Fall Mystery

It is definitely fall. I've been enjoying crunching and shuffling through leaves on my way to and from fall meetings. The air is cooler, especially in the mornings, and I'm dealing the "it's barely above freezing when I leave the house and almost summer weather in the afternoon; what do I wear" conundrum. 

Earlier today I was working at my desk and noticed that it had suddenly become very noisy outside. I looked out the window to discover a wild windstorm had sprung up. The noise was the wind, the trees, and the dry leaves being spun about everywhere. It was wild and wonderful.

I started to prepare the garden for winter, which really means pulling up and cutting down plants that are pretty much dead. I left some that are still flowering and doing pretty well despite some frosty nights. The petunias especially have surprised me this year; they not only grew taller than usual, but they're hanging despite the cold.

That is where the mystery came in. As I was dealing with some plants, I noticed other plants had recently started growing. in one area of the spider flower (Cleome) pot, there were little green shoots. I don't know what they are or where they came from or why they started now. Then I was removing the dead leaves from the balloon plant (side note: their leaves turn colours in the fall, and I did not know that, so it was an unexpected pleasure; also, they're perennials, which I also did not know), I found a small green clump in the middle of the plant. Finally, as I was dealing with some of the unknown flowers, bought because they were pretty, I found something that looks like grass growing beside them, tangled a bit with their branches. I untangled it gently as I removed the dying plants.

So three bits of green growth where I did not expect it. Except the balloon flowers, I'm not entirely sure what's growing. It's my fall mystery!

Happy Thanksgiving

 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

Psalm 103:1-5

September

September was my month of hospitality. After mostly neglecting it in the first part of the year and using summer as an excuse for rarely having people over, I was convicted in summer that I've been lacking in the "love one another" that comes from hospitality, so I started inviting people over.

I had 4 families over for supper and one for lunch (although they brought lunch). We didn't have anything fancy: I either served one of my variations on chicken casserole (with tater tots, or potatoes, or pasta!), or taco rice bowls for the family with food allergies. It was fun to have people over, get to know them more, and build relationships. I have a few other families coming over in the next couple months as well.

I was also out more in September. We had our staff meeting, complete with the pot luck lunch; our kick-off, complete with tacos-in-a-bag, and our first support group, followed by the Edmonton area PGP group meeting, complete with lemon and blueberry tarts. There was also the Women's ministry kick-off, complete with a pot luck brunch.

Basically, September was about food!

As the weather started to cool off, work started to pick up. I was checking program plans, getting after people to get their program plans done, and booking meetings. History class also started, with my group of 5 wonderful and strange students meeting in my living room. They're a talkative bunch and the challenge will be to get everything taught each week!

And so starts the new year of classes, meetings, and fellowship.

Sunday School

The third Sunday in September has been the start of Sunday School for several years now. Before then it fluctuated a bit; sometimes it was the second week; other times, when we were renting space, it had to be put off a couple weeks so as not to interfere with special events the other church was having. For several years, now, it has been the third Sunday.

This past Sunday was the third Sunday in September and there was no Sunday School. The plan is to not have Sunday School until the third Sunday of next September.

The reasons are good: Renovations started on Monday, and we don't have access to the Sunday School rooms. They were all emptied out on Sunday, and the roof tiles were gone. If all goes according to plan, by next summer we should have a second floor, more Sunday School rooms, and enough room for all the children. Maybe we can have a junior high class again.

I knew this was coming. I agreed with the necessity. I was pleased with the break, especially over the summer which, for the first time in years, did not include planning for Sunday School. I like having a year off to prepare new curriculum, make sure policies are in place, and plan for new teachers, new classes, and proper teacher training.

I did not expect it to hit me so hard on Sunday. Not having Sunday School was hard. I love my kids and I love teaching them. I miss them.

It's only a year. It's a good thing to take a break. It will result in more space.

I am happy about the plan. I miss Sunday School.

What I'm Thankful For

Today I am thankful for:

• Flowers blooming in my garden.
• Getting to spend time cuddling, talking to, and loving on a baby this morning.
• History class starting next week.
• Good music to listen to.
• Good books to read.
• Being able to put off encumbrances and focus on the important things.
• Almost all of my families completing their program plans.
• Having friends over regularly this month, before things get too busy.
• Sound preaching every Sunday.
• Fairly good sleep lately.
• A new, and very good, blueberry muffin recipe.
• Blueberry season.
• God's faithfulness.
• Sunny days going into fall.
• Public libraries.

