What I Read and Our Homeschool Read Alouds ll March 2025

 What I Read:

The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Staton

See my full review here.

Out of a Far Country

by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan

This book has been on my to-read list for a while.  The son of Chinese immigrants, Christopher Yuan got good grades, listened to his parents, and dutifully took piano lessons.  He seems like the model son... until he wasn't.  After coming out to his parents in his early 20s, Chris distanced himself from his family.  His mother Angela found herself in a dark place, ready to end her own life.  Eventually, she learned to relinquish control and place her son in God's hands.  Chris' life takes a different turn... dropping out of college, dealing drugs, and eventually being arrested.  There were points in this autobiography that were really challenging to read, times when Christopher Yuan described the drug scene that he was involved in.  But overall, Out of a Far Country is a beautiful story of family and redemption.  So glad I finally got my hands on a copy.

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke

See my full review here.

Should Christians Support Israel? by Jeff Myers, Ph.D.

Following the October 7th 2023 attack, Dr. Jeff Myers travels to Israel in search of a better understanding of a very complex situation.  Through firsthand accounts and historical background, Myers brings light to the Israel-Palestine conflict.  More than just a land dispute, this book discusses the worldview through which people groups see the world and their ultimate drive in this conflict.  Whether you ultimately agree with Myers or not, this book is full of historical and philosophical information, helping to better frame the Middle East conflict.  I learned so much by reading this book.  It's a great place to start in understanding the complex times we live in.

Our Homeschool Read Alouds:

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Morrigan Crow is one of the cursed children.  Everything she does causes heartache for those around her.  Even when she's trying to stay out of trouble, she finds herself accidentally cursing someone.  Luckily for her district, being a cursed child, she's doomed to die at midnight on her 11th birthday.  That is until a mysterious benefactor whisks her away to Nevermoor and makes her his apprentice.  Here, she finds that she's not really cursed after all.  In fact, she's praised for her amazing gifts and talents.  Still, there's something her mentor isn't telling her and it leaves Morrigan wondering if there isn't some dark magic in her after all.  This was a fun fantasy fiction that my 13-year-old and I both enjoyed.  There are some dark moments, specifically when Morrigan must go through the fright trial for her apprenticeship.  She finds herself in a cemetery being chased by witches and spirits.  This was definitely the hardest part of the book to read.  Although it's marketed to a younger audience, I would probably wait till about 12 or 13 years before reading this one with my kids.

Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston

& James D. Houston

A firsthand account of the Japanese Internment Camps established during World War II, Farewell to Manzanar follows one family's story as they fight for community, heritage, and being recognized as Americans.  Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston recounts leaving her Long Beach fishing community and arriving at Manzanar, a primitive camp set up in the high desert country of California.  There she struggles between her Japanese heritage and an emerging American identity. We read this book as part of our World War II study.  It's a good book, but there is some indication of men looking at girls inappropriately so I would recommend reading this one with your children to clarify with discussion.

Christian Heroes: Charles Mulli

by Janet and Geoff Benge

Still reading those Christian Heroes books.  This one was especially interesting as we read that Charles Mulli rose up from his rough childhood to becoming a successful businessman and eventually reaching out to street kids in his community.  This is one of my favorites that I've read in the series.

Children of the Storm by Natasha Vins

Another autobiography this month... Natasha Vins' father was a Baptist pastor in the Soviet Union during the 1970's.  This is their family's story of house raids, going underground, imprisonment, and exile... all for pursuing their faith.  Very good.

What are you reading?

The Green Kingdom {Review}

 

When twelve-year-old Caspia's father takes a job in Brooklyn for the summer, she's sure that life is over.  Whatever could she possibly find to do in the city away from friends for 10 weeks? Far away from her home in Maine, Caspia resigns herself to making do until school starts again.  But then one day she finds a bundle of letters with "green" riddles, riddles designed to lead her to a new plant.  As she begins to unravel each mystery, Caspia discovers there are numerous friends to be made and adventures to be had right in the middle of the city.  

