Book Review Roundup #8
September 27, 2024
Who Walks the Attic by Laura Bannon
During a recent conversation, my husband said he remembered the first chapter book he ever read by himself. He didnât remember the title perfectly, but with the help of Amazon, I found it! Who Walks the Attic by Laura Bannon. I asked him if it was worth $7 to read it again. He said it was.
Who Walks the Attic is a gentle introduction to chapter books and to mysteries. There is plenty of suspense to keep a young reader turning the pages. There are enough clues and suspects to keep anyone guessing. But the end is humorous, and we find out there was never any real danger.
Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? by Rita Gray
[T]two children, a boy and a girl, are outdoors, watching and listening to the birds that are singing their various songs. So the children, and the reader, are introduced to about a dozen species of birds in the pictures and in the text that gives an approximation of their songs. However, the children keep coming back to the tree where there is a robin in a nest and asking each other, âBut have you heard the nesting bird?â The nesting bird doesnât make a sound. Why not? Read and find out. Have You Heard The Nesting Bird by Rita Gray
A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller
I usually steer clear of apocalyptic novels because they tend to be depressing, strange, and godless. So when my Tuesday Night Classics Club chose the science fiction novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz, I was hesitant. However, since it is highlighted in Joseph Pearceâs Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know, I decided to give it a chance. To my surprise, it became one of the most thought-provoking books our group has discussed.
Dead-Eye Dan and the Cimarron Kid by Glenn McCarty
Set in the exciting backdrop of the Old West, middle-grade Dead-Eye Dan and the Cimarron Kid by Glenn McCarty opens with a man in pain who canât remember who or where he is. At first, he wonders if heâs a lawmanâbut quickly concludes he must be a poor one, given his state. Then, fearing he might be an outlaw, he feels shame and wonders if outlaws feel shame, and if they do, why it doesnât convince them to quit their outlaw ways. But within a few pages, itâs clear to the readerâthis is no villain...
The Pink Motel by Carol Ryrie Brink
People in Minnesota do not paint their buildings pink. So when the Mellen familyâFather, Mother, Kirby, and his little sister Bitsyâhead for Florida to claim the motel that their motherâs great-uncle Hiram has left to them in his will, they are surprised by the unusual color of the seven little cottages that make up Uncle Hiramâs legacy, The Pink Motel. âThe inheritance was really like a Christmas present, for it arrived just before the beginning of Christmas vacation.â The plan is for the Mellens to use the childrenâs Christmas vacation to âfly down to Florida, put the motel in running order, and sell it before time for the children to go back to school.â
Adventures ensue.
Okay For Now by Gary D. Schmidt
In The Wednesday Wars, Doug Sweiteck is a friend of the narrator, Holling Hoodhood, but his character is relatively undeveloped. We gather information about his homelife from the behavior of his older brother who figures more prominently as an antagonist in Hollingâs story. Okay for Now is Dougâs story.
Of Schmidtâs three companion books, The Wednesday Wars, Okay for Now, and Just Like That, I think Okay for Now is the richest. The characters are full and believable, and Dougâs growth over the school year is substantial. Doug finds himself surrounded by caring adults who see the best in him and mentor him through hard times.
Come Rack, Come Rope by Robert Hugh Benson
Come Rack, Come Rope by Robert Hugh Benson is a powerful historical novel that plunges the reader into the intense religious persecution of Catholics in Elizabethan England. I recently revisited this book with my Tuesday Night Classics Club, and on this second read, I was again struck by the beauty of Bensonâs writing and the emotional depth of the characters.
This is a novel best suited for teenage readers and older, as it deals with mature themes of religious persecution, martyrdom, and moral choices. It offers not only an engaging narrative but also a profound window into a dark chapter of history. For anyone interested in faith, history, or stories of courage in the face of adversity, Come Rack, Come Rope is a deeply rewarding read.
Mr. Apple's Family by Jean McDevitt
What a delightful book! Mr. and Mrs. Apple are the parents of five little Apple children: Macintosh, Jonathan, Delicious, Snow and Ann Apple. Mr. Apple is the one who wanted to name all of his children after types of apples, and the first chapter of the book tells how he managed to do so, almost. Then the story moves on to tell about how the Apple family outgrow their apartment in the city and work hard to buy a little crooked house in the country.
The School That Escaped the Nazis by Deborah Cadbury
There are so many old books I havenât read yet that I seldom read new books. But a reading rabbit trail led me to The School that Escaped the Nazis: The True Story of the Schoolteacher Who Defied Hitler, by Deborah Cadbury, published in 2022.
The teacher who defied Hitler was Anna Essinger, a Jewish woman who was running a school for Jewish children in Germany at the time Hitler came to power. As early as 1933, Tante Anna, as she was known to her students, could see the direction events were trending, and contrived to smuggle her entire student body out of Germany. She re-established her school in southern England.
The Secret Princess by J. C. Prins
The Secret Princess is award-winning, being named the Best Debut Novel at the 2024 Catholic Media Association book awards and receiving the Catholic Writers Guild Seal of Approval. Its fairy-tale-like story, filled with lovely illustrations, compelling characters, and a hopeful message, makes it an excellent addition to any Catholic familyâs bookshelf. While the Catholic imagery is beautiful and will be especially appreciated by Catholic families, it is not only suited to Catholic readers but would be enjoyed by anyone who likes fairy tales and Christian-themed stories. I am delighted to have this novel in my lending library.
Ain't Nothing But a Man by Scott Reynolds Nelson
I remember singing some version of âThe Ballad of John Henryâ when I was in grade school, but I donât remember anyone explaining what it meant. Since we learned it along with silly songs like âFroggy Went a-Courtinââ and âSeñor Don Gato,â it didnât occur to me to wonder if John Henry had been a real person.
But it did occur to historian, Scott Reynolds Nelson. Ainât Nothing but a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry is a childrenâs version of his book for adults on the same subject, Steel Drivinâ Man: The Untold Story of an American Legend.
Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune
Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune is a classic that captures the heart of any dog lover with its vivid language and realistic storytelling. Set in the peaceful countryside of Sunnybank, the book follows the adventures of Lad, a noble collie, whose loyalty, intelligence, and bravery are celebrated in a series of charming and heartfelt anecdotes. Read the review for some content considerations.
Old Ironsides by David Weitzman
During George Washingtonâs second term as president, âCongress set aside $688,888.52 . . . to build six American warships.â Many Americans didnât believe the United States should have a standing military, but pirates were ravaging American merchant ships, taking American sailors captive, and demanding outrageous ransoms and tribute.
Weitzman tells the story of the building of Constitution from the perspective of John, a boy whose father is a shipâs carpenter. The boy observes, and helps with, the process from the first drawings, chalked on the floor in the attic of a large building, to its launching three years later.