#ChildrensBooks – Amanda Ray

The beginning of the month was rather heavy reading so by the end of the month I threw in a couple lighter reads. The all-time-favorite of the month goes to Just Mercy by Bryan Stephenson. It is eye-opening.

I started a book club this month. The idea of our club is to all read the same book and discuss virtually. Currently we are using the Bookship Application as the medium to share our thoughts. For the book club, we started with The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. I can say for my first-go at organizing and leading a book club, I did a poor job. But hey, I did it, so that is a step in the right direction! I love discussing my reads and it is no fun to carry a one-sided discussion at family dinners or happy hours with friends, so I forced my circles into a book club. Fortunately, the ones who participated all love reading and happily joined so there was not too much pressure put on by me.

Last thing worth noting this month: I started listening to audio books with my sons while we are in the car together. I do not want to jinx myself by sharing this information, but it is going REALLY well. The boys fight less, nag less, and whine less since starting The Magic Tree House series. I LOVE how they will stop and ask what words mean or want to discuss the book. Nothing can top their laughter when a ‘funny’ part comes up in the book. We even have some inside jokes we share now from the books. I cannot wait until their attention span is ready to take on longer children’s chapter books. Children’s novels are some of my favorite books. In college Children’s Literature may have been my all-time favorite course.

With that, I feel it is only appropriate to conclude with one of my favorite Dr. Seuss quotes, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” My reading list is a bit random, but I hope it inspires you.

The books I read in August and my opinions:

2018 August	Title, Author, Genre	Rating	Notes
Kindle	The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah, Historical Fiction	4	I cannot stop reading Kristin Hannah books! I love how she brings characters to life and always has multiple themes in her books. This one explores the impact of Vietnam War on a family. The father/husband was a POW and when he returns home suffers from PTSD. This leads the family to explore a new beginning in Alaska. The mother/wife struggles with the challenges of being a woman in the 70s. The primary character is the daughter of this couple, Lenora (Leni). Leni matures from child to adult in a toxic environment within a land she grows to love. Like most Hannah books, she shares their story across several decades making the story complete. I think women would most enjoy this book. The adventure and danger of living in Alaska may make this an enjoyable book for men as well. Going on a long flight, need a beach read, or simply looking for entertainment? Then this is the book to read!
Audible	The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas, Novel	4	A young adult novel set in modern times which explores racial prejudice through the eyes of a teenage girl. Angie Thomas did a fantastic job making the characters in this book come to life and relatable. The perspective this story brings to the Black Lives Matter movement helps to see the depth of the issue we face today with racism in America. I’d recommend this book for anyone who wants to understand a young black person’s point of view. It is a story that will help drive discussions around American culture, family, race, prejudice, and respect.
Kindle	Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stephenson, Non-Fiction/Memoir	5	Recommended by Jamie Ivey’s book club, I could not put this one down. I love non-fiction and memoirs. While this is not Bryan Stephenson’s memoir, it is very personal account of his life’s work. He highlights his greatest accomplishments in civil rights, but the story primarily focuses on the tragedies of our judicial system. The outlook may seem grim, but Stephenson’s spiritual faith guides his life and allows him to show compassion to convicted children, mentally ill, and wrongly accused individuals. I recommend this read to anyone living in America.
Audible	Eunice: The Kennedy Who Change the World by Eileen McNamara, Non-Fiction/Biography	3	I loved this book so much that now if someone were to ask the ever-popular dinner conversation question, “who from the past would I like to have over for a dinner party,” that Eunice Shriver would make my list! I didn’t rate this book all that high because it was a bit dry and long. Listening to it on audible helped because I was able to increase the pace. Had this been written by Eunice herself, I have no doubt that the book would have been rated a 5. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys learning more about the Kennedy family or wants an example of no-nonsense, get-things-done woman who has had a great impact on our world.
Audible	Kind Is the New Classy by Candace Cameron Bure, Memoir/Religious Opinion	3	Candace Cameron Bure is the cutest. She is straight forward and true to herself. This book shows her perspective on being empathetic and always choosing to show kindness which she lovingly refers to as ‘classy.’ I recommend this read to Christian women and any Full House fans who still adore DJ Tanner.
Audible	The Magic Tree House Collection: Books 1-8 by Mary Pope Osborne, Fictional Children’s Books	4	I’m listening to The Magic Tree House series in the car with my kids (4 and 5-year-old boys). It is a hit! I want nothing more than for my kids to have a love a reading. Enjoying these books together as a family on our commute home after school or on a long road trip makes the time fly by and gives us something to explore together. I’m so happy these books can be purchased in bundles on Audible! Each book is ten chapters and about an hour long.
Audible	The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey, Non-Fiction/Self-Improvement	4	Dave Ramsey is a straight shooter. This was a quick listen and I personally enjoyed how direct he is with the plan to get out of debt. He brakes it down in manageable steps and reinforces there is not an ‘easy’ way out. In a time when purchases are as easy as liking a social media post or waving your phone in front of a scanner this book can really help anyone who struggles with their personal finances. Anyone who struggles with money – managing it, emotionally understanding it, or overspending it – should read this!