Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Please? Because I totally spaced my post of the 17th until after I was in bed, and blaming it on the pandemic sounds so much better than blaming it on my current ‘Merge Dragons’ addiction…

Anyway. It’s later than I intended it to be as I write this, but I was legitimately delayed in my evening by a call from my parents, and people are the most important thing, right? At least Bat and the Waiting Game is a second-in-series, and those are a bit quicker to review. If you haven’t read A Boy Called Bat, you should start with that; its sequel follows Bat, his family, his friend Israel, and Thor the skunk kit, with Israel’s parents playing a visible role as well. Bat’s autism makes relationships harder for him than for the average person, but he keeps trying, with the help of his family and friends. Experiencing life through Bat’s eyes is moving, and yet Elana Arnold balances that poignancy with humor and a kid-friendly sense of normalcy. This is a worthwhile book for younger elementary readers in general, but it should especially appeal to animal lovers; it’s also an excellent choice for a reader who would benefit from understanding more of what it’s like to live with autism. And honestly, isn’t that everyone?

I’d just gotten the kids down last night and done my last bit of exercising; I was curled up on the couch, thinking how lovely it was to be free on the earlier side, when another lovely earthquake (aftershock?) hit in Magna. It certainly wasn’t as bad as the one in March, mind you, but it was almost 4.2, and it wasn’t exactly a welcome end to the day. My hubby decided to go downstairs and veg to throw off the unpleasant feeling; I indulged myself in a cupcake and some Australian licorice and sat down to read two children’s graphic novels. And I finished both of them! The first was picture book length and so not one I’m going to review, but the second–Sara Varon’s New Shoes–was two hundred large pages of brightly colored, fun illustrations and a simple amount of text. It’s a perfect choice for emerging readers, especially animal lovers, but even I enjoyed watching Francis the Donkey leave his comfort zone so that he could create a special pair of shoes for his favorite musical star. Not all animals are true to their biological nature, but the story–almost a fable, really–works, and the ending is especially fun. If you have a younger elementary schooler who is ready for longer books but still in the easily-intimidated stage, this is perfect; if you don’t, eh–read it yourself. It’s a happy little read that’s perfect for quarantine.

As a book, AJ Pearce’s Dear Mrs. Bird is wholly, well–endearing. Such a lovely book! There is humor, there is romance, there is tragedy, and there is triumph; there is also a great deal of pluck in the face of difficulty, as becomes a novel that takes place in London during the Blitz. Emmy is ridiculously likable, and as she is drawn into the lives of the readers of Woman’s Friend–a magazine at which she is (somewhat accidentally) employed–you root for her even as you hold your breath, knowing that her clandestine efforts to help must be–eventually–discovered. Her friends, her work with the Auxiliary Fire Service, and her changing personal life join with the fate of the magazine in making this a poignant, funny, and joyously hopeful book. (Basically, this is the PERFECT Quarantine read.) It’s available on audio through my library system, but honestly, if you can afford it, you should really support your local bookstore and go ahead and buy this one.*

*(Full confession: I bought it before reading it at a library sale, but it’s absolutely worth full price!)

I was just looking at reviews of The Okay Witch on Goodreads, and I’m apparently in a tiny minority; most people seemed to enjoy this graphic novel. I thought it was a hot mess.

Okay, fine. It was decently enjoyable at the beginning and the cat was a definite highlight, but it started going downhill about the time that the mother dropped the “Oh, you’re a witch, but magic isn’t great, so don’t worry about it” bomb. (I had the same problem with Inkheart–telling a tween (teen? because I’m not actually sure how old Moth is) something life-changing and THEN telling her not to worry about and refusing to explain further is just stupid.) And when you were the queen of teenage rebellion yourself, expecting your daughter to just be cool with what you say (especially when you apparently have NO CLUE about what your daughter’s life is actually like) seems patently absurd. The history and backstory of the witches and New England was all jumbled–witches that worshiped Hecate, one of whom looks curiously ethnic, and a New England governor still celebrated for leading a witch hunt? (Spoiler alert: the “witches” driven out of New England towns were generally, you know, NOT witches, and nobody remembers Salem for making GOOD decisions in the latter 17th century.)

As for the PLOT…for 2/3 of the book we have a middle grade girl who’s suddenly found out she’s a witch and reading her mother’s diary because her mother’s being ridiculous about it, and then BAM. Suddenly the plot develops a weird legacy/vendetta/battle-between-opposing-supernatural-forces vibe, Grandma as a character is inconsistent all over the place, and it ends with a how-am-I-supposed-to-buy-any-of-that? declaration. Seriously–HOT MESS. The intended audience is unlikely to complain about much of this, but I was stuck between incredulity and irritation by the end of the book. If you want a culturally interesting graphic novel, folks, THERE ARE BETTER CHOICES OUT THERE.

I was going to do this review earlier and didn’t get to it–and THEN I forgot completely until now (10:54). So, in a nutshell, my 10-year-old–who is very into most animals and ESPECIALLY bunnies–picked Cynthia Lord’s Because of the Rabbit out at a school book fair. I said yes because I recognized the author, and my girlie read it shortly thereafter (possibly as soon as we got home?). I finished it a few days ago, and it was lovely. Sharing Emma’s journey as she starts 5th grade after being homeschooled is both nerve-wracking and exciting, and watching her fall in love with a rescued rabbit (that may or may not belong to someone searching for him) AND develop new friendship skills is the kind of warm and fuzzy experience I needed during quarantine. It’s sweet without being sickeningly so, and if you’re looking for a last minute Easter treat for a latter-elementary aged girl, well–it’s about a RABBIT! (It might not arrive until Monday at this point, but you could always stick a picture of it inside a plastic egg, right?) Cynthia Lord for the win, folks–give this one a try.

