The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge–a gem from 1922
The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge
by Lilian Garis
My sister-in-law, in downsizing, came across this book with my name written in the front. I was delighted when she offered to mail it to me. I remember buying it in sixth grade when the teachers opened up the book room and held a sale. From the markings, it appears that the local library had donated books to the school. This book with a copyright date of 1922 seems to have been formally checked out many times, but then informally checked out at the school in the 1948-1952 time period. I was born in 1952, so this book was sitting on a shelf, unread, for about 12 years before it landed in my hands and then literally a lifetime before it made it back to me.
The Girl Scouts at Rocky Ledge is a delightful read. It is the tale of pretty little Nora, pampered with the best and most delicate of clothes. She has a vivid imagination that confounds most adults. She is sent for a month’s vacation with Jerry and Ted (Theodora). Jerry is a surveyor and Ted specializes in wildlife. They spend their days exploring the terrain around the house where they live. There are a group of Girl Scouts camping in their area, with khaki uniforms, rules, and lots of freedom. The Chickadee Patrol adopts Nora, and she discovers that there are many benefits to their way of passing the summer.
I would love to spend time with Jerry and Ted who are fun loving and accepting. The Girl Scouts are quite individualistic and indulge in friendly teasing. A mystery arises when Nora in her wanderings discovers Lucia, a frightened little girl and resolves to help her, leaving food for her until one day she disappears. Another mystery revolves around Vita, the Italian cook in the household. She engages in odd conversations with Nora about the attic as if she is trying to scare Nora.
I enjoyed the older but not stilted style of writing. The characters and narrator have a broader vocabulary than we are used to in children’s books, but it is quite understandable even to the modern ear. The first chapter is confusing because Nora wants to rename her hosts. They take it in good stride and then the story is in full swing. Cap (Captain) is a canine character who can be relied on to judge people well and to take care of Nora as she explores the woods.
Lilian Garis (20 October 1873 – 19 April 1954) was a prolific American writer of juvenile fiction. She authored hundreds of books from 1915 to the early 1940’s. She was a newspaper reporter when she met her future husband Howard Garis, also a reporter. He was as prolific as his wife as he wrote the Uncle Wiggily Longears series. These stories first appeared daily in the newspaper, every day except Sunday, for almost 40 years—11,000 stories which were nationally syndicated and compiled into books. Both authors’ books have been reprinted over the years giving testament to their appeal and quality of writing.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Children’s Fiction
Notes: Part of the Girl Scout Series, but is a standalone. The intended audience is probably ages 8-12, but it would be fun for girls of all ages
Publication: 1922—Cupples and Leon Company
Memorable Lines:
If one could look pretty after a ducking in a strange lake, Nora did. Her curls liked nothing better, and her cheeks pinked up prettily, while her eyes—they were as blue as the violets that listened in the underbrush.
The day brings wisdom, and when Nora again dressed in the borrowed khaki suit (she had suddenly taken a dislike to her own fancy dresses), the glorious sunshine of the bright summer morning mocked the terrors of the night.
Nora was disconsolate. For two days the dainties left for Lucia had remained untouched. The bread box which Vita had given her to play with, and into which the food was deposited for Lucia, stood upon the tree stump with the sliced lamb, the piece of cake, and the big orange which comprised the last installment offered by the sympathetic Nora, just as she had left it.
The Swiss Nurse–refugees from war
The Swiss Nurse
by Mario Escobar
I am so glad that I had read other books by Mario Escobar, because this work of historical fiction started off roughly for me. I feel sure the fault was my own. I am shamefully unfamiliar with the Spanish Civil War, and I started the book too late in the evening. I persevered the next day, however, and was quickly immersed in a tale of evil hearts and the strength of some good people who worked to help others in dire circumstances.
When Franco and his troops were successful in this war, they were determined to obliterate the Republicans fighting for their freedom and anyone associated with them. The result was a massive exodus of refugees into southern France which was not prepared for the influx and did not welcome them with open arms. The “camps” they provided were sandy beaches with no structures. There was little food and no potable water; the refugees were not allowed outside the camp.
