The A - Z of C.S. Lewis

I accepted The A-Z of C S Lewis for review because a.) I like C.S. Lewis' Narnia series and z.) I like C.S. Lewis's Narnia series. I've slowly worked my way through some of his non-fiction works (The Four Loves, The Weight of Glory, Surprised by Joy, the Space Triology. Abolition of Man, The Screwtape Letters) and a biography which I very much enjoyed. I like what I know of Lewis (although I've discovered disagreements which I mostly try to ignore) and enjoy learning more about him.

The problem with this title (for me) is that I really don't like encyclopedias. Once upon a time I read through one volume of the actual encyclopedia (the letter "T" because it had tornadoes in it) because I thought it would be cool. I don't remember anything that I read except the part about tornadoes which is what I was most interested in learning about at that time. (I was 12, if you were wondering.) I'm the sort of person who isn't satisfied with snippets of info if I'm really curious about something. If I really want to learn more about a topic, then I want to read whole books and, usually, lots of them, to steep myself into the information a bit.

The A-Z of C S Lewis: A Complete Guide to His Life, Thoughts and Writings contains bits and snippets about everything Lewis.

It starts with this: "Abhalljin See: Aphallin"

Then it goes to this: "Abingdon: A small town not far from Oxford at whose nearby RAF base C.S. Lewis gave his very first talk on Christianity to wartime personnel of Bomber Command. He considered the experience an abject failure. . . ."

And so on and so forth until you get to the Z and Zardeenah. In case you don't know, Zardeenah is a Calormene moon goddess in The Horse and His Boy, known as the Lady of the Night, to whose service all maidens are pledged until they marry." Now you know.

Each entry is about 3-6 sentences long and, as you can see from the examples given, do cover Lewis' life, thought and writings. (The subtitle of this book is honest and incredibly accurate.)

Some people love encyclopedia type books. I know that must be true because such books exist. However, unfortunately, I am not one of them. Such a book is not bad or unwelcome . . .  it's just that I find the reading of them mildly chaotic and frequently random. It doesn't flow for me and I don't like to bother taking the time to look up snippets of information. (With the exception, of course, of Google which is used for quick reference on things I usually don't care to know much about . . . such as how to get the smoke smell out of wood, etc. )

Really, I'd rather read all of C.S. Lewis' works and every biography written about him than this one encyclopedia. Yes, that would take more time than I have and so, yes, I can see the value that such books have. I just don't appreciate them personally.

But! Many do. To give one example, Elizabeth over at 5 Minutes for Books simply LOVED this book and will likely cherish it for years to come. That does make me glad. I don't dislike people who like encyclopedia-type books. They are very nice people.

I did want to write up my thoughts on this one because, well, I agreed to and also because I know that there are other really nice people out there who are likely to find this title useful. More power to you folks and all that.

For additional reviews and thoughts, please see the Litfuse Blog page for Colin Duriez's book. (There is a little button on a menu there marked "Reviews" which enables you to check out what other people thought of this title.)

Truly, I do offer many thanks to Litfuse Publicity who allowed me to be a part of this blog tour. I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate a review of said book. I received no additional compensation and all opinions are clearly 100% my own.

A Snicker of Magic, by Natalie Lloyd

I accepted A Snicker of Magic for review because I liked the title but not so much the cover art. I started reading it with the assumption that it's one of many books which should not have been published, but that might exist just to fill a quota. I entered into the story with a purpose to skim and see. but was quickly sucked into the story. The snicker of magic which is running through these pages beckoned me in and kept me there. This book clearly had to be published precisely because it is magic. I ceased skimming within the first chapter and loved the read all the way to the end (although I'm still not a fan of the cover art).

A Snicker of Magic is Natalie Lloyd's first novel and if she ever writes another I will read it. This book tells the story of a middle-school aged girl named Felicity (a name I happen to love but that you don't hear very often). Felicity's mother has "a wandering heart" and can't seem to stay in one place for very long. In the opening pages we discover Felicity and her sister being taken to stay at the home of their mother's sister, Cleo. Their stay at Cleo's is meant to be brief because, of course, they never stay in any one location long enough to establish roots.

