In which Dave and I head north in Michigan country!

Just got back in from a few day trip to Sleeping Bear, Traverse City, the Cherry Peninsula, and Charlevoix up on the coast of the mighty Lake Michigan. It was gray and cold, but the leaves were bright orange, red, and yellow and the people were friendly and the waves were big so, you know, we had fun.


WE LISTENED TO: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, 1950

This is the first book written in the 7 book Chronicles of Narnia series (*There is another book, The Magician's Nephew, written later as a prequel to the first book).

Dave had never read any of the books so we went for it. And, as is to be expected, he couldn't stand that Edmund with the outing of his siblings and poor Tumnus. But I digress.

If you aren't familiar with the story, four siblings sent away to the countryside from London during the WWII air raids stumble upon the secret world of Narnia through a magical door in the back of a wardrobe. There's a scary lady called the White Witch who has taken over Narnia (she made it always winter and never Christmas! the worst!). So the siblings link up with the true King Aslan, a lion I should add, and set off to save Narnia. That's it in a nutshell. And listening it to as an audiobook was pretty great with all of those British accents. British accents make for great read alouds.

I'M LISTENING TO DURING MY COMMUTE: Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, 2012

Set in Victorian London, Splendors and Glooms is dark and gothic with some magic, lots of fog, death, and a juxtaposition of the haves and the have nots. When Clara Wintermute, the sole surviving daughter of a wealthy family whose 4 other children died of cholera, goes missing, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, poor and scrappy apprentices of the puppeteer Grisini who performed at Clara's birthday party, set off to find her.

That's as far as I've made it in the book. So far, so good for this dark time of year. I recommend for middle schoolers.


WHAT WAS WAITING FOR ME WHEN WE GOT HOME: City of Thieves by David Benioff, 2008

Thanks, brother, for giving me this book even though it wasn't your favorite and you kind of gave it with half hearted enthusiasm. City of Thieves is the fictional story of Lev and Kolya, two Russian prisoners (a looter and a deserter) in Leningrad during the Nazi siege. Lev and Kolya are offered a chance to save themselves if they can find the ingredients for the wedding cake of a Russian colonel's daughter in this besieged and desperate city.

Interesting premise, right? I haven't read it, but I'm intrigued. Why do I like reading about Russian sieges? Have you seen this one? Whew. Not exactly uplifting but a good, a GREAT read nonetheless.


THIS LITTLE GEM IS MY NEW FAV PICTURE BOOK: Read to your Bunny by Rosemary Wells,  1997

I love, love, LOVE Rosemary Wells and her sweet, wonderful bunny books. Max and Ruby are often the stars of her soft and funny stories, but Read to Your Bunny is a short rhyming book without a story, just a message. Remember to take 20 minutes a day to read to your child wherever you are and at whatever time...a message for the young and old alike.

Happy fall to you and yours. Remember to layer. Drink hot things. Invest in a robe and a good pair of slippers. And warm up your library card. Short days and long nights make for some good reading!