I remember watching the movie and reading the book based on my mother's recommendation. I followed this coming of age story of Scout and Gem, and was inspired to do the right thing, like Atticus Finch. He stared racism and prejudice in the face and I became a more thoughtful person because of the book. I learned about the South in terms of it’s weaknesses. And I had new understanding of a minor character, Boo Radley, by the end of the book.

If you have never heard of this book, I recommend it highly. It was one of the inspirations for my own Advent book (not published yet) on the named trees in the Bible. Three trees dream of what they want to do when they grow up. Things do not work out as imagined, but God had an even better plan in mind!

The magical world of Narnia! The characters of Edmund, Lucy, Susan, and Peter still live in my mind as they deal with the witch and learn to love Aslan. A beloved classic for many, including me!

This was my first introduction to literature in English about another culture! I remembe this beautifully written travel memoir won an award in Canada when it was published. The writer really did have a transformative Thai experience, and I still follow her writing...

Anne Shirley let me visit the other side of Canada at a time when many people just stayed in their own province or the one right beside them. Anne, Marilla, Matthew and Gilbert are well loved characters that continue to live in my mind. It's a bonus that it's also a story of family love and forgiveness.  (I still smile when I think of the slate Anne broke over Gilbert's head!)

Of all the books I’ve known and loved since childhood, one has carried me farther than all the others combined: the Holy Bible. Its stories and characters are the ones most deeply ingrained in memory: Jonah swallowed up by the great fish. Noah building an ark and floating above the mountain peaks in it. Baby Moses, found in the river by an Egyptian princess, and shepherd boy David, whose slingshot and fearlessness slew giants. 

Then there are the Gospel stories—the most magical ones of all—where Jesus walked and talked, and water became wine, and fish and loaves multiplied in one great picnic with leftovers galore. Where blind men got their sight back and where the wildest waves imaginable were tamed by a word from the one who made them. 

My other books did indeed take me worlds away, but only the Bible had the power to bring its Protagonist into my world and change it—and me—by his presence. Other books were for a time, and that time has come and gone. But I can’t imagine a day when I won’t ask this book to tell me its old, old story all over again. 

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, generous inside and out, true from start to finish. JOHN 1: 14, MSG

I would love to hear back from you. What books have allowed you to travel? What books have changed you in some way?

Sarah Mackenzie of Read Aloud Revival fame recommended the Mr. Putter & Tabby series for emerging readers on a podcast over the summer. and I am so glad I decided to make this purchase! This book, a little more than the others in the series, just stole my heart and cracked me up while I was reading it to my two youngest sons.

It is winter and Mr. Putter and Tabby are happily stuck in the house getting cozy beside a fire and in a warm chair.  Mr. Putter gets an idea.  He decides to write a mystery novel.  He gets out the pen and paper and begins...

He eventually manages to write out a title and is so pleased with himself that he is off to the kitchen to make a snack. (I would be too!)

And thus begins his journey into writing the kind of mystery novel that he remembered reading as a boy!

It’s a journey filled with snacks, disappointments,delights, and lists. I have to mention I love the gratitude list at the end of the book! Gratitude really is a beautiful attitude!

I love the Mr. Putter series. The character development is exquisite and, necessarily, very economic. The characters are 3D and not dumbed down. The plots are tender, fun, touching. But this one in particular grabbed me because I related to Mr. Putter finding so many other things to do beside write.

Mary Ann Hoberman's The Seven Silly Eaters is a family favorite in this house!  The illustrations are lovely, the text is amazing, and the overall structure is great.  

First, let's talk about the text. It's a long running poem about the beginning of a large family all the way to a family of seven children and it's just beautifully written.  If you have a large family you are going to laugh along the way as you meet Peter Peters, Lucy Peters and the rest of the clan! Clever, fun, and funny.

The illustrations are fantastic. The illustrator, Marla Frazee, has done an excellent job capturing the fun and chaos of family life.  I also love the pictures of the mother and her reactions to the challenge of raising a family.

Lastly, the structure. It's a celebration of life. The birth of each and every child is celebrated and in the end we celebrate the wonder of a mother who finds something delicious in the oven.  A family favorite here!
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I've made no secret of Sarah Mackenzie's brilliant first book, Teaching from Rest.  This is no exception.  She has taken so many of the gems said in the Read Aloud Revival Podcasts and compiled them into this great handbook for parents and educators who are interested in getting their children into books.

If you are one of those people who would like to get started reading to your kids, this is a great place to start.  She is a great storyteller and she drops gems on how to get kids excited and into reading.

The Read-Aloud Family has three sections. Part 1 goes through all the pertinent research about the benefits of reading aloud to our children. For all of the times when I wonder if what I'm doing is actually worth anything, I will remember the information gleaned here. The biggest takeaway for me is that reading aloud is the BEST use of my time with my kids. From making ourselves present for our kids in a highly distracted culture, to inspiring virtue and compassion in them (and us!), to encouraging our kids academically, reading aloud does it all.

Part 2 is all about practical application. Sarah describes what she calls a "Book Club Culture" at home. She provides us with the right questions to ask about books to encourage deep thought and great conversation. We don't have to be experts on literary analysis to have a good conversation about books. We just have to be able to ask compelling questions. An really valuable part of this book is the chapter on how to pick books for your family, and what makes a good book.

Part 3 is the book list. Sarah breaks her book list into four age groups, 0-3, 4-7, 8-12, and the teen years. One of the things I appreciate about this list is that many of the books and authors are newer. Booklists for older books abound (see John Senior's 1000 Good Books), but navigating the world of new books can be tough for busy parents. I don't have time to read everything before my kids get to it, so this list is valuable. I trust Sarah's opinion and through being a "Sarah MacKenzie Groupie" I have found many gems that have become family favorites. Of course Sarah does not discount classic literature, and encourages families to read it in this book. But because lists for newer literature are not as easy to find (and if you do find one, can you be sure it's a good one?) the list in The Read-Aloud Family belongs in every home.

I am a bit of a book nerd, so I have looked at other resources about reading aloud and this is going to be a new favorite!  But Sarah's book is so much more than just a book on reading books. Sarah's book is about building up the family culture while providing an avenue to have wonderful conversations with our children and deepening family bonds. I highly recommend The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids.  Its worth your time and your money.

Jamie C. Martin wrote this one and its for those of us who interested in having our children learn about the world.  She has amazing book lists in here and you can find a lot of the books at the local library.

The other thing that is amazing about this author is that she organizes a Read the World book club every summer and she is doing it again this summer. If your child loves books and is interested in other cultures, this is a great way to go. If your children or students are more solitary readers, it's still a great resource.

Be blessed and try any of these resources!