It’s been weeks since I finished The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle–time got away from me and I put off my review–but here I am now, at last. And OH MY GOODNESS. Mason is a naive (although not completely so) narrator, which is absolutely perfect for this poignant story about friendship, truth, and trust. He’s still grieving the loss of his best friend, Benny, who died over a year ago; the investigation into Benny’s death lingers and affects some of Mason’s relationships in ways he doesn’t fully understand. When he makes a new friend in tiny Calvin Chumsky, they find new ways to escape the neighborhood bullies; eventually, however, Mason is once again in danger of being dangerously misunderstood. Only the whole truth can set him free.

I debated using that biblical reference, worried that it might sound too cliched; ultimately, however, there are some definite biblical themes here–of the Old Testament variety. (Not that the story feels biblical, particularly. But they’re there.) I loved Mason so very much, and watching him and his family over the course of the novel was both heartbreaking and joyful. Calvin is the friend every kid with struggles deserves, and as for the adults in the novel…well, that’s a different biblical theme altogether. (After you’ve read it, take a look at Matthew 18:3-4.)

Bottom line? This is a book full of heart and honesty, and while it may break your heart at first, joy does come in the morning. (Psalms 30:5. Seriously.) Read it!

First up–happy birthday to my hubby yesterday, and I’m sorry I still haven’t managed your cake!

Next, General Conference. I made some unwise bedtime decisions this weekend due to an insidiously addictive game I tried out on my phone this week, and so I have to be honest–what I was awake for was wonderful AND I’m grateful for how quickly I will be able to listen to the talks on my phone.

Lastly, I finished listening to Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle last night, and I quite enjoyed it. The narrator did a lovely Scottish accent, and the phrasing faults appeared to originate in the text. (Specifically, there were phrases that should have been parenthetical that weren’t read as parenthetical, but as I’ve looked through the print copy, that appears to be a faithful rendering of the text. MacLeod isn’t at all a bad storyteller, but you can tell she’s a nurse first and a writer second by her overuse of exclamation points and, again, lack of parentheses where parentheses ought to be.) I did notice that the first half or so appeared to be more cohesive than the second–it started to feel like a more random string of anecdotes as time went on–but I enjoyed the stories, and so it didn’t not work, if you know what I mean. At the end of the day, this book is exactly what the title says it is; if it sounds appealing to you, read it and you’ll likely enjoy it. If it doesn’t, it’s probably not your thing.

There was sobbing at my house today, folks–the 13YO before lunch, the 10YO after dinner. I am SO DONE with distance learning!

Anyway. We’re all just trying our best, right? And sometimes, our best looks not so good as other times, right? And THAT’S when we need chocolate, RIGHT? My son has gotten bingo two ways on his Quarantine card, which means making a treat with a parent; accordingly, on Wednesday, these Triple Chocolate Brownies happened at my house. And SERIOUSLY. They’re so rich that you can cut them into quite small pieces, and incredibly chocolaty even if you DON’T add all of the chopped chocolate at the end. (My only caution is that your toothpick is just not going to come out with “moist crumbs”, whatever the blogger says. I’d bake it for 35-37 minutes–unless your oven runs hot–and just take them out.) If you need some rich, gooey, extra-chocolaty goodness to shore up your soul for the upcoming week of staying safe and staying home, look no further than this recipe.

Okay, folks. I have at least two books I ought to be reviewing, and yet finding the mental energy to do that at the end of the day–well. I’ve been noting people talking about all of the family time they have together, and I have to say that I’m feeling kind of jealous. Distance learning and added work stress for my hubby are conspiring to give us less time together as a family, not more. I know we have so little to complain about compared to many right now, so I’m not going to go on about it. (Too late? Because I’m suddenly remembering that I talked about this yesterday…)

What I can talk about with truly joyful anticipation is our church’s General Conference this weekend. I know our prophet to be a man of God, and I feel a little like a kid on Christmas morning as I wait to hear his and our other leaders’ counsel and comfort amidst all of the craziness. Please tune in with us from your homes; I promise you that it will bring a much needed measure of peace.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints’ Worldwide Conference

You know, my two older girls are so self-sufficient when it comes to distance learning, but my second grader–my only son–more than makes up for that. In many ways, I’m now spending my mornings doing approximately what I did at Sylvan, only I’m not getting paid, and I don’t actually get to leave work and come home. I quit that job to be a homemaker and a mom–and I WANT to be a homemaker and a mom. I really don’t enjoy having to be the school assignment authority, aide, and enforcer besides.

Okay, moving on, because I do know that we are blessed in so many ways during this craziness. On a different note, we listened to Mac Barnett and Jory John’s The Terrible Two Go Wild on the way home from Idaho, and I have to say–it fully lived up to expectations. Our favorite pranking duo are enjoying a idyllic summer, which happens to include a series of encounters with Josh Barkin and his identical sidekicks. What’s not to love? If you’re looking for a solidly fun series for your kiddos (and yourself) during our current craziness, “The Terrible Two” books are an excellent choice. (I even think Audible may be offering the first one for free at the moment.) Good luck to us all–and be well.