The Hansen's Reading Log Blog

The Art of Family

2007-08-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

By Gina Bria, 1998

This is a brilliant book. It is full of both inspirational writing, sound anthropological research and details, and practical tips to creating ritual, and bringing imagination and spirituality to your family life. When I was able to take time to pick it up, I found it very hard to put down. My copy was from the library, and I managed over 8 pages of notes.

As a woman who has struggled to find a way to be a full-fledged member of society without having a "career," this book was such an encouragement to seeing my role as a mother not in place of being a person, but as a glorious addition to it. I'll get all gushy if I try to lay it all out, and so instead will encourage you to find this book and READ it. Embrace it. See the value in what we do, day in and out, in creating a family and a story worth having and telling.

St. George and the Dragon

2007-07-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

by Margaret Hodges.

Another wonderful book by this wonderful writer and her beautiful illustrator. It is long and a bit complicated, but the kids are entranced, and it has even me wishing that I had the time to read Spencer's Fairie Queene.

I can't wait until we get a library card and can borrow more books by this author - these are REAL books, with REAL illustrations - nothing juvenile or baby-ish about it. And it is just a delight to see how much the kids enjoy them too.

2007 Books Read

2007-04-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here's everything we read in 2007, updated periodically

The Shop on Blossom Street
Heat, Buford
Saving Graces, Edwards
Twig
Third Watch, Thoene
Little Town on the Prairie
These Happy, Golden Years
The Art of Family, Bria
The Bridge to Terabithia

Saving Graces

2007-04-16T09:52:00.000-07:00

This memoir by Elizabeth Edwards was a really eye-opening book. My mother-in-law enjoyed it so much she sent it on to me. As I began it (with rather high expectations), I was not disappointed. Elizabeth Edwards is a very positive, upbeat, always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life kind of gal. She details her life as a military child, full of exciting stories and a purposefully positive view of her life and family. She was downright inspiring!

And then she moves to the hardest part of her life story - the death of her eldest child, at the age of 16. This is, of course, difficult to read, and I'm sure even more difficult to relive as a writer. Clearly, she kept excellent records of all her dialogues and interactions - the details here are plentiful. And my heart went out to her, and to her family. But the story doesn't stop. Once she brings Wade's name up, she can't let it go. I found myself feeling like I was slogging through a very, very detailed account of his life, and her life after his death. Even when it moved on to the presidential race that her husband ran (and eventually lost), Wade is not far from her mind, or her pen.

I'm glad I read this. She is a fascinating woman. The depth of her loss and how she shares it have encouraged me to continue having a sporadic and yet meaningful conversation with my dear friend's parents (she died four years ago of a brain tumor, and though I didn't know her parents, I did know and love her). One is often uncertain if bringing up and sharing memories is painful or welcome, and I realize that it is indeed both. So I will continue to write and share, and imagine what life would be like if Meg were still here.

But I'll be honest. By the end, I found Elizabeth Edwards to be a bit obsessive. And when she and her husband recently were on television to announce that they would continue his presidential bid, despite a very likely deadly recurrence of her own cancer, I felt a great sorrow for the remaining children in their family.

Twig

2007-03-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

We finished Twig this morning before school began. Each day has begun this way the past week - with Siena begging for just one more chapter of Twig. She is rarely into chapter books (which is just right for only four and a half), so it was a treat to have her so engaged in this one.

Curious, the reaction each kiddo had to the ending. Is it giving it away if I talk about it here? Spoiler warning!

The whole story rests on Twig's imagination (see last post) - she imagines that the little tin can in the yard could be a fairy house, and then it becomes one, the elf comes, etc., etc. In the end, she is invited to Fairy Land, her dream come true. And instead she chooses her family - because she would miss them. And as she makes her way back to her house, she passes all the people in her real life - all of whom inspired the characters in her imagination. It was very much the Wizard of Oz - when you get to the end and realize that the Scarecrow and Tinman (and basically everyone else) are actually farmhands and people from Kansas after all.