This book is about the refugees in that war which was followed up by the events of World War II and the further torment of innocents by the French Vichy government which was a puppet government of the Nazis, and then by the Nazis themselves. Much of the story describes the horrible conditions of the refugee camps and the strength and boldness of Elisabeth Eidenbenz, a Swiss woman whose focus was orphans in Spain until she was forced relocate to southern France where she opened a hospital taking in pregnant women and giving them a safe place to deliver their babies. The other main character is Isabel, a Spanish lady who married Peter, an American who fought with the Spanish for their liberation. Their lives intersect when Isabel gives birth to her precious daughter Lisa at the Elne Maternity Hospital. With Peter held in various prisons and concentration camps and conscripted into the army for manual labor, Isabel stays to help in the maternity hospital.
The author pulls the reader into the horrible conditions and the faith and courage of characters who stand up for what is right. As a reader, you want everything to turn out great for the sympathetic characters. This is, however, a work of historical fiction, so not everyone has a happy ending. It is important to read works like this so that we are not duped yet again by politicians who promise good things and deliver nothing, creating untenable situations. History like this must not be allowed to repeat itself.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Multicultural, Fiction
Notes: Additional material includes: References, Clarifications from History, Timeline, Discussion Questions, and Information about the Author and the Translator
Publication: April 14, 2023—Harper Muse
Memorable Lines:
Gazing off into the distance, their gaunt faces reflected the weary sadness of their souls. Their cheeks were sunken with hunger, and their skin was pallid from exhaustion and malnourishment.
An entire generation had been killed for naught: anonymous heroes on both sides, idealists attracted by the siren songs of their leaders who stayed safe in the rear guard. The only hope was to erase those painful years from their lives and try to start over from scratch.
Argelès-sur-Mer had been both refuge and jail. It had stamped out of us the hope of recovering our lives one day. We were now flea-infested riffraff with bones aching from damp nights spent on hard sand with thin blankets. The starry sky had been our prison roof.
“Sometimes we have to feel our way in the dark in order to find the path, but beyond the fog the sky is still blue, and the sun is still shining.”
Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie–murder in Maine
Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie
by Sarah Graves
Jake (Jacobia) and her best friend Ellie own The Chocolate Moose, a small bakery where the two ladies create delicious chocolate treats for residents and tourists in “the quaint island fishing village of Eastport, Maine.” When Ellie discovers the dead body of a new competitor across the street, she becomes the target of a murder investigation as she has “the murder trifecta: motive, method, and opportunity.” Bob, the local police chief, is sympathetic and turns a blind eye to some of Jake and Ellie’s undoubtedly illegal efforts to clear Ellie, but there is just so much he can do with the state cops taking a lead role in the investigation.
Despite the seriousness of the crime, the book has humor sprinkled throughout as it is told from Jake’s viewpoint, and she manages to get herself into some very awkward situations. Disappearances and attacks keep Jake and Ellie following clues as they arise—often through dense fog and animal encounters.
Added into the plot are family concerns. Jake’s father and stepmother who live with her are quarreling about moving to an assisted living facility. Jake’s son Sam and his wife Mika seem to have marital problems, and Sam moves back home. He doesn’t want to talk about the strife in their marriage; and between the bakery and her murder investigation, Jake doesn’t really have time to get involved.
Jake fears her past may come back to haunt her, but she pushes ahead with her investigation anyway. Before her move to Eastport, Jake was involved in bookkeeping for the mob. In her efforts to survive a traumatic childhood, a marriage to a “sludge-dwelling slime toad of a cheating husband,” the law coming down on her bosses, and her son’s delinquency at the age of twelve, Jake took sackfuls of money and successfully started a new life in Maine.
Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie has a complicated plot with a lot of subplots that will keep readers guessing and holding their breaths as Jake dangles from rope ladders, speeds through thick fog in her classic Fiat 124 Sport Spider, and stares down the barrel of a gun.
….What about creating the perfect Chocolate Marshmallow Pie? That’s Ellie’s daughter’s request for her birthday treat!
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Mystery
Notes: 1. #6 in the Death by Chocolate Mystery series, but is acceptable as a standalone
2. Some light cursing
3. Sadly, the included recipe is for Chocolate Marshmallow Gingerbread, not for Chocolate Marshmallow Pie. I haven’t tried it, but it sounds pretty good. Kind of like a decadent apple spice cake with chocolate chips thrown in for good measure.
Publication: April 25, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
In Eastport, if you burn yourself on a hot skillet at one end of the island, ten minutes later people at the other end are breaking a piece of aloe off a plant in their windowsill for you.