The town in which Cleo lives is called Midnight Gulch. Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place boasting residents with magical abilities. However, a feud drove the magic out of the town essentially destroying it. Felicity arrives in Midnight Gulch to discover that she feels more at home here than any other place she has ever been. What is the mystery surrounding the town? How does it effect her family's living habits? Well, you'll have to read the book to find out.

I positively loved the character of Felicity. She has a habit of collecting words. She, and each member of her family, each have some form of synesthesia. Felicity sees words floating through the air and she collects them, learning to string them together to tell stories or write poems. Her sister hears music when she experiences different things. Her uncle sees colors when he plays music. Their family is full of interesting talent. Or, is it that a snicker of magic runs through each of their veins?

Lloyd's writing style is so appealing to me. She writes her narrative in a poetic fashion. She is telling us a story, yes, but her use of words and phrases speak truth on every page. I marked several passages that I wanted to remember.

"That's the spirit!" Miss Lawson clapped. And then she titled her head and looked down at me, at the blue book on my desk. "Maybe some of you write poems, or stories. you are welcome to share those too. Your words are pure magic, after all. Your words are necessary enchantments."

*****

I can very often tell how much a person loves another person by the way they say their name. I think that's one of the best feelings in the world, when you know your name is safe in another person's mouth.

*****

Firstly, most importantly, they were family. And if they had it to do over, I don't think they would have abandoned each other out here on the hillside. I think they would have said, 'Sorry for what I did to you.' And 'I choose to remember the good.' And they would have said, 'I love you.' Maybe if you say those words, maybe if you believe them, no curse in the wold has any power over you.

This is a book about magic, yes. It is also a book about family, forgiveness, and belonging - three things which help to make each of our lives so very, well, magical. The story is told in a very interesting manner, with facts unfolding as you read along. It's a fun book to guess your way through as you try to connect the dots between characters.

As it is a middle grade work of fiction, it feels compelled to add in a boy/girl relationship. Felicity makes friend of a young kid named Jonah and they have a rather close friendship that is strictly platonic. It's not until about three-fourths of the way through the book that Felicity's mother asks her if she has a crush on Jonah (which Felicity does not). If that one scene had been excluded from the book I would have handed the book over to my seven year old to read. However, I don't want to even pose the question of crushes and boy/girl relationships to him at this stage of the game. I'll hold this one back for a couple more years but I've no doubt he'll enjoy the read once he gets around to it.

Although this is a middle grade book, I don't think that excludes it from being enjoyed by adults as well. (At least, I hope not, for I very much enjoyed it!) It was a delightful work of fiction that entertained me greatly. So glad to have been given an opportunity to give this one a go!

Many thanks to Scholastic who sent this title my direction in order to facilitate the review. I received no additional compensation and all opinions are my own.

What's On My Nightstand - March

Time for another nightstand with 5 Minutes for Books! (Sigh.)

Last month I learned that by saying that I'll take less review copies doesn't mean I should exist without A Plan. I didn't accomplish as much reading as I meant to somehow. So this month I'll try coming up with a more reasonable, thought-out PLAN and see how that goes.

Last month I said I wanted to read the following:

1. Little House on the Prairie in conjunction with the Reading to Know Book Club and Barbara's Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge. I opted instead to read On the Banks of Plum Creek aloud to my kiddoes, which is the title we were on. We're about halfway through with the book and I should have my review written and up by the end of the week!

2. The Passion of Jesus Christ by John Piper. I am reading this one as a morning devotional and I am halfway through this.

3. The Complete Father Brown Stories by G.K. Chesterton. I haven't made much progress with this one simply because the stories don't conclude in a manner that I am tracking with. I discovered when I first started these stories that I had to read several in a row to stay in tune with Chesterton and lately I've tried reading only one story at a time. I think it would be best if I just plowed on through and read them straight as opposed to reading a story here or there. I'll plan to finish this project in the coming month.