Sterling loved this. He loved the imaginings, and he liked that they were all based on the people in her real life. He got it, and he embraced it. This book was surprisingly good for a boy.

Siena, on the other hand, was aghast that Twig did not go into the Fairy Land, and she really didn't get that the real people inspired the 'story' in the story. It bothered her. Of course, of the two kids, she is more literal and less imaginative (in the sense of making up worlds in her head and translating them to her reality), so it isn't surprising. She still loved it, and I am eager to re-read it to her in a few months and see how it takes then.

FOUR stars and some extra sparkle for fun.

Sodasodasarsaprilla

2007-03-20T12:22:00.000-07:00

Ah, the kids and I have been reading the most lovely chapter book: Twig (Elizabeth Orton Jones). I am smitten. It is the tale of a little girl who imagines a fairy world in her dirty backyard, becoming a tiny person herself. There's a talking Sparrow, an Elf, the Queen of the Fairies, and Lord Buzzle Cobb-Webb. It's just delightful... I was liking it all along - something for both Sterling and Siena in it, a bit of magic in the words, and delightful pictures...

And then I came to this sequence. I thought about describing it, but it is so sweet, I'll just risk copyright and put it all in... Siena was entranced by this exchange (the tiniest bit of background - Twig is a little girl who, by magic - you might say imagination - has become small. Several chapters in, the Queen of the Fairies comes to visit, and invites Twig to Fairy Land):

"I wish I didn't have this old dress on," she said.
"Why do you wish that?" asked the Queen.
"Well, who ever heard of going to Fairyland with a plain ordinary dress on? Just look at it, Your Majesty!" said Twig. "And just look at these old shoes!"
The Queen looked at them and smiled. "They're only on the outside of you, Twig," she said. "It doesn't matter how plain or how ordinary or how old the things on the outside are, you know. It's what is inside that matters."
"Inside!" said Twig, very much surprised.
The Queen looked up at the little round bud at the top of the dandelion's stalk. "Do you know what is inside of that plain ordinary little round bud?" she asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty," answered Twig. "A beautiful flower."
"There's something just as beautiful inside of you," said the Queen.
"Something - beautiful! Inside of - me!" said Twig. "Honestly, Your Majesty! How could there be?"
"How could there be a beautiful flower inside of the little round bud?" asked the Queen.
Twig lifted her shoulders several times. "I don't know!" she said. "There just is, that's all."
"And there 'just is' something beautiful inside of you," said the Queen. "It's called imagination."

Ah - something beautiful inside that trumps the outside. What a perfect thing for our little ones to learn early on. We have a few chapters left, but I couldn't wait until then to write and encourage you all to read this one for yourselves.

Hot, and then Cold

2007-03-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Heat, by Bill Buford

This remarkable book is subtitled "(An Amateur's adventure as kitchen slave, line cook, pasta-maker, and apprentice to a dante-quoting butcher in tuscany)" - and until he hits the Dante-quoting butcher, Tuscany or no, it's red hot (and then, not so much).

Buford takes on famed TV celebrity chef Mario Batali in this tell-all biography (of Buford, not Batali, though at times its hard to tell who's the subject). As a big fan of Food TV (oh, I confess, I'm a wanna-be foodie, I am, I am!), it is always like being handed a back-stage pass to watch the inner workings of a professional kitchen. I have dreams of going to cooking school and being a chef, now and then, and this book is just what I need to see what the real world is like, relish the moment, and then close the book on something I will NEVER be doing myself.

I first read some of this book as Buford's articles in the New Yorker Magazine - lengthy articles about some aspect of his time with Batali. I loved them there, and re-reading them again in the greater context of the book was like going back for seconds on something you just really, truly love to eat.

If you love reading behind the scenes details (both of personal lives and of the restaurant kitchen), this is for you. I could barely put the book down while he was describing his life as a "kitchen slave" and line cook, even pasta maker. But I began this book in November. November, people! I love to read. I'm a fast reader. But November is four months ago. So what happened?

