It’s Monday! What are you reading? Is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journey and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. Kellee and Rikki at Unleashing Readers and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts gave the meme a kidlit twist. It’s a great way to reflect on what you’ve read and reviewed the last week and plan what you want to read next. Join up with us and discover what good books other people are reading.

Despite a wet and chilly week, we managed to plant a new flower bed between showers. This one is a pollinator garden, filled with wildflowers (sometimes known as weeds) that attract bees and butterflies and other critters that spread pollen and make the world blossom and fruit. I still have a few more plants to move into it from other places in the yard and have mulch to spread, but I hope these tiny plants take off and grow. If I’m lucky, I’ll find some caterpillars for monarch butterflies making a home here in the future.

I finished…

Going Postal by Terry Pratchett – I have fallen in love with Disc World and its quirky inhabitants. Moist Van Lipwig is a con artist extraordinaire–until he lands in a government job to resurrect the post office (after swinging from a noose for his past crimes). Much to his surprise, he learns that he enjoys the challenge of living straight-at least when it involves taking on a corrupt monopoly (the clacks communication system) and getting the girl (one whose nickname is Killer). The city of Ankh-Morpork is a place where the bizarre is commonplace and has eerie resemblance to our own world. I laughed out loud through much of the book and can’t wait to read more.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – I am swooning now that I’ve finally read this Printz honor book. The writing is gorgeous and the story is hauntingly beautiful. Neither Dante nor Aristotle quite fit in with the other kids in 1987, but once they find each other at the swimming pool that summer, they become best friends. Ari tells the story of their friendship as the two young men try to figure out their place in the world and how to become men. Along the way, they learn that love–in all its varied forms–may hold the key to the secrets of the universe. Ari’s voice will stay with me for a long time. Another plus–not only does the book focus on diverse characters, but both boys have parents who love and support them (even if they sometimes get it wrong).

I’m currently reading…

Love That Boy by Ron Fournier – My husband’s Sunday School class chose this book for their next discussions. I picked it up after reading Fournier’s article in Guideposts. A former White House correspondent, Fournier records his journeys to bond with his son (diagnosed with Aspergers at age 12) as they visit presidential libraries. Interspersed with his recollections are accounts of his interviews with experts and parents about the difficulty of letting go of our expectations for our children and learning to accept and love them for who they are.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern – I am completely captivated by this story of magic and love and, of course, the circus. I want to become a reveur and follow this circus wherever it may go. Even better, I wish I could run away and join this circus. I have fallen in love with Celia and Marcus and Bailey and Widget and Poppet and Isobel and the others. Except for Hector and the grey man. Those I intensely dislike. How could they set up this competition between Celia and Marcus knowing the cost? As the circus grows ever larger and more magical, Celia and Marcus work together rather than against each other as they fall ever more in love. As I near the end, I find myself both wanting to know what happens and not wanting the story to end.

Nudge by Leonard Sweet – I started yet another book by Sweet this morning. This one may be my favorite yet as he transforms what is understood about evangelism. Rather than beating people over the head with your beliefs, evangelism invites people join in love and wonder. I love this quote from the preface: “You will not find in Nudge a gospel of religion; what you will find is a gospel of Christ. What’s the difference? The currency of the gospel of religion is fear and imposition. The currency of the gospel of Christ is love and invitation. Love engenders a spirit of wonder, where fear spawns anger and distrust. Fear seeks to quash wonder and to impose. Love frees to wonder and invite.”

Coming up…

I still have Big Magic waiting for me. My daughter also gave me my favorite gift for Mother’s Day: dark chocolate and a new book. I teased her that she gave me a book she wanted to read (she pled guilty). I’m looking forward to reentering the world of Divergent with the collection of stories in Four.

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