A Net in Time

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Book Review

Medal of Honor: Jack Montgomery

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Studying the lives of real-life heroes is important for children.  It gives them someone real to look up to.  Role models show character qualities in real situations to help children learn how to emulate those qualities in their own lives.  Michael P. Spradlin introduces us to real-life hero Meal of Honor: Jack Montgomery who fought in World War II at Anzio. 

Medal of honor: Jack Montgomery

From the cover:

Jack C. Montgomery was a Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a first lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds. On February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery’s rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, neutralizing the German machine-gunners and taking numerous prisoners in the process. Montgomery’s actions demoralized the enemy and saved the lives of many American soldiers.

The Medal of Honor series profiles the courage and accomplishments of recipients of the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration, awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary acts of valor.

Medal of honor: Jack Montgomery

What You Get:

A well-written story, that speaks not only to the actual action taken, but also to the life of the man leading up to that moment.   So it’s not just a story of Mr. Montgomery being a hero, but how his life made him a hero. 

Medal of honor: Jack Montgomery

Interspersed between the story is material about the US Army, or it’s ordinances, or people involved during the battle.  For instance, readers learn about Mussolini, why the Cherokee symbol changes from a swastika to a thunderbird, the use of deception in battle and more. 

Medal of honor: Jack Montgomery

Numerous black and white images dot the pages, showing us scenes from history that the hero might have seen, or relevant to the historical period.  Some of the images: Hitler reviewing his troops, soldiers manning a machine gun, Montgomery receiving his medal and many more. 

My Thoughts

I’ve struggled reading this book.  Part of it stemmed from I think a missing page.  I reading and then the story just stopped mid-sentence and then picked up later.    The other part was, the story itself kept being interrupted, so I couldn’t just read it from start to finish. 

Was the story itself good?  Yes!  Resoundingly so.  I would happily read more real-life stories like this.  It was good to read.  Good to know how men in the army have to take risks, and simply just do their job to the best of their abilities. 

Medal of honor: Jack Montgomery

Jack Montgomery: World War II – Gallantry at Anzio
Michael P. Spradlin
Series: Medal of Honor
Farrar Straus Giroux
112 pages, paperback, 8-12 years
Military, Hero, World War 2, United States Army
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

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Marshfield Memories

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Marshfield Memories are stories of a man telling telling a bunch of kids what it was like for him as a kid.   There he was living in a great neighbourhood, with lots of friends, and a good school.  Family was a pivotal part of his childhood years and it shines through every story he tells. 

Marshfield Memories

From the publisher:

As the oldest of nine kids, Ralph was often cast as another parent to his siblings rather than as an older brother; teetering between these two conflicting roles, Ralph longed to be home alone on a sick day, but hated the emptiness of feeling left behind. He loved to play sports with his neighborhood friends but resented the skillful victories of his younger brother. Thrust into the expectations of impending adolescence, Ralph was curious about girls, but embarrassed to take part in the school square dance. This satisfying memoir offers a snapshot of those pivotal moments between grade school and high school, all while tracing the roots of Ralph Fletcher’s acclaimed storytelling.

Marshfield Memories

What you Get

An easy read book filled with folky wisdom and stories of a boy becoming a man.  The path wasn’t always easy, but it was always a path.   

All the stories are separate, and yet connected.  They follow in order, which means you aren’t jumping around from little kid, to older and back again.  NO confusion, just an easy read of a man telling stories of his youth.    

Marshfield Memories

In fact, the stories are SO like a grampa sitting down and telling his grandkids about his exploits as a youngster that I was in no way surprised when he showed off a poem he wrote as a kid.  It just fit!

Marshfield Memories

My Thoughts

As an adult I thoroughly enjoyed this book infused with folky wisdom.  I suspect my son would enjoy it as well, I’m not entirely sure.  He tends to like books with a story line that runs from one point to the next.  This book is a series of short stories around the same theme, Fletcher’s growing up years.  BUT they do involve all the same characters and continually moves forward which he would consider a win. 🙂

Marshfield Memories

Marshfield Memories: More Stories About Growing Up.
Ralph Fletcher
Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt & Co.
208 pages, softcover, 8 – 12 years
Childhood, Memories, Growing Up, Family Values
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

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Lost Boy’s Gift

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The Lost Boy’s Gift by Kimberly Willis Holt offers hope to youngsters  struggling to find their place when family situations change.   Will Daniel find what he needs to meet the challenges before him?

From the Cover

Nine-year-old Daniel must move across the country with his mom after his parents’ divorce. He’s leaving behind his whole life―everything―and he’s taking a suitcase of anger with him. But Daniel is in for a surprise when he settles into While-a-Way Lane and meets his new neighbours.  These neighbours are Lemonade Girl, the hopscotching mailman, the tiny creatures, and especially Tilda Butter. Tilda knows how to look and listen closely, and it’s that gift that helps Daniel find his way in that curious placed called While-a-Way Lane.