Pig happened. Cow happened. Buford got himself interested in meat and life as a butcher in Tuscany, and I just couldn't follow him there. I could follow him into a New York kitchen, foul language and all. I could follow him into an Italian kitchen to learn to make pasta. But when I had to listen to all the dante-quoting butchering, forget it. I plodded through this like I was being forced to eat...liver.

So today, I finally emerged on the other side. And I'm happy to report that the book ends as strongly as it begins - Buford is funny, eloquent and informative, all at once. I was charmed once again. So, I will give this book 3.5 stars - because it's an easy four star for most of the book, and really, the writing is great in the section I hate.

3.5 stars

Bird By Bird

2007-03-11T12:40:00.000-07:00

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott.

This is my book, read this month by Chris. He has been reading several books on writing lately, so this was read (and compared) in the midst of some competition.

Highly anecdotal, without much meat in the way of actual, tangible "take aways" for better writing was his basic assessment. Chris found her humor to, on more than one occasion, be at the expense of someone, and he didn't find that humorous. Overall, he wasn't nearly as interested as others we know who have read Lamott (myself included).

2 stars (3 from me)

The Tale of Despereaux

2007-02-24T05:47:00.000-08:00

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate di Camillo (also author of Winn-Dixie).

Chris read this story aloud to the kids while I was on vacation. They really enjoyed it - though I think a bit of it was above them (which I think is good - they learn wonderful vocabulary, and good life lessons, as long as the parent is willing to stop and explain a bit. Which we are. And do.) Chris picked this book out because a new friend of his recommended it as his all time favorite book.

Siena: "This was a good story because the princess didn't die. "

Sterling liked the story, "the funny part was that the rat didn't notice that the mouse had a needle."

High praise indeed.

Chris felt that it was full of rich meaning, and had good characterization.

Four Stars.

Early Readers

2007-02-23T15:35:00.000-08:00

It's finally time! Sterling has begun to read. It's magical! We've been using the ever popular Hooked On Phonics to begin the process, but have found a few great early readers to accompany it.

Our favorite is a series by David Milgren: the Otto Series. These are simple to read with really cute illustrations. Sterling and Siena both just love them. They are the perfect prize after a bit of "work" in the HOP workbook.

The Shop On Blossom Street

2007-02-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

Oh, so quick and easy a read. Kind of fun. It was perfect for a vacation read, nothing too deep, nothing too surprising, and about knitting to boot. I enjoyed it. I left it for the next "need a quick read" reader at the house I visited on vacation. I saw at the airport that the author has written some other books, and its popular enough to be at the airport newstands, so she's onto something with her knitting women!

Three Stars

The Kitchen Knight

2007-01-25T13:17:00.000-08:00

Ah, now here is a delightful book!

Our mini-swap 2 partners sent us this book with the following note: "this was the book that inspired my son to fall into obsession with all things military." The cover art was beautiful, so once we settled down from the excitement of opening the entire swap package, we read this together.

This is my kind of book. Beautiful, artistic illustrations. A re-telling of a classical tale (about a knight in King Arthur's court). Well written, including lightly done classical language, just enough to whet their appetite for words like "smote," but not enough to make them think so hard that they lose interest. I enjoy reading it to them, and each time they have new questions - "whys" about the culture, the language, the storyline. They are learning more about this period in history than I could ever teach them by plodding through some text, which I love.

Now, to try to find some more tales like this - about knights and honor and the round table. Any suggestions?

Five Stars (good text, good illustrations)

Real Love for Real Life

2007-01-22T17:22:00.000-08:00

The Art and Work of Caring, by Andi Ashworth

I loved reading this. Being a stay at home mom (SAHM), it is so easy to get caught up in the daily grind. Yet I choose this because the long-term benefits to our children and our family are immeasurable. Andi captures the heart of why we do this – the essence of serving Christ through serving others. For me this comes from a place where I long to do these things – and I was so validated by some of her points, particularly surrounding the meaningful nature of the “little things” (as I call them) – regular meals, celebrations and traditions, the care with which we serve others. It’s also a call to slow down enough to be caregivers – to take and make the time which our culture and society races past.