More Summer Reading

I am almost done the summer reading list! I have one more on hold at the library, and I just need to pick it up (it came in the day after I was at the library this week).

There aren't many to mention this time; I think I was close to finished last time I reported. 

I have read the first book in the DreamKeeper Saga: The Dragon and the Stone by Kathryn Butler. It was a good story, full of imagination, allusions to Christianity (I think it's intended to be an allegory, but not quite), and fun. I have just started the second book as well.

Not fiction, but I did look at two book in The Story of the Orchestra series: The Planets and Carnival of the Animals. They were fun, with buttons to push to hear parts of the symphony as you read a story (and I learned that if you stack the books and one is too heavy, it will also make the music play!). It's a good way to introduce classical music to kids and maybe adults as well.

Someone had recommended the Brave books, a whole series of picture books by different authors, including Kirk Cameron. I could only find a few at the library, but they're pretty good on the whole, although some of the stories are more engaging than others. They teach life lessons from a biblical viewpoint and include the Brave Challenge at the end of each book, with games and activities to reinforce the lessons. I'm considering them for the church library.

Not on my original list: 

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo. A friend read it to her boys, cried a lot, and insisted that I read it as well! I cried a lot too, and loved it! It's beautifully written and wonderfully engaging.

I stumbled upon The Library of Unruly Treasures by Jeanne Birdsall. I enjoyed her Penderwick series, and this one (a stand-alone) was also fun. It has a neglected girl, a wonderful uncle, a young neighbour, a library, and some tiny creatures that usually can't be seen by anyone over the age of 6. My only problem was that she and the librarian justified the theft of a portrait; I don't really want children thinking that crime can be justified so easily.

I also started reading more the the Dear Canada series, just for fun. There are several newer ones that I don't know.

It's been a fun summer of light reading.

August

August is gone, although the summer weather is still here. After all, it's still 3 weeks until autumn. My flowers are blooming and my tomatoes are ripening. We're hoping for a week or two without rain so the farmers can get the hay in.

August was a nice, sleepy month, just as it should be. It was nearer to the end of the month before I began thinking about fall and look at work-related stuff; until then, it was quiet days.

I spent some time with friends. I went out for dinner to one family's house and had another family over to visit and went for sushi with other friends. We had a baby shower for my newest granddaughter. Not much else happened. 

I read a lot in August, continuing my quest to read as many children's books as possible. I'm still waiting for one from the library; I'm next in line!

Really, it was quiet. I started looking at building curriculum for next year. I enrolled enough children to hold history class this fall. I began looking at program plans and answering emails. I ordered a couple books for my professional growth plan and put others on my "for later" list at the library, but I haven't started reading them yet.

It's September now, so it's time to get going. There is church history curriculum to review and prep, program plans to approve, meetings emails to set up, meetings to book, and all the things that come with fall.

Summer was good, and I feel better now. I've been spending more time in prayer and Bible reading/study, and I'm starting to memorize Scripture again. I'm very thankful for the rest, and I'm ready for the new year.

Almost Fall

Granted, it's still hot out most day (very hot sometimes), but fall is coming. The nights are nice and cool, as are mornings, which makes for nice morning walks. The creek is low and slow, with rocks starting to poke their heads up from the water. The trees are just starting to turn yellow, and the tomatoes are starting to ripen. 

I'm planning make some rhubarb jam and maybe do some canning once it cools off properly. I berries and other fruit half filling the freezer already; if I'm going to take advantage of the summer produce, I'll need to stop freezing and start canning. 

This has been a lovely summer. I've rested and taken my time with things. I'm feeling better and ready for life to start again. Of course, this fall will be different with some major things -- Sunday School and Women's Ministry -- not starting. Fall will be busy, but still restful, I think.

Work is starting now. History class starts soon enough. There are 3 Very Important Babies coming in the new year to crochet for. I'm starting to put together Sunday School curriculum for next year, content in the knowledge that I have time and I can work on it because I want to, not because it's urgent.

As things cool off outside, they start up inside. It's a nice flow to the year and I've enjoyed it.

Schedules

In my attempts to be more productive and to know and love God more (both goals work together, as even productivity is for God's glory), I have been making schedules. Then, because they're either too precise to work, or forget too many things, or there are too many interruptions, or normal seasonal changes, I have been scrapping schedules. 

