Treasure Island

Here's a great children's classic. I re-read it this month with some nostalgia from reading it with my 5th/6th graders last year. I remember the treasure hunt at the end of the unit...

Carry on Mr. Bowditch

Another great adventure with all kinds of life lessons to boot. From Amazon: 'Readers today are still fascinated by "Nat," an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor's world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn't promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by "log, lead, and lookout." Nat's long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the "Sailors’ Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.'

January's Sparrow

From Amazon: 'In the middle of the night, The Crosswhites, including young Sadie, must flee the Kentucky plantation they work on. Dear January has been beaten and killed by the plantation master, and they fear who may be next. But Sadie must leave behind her most valuable possession, the wooden sparrow carved for her by January. Through the Underground Railroad, the Crosswhites make the slow and arduous journey to Marshall, Michigan, where they finally live in freedom. And there they stay, happily, until the day a mysterious package shows up on their doorsteps. It is January's sparrow, with a note that reads, "I found you." How the Crosswhites, and the whole town of Marshall, face this threat will leave readers empowered and enthralled. This is a Polacco adventure that will live in the minds of children for years.'
I also appreciated Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco, she's got quite a few, including several Lynn has used in her classroom.

The Uses of Enchantment

I remember first reading this book in college days or shortly thereafter. And I'm certainly glad I read it before our kids came along. Here's what Amazon says: 'Bruno Bettelheim was one of the great child psychologists of the twentieth century and perhaps none of his books has been more influential than this revelatory study of fairy tales and their universal importance in understanding childhood development. Analyzing a wide range of traditional stories, from the tales of Sindbad to “The Three Little Pigs,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “The Sleeping Beauty,” Bettelheim shows how the fantastical, sometimes cruel, but always deeply significant narrative strands of the classic fairy tales can aid in our greatest human task, that of finding meaning for one’s life.'

Grilled Cheese, Please

We had a fabulous grilled cheese sandwich party based on this newly acquired cookbook. We chose three of the recipes, made all the ingredients available in something of a build-your-own fashion, and then grilled them up according to the book's instructions. Wow! Everyone wants to do it again! "Best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever had!" For all the photos from this first GCS party, go here: http://jf2.com/110423/

Notes from the Tilt-a-Whirl

The sub-title is "Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken Word." Wow, the journey of this book is like no other you've taken (probably). The author weaves the most amazing metaphors, observations, commentary, and the like. I'll probably never be sure what all the book intended to get across, but even that continuation of the journey (after the read) is valuable. Here's a quote from the back cover: "Welcome to His poem. His play. His novel. Let the pages flick your thumbs."

The Survivors Club

This book is hard to put down. The stories of how people survived against the most outrageous of odds are gripping. But this book is more than just the stories. It's a look at why some people survive and some don't, often separated by as little as an arm rest on an airplane. It'll give you a whole new outlook on surviving, including some how-tos. I know I'll be in an entirely different frame of mind next time I step onto an airplane; I want the attendants to recognize me as an ABP. As it turns out, being faith-full plays a significant role, too.