Some thoughts that I need to digest: being more mindful of taking care of myself; allowing others to ‘care’ for me as well; taking and making time to simply be with and listen to others; the need to document (both in journal form, but also as scrapbooks or whatnot) the meaningful moments of our lives.

To listen to the voice of One – to hear what is MOST important, and allow the rest, the mere busyness, to recede. To take pride in what we do and how we do it, even though it does not earn us money, and won’t earn us any prizes.

The most interesting perspective she offered, in light of Chris’s vision for Piko, is summed up in this statement: “By giving thoughtful attention to the context in which life is lived, we greatly increase the chances that the life stories unfolding in our homes will be good ones.” (pg. 60) Writing a life story worth living – that is the driving force behind who Chris is personally, and it becomes the foundation for his work with screenwriters, who not only need to write good personal life stories, but create fictional life stories which touch and inspire our culture at large.

I have written down my favorite quotes, to review and digest from time to time. If you are someone who cares for others, this book will encourage you!

Some Recommendations

2007-01-19T19:58:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't know it from the "completed books" standpoint, but we are reading away here at the Hansen's. I've also been hearing from a few of you with suggestions from what you are reading, which I love. So, just to share the love, here are a few recommendations (as yet unread by me):

The Original Curious George",
"Nonsense Songs" by Edward Lear,
"Manuelo the Playing Mantis",
"Thee Hannah",
"Pictures at an Exhibition"
"A Night at the Opera",
"Roxaboxen" (this one has been suggested several times, so I've got it on hold at the library to check it out!)

I'd love to hear more about what's in YOUR reading stack these days!

The Tipping Point

2007-01-14T13:19:00.000-08:00

Okay, Chris read this one so on the sly that I didn't even see it on his bedstand, hence it is showing up here without being on the links first. We both love reading Malcolm Gladwell's articles in the New Yorker Magazine, and enjoy his book collections as well.

I might get Chris to write a blurb up, but I will simply say that he really enjoyed this book - bought it even, and wrote lots of margin notes. As usual, Gladwell is not only informative but persuasive as well, and I might even find the time to read this one someday!

December Readings

2007-01-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

It's already January, so this will just be a quick post of what was read in December (again, it's mostly for our own memories!)...

Kids:
James and the Giant Peach (both kids loved this, read aloud by mommy)
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (both kids really enjoyed this sassy tale, listened to a CD audio)
A Little House Christmas Treasury (our favorite Christmas reading tradition, read aloud each night by mommy)
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (CD audio)
Prince Caspian (CD audio)

Mommy:
First Light, by Bodie and Brock Thoene (this is part of yet another series by this very prolific couple, writers of historical Christian fiction. This one deals with the time in early AD when Christ was ministering on earth. Take it with a grain of salt - who can really know what happened then and how, beyond the words of the Bible - but it presents a fascinating study of culture in that time).

Welcome to our Reading Log Blog

2007-01-08T06:41:00.000-08:00

Hello there! Greetings and welcome to a simple little blog that is designed to record the books we are reading, and what we think of them. It is really so that we can look back and remember what we've read, but thought it might be fun to share it with others, and maybe hear about what you thought of these books (if you've read them), or get suggestions of other books that you might think we'd like!

I have a dear friend, Tally, who read 118 books last year. With three boys in the house! My gracious. We are nowhere near that prolific as readers (though, alas, I was before we had children), but we surely do enjoy reading and want to share that joy with you!

2006 Books Read

2006-12-31T09:32:00.000-08:00

Here's what we read in 2006 - that I can remember...

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
James and the Giant Peach
A Little House Christmas Treasury
Lion the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian

First Light