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The Best Middle School Books of 2022

March 15, 2023 By Annette1 2 Comments

So last week I walked you through the best of the picture books I reviewed last year. Since I read a fair amount of middle school books, it’s only fair I let you know which ones I thought were the best. So here we go with the best middle school books for 2022. 🙂 I hope you find some treasures.

I’ll link to my reviews and if I can get the HTML to work… my amazon affiliate link for your ease in finding them all!

Graphic Novels

I don’t review a lot of graphic novels. They honestly aren’t my favourite way to read a book, but occasionally I read one that I really like. I had that with this one Ride On. Young people, horses, growth as youth develop in their friendship, just all good stuff. You can find it on Amazon.

Historically based

Seen and Unseen brings us to the unique perspectives of three photographers of the Japanese internment during WW2. Such a hard time for a people group. Find it on Amazon.

Some topics are hard to cover, and the realities of Jewish lives as Nazis take over their homeland aren’t exactly easy reading. The Boy Behind the Door is done well, walking us through the daily changes and challenges of one young Jewish lad. Your Amazon link.

Fallout drops us into the Cold War all centred around the Cuban Missile Crisis. Pictures help paint the story of this time period. Your Amazon connection.

Just for Fun Reads

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts was a good read just for fun. Good if you like fantasy and magic and teens beating the odds and succeeding. You’ll find it here on Amazon.

If you want a read that’s a bit more serious, dealing with loss and coping, Lolo’s Light might suit the bill for you. A death, a light, a wish, and so friends and neighbours find their way through. Link.

Dealing with change while handling one’s own heritage is sometimes is a challenge. Watching a young lass learn how to handle it all was excellent in Shine On, Luz Véliz! You can find it on Amazon.

I laughed my way through Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians and then hubsters grabbed it up and enjoyed it enough he proceeded to order the next couple of books in the series. Which reminds me I should tell you what I thought of those books sometime. Find it on Amazon and look for the rest of the series!

Stories to Help You Think

Consider how we treat the world and the animals we live with this story split between two worlds with an indigenous flavour. A Snake Falls to Earth is a book to take your time with as you switch between perspectives and consider connections. Your Link.

The Callers asks the question: Can something come from nothing? And if it can’t, where does it come from? The disparity between the haves and the have nots is pulled into the light. Amazon Link.

Books to Learn From

This morning I learned a new word “ruthful”. Being a word nerd, I like to play with new words so when I looked at Absurd Words it just fit so well you know? Perhaps you might know a young word nerd who needs a bit of encouragement to expand their horizons. Find it here.

What has been your favourite middle school book this year? What book might you recommend?

What I Choose

March 11, 2023 By Annette1 18 Comments

OH! The word this week is choose! Has me thinking all kinds of thoughts. Thoughts about decisions to make, choices in life, what to choose in regarding to a variety of things in life, and more. There are just so many options so I guess we’ll have to see what I choose.

What I Choose

What I choose
sometimes is to be a bit
too honest and sometimes appear
to be a bit too blunt.
To let my inner voice
be heard in a public forum and
have people question what I think
and see and do.

Sometimes what I choose
makes me uncomfortable
as I see the uncomfortableness
I raise in others.
But sometimes I think
we choose not to be honest enough.

I can’t say I like
feeling uncomfortable
but I dunno… sometimes I think
God is making me too comfortable
with myself and my own insecurities
and concerns about the things in life
that he lets my inner voice be heard.

But I don’t know.

Sometimes I choose to shut down
that inner voice. To merely sit in
silence even as others say I should
be doing or acting in a particular way.

For instance, I have a friend whose
child is going through a difficult time
and I’m choosing to sit back and let
her family and close friends minister to her
as I quietly keep her daughter in prayer.
It doesn’t mean I don’t care, but
I am letting those most important to her
hold and be and stay close so that
she doesn’t need to expend extra energy
on me so she can focus on her hurting daughter.

Perhaps though I am projecting
my thoughts on how I would feel
given that same situation.

