Book Bracket for August 2025
August was a mad dash of trying to squeeze more reading in for some summer reading programs, two of which were ending this month and I needed to get done. A free t-shirt was on the line! Lots of audiobooks, but also many physical ones made up the list for this month.
A laptop cord that I didn't feel comfortable using delayed the composition and release of this post.
The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo; narrated by Graeme Malcolm**
A runty mouse outcast works to save the human princess he loves from the machinations of a rat.
Why I picked it up: I have decided DiCamillo's works aren't for me, but I told myself I'd try to get through this one because my nephew read it a year ago...and it's worth points for a reading challenge. I forgotten I'd tried reading this in middle school, but I gave up on it because I didn't like the attitudes of Despereaux's parents in the first two chapters.
My impressions: Out of DiCamillo's oft-lauded works, this is the one that I've been most alright with. What struck me most was probably the oddness of a mouse falling in love with a human - which the narrator also comments on. I appreciated DiCamillo's writing craft and thought there was the right amount of description of light versus dark in the midst of the story - there wasn't too much. I liked the ending and that the different elements tied together at the end. It's not the most impressive story and I don't plan to reread it, but it would probably be a read that was fine for upper elementary readers.
The Black Cauldron, by Lloyd Alexander; narrated by James Langton**
Taran, the assistant pig keeper, is invited on a quest to help obtain and destroy the evil black cauldron, but finds himself leading his companions through grave trials when the adventure goes sideways.
Why I picked it up: This was another book worth points for a reading challenge and I thought it was worth exploring since the first one was pretty good.
My impressions: This book helps Taran develop more and more into a likeable character, and brings in those lovable companions who made his first adventure so colorful. I took issue with the representation of the three witches, who were accused of being evil, but in the end seemed only like more "neutral" forces, somewhat like the Fates, who are merely concerned with helping "destiny" happen. There is some discussion of destiny in this book, but my favorite parts were Taran choosing to make sacrifices. I love his friends as he does, seeing in all of them stalwart qualities that would make them so wonderful to have as companions in an adventure. This series feels darker and weightier than many other fantasies for children, so I wouldn't recommend it to readers much younger than middle school. Parents should probably be aware of the episode involving witches, but otherwise, I think the book is a good follow-up to the original.
Glow Kids: How Screen Addiction is Hijacking Our Kids - And How to Break the Trance, by Nicholas Kardaras, Ph.D.
An addictions counselor specialist takes addictive video games and digital screens to task, especially regarding how they can derail the mental processes of both healthy and vulnerable youths.
Why I picked it up: This seemed like another good book to read before I gave my presentation on the impact of excessive screen time to my coworkers.
My impressions: Like other books on this subject, I think there's a lot of good information, but some is dated, and some of it probably needs to be taken with a grain of salt. I felt like the author really belabored the addicting qualities of video games for much of the book, and kind of felt that I could have use wider-ranging views of other types of screens. However, I thought his description of the forays of tech companies into the educational world were quite interesting - although his wording came across as a little overdramatic at times. I did end up skipping a chapter on the Newtown shooter and multiple paragraphs here and there which were a little too heavy. There were also a few sections I wish I'd skipped because there was way too much detail of some pretty horrific things. Not a book for kids, and some sections not for adults, either. It was a pretty doom-and-gloom book and I was feeling glad to be done with it by the end. I might be all read-out on this topic for the time being. It might be a book to consider if you want to learn more about the dangers of excessive screen time for kids, but I would issue some pretty stark warnings about the mature and sometimes graphic content that pops up in some places.
The Way of the Wilderking, by Jonathan Rogers; narrated by the author**
The final book in the trilogy reimagining the early adventures of King David follows Aidan and his friend Dobro leaving the swamps and rejoining his outlawed family, living the life that unfolds before him as the Pyrthan empire threatens again.
Why I picked it up: Yes, this book counts for a lot of points for a summer reading challenge, but I immediately got it from Audible as soon as I restarted this stint because I'd enjoyed the second one so much.
