book reviews

Laura Grows Up: The Sweetest of Little House Author: Laura Ingalls Wilder Many of us have followed the adventures of Laura Ingalls Wilder since our childhood days, growing up alongside her. Some of us (ok, me) remembered this so fondly, that a return visit was necessary, putting aside the confines of responsibility to reminisce about the sweetness and magic of childhood and the first true touches of love. These Happy Golden Years resonates in a very special way with me now that I am married. I finally understand why this was one of my mom’s favorite Laura books. It is my favorite too. In These Happy Golden Years, sixteen-year-old [...]

A Wannabe Discourse on Immigration and Empowerment Author: Angie Cruz In the 1960s Dominican Republic, fifteen-year-old Ana Cancion is content, despite the cloud that hangs over her in the form of the Ruiz brothers and her mother’s endless ambition. For years the brothers have visited the family, drinking and socializing, pouring out ominous attention on the young girls. And now, Ana is to wed one – the up-and-coming Juan. Ana’s future, her hopes and dreams, are to be traded by her family for the possibility of more land, more money, and an eventual ticket to America. No one cares what [...]

Mystery, Adventure, Love, and a Thing Called a Tesser Author: Madeleine L'Engle It was a dark and stormy night, and in a spooky loft a little girl is trying and failing to sleep through a storm. This girl is Meg and along with her five-year old, prodigy brother, Charles Wallace, she is about to undergo an adventure that will take her across space and time until she finds her missing father. On this journey, she’ll meet three curious old women (Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which, and Mrs. Whatsit), a charming new friend (Calvin), a thing called a tesser, and the power [...]