Leah E. Good

September 6, 2013

Book Review: The Light Princess

One day [the prince] lost sight of his retinue in a great forest. These forests are very useful in delivering princes from their courtiers, like a sieve that keeps back the bran. Then the princes get away to follow their fortunes.

When the king and queen of a far off country try to keep a wicked relative from their baby girl, the woman curses the child with the loss of gravity. And so it is that the princess grows up without her gravity, both literally and figuratively. Her nurses must be careful not to let her float up to the ceiling. In addition to floating her way through life, the princess can take nothing seriously. She laughs at even the most serious of matters and causes her parents a great deal of concern. The only time she regains her physical gravity is when she swims. It is in the lake that she meets the prince. The prince who will willingly sacrifice… well, telling you that would give away the end of the book, wouldn’t it? And the ending was by far the best part.

I read this book last year after enjoying Sir Gibbie. (Yes, if you follow the link, it’s the abridged version. No rotten tomato hurling please, that’s the version I read because I got it at a book sale. I didn’t even realize it was abridged at first.) Anyway, The Light Princess was the only other George MacDonald book I could find at the library. So I checked it out. I found myself quickly irritated with the princess. I wanted to slap some sense into her head. But something kept me reading, and when I started tearing up during the prince’s sacrifice at the end, I was glad I’d stuck to it. It’s only a little over 100 pages after all.

Any George MacDonald fans out there? What are your favorite books by this author?

September 4, 2013

Poem: This Generation

People desperate to fit in
Fill the emptiness within
Gain approval from their friends
Be on top of all the trends

Staying busy to block out
Fear, depression, nagging doubt
Fill their lives with things that can’t
True fulfillment ever grant

Generation starved for love
Never looks for it above
Give their hearts away in bits
Find themselves in deeper pits

Search for joy in darkest ways
Hiding from the hopeful rays
Sinking deeper every day
Farther from Thy hope astray

Give them longing for the light
In their lives please show Thy might
Give their blinded eyes new sight
Fill them with Thy love of right

(Copyright Leah E. Good, 2013)

Announcement:
The winner of the Moccasin Trail giveaway is lesmiserables1. I will be emailing you for your mailing address. Congratulations. And thank you to everyone for your wonderful theme suggestions. Keep them coming!

August 31, 2013September 6, 2013

Book Review: The Princess and the Kiss

As part of my request for theme suggestions last week, lesmiserables1 suggested a princess theme. I’ve received several other great suggestions, but this was the one I could best run with right away. I still need to read at least one more princess story for the month. So, my question for you. What are your favorite princess stories?

Once upon a time there lived a beautiful princess with a precious treasure…her first kiss. As suitors begin to call, the princess searches for a man who will appreciate her kiss, but all seem too caught up in themselves. Until a poor young farmer comes to the castle and offers her his own first kiss.

Yes, it’s a picture book. No, I don’t usually review picture books. Yes, I realize most of my readers are teenagers (though there are plenty of adults hiding in the woodwork!). This picture book is truly timeless. My Dad and I still occasionally pull it out for him to read to me. (Yes, I’m eighteen.) I think Dad got it for me when I was ten or eleven. The first time he read it to me was the first time I made a conscious decision that I wanted to save my first kiss for the man I marry. I’m so grateful to have had this book’s positive influence and to have the foundation of wanting to save my kiss from such a young age. So, yes, I really do recommend this book for anyone. Parents, parents to be, teens, teens younger siblings, you name it. Anyone else saving their first kiss? 🙂

August 24, 2013

Book Review: The Light in the Forest

Kidnapped as a child and adopted into an Indian family, True Son thinks of himself as an Indian. He knows with certainty that he no longer has a place in the white men’s world. But when his tribe signs a treaty with the white men, True Son has no option but to return to the white family he feels no connection to. He becomes John Butler again and struggles to relearn the strange language and practices of his family. But perhaps there is no place of belonging for a white Indian.

It has been years since I read this book, but I vividly remember my frustration with the ending of the book. In fact, it remains in my top five least favorite endings. Perhaps now that I’m older I might be able to appreciate it more if I re-read it. I also remember being captivated by the rest of the story. I felt bad for John and wanted to see him adjust and fit into his family. The ending just left me stunned. Perhaps the fact that I still remember it after all this time means the author accomplished his purpose with the story. I don’t know. If you want to find out for yourself, you’ll just have to read it.

Author: Conrad Richter
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 192

August 17, 2013

Book Review: Indian School

Bring only sensible clothes. Your mother, God rest her soul, was not a practical woman. It may be that you have fripperies in your wardrobe. Do not bring them. Our life here is a simple one.

The Indian School tells the story of Lucy, a young orphan who goes to live with her aunt and uncle who run a school for Indian children. When two new Indian children arrive, Lucy forges a tentative friendship with tough Raven, and even her stern aunt becomes fond of Raven’s little brother, Star Face. When the little boy becomes gravely ill, Aunt Emma and Raven learn to work together to nurse him back to health.

