Sounder (& More August Reads)
I finished reading seven books in the month of August, including Sounder by William H. Armstrong (for the first time ever). Read on for my impression of each title.
Amos Fortune: Free Man by Elizabeth Yates
We finished Elisabeth Yate’s Newberry Award winning book, Amos Fortune: Free Man last month. It’s the inspiring true story of an 18th century African prince who was taken captive by slave traders and sold at auction in the state of Massachusetts.
He worked hard, saved his money, and eventually purchased not only his own freedom, but freedom for several other slaves as well.
Our family listened to the audiobook, which is included in the Audible Plus catalog and is beautifully read by Ray Childs.
STRONG WARNING: Keep some tissues handy if you choose to listen!
The Courage of Sarah Noble by Alice Dalgliesh
My children loved this true story of 8-year-old Sarah Noble’s journey into the wilderness to cook for her father as he build a house for the rest of the family.
When its time to return to get her mother and siblings, Sarah stays with a native American family who’d befriended her and her father during their season of labor.
Each step of the way, Sarah must muster her courage, even when she doesn’t feel very brave in her heart.
I have some Nobles in my own family tree, so it was fun to imagine while reading that Sarah was some distant relative setting the example and pioneering the way for the rest of my kith and kin to follow.
Breasts: The Owner’s Manual by Dr. Kristi Funk
My sister successfully battled breast cancer two years ago, so I’ve been reading Dr. Kristi Funk’s bestseller, Breasts: The Owner’s Manual, in order to assess (and hopefully minimize) my own risk of receiving such a diagnosis.
At 480 pages, the book cites all the latest research and offers insight into the best ways to prevent, treat, and beat the disease.
The author does a great job of explaining difficult terms and intricate procedures in a way that can be easily understood by women without a medical background.
Also, isn’t the bright pink and yellow lemons such a cute and clever cover?
Slacker by Gordon Korman
Have you ever known a kid who gets so wrapped up in video games he is oblivious to everything going on around him? That was definitely the case for Cameron Boxer, the middle schooler at the center of Gordon Korman’s Slacker.
When his parents finally realize what a problem Cam’s constant gaming has become, he invents a fake school club–The Positive Action Group–and installs himself as president to convince them he’s turned over a new leaf.
Only it was all a ruse, until students start coming out of the woodwork to join the new club, and it morphs into something bigger and better than Cam ever intended.
Why Children Matter by Douglas Wilson
I was expecting Why Children Matter to be purely theoretical — a treatise, perhaps, on why it is important that Christian couples have children, plus some encouragement for raising them up to be men and women of integrity.
This slim volume did touch on such ideas, to be sure, but it also offered a wealth of thoughtful insights and practical suggestions for cultivating a warm and mutually respectful relationship with your children, being intentional with the time you invest in each of their lives, prayerfully training them up in the way they should go, and living before them an example worthy of imitation.
I especially enjoyed the lengthy Q&A session with Wilson and his wife in the book’s appendix.
Organizing for the Rest of Us by Dana K. White
As I was growing up, whenever my closet or dresser drawers got into an especial state of disarray, my mom would send me to “clean my room.” When she later checked on my progress, things would often look worse than before I started.
Then my dear mother would come along beside me and help restore order and make everything tidy and easy to find.
In Organizing for the Rest of Us, Dana White provides her readers with the same kind of practical, how-to encouragement my mom gave me. If organizing doesn’t come naturally to you, I recommend you check her 100 helpful hints out for yourself.
Sounder by William H. Armstrong
I recently finished reading Sounder aloud to three of my grandkids, who aren’t as accustomed as my children to watching me cry over sad books.
But I can’t imagine anyone being able to keep dry eyes while reading Armstrong’s tale of a young boy whose father and dog are both ripped away from him on the same day, and of the dogged persistence with which he searches so faithfully to locate them.
This dog story is another tear jerker on the order of Old Yeller or Where the Red Fern Grows.
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Did you read so much when your children were little. I find it hard although I’d love to. Thanks for these reviews
Yes, I read a ton when the kids were little, but mainly children’s books — and not nearly as many non-fiction books as I read now. Once a week, we would go to the library where I’d check out 80 or more children’s picture and story books at a time, and we’d read 10-15 a day (some books multiple times).
When we found books we particularly enjoyed, I’d buy them for our home library, keeping my eyes open for our favorites at garage sales and thrift shops where I could often get them for 10- to 25-cents each.
As our children started to reach school age, we added in chapter books as well. I’ve published two lists on the website you might be interested in perusing if you’re looking for reading recommendations for kids: 50 Picture Books Every Child Should Read and 50 Chapter Books to Read Aloud to Your Family. My Reading Rewards Print Pack also includes both these lists, as well as a lot of other resources designed to encourage your child’s inner bookworm!
I so look forward to your book recommendations, Jennifer!
Glad to hear it, Laura. I’m always happy to meet a fellow bookworm!