We’ve had a couple of days off as a family, and I’ve been doing a lot of reading. I’ve mostly been re-reading some old favourites, but I’ve also been enjoying a Louis L’Amour book and started one called The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss.

I love the stories of the Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo. What I never realized was that Alexander Dumas based the story of the Count on the real life story of his father – General Alex Dumas, a larger-than-life man. He was the son of a black slave and yet rose to dizzying heights in a white world – a rise that also came with enemies. It’s a true story that makes fiction pale in comparison.

 16-year-old daughter – Last Battle: The Classic History of the Battle for Berlin by Cornelius Ryan. Still enjoying reading and studying about World War II. I love when they get an interest in something. They educate themselves better than I ever could with a textbook, assignments and tests.

14-year-old son – The Puritans by Jack Cavanaugh. This is my daughter’s favourite author. She was so happy to find this book at a thrift store. She only had it on Kindle, but now she has it in print too. So now the rest of us can enjoy this author too.

12-year-old son – Just Deserts by Eric Walters. This is an author we recently discovered and are enjoying.

11-year-old daughter – Violins of Autumn by Amy McAuley. She read and enjoyed this on the recommendation of her older sister. What a great thing older sisters are. Right, Julie?

9-year-old daughter – Harry Cat’s Pet Puppy by George Selden. This was a thrift store buy that she has enjoyed. I don’t know too much about it, but it looks like a cute story so I hope to read it soon.

7-year-old son – I Spy Year Round Challenger: A Book of Picture Riddles by Jean Marzollo. I recently talked my son into buying an “I Spy” book at a used bookstore. He was unsure, but once we started looking at it he was hooked. On our recent getaway he found another “I Spy” book at a thrift store. As an aside, we love going to a thrift store at the beginning of a trip and getting new-to-us books, toys and games for the trip. Anyway, he loves these books now, and his little brothers do too because there are so many things to look for on every page. 

4-year-old son – The Tale of Tuppenny by Beatrix Potter. This story was published post-humously. It’s the story of a hairless guinea pig who starts growing too much hair after a too-liberal dose of hair tonic.

2-year-old son – Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey. You can’t introduce them too young to the writings of Robert McCloskey. His artistry is beautifully realistic, and his stories transcend time to become beloved in every generation.

 So, what did YOU read this week? We love good suggestions.