Brideshead Revisited aloud together.

Aubrey-Maturin Series, Patrick O'Brian. He's still plugging away at this series about the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. He's on book ten now, which is the novel the Russell Crowe movie was based on.

Claire and Maggie:

Henry Finds His Word, Lindsay Ward. About a baby on his quest to find his first word. The ending is both touching and hilarious. Both Claire and Maggie enjoyed this one.

The Princess and the Pig, Jonathan Emmett. A piglet and a princess are switched at birth and hijinks ensue, poking fun at many traditional fairy tales in the process.

And Away We Go, Migy. A beautifully illustrated tale about a fox's attempt to fly to the moon in a hot air balloon. He's joined by many animal friends in the process. Another read that both Claire and Maggie enjoyed. Maggie loves to chime in with "go!" at the end of each page.

The Seven Silly Eater, Mary Ann Hoberman. A family of seven children, each of whom are so picky they'll only eat one food item, conspire to make their sainted mother breakfast in bed for her birthday.

The Book With No Pictures, B.J. Novak. A tremendously silly story about how adults must read whatever words are on the page, no matter what. A rare book that actually inspired Claire to collapse in a fit of giggles after hearing me reading the page of crazy noises.

Let's Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy, Jan Thomas. A cowboy is singing a lullaby to his cows before bed, but keeps interrupting because he sees strange things in the dark. Of course, not all is as it seems! Another one that both girls enjoyed.

I'm so glad reading is something our whole family enjoys. This morning the girls sat quietly and looked at picture books while I got ready for the day. That's certainly not the norm, but, oh, it was such a happy sight!

What We're Reading Wednesday

Adam:

The Master and Commander Series by Patrick O'Brian. I believe he's on book five now. The Russell Crowe movie is primarily based on book ten. They've got him fantasizing about sailing around the world. Maybe let's start with the San Juan Islands first, okay?

Caitlin:

The Smartest Kids in the World by Amanda Ripley. This was a completely engrossing look at education around the world. I was particularly fascinated to learn that Canada ranks so, so much higher globally than the United States. Since my parents are Canadian, I had to pick their brains about why this is the case. Some of things we came up with: greater respect/training for teachers, less emphasis on athletics, and property taxes not being tied to education funding.

Adam & Caitlin:

Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh. We've been reading this aloud together before bed. With some hot cocoa and shortbread, it's absolutely the best cozy winter activity. We're planning to completely immerse ourselves in the Brideshead world by watching the miniseries afterwards. If only we could also take a trip to England to complete the process!

Claire:

My First Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Claire is enchanted by this series, illustrated excerpts from Little House in the Big Woods and Little House on the Prairie. She always asks to read the stories about Laura and Mary before bed. I can't wait to share the chapter books with her in a few years.

Maggie:

Baby Loves by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I found this gem at Goodwill, my favorite source for picture books. Just yesterday afternoon, I spent $11 for 12 titles, classics like The Polar Express, Caps for Sale, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, etc. This is the first non-board book Maggie has enjoyed. It's paintings by Mary Cassatt accompanied with very simple text - baby kisses, baby cuddles, baby loves, and so on. My favorite part is watching her do the actions along with the story, clapping when you read "baby claps" for example.

While we're on the subject of reading, here's a video of Claire "reading" Sandra Boynton's "Are You A Cow?" to her little sister.

Can you even handle the cuteness? Linking up with Jenna for Five Favorites.

Five Favorite Books of 2014

I've read thirty books this year, almost exclusively on my phone. Let's break it down into my five favorites. Okay, and five runner-ups.

1. Favorite Fiction: The Rosie Project by Graeme Simpson

About an Australian professor (with Asperger's, we're lead to believe) falling for a PhD candidate. The second book, in which the couple have wed and are expecting their first child, comes out in a few weeks.

Runner Up: Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

2. Favorite Nonfiction: The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown

About the University of Washington crew team training for and competing in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It's got a similar feel to Unbroken, but it's way less intense. Plus, the author lives in my town!

Runner Up: David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell

3. Favorite Royal Biography: Elizabeth The Queen by Susan Bedell Smith

I just have a thing for the British royal family, okay? The Vanity Fair Royal Watch is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. I think I'll tackle the massive new Queen Victoria biography next year.

Runner Up: Kate the Future Queen by Katie Nicholl

4. Favorite Foodie Memoir: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl

Out of all the books I read with recipes at the end of each chapter, this was the only one that really stuck with me. I made her pasta carbonara last night. This was a close, close race though. I'm still dreaming about the meal we enjoyed at Delancey last month!