What I choose
is to live with myself,
sometimes uncomfortable with
how I live my life, but always secure
that God who saved me,
that God will mind me full well, and
will guide my every footstep and word,
and call me on it when my deeds match not
my heart and knowledge of him.

God has planned out my days.
So when I open my inner voice
and shock people at a bible study,
having them wanting to solve the situation,
or to correct my approaches to problems,
that just perhaps God is doing so for a reason.

But I don’t know

Even if I can’t understand it.
Even if I find myself saying hmmm…
perhaps I need to consider something more?
And just perhaps, that’s the work he wants me
to do, to consider further, not just to be a
small pokey stick in the lives of proven
people of faith, comfortable in their faith.

I dunno.

It’s just a frustrating type of day
that leads to introspection
and questions of what I choose.

Tell me.
What choices do you make?

God speaks to us

GAH… the vulnerable part of me what’s to erase this whole post. But a while back I committed in my heart to let God guide my writings of these FMF posts. So what comes out is what I deem he wants to have come out.

What I choose is sometimes a tad uncomfortable….

But what would God say?

Psalm 37:23-24

The steps of a man are established by the Lord,
when he delights in his way;
though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
for the Lord upholds his hand.

Proverbs 16:9

The heart of man plans his way,
but the Lord establishes his steps.

What will you reach for?

March 2, 2023 By Annette1 14 Comments

Miss Kate has posted an interesting word this week for our consideration. Reach. It seems to me so much can be done with this five letter word. One could reach for the stars or simply reach for a soda. One implies so much more than the other don’t you think?

What will you reach for?

The word is provided
Reach is the term
A word the begs the question
what will you reach for?

Will you reach for the stars?
The glory of being the highest
or the brightest or the best at
what you do? or at least the best
at spinning what you do into excellent light?

Will you reach for that soda?
Handing it over to a thirsty child,
or reach for your phone to order
some shoes for the beggar on the street,
sharing no names, just being a person
helpful to others?

Will you reach for the stars?
Striving to be the best you can be,
showcasing the glory of God in all
that you do, hoping to turn someone
eyes toward the Lord that you serve
wholeheartedly?

Will you reach for that soda?
Paying no mind to the wife minding
the kids, or the neighbour struggling
to remove snow from their drive?
Ignoring the laundry or dishes, because
you need to relax after busyness?

So depending on how you look at is
what you reach for matters?
Doesn’t really matter if it’s
for the stars or a soda.
The heart motive behind
matters most don’t you think?

God speaks

Colossians 3:23-25

²³Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. ²⁵For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

As I’m studying Amos, tonight I was reminded that Amos didn’t set out to be a prophet. He was happily living life herding sheep and tending fig trees. And then God spoke to him calling him forth. Amos even defends himself to Amaziah telling him

Amos 7:12-15

¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, “O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there, ¹³but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.”

¹⁴Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, “I was no prophet, nor a prophet’s son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs. ¹⁵But the Lord took me from following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

One Could Assume

February 24, 2023 By Annette1 16 Comments

Here we are again, five minute Friday, one of my favourite days of the week. This week Miss Kate has given us the word Assume to work with. One Could Assume that I know what I’m going to write about, or that I’ll do what I normally do…and just start writing. 🙂 The first would be correct, the second.. not this week! Are you surprised? 🙂

One Could Assume

listening to books
on audible
I find myself immersed
into the imagination
of authors and, the
what often feels life like,
lives of others.

Seeing their struggles,
hurts, joys, and
often the everydayness
of their lives.

But I don’t just listen to
books but I read them as well
bringing a variety of
books along with me to work.

Someone asked the other
day… after walking into
me listening to my latest read
The Last Mortal Bond.
“Annette, do you
listen to everything?”
I see you with so many books
and they seem so different”.

I took some time to think
and finally answered
“I will read books that
I would never listen too”.

For you see, I can read a
murder mystery much more
easily than I can listen to one,
simply because some authors make
evil feel so real that reading
it would give me nightmares.

I choose not to read biographies
of people who have lived through
horror particularly if reviewers
point out that the horror lived
through is too graphic, not mitigated
enough by grace or beauty.