This summer was a bit different. I tried starting with a schedule, but gave it up quickly. Much of the point of this summer has been rest and restoration. It's been the first real summer off in forever; even when I stopped working much all summer, I still had fall ministry prep to do. This year, I didn't have any of that. And, as I was reminded, it is okay, and even important, to use this time for refreshment. So, while there were bits of work here and there, I largely used the time to ignore schedules and relax. 

It's almost the end of August, and I'm feeling better than I did in June and July. I've just started working on putting together curriculum for The Pilgrim's Progress for Sunday School next year, not because I have to, but because I was ready to. I finished a baby blanket and started two more (because there will always be more babies and because one is easier to work on when I'm out and the other only at home). Also, work will start up slowly in September and then really get going in about 5 weeks.

This week, I decided to try a schedule again. I want to use my time well, I want time for prayer and Bible study and reading. I want to remember that leaving the house is a good thing, and turning off the computer is even better.

My schedule is simple. It has morning prayer time, mealtimes, walking times, and three specific break times: one before lunch for Bible reading, one in the afternoon for studying, and one in the evening to shut things down and go into evening routine. The rest of the time is empty and intended for doing whatever I want/need to do.

Morning times are set on paper, but flexible in my mind because I don't yet have a "get up" time. It's still summer and I can still sleep a little later. It's more a "do it in this order" schedule.

It will only last a few weeks; in October, there will be meetings and more meeting for about 9 weeks, and that will break any schedule most days. If it works, though, it will be my "day off" schedule and then my "winter break" schedule.

To help with the break times, I have alarms set on my phone; they're the 10-minutes, wrap things up, get ready to transition warnings. I think they will help.

I have been praying about my schedule and my desire to spend time with God. I think this will help me stay on track better without getting bogged down in details.

If I remember, I'll report back at the end of September.

A Verse for Today

I have this by my desk (among other Scriptures), so I remember:

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty

And on the words of Your wondrous deeds, I will muse.

Men shall speak of the strength of your fearsome acts,

And I will recount your greatness.

They shall pour forth the memory of Your abundant goodness

And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.

Psalm 145:5-7 (NASB95)

Children

I had three small children visiting today. The oldest has just turned 5, the next one is 3, and the youngest is not quite 2. There's also a baby, but he stayed home with Mama while I cared for the big kids. It was a lot of fun. They came for the morning, I fed them lunch, then Dad picked them up to take them home for nap time. 

We played with a multitude of toys; sometimes I joined them, sometimes I watched, and sometimes I was busy with other things, although always willing to be interrupted to answer a question or admire something they had found or built.

They liked going on my balcony and watering the plants. Then we went outside for a while. We were going to play on the grassy part between the apartment buildings, but it mosquito central, so we ended up mostly on in front of the building and in the parking lot. I tried to teach the older ones how to throw a frisbee and jump rope with varying degrees of success. They ran some races and played with balls and worked off some energy. They we went back inside to play and have lunch. After lunch we cleaned up, and then it was time for them to go.

Various highlights:

• Convincing the little one that no matter what her brothers said, she still wasn't supposed to eat grass, and the getting it all out of her mouth.
• Convincing them all not to yell in the hallway after they discovered that it echoed.
• Spending half an hour keeping them on track with clean up (but not minding that it took that long because it kept them occupied).
• Admiring the Lego man with all the heads stacked up on his head.
• Taking pictures to send to their mom so she knew that we were doing well and having fun.
• Wondering what my neighbours though about the noise in my usually quiet apartment and the yelling outside as they played.
• The little one constantly shoving more veggies into her mouth despite me saying "Chew and swallow before putting anything else in your mouth," and then having her cough bits of carrots and cucumbers on me because her mouth was too full.
• Realizing that she only did that with the veggies; she ate grilled cheese, bananas, and blueberries perfectly well.
• The laughter and the fun and the busy-ness that filled my apartment for a few hours.

Honestly, it was a bit crazy and not what I'm used to, but also so much fun! I'm looking forward to the next time they come to play.

Colombia Earthquake

There was an earthquake in Colombia this week, and one of the cities most impacted was Pereira. That may not mean much to a lot of people, but it is the city where our missionaries live and work. I was there a few years ago, I know some of the people, I know a bit of the city itself.

I am thankful that our missionaries are okay. One couple is still in the U.S. on furlough, and the other couple was not affected. They've been able to contact everyone from the church, and they are all okay. Some of them cannot go home yet as they live in apartment buildings that may not be safe, so other church members are taking care of them.

My heart aches, though, for those who were injured, left homeless, lost family members, or were otherwise hugely impacted. I am praying for them, for the first responders on the scene, and for their very new president.

It is interesting how knowing a tiny bit of the country/area and a very few people can make affect my response. It's not that I don't pray for people and are concerned for people when I hear about disasters and such, but this one is more. My prayers are more urgent, my heart aches more, and I am more eager to learn how I can give to help the people. These are my people.

I can't help in every disaster, just as I can't help every cause or concern in the world, and it's okay that this one is closest to my heart. I wonder, though, if there's a way to become more aware of people in other places, to have the same passion and urgency in my prayers for them. After all, all believers everywhere are also my people. It's something for me to think about, anyway.

Reading Lists

I keep lists of what I've read; I have for years. Lately, I've been going through some of the lists, trying to compile a list of the best ones for The Book of Books for Kids and Youth. I have a new notebook just for the job!

Some thoughts as I go through the lists:

1. Oh, yeah, that was a good book!

2. Not that one!

3. What was that book. I don't even recognize the title!

4. Oh, that's why that book that I read last month seemed familiar! I read it (checks date) 12 years ago. Okay, I guess it's okay that I forgot about it!

5. Hey, I just checked that one out of the library; I thought it sounded good. I was right!

My book lists date back to 2012 (although a few years are missing because they ended tracked elsewhere), so there are a lot of books! I generally just note the title and author, and I sort them by fiction, nonfiction, children/youth, and picture books.

The Book of Books for Kids and Youth is a new project and a work-in-progress. I anticipate it going on for years, since there are always new books to read. Also, in my going through, I skipped the pages and pages of picture books I've read over the past few years. That's a project of its own!

More Books for Children

July was full of reading books recommended by children and families, and I'm almost done the list. I have a few on hold at the library; once they're in and read, that goal is complete. Until I start meetings again in the fall and get a new list!

Here are the ones I really liked:

• Britfield and the Lost Crown; Britfield and the Rise of the Lion by C.R. Stewart
• The first Britfield book is all adventure, escape, and running from bad guys through England; the second one is all adventure, escape, and running from more and worse bad guys through France! There's intrigue, danger, and (in the second book) a major, world-wide conspiracy headed by some very, very bad guys with amazing tech. The fighting gets more intense and there are more casualties, but it's never gory or excessive. 
• An added bonus: The author includes history and other information about the areas the kids are traveling through.
• There are two more books out (and another one coming), but the library doesn't have them, so I haven't read them. I know that one takes place in Italy, and I think the next in Austria.

• The Restorationists trilogy by Carolyn Leiloglou
• The job of restorationists is to restore paintings, especially after the distortionists have damaged them. The best part is how they do it: by traveling into and through paintings! Of course, there's adventure, confusion, and danger, but also a lot of fun and some facts about artists and artwork.
• The stories are interesting in that they each focus on a different young restorationist and his or her specific challenges (anger, jealousy, fear), while telling the story of the battle between good and evil. It's very well done. I wish there were more books!

• The Complete Brambly Hedge by Jill Barklem
• The stories are fun, simple, and entertaining. The main attraction, for me at least, is the artwork. It's so wonderful and detailed! 

• Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett and Mike Lowry
• The story is okay, silly, and will be enjoyed by children. I do not like that the author claims that the book (and the series) are true, and that when he was a kid, he was a spy. I don't like that sort of dishonesty in books; let's not confuse children about real and make-believe. Yes, the story is so far-fetched that it's unbelievable, but some children may believe it. Aside from that, the story was fine and the illustrations are good.

• Pax by Sara Penny Packer
• The story contains war, violence (against humans and animals), and an adult's PTSD from a previous war, including her telling a child about killing a man. I would absolutely not give it to younger children, nor to many in the preteen or early teen age.
• It's also very much pro-nature and anti-human.
• It's officially recommended for 8-12 year olds, with some upping the age to 10-14. I would say that the reading level is accurate for the younger age, but the content level is better for older children (maybe even older than 14).
• If you want to have your child read it anyway, read it first. Then you'll be ready for hard conversations and potential nightmares.

That's the list for now. It's been a fun month of reading!

July

Happy August! Summer is racing past; it's hard to believe that July is done.

July was a mix of rain, rain, rain, and hot, hot, hot! My garden is thriving. The petunias are growing taller and brighter than any I've had, and the tomato plants have many, many tiny tomatoes. Even some of the flowers I planted from seeds are getting ready to bloom.

The month was mostly quiet. I had friends for dinner one evening; we talked about books and told the baby how wonderful and adorable she is. I was out more this past week. Our missionaries from Colombia were in town, and on Sunday there a group of the Latino families and the Colombia STM team had a potluck dinner with them. On Monday, one of the couples from the church invited me over to have Indian food with them, the missionaries, and another friend. I found out that this young couple (and their two and soon-to-be-three young daughters) have just move to a new house very close to me, so that was nice.

Last night, I went to see The Odyssey with a couple friends. It's been many years since I've been to a movie theatre, and I forgot how intense the experience can be! It was a pretty good movie and fun to get together with the ladies.

The biggest thing this month was packing up the Sunday School rooms and dealing with a pile of books that had been donated to the church library and left in the office. Both jobs had to be done in preparation for the upcoming renovations (and the elders probably wanted the books out of the office!). It made is pretty clear that there would be no Sunday School or Wednesday morning homeschool rooms this year. I'm sure that will feel strange in the fall.

Overall, it was a good month. I read a lot and am almost through the list of children's books, at least as many as I could get from the library. I'll change up my reading habits a bit in August, although I still have the last 2 books on hold. I'll start preparing for back to work, and focus on a couple more projects I want to get done this month (a baby blanket and some sewing). And I'll look forward to the cooler weather in September!

Memories

Three years ago, I spent 10 days on a STM in Colombia. The church supports a missionary family there, and we went to help with a some preaching, teaching, and a conference. I mostly worked with the children, both in Sunday School and at the conference. We also spent time visiting with the missionaries, their family, and friends, and getting to know their part of Colombia.

The missionaries are visiting this week, and I was invited to join the Latino community at our church for a lunch yesterday to get to know the missionaries. Or, in the case of the original team, to catch up and visit with them.

It is amazing, the memories that flooded back, just being with them. Not just the events, but the little things: making piles of photocopies for the children (many of which they are still using), watching our missionary show the children how to run through the city square so the birds flew off, breakfasts together at the hotel, card games, playing "find the sheep" with the kids, being awakened one night by fireworks going off, buying huge bottles of water for a small amount of money....there are so many little memories that made up that time.

With the memories, came all the emotions of those days. It was exciting, tiring, confusing, fun, joyful, concerning.... I loved the children and taught them as well as I could, but I felt so overwhelmed so much of the time, I'm not sure how well I managed to teach them. There were moments of "I want to stay forever" and moments of "I would like to go home right now, please," and everything in between. 

And the question came again: Would I go back, or on another STM? Maybe. I want to serve, but it was hard, being so far from home, with everything different and noisy, and without enough time to properly rest and adjust. If they really needed me, though, I think I would go and trust God to use me how He will.

Clearing Stuff Out

We are planning to do renovations at the church this fall, which means no Sunday School. This week, in preparation for whenever the renos start, we cleared out the Sunday School rooms. It only took one morning, and was faster than we thought to get everything sorted, packed, and hauled out to the van. One of the teachers is going to store it all at her house.

In the process, we found:

• curriculum that had never been used
• other curriculum books that we do use
• still more curriculum that belongs to another ministry
• many pencil crayons
• so many erasers
• a very nice pen
• another assortment of pens
• crayons
• crayon bits
• more pencil crayons
• registration forms from 2014
• several pack of goggly eyes
• a VBS kit that came from who-knows-where and included a VHS tape
• piles of photocopies for worksheets that we no longer use
• seriously, where do all these pencil crayons come from?
• multiple pairs of scissors

In short, I am never listening to teachers again when they insist that they need more materials. What we need is to look closely at what we already have!

I told the elder who does the shopping for me to check if I ever again order pencil crayons, crayons, or erasers.

Anyway, that's done. Fall will be strange without Sunday School, but I'm thankful for the renos because they mean more room for Sunday School. I'm also thankful for a year to rest and revamp our program. It's good, but with the influx of children over the past few years, we need to make sure we're serving them well. We also need to go over all the curriculum, making adjustments and making sure we're ready to start strong next fall.