I began flailing while dropping like a stone. Luckily, one of my wildly flapping hands hit a ladder rung and grabbed it. I don’t remember the next part, but I’m sure it involved cursing plus rope burns. Then I was on the ground, mad, hornet stung, and embarrassed beyond belief at my clumsy performance.
And have I mentioned how dark it was out here? Dark and full of tiny, hungry bugs called blackflies, this being summer in Maine and me being the tastiest morsel that any of them had seen recently. The rising hum of bloodsucking insects gathering for a feast was drowned out only by the angry roar of the Jeep, still behind me and still making headway.
Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal
Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal
by Esau McCaulley
Ash Wednesday is the “kick off” event of Lent for Christians. There are many of us who, like the author, did not grow up in a church that participated in Lenten practices. In fact, my first exposure was a coworker who fasted and upped her walking every year for Lent. Colleagues who had worked with her for years said smirkingly that although she made sure everyone knew she was fasting, the effort was not really aimed at a closer relationship with God, but at attaining the beach body she wanted for spring vacation. Her motivation is between her and God; discerning it is not my job.
Over the years I have worshiped God in Baptist churches and independent mega-churches. Currently a part of the traditional liturgical movement, I am learning about Lent as practiced in the Book of Common Prayer. To that end, my book club has read Lent: The Season of Repentance and Renewal. It is part of the Fullness of Time series of which author McCaulley is the editor. The series is composed of short books written by various authors. They explain the various customs practiced by early Christians extending through our contemporary age. It is physically a beautiful series as the book covers are decorated with symbols and colors appropriate to each church season. The pages inside are incredibly smooth and slightly off-white. It is so elegantly designed that I can not bring myself to mark the many special passages or make notes in the margins.
Lent examines our need for repentance, the certainty of death, and the promise of eternal life in Jesus. McCaulley examines the rituals of Lent explaining how Christians can decide on a personal level what practices might be most useful with an emphasis on fasting. Fasting for food can be done in a variety of ways or not at all. Fasting might be giving up something else that is a distraction from devotion to God. Above all, I would say that the author’s approach is spiritual, not legalistic. There is no one right or wrong way to “do Lent.”
This little book also examines the collects (prayers) and the Scriptures associated with Lent in the Book of Common Prayer. It should be noted that McCaulley refers to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Most of the prayers found in my 1928 version and perhaps in other earlier or later editions are different from the ones he quotes. He chose that version because that is the one he was using when he began to practice Lent and therefore the one he is most comfortable providing discourse on. The differences don’t distract, but can provide more depth to the study of the season of Lent.
The last chapter deals with Holy Week, the last week in the life of Jesus Christ. This little tome details the various days such as Maundy Thursday, an important day because of the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion or Eucharist). Less well known is the continuing practice of feet washing as set by the example of Jesus. Although Jesus’ message is clear and plain, “follow me and you will be saved,” there are many mysteries and much symbolism in the Bible. Perhaps McCaulley’s discussion of Lent will clarify for you the traditions that have emerged over the centuries.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Nonfiction
Notes: There are a few typos (probably generated by auto-correct) in this book which will hopefully be corrected in future printings. The other two books I read from this series did not have this problem.
Publication: 2022—InterVarsity Press
Memorable Lines:
Fasting then is not about us earning God’s forgiveness; it is about reminding ourselves through our fasting of our radical dependence on God.
Too often, Christians believe the lie that we have to dig down deep and discover in ourselves the strength and resolve to defeat our foes. Instead, we must realize that if we dig down to the bottom of ourselves, we’ll find a wounded soul in need of healing.
All these rituals, prayers, and ceremonies are simply doorways into the thing itself: God in all his splendor. May we find him afresh every year until we see him face-to-face.
Summer Nights at the Starfish Café–romance, parenting, and relationships
Summer Nights at the Starfish Café
by Jessica Redland
When I started reading Summer Nights at the Starfish Café, I almost did an about face to stop reading this fictional account of a summer in the lives of the residents of the “popular North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitsborough Bay.” Author Redland began with a list with descriptive notes about the main and some minor characters. It seemed like too much to keep up with, but I persisted and I’m so glad I did. Although I referred back to the list several times, I found that Redland reintroduces the characters with more information about them as they initially appear in the book. I had no trouble keeping up after that.
