Son

I've been aiming to read Son by Lois Lowry for forever and finally got to it.  This is the conclusion to the books that go along with The Giver, and it brings together the other three.  It tells the story of Claire, a young girl who was assigned to be a Birth Mother in her community until things went very wrong.  Later she finds herself outside of the community with no memory except a yearning for her son.

This was a really neat book.  I loved reading it as it pulled together the characters and worlds in the The Giver, Gathering Blue, and The Messenger.  Claire was such a lovable character, and I loved watching her transformation and her relationship with Einar.  I also just loved how everything concluded and wished there was more to the ending.  I think this series by Lois Lowry is just really fun--they are unique stories that keep me interested and wanting to read more throughout every book.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

In a Heartbeat

My parents gave me In a Heartbeat: Sharing the Power of Cheerful Giving by Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy awhile back, and I just got around to reading it.  It is the story of the couple featured in the movie The Blind Side--in their own words.  The book shares their backgrounds and the circumstances that led to them welcoming Michael Oher to their family.  There are also brief chapters from the Tuohy children, Sandra Bullock, and Tim McGraw.  The book tells the story but also teaches lessons in parenting, love, and giving.  The books starts with a quote from Anne Frank that defines the entire book: "No one has ever become poor by giving."

I really enjoyed this book.  It kept me interested throughout the whole read, and I thought it really taught me a lot and inspired me to be more giving.  I think I'm always waiting for the right time to start donating to a cause, but if I wait till that abstract time, I will miss out on many opportunities right here and now.  I loved hearing about things like how they gave Christmas gifts to the garbage man, or paid to get a kid at the private school free lunch every day, or paid bills for a friend in need.  Giving is just a beautiful thing.  The authors emphasized that we don't have to look hard for a "cause"--the people in need are right in front of us, and we just have to respond to what we see.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)



Some quotes from the book that stood out to me:

• "True character was about how we treated people."
• "God gave us problems to see how we would handle them. And He gave us difference to see if we could learn to live with one another."
• "A person's true character is judged by how he acts and reacts to someone who has no consequence in his life whatsoever."
• "Along with a larger income came larger responsibilities....'To whom much is given much is required'....God gave us what we have to see what we're going to do with it."
• "We too often confuse the power of giving with the effectiveness of giving. Giving was powerful by itself; it needed no help from the recipient to be meaningful. Giving worked on the giver's heart and made it expand; that was the most important thing. What the recipient did with the gift--whether he used it to change the world or buy whiskey--was up to him. If what we gave went down a hole, then that was on the head and heart of the person on the receiving end of the gift. God would judge his heart, and that was His responsibility, not ours....My responsibility is to be happy with the act of giving, without expecting a result."
• "It's easy to be nice to George Bush. But the guy who cuts George Bush's yard, that's the one you're supposed to be nice to. Because not everyone is going to be nice to him."
• "Giving didn't always have to be tangible. It was just as important to give passion, time, faith, encouragement, or exposure to something new."
• "God puts things and people in your life for a reason. Usually it's to show you a path. And this clearly was a path that our family needed to go down."

Wonder

I re-read Wonder by R.J. Palacio just because I recommended it to some friends recently.  My friends were reading it and making comments about it, and I decided I wanted to read it again.  I stand by my original review that said I LOVED this book.  It is just a beautiful read--it made me laugh, cry, and think hard about being kinder, better person.  This is probably one of my top favorite books of all time, and that is saying a lot.  :)  Please read it!  And have your kids read it!

Messenger

I've been meaning to read the rest of The Giver companion books for awhile but finally got around to it and read Messenger by Lois Lowry.  (Connor and I read The Giver and Gathering Blue together months ago but never got to the last two, so I'm just reading them on my own.)  Messenger follows Matty from Gathering Blue in his new village, which accepts the outsiders from villages everywhere else.  The community is a happy, welcoming place, but suddenly things start to change--people are trading away the deepest parts of themselves, and the forest is thickening.  While Matty notices all of this, he also notices a new, powerful gift in himself.

This was a really good read.  It was a quick read--I finished the entire book while Emmeline was at preschool.  I was very interested in the story and characters and didn't want to stop reading.  The end was getting so intense that I kept wanting to peek ahead to see what was going to happen (but I didn't).  I thought it was a beautiful story of sacrifice while also being heart-breaking.  I also loved how the book connected back to the characters from The Giver.  I'm now really excited to read the fourth companion book, The Son.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms

My friend lent me In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Dr. Laura Schlessinger.  This book points out the benefits to being a stay-at home mom and helps the reader feel confident in that choice.

This was an interesting read.  I think it could be extremely offensive to people who don't agree with her point of view or who cannot be a stay-at-home mom, but for me, it basically said things I already agree with.  It did help me think of things in different ways.  (For example, sometimes I fall into the rut of wishing I did more with my life or had a job or something.  But she explains how being a stay-at-home mom can be completely fulfilling and satisfying on its own.)  I think it also helped me see how I can make my marriage and family stronger by handling things a little better.  I realized that as a stay-at-home mom, it is my job to create a home with peace, happiness, love, and joy--and I need to make the choice to do that.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)