Pros: After recently visiting an Indian mission in Missouri, I enjoyed this fictional taste of what that life was like. As usual, Gloria Whelan’s writing feels authentic and well researched. Definitely a great book for supplementing history lessons.

Cons: While it is not portrayed in a positive light, Lucy’s aunt acts in a condescending manner to her husband. This rubbed me the wrong way at first, but it does sort out in the end to show her aunt beginning to change. Also, Lucy’s growing sense of self-sufficiency and independence sometimes carries a slightly rebellious flavor.

Author: Gloria Whelan
Audience: 6–12 year old
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 89

P.S. My internet connection may not be functional on Monday so the Guess a Quote this week might be late.

August 9, 2013

Book Review: The Sign of the Beaver

“Six weeks,” his father had said that morning. “Maybe seven. Hard to reckon exactly.”

Six weeks, maybe seven. That is the length of time thirteen-year-old Matt must hold down his family’s claim on his own. Alone in the Maine wilderness, it doesn’t take Matt long to run into trouble. A bear breaks into the cabin and destroys much of his food supply, and Matt is attacked by a swarm of bees when he attempts to get honey from their hive. Saknis, an Indian, nurses him back to health and makes a treaty with Matt. Saknis’s grandson, Attean, will hunt for Matt if Matt will teach Attean to read. At first, Attean has little but contempt for Matt and his white ways, but over time Matt wins Attean’s respect, and a friendship is forged between the two boys.

I grew up watching Keeping the Promise, a movie based off of The Sign of the Beaver. I didn’t discover the book until I was thirteen, and I was delighted to find it much different and even better than the movie. Skimming through it again to write this review reminded me just how much I enjoyed it. It’s also unique in that most pioneer stories are set out west, while this book explores an eastern frontier. Another book that works well both as a fun read and as a history curriculum supplement.

Author: Elizabeth George Speare
Audience: Middle Grade–Tween
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 135

August 2, 2013

Book Review: Moccasin Trail

I’m still trying to work out exactly what to call this month’s theme. Frontier stories or stories with a native american theme or frontier stories with a native american theme. Anyway. You get the general idea. 😉 I’ve decided to try a new take on the monthly theme. I’ll still be announcing one, but I won’t tell you which books I plan to review. There are two reasons for this. One: to keep you in suspense. 🙂 Two: to give myself a bit more flexibility. If you have any feedback on this idea, please let me know. I’d love to hear it! Now, the review of one of my newest favorites.

Jim, if you’re still alive, come help us….If you ever cared anything for mother or any of us, then come. It’s our only chance.

Moccasin Trail encases a powerful story about the strength of family in a page turning adventure from the days of the pioneers. Jim Keath ran away from home as a young boy and now, at the age of 19, is more Indian than white. When he receives a letter from his younger brother pleading for help in staking a claim, Jim rejoins what is left of the family he ran away from nine long years ago and finds himself stuck between two worlds.

Jim’s confusion over how to fit in and the pain of rejection that he tried to hide even from himself makes him an easy character to like. Eloise Jarvis McGraw does an amazing job of showing his struggle and inability to understand what his family expects of him while maintaining his rugged, impenetrable personality. You will be rooting for him the entire time as he transforms from a rugged, wandering loner to an equally rugged but devoted, responsible family man. A masterfully told story.

Author: Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Audience: All Ages (Intended for Middle Grade readers, but this seriously isn’t a book you want to limit to 8-12 year olds.)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 247

What is your favorite frontier/wild west story?

July 26, 2013September 14, 2013

Book Review & Giveaway: Burying the Sun & Angel on the Square

*Giveaway Closed*
It’s been a while since I did a giveaway, but this month’s giveaway item is a copy of Angel on the Square, book one in Gloria Whelan’s St. Petersburg series. The giveaway is open only to readers in the US. To enter, leave a comment telling us about your favorite WWII book.

All that was long ago, and until that morning I had thought I would have no chance for my own adventures, only day after day of dreary study and work. With talk of war with Germany, the world was suddenly more exciting.

To fourteen year old Georgi, the idea of war with Germany seems exciting. Though too young to join the army and unable to find a way to sneak in anyway, Georgi throws himself into volunteer work, determined to help protect his country. It isn’t until the Germans begin surrounding Leningrad that reality sinks in. Now Georgi concerns himself with protecting his shrinking circle of family and friends. Can Georgi succeed in bringing himself and those he cares about through a brutal winter as he grows into manhood?

I enjoyed re-reading this book in preparation to write this review (I’m actually not quite finished yet). It’s been several years since I read it, and this time through I’ve been really appreciating the amount of research woven into the story. Gloria Whelan draws you into the lives of the people trapped inside Leningrad during the winter of 1941. A unique angle on the events of WWII.

Author: Gloria Whelan
Audience: Middle Grade–Tween
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pages: 205

Don’t forget to comment for your chance to win Angel on the Square! The winner will be announced next Thursday