Someone Named Eva by Joan M. Wolf

This book was also a possible assignment for Dax in 5th.  This historically based fiction unveils the Nazi agenda and beliefs and how strongly it held over the people who followed Hitler as well as those in Czechoslavakia who were not Jewish but who suffered at the hand of Hitler.  A view from those who met the "Aryan ideal " to be raised to be Germany's future.

It made be want to look more into this part of history.  So many perspectives of that time give a whole picture of the turmoil that was present.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

This is one of my favorites! This was a possibility for a novel study in Dax's fifth grade class and so I read it along with a few others out of curiosity.  It is a wondrous collection of life lessons woven in nonsense tapestry to bring some great Truths to life.  The argument between Dictionopolis and Digitopolis has long been in my mind- for my adoration of words long outweighed my opinion of digits. However, they are both helpful to life. One of the most perplexing things to me as an only child are sibling rivalries similar to the one between the two kings.

Answers to questions like "what is the point of this monotonous stuff?" do come out in real life parallel to how they happen in the book.  I have longed for independence and control like Milo did with the symphony.   I have experienced doing something with pure motives as he did with the "BUT" and finding I had made a mess for others.  As my aging wisdom grows, I have become so fond of Rhyme and Reason. Reason's quote, " You must never feel badly about making mistakes...as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being wrong for the right reasons than you do my being right for the wrong reasons," in Chapter 18 stirs my heart.

My absolute favorite is Chapter 9 "IT's all in the Way You Look at Things"! I love perspective discussions.  I love seeing things from God's point of view when He makes it possible; I love seeing things from someone else's perspective.  I am no longer afraid of life changing my mind on some things.

2 Timothy 2:23-26 "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.  And the LORD's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.  Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. 

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

[Annabeth]"...But sometimes you just see the bad stuff, you know? And you start thinking the way Luke does: 'If I could tear this all down, I would do it better.' Don't you ever feel that way? Like you could do a better job if you ran the world? 
'Um...no. Me running the world would kind of be a nightmare,'"[Percy]

Dax was introduced to Percy Jackson and the Olympians series at school. I began to read them to know what the content was but mostly because I wanted to be interested in his interests.  The author-reader friendship between Mr. Riordan and myself surprised me in the first book, The Lightening Thief. I had begun the book to be in Dax's world, not expecting to find it interesting myself. It wasn't until page 200 of this second book, though, that I resounded so much with one line!!! I have  thought this line many times in my own life.  Unfortunately just because I don't want to run THE whole world doesn't mean I don't step in and try to run MY world from time to time.  That too is a nightmare! It is often in new times, beginnings, like at year's start when I begin to orchestrate and manipulate. Striking balance in motivation and dependence, influence and control is challenging. I can choose to turn the reigns over, though, and only when I surrender each day, sometimes moment by moment, does the nightmare lift.

"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated this world."[Jesus] -John 16:33

"Some trust in chariots, others in horses, but we trust in the LORD our God."[King David] - Psalm 20:6 

"Trust the LORD with all you heart, and don't depend on your own understanding. Remember the LORD in all you do, and he will give you success. Don't depend on your own wisdom...[Solomon] -Proverbs 3:5-7a [Reminder to self: "He will give success'; I will not achieve; there is a difference.]

Riot Brothers sequel by Mary Amato

We read 3 of these books the summer of 2012 each day. Like King Arthur, Cole read the chapter title, Dax read the first page of the chapter, and I would read the rest.  We had SO many laughs with this one! There were many boy elements like bodily functions, etc., so I recommend that parents read it first. (I would read a chapter ahead when they were involved in some other activity). However, there were some good family elements as well. One that we picked up on was how often the older brother found ways to compliment and encourage the younger and how much the younger brother seemed to respect the older. They were also always a TEAM!! They may have gotten into mischief but they were completely TOGETHER the whole time.  I also loved the mom and felt for her as a mother of boys.  I did wonder why the father figure was missing (that could go either way depending on the family situation of the readers).

Farah: Angel food cake (so light and fun)
Dax: Funfetti Cake (such a fun playful book)
Cole: Chocolate Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Classic Starts The Story of King Arthur and His Knights

Retold from the Howard Pyle original by Tania Zamorsky

The boys and I read through this during the summer of 2012 taking a few chapters a day.  It is broken up into books with a few chapters in each book.  It has great character lessons and of course, fantastic examples of chivalry. The boys would ask to read more.  I did most of the reading but Cole would read the chapter titles (just finished Kindergarten) and Dax would read the first page of the chapter (had just finished 2nd grade).

Farah: Cookie Cake
Dax: Chocolate Cake with chocolate icing
Cole : Hershey Pie