#14 What to Read
unrequited love, athletic performance, a school's feelings, and humpty dumpty
The latest and greatest…
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han. I don’t think you ever outgrow some books and genres. This is the second book in the Jenny Han The Summer I Turned Pretty series (now a Netflix series) and I think it’s funny how much I enjoy reading it. I’m not 16 anymore, and Belly can be immature and drink too much and swoon over Conrad and fight with her best friend - and it’s all so real, very Judy Blume-ish, and has a way of making me feel great nostalgia as I stay up way too late turning the pages. Han isuyd a writer with staying power.
The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance by George Mumford. I plucked this off my shelf once again bc I’m coaching a girls soccer team. You know what I want them to have? A steady, focused, confident mind on and off the field. I want them to feel and find THE ZONE, even when the ref makes a “bad” call, even when they get pushed around, cursed at, have their shirts grabbed (yeah, it’s a jungle out there). “Control the Controllables” and you know what that is? Only ourselves. I’m a big fan of George and his high-level work.
School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex, pictures by Christian Robinson. The first day of school is Scary! Exhilarating! Fun! Nerve-wracking! But have you ever thought about how school might feel??? With all of those kids descending? This book is so clever.
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again by Dan Santat. Everyone knows about Humpty Dumpty sitting on a wall and his great big great fall. But what happened after? Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat follows Humpty Dumpty, who is now terrified of heights and can no longer do many of the things he loves most (like watch birds!) Will Humpty Dumpty overcome his fears? Love it (Dan’s words and pictures).
What are you reading?
Amy <3
What Are You Creating?
Home life is bustling. My oldest daughter, Cope, and her husband, Kaden, are living with us for a year as they work and decide on next steps (big news - they bought a car last week!) Brynne is taking online classes this semester, and Paige is in her senior year. It is Little Women around here…(oh, the peals of constant laughter…their brother Nelson is safely at college 3000 miles away :).
There is wonderful husband and father-in-law, two dogs, and constant comings and goings and careful scheduling and car negotiations. It’s busy (one must be very intentional about getting work done!), but I’m reveling in it all. It is reminiscent of when all four children were at their K-8 school for only one year together, and they all jumped out of the bus at the same time every afternoon…what I wouldn’t give to be waiting by the mailbox, to see that scene again.
This moment in time is chaotic and the floor always needs to be swept, but the chairs around the table are also always full. Life is good.
Cope decided she wanted to paint with me and so we spread out all of the paints and water and erasers and pencils and paper. It was SO FUN to paint pumpkins for forty minutes together (then off to soccer practice)!
This book 15-Minute Watercolor Masterpieces by Anna Koliadych is fabulous. I’m a big fan of Ann’s Instagram DearAnnArt.
What are you reading, writing, drawing, doodling, painting, planting, dreaming…?
The Last Part:
Mornings: up at 5:30, read/meditate/pray, run/workout, and then WRITE…I’m working on a boarding school mystery (when not distracted by the Little Women). Think Rebecca Makkai’s I Have Some Questions For You meets Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. And I’m almost done…
Afternoons: soccer coach…there is so much JOY being with young female athletes every fall afternoon. Truly.
Evenings: I have no idea. I’m a zombie. I think the dogs sometimes get walked.
My Books:
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair is part-mystery, part understanding of the human heart 💖
Ten Thousand Tries is Golden’s quest to save his dad and the soccer team ⚽
The McNifficents is one summer with six rambunctious kids and their miniature-schnauzer nanny 🐕 New Hampshire’s 2024 Great Reads for Kids selection!
This does indeed sound like Little Women...or maybe Tom Lake (the present day scenes). I hope your soccer team has a great season!
Lovely, I wish I could reach these books. And I loved the book 15 minutes watercolours masterpieces. Larraine my little daughter loves to color because it is easy.