“Celebrations punctuate our year, and our punctuations define us as a people.” –Malcolm Smith The people of ancient Ireland marked their year with eight solar and lunar celebrations. Every six weeks or so, they gathered, performed religious rites, feasted, danced, and held competitions. If a man committed a crime, he could be excluded from […]
The Junkyard Wonders
It’s the first day of school, and Patricia stands on the front steps of an unfamiliar brick building with a class card in her hand. Two girls, standing tall and confident in their bright poodle skirts and saddle oxfords, give her card a quick perusal. “You’re in Mrs. Peterson’s class,” they say, smirking. “Upstairs. Room […]
The Longer You Look
The first time I saw him, his face was shadowed by the brim of a baseball cap. His shoulders were hunched. His shorts and T-shirt were loose. He lifted my suitcase and garment bag out of his parents’ van, and I thought, “Jock.” That evening we sat across the table from each other at a […]
So Tall Within
How is it that a person becomes convinced of her inherent worth? How does a child sold for a hundred dollars along with a flock of sheep know that she’s worth more than the sheep, more than a hundred dollars? The girl’s name was Isabella, and what the world told her, what people told her, […]
Three Cheers for Frances!
It was tough to choose just one Frances story to review. I almost went with A Baby Sister for Frances, one of the few books I remember owning and reading as a child. It’s a delightful story in which Frances deals with the intrusion of a new baby sister by “running away” to a cozy […]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 13
- Next Page »