March Reflections

Stand-Out Books Read in March 2016

1. There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight. Penny Parker Klostermann. Illustrated by Ben Mantle. 2015. Random House. 40 pages. [Source: Library]
2. How To Dress A Dragon. Thelma Lynne Godin. Illustrated by Eric Barclay. 2016. Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]
3. Ann Likes Red. Dorothy Z. Seymour. Illustrated by Nancy Meyeroff. 1965. 28 pages. [Source: Bought]
4. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear. Lindsay Mattick. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. 2015. Little, Brown. 56 pages. [Source: Library]
5. Hour of the Bees. Lindsay Eagar. 2016. Candlewick. 360 pages. [Source: Review copy]
6. The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor. Mark Schatzker. 2015. Simon & Schuster. 272 pages. [Source: Library]

5 Places "visited" in March:

1. Narnia
2. Iran
3. New Mexico
4. Prince Edward Island
5. London, England

Picture books (also board books now and then):

1. There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight. Penny Parker Klostermann. Illustrated by Ben Mantle. 2015. Random House. 40 pages. [Source: Library] [Humor]
2. How To Dress A Dragon. Thelma Lynne Godin. Illustrated by Eric Barclay. 2016. Scholastic. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Humor]
3. Peppa's Busy Day Magnet Book. 2016. Scholastic. 10 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Novelty]
4. Last Stop on Market Street. Matt de la Pena. Illustrated by Christian Robinson. 2015. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [Award Winner]
5. The House That Zack Built. Alison Murray. 2016. Candlewick Press. 32 pages. [Source: Review copy] 
6. A Big Surprise for Little Card. Charise Mericle Harper. Illustrated by Anna Raff. 2016. Candlewick. 40 pages. [Source: Review copy]

Early readers (also a few early chapter books now and then):

1. Ann Likes Red. Dorothy Z. Seymour. Illustrated by Nancy Meyeroff. 1965. 28 pages. [Source: Bought] [Childhood Favorite]
2. Moo Bird. David Milgrim. 2015. Scholastic. 32 pages. [Review copy] [Early Reader]
3. Clover the Bunny (Dr. KittyCat #2) Jane Clarke. Scholastic. 96 pages. [Source: Review copy]  [Early Chapter Book, Animal fantasy]
4. A Pig, A Fox, and a Box. Jonathan Fenske. 2015. Penguin. 32 pages. [Source: Library]  [Early reader, animal fantasy]
5. Ballet Cat Dance! Dance! Underpants. Bob Shea. 2016. Disney-Hyperion. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [early reader, animal fantasy]

Contemporary (General, realistic) fiction, all ages:

1. Hour of the Bees. Lindsay Eagar. 2016. Candlewick. 360 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Slight fantasy, possible magical realism, definite coming-of-age]
2. Skinnybones. Barbara Park. 1982/2016. 111 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Humor, sports]
3. American Ace. Marilyn Nelson. 2016. 128 pages. [Source: Library] [Verse novel]
4. The Pastures of Heaven. John Steinbeck. 1932. 207 pages. [Source: Library] [Short stories]

Speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, etc.) all ages:

1. The Adventures of Miss Petitfour. Anne Michaels. 2015. [November 2015] Tundra. 144 pages. [Source: Library] [Slight fantasy--think Mary Poppins, only with CATS, lots of cats]
2. Tuck Everlasting. Natalie Babbitt. 1975. FSG. 139 pages. [Source: Library] [Slight fantasy, coming -of-age]
3. Little Cat's Luck. Marion Dane Bauer. Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell. 2016. Simon & Schuster. 224 pages. [Source: Library] [animal fantasy, verse novel]
4. The Silver Chair. (Chronicles of Narnia #4) C.S. Lewis. 1953. HarperCollins. 243 pages. [Source: Bought] [fantasy, children's classic]
5. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis. 1942. HarperCollins. 224 pages. [Source: Bought] [adult fantasy, christian classic]
6. Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953/1991. Del Rey. 179 pages. [Source: Bought]  [classic, dystopia]
7. Hour of the Bees. Lindsay Eagar. 2016. Candlewick. 360 pages. [Source: Review copy] [slight fantasy, part realistic coming-of-age]
8. Megan's Brood. Roy Burdine. 2015. 105 pages. [Source: Review copy] [fantasy]

Historical fiction, all ages:

