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Elephant Man

December 2, 2015 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

2 Dec

Title: Elephant Man
Author: Mariangela Di Fiore
Major Themes: Proteus Syndrome
Synopsis: Because Joseph Merritt smelled bad and had growths all over his body, he couldn’t find a job, and ended up on display at freak shows.

As I’ve mentioned in some other reviews, I love picture books that tell a true, obscure story from history. After reading this kind of book, you won’t soon forget about the story it tells. I found Elephant Man to be very fascinating—and sad. My daughter looked over my shoulder as I read the book on my computer, and she wanted to read it, too, as soon as I was done. My sons were also fascinated by the plight of poor Joseph Merritt.

Joseph Merritt was born looking normal, but within a few years his body started growing lumps all over, and he smelled bad. For the rest of his life he struggled. His mother died and his stepmother hated him. He couldn’t hold a job because, even if someone would hire him despite his looks and smell, he had a difficult time using his hands. For awhile, he was displayed by showmen for people to gawk at. Until he was taken in by a doctor and given a room in a hospital in which to live, Joseph’s life was miserable.

Elephant Man is illustrated with a combination of photographs and drawings. You will find this story a fascinating glimpse into the life of a man with a rare disease, probably Proteus syndrome.

Note: I received a free ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Martin Luther: The Courage to Seek

December 1, 2015 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

1 Dec

Martin Luther: The Courage to Seek by Edwin P. Booth

Title: Martin Luther: The Courage to Seek
Author: Edwin P. Booth
Series: Heroes of the Faith
Major Themes: Martin Luther, Germany
Synopsis: Using many quotes from Martin Luther’s own writings, the life and teachings of the great reformer are described.

Martin Luther: The Courage to Seek is the fifth book I’ve read in the Heroes of the Faith series. I found the other four quite interesting, but this one about Martin Luther was a hard one for me to get through. As a biography, it is very accurate. Interspersed through the story are a lot of quotes from Luther’s own writings or contemporary records. I found the writing style to be very dry, however. Maybe it was because I read an edited edition, or maybe it was because the author spent a lot of time talking about theological issues. I’m not sure.

This story of Martin Luther talks a lot about Luther’s spiritual progression, how he became a monk over his father’s objections and then began seeing the inconsistencies in the Catholic church. Eventually matters came to the point at which Martin felt like he had to do something about his differences with the church. He wrote his famous 95 points and posted them on the church door—the community bulletin board of his time—and, without intending to do so, sparked the Reformation.

One chapter I found interesting dealt with the Peasant’s Rebellion. For centuries the peasants had been mistreated and repressed by the nobility, kept in a state of near-starvation. Finally they had had enough and revolted against their oppressors, only to be slaughtered by the better-armed army.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Sticks Across the Chimney

November 27, 2015 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

27 Nov

Sticks Across the Chimney by Nora Burglon

Title: Sticks Across the Chimney
Author: Nora Burglon
Major Themes: Vikings, Archaeology, Scandinavia, Denmark
Synopsis: Erik and Siri do their best to help their mother make a living for the family on their small farm in Denmark, and then help their grandfather excavate the Viking burial mound on the farm, despite the harassment of the local Postmaster and his son.

We have spent a few enjoyable weeks reading Sticks Across the Chimney together. Over and over, I was begged for more after I finished reading the passage scheduled for the day, and over and over I said no, we were going to stick to the schedule and not read extra! Well, yesterday I decided we’d read the last two chapters, rather than wait till after the weekend, and we’ve finally finished this lovely story.

In the beginning of the story, Siri and Erik are trying to figure out how they can go to the Spring Fair, with no money for entrance and no exhibit. Mother gives them an idea for an exhibit, and they work very hard to ready it for the school competition—but someone else’s exhibit is chosen instead. They decide to go anyway, and try to sell the little wooden figures they carved and painted. After a difficult trip across the water, and nearly drowning in a sudden storm, they reach the Fair, and a chain of events is set off which ends in Grandfather coming to open the Viking Mound on the farm they had been able to buy cheaply because everyone thought it was haunted.

The story line is very simple, but sweet. Many little tidbits of information about Scandinavia, and especially Denmark, are scattered naturally through the book. There is also an unforgettable description of Viking customs as the burial mound is excavated. Sticks Across the Chimney would be a great story to accompany a study of Vikings, archaeology, Scandinavia, or even farm life!

WARNING: Chapter 4: mention of infanticide, planting by the moon, “my gosh.” Chapter 5: killing a snake. Chapter 6: stork dies, eagle tries to kill duck. Chapter 7: night watchman shoots at an intruder, “why in God’s name.” Chapter 8: dead man found, skeleton found. Chapter 9: man tells a lie. Chapter 10: “so blasted narrow.”

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 8 – 12, 10 – 12

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

Penny and Peter

November 26, 2015 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

26 Nov

Title: Penny and Peter
Author: Carolyn Haywood
Major Themes: Early Readers
Synopsis: Penny and Peter, now really-truly brothers, have many fun times together, and with their friend Patsy.

When my second son was around six years old, Carolyn Haywood was his favorite author. I found a number of her books at the library, and read them all to him. I had forgotten about her in the years since then, but when I recently read Here’s a Penny to my fifth son, I was reminded of how my older boy had loved them. And, when I started reading Penny and Peter to the younger boy, the older one made sure, if at all possible, that he was around to hear these delightful stories again—even though he is now fourteen!

Penny and Peter is not an exciting detective story; there really isn’t a connected plot through the book at all. However, it is real-life stories of two very real little boys. These little boys, who are maybe seven or eight years old, and their friend Patsy, love their parents and want to obey and help them. They find themselves in scrapes at times, and must figure out how to remedy the problem. The most memorable has to be the time Penny and Peter caught a big basketful of crabs the morning they were to go back home to the city after a month of vacation on the seashore, and took the crabs with them on the train! Of course, the basket tipped, and the crabs scuttled under the seats, and Penny and Peter had to catch them . . . .

First published in 1946, Penny and Peter is a beautiful glimpse of children living in a less-restricted time than we find ourselves in today. Your young child will love this collection of stories!

WARNING: I noticed words like “gee” a few times.

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 5 – 8, 8 – 12
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9, 8 – 12

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback | Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com

The Gods Must Be Angry

November 25, 2015 by Emma Filbrun · Leave a Comment

25 Nov

The Gods Must Be Angry by Sheila Miller and Ian Murray

Title: The Gods Must Be Angry
Author: Sheila Miller and Ian Murray
Major Themes: Thailand, Missionaries
Synopsis: After Bradit accidentally knocks the head off the Happy Idol, his family realizes that neither the Happy Idol nor the Sad Idol has any power to fix it.

Back when I had a bookstore, The Gods Must Be Angry was a book I saw in one of the many catalogs I had. I always wanted to read it (and sell it), but never was able to for some reason. I can’t remember anymore why, probably something about minimum orders being too high for my small store. Anyway, I finally got the book for my children a few years ago when I needed to flesh out the kindergarten level of Sonlight. There are a few books Sonlight uses in that level that I don’t care for, so I replace them with other books.

The Gods Must Be Angry is a great story! It takes place in Thailand. Bradit, a schoolboy, is left home alone one day when his mother goes to market. He pretends to be leading the school band he saw marching yesterday—but his stick hits the Happy Idol and knocks off its head! Bradit is horrified and does his best to lie his way out of trouble. The whole family is upset and believe bad luck will come to them. What actually does happen in this true story?

The Gods Must Be Angry is a good companion to Ian and the Gigantic Leafy Obstacle. In fact, at the end, it mentions that Bradit told this story to Ian! It is a wonderful early introduction to missionaries and God’s power versus the impotence of idols.

No warnings!

Age levels:

Listening Level—Ages 3 – 4, 5 – 8
Reading Independently—Ages 7 – 9

Links to buy this book:

Amazon: Paperback
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com