The Warren & the World is Story Warren’s weekly newsletter, providing a round-up of our favorite things from around the web as well as a review of what was on our site over the past week. We’re glad you’re here!
Around the Web
Hutchmoot 2016: Feasting as an Act of War
A few weeks back, I was able to attend Hutchmoot, the Rabbit Room’s annual gathering. On the first night, Andrew Peterson welcomed us with words that spoke deeply to my soul and those of so many there. And he gave a shout out to Story Warren’s own Kelly Keller, which might have been the best part.
- Nobody ever tells you how hard it is to be a grownup. Nobody tells you how often you find yourself in situations that have no personal precedent, or how often you’ll lie in bed awake worrying about your kids, your mortgage payment, your obligation to shed light in a dark world—dark with terrorism and war and slavery. Two hundred years ago a farmer knew what he was called to do. He was called to feed his family, and that took up most of his time.
The Power of a Dinner Table
When I read David Brooks’ Op-Ed at the New York Times this week, I was immediately reminded of the call that feasting is an act of war. Brooks’ story of a family who open their dinner table is a powerful reminder of how opening ourselves to relationships can change lives.
- Kathy Fletcher and David Simpson have a son named Santi, who went to Washington, D.C., public schools. Santi had a friend who sometimes went to school hungry. So Santi invited him to occasionally eat and sleep at his house.
That friend had a friend and that friend had a friend, and now when you go to dinner at Kathy and David’s house on Thursday night there might be 15 to 20 teenagers crammed around the table, and later there will be groups of them crashing in the basement or in the few small bedrooms upstairs.
The kids who show up at Kathy and David’s have endured the ordeals of modern poverty: homelessness, hunger, abuse, sexual assault. Almost all have seen death firsthand — to a sibling, friend or parent.
Children’s Books That Tackle Race and Ethnicity
Maria Russo has a book list at the New York Times of children’s books that reflect the diversity we see around us in our communities.
- The movement calling for more diversity in children’s books has been gaining momentum in the last couple of years, and publishers are responding.
There is still a big gap – now as in the past, the vast majority of American children’s books published feature white protagonists. But as the children’s books editor here at The Times, I’m definitely seeing a greater number of books by diverse authors and featuring children of different races and ethnicities.
The Art of Waiting
Nikki Dunham has a piece at the Church at Charlotte blog about waiting and learning its art.
- As kids, we would hop on our bikes and pedal down to the nearest Video Station to pick up a movie for family movie night. But inevitably, the new movie we were so excited to see would be out so we had to settle for an older classic. You couldn’t simply turn on your smart TV and find whatever movie you could think to rent without even leaving the comfort of your couch. These days, we live in a world of instant gratification. Books, movies, music, and just about any information you could ever need are available with the push of a few buttons. This instantaneous delivery makes it so much harder to wait. So much so, that when my Internet browser begins to spin and I am forced to wait for a page to load, I find myself start to get irritated.
Around the Warren
Small Sabbaths
Glenn McCarty tells us how a new routine has given him a new perspective on the value of small sabbaths.
- This summer, quite by accident, my son and I stumbled into a new bedtime reading routine that has been so nourishing and therapeutic, it’s opened my eyes to a fresh vision of rest and margin. One night, as we were heading into his room, my son pulled a chapter book from his bedside table and told me simply, “I’m going to read this tonight.” I gawked for a moment, feeling a bit unwanted, if you really must know, but then I had to smile. This was a step up the ladder, a big one actually. So, I found a book of my own, and there we lay for twenty minutes or so, reading quietly beside each other. The practice – he calls it “side-by-side” – has continued on and off for the past few months.
And it’s been beautiful.
“Pax” and Animal Stories
Laura Peterson looks at a new animal story to join her list of favorites.
- 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 read and loved it just the same. A few years ago I read The Yearling for the first time, and cried through the last thirty pages or so. There’s just something about the “kid + best friend animal” formula that tugs at my heartstrings (and some of yours too, I bet) in a universal manner.
Into that noble tradition has stepped Sara Pennypacker’s Pax, published earlier this year and featuring illustrations by Jon Klassen.
Something to Do with Your Kids
I’ve discovered since moving to the south that “fall” is a somewhat theoretical concept until late in October. But we pretend anyway. If you’re in the same boat and fall is only just beginning–or if you’re well into the season–here are some ideas for family activities for you.
And Something to Watch
A friend shared this video celebration of the country of Turkey this week. It’s a glorious, gorgeous look at a land far away.
Thank you for reading. We’re on your side.
Carolyn Clare Givens is a displaced Northerner exploring the foreign ways of the South. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina with her literary cat, Lord Peter Wimsey. She's the author of The King's Messenger and Rosefire and in her free time helps run Bandersnatch Books.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
You can find her at carolyncgivens.com or on Facebook or Instagram at @carolyncgivens.
Latest posts by Carolyn Clare Givens (see all)
- The Warren & The World Vol 13, Issue 16 - May 10, 2025
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