Books of Hope - Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse

Throughout my life I have turned to books when the real world has been grim and dark. When things look hopeless, and when it feels as if nothing is going right, I have turned to stories where characters do remarkable things, where dreams come true, and where darkness is vanquished by light. Sometimes when we are down, reading about other people's successes lifts us up. I certainly felt this way when I read today's Book of Hope. In this tale a little mouse does something that really should be impossible. He finds a way to fulfill a dream that is dear to his heart by using his brains and by drawing on his courage.


Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse
Torben Kuhlmann
Picture Book
For ages 6 and up
NorthSouth, 2014, 978-0735841673
There once was German mouse who was curious about the world. In fact he was so curious that he read all kinds of books that the humans wrote about history, inventors, science and other topics. Unfortunately, there came a day when the little mouse made his way home only to realize that the humans had waged war on his kind by using mouse traps. For weeks the mouse could not find any other mice and then he realized what had happened: the mice in his city had all left. After seeing some newspaper articles, the mouse decided that his fellow mice must have boarded ships and gone to America. America, after all, was a land full of promise for humans and mice alike.
   The mouse tried to board a ship bound for America but was prevented from doing so because “hungry cats guarded the ships like fortresses.” If he wanted to get to America, the mouse was going to have to find another way. Then the mouse saw some bats while he was moving through the sewers. He was intrigued by the creatures that looked so much like mice, but that had wings. Inspired by the abilities of his “strange flying relatives,” the mouse decided that what he needed to do was to build a flying machine. He would fly to America!
   In this remarkable picture book we meet a mouse who, despite his diminutive size and the many enemies who would like to kill or make a meal out of him, is determined to fly to a America. Readers will be charmed to see how the mouse deals with the many setbacks that inventors and innovators face, and they will read on, with hope in their hearts.
    With its gorgeous illustrations and its remarkable main character, this is a book that readers of all ages with enjoy and appreciate.

Books of Hope - Waiting for Magic

When life throws us a curve ball, many of us have no idea what to do. We hold in our pain and anger, we don't talk about what is going on, and we go around feeling confused and lost. Often, at times like this, the only ones around who make us feel better are our pets. They understand that we are upset, and they offer up their unconditional love and acceptance. Even when we are being foolish.

In today's Book of Hope you will meet some animals who give their humans this kind of support, and they also teach them a thing or two about communication, forgiveness, and magic. I have to say that this book warmed me with its sweetness and gentle humor. It reminded me that hard times pass, especially when we have the courage to face our fears.

Waiting for the Magic

Patricia MacLachlan

Fiction

For ages 7 to 9

Simon and Schuster, 2011, 978-1-4169-2745-7

Early on a summer morning Will’s parents have an argument which ends with Papa leaving the house. He leaves Will and his sister Elinor notes telling them that he is going “off to do some writing,” and that is it.

   Soon after William and Elinor find their notes, Mama tells them that they are going out. The three of them get in the car and Mama announces that they are going to get a dog. Papa never wanted a dog and so now that he has walked out (no one knows for how long) Mama is going to get a dog.

   This is a pretty dramatic turn of events, which gets even more dramatic when Mama adopts not one dog but four. And a cat. The family comes home with Bryn, Bitty, Grace, Neo and Lula the cat, and in no time they all settle in. Neo takes it upon his big puppy self to look after Lula the cat. Grace is Elinor’s shadow, and Bryn is completely devoted to Mama. Mama mentions that she wishes Bryn could do some of her chores for her and Elinor comments on how it would be magic if Bryn could do such things. William firmly believes that “There is no such thing as magic,” but Elinor, who is only four, is wise enough to know better. Elinor has not lost her ability to tap into magic yet, and she knows that magic is real because she can understand what the animals say.

   One morning, at the breakfast table, Mama tries to talk about Papa’s behavior but it is hard for her. Elinor has no problem asking questions, but Will cannot seem to say anything because the situation is so confusing and quite frankly it scares him. The dogs understand that the boy is struggling, that he is afraid that if he speaks freely he will make his mother cry. Will is trying to protect his mother and sister as best he can by saying nothing.

   When Gran and Grandfather come for lunch one day, Elinor finds out that they too can hear the animals. They even talk about it. Will thinks that they are making the whole thing up, but Gran explains that Will is simple not young, not old, or “not brave enough” to be able to access the magic around him. Will has no idea how to respond to this.

   On another morning Mama once again gathers the family around the breakfast table and, with great difficulty, she tells her children that she is going to have a baby. Will is surprised that Mama has not told Papa the news yet. In fact he is upset that she hasn’t, and he tells her that it is not fair to keep the news from Papa. He finally speaks up, even though he knows his words might upset Mama.

   Will tries to explain how he feels, which is when he hears words in his head, the perfect words that he wants to share with Mama. Will looks at Neo and he knows that the dog is the one who gave him those words. Will has heard Neo because he is speaking up and being brave. The magic is now there for him too.

   The next morning Papa comes to visit. Mama told him the news about the baby and he has come home. Will does not know what to think and he wonders if Papa will stay. He does, though he sleeps on the sofa at night. The dogs watch over Mama, and Papa seems to understand that this is the way things are going to be. He accepts the new order in the house quietly. After all, he was the one who walked out.

   Will wants to understand why Papa left and Papa tries to explain, but he is not very good at it. He wanted to have some space so that he could write a book, and he thought he needed to leave home to find that space, to find the “magic” to create something. Some time ago Neo, who once lived with a writer, told Will that writers need to work hard to write a book. Magic has nothing to do with the process. Will shares these words of wisdom with Papa, who agrees that Will is probably right.

   It turns out that Papa does, in fact, ending up finding magic, but not in the way he expects. Just like Will, when Papa finds the courage to do something hard, the magic finds him.

   This truly magical book explores how a family copes when one of their number loses his way. Thankfully, help is at hand. Four dogs and one cat set about helping the family members to come back together, and to find the inner courage that they need to share their feelings, to be true to themselves and others, and most importantly of all, to freely give their love.

  

Books of Hope - One Happy Tiger

I read and reviewed this book only yesterday and I am still thinking about it. When I first saw it I thought that it was just a counting book, but I was wrong. It is so much more. This book show us how a lonely tiger finds something in the world around him that first engages him and then gives him joy. He finds hope simply by watching, taking in, and finally connecting with the living creatures around him. The beauty and sheer joy found in much of the artwork makes me wish I could mount the pages of the book on my walls.

One happy tiger

Catherine Rayner

Board Book

For ages 2 to 4

Tiger Tales, 2017, 978-1-58925-234-9

Just like humans, animals can convey a great deal in their body language. The little twitch of an ear tells us that a dog that looks as if it is asleep is actually listening. The flick of a tail tells us that a cat is on alert, ready for whatever happens next.

   In this beautiful and thoughtful board book we meet a tiger; a “sad” tiger, sitting all by itself with its back to us. We can tell that it is sad and lonely just by its pose. Thankfully, when we see the tiger next it is “thoughtful” as it watches two bugs crawling on a leaf. Then it is “watchful” as it watches three colorful birds that are perched on a branch just above the tiger’s head.

   By the time we get to the number eight in this counting book our tiger friend is “smiling” in the company of eight buzzing bees. The tiger is stretched out, relaxed and with its eyes closed. There is smile on his whiskered face.

   This gorgeous counting book tells us the story of a tiger who slowly, by degrees, comes out of its shell to interact with the wonderful world around it. In the process, the tiger sees things that delight and intrigue it, and it also acquires something that is wonderful and precious.

   With its beautifully expressive art and its loveable tiger character, this charming little book will delight both children and adults.

Books of Hope - All the World

Many of us live in the past or the future. We look back on good times that are now gone, or look forward to what might be coming. We forget to appreciate the amazing and wonderful things that are happening to us right now, and those amazing and wonderful things can be simple everyday moments. Seeing that a favorite flower is blooming, or sharing a smile with a complete stranger are the kinds of in-the-now moments that we need to savor.

Today's book of hope is all about celebrating the present, those times that enrich our lives in so many ways.

All the world
Liz Garton Scanlon
Illustrator:  Marla Frazee
Picture Book
All ages
Simon and Schuster, 2009, 1416985808
Many of us spend our lives running from place to place, and from activity to activity. We rarely take the time to appreciate the now; to enjoy what we are doing right this minute. In this beautifully written and illustrated picture book, Liz Garton Scanlon and Marla Frazee have created a memorable text and lovely illustrations to tell the story of one day in the life of a family. As the day unfolds, we are reminded of the wonderful things that fill our lives, and the simple pleasures that make life so special.
   The book begins with two children playing on a beach. The build a sandcastle, dig a moat, and take “a shell to keep.” Then the family heads to a farmer’s market where they buy produce and flowers. There are moments that are trying, for example when a storm arrives and rain pours down, and there are moments when everything is right with the world.
   This book celebrates the connections between people, the wonders that fill our world, the high points that we share, and the low points that we also share. It is a title that readers of all ages will enjoy.