Redland tells the story by focusing on two main characters. Hollie owns the Starfish Café, and Kerry, a single mother of four, works part time for Hollie during the school term. Each one tells her part of the story written from her point of view. Their lives overlap, even in the summer, because they have many of the same friends.
With a delicate hand, Redland draws a picture of the difficult situations both women find themselves in the middle of through no fault of their own. Both are sympathetic characters who work hard at their jobs, in their relationships, and in support of those they love. Even the minor characters and characters that are unlikable are shown to be worthy of the reader’s attention and maybe even empathy. Romance is in the air in Whitsborough Bay for several characters with dates, weddings and pregnancy forming a central focus, but friendship, children, and pets are important also. Many of the characters are crew members of the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). There is a strong family feeling among them, and many of them are descendants of multiple generations of crew members.
Bitter estrangement between Hollie’s husband Jake and his sister Larissa bubbles over into violence. Kerry’s ex-husband, Cameron, after a six year absence with no explanation, decides he wants to renew his role as a father to his four children. Kerry wants it to happen slowly and in a way that won’t hurt her children. She sets boundaries and makes it clear that Cameron needs to put the kids’ needs above his own.
I enjoyed this novel. It has dramatic twists that keep the reader engaged. Kerry’s children play important roles as does Pickles, Hollie’s dog. I recommend this book for a fun read with depth of character and plot situation.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: #3 and the final book in the Starfish Café Series. It can be read as a standalone.
Publication: April 6 2023—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
I pictured Larissa’s pinched face, the scowl on her forehead, the stiffness in her body. It must be exhausting to carry that much hate and anger with you all the time. I hoped she didn’t take it out on her husband and son.
People are too quick to pass the blame onto something from their past as though that justifies everything, but it doesn’t. They make their own choices. They’re responsible for their own behaviour.
Keep dancing in the rain. There is always, ALWAYS someone having a tougher time than you. Smile. Sparkle. You’ve got this!
Hopefully Ever After–struggling against a past
Hopefully Ever After
by Beth Wiseman
This novel has a lot going for it:
- So many important themes including: forgiveness, faith, love, security, family, abuse, goals, healing, independence, maturity, drugs, love of books, respect.
- Interplay of Amish and Englisch characters with several experiencing one culture and considering or actually changing to the other.
- Temptations for both Amish and Englisch characters.
- Contrast of Amish lifestyles with Englisch lifestyles.
- View of how technology, especially cell phones, has affected the Amish.
- A great plot centered around a 16 year old girl, Eden, with a difficult upbringing who stays for a month with her Amish cousin and her husband. She discovers what a real family could be like.
- Lots of characters with their own difficulties—Samuel, a 17 year old with overly strict parents; Yvonne and Abraham who take in Eden for a month; Emma, a much older cousin who is Eden’s guardian; and Eden’s mom, a currently imprisoned drug addict.
- Emotional tale as Eden and Samuel struggle with their attraction to each other. Eden, who is determined to not be like her mother, has a past to overcome. Samuel is unsure of God’s will and is anxious to see the world outside his home community as it must be so exciting.
- The setting is described so well. Without air conditioning, beautiful Indiana farmland can be very hot in July. It was easy to imagine the characters with sweat pouring off them, trying to rehydrate and get a little cooling from battery operated fans.
- There are lots of twists along the way, and as the book moves toward its conclusion, a happily ever after seems out of reach. Thanks to some surprises, although problems are not magically solved, the ending is quite satisfying.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Romance, Religion, Fiction
Notes: #3 in the Amish Bookstore Novels, but the author fills in background quite well so it could be read as a standalone.
Publication: April 18, 2023—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
Eden didn’t even try to make friends at school these days. What was the point? They’d eventually find out her mother was in prison—a fact that seemed to define Eden, whether it was fair or not.
She could either choose to be a victim—life surely hadn’t treated her fairly—or let go of the past and commit to being the best person she could be. Eden chose the latter, but it wasn’t without a struggle.
“I know that everything changed for me once I found a relationship with God. At first it was like having a new friend, someone I could talk to about anything. And the more I talked, the more I knew God was listening.” She didn’t verbalize the last thought in her mind, probably the biggest change in her life since she had found God: she was no longer alone.