4. The One Year Chronological Bible. I'm on track with my reading thus far, being in the book of Leviticus at present. I'm reading the New Living Translation which wouldn't have been my first preference but it was the "chronological" Bible that I found a copy of at the best price. It's interesting reading this version. (I am used to the NKJV but have switched to the ESV of late.) I really am enjoying reading the Bible through chronologically.

Moving on to this coming month (finally) I will attempt to tackle the following stack:

The Little White Horse, by Elizabeth Goudge. I have been waiting to read this one aloud with my kids. This title is the Reading to Know Classics Book Club pick for the month of March. Stephanie from Simple Things will be leading the discussion and we'd love to have you read along with us if you are interested!

Mission at Nuremberg: An American Army Chaplain and the Trial of the Nazis, by Tim Townsend. I accepted this one for review because, really, how could I not?!

The Romanov Bride: A Novel. I am SO EXCITED about this one! It's the third in a series by Robert Alexander which I have been wanting to read for FOREVER (or, three years)! The first title I read (and l.o.v.e.d) was The Kitchen Boy. (Linked to thoughts.) The second was Rasputin's Daughter which was unpleasantly weird but also intriguing in a horrible way. I can't say I recommend the second as whole heartedly as the first in the series. I found a copy of The Romanov Bride at Goodwill last week (joy of joys!) and it's all I have managed to do to hold off while finishing up a few other titles I was working on.

Gleanings In Genesis, by A.W. Pink. I've been chipping away at this title since the end of December and I'd like to finish it off in March.

Giants: Sons of the Gods which I fully intend to read unless someone presents me with a very good reason not to. A friend was telling us about this book and I've just ordered it. It's the topic which is totally occupying my mind at present and I can't wait for the book to arrive so that we can devour it. Just the *idea* (which is not a new one, although this title is newly published) is thrilling me endlessly.

Then I would like to finish up The Complete Father Brown series as well. Beyond those books, we'll see what else can be squeezed in. I'm so looking forward to my reads this month though. It'll be a fun reading month!

What's on YOUR nightstand? As always, I can't wait to find out!

Kenny and the Dragon, by Tony DiTerlizzi

I walked past Kenny & the Dragon several times in bookstores before I actually purchased it. Each and every time I saw it, I found myself picking it up and flipping through it due to both the title and the cover art. Twice I felt tempted to purchase it but both times was stopped by the opening paragraph which I thought was a cheesy. I was worried the entire book would be cheesy as a result. (Opening paragraphs do matter!)

Then, a short while ago, my kids and I read the My Father's Dragon series and I knew that my boys would really love another dragon story if we could find one. We'd already read The Reluctant Dragon (linked to thoughts) and so I was looking for something different. I decided to bite the bullet and give Kenny & the Dragon a chance. And? I'm glad I did. We enjoyed the read (although it wasn't really different than anything we'd ever read before).

I should start off (in the third paragraph) by telling you that Kenny & the Dragon is a retelling of The Reluctant Dragon. Tony DiTerlizzi writes and illustrates this new version, giving us a young rabbit named Kenny who makes friends with a book-loving dragon named Graham. (Ah ha ha.) He is elated to find another being who likes the same things that he does and the two enjoy some poetry and book discussion. Kenny lives with his mother and father who don't read many books themselves but they are supportive of Kenny's love of knowledge and also his new friend. Prior to meeting Graham, Kenny's only friend is George, an elderly gentleman badger, who owns a bookshop in the small village of Roundbrook. Kenny and George also meet up quite frequently to talk books and play chess. Kenny admires both of his friends greatly.

Doom and disaster strike when the citizens of Roundbrook discover that a dragon is lurking about in the area. The king is informed and - much to Kenny's surprise - his old pal, George is called out of retirement as a knight to put to death this terrible scourge! Suddenly Kenny finds himself in a real predicament: his two friends are slated to battle to the death against one another! Well, this will never do and Kenny goes to great pains to bring about a meeting between his friends and to form a plan which will avert disaster. Kenny, his parents, George the Knight, and Graham (the very reluctant dragon) form a plan to trick the townspeople and the king into thinking that they have waged war against one another and reached a compromise. Will their plan work? Well, that's for you to find out. (If you've read the original story, you can make an educated guess as to the ending.)