This book was a fun read, proving that sometimes friendships pop up in unexpected places.  There were several things that I liked about this book:

*Caspia does turn her attitude around and draws closer to her parents.

*There's a lot to be learned about the plants highlighted in this book.

*Caspia's friends prove to be a positive influence in her life.

Still, there were a few notes for parents to be aware of:

*There is a budding romance between Caspia and a boy.

*There is mention of same-sex attraction involving one of her friends.

*Talk of witches and spirits

*Caspia's parents tell her that it's sometimes ok to keep secrets from them.

While none of these notes are about major plotlines, some of them may be larger issues for families and should be approached with open conversation.

All in all, I did think there were more positives than negatives in this book, and families could easily enjoy it as a read-aloud or a fun addition to a plant study.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

The Familiar Stranger {Review}

 

Many Christians are comfortable with God the Father.  They find Jesus to be highly approachable.  But what about the Holy Spirit?  We read about Him in the New Testament, but He seems too wild and unpredictable.  Here one minute and gone the next.  Jesus calls Him our Helper, Comforter... an indwelling presence to transform our lives.  He's such a complex part of the Godhead; we struggle to wrap our minds around Him. In The Familiar Stranger, author Tyler Staton reintroduces us to the Holy Spirit, uncovering Him all throughout Scripture.  Focusing on Biblical imagery and metaphors, learning about the Holy Spirit's discernment, and understanding how Word and Spirit work together in drawing people to repentance, Staton presents a beautiful picture of this oft-ignored member of the Trinity.  The Familiar Stranger will challenge and encourage readers to approach the Holy Spirit with boldness and experience his life-changing power.

When I first heard about The Familiar Stranger, I knew right away that I wanted to read this one.  Having been a Christian most of my life, the Holy Spirit still feels so elusive. Staton does a great job uncovering this third part of the Trinity as He appears all throughout the Bible.  With a balance of solid theology and personal testimony, this book is outstanding in making the Holy Spirit personal in both grace and power.  This is the best book I've read on this topic and look forward to delving back in for a deeper understanding.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Spring Reading List ll 2025

 Non-Fiction:

Should Christians Support Israel? by Jeff Myers

Culture of Honor by Danny Silk

More Than a Carpenter

by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

Out of a Far Country

by Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan

Fiction:

The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Read Alouds:

Children of the Storm by Natasha Vins

Born Behind Bars by Padma Venkatraman

Bruchko by Bruce Olson

What Are You Reading?

Keeping Christ at the Center of Easter

  *This post was originally published on 3/7/16.  Enjoy!

 

We love Easter.  It's a wonderful time to be with family, emerge from the doldrums of winter, and celebrate the resurrection.  And as our kids are growing, it's a joyful time to share with them why we celebrate Easter.  Below are a few things we done to point the kids back to Christ at Easter, and a few new ideas we'd like to try in the future.  It doesn't take much to open a conversation and watch our kids embrace the miracle of the holiday.

*Make Do-a-Dot Crosses
*Make Crayon Crosses
*Fill Easter Baskets with Bibles, devotionals, and prayer journals
*Read and discuss the Easter story
*Create tissue paper mosaic crosses
*Paint "Where is Jesus?" watercolor art
*Bake Resurrection Rolls
*Follow Resurrection Eggs
*Bake Resurrection Cookies
*Make pretzels and learn about their origin
*Collect items for charity
*Study Passion of the Christ artwork
*Wash your children's feet as an act of service
*Read the Crucifixion story
*Attend a sunrise service
*Listen to Handel's Messiah
*Prepare a special celebratory meal
*Make Bird's Nest cookies
*Study the origin of Easter eggs
*Plant an Easter garden
*Memorize ABC scripture cards
*Re-enact Palm Sunday with construction paper palms
*Write Easter messages in the driveway with chalk
*Color white carnations and discuss how Jesus took on our sins
*Plant a resurrection garden
*Paint a fingerprint cross (coming soon)
*Complete a lent word search
*Dip Chocolate covered pretzel crosses

How do you point your kids to Christ at Easter?