Once Upon a Buggy–Amish Romeo and Juliet
Once Upon a Buggy
by Shelley Shepard Gray
May and Carl at ages 16 and 17 respectively sneak off to the feed barn for some innocent time away from the prying eyes and ears of siblings. When a lightening bolt strikes the wooden structure, their lives are changed forever, as are the lives of their families when a feud develops and the formerly close neighbors stop communicating altogether. As part of the Amish community in Apple Creek, Ohio, they should have been able to get past guilt and blame, but they haven’t, especially Carl’s family because he was injured so badly.
Six years later, Carl returns to Apple Creek for the first time to visit. Scarred mentally and physically, he has made a lonely life for himself as an Englischer. He is successful, however, as a project manager for a manufacturing company. Carl wants to leave the past behind and unite the two families. His sister and May’s brother find themselves in a Romeo and Juliet scenario as they are quite smitten with each other, but know neither family would approve. Carl finds that he still has feelings for May.
The author puts lots of obstacles in the way, and at times reconciliation for the two families seems impossible. The parents in this book are, of course, Amish, and the customs are for families to stay together with the father having ultimate authority. The adult children often have to walk a fine line between living out their lives and respecting their parents.
Once Upon a Buggy is well written with lots of character development. The conflicts are realistic. I am not Amish and am only aware of their societal structure through fiction, but I was surprised that their bishop in six years had not intervened in the feud. He was helpful, however, when called on by the younger members of the families who pushed a confrontation so they could move on with their lives.
There are two scenes that particularly caught my interest. A tornado moved through their county. Because Carl is Englisch, many people find out about the tornado watch and later the warning through Carl and his access to technology. That scenario made me wonder how the Amish normally find out about tornadoes moving through. In my county in Oklahoma, we have sirens as a warning system. The families’ preparations for the event, their time of sheltering, and the community’s working together in the aftermath particularly drew my attention.
May’s family owns alpacas, and the herd has an important role in the story. I enjoyed learning more about them.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Romance
Notes: #2 in the Amish of Apple Creek Series, but works well as a standalone. I had not read #1 and didn’t feel like I had missed anything that would keep me from understanding or enjoying this book.
Publication: March 28, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
People started whispering. A low buzz surrounded her, sounding as if she was surrounded by a swarm of bees. Each one gossiping, talking, no doubt ready to sting her with an unkind comment.
It seemed that was how everyone handled his father now. They let Daed spout off rude things and didn’t correct him. Carl supposed that approach kept the peace, but he found it irritating.
“What I’m trying to say is that He did hear my prayers, but the solution wasn’t the one I thought I wanted. It was the one I needed. I didn’t need to have pain and sadness removed from my life…I just needed a way to manage them.”
Shielding the Baby–a K-9 mystery/romance
Shielding the Baby
by Laura Scott
Officer Danica Hayes and her K9 partner Hutch, a German Shepherd, work with the Pacific Northwest K9 Unit. They are called out to a double murder at a bridge in the Mount Rainier area. While investigating that case, she interviews Luke Stark, the brother of the female victim, Stacey. She was a co-owner with a friend of three resorts in the area. Luke, a recently divorced medic, was released from the Army when his ex-wife died in a car accident. He is adjusting to life as a single parent to his adorable nine month old son Caden. They live at the resort.
After Danica meets with Luke, there are various attacks on both Danica and Luke and attempted kidnappings of little Caden. Danica moves into the resort to try to protect the father and son. Caden loves Hutch who has multiple skills as a K9 officer and is instinctively very protective of Caden.
The story moves rapidly as Danica tries to discover the identity of the murderer and the assailant. She needs to determine if one person is responsible for all of the crimes, and if so what could the motivation possibly be? Meanwhile, a romance develops between Luke and Danica, as they hesitantly open up to each other despite Luke’s marriage failure and Danica’s childhood trauma. Danica’s faith in God inspires Luke to examine his own faith and renews his interest in having a closer relationship with God.
I enjoyed this page turner. It’s always interesting to read about the skills of K9 officers and their bonds with their human partners. I hope to read other books in this series and others by Laura Scott.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance, Mystery, Christian
Notes: 1. Harlequin designates this book as “Inspirational Romance/Love Inspired Suspense” which helps readers know if this is a good choice for them.
2. #1 in the Pacific Northwest K-9 Unit Series. Some threads were neatly tied, but there were other major threads left dangling. This is a series of eight books all written by different authors. I’m not sure how they will be connected. I do know that Colt and his dog, minor characters in this book, will take center stage in the next book, Scent of Truth by Valerie Hansen. I can’t tell if the unresolved issues will be sorted out in the second book of the series.
Publication: March 28, 2023—Harlequin Romance
Memorable Lines:
Shame on her for thinking the worst. Blame it on her tumultuous childhood.
The Pacific Northwest K9 Unit had been founded ten years ago, primarily funded through a generous federal grant bankrolled by Roland Evans, a philanthropist who strongly believed in their core mission of solving the most difficult crimes that transpired throughout several police jurisdictions in Washington State, including the three national parks.
Once he’d held his own on the battlefield, wielding a rifle while caring for injured soldiers, but civilian life, especially being a readymade father, was something completely outside his wheelhouse.
The Little Venice Bookshop–love of reading and family
The Little Venice Bookshop
by Rebecca Raisin
Luna and her mom traveled and lived all over the world until without explanation her mom decided to settle in a commune of like-minded women in tiny houses. Luna, following in her mother’s footsteps, is overtaken with wanderlust. She and her friend Gigi live in Thailand for a while. Then they decide to go to Venice, Italy, after Luna discovers letters left to her when her mother passed away suddenly. They seem to be leading her to a used bookstore in Venice. Luna is a book lover and the letters are from the owner of the store. Could he be the father she always wanted present in her life?
Luna is afraid of what she might discover. Why didn’t her mother tell her about this man? Will she scare him off if she confronts him with what she knows and imagines based on the letters? Why has he never tried to contact her? Because of her fears, Luna begins a pathway of lies and half-truths, a decision that just complicates things. She does convince the curmudgeon owner of the bookstore to hire her to help him with his floundering bookstore that he doesn’t even seem to care about. She and another new hire, Oscar, convince him to become a presence on social media and to try out some new ideas.
There is a lot of romance in the city of love, but Luna is still grieving the death of her mother and is not ready to emotionally commit to anyone. The story slows down a bit in the middle, but interest picks back up at the end. Luna learns about family and truth as she works her way through the mystery of who her father is.
I have read three other books by Rebecca Raisin that I very much enjoyed. This was not my favorite. I love bookstores and Italy, so I thought this would be a good fit for me. That didn’t work out, but I will be back to read more books by Raisin.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: The protagonist in this book relies on the occult, specifically tarot cards and a magic 8 ball, to help her make decisions. A passing reference would be acceptable to me, but her version of spirituality was throughout the book. If I had known that, I would not have requested this book as an ARC. If that does not bother you, then you might enjoy the book. My rating and review do not reflect that aspect of the book, but are based on plot and execution.
Publication: March 30, 2023—HQ Digital
Memorable Lines:
Mom was the creative, whimsical one of the pair, while Aunt Loui is practical. She’s the kind of woman you want beside you in an apocalypse. She cans fruit. Ferments vegetables. Mills her own flour. Can throat-punch in a pinch if called for, but she’s mainly a pacifist unless pushed.
“Now you mention it, he wears the mask of a man who’s had his heart broken, doesn’t he? Perhaps that’s why he’s so gruff, so impatient with people. He doesn’t care anymore. Even his beautiful bookshop has lost its appeal, and that is a tragedy.”
“You know the proudest moment for me as a mother was when Bella used to spend all her pocket money on books. I knew then I’d done my job well enough. If a child loves reading, they’ll never be alone. Even when the hard times come—and they always come—they’ll have a tonic for it. They’ll have a place to escape.”
Under the Tulip Tree–must-read book about slavery
Under the Tulip Tree
by Michelle Shocklee
We have all heard it: it is important for us to know history so we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. Michelle Shocklee does that in her novel Under the Tulip Tree. We get a view of slavery through the eyes of Lorena (Rena), an aspiring writer, who struggles to pursue her career in a male dominated society. She is sixteen when the stock market crashes and her privileged life changes forever. Seven years later she accepts a job with the Federal Writer’s Project (FWP) and meets Frankie who at 101 years old has a horrendous story to tell about what life was like for her and for others who were slaves.
The impact of someone being owned by another person is a concept that is hard for Rena to get her head around. The atrocities that Frankie shares are heartbreaking—even more so when you realize these things are drawn from actual events as told to FWP workers who were employed by the government to interview former slaves and record their stories for posterity.
What makes this story especially impactful is that Rena is telling this story from the viewpoint of a young White woman during the Great Depression. Although slaves had been freed, Blacks still did not enjoy equal rights. From sitting at the back of the bus, to lower pay, to being treated as dirty and ignorant, Blacks suffered from discrimination. Some Whites treated Blacks that way just because they could—acts of control and power. Some Whites treated Blacks that way because they were raised with that mindset, a deep cultural fear and hatred of someone who was different or because their own families had been mistreated by the Feds during and after the Civil War.
Rena’s father was a banker who fell apart after the crash. With her grandmother’s help, her family stayed afloat with both Rena and her mother getting jobs. Employment outside the home was something that was not acceptable for “their kind.” Rena’s mother was especially class conscious and worried about what her gossiping neighbors and former friends would say about Rena consorting with Blacks in Hell’s Half Acre where Frankie lived in a well-kept, small home boasting a beautiful floral garden and an outhouse.
As Frankie tells her story to Rena, the reader is quickly tied into the cruelty of the drama taking place in the book, and it becomes a page turner. It is harder to connect with Rena, but she grows as a person and becomes someone with the potential to do good. You can’t tell a story like this without pondering how a good God can allow bad things to happen. Frankie understandably harbors a lot of hate in her heart, but God works gently on her by bringing Illa, a Quaker woman, and Sam, a former slave, into her life, each encouraging, challenging and helping her.
Shocklee is a masterful storyteller, evoking empathy for 7 year old Frankie and embedding her into the heart of the reader. She shares the difficulties Frankie endured throughout her life without bearing down on graphic details. The author also dives into the “contraband” camp where Frankie lived for three years, still nominally a slave but under the protection of the Federal soldiers. Then she paints a picture of the horrors of war and its aftermath. As we learn about this part of history, we also see how citizens, both Black and White, were faring during the Great Depression. There are several surprising events at the end of this tale that help to bring closure for the characters and the reader.
There is a strong spiritual theme in Under the Tulip Tree. Frankie’s mother, Mammy, is a Christian believer, and although separated from each other early in Frankie’s life, Frankie never forgets her mother’s faith. Another important theme is literacy. Slaves were not allowed to learn to read. It was clear to the masters that slaves who could read could not be controlled as easily. Therefore books were forbidden. Frankie initially wanted very much to read, but the consequences were too great, robbing her of that desire. Standing up for what is right, for the downtrodden, for yourself against the power of the group in control is also a recurrent theme. All of these and many others remain ideas we wrestle with in our current society. On the positive side, we see the strength to be found in literacy, in trusting in God despite the circumstances, in the power in the Word of God, and in love for others—even our enemies.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian
Notes: 1. My personal thoughts in response to Under the Tulip Tree:
—The problem is not addressed in this book; but, sadly, slavery/human trafficking is widespread all over the world today. It is a major problem in the U.S.
—We make quick assumptions every day about other people based on where they come from, how they look and talk, and so many other factors. People, Black and White, did that in the book, and we still do it today.
- Original stories collected by WPA are available online from several sources. One is sponsored by Rice University: https://libguides.rice.edu/c.php?g=1231494&p=9012494
- Discussion questions are included in the back of the book.
Publication: 2020—Tyndale
Memorable Lines:
[Rena]: “People like me, like my family, we don’t know much about what slaves experienced. I’ve never heard of children being beaten with no one held accountable, or being forced into labor at the age of seven. Even though slavery isn’t legal anymore, I believe it’s important to remember the past as it truly was, not as we wish it to be.”
[Frankie]: “Helplessness washed over me, and I hated myself for it. Ever since the day I was sold away from Mammy, I’d despised helplessness. When overseers beat me and chased me down like an animal, I’d been helpless. When men used my body for their own pleasure and babies died, I’d been helpless to prevent it from happening. But the one thing I’d fought to maintain control over was my emotions. No one could force me to love or hate. They were mine to decide. I wasn’t about to allow this white woman to steal that away from me, no matter her attentive ministrations.”
[Sam]: “Don’t you see, Frankie? The day I landed on Miz Annabelle’s doorstep changed my life. I thought I found freedom when I ran away from my master, but it weren’t mine. Not yet. Freedom comes in knowing the truth of God. He loves each of us the same. He loves you, Frankie.”
education pathways 