As I mentioned, the opening paragraph of this book is a bit cheesy and made me anticipate a fluffy, just-publish-another-book-because-you-can read. However, DiTerlizzi won me over with his illustrations and through my children's laughter. My boys (ages 7 and 5) really did enjoy this read (and I didn't feel guilty reading it to them since we've read the original story). DiTerlizzi heavily borrows from the original work and makes no bones about it. I liked that, actually, as it points the reader to this classic children's story - which is a good story!

Kenny & the Dragon is both meaty and light hearted. The battle scene between Graham and George is a hoot and had my children in stitches. DiTerlizzi wins a bunch of bonus points from me for his positively delightful illustrations which make the book an all around pleasure.

I highly recommend to you that you read The Reluctant Dragon, but I might also suggest Kenny & the Dragon as being a delightful retelling. I'm glad I didn't ultimately pass it by!

Tea with Jane Austen

I have a new passion and that is tea.

My passion used to be Dr. Pepper, but then I married Jonathan and he didn't like coke (I say, "coke" 'cause I'm from the southwest, see?) and so I gave that up for love. I tried to like coffee but it just never happened all the way and why push things? Jonathan didn't like that either anyway. Coke Zero has been a nice substitute (after 7 years of marriage with no DP there had to be an outlet somewhere!) and tea floated in and out. I knew I was supposed to like tea because I liked books. The two go hand and in hand. Alas. I felt like a failure in the beverage department.

Then something happened. 

My friend took me to a tea house and I became instantly obsessed with the different varieties and flavors which can be made and drunk all throughout the day for my glory and benefit. (This, my friends, was all of four months ago.) Now every day you'll find me concocting new flavors as I mix and match my bags (not brave enough for loose leaves just yet) to make things like: cinnamon chocolate, chocolate rose, peppermint chocolate. (I go a little heavy on the chocolate, you see, but you would too if you tried it. And you should try it.)

So, as I say, my friend took me to this tea house little knowing that she was going to create a TEA MONSTER. But that's exactly what she did.

Since that time I have thrown two tea parties (with said friend): a Christmas one and the Anne of Green Gables one. Next on our list is a Downton Abbey tea (even though I quit watching Downton this season because I was tired of having my heart ripped out of my chest and mercilessly stomped on). (Before anyone gets upset - or not - I read every spoiler that I could find online for Season 4 so I feel up to speed and once I've calmed down from episode one I may, eventually, go on and watch some more. But as long as my emotions are in play, I will not. Besides, the Olympics are on and they are more interesting.)

But to get back to the point - I'm really into tea and have at least half a dozen themes for parties at the ready. On my list is a Jane Austen tea and so onto my Amazon wishlist went Tea with Jane Austen, by Kim Wilson. And then it arrived one day thanks to a surprise from my husband who much prefers that I drink tea and not Dr. Pepper. Or coffee. Or Coke Zero. (Ladies and gentleman, we have found our compromise!)

Here's another confession: I've never really connected with Austen. I think that's due in part to the fact that all women everywhere seem to and so I felt pressured to like her when I wasn't yet ready to. (What can you glean from my personality with that last statement?) Then, a year or so ago I re-read Emma and enjoyed it. As our family is in the planning stages for a trip to England, I've been thinking that I should read and re-read some Austen to prepare myself when Jonathan handed me Tea with Jane Austen. I read devoured this title and have begun to appreciate and love Austen because I found something in her to like and not just because I was told by society that I should (because I'm a female and Colin Firth is Mr. Darcy or something like that). You might say that Jane and I are bonding over a cup of tea.

Tea with Jane Austen takes a look at Jane's relationship with this popular beverage. She explores a little of the history of tea, explaining why it featured so heavily in Jane's works. For instance, when tea was first presented to the public it was very expensive and only the wealthy could afford to drink it. The Austen family went to great pains to purchase their tea which they kept locked up, away from the servants. Jane herself was the one who made the family's tea and approached it very thoughtfully.