Quick Recommendations

I don't know how many of the books written by my former Sunday School children I've recommended, but here is the list, in order of publication date:

A Vessel in the King's Hand: A Story of the Filles du Roi by Abigail Froese

A Parched Land by Elizabeth Russell

A War Within by Maddison Ford

Difficult Decisions in Difficult Days by Elizabeth Russell

When All Isn't Right With the World: Letters from Golden West Farm by A. Frose

That's the list, for now. I'm looking forward to more from the children, especially the sequel to A War Within. I think they're all wonderful, so go and read them.

How much rain?

I didn't quite understand how much rain we have had this summer until I looked up the stats. In June, the city shattered a 212 year record, with 269.1mm of rain (10.5 inches); it was the second rainiest month in our history (July, 1901 was a bit wetter). We usually get around 78mm of rain in June, so it was very, very wet. So far we've had around 95mm of rain this month. Our average is 91.7mm for the month, so we are ahead of schedule.

The rain has stopped, at least for now. It's hot, hot, hot outside now. It's supposed to cool down a bit on Sunday and then start going back up to so very hot, maybe with thunder storms. I have the fans going and I'm giving the plants -- especially the tomatoes -- plenty of water. I'm also making sure I drink plenty of water!

The rain was good, for all that it seemed excessive. For the first time in several years, my part of the country is not overwhelmed with forest fires; we're down to 17 active fires (compared to the over 1000 each year for the past few years). The city is not full of smoke for a change; it makes breathing much easier and my throat is not as bothered. Of course, now we're getting hot, dry weather, so the fire risk is there again.

The gardens are doing well, both from insane amounts of rain and now sunshine and heat. My tomatoes are getting many, many flowers. My flowers are thriving, getting taller, and blooming wonderfully.

I am very thankful for the rain that we got this year.

Books, Books, Books

I have started my plan to read all the recommended books, or at least all the books I can get from the public library. I'm a little disappointed at the number that aren't available.

So far, the books have mostly been good, although not without some problems here and there.

There is one I won't recommend because there's a bit that I suspect the parents don't know about. It's rather subtle and may go over the heads of children, but it's there anyway.

I'm also a little hesitant about The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series by MaryRose Wood. I read book 1, The Mysterious Howling. As I read it, I thought "She was definitely influenced by Lemony Snicket and A Series of Unfortunate Events." After the first book, I looked up the series to see what the rest were about, and many of the reviews and websites mentioned A Series of Unfortunate Events! It's not in the storyline, but the writing style.

The book started out well. Someone found three wild children (they had been raised by wolves) on his estate and claimed them. Penelope comes to be their governess and she tames them just as she would an animal. The taming is pretty quick in many ways, but it makes for a good story. It's only later that I began to be concerned about giving it to children. There is a party, and some of the men talk about hunting the children. The lady of the house also gets very drunk at the party. There are themes that many children aren't ready for. The story ends on a cliffhanger: What is really going on at the house? (That's when I looked it up online so I didn't have to read the rest!)

It's probably okay for some children and a bit much for others. As I said, I'm hesitant, not refusing. It's down for readers aged 8-12.

On the list of fun books that I will definitely recommend (the grade levels are approximate and will change by child; they can also be read alouds for younger students):

• Appleblossom the Possum by Holly Goldberg Sloan (around grades 3-5)
• Young Appleblossom gets stuck in a people house. At first it's fun, but then she misses her family and outside. Happily, her brother are planning a rescue! It's a fun story and children can learn a little bit about possums.

• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (around grades 3-5)
• Roz the robot washes up on the shores of an island inhabited by a plethora of wildlife. She learns to communicate with them and to enjoy being wild. In the end, she has to head back to civilization for repairs, but that it not the end. There are 2 more books in the series, and a picture book for younger children.

• Sunny the Shark by Remy Lai (around grades 1-3)
•  This is a simple story about a shark, some fish friends, and the dangers of pollution.

• Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library; Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics; and Mrs. Pennypickle's Puzzle Quest by Chris Grabenstein (around grades 3-7)
• The title of the first one won me over fairly quickly! The Mr. Lemoncello stories are fun and full of puzzles and quizzes. There are two more that I haven't read. I enjoyed them more than the Mrs. Pennypickle book; while it was an okay story, parts of it felt forced, and I didn't really enjoy the ending.

There are still more books that I'm reading, and more waiting for me at the library! It's a very fun way to spend summer afternoons.