What We've Been Reading

I have once again fallen behind on what's supposed to be my monthly post on what chapter books we have been reading.  Since my last post, we read the sequel to Caddie Woodlawn, Magical Melons.  I have really enjoyed these stories about Caddie, a high-spirited, tomboyish pioneer girl.  I don't remember learning much about pioneer life in my schooling, but I really enjoy reading about it now with my children.  I like reading about the dynamics of attending school in a one-room schoolhouse.  I like reading about the visits from relatives only known through letters.  I like reading about a time when shopping trips were a rare and special event.


We also read The Secret Garden.  I never read this book as a child, but I so loved reading it to Mary and Maggie.  In case you don't know the plot, this is the story of a little girl, whose parents die in India, and is sent to live with her uncle in England.  The little girl, who was previously spoiled rotten, has to learn to do things for herself and occupies her time in the gardens of her uncle's estate.  She seems to come alive when she finds her way into a locked garden which has been unkempt for years.  In twists and turns that you really must read in the book, she and two friends bring the garden back to life and grow and mature themselves along the way.  Although I heartily recommend this book, there was one chapter with some really weird mystical kind of spirituality.  Even my four-year old and six-year old recognized it as such!  I don't necessarily shy away from such things.  I figure they spark some great conversations!


We also read The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright.  Honestly, I had never before heard of this book or the remaining three volumes that comprise the Melendy Quartet.  We came across it in our writing program, The Complete Writer, and were intrigued.  Simultaneously, we were unable to obtain copies of two books on our reading plan, so we substituted The Saturdays. The Melendy family consists of four children, Mona, Miranda, Rush, and Oliver, who live with their father and nanny in New York.  One Saturday, the children are bored and decide to create a club, the Independent Saturday Afternoon Adventure Club or ISAAC.  They combine their weekly allowance and give it to one member of the club to use towards an adventure of his or her choosing.  Even little Oliver goes off on an adventure all alone.  Each adventure highlights the unique personality of each child and results in a life lesson.  We really enjoyed reading this book and will likely read the remaining books of the quartet in the future.