My impressions: This book is not quite as strong as the second one, in my opinion, but it was a lot of fun and went deeper into tying off some strings than I expected - or even suspected were there. I do think there was one string that wasn't tied off as well as I would have liked, but it was a minor issue. I didn't expect to get more exposure to the different areas of the kingdom, so it was a pleasant surprise to encounter sandy mines, a sort of Wild-West town, and more of the capital city. Dobro, the friend from the swamps, was a delight and the highlight of listening to this audiobook. I think this is a good ending to a great series and I think it is an underappreciated trilogy. Elementary readers who can handle the reading level should be able to enjoy this adventure quite well.
Now We Are Six, by A. A. Milne
A short book of poems for children by the author of Winnie-the-Pooh includes illustrations by the artist of the same books.
Why I picked it up: This one has been on my shelves for a while and I've never read any of the Winnie-the-Pooh books - and, sure enough, this one fulfilled requirements for two different reading challenges.
My impressions: I think this is a very good book of poems for children. Some are more charming than others, for sure, but the illustrations are great, and some of the poems are really sweet. I believe Milne does a good job of observing children and, at times, depicting how they think. I appreciated that Milne made a point of having solid rhythms for most of his poems, as well as a rhyming scheme. I appreciate both those things in a poem. This is a great book of poetry for kids, and my intuition is that I think it would be best appreciated if read aloud.
Henry and the Chalk Dragon, by Jennifer Trafton; narrated by Rebecca K. Reynolds**
Henry's artistic talents, stymied by "boring" school projects, find an outlet in a dynamic chalk dragon creation that gets away from him - in more ways than one.
Why I picked it up: Summer reading challenge! This one has been on my to-read list for a while, and the audiobook was available through my public library.
My impressions: Although I found the first half to be the stronger one, what a delight this story was! Characters, literary allusions, imagery, word choice and word play were all energetic and wonderful. This was an enchanted and enchanting view of the world from a child's eyes and I was there for the adventure. I think this would be an excellent read-aloud, and there's enough humor in it that adults will hopefully be chuckling at it, too (poking fun at higher-ups that tell schools what to do? Yes please!).
Louis Pasteur and the Hidden World of Microbes, by Louise Robbins
This biography covers the life of the organic chemist who invented Pasteurization and spearheaded the efforts to cure rabies.
Why I picked it up: I needed to read a biography for the summer reading challenge and I couldn't easily access biographies that were quickish reads about people I'd be more interested in learning about. But, Louis Pasteur has been of more interest to me than other folks, so I got this one from my public library system.
My impressions: This biography doesn't hold back on pointing out Pasteur's character flaws, sometimes belaboring them at times, but it seems to provide a good survey of his life, from beginning to end. Some parts were a bit grimmer than others, specifically when talking about how searching for cures could go wrong, but there was a lot of interesting information. It was weird to have the author somewhat making him out to be a secular "saint" of science at the end, when describing his super fancy tomb, but I was glad she didn't leave out the fact that he was a religious man. She might have mentioned a bit more on that (was he Catholic? did his faith inform his work?), but it was clear the focus of this biography was on his scientific achievements. The book does what it sets out to do, but it's not one I'd recommend to read just for fun.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
This coming of age story in Depression-era small-town Alabama ponders racism, a mysterious shut-in resident, and their effects on a community.
Why I picked it up: My book group wanted to keep going during the summer, and we agreed this one was a better fit for the theme than several of the books chosen for the year. It also fulfills another reading challenge requirement.
My impressions: This is my third time reading this book, and I think it gets better with every reading. The understated humor of the narrator, who expresses a child's views with grown-up insights, provides an incredibly unique storytelling voice. We love Scout, we love Jem, and we love Atticus. The different parts of the book seem so different from each other, but they weave together so beautifully in the final chapters. I could go on and on about this book, but one of my main thoughts is that I didn't appreciate this book nearly as much in high school. I'm so glad I read it again. This book has some hard content in it, so it's definitely not for kids, but it's an amazing book. I'd definitely recommend it.