Runner Up: Delancey by Molly Wizenberg

5. Favorite Catholic Mom Memoir: The Appalling Mercy of the Strangeness of God by Ruth Pakaluk

I am fascinated by this family. I listened to an interview with Catherine Pakaluk on the Read Aloud Revival podcast. I was insanely impressed that she birthed six young children while completing her PhD in economics at Harvard, so of course I had to Google her. She also mentioned something about her husband having children from a previous marriage. It turns out her husband (a philosophy professor) married his college sweetheart, Ruth, and had seven children with her before she died of breast cancer. Then he got married to Catherine and had six more children! This memoir is his first wife's story, mainly told through her letters and speeches. Ruth was a pretty well known pro-life activist and all-around amazing person.

Runner Up: Something Other Than God by Jennifer Fulwiler

What were your favorite books of 2014? And what are you most excited to read next year? I know I'm highly anticipating Gretchen Rubin's latest book in March!

Seven Quick Takes: Favorite Authors

Just in case you've started thinking about Christmas gifts, here are seven favorite authors of mine. I always look for their latest releases:

1. Sophie Kinsella

The latest Shopaholic book comes out in just over a week! They are always hilarious and just plain fun. Way, way better than the movie version. 

2. Hester Browne

Her latest book came out last month and it was just as lovely as usual. I'd suggest getting started with the Little Lady Agency series though. 

3. Cecelia Ahern

Her most famous novel is P.S. I Love You (again, way better than movie). I'm currently reading her latest release, although I'd suggest starting with Love, Rosie because it's also been adapted into a film, coming out this month.

4. Emily Giffin 

Her latest came out this summer. It's got a different feel than her other novels, but I still really enjoyed it. Perfect for fans of Friday Night Lights!

5. Malcolm Gladwell 

Okay, who doesn't find his books fascinating? You could give his books to just about anyone and they would absolutely love it. 

6. AJ Jacobs

 He's not as well-known as Mr. Gladwell, but his books are similarly engaging for a wide audience. His last one came out a few years ago, but his next is all about genealogy, so he's planning the world's largest family reunion.

7. Gretchen Rubin 

So, I haven't actually read all her books, like I could say about the previous six authors, but I loved the Happiness Project and Happier at Home. I'm eagerly awaiting her next release in March! 

As you can see, I'm pretty easily pleased with chick lit and popular non-fiction. But I bet almost anyone on your Christmas list would feel the same. Go see Jen for more quick takes!

What We're Reading Wednesday

A family that reads together stays together. Isn't that how the saying goes?

Adam:

About an 18-year-old who sets out from him home in London with the goal of walking to Constantinople. Here's what Adam had to say:

Caitlin:

About the University of Washington's crew team winning gold at the 1936 Olympics. Such an engrossing story. And the author lives in our suburb! Definitely makes me want to watch one of the regattas on Lake Washington next spring. It's got a similar vibe to Unbroken, but a million times less intense. The protagonist of that story, Louis Zamperini, is actually mentioned in this book as the only member of the American Olympic team to eat more than the crew guys on the way to Germany!

Claire:

This is one of those interactive books, like Press Here. It's got beautiful illustrations and teaches about the seasons. Claire loooooves it. The first library book that we've seriously considering purchasing for her.

Maggie:

Still going strong with her two favorite Sandra Boynton classics. Ms. Boynton has really figured out what babies want, I tell ya. It's harder to write a good board book than you might think. These ones have consistently made Maggie's eyes light up and earned a huge grin for the past five months.

Hey, what do you know, that makes five. Linking up with Jessica at Housewife Spice for WWRW and Mary at Atelier for Five Favorites.

Summer Reading, Continued

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School, Kathleen Flinn. A foodie memoir that takes place in Seattle is always going to be right up my alley. After graduating from the Cordon Bleu, Kathleen begins teaching very, very basic cooking classes to a diverse group of women from across the Puget Sound. Things like knife skills, how to roast a chicken, make an omelet, etc. Biggest takeaways? I think she convinced me to try making homemade chicken stock again. (It just takes up so much freezer space!) Also, super good idea: when you have an empty jam or mustard jar, you can make a simple vinaigrette in it with the last dregs before tossing it out.

A Homemade Life, Molly Wizenberg. Another Seattle-based foodie memoir. What can I say? I have a type. I read this on the flight to Austin for the Edel Gathering and it was a very enjoyable way to spend three hours.

Silver Bay, Jojo Moyes. A love story set in a small coastal town in Australia. I had a hard time getting into this one, but it eventually sucked me in. The Saturday that Adam was gone camping, I just laid on the couch and finished this book during nap time. Which means it has to be good, because I almost always spend nap time trying to cross everything off my to-do list. Or blogging...

