Arbor Day Books

Happy Arbor Day!

For some light-hearted reading, why not share Pie in the Sky, by Lois Ehlert with your children or students.  In this celebration of nature's seasons, a father explains that the tree is a pie tree.  The child witnesses all stages of the tree's development through to the harvest when the family makes pie.

For some deeper discussion about relationships, why not revisit the classic, The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein.  Is this book a parable about the joys of giving?  Is it about a parent-child relationship?  Does it exemplify an emotionally abusive relationship in which one partner is doing all of the giving, making all of the effort, and the other partner is doing all of the taking?  You decide.  And for some Friday music, here is the Plain White T's allusion to The Giving Tree:

Happy reading,
Christine

The Husband's Secret

Just finished reading The Husband's Secret, by Liane Moriarty, author of What Alice Forgot.  A friend of mine preferred What Alice Forgot, and even quipped that "We could all use a little amnesia in our lives."  I loved both books, though.  What I loved most, is the connecting theme between the two of them that "falling in love" is an adolescent concept.  New love is cheap and easy, but loving somebody after you've raised a family together, hurt each other, pleased each other, bored each other, surprised each other, shared secrets, bills, and a bathroom, that is real love.

Happy reading,
Christine