And honestly, some books
I start listening to and find
myself enjoying until a new character
arrives with a foul tongue, or a
dark demeanor and I stop, because
listening to such, I find my
outlook on life becomes darker
as well or my tongue needs more minding
and who needs that?

Is a fine-tuning needed?

As I sit here pondering
my selection of what I would
listen to, as opposed to what
I might read, I wonder if I need
to fine-tune my reading choices
even more. Or if I should leave
more room to try listening to
books like “keeping faith in
an age of reason”. If I could
find such a book in audio format.

Cause I have a pile of such books
sitting on my shelf, but because they
require thought, when I just want to read
I tend to grab the easy fantasy, or
light Christian fiction. So it becomes
a waste of money if they sit unread!

Yet, because they sit so openly
on my shelf, one could assume
that I’ve read them
all or that they are next on my
list to be read.

So perhaps you could help
me, by suggesting some good
non-fiction Christian audio,
available on Audible, that
would help me think! 🙂

God’s word

Romans 12:1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ²Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Philippians 4:8-9

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Many

February 17, 2023 By Annette1 12 Comments

So it’s a quiet Friday evening, and I’m sitting here watching Rizzoli and Isles with my sweetheart. I’ve been pondering this word many off and on throughout the day. Still have no solid idea, so I figured I’d do what I do in such situations and simply start writing. It’s amazing how God always provides some sort of words for me.

Many

Sitting here wondering
what should I write?
A simple word prompt being many
after a day of some stress.

A tight rein on a temper
is how I live life
And yesterday an incident
caused it to get away from me.

It left me shaking
an hour afterwards
realizing that something
hard would need to be done.

I almost decided to
bible study not to go
but the weather a long walk
facilitated not.

Bible study I thought
would remind me of God
and the calm of his presence
ever filling my mind.

One thing was brought up
about forgiveness running
true, and how many times we
are called to give it.

Forgiveness isn’t always the
easiest thing to give and
people asked many questions such
as what if….

The person isn’t repentant,
or the offender can’t be found,
what if you’re still angry, or hurt?
Or the event caused grievous harm?

After all these questions, the
thought of our many was the same,
without forgiveness, you can’t let go,
and then harm within you stays.

Forgiveness helps you
to let go of the hurt and pain,
and doesn’t necessarily mean
that all is made good.

But it means that the continued
harm within is stopped.
God’s grace is shown
in ways we can’t always see.

So do it again, and again,
my friend, my reader,
as many times as needed
forgive, and forgive some more.

Heal your heart.
Ease your mind.
Stop practicing hurt.
See God’s grace in action.

God’s word for us

Matthew 18:21-22

²¹Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Colossians 3:12-14

¹²Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, ¹³bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. ¹⁴And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

God’s Awesome Deeds

February 16, 2023 By Annette1 2 Comments

Consider if you would for a moment what the word Awesome means. Originally the word awesome was associated with terror. Nowadays it’s more associated with wonder. Like something is so fantastic or great. It’s been watered down. Something that is awesome should also be somewhat terrifying. So God’s awesome deeds are deeds that we can’t quite get, they have an aspect that is a bit scary when we really think about them. Let’s look into this more yes?

Psalm 65:5-8
5 By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness,
O God of our salvation,
the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas;
6 the one who by his strength established the mountains,
being girded with might;
7 who stills the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples,
8 so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs.
You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy.

God’s Awesome Deeds

In this passage the author tells us that God’s awesome deeds are an answer to us. He tells us “by awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness”. We see throughout the Old Testament how often we turn away from God, seeking after our own solutions. And yet God’s answer to that… righteousness.

Can you make sense of that? Would that be your response? God is so much greater then we are. More caring, more loving, more capable of wrath, and just so much MORE. When you stop to think about that, aren’t you just a wee bit terrified?

If not consider this

God is the one who established the mountains by his own strength.

He is the one that is the hope of the ends of the earth.

Stiller of roaring seas, and waves, the the noise of people.