Author Kim Wilson explores the social aspect of tea, how it grew in popularity, the opposition it met with and, of course, the way it was come to be taken. This is a very fascinating read not just as it relates to Jane Austen but how we, the modern reader, can relate to tea as well. There is something very relaxing about taking a cup of hot tea. For one thing, it's usually served hot so that you can't gulp it in one fell swoop. You take small sips, usually while reading a book or conversing with another. A hot pot of tea makes the world slow down somehow. Like magic. It sets one at ease in a way I've only recently begun to understand. A pretty cup in the hand delights the spirit as well as the eyes and there is encouragement in taking a moment to stop and just be.

Tea has long been linked to books, of course, and I can see now how fitting that is. You want to sit and savor the words as well as the flavor on your tongue. In a world of books and tea there is no hurry and no rush and that is the very opposite of what we're used to experiencing in our lives. It is good to be busy and to be productive but it is also important to stop and rest and fellowship. I think there is something in the practice and habit of taking tea that ministers to the soul. It gives one pause. And it's pretty. Also, it is yummy. There is nothing to complain about here.

If you love tea or Jane Austen (or probably both) then I think you'll find Tea with Jane Austen a quick and entertaining read. I loved it.

For the curious, I read the book in two sittings. The first half of the book was accompanied by a couple of cups of pumpkin spice chocolate tea. The second reading was spent with peppermint chocolate.

RtK Book Classics Book Club - February

Just in case you missed the turning of the calendar page, we have kicked off our February read for the Reading to Know Classics Book Club.  This month Stephanie from Everyday Family Living is hosting the discussion and she has selected Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder for this month's reading "assignment".

Although the group is officially reading Little House on the Prairie, please feel free to read any of the books in the Little House series as part of this reading challenge. My kids and I are currently reading On the Banks of Plum Creek because that is the title that we were on. That to say, there is freedom in your choice of books from this series, but Stephanie will be discussing Little House on the Prairie for purposes of our discussion.

Without further ado, here are her thoughts:

*****

While my middle school friends played with make-up and learned to tease their hair, I devoured books one giant stack at a time. The one set of books I always wanted, but could never buy, was Little House on the Prairie.

I loved the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder growing up on the plains, sharing a bed with her sister Mary, and the fierce loyalty of their dog Jack. I devoured the stories wrapped in yellow covers in record time. As a child of the 80s, Melissa Gilbert will forever be the face of Laura Ingalls in my imagination!

So, when my daughter was born, I knew that one day I would give her the set (sadly not the yellow covers of my childhood) and read them aloud to her. Together we would explore the Great Woods, join Laura in a sod house, and discover what life was like on the Prairie.

In November I turned 39 and wrote down a Bucket List. When Carrie asked me to participate in this year's reading club I knew EXACTLY which book I wanted to pick. Number 28 from my list - Little House on the Prairie. I plan to read the entire series with Ellie, but for this month my daughter and I will read aloud Little House on the Prairie.

Grab your daughter or your son (boys like the adventures as well!) and join us as we spend a few hours the month with Laura, Ma and Pa Ingalls.

From the time she was a little girl, Stephanie Kay dreamed of being a mama. What she didn't know was that her dream would come true 4 times in 5.5 years – bringing with it bone deep exhaustion, mind numbing brain fog, and mountain ranges of dirty laundry. Having survived to tell the tale, Stephanie shares practical tips for connecting as a family through everyday moments on her blog, EverydayFamilyLiving.com.

*****
Also, it should be noted that we've arranged a Laura Ingalls read during the month of February to coincide with Barbara's Laura Ingalls Wilder Reading Challenge which she hosts every February over at Stray Thoughts. Find out more about that by clicking through.

Are you planning to join in with this this month? (Rather, have you already begun reading for this month?) We'd love to know! Drop a quick note in the comment section if you would and we'll plan on meeting back up here on Friday, February 28th to share our thoughts.

A Godward Heart, by John Piper

A Godward Heart: Treasuring the God Who Loves You is a new devotional from John Piper and - I shamefully confess - the first of his books that I have ever read. I thought I had read him, but I haven't. I did have the pleasure of experiencing the glory of God through Piper when I attended this conference last year. Hearing him speak made reading him all the easier for me.