Edenbrooke, Julianne Donaldson. Another love story, set in Regency England. It's specifically billed as a "proper" romance, so I didn't have to worry about skipping any pages. Just plain fun.

Delancey, Molly Wizenberg. Her first books ends with Molly's wedding. Delancey picks up shortly afterwards, when her husband, Brandon, has decided to open a pizzeria. He's always got some idea he's obsessed with, so Molly figures it will go the way of his plans to build violins or wooden boats. But pretty soon he's rented a space and started construction. Biggest takeaways? If you have to open a restaurant, make it one that only sells two salads, four types of pizza, and two desserts (all seasonal). So much easier. Also, I really want to eat at Delancey on our next date night. And a bunch of other restaurants she mentioned in the book.

John Paul the Great: His Five Loves, Jason Evert. This has been my adoration companion for the last few months. JPII is such a fascinating man. My sister actually gave Adam this book for his birthday, but I read it first. And I couldn't help peppering Adam with interesting tidbits every time I picked it up. (He loved this, I'm sure.) Like, did you know that he would be reading a book and have his secretary read a book aloud at the same time and he could process both texts at once? And that when he was shot, on the feast day of our Lady of Fatima, he sent the bullet to Portugal to be added to the statue's crown. There was already a hole in the crown the perfect size. Whoaaaaaaa.

Right now, I'm reading the Nesting Place. I've also got The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry  and Landline on hold at the library. What are you reading lately?

Summer Reading

Is it just me or is summer flying by? So far, I've read six books... all on my phone. I've discovered that I read so much more if I do it digitally. With a baby and a toddler, it's much easier for me to sneak in a few minutes of reading if it's not via an actual hard copy of a book, with those pesky pages that are so easy to grab and tear. On the downside, I do worry about looking like I'm on my phone too much. Claire knows what books are for, but she's much more hazy on what smartphones do exactly. On the upside, the Overdrive app makes it really easy to checkout library books and get access to them instantly. Anyway, onto the books...

Attachments, Rainbow Rowell. A sweet romantic comedy about a guy whose IT job requires him to read personal email, which leads to him falling in love with a girl he's never met. But how could a relationship ever work when she finds out about the whole email thing? I couldn't stop picturing how cute of a movie this story would make.

Bread and Wine, Shauna Niequist. A collection of essays about the importance of food, hospitality, and gathering around the table from a Christian perspective. There was a recipe at the end of each chapter. A lot of times in food memoirs like this I just glaze over the recipes, but these ones really intrigued me. Probably because she's also a busy mom of young kids, so her recipes are right up my alley. I've already tried the quinoa breakfast dish and the peach crisp, both with great results.

The One and Only, Emily Giffin. I've read every single one of Emily's books and this one felt quite different. It's about a college football coach in small town Texas whose wife passes away. His daughter's best friend loves football as well and now works for the college athletic department. What would happen if a romance blossomed between the two? It definitely put me in the mood to re-watch some of my favorite episodes of Friday Night Lights.

Someday Someday Maybe, Lauren Graham. Yep, that's Lauren Graham of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood fame. Her first novel is loosely based on the very beginning of her career, fresh out of college and trying to make it big in New York. My main impression was that she doesn't just play funny characters, she is actually really funny. Oh man, those one-liners. I laughed out loud quite a few times.

Dinner: A Love Story, Jenny Rosenstrach. Another food memoir, this time from a magazine editor with two elementary-age daughters, all about the importance of family dinner. This also included recipes at the end of each chapter, but none really jumped out at me. She recommends not really trying for a routine family dinner until your youngest child is three. Umm, hopefully that will be a very long time for us! We should probably figure it out before we reach that milestone...

Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, Sally Bedell Smith. I'm kind of obsessed with the British royal family (guilty pleasure: Vanity Fair's royal watch) so when I spotted this at Costco, I went home and immediately downloaded it. Definitely a very favorable portrait of the Queen and her family, with the exception of Princess Margaret and Princess Diana.

When my family was in town, Scott and I got to spend an evening browsing at Half Price Books. I picked up a copy of A Homemade Life and American Wasteland, both of which I'll be bringing on the plane to the Edel Gathering. Two whole, quiet flights to read real books. Can you imagine?!

Some of my favorite authors are releasing new books later in the year that I can't wait to dive into:

The Rosie Effect, Graeme Simpson

Honeymoon Hotel, Hester Browne
Shopaholic to the Stars, Sophie Kinsella

I'm particularly excited for the latest Shopaholic book! They are not exactly highbrow, but always hilarious and just so much fun.

What have you been reading lately? Anything exciting on your to-read list?