What you Get

Daniel is an interesting young man, such a mix up in emotions and thoughts as you would expect of a boy his age.  Topping off the mix is a mom working long hours and an absentee Dad.    You can feel the angst produced in this lad. 

But While-a-Way Lane…. it’s got a call upon this young lad, what might he learn?   What treasures await?  Well that.. I can’t tell you.  🙂

I can tell that you the Daniel is a well-developed character as is Tilda Butter.  Humour appears in the form of other characters, not quite as well developed, but adding unique elements to the story line.

Moderate length chapters move the story forward at good speed, some surprises await, and situations arise that should delight young readers. 

My Thoughts

Recommend? It’s hard to say as my thoughts are mixed. I know that my lad wouldn’t have been interested, but my lad is from a solid two-parent home and is very sure of himself. For children that are struggling to see their good when their family situations run amuck, The Lost Boy’s Gift, might be just the book they need to read.

It’s a book that offers hope to youngsters, helping them to see how to make connections, and how to see their own unique abilities.

The Lost Boy’s Gift
Kimberley Willis Holt
Christy Ottaviano Books
Trade Paperback, 224 pages, 8-11 years
Chapter book, Fiction,
Separation, Intergenerational Friendship, Divorce,
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

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Made for the Journey

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Made for the Journey: One Missionary’s First Year in the Jungles of Ecuador is unexpected look into the life of missionary service.   Why unexpected?  I knew the book would be about her experiences in the Jungle but I wasn’t expecting the raw honesty.   Elisabeth Elliot unabashedly speaks to the truths of God at work in the shock of first-year missionary work.

From the Publisher

In this deeply personal account of her first year as a missionary, Elisabeth Elliot shares the challenges she faced as she worked in the jungles of Ecuador to bring the Word of God to a people virtually untouched by the outside world.  With fascinating detail, she captures the stark realities of life in the jungle, the difficulties she encountered while developing a written language for the tribe, and her confusion when God didn’t “cooperate” with her efforts to accomplish what she believed was His will. 

What You Get:

19 chapters that walked you through Elisabeth first journey to the jungle and her day to day life during her first year there.  

She introduces us to the people she is there to serve, rivals in mission work, the joys and challenges, the totally unexpected and the heartbreak.

The fun of a lad wanting to fit in.

Along with the struggles of working with (or against) other missions.

The laughter in retrospect after a really difficult journey.

And joy in laughter.   It’s a lovely thing.

A book of memories without being preachy.  It’s like sitting down with your favourite missionary, over a cup of tea and hearing the real stories.   The hard truths and the real struggles, and the moments when you shake your head, hold your heart and wonder WHY.

My Thoughts:

I read this book over the course of three days, when I started it I kept thinking that my mom and mom-in-law would thoroughly enjoy this read.  As I kept reading though I thought… I needed to read this.  I needed to understand the hardship that missionaries sometimes have to go through, and how much new missionaries have to learn in the field.  I needed to see that God sometimes doesn’t do things the way you thought he would, because honestly, sometimes I forget that.

In the end… A timely read about God’s goodness .. even in ways unexpected.  Would my moms enjoy this book?  YES, they would, but you know what… so will you.   God’s mercies run through the pages in this deeply personal memoir that is so well written. 

Go read it.  See God at work.

Click on image for amazon listing.
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Girls Think of Everything

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Catherine Thimmesh has written a fun book to read.  I 100% enjoyed reading through Girls Think of Everything for a review.  All these girls from 8 and up inventing useful and needed items!   Simply delightful!

I just HAVE to tell you all about it!

From the Cover

Anna Stork and Andrea Sreshta wanted to help make the lives of reguees and disaster victims safe.  So they invented….. When Mary Anderson saw bus drivers struggle to safely drive passengers through rain and snow, she devised one of the longest-lasting and most use inventions….  And because Trishna Prabhu was tired of witnessing the cruelty of cyber-bullying, she created…..

What do all these girls have in common?  Grit, determination…and the gift of inventiveness. 

What you get:

15 ladies ranging from 8 years old and up.   Solving problems and finding solutions.    Some were solutions to problems not yet realized and were discovered by accident (fabric guard). Others I recognized from watching Shark Tank (flood/emergency lights). Most were women who simply saw a problem and had the gumption to do something about it. 

Colour fills EVERY page of this easy to read tome.  The women are well introduced.  Light humour frequently applied.  The wonders of their inventions well explained. 15 women from all walks of life, from places scattered over the globe. Women making a difference. 

