A few months back, I featured Barbara Cooney here on Story Warren. Cooney was the author and illustrator of an impressive number of children’s classics; Ox-Cart Man and Miss Rumphius are her most familiar titles. Now Sarah Mackenzie, proprietress of The Read-Aloud Revival podcast and community, has given us a vibrant biography of Barbara Cooney,…
On redback jumping spiders and the glory of God Not long ago, a single spider could clear any room of our house. (I take no pride in saying that I was often the first one to leave.) One report of a spider in the play room and no one would go up there again until…
Of all the books that I read growing up, one of my favorite types to read was what I’ll generally call “animal stories.” James Herriot, Marguerite Henry, Sounder, Julie of the Wolves, Where the Red Fern Grows, Shiloh, My Dog Skip. It wasn’t until I was older that Because of Winn-Dixie was published, but I…
On “brave princess fatigue” and its remedy Occasionally, I find myself suffering from what I call “brave princess fatigue,” a condition caused by reading book after book about princesses who are not in need of some sort of rescue—heaven forbid!—but are, rather, hardy warriors themselves. I weary of these stories not because I object to…
Birdie’s Bargain begins with a prayer. It’s a prayer that many of us have prayed when we reached the end of ourselves. When ten-year old Birdie’s dad is stationed in Iraq, she is distraught. She tries making sense of the chaos surrounding her and the questions within her. As she sifts through her tumultuous feelings,…
Bedtime at our house involves a fair amount of bustling, some snuggling, some tooth-brushing, and a lot of talking—so much talking. I like to joke that I’m a part-time counselor these days, now that all four girls are fluent conversationalists facing challenges that grow right along with them. Often the things they worry about step politely…
I’ve always been puzzled when people tell me that they have read a book more than once. “It’s that good!” they might say, “I’ve read it five times! You should read it…” There are a lot of great books in the world, I always think to myself, and we can only read so many of…
Since going back to work full time, I’ve learned even more the importance of living seasonally. It’s ok—I’m not about to go all basic white girl and start talking about Pumpkin Spice Lattes In The Fall. What I mean is a little more along the lines of Ecclesiastes 3:5- “a time to scatter stones and…
When I started collecting titles for World Refugee Day, I thought I might be hard pressed to assemble a respectable representation. But the abundance of books that came readily to hand testifies to the importance and relevance of this topic. Circumstances that prompt people to leave behind home, property, and extended family are never felicitous,…
When I was younger, my family would set aside certain days to drink tea and take turns reading from a collection of poetry books. My favorites generally rhymed and would lean towards being a little absurd—think limericks or Roald Dahl. So, I was a little surprised whenRebecca Gomez’s Mari in the Margins, which tells a…
Reading can be such an interior journey, with the things we imagine all tucked away inside our minds—we sit back; we receive; if we’re being read to, we listen. But I love a hardy lift-the-flap book that invites readers to get their hands involved in the story. Back when my girls were little, those flaps…
For a fun audio experience that will enliven car rides, coloring time, or just about any other family listening time, I suggest checking out the “part book club, part game show” podcast-ish interactive show known as Withywindle. For example, here’s a show featuring a special guest: our own Kathryn Butler, author of the Dreamkeeper Saga! 7.1:…