As I said, A Godward Heart is a devotional which arrived for review on my doorstep in early December. As it had a late January 2014 release date, I took my time reading through the 50 meditations, reading one each day. I wanted to take it slow and not rush it just because it was a review book. I wanted to savor it and glean from it. I also wanted to see how I would do with a devotional. (I'm more of a "read-it-straight-through" kind of gal, usually.) In the end, I'm glad I took my time with this one. I feel like I benefited for taking the time to soak up the things he was trying to say instead of rushing blithely on because a review needed to be written.

Unlike other devotionals I've seen, A Godward Heart felt a bit more random to me in that there wasn't a common theme running throughout the entire book. One day you might be reading about seeking God's face and the next you'll discover how Piper views Twitter and why he chooses to use it. That doesn't seem cohesive unless and until you realize that Piper's passion for God invades every single area of his life - from how he views sleep, relationships, coed combat, and Lazarus's sickness and death. The purpose in his writing this devotional is to exhort you to submit all thoughts and emotions to the Lord and to pursue Him and His Word wholeheartedly. Piper's passion is to help you practically apply the Word of God to your life and to believe that God is who He says He is. I think he manages to do this with a great deal of vigor and passion for Christ which is admirable and inspiring to see.

Piper describes the reason for why he decided to write this devotional (as opposed to a regular book format with a cohesive theme):

"One of the reasons I put together collections of short meditations is that my life has been changed as much by paragraphs as by books. Books on one topic are valuable. They let the author explore all the angles of an insight. But where do the insights themselves come from? Usually they come from paragraphs. Even sentences. For reasons not entirely explainable, God can make a single paragraph life changing." (Introduction - A Word to the Reader)

In his short meditations (on any variety of topics) he is careful always to take his readers back to Scripture as the final authority. He also explains why He does that:

"It is a great wonder that God still speaks today through the Bible with greater force and greater glory and greater assurance and greater sweetness and greater hope and greater guidance an greater transforming power and greater Christ-exhalting truth than can be heard through any voice in any human soul on the planet from outside the Bible." (The Morning I Heard the Voice of God, page 4)

Piper's passion for the Lord screams through this book in a very appropriate manner, I think. The effect that it had on me is currently incalculable. However, I can say without a doubt that He inspired me to get in the Word and stay there. (Quite frankly, for a person who loves words and stories so much, I have a hard time staying in Scripture.) I found I actually preferred to have my morning devotional begin with Piper because his life in Christ is so encouraging to me. I would begin my quiet time by reading one meditation and then would open up the Word with a greater sense of wonder and a stronger belief that the only way to get through my day was if I read the Bible. Of course, I know that to be true whether or not I'm reading a Piper devotional but I don't think I should sneer at the gift just because I think I should have self discipline in my own right (which I should) as it is. I accept A Godward Heart as being a great boon in my spiritual walk. I've since moved on to reading Piper's The Passion of Jesus Christ and continue to find him motivational in pursuing the relationship with God that I want to have and am made to have.

Christ is the glory we were made to see. His light alone will fill us and give the light of life and meaning to every part of our lives. And when that happens, we ourselves will shine and give off the rays of Christ. "If then your whole body is full of light, having no part of dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays give you light" (v. 36).
Lord, open the eyes of our hearts to see the supreme greatness of your wisdom and power. Make our eyes good. Heal our blindness. Fill us with the all-pervading, all-exposing, all-purifying, all-pleasing light of your presence." (Be Careful, Lest the Light in You Be Darkness, p. 31)

If you are looking for a new devotional, I present this one for your consideration. I found it to be beneficial in inspiring me in my Christian faith and also in shaping and solidifying several of my stray thoughts. I highly recommend it.

Many thanks to Multnomah Publishing Company who sent a copy of this book my direction in exchange for my honest thoughts. I have received no additional compensation for this post and all opinions are my own.

Surprised by Oxford, by Carolyn Weber

I don't really have anything deep and powerful to share with this read except to say, "READ IT!" You won't regret it. Surprised by Oxford: A Memoir is no doubt going to be one of my favorite reads in 2014.