This excellent book is an expanded and revised edition and celebrates women throughout time.   Written to encourage and inspire the women of the future. 

My Thoughts:

Get this book.  Sit down and read it alone, read it with your children or hand it off to your thinking youngsters.  Inspire them to use their brains and figure out solutions to problems.  If an 8 year old can come up with an interesting idea with a solution… why can’t your children do the same?

My one complaint.  I’ve seen quite a few books lately focusing on girls being smart and coming up with innovative ideas.  I want to see a book with boys, or a book with boys AND girls.   Both need to be encouraged don’t you think?

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women
Catherine Thimmesh
Melissa Sweet (illustrator)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
112 Pages, hardcover, 
Innovation, Invention, Girl Engineers, Engineering,
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.
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Jerusalem’s Queen

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Salome Alexandre ruled in Judea for nine years.   Her journey to the throne wasn’t an easy one, nor was it one sought.  Yet, she was put into place for such a time as this.   She became Jerusalem’s Queen, this is her fictionalized story. 

Two women tell this story.  Kissa, an Egyptian salve and Shelamzion, also known as Salome Alexandra.    We meet them as little girls age 11 and 6.  Two girls that form a fast friendship despite their differences in station. 

Through the experiences of these two girls we are brought into the world of slavery, and into the world of power.   We see the searching heart of the future queen as she searches out the truth of God.  The skepticism of the slave opening doors to questions about God.   Together they learn.

Is it all true?   It’s a fictionalized account, there are things we can’t know for certain, and to that end, the author provides her notes.  In them she speaks to how similarity in names cause confusion in histories.  How divergent histories can be combined to satisfy both.   I really appreciate when authors take the time to do this. 

My Thoughts

I read Jerusalem’s Queen over the course of three days.   Angela Hunt writes a compelling story, one that draws you in and helps you see both the strength and weakness of the women.    Study questions at the close help you to dig into story, exploring further the thoughts presented.  

Ms. Hunt often writes stories based around a biblical character, but the Silent Years series involves people from the Inter-testimental period.   Queen Alexandra was one of two queens of Judea, and so we learn of her life and abilities.   Well-written and ever so helpful in understanding this time period.  

Should you read it?  I think so, if only for the history.  But seriously, the story was good, the characters real, the evil and the good readily apparent, and the questions of faith asked. 

Jerusalem's Queen
Angela Hunt
Bethany House
Series: The silent years
352 pages, trade paperback
historical fiction, Israel, Biblical fiction, 
Queen Alexandra, Judea
Reviewed for Nuts about Books
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30 Days to Understanding the bible

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Do you have a love for God and his Word?  BUT sometimes mess things up?  YOU KNOW you do.  I know I DO.  Man, and it makes me feel so very stupid.  Max Anders has given us a great handbook that I have been delighted to review for the past few days.   30 Days to Understanding the Bible is a wonderful book that has just celebrated its 30th anniversary.

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

From the Publisher

If you’ve ever confused the ark of the covenant with the ark of Noah, or Jericho with Jeroboam, Max Anders’ classic book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible, is for you. In just fifteen minutes a day, you’ll learn the Bible’s key people, events, and doctrines to get more out of God’s Word. This simple-to-use, straightforward guide has been recommended by Bible teachers and pastors for thirty years, and now it’s available in an expanded thirtieth anniversary edition—with the most requested topics from the original edition restored and updated for today’s readers.

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

What you Get

A fantastic book that walks you through the bible. Divided into seven sections, you are walked through the Old Testament, the New Testament and the 10 Great doctrines of the Bible.  The next three sections are shorter sections covering topics such as a summary of the bible, mastering the bible, and teaching plan for using this handbook for yourself or with a group.   The final section is 8 bonus chapters gathered into one section.

These bonus chapters cover important topics such as comparing the four gospels, different literary forms, messianic prophecies and so much more.

Great teaching fill the pages.

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

Along with periodic reviews and short tests.  The point is to help you retain the information you are learning.   The point is to help people have a framework for understanding God’s word.

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

Graphics help us to visually organize the information we know.   Using easy to recognize symbols, information is presented several times over in different formats to cement the material for the reader.

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

My Thoughts

I so want to go through this book with my son but “mom, I’m doing something else right now for bible, you have to wait!”. I don’t want to wait, but apparently, I have to. 

But you know what..YOU don’t have to wait. You can grab up your children, your youth, your spouse, and sit down and understand your bible better with them.  No waiting!  Go on.. get it.. read!  Learn!  It’ll be good, trust me. 

30 days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders

30 Days to Understanding the Bible
Max Anders
Thomas Nelson
400 pages, trade paperback
Faith, Bible Study, Christianity
Theology, Reference,
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Reviewed for Flyby Promotions

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