1. My Name Is Not Friday. Jon Walter. 2016. Scholastic. 384 pages. [Source: Review copy] [civil war/slavery]
2. By the Stars. Lindsay B. Ferguson. 2016. Cedar Fort. 320 pages. [Source: Review copy] [world war II, romance]
3. Defend and Betray. (William Monk #3) Anne Perry. 1992. 439 pages. [Source: Bought] [historical mystery, series book]
4. A Sudden, Fearful Death. Anne Perry. 1993. 464 pages. [Source: Library] [historical mystery, series book]
5. The Sins of the Wolf (William Monk #5). Anne Perry. 1995. 436 pages. [Source: Library]  [historical mystery, series book]

Mysteries, all ages:

1. Defend and Betray. (William Monk #3) Anne Perry. 1992. 439 pages. [Source: Bought] [historical mystery, series book]
2. A Sudden, Fearful Death. Anne Perry. 1993. 464 pages. [Source: Library] [historical mystery, series book]
3. The Sins of the Wolf (William Monk #5). Anne Perry. 1995. 436 pages. [Source: Library] [historical mystery, series book]

Classics, all ages:

1. Anne of Avonlea. L.M. Montgomery. 1909. 304 pages. [Bought] [children's classic, series book]
2. The Pastures of Heaven. John Steinbeck. 1932. 207 pages. [Source: Library] [short stories]
3. Fahrenheit 451. Ray Bradbury. 1953/1991. Del Rey. 179 pages. [Source: Bought] [dystopia, science fiction]
4. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis. 1942. HarperCollins. 224 pages. [Source: Bought]  [adult fiction, christian classic]
5. The Silver Chair. (Chronicles of Narnia #4) C.S. Lewis. 1953. HarperCollins. 243 pages. [Source: Bought] [children's classic, fantasy]
6. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis. 1943. 256 pages. [Source: Library][Christian classic]

Nonfiction, all ages:

1. Not Without My Daughter. Betty Mahmoody. 1987. 432 pages. [Source: Library] [Memoir]
2. Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear. Lindsay Mattick. Illustrated by Sophie Blackall. 2015. Little, Brown. 56 pages. [Source: Library] [Picture book]
3. The Dorito Effect: The Surprising New Truth About Food and Flavor. Mark Schatzker. 2015. Simon & Schuster. 272 pages. [Source: Library] [Adult nonfiction]
4. My Name is Mahtob. Mahtob Moody. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 352 pages. [Source: Library] [Memoir]

Christian fiction:

1. A Sweet Misfortune. Maggie Brendan. 2016. Revell. 336 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Historical Romance]
2. The Screwtape Letters. C.S. Lewis. 1942. HarperCollins. 224 pages. [Source: Bought] [Adult fantasy]
3. The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations. George Herbert. 1633. 192 pages. [Source: Library] [poetry]

Christian nonfiction:  

1. Habits for Our Holiness. Philip Nation. 2016. Moody Publishers. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Christian living, spiritual disciplines, theology]
2. Touching the Hem: A Biblical Response to Physical Suffering. Elizabeth A. Johnson. 2013. Ambassador International. 160 pages. [Source: Bought] [christian living, suffering, christian nonfiction]
3. Lessons from a Hospital Bed. John Piper. 2016. Crossway. 80 pages. [Source: Free from Desiring God Ministries.] [Gift book, christian living, suffering]
4. A Peculiar Glory. John Piper. Crossway. 2016. 304 pages. [Source: Review copy] [book about the Bible, christian nonfiction, theology]
5. Parables. John MacArthur. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 288 pages. [Source: Gift from Grace to You] [book about the Bible, christian nonfiction]
6. Walking As He Walked. Joel R. Beeke. 2002/2007. 133 pages. [Source: Bought] [Christian living, christian nonfiction]
7. Hosea and Joel. J. Vernon McGee. 1978/1996. Thomas Nelson. 180 pages. [Source: Bought] [Bible commentary]
8. Mere Christianity. C.S. Lewis. 1943. 256 pages. [Source: Library] [Christian classic]
9. 1 Corinthians: The Word of the Cross. Stephen T. Um. 2015. Crossway. 368 pages. [Source: Review copy] [Bible commentary]
10. My Name is Mahtob. Mahtob Moody. 2015. Thomas Nelson. 352 pages. [Source: Library] [Memoir]
11. The Answer to Bad Religion is Not No Religion. Martin Thielen. 2014. Westminster John Knox. 160 pages. [Source: Library] [Not exactly recommended]
12. Healed of Cancer. Dodie Osteen. 1986/2003. Lakewood Church. 81 pages. [Source: Borrowed] [Definitely not recommended]

© 2016 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews