#11 What to Read

recommendations in the voice of Lady Whistledown

Dearest Gentle Reader,

I do not purport to be Lady Whistledown as others have for a traitorous reward (yet can you blame Ms. Cowper?¹ “In season” with no offers of marriage! Being a woman of the Regency-era would lead anyone to such desperation, would it not?)

Lady Whistledown I may not be, yet I have news of greatest import. Prepare yourselves for another delightful discourse on the happenings in book land.

Alas, I have not read so many books this past month, nor to my potential, as this household is in the throes of transition from school to summer, with children and four-legged creatures alike, home and underfoot.

Ah, the delicate dance of motherhood—a role so often overlooked amidst the pomp of society's affairs. The responsibilities that accompany one's maternal duties are as detailed as the most carefully woven tapestry, and yet, they often unfold behind closed doors, away from the scrutiny of the public eye. It is a role that requires patience, fortitude, and a keen sense of decorum, lest one's offspring become the subject of sordid whispers.

Though I speak of the mothers, let us also pay tribute to the fathers in this month of June, whose importance and influence transcends the mundanity. Here are some of our most beloved tales with the paternal role on full display (and some of my favorite books…):

The iconic Ramona and Her Father (a Newbery Award winner)

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (graphic version)

Things My Son Needs to Know about the World by Fredrik Backman (moving, humorous essays on fatherhood to a newborn son)

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance Barack Obama (belonging to two worlds, belonging to none)

The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Claire by Amy Makechnie (a man’s love for his wife, observed by his precocious daughter)

Ten Thousand Tries by Amy Makechnie (a boy named Golden, and his hero dad)

Educated by Tara Westover (a father’s mental illness and dysfunction, yet completely and utterly compelling)

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (a vibrant, dysfunctional, and brilliant memoir)

Yes, I raise my quill in solidarity to parenthood. We are in gratitude.

Without further adieu, my latest reads:

The middle grade novel Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead is for those seeking a coming-of-age journey through eighth-grade-era intrigue, where outright betrayal, scandal and secrets abound between best friends.

Beach Read by Emily Henry is a contemporary tale of romance and steamy swooning which mirrors one’s desires for a happily ever after. I must admit, reader, phrases such as “my whole body heated until I felt like lava, burning and liquid,” makes this Whistledown imposter wretch, but this quill will also report of surprisingly deep introspection amidst all of the flushing of cheeks and “crooked corners” of Gus’s mouth.

picture books are magic

Now, pray tell, if you wish to fill your head with stars, as Edward Hubble once did, may I suggest a telescope borrowed from your local library? One must take this opportunity to sing the praises of our dedicated librarians and the great service they do for America’s (esteemed or teetering?) democracy. Now is the time to unplug, get your library card renewed, join a summer reading group, and fill your mind with knowledge and pleasure - in the way only a book can.

lovely illustrations by Deborah Mercero!

“We do not know why we are born into the world,” Edward Hubble once wrote, “but we can try to find out what sort of world it is.” Ah yes, I concur, and books are exactly the right way to discover what sort of world it is.² “For then you know there is nothing to worry about - nothing at all.”

Though I have not the talent nor tongue of the perspicacious³ Lady Whistledown, I have delighted in practicing a new narrative “voice.” It is astonishingly fun and I urge you to incorporate into your everyday conversation this very minute! Then leave a comment. No doubt we shall all thrill in our collective responses.

Yours in literature and Whistledown,

Amy

Ha. That was fun. Yes, I’m watching Bridgerton. I love the time period, family drama, matchmaking, costumes, hairstyles, romance, intrigue. I love it with one exception. You’re watching with your family and BAM! An explicit, over-the-top s-e-x scene that this quill finds unnecessarily gratuitous⁴ and exploitive⁵ - and thus hard to recommend to my wholesomely minded peers (as we all aspire to be, do we not!? Well, maybe not…)

Hm. Perhaps there is some scathing Whistledown in me after all, she wrote gleefully.

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A Sweet Deal for YOU

The McNifficents launches in paperback on August 6th. Please consider purchasing a copy!

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School Visits:

Would you like a school visit this fall? Be in touch and/or please pass my name on to a teacher or librarian! I love in-person visits.

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In a cabin in the woods, will they survive…?

By the time you read this we’ll be hosting a large family reunion lakeside, right here in my little town. My parents, siblings and their families are all coming (me and my twin brother are the oldest of five). The optimist in me says that good times are being had by all. Memories are being made. I hope it is the same for you <3

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1. trying to prevent spoilers!

2. Lady Whistledown interjects

3. a keen understanding and insight, able to notice and comprehend things that are not immediately obvious. A perspicacious person is sharp-witted, astute, and perceptive, often able to grasp complex concepts or see through superficial appearances to understand the deeper truth.

4. the scene serves little or no narrative purpose and is included purely for shock value or to attract attention.

5. such scenes exploit or take advantage of sexual content for sensationalism rather than meaningful storytelling.