This week I read nine books.
41. Rebellion 1776. Laurie Halse Anderson. 2025. 405 pages. [Source: Library] [YA historical; MG historical, 4 stars]
Read this if...
- You enjoy historical coming of age novels
- You enjoy historical fiction set during the American Revolution
- You enjoy reading books with epidemics--small pox in this instance
42. Inkheart. Cornelia Funke. 2003. 563 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars, MG fantasy, Mg Fiction]
Read this if...
- You enjoy books about books
- You enjoy fantasy novels
- You enjoy coming of age fantasy novels

Read this if...
- You enjoy classics
- You enjoy children's classics
- You enjoy fantasy novels with quests
39. Umbrella. Taro Yashima. 1958/1977. 40 pages. [Source: Bought]
Read this if...
- You enjoy classic picture books
- You enjoy picture books celebrating independence
- You enjoy rhythmic picture books
- You LOVE Taro Yashima's incredible art
40. The Saggy Baggy Elephant. Kathryn and Byron Jackson. Illustrated
by Gustav Tenggren. 1947. 24 pages. [Source: Library] [5 stars, picture
book, golden book, children's classic]
Read this if...
- You enjoy classic Little Golden Books
- You love elephants
41. The Kitten Who Thought He Was A Mouse. Miriam
Norton. Illustrated by Garth Williams. 1951. 22 pages. [Source: Bought
[4 stars, Little Golden Book]
Read this if...
- You enjoy classic Little Golden Books
- You love CATS
- You love fictional mice
- You enjoy nature versus nurture stories
Read this if...
- You love books with mirrors
- You enjoy books that are all about building self-esteem
37. When I Talk To God, I Talk About You. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2023. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]
Read this if...
- You enjoy books celebrating parenthood
- You enjoy those sentimental sweet books [think LOVE YOU FOREVER or GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU)
38. When I Talk To God, I Talk About Feelings. Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [4 stars] [picture book]
Read this if....
- You are looking for a concept book about feelings and emotions
- You are looking for a theologically light introduction to prayer
Century of Viewing, week 17
1920s
- 1922 My Wife's Relations. Buster Keaton. A man finds himself accidentally married and living with some unbearable relations. I absolutely LOVE this one. It's a great short.
- 1922 The Blacksmith. Buster Keaton. I LOVE this one so much now that I've discovered the Buster Keaton approved cut of the film. Definitely recommended.
- 1922 Frozen North. Buster Keaton. Life is but a dream. A man falls asleep at the movie theater...and dreams he's a villain in a film.
- 1922 The Electric House. LOVED this one. Buster Keaton. A mix-up of diplomas leads a botanist to take a job as an electrical engineer.
- 1922 Day Dreams. LIFE is NOT a dream. Buster Keaton. Run far, far, far away from that woman and her horrid father, Buster!!!! A man makes a deplorable deal in an attempt to win approval for a marriage.
- 1923 The Balloonatic. Buster Keaton. Misadventure abounds after Buster finds himself accidentally afloat in a hot air balloon....
- 1923 Love Nest. Buster Keaton. Life is but a dream. Yet another short where it's all a dream. In this one, a broken-hearted man vows to sail the seas in an attempt to forget his lost love....
- 1923 Three Ages. Buster Keaton. This is a parody--of sorts--to Intolerance (1916). Intolerance was NOT a comedy--not intentionally at least. Though there was much room to poke fun perhaps. This was Buster Keaton's first feature film to STAR and DIRECT. (The Saphead was his first feature film, it was for a different studio). Three different time periods, the same love story plays out: Prehistoric, Roman, and Modern. (Intolerance had four time periods: Babylon, First Century Judea, French Middle Ages, and Modern). Buster Keaton was "stuck" with his leading lady. She won a beauty contest in the UK, I believe, and was promised a leading role in a Hollywood film. The original movie that she was to have a role in....rejected her as talent-less...and sent her off to do a comedy because 'acting skills don't matter in a comedy.' Buster was not happy either. She didn't take to acting intuitively and wasn't the best with direction coaching either. But it is what it is. (I am curious how the movie would have done if it had had a better actress--one more Buster Keaton's match.) Buster, I believe, did a lot of improv and changing scenes in the moment.
- 1923 Our Hospitality. Buster Keaton stars with his wife, Natalie Talmadge, in this period drama. It actually features THREE generations of Keatons. His father, Joe, plays a train engineer. Buster himself, obviously in the lead. And his firstborn son plays a small role as well in the opening framework. Buster and Natalie found out they were expecting during the filming, so, that effected how they filmed her....which led to some convenient blanket scenes. Joe Roberts who had long appeared in Keaton's shorts stars for the last time. He died before the premiere of the movie. So filming also had to work around his health. Essentially, feuding families....a son and daughter from both sides...ultimately fall in love....and after many misadventures--and dashing rescues--true love wins the day. The first version I saw was good, but, the second I came upon was LONGER and was a much better cut of the film. Again just showing that you have to be willing to search around and see what cuts are available and be willing to rewatch to see if you're missing out on anything.
- 1926 The General. Carl Davis soundtrack. Buster Keaton stars as Johnnie Gray, a train engineer that loves his engine, The General, and his girl, Annabelle. He will be put to the ultimate test when both are kidnapped by the enemy. Love this one. Obviously. Which is why it keeps appearing weekly.
1970s
- 1970 The Aristocats. Disney animated musical starring Parisian cats! One of my absolute favorite Disney movies.
- 1978 Les Miserables. A GREAT adaptation of Les Miserables. It is ABRIDGED and quite severely cut down--as far as characters and extra side stories--but what it covers, it covers WELL.
1980s
- 1983 Murder in Coweta County. Andy Griffith plays a HORRID villain and it's Johnny Cash as sheriff who might just bring about justice.
1990s
- 1993 Schindler's List. I don't watch this Holocaust film often....but it is SO GOOD.
- 1997 The Rainmaker. Legal drama. It was SO good as well. Definitely glad I watched it. Essentially fresh out of law school lawyer takes on his first case--one of corruption involving an insurance company. Will he win?
2020s
- 2025 Not really 'completed' yet, but I am watching the Karen Read Retrial. Four days of trial this week. Some days are just about four or five hours of coverage, others are closer to nine. So expect that to have *some effect* on what I can watch heading into May.
© 2025 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews