What I Read: September

Here are some of the books I have read lately:

 I read Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang for a book group. This book is written for a younger audience, and is the author's own first-hand account of what it was like to be a young girl in China during the Cultural Revolution. I learned things I hadn't known and it made me want to learn more about this time in China's history, but more than that I was inspired by Ji-li's courage and loyalty to her family. I think this would be a great book to read with children ages 11 and up and it brings up a lot of ideas you could discuss ranging from what is government's roll in society to the importance of family and staying loyal to those we love and care about. I have a list of books I keep that I can refer to for books to read and discuss with my children, and after reading this I put it on the list.

Speaking of books you can read with your children, Candy Bomber by Michael O. Tunnell is another good one. This is a really quick read, but I also loved learning a little about this time in history, right after World War II. It has a lot of pictures and is an easy read, but still contains a lot of information and the heartwarming story of how US Air Force Lieutenant Gail S. Halvorsen began dropping candy to the children in the war-torn city of Berlin. This is another book I plan to read with my kids, not only to educate about a time in history but also to learn how one person can truly make a difference and change lives.

And I guess I have been on a kick of reading books for younger audiences, because I also read A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I saw a list of children's classic literature awhile back and realized that while I recognized and knew the story line for most of the books, I hadn't actually ever read a lot of them. This book was one of them and I hope to gradually make my way through reading them. I loved reading the story of Sara Crewe and how she learns that generosity and love are the things to value in life, no matter what our circumstances. This is another great one to read with your children.

That's what I've been reading! I think I've decided I want to keep reading some more classic children's literature, there are so many good ones out there.