“Summertime and the livin’ is easy!”—George Gershwin
“And God said, ‘Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.’ And it was so. God called the dry ground ‘land,’ and the gathered waters he called ‘seas.’ And God saw that it was good.”—Genesis 1:9-10
If you have read my June blog, you know I have fond memories of summertime as a child. Not only did my family enjoy extended visits on the farm with my grandparents, we also occasionally enjoyed treks to the beach.
Those memories are a great segue to the books I’ll be reviewing in this newsletter and giving away to two lucky subscribers. Here’s the link to subscribe: https://joycemccullough/newsletter/.
First, Roscoe, The Bossy Rooster, by Becky Thomas is a delightful tool for teaching the Golden Rule. Matthew 7:12 tells us, “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.”
Like the roosters on my grandparents’ farm, Roscoe thinks he should call all the shots as he struts around in the soil. When his barnyard friends tell him he is not being kind to others, he finds himself alone and wondering why no one wants to play with him. Author Becky Thomas does a great job of using simple characters and a simple storyline to help kids learn the important lesson of the Golden Rule. Even though Roscoe is quite the colorful character, he learns his lesson; and readers will learn to love him! I’m giving it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐review!
While summer visits to my grandparents’ farm were adventurous, many days were also filled with hard work. From breaking beans to canning corn, leisure time was scarce. So the occasional trip to the beach was always a welcome respite.
These beach memories helped lead to me to my second review, God of Wonders by Dominique Okonkwo. Through this book I have recalled many of my childhood adventures in Gulf Shores, Ft. Walton, and Tampa.
Like the young boy in the story, I once found a sand dollar and was amazed to discover so many of God’s wonders connected to the sand and the sea. Sara Ugolotti’s vivid illustrations bring God’s wonders to life. The “Did You Know” questions at the end provide a great opportunity for children and adults to discuss their own beach finds. Any family planning a beach trip should add this book to their tote bag! I also give it ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
Wherever your summer adventures take you, be it on soil or sand, I hope you’ll be toting around a bag of books on these lazy, hazy, long, hot days. And do an author a favor. Please write a review whenever you get the chance. 😊
To be eligible to win a copy of Roscoe or God of Wonders, please comment with your preference either on this post or on Facebook. Thank you!
Have a great summer!
The Literary Lyonesse