Meditations Before Mass, by Romano Guardini
A priest/philosopher/theologian presents over 30 meditations upon the Mass itself as well as how to engage in it.
Why I picked it up: This is a book I was able to pick out from my sister's collection when she gave away her books to try life in a convent. I needed a new morning meditation and knew that this one was it.
My impressions: Of the books I've read on the Mass so far, this one is the best. It is an excellent book. It is substantial without being esoteric and good for reflection. I found that I appreciated it best when I read the whole meditation at once, instead of breaking it up into smaller chunks. The meditations are generally all less than 10 pages, and some feel pretty short, indeed. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to think about the Mass more deeply, learn how they can participate in it better, and hear about areas in their own engagement that they might wish to improve.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, written and read by Barbara Kingsolver, with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver**
One family spends a year almost entirely eating only the foods that are grown locally or in their own backyard.
Why I picked it up: A while back, I think I tried to find a book similar to Lost Feast on Audible and this one came up. Or, a galpal had read it and written a review on it. Either way, I found out I could listen to it through the local library, so I put it on hold. It became available in the thick of a very busy season.
My impressions: This was a fascinating book that got me out to my local farmer's market, even with the section or two that I skipped over (more details on turkey rituals than I wanted to know). I have never thought that much about farming in a sustainable way, although I've heard of it before. I'm not ready to go to the same level as this family when it comes to sourcing my food locally, but I recognize the importance of buying locally when possible now. There were a few points on which the author's view of the world diverges from my own, and one incident in which she got some facts wrong about the origins of Halloween, but much of what she says makes sense to me. I do think it would be cool to grow a few vegetable plants in my backyard. And read more Wendell Berry. And just go live on 40 acres of land in a hilly, forested area. In any case, I feel up to eating a greater variety of foods and trying harder to catch those that are in season. This book would be good for people who want to learn more about sustainable eating and would like to read up on one family's experiences of taking the deep-dive into local food producers. However, I would note that this book should probably be more for adults, as the author sometimes makes suggestive similes and drops comments here and there that are sexually allusive. Also, there's a chapter near the end that chronicles a whole turkey courtship thing that I was not wanting to get into.
The Castle of Llyr, by Lloyd Alexander; narrated by James Langton**
The Chronicles of Prydain continue with escorting Eilonwe to an island kingdom, where a fearsome sorceress machinates to claim Eilonwe's power as her own.
Why I picked it up: I needed one last book for the reading challenge, and these books have been pretty good so far. This one was available through my public library system.
My impressions: This one had a touch of romantic feeling discussed in it, but it was, for the most part, the same great style of adventure seen in the first two books. I thought it was better than the second book, and I continue to love to see Taran develop; the assistant pig keeper is still pig headed, but growing. Those who enjoyed the first two books will find much to love in this one, as well. It may be a while before I pick up the next one, but I wouldn't be surprised to get around to it at some point.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories, by Salman Rushdie; narrated by Neil Shah**
Haroun's storytelling father loses his yarning abilities when Haroun's mother leaves, causing Haroun to embark on a whimsical, fantastical adventure to help his father regain those abilities.
Why I picked it up: As a free offering on Audible, it looked like it would be worth trying out.
My impressions: If you want a light-hearted fantasy story with some whimsy, this is one worth looking into. I thought the focus on story was kind of clever, but also maybe a little too much. I found Haroun's mother leaving with the upstairs neighbor kind of rough for a children's book, but the story doesn't focus on it more than it has to. There are certainly bad guys, but nothing in the story that made me ever feel creeped out. The narrator did a great job with all the many voices. It's not a book I would probably sit down to reread, and it had some elements I might be a little wary about throwing in the way of kids, but overall, it was a decent children's fantasy.
