The Midwife

Call The Midwife: A Memoir of Birth, Joy, and Hard Times by Jennifer Worth
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jennifer Worth, a young midwife in London's East End slums, writes about her true life experiences - the joy of birth, loss of life, and all the everyday experiences with everyday, down-to-earth people. Trained as a nurse and a midwife, Jenny came to reside at Nonnatus House, a Convent next to a bomb site. The streets were full of children - no one owned a car on the back streets so they were safe to play in. Jenny grew to love the hard-working Sisters at Nonnatus and her patients, mostly very poor and living in terrible conditions.

After seeing Call the Midwife, a DVD that was in our library, I had to read the book. Usually, it's the reversal. I loved the first book as I did the movie and am looking forward to reading the second in the series. Being born in the baby-boom age of 1960, and only 15 years after World War ll ended, I see similarities between the London East End docks and the hills of Appalachia.

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Orphan Train

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Christina Baker Kline’s heartbreaking novel Orphan Train parallels the story of two women - Vivian and Molly. Vivian was once a young Irish immigrant who came to America with her family but lost them to an apartment fire. Molly is a teenage Native American lost in the foster care system and on the edge of being booted out. When Molly acts out for the last time, her only chance is to work community service hours cleaning the aging 91 year old, widow Vivian's large attic. As Molly learns more of how Viv was shipped on an orphan train to "better" her life out West, she comes to admire the resiliency and bravery of the older woman and feels as if she's finally found family.

History intertwined with fiction is so appealing to me and in this case it really opened my eyes to the abuse and indenturing of over 100,000 young, helpless orphans. The novel includes a small section covering the history of the orphan trains and some information on why the author chose to write this novel.

See: http://orphantraindepot.org/

http://www.childrensaidsociety.org/ab...



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Patch

Patch by David Slonim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Patch is a sweet, little story of a doggie who unfortunately shares his life with fleas, likes to chase rabbits, and tries to win the talent contest. His boy loves him never the less and says "We're buddies through thick and thin...no matter what." Cute illustrations follow a simple storyline.

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The Reason

The Reason by William Sirls
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

During a horrible storm, lightning strikes the huge wooden cross outside of St. Thomas' Church - Pastor Jim Lindy and his almost nonexistent congregation do not have the funds to replace it. When little five year old Alex Thomas and his mother Brooke, who live with Pastor Lindy, his wife Shirley and grown son Charlie, mention it at the hospital where he's having tests done, Dr. Macey Lewis rounds up a few people to lend a hand. They include her co-worker Dr. Zach Norman, NP Kaitlyn Harby , and carpenter and volunteer Kenneth, who keeps oddly repeating, "only believe." Dr. Lewis makes quick friends with Alex and his family and although dismayed when the test conclude Alex has aggressive leukemia - she knows as a oncologist, she is the best at what she does - finding answers and helping children like Alex beat cancer. But, what do you do when leukemia will not respond to the strongest medication and treatments. Kenneth repeats, "only believe."

A compelling look at faith, doubts, and miracles...

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Candy Bomber

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot" by Michael O. Tunnell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Who doesn't want to read about a real life hero? Candy Bomber is the wonderful true story about the life of Lt. Gail Halvorsen, a young pilot in the U.S. Air Force and the candy drops he made over the city of Berlin. Although World War II was over Lt. Halvorsen had seen firsthand, from a visit to Berlin how the children were suffering, so he promised the children he would drop candy and chewing gum from his airplane. They would know it was him because he would wiggle the plane's wings. The first secret drop was only three small handkerchiefs of candy from Halvorsen and his buddies. Several more drops were made before the mission became known and named "Operation Little Vittles" and actual small parachutes were used instead of hankies. The Air Force ordered Lt. Halvorsen to continue with the drops and supported his efforts. It became so popular that candy companies began making donations. The book contains great photos of Lt. Halvorsen, the children in Berlin, copies of their letters, and a anniversary event of the candy drops.



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Please read!!

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal by Conor Grennan

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


In the beginning of his jaunt, 20-something Conor Grennan never would have thought that he would be saving Nepalese children from human traffickers. Conor was going off on a lark, something to tell the girls back home in the U.S., "Ah yes, I worked with orphans for three months." But along the way he fell in love with the children of The Little Princes Children's Home in a small village near Kathmandu, Nepal. Promising the children to come back, after his three month stint and a trip around the world, Conor settles back in the United States and works on a way to save more Napalese children. An amazing, heartrending, honest account, written with Conor's hilarious take on things, this book is a gem. Please read - it could be heart changing. One person can really make a difference in the world!



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If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahern

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you've ever read any of Cecelia Ahern's novels, you know that her books are rather endearing, romantic, and sweet. If You Could See Me Now begins with Elizabeth's flighty, unreliable younger sister, Saoirse, stealing the car and taking off for parts unknown, again! Elizabeth, who adopted Saoirese's son, Luke, is left trying to care for him and her angry, aging father. Luke, only six years old and lonely, finds solace in a new, invisible friend named Ivan. Elizabeth, who is a no nonsense, very precise, and controlled woman suddenly finds herself sensing something or someone around the house. Is Ivan really invisible to adults and children, other than Luke and can he help Elizabeth reclaim some fun and spontaneity in her life?



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