Margot Davidson

Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in the Domestic Church

Book cover: 'Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany in the Domestic Church'
Author(s): 
Catherine and Peter Fournier
This book is an outgrowth of the authors' longstanding website www.domestic-church.com and is a great companion to the seasons of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. It is divided into four parts: Family Activities, Saints of the Season, Crafts, and Coloring Pages. The purpose is to provide families with activity ideas that foster a spiritual climate in those seasons.

Mossflower

Mossflower, the second book in the Redwall series, tells the story of the founding of Redwall Abbey and of Martin the Warrior's part in it. The peaceful woodland creatures of Mossflower woods are invaded and conquered by a wild cat and his army of weasel, stoats and ferrets. After mounting an unsuccessful attempt at rebellion, the woodlanders slowly retreat further and further into the woods and out of the grasp of the cat. He dies leaving his evil daughter, Tsarmina to rule.

Redwall (additional review)

Redwall Abbey, inhabited by peaceful monk-like mice, is set in the heart of Mossflower Woods and is the center of life for all the peaceful creatures who inhabit the woods. In this story the abbey is besieged by evil sea rats with an infamously merciless huge rat, Cluny the Scourge, as their leader. The rats are unable to conquer the abbey at first fight and thus infuriated, Cluny is all the more determined to have Redwall Abbey as his own. The rats attack the abbey with various battle plans and finally enter the abbey through the betrayal of a field mouse.

The White Stag

Book cover: 'The White Stag'
Author(s): 
Kate Seredy
The White Stag by Kate Seredy is the telling of the legend of the migration of the Huns and Magyars out of Asia to the great Hungarian plains. It begins with Nimrod, an ancient leader of a wandering people who are always moving west, seeking a land that had been promised to them by their gods. At a moment of despair, his people sick and starving, Nimrod receives a message from his god, Hadur, which gives him hope and brings on his death.

Fahrenheit 451

Book cover: 'Fahrenheit 451'
Author(s): 
Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451 is on the reading list of almost every high school in America, and with good reason. It is thought provoking and hip. There are reasons to love this book and reasons to worry about it. It is Bradbury's reaction against censorship and the blossoming of television. Some of the things he writes about have come true in our time, which makes his story all the more intriguing. First the story: it is in the future, but not too far off, with global war looming. The protagonist, Guy Montag, is a fireman.

Past Suspicion

Book cover: 'Past Suspicion'
Author(s): 
Therese Heckencamp
ISBN # 1-59286-802-9

After the death of her mother, a young woman, Robin, must travel from her home in California to a small town in Wisconsin to live with an uncle she never knew existed. She is angry and determined to escape as soon as she turns eighteen, which will be very soon. Almost immediately upon her arrival mysterious things begin to happen. She moves into the room her mother lived in as a young woman and learns a lot about her mother by going through her things. Evidently her mother kept many other secrets, besides having a brother, from her.

The Magic Tree House Series

Book cover: 'The Magic Tree House Series'
Author(s): 
Mary Pope Osborne
In this series, 8 year old Jack and his 7 year old sister Annie travel to a different time period in each installment. The series begins with Dinosaurs Before Dark in which Jack and Annie find a tree house that has mysteriously appeared near their home in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania. In the tree are lots of books. In one particular book, Jack and Annie see scenes of various places and time periods. At the page of the dinosaurs, they say they wish they could go there. Then, presto-magic, the tree house plops down in the middle of dinosaur time.

Amata Means Beloved

Book cover: 'Amata Means Beloved'
Author(s): 
Sister Mary Catharine Perry, O.P.
Sister has given us a beautiful look behind the closed doors of a cloistered convent in this little gem set in post 9-11 America. It is the story of a young woman who feels called to religious life but struggles to understand God's workings. This woman had been discerning her vocation to religious life when her life is shattered by the death of her brother, a seminarian, who is killed by terrorists. She has been unable to get over the loss of this beloved brother and although she wants to, cannot forgive the men that killed him.

The Singing Tree

Book cover: 'The Singing Tree'
Author(s): 
Kate Seredy
The Singing Tree, sequel to The Good Master, is a much more serious story and takes place during World War I. Sandor, Kate's father, is drafted into the war and eventually, the Good Master, Marton Nagy, must report as well. The majority of the book tells of how the family gets along during the war years without the men of the family. Of course, Jancsi the young master steps up and, aided by a journal his father left for him, manages the farm quite well.

The Good Master

Book cover: 'The Good Master'
Author(s): 
Kate Seredy
The Good Master by Kate Seredy is a timeless tale of the goodness of the land and of the Faith. Set in Hungary before World War I, a young impish girl, Kate, is sent to the country because her father, a widower, cannot control her anymore. When she arrives she is a world class brat but she is tamed by her uncle through discipline and love. She is somewhat fearless and zealous to try everything the farm life has to offer and this leads her and her cousin Jancsi on many humorous farm adventures.

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