Books of Hope - Winnie the Pooh

When the world without gets dark and stormy, when illness strikes,  or when I am just worn down by life, I turn to a number of books for solace and comfort. One of the books I turn to is today's Book of Hope title. It may seem strange that I would consider Winnie the Pooh to be a book of hope, but I think it is just that. The Winnie the Pooh stories remind us of the simple joys, the little adventures, the funny situations, that make life rich and wonderful. Feeling rich in stories that are packed with humor and sweet affection most certainly gives the spirit a lift.

Winnie the Pooh
A. A. Milne
Illustrator:  Ernest H. Shepard
Fiction
For ages 5 and up
Penguin, 2005, 978-0142404676
Lets us hear a story. Christopher Robin has decided that the story he would like to hear should be one about his bear, "Winnie-ther-Pooh." Christopher thinks that Winnie would very much like to hear a story about himself, and so off we go, to the forest, where Winnie-the-Pooh lives.
   In the first story we are told, Pooh, who is very partial to food in general, and honey in particular, decides that he wants to climb a tree because there is a large bee hive at the top. Of course where there are bees there is honey, and where there is honey there are Poohs. At first Pooh tries climbing up the tree in the old fashioned way, but that turns out to be a painful exercise. So he heads off to find Christopher Robin, whom he hopes might have a solution to his problem. Sure enough, before long, Pooh is floating up next to the honey bee tree hanging from a large blue balloon. There still is a problem however, and the problem is that the bees, which are not unintelligent creatures, are beginning to get "suspicious."
   Poor Pooh. This is only the first of several rather uncomfortable adventures that he has. In the next tale we are told, the bear, who as I have said enjoys food, gets stuck in Rabbit's doorway. Pooh blames the size of the doorway, and Rabbit blames the size of Pooh. There is nothing to be done however, for Pooh is stuck tight. All Pooh can do is listen to a "Sustaining Book such as would help and comfort a Wedged Bear in Great Tightness" and wait to get thinner.
   A. A. Milne's deliciously funny stories about this lovable bear, with their wonderful use of language,  will never lose their charm. Pooh and his friends speak a language all children understand, and they make the kinds of mistakes that they understand too. At the same time, there can be no doubt that Pooh's tales delight adults as well. There is something about the bear's simple needs, his obvious devotion to his friends, and his delightful way of expressing himself that makes Pooh a panacea for a tired mind, an aching heart, or a weary spirit.
   Ernest Shepard's delightful illustrations perfectly capture the personalities of Pooh, Piglet, and their friends.

Books of Hope - Miss Rumphius

This is one of my favorite picture books. The story reminds me that even the simple act of planting flowers can make the world a better place. What Miss Rumphius does is to give everyone who sees her flowers a gift of beauty, and imagine what that does for them. Maybe it makes them happy and lifts them up. Maybe it reminds them that the world is a beautiful place. Maybe seeing the flowers allows them to move forward with hope in their hearts.

Miss Rumphius
Barbara Cooney
Picture Book
For ages 5 and up
Penguin, 1985, 978-0140505399
When Alice was a small girl she used to talk to her grandfather about how, when she grew up, she would "go to faraway places," and when she grew old she would "live beside the sea." Alice's grandfather told her that in addition to these two things, there was a third thing that she must do, and that was to do something that would "make the world more beautiful."
   When Alice grew up to become Miss Rumphius she did indeed travel to far off lands, and she had all sorts of adventures. Then, when she began to get tired, she found a little house by the sea to live in. The question she now had was what she should do to make the world a more beautiful place.
   One day when she was out walking she found some beautiful lupines growing on a hillside. The lupines were the offspring of the flowers that she had planted in her own little garden the previous spring. Now Miss Rumphius knew what she would have to do. Back at home she sent away for bags and bags of lupine seeds and then she got to work sowing the seeds all over the countryside, making the hills and valleys around her home beautiful.
   This delightful story about dreams and the need to give something back to the world is both powerful and thought provoking. What the elderly Miss Rumphius does is not earth shaking, and yet it does make the world a more beautiful place, and her labours give lots of people great pleasure as they look at the fields of lupines that she sowed. The reader cannot help wondering what he or she can do to make the world a more beautiful place. Whatever one chooses to do, whether it is planting trees or joining a group to clean up the countryside, each effort to make the world more beautiful makes a difference.