culture Archives – Rebecca Reads

The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson

June 6, 2016 by Rebecca Reid

Beatrice Nash is an educated, talented, and pleasant woman. But life in 1914 England does not give much credence to those qualities when she has been left orphaned and impoverished at the old maid age of 22 without any marriage prospects. To make matters worse, she must rely on her unfriendly relatives for assistance in finding a job. Her position as Latin teacher to the small school in Kent is tenuous, and she can only hope that somehow she can find the means to get ahead of her fate.

Meanwhile, Hugh Grange visits his aunt in Kent this summer, along with his cousin Daniel, and the two friends find themselves in a new situation as the country turns in the tides of war.

Yes, The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson does have a romance in it, and the tea parlor conversations in it make it a delightful woman’s novel. But in the tradition of Downton Abbey, we also face the dichotomy of the classes during an intriguing changing era when the world is soon to be turned upside down by war. Add in a very timely discussion of refugees from Belgium, and I found The Summer Before the War to be a delightful British novel for capturing my Downton Abbey-starved mind.Continue Reading

Chloe in India by Kate Darnton

April 11, 2016 by Rebecca Reid

Chloe in India by Kate Darnton is about an American preteen trying to find her place while living in a foreign country. Chloe is a preteen American girl who has moved to India, but she dislikes living there because she is the outsider. She has blonde hair, she doesn’t know Hindi, and she doesn’t quite understand the social circles in her small private school. As most fifth graders may feel, she wants to be popular.

Chloe’s story is one of growing into yourself and being okay with who you are. Although she really wants to fit in with the most popular girl in school, she recognizes that this girl is not nice and is actually not really any fun. The school system in India is such that the private schools are required to provide spaces for children who are unable to afford it. This is to give everybody the opportunity of a good education. One such poor girl, Lakshmi, joins Chloe’s class, and the two girls finds they have a special bond with each other. They enjoy playing after school hours at the playground together, and they both feel out of place in their new school.

When the school has a dance contest Chloe and Lakshmi decide to practice a winning dance together. They are determined to win! However, when it comes down to it, at school, Chloe is still torn because she wants to be a part of the popular girl’s circle well.

Chloe in India is a nice look at a culture that I was not familiar with. I like that we can see this glimpse into Delhi and that in the end, Chloe became comfortable with who she is. It was predictable, but I am glad she found the ability to stand up for her new friend.

I think it’s important to note that Chloe in India is full of subtle cultural and social commentary (Chloe’s mother was a sensational journalist) so obviously this book also became that. That’s not a bad thing: I think it is important for children to understand different cultures and the commentary gave such a glimpse. The book was not only commentary: it certainly was a fun story as well.

Note: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher for review consideration.

Mythology by Edith Hamilton

March 30, 2016 by Rebecca Reid

Ancient Greek and Roman mythology has always fascinated me. First I fell in love with D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths. But then, even as a young teenager, I remember reading Mythology by Edith Hamilton, one of the first “pop culture” books that brought Greek mythology into the main stream for the general reader.

It’s easy to see why. Edith Hamilton’s Mythology has taken thousands of different ancient Greek and Roman texts and whittled them down to the very essence of the story, summarizing both ancient belief system and traditional folkloric stories in a slim, easily accessible volume. I still like this all these years later, but I can see it for what it is now, and better understand how much is missing from it. Continue Reading

A Few Christmas Picture Books (Belated Reviews)

January 18, 2016 by Rebecca Reid

I had a delightful holiday season this year, in which I did not (obviously) worry about keeping up with my reviewing blog. Strawberry, aged 3, and Raisin, who recently turned 8, enjoyed a book advent calendar in which we unwrapped a different favorite picture book each day in December leading up to Christmas. This made each day a delightful reading day for us. Even though the picture books were favorites we’ve read many times over the past years, it made the season extra fun. Little Kitty Cat (two months old at Christmas) loved being passed around to all the family, and Strawberry and Raisin loved playing with cousins.

So here are some Christmas books I’ve read this season that I’d love to share with you now, only a little belated!Continue Reading

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