lit*chick

Diamond & Sky by Marilyn Hoobler

This post got lost in the holiday shuffle oh so many months ago and I wanted to be sure it gets some additional attention...

Diamond & Sky by Marilyn Hoobler, 44 pages.

As a horse crazy young girl, this would have been on my shelf right next to Misty of Chincoteague.  It is a wonderful pre-chapter book about a mom teaching her young sons about horses and riding. The family has two ponies, Diamond & Sky, and the mama gently instructs the youngest boy Judah while his brothers are out  playing football. When Diamond becomes ill, they work together to nurse him back to health. Besides being an enjoyable story, it is also a great lesson in the work that goes into caring for a horse. This book succeeds because it shows the realities of owning and tending to an animal as well as a showing a family working together.

The only other book I can think of of comparing it to is one of our family favorites, Billy & Blaze: A Boy and His Horse by CW Anderson. It has the same classic and timeless feeling - due in part to the simple and lovely pencil illustrations.

A former science teacher, Marilyn Hoobler lives in Maryland with her husband and six children, keeps horses (and a variety of other animals) and is currently working on another book. Her first book, Sam the Tail Up Dog is also available through Amazon. Thank you to Marilyn for providing a review copy.

Do you have a favorite animal storybook? Do tell.

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Giveaway: Longbourn's Unexpected Matchmaker by Emma Hox

 

Description from the back cover:

"Elizabeth Bennett, the second of five daughters to Mr. Thomas Bennett has caught the attention of the rich and handsome Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy almost from the moment he laid eyes on her, but when he purposefully misinterprets her family's expectation of her marrying well and slights her in a way unknown to those who have always loved Jane Austen’s acclaimed Pride and Prejudice, he must leave forever or make amends. Sulking in the library he determines to leave the place and give her up, but is waylaid by a member of the Meryton neighborhood who claims an intimate acquaintance with the Bennet family and offers up advice on how to win Elizabeth’s heart."

Author's website: http://www.loveprideprejudice.com

This book was reviewed and recommended by Kelli Crowe, who has read 17 Pride & Prejudice spinoffs and knows a good one when she reads one.

You can win a copy if leave a comment and tell me your favorite character from an Austen novel. Contest closes at noon EST, Friday, April 23rd.

Many thanks to Marisa at JKS Communications for sponsoring the giveaway.

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Eat, Nap, Play by Robyn Spigman and Evelyn Sacks

Eat Nap Play: How to Get Even More out of Your Child's Day for Less by Robyn Spizman and Evelyn Sacks, 224 pages.  Available in Paperback April 1st.

I don't usually read parenting books because I rarely find useful information (not because I have all the answers). Generally they contain repackaged common sense advice. And I don't trust authors who claim to have it all figured out.  Since it has been awhile since I had a baby in the house, I thought I might need to brush up on my creative mommying skills and was curious to check out Eat, Nap, Play.

Written by moms, this is an organized guide for an inexpensive, kid-friendly lifestyle. It is meant to be an encouragement to mamas to be more spontaneous, saying yes when you can. Bonus points for skim-worthy chapters - you don't have to sit and read it cover to cover- with titles like:  Fabulous Food and Kitchen Fun!, The Party Circuit, and Super School Savings.  The format is well-ordered and covers a wide range of activities to include the entire family. The best part?  Many of the suggestions are simple and  doable. I think this would be most helpful for a first-time mom, but also for a someone looking for a few new ideas. And it would definitely be interesting to pass along to mom friends and see what interests them.

I will admit to cringing at a couple of the suggestions (going to the mall) but quickly moved on and found some useful tips.  My only other caution would be (as with any book full of advice or pointers) to focus on finding things that work for your family and not get caught thinking you have to do it all. For one thing, it's impossible to make everything FUN all the time - and the point is to try to make things fun when you CAN. There is a helpful resource list at the back of the book with tons of great websites.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for providing a copy of this book. I appreciate being included - there are several other stops on this blog tour, you can find them here.

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The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees, 342 pages.

Writing a novel about a real person can be tricky business. Blending the right amount of fact with fiction and giving this character authenticity requires a skilled touch.  Here the author Kelly O'Connor McNees creates a story about a particular summer in the life of Louisa May Alcott that serves as her inspiration for the well-known couple from Little Women, Jo and Laurie. And I thought it was lovely.

Beyond the fictional romance, McNees has captured and conveyed the tone of Alcott's unusual family life. Her philosopher father was more concerned with living his thoughts and ideals over providing for his family. The obvious strain this lifestyle put on her mother and the four girls influences Louisa's desire for independence and her aggressive pursuit of a life in writing. Along the way I couldn't help but develop a fondness for these sisters similar to my feelings for Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy.

This story is a perfect balance of real and imagined details in the life of author Louisa May Alcott. I found it to be a delightful look at the way it was and the way it might have been.

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Thank you to TLC Book Tours for the opportunity to read and review this book. It was perfect timing. You can check out the other tour stops here.

And the author's website:  www.kellyoconnormcnees.com