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The Shakeress – Kimberley Heuston

It is the beginning of the 1800’s. Naomi, her older brother Ben, and her younger siblings Eli and Glory have been left orphaned by a house fire that claimed not only their parents’ lives, but that of the baby as well. They have been sent to live with Aunt Thankful, a woman who does not live up to her name but instead takes everything on herself as a burden and a curse. Rather than being grateful that the four children survived the fire, she complains about the extra work and expense of raising them, and she informs Naomi that she … Continue reading →

Number the Stars – Lois Lowry

I’ve read quite a number of books about the Holocaust, but it wasn’t until reading “Number the Stars” that I read about it from the Danish perspective. It was fascinating. Annemarie Johansen lives in Denmark with her family and has a best friend named Ellen Rosen, who is a Jew. As the political tensions in Denmark increase, Annemarie and her family take in Ellen for a while, until her parents can get her to safety – Jews are disappearing all over Denmark. Annemarie’s mother takes her and Ellen on a trip to visit their uncle, a fisherman in the north … Continue reading →

The Crimson Oak – E. M. Almedingen

This young adult novel was set in a time of Russia’s history where education was only allowed to the rich, and peasants were allowed very little at all. The author was born in Russia and the story is rich with culture and heritage. Our main character is Peter, a boy who dreams of more. One morning, he had the rare treat of a whole day off to do whatever he wanted. His mother asked him to go pick some berries, and he didn’t want to do it, but he sighed and headed off anyway. On his way back from the … Continue reading →

Billy Creekmore – Tracey Porter

“Billy Creekmore” by Tracey Porter was an unexpected delight for me. The story of a young boy who was left at a cruel orphanage, I thought it would be depressing and gloomy. It did have depressing moments, but Billy’s spiritedness and determination to survive pulled it out of the gloom and made it remarkable. When Billy was born, he opened his eyes and gestured at the ceiling, saying, “There.” It shocked his midwife so much, she said he must be communing with spirits. His mother’s heart was weak to begin with, and she didn’t survive the birth, and his father … Continue reading →

When the Road Ends – Jean Thesman

In “When the Road Ends” by Jean Thesman, Mary Jack is a twelve-year-old who has spent her entire life in the foster care system. Passed around from home to home, she’s never had any constancy in her life until now, having been placed with Father Matt and his wife. Father Matt is a well-meaning man of the cloth – his heart’s in the right place, but he doesn’t often have the courage to follow through. His wife is an unkind, unfeeling woman who complains endlessly about all she has to endure, and Mark Jack finds herself taking up a lot … Continue reading →

The Window – Michael Dorris

Rayona knows her mother’s not responsible enough to take care of her, but that doesn’t keep her from having fierce loyalty. For years she’s made excuses for her mom’s midweek benders and hangovers, the lack of food in the fridge from grocery money spent on alcohol instead, and the days missed at work because her mom was too “sick” to go in. When Rayona’s dad comes for a visit and sees how things really are, he removes Rayona from the house and calls in a rehab clinic to take in the mom. At first, Rayona thinks she’ll be living with … Continue reading →

Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites – Chris Heimerdinger

In the novel that launched LDS author Chris Heimerdinger’s successful career, we meet Jim Hawkins, a teenage boy who’s been in a lot of trouble lately. He’s causing heartache to his parents and grandmother with his attitude toward church, and he needs a wake-up call in the worst way. His grandmother, ever vigilant about her family, says a special prayer that something will happen to Jim that will bring the spirit into his life. Garth Plimpton is Jim’s exact opposite. Nerdy where Jim is cool (or at least, where Jim perceives himself to be cool) Garth has studied the scriptures … Continue reading →