books Archives | Winstead Wandering

What I’m Reading Lately: Children’s Books Edition

February 23, 2017 by Abby

Finding books that appeal to kids and parents can be tough. We’ve done it, though! Here’s what I’m reading lately: children’s books edition.

Between Christmas gifts and school book orders, we’ve been reading a lot of books lately. Often, the kids get hooked on a couple books that J and I don’t care for. I love that my children share my passion for reading, but it’s no fun to read (and read and read and read) books you don’t like. That’s why J and I are thrilled when we come across children’s books we enjoy reading.

Since I’m sure we aren’t the only parents out there in search of entertaining kid lit, I put together this list of children’s books we’re currently loving.

Finding books that appeal to kids and parents can be tough. We've done it, though! Here's what I'm reading lately: children's books edition.

What I’m Reading Lately: Children’s Books Edition

“The Day the Crayons Came Home“

My four-year-old got this book for Christmas from my husband’s mom. We came home after opening presents that day and discovered my mom had gotten her the exact same book. So now we have two copies. Considering how much the kids love it, that might be a good thing. Not only is this story really cute, it’s full of puns and humor just for the grown-ups.

“Mother Bruce“

This book is hilarious. The first time J read it to the kids, I couldn’t stop laughing at the random lines I could hear from the kitchen. The kids were cracking up, too. This story is one of those rare gems that delights parents as much as it does kids. There’s a second book, “Hotel Bruce“, that the kids and I are excited to read.

The Children’s Storybook Bible

A few years ago, within the span of a couple weeks, I saw this story Bible recommended by several friends and trusted bloggers. I had to buy it, of course. Even three years later, it’s still our favorite children’s Bible. I love the doctrine and the kid-friendly writing, the kids love the bright pictures and the easy-to-understand story.

[Read more…]

The Best Books I’ve Read Lately

February 26, 2016 by Abby

Looking for the next must-read? Check out the best books I’ve read lately.

Looking for the next must-read? Check out the best books I've read lately.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. I’ve read a lot- okay, too many- mediocre books that I never would have read had they not been free through Amazon on my Kindle.

I’ve read some good books, though, and even some outstanding books. Like, read-them-again-and-again books. If I love a book, I hold onto it- usually virtually- and read it again. For instance, I’ve read my all-time favorite books, Redeeming Love and To Kill a Mockingbird, multiple times each. As in, well over a half dozen times each.

I’m not sure if the books in this post are that good, but they’re certainly really darn good. They’re the best books I’ve read in quite some time.

The Best Books I’ve Read Lately

The Short Drop

The only reason I took notice of this book is because I got an email from Amazon offering it to me for free on my Kindle. I don’t accept every one of those offers, but the brief summary of this one intrigued me. Here’s the gist:

A decade ago, fourteen-year-old Suzanne Lombard, the daughter of Benjamin Lombard—then a senator, now a powerful vice president running for the presidency—disappeared in the most sensational missing-person case in the nation’s history. Still unsolved, the mystery remains a national obsession.

For legendary hacker and marine Gibson Vaughn, the case is personal—Suzanne Lombard had been like a sister to him. On the tenth anniversary of her disappearance, the former head of Benjamin Lombard’s security asks for Gibson’s help in a covert investigation of the case, with new evidence in hand.

I could not put this book down. Seriously, I think I read it in a day and a half. The plot pulled me in and, even though it got predictable in a couple spots, there was still plenty of mystery and suspense. In my opinion, the sign of a truly great book is when, days after you’ve finished reading it, you can’t get the characters and the story out of your head. That was The Short Drop.

[Read more…]

10 Best Classic Children’s Books

October 16, 2015 by Abby

As an avid reader, one of my favorite parts of being a parent is introducing my children to the books I loved during my childhood. Here are what I consider to be the 10 best classic children’s books.

I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. My kids enjoy reading, too, and it warms my heart to see them engrossed in stories, or to watch them discover new favorite reading material.

There are so many fun new books out there, but I’ve always had a soft spot for the classics. There’s something so special about seeing your kids enjoy the same stories you loved as a child.

Stone Soup

A classic story with a timeless lesson, this book is as relevant now as it was when it was written in the 1940s. I’ve always enjoyed stories with clever solutions to seemingly unsolvable problems, which is probably why this one was such a favorite.

A Mother for Choco

When I was a kid, I didn’t recognize this book as the heartwarming adoption story that it is. Instead, I enjoyed it for the adorable little bird, Choco, and his silly search to find someone who looks and sounds like him. In the end, he finds a home and a mother that are just right.

[Read more…]

our favorite bedtime stories

September 4, 2015 by Abby

Our family’s favorite children’s books for settling kids down and preparing for bedtime. These books are made up of soothing illustrations and nursery rhyme-like prose.

We have a lot of favorite books in my house. My kids love to be read to and, because I enjoy reading so much, I’m happy to oblige. While we have a lot of favorite books, there are only a few that I like to read right before bedtime.

Where the Wild Things Are and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom are classics- and two of our favorites- for a reason, but they aren’t always conducive to winding down and preparing to sleep. Because of that, we save them for another time of day and reach for one of these bedtime favorites instead.

1. Bedtime for Little Bears! by David Bedford
This is G.’s current favorite bedtime story. He loves all the arctic animals featured, and I love the vivid language, the soft illustrations, and the sweet relationship between the baby bear and the mama bear.

2. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
The illustrations are earthy and the message is one every parent wants to convey to their child: there’s nothing you can do to change my love for you. It’s the perfect thought to leave a child with before a night of sleep.

3. On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
A celebration of the awe and rejoicing that accompanies a child’s birth, this story is one that will touch the parent or grandparent reading it just as much as it will the child listening.

[Read more…]

summer reading swap box + a book review

June 29, 2015 by Abby

Book swap boxes are a fun way to meet new people and discover great books. Here’s what I got in my box + what I thought of my first book.

I’ve always been a reader. You know the words people use to describe those who love to read? Avid, voracious, insatiable? I am all of those things. I love words. I love discovering brilliant combinations of words. I love that paradoxical race to finish a book and the anxiety of leaving the characters behind when you do.

Because I love to read, and because I enjoy connecting with others who love it, too, I was glad to have stumbled upon the summer reading book swap hosted by Chelsie at Life with Rosie.

[Read more…]

what i’m loving wednesday

February 25, 2015 by Abby

What I’m loving this week:

this hot chocolate

Maybe it’s cheating to include one of my own recipes? I don’t even care if it is, because with the temperatures lately, I seriously make this stuff three or four times a week. It’s so rich and has a deep salted caramel flavor. I use almond milk when I make it and it only has about 200 calories.

this music video

I didn’t think it was possible for Taylor to top her Shake It Off video. But then Blank Space came out, and it was awesome and theatrical and perfect. So really, I had no idea what to expect from her Style video, I just knew she’d be able to make it completely different from but just as memorable as the others.

[Read more…]

what i’m loving wednesday

February 11, 2015 by Abby

sparkling ice water

I’ve been trying to drink more water lately. My problem isn’t really that I drink too much coffee or soda, it’s just that I don’t drink much of anything. I know that isn’t a good habit, so I’m making a concerted effort to hydrate more.

I bought a 12-pack of sparkling ice water at Sam’s and was surprised by how much I like it. The water is lightly carbonated and tastes more like juice than flavored water, so I think it would be a great option for someone looking to cut back on or quit soda. I’ve found that filling my tumbler with half plain water and half Sparkling Ice mellows it out perfectly for me and helps me stretch the bottled water twice as far.

wreckage

I got an early copy of this book on my Kindle through Amazon Prime. I get a book or two each month through that program and am generally unimpressed. I just download them because they’re free and I figured, at some point, I might come across something good.

Well, that just happened. Wreckage is the story of David and Lily, the only survivors of a small-plane crash. They were stranded on an island in the South Pacific for 20 months before being rescued. The story takes place after their rescue, with flashbacks to their time on the island. The premise is that David and Lily have secrets about those 20 months, secrets that bind them together and keep them from fully rejoining the lives they lived before the crash.

I read this book in the span of a few days. It was one of those books that I raced to finish, but when I did, I found myself missing the characters, as if they were old friends. I give this one five stars.

[Read more…]