The Tumult of the Peoples

When I read the words the tumult of the peoples in my mind I picture a mighty throng of people milling about in a noisy confusion. Not a happy throng by any means, but one that’s just “too peopley” for lack of a better term. Sometimes we are just too much even for ourselves. And God, God himself, can still all the angry muttering, and confused words, and milling about. He settles us.

THAT blows my mind when I stop and think about it. Thinking of people as a wild rushing uncontrolled wave of a ocean or lake… and God saying, hey, settle down. It’s all good now, settle settle. God can do that so quickly.

I can well understand now the disciples amazement at Jesus calming the storms. They were rightfully in awe of him, holding a terrified wonder of his abilities.

Be Joyful!

If God can build mountains, and settle wild waves, and calm the tumult of people….. it’s no small wonder that in our awe of him we are joyful. Am I wrong? The very fact that we have morning and evening should make us shout for joy too! Consider what all it takes for the world to turn in it’s orbit smoothly. God, who established the mountain and calms seas and people, you think he doesn’t rule the skies and the rotation of the earth?

Think about all he does.

Does it not just fill you with joy at how he works? How he keeps everything operating smoothly? I know, I know. I often don’t even give a thought to it. My life has it’s routines of I go to bed, the sun comes up, I rise and go about my life. The moon does it’s thing and I simply pay it no mind. But if I stopped to think it… and these verses are making me think about it… God built mountains! He quiets the noisy and restless! He keeps everything going that is going. Without him…. the world, that I so much take for granted, would fall apart! So will I make more of an effort to be joyful! Join me won’t you?

Let us covenant together to remember the awesome deeds of God!

The Best Picture Books of 2022.

February 15, 2023 By Annette1 2 Comments

Oh, do join me in a fun trip down memory lane. I’m looking today at the best picture books of 2022. Some of these books bring a smile to my face in memory, and I hope might present you with some good books to look for. Help your littles learn new material, or enjoy a good read. Let your middle and high schoolers meet a good introductory book to a new topic! Both are good! Do not downplay the effectiveness of an excellent picture book eh?

I will link to my review as well as give you direct links via my amazon affiliate profile for your ease of use.

Topical Picture Books

The Leaf Thief. Consider the changing seasons with this fun book about a squirrel all alarmed by his leaves disappearing on him!

Hedgehog’s Home for Winter is another changing seasons book, this time featuring a cute hedgehog rather than a squirrel. Loved the images in this picture book.

Another than the evolutionary point of view in How to make a mountain, this is an excellent primer in understanding how mountains, rocks, and various ecosystems all play a role within each other.

People are more connected globally than we might think which Our World is a Family points out quite nicely you’ll find.

Are you struggling to help your children understand how important sleep is to the brain and even how the brain works? Good Night to your Fantastic Elastic Brain is an excellent primer to help children and youth.

The Whale Who Swam Through Time is look at a bowhead whale over the 200 years of her life. So much changed in the course of her life, a good way to see the affects of mankind on the created world.

Oh you must Listen to the Language of The Trees. See their interconnectedness. I found this read so fascinating and discovered myself researching different ideas I didn’t know before. A great primer of middle and high school with so many ideas for them to use as jumping off points for research.

Just a good story

Now What? Faatz gives us a fun read of the joys of exploring one’s imagination. I’d love this one as a bedtime story! 🙂

I saw Love is for Roaring and I just started to smile. Can a roaring lion learn something about love and friendship? A good question eh?

Bunnies and dancing! What more could you ask for in a springtime read with your littles? It’s Just a Bunnypalooza is a fun quick read, that will teach you some dance moves too! I enjoyed sharing this one with my dancing nieces and nephews.

Another story that made me smile from the first time I read it. This is a great book to share with children of all ages. 🙂 Big Dreams, Small fish. Multi-cultural, helpfulness, and family. It’s all good!

Have you read any good picture books this year either as reviews, schooling, or with your children? I’d love to hear what you consider to be The Best Picture Books of 2022. Sharing books is always a good thing is it not? 🙂

Blog

The Best Middle School Books of 2022

Graphic Novels

Historically based

Just for Fun Reads

Stories to Help You Think

Books to Learn From

What I Choose