This is the story of Carolyn Weber's conversion to Christianity while attending Oxford University in England. She came to Oxford as an agnostic feminist and the book details her journey to the Christian faith. This story will no doubt ring bells as being similar to that of C.S. Lewis except that particular "version" is told from the perspective of a female academic in more modern times.

As Mrs. Weber has stated elsewhere, she came from a family that she felt was "loving enough to get by, but broken enough not to deserve God's attention." Her mother was an alcoholic and her father dealt with anger issues which resulted in long absences on his part. Mrs. Weber kept herself busy with school and full-time jobs to keep the pain at bay. She had an inner fear and distrust of men in general, specifically fathers. The idea of a sovereign father was unappealing to her core nature.

A professor of hers in college submitted her name to Oxford for a scholarship without her knowledge. She was thrilled to discover that she had been awarded said scholarship. The amount she received was generous enough for her to be able to live on, to attend classes, and to have enough left over to send money back home to her mother. She went to Oxford with time on her hands - something that she was not used to, with her full-time employment on top of her college courses. This gift of time allowed her the opportunity to begin thinking through questions that had been percolating in her mind - questions about God and questions about faith.

While at Oxford she met an incredibly handsome man who she discovers to be a Christian. Many long hours are spent asking him questions about his faith and fighting with him over his firmly held beliefs. Essentially she was wrestling against the idea of becoming a Christian; she did not want to be one. But God.

The story is predictable in one sense but on the other hand, everyone's story is unique enough to allow for many unseen twists and turns. Events happen in our lives with regularity that we do not recognize as playing a significant role until much later. Conversations are had with friends and acquaintances which help us to discern what is truth. We find God in fellowship and we see Him in nature. Every story is perfectly, wonderfully unique and when we take the time to tell our stories to others and to listen to theirs we will find ourselves encouraged by God and left in awe of Him at the same time. Such is true for this book. I was blessed and encouraged by the reading of it.

All of our lives are stories for His glory. ~ Carolyn Weber
I read this book along with my church book club. We haven't met for our discussion yet so I'm holding back a bit on my thoughts. However, I read the book a bit early and before I just forget to make a note that I read it at all - I wanted to post something. I'm very glad to have read this book.

Here's a fun interview to watch with Carolyn Weber if you still need some convincing.

Churchill's Tale of Tails, by Anca Sandu

I have to confess that the reason I accepted a copy of Churchill's Tale of Tails for review was because of the main character's name. (*cough*) I was already sold. Had to give him a try.

The book arrived and I was charmed as I opened the covers. Churchill is a pig who valued many things in life including smelling beautiful flowers and reading good books. He loves to have tea with his friends. But there is one thing that he prizes above all else: his tail. It might not be a big tail, or even a fancy one, but it is his and he loves it very much.

One morning he wakes up to discover that his tail is missing! He searches everywhere but cannot find it. His friends decide to come to his rescue and they begin rounding up spare animal tails for Churchill to try on. Churchill tries on zebra tails and peacock tails and while he finds something to appreciate about each one, he has to discover that his tail is best for him. When he finally finds his tail he realizes that trying on other tails wasn't the right thing to do and the other tails had only managed to turn him into a silly pig. His tail is perfect for him and all's well that end's well.

Personally I think this is a rather cute story. But then again, I am biased by the name. I was curious to see if the author was trying to make certain connections. So I did a teeny bit of research and discovered that Anca Sandu was born in Romania but studied children's illustration in Cambridge, England. Now she lives in Portland, Oregon (which is very near my own hometown!). What a fun life! This is her first children's book and I would say it's destined to be a success. I highly recommend it to you. (You can also see more of her work by checking out her Facebook page.)

I accepted this book for review from Peachtree Publishers in order to participate in a blog tour highlighting this book. I have received no additional compensation for this post and all opinions are my own. If you'd care to see what another reviewer thinks of this title, check out A Word's Worth who is also participating in the tour.

"I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals."  ~ Winston Churchill