Notable Book
The Lost Spells, by Robert Macfarlane, illustrated by Jackie Morris
This book is a follow-up to The Lost Words, read last month.
Why I picked it up: Honestly...I was hopeful to learn more about the birds and plants mentioned in British literature. It was in my library system, so why not?
My impressions: I loved seeing the animals and plants, but I didn't feel like the illustrations were quite as amazing. Maybe it was partly due to the fact that this book is a third of the length and width of the original? A poem or two made me uncomfortable from leaning into the "spell" or "conjuring" aspect of the book (it's not actual magic, just using the idea that the names of these beings sort of brings them into the moment), but one had a very bad use of the Lord's name in a curse, which kind of shocked me. Any way, I read it. As it turns out, it fulfills a requirement for a summer challenge, so I'll check this off my list and move on.
Bracket Play
The second round also ended up being straightforward, although, again, there was much to like in the losers. To Kill a Mockingbird had a bye after this round, so the delightful and enchanting Henry and the Chalk Dragon faced Meditations Before Mass; the religious book won. While Guardini's book is extremely good, it just didn't hit me the way Harper Lee's classic did. I do feel guilty giving the win to a nonreligious work, but I will comfort myself with the thought that I intend to reread Guardini's book. I now know it's best to read a whole meditation at once, so maybe I'll feel more of its impact and imbibe the lessons more fully the next time.
Books Started and Put Down
Literary Landscapes: Charting the Worlds of Classic Literature, by John Sutherland
The role of landscape in literature from the 1800s till now is considered.
Why I picked it up: I want to learn more about what purpose landscape descriptions (usually very long and boring) have in literature! I obtained this one via interlibrary loan.
Why I put it down: I'm glad I didn't buy this one, because it didn't explore the narrative purpose of landscape anywhere near to what I hoped for. I didn't recognize most of the books, so I stuck primarily with the ones I did recognize. There was a description of some aspect of landscape - city, location, descriptive feature, such as "mud" in a Dickens novel; some consideration of place, either what it looked like in its day, or just a brief description of the scenery itself, but only on occasion was there commentary about how the landscape functioned in a way that told something about a character or how it affected the reader. At least, that was my impression. I got exactly what I was hoping for from the sections on The War of the Worlds and Anne of Green Gables, but not as much from the parts about The Betrothed, To Kill a Mockingbird, and, sadly, even Little House on the Prairie. I don't recommend this book.
The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer; narrated by the author**
A member of the Potawatomi tribe reflects on how nature is full of gifts, and how we can incorporate gratitude for that bounty into our lives.
Why I picked it up: I came across this book in either Barnes & Noble or Audible, and added it to my to-read list. I accessed it through my public library system.
Why I put it down: I'm not sure what I was hoping would be included in this book when I first considered it, but it just didn't end up being something that I wanted to dedicate time to. I think the focus on gratitude is good, but it just seemed like there was a lack of someone to give that gratitude to in the author's discussion. Yes, we can do things in gratitude for the gifts of nature - but there was no talk of offering gratitude to the ultimate Giver of gifts, God - at least, not in the first 25% of the book. This book is a small one, so it's a quick listen, and probably would be fine to finish, but it wasn't what I wanted to give time to right now.
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, by Margaret Sydney; narrated by Sally Darling**
Five kids have lost their father and...I'm not sure what happens.
Why I picked it up: Audible is back for now, and it was free. I'd seen the title recommended on different lists and gave it a try.
Why I put it down: It really wasn't interesting and there were other books I wanted to get to!
The Language of Trees: A Rewilding of Literature and Landscape, by Katie Holten
A collection of essays on the beauty of nature, with contributions from famous authors.
Why I picked it up: This was going to be my "nature read" for a summer reading challenge.
Why I put it down: I ended up asking if a (much shorter) book would work, and it did! I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again someday, but I just have way too many other books I think I'd rather read right now.
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