Book Bracket September 2025
Looking at the books this month, I feel that I didn't have a great four weeks of reading. Yes, I got through 10 books in October, a month that I feel historically has fewer rather than more titles completed depending on the year. However, I can't look back on most of the books this month and consider many of them excellent reads. I think this is the result of trying to make the most of the free titles on Audible and attempting to finish off a few more slots on a last reading challenge for the year. There were one or two books that were good, though, and I'm happy to share about those.
Louis and Zelie: The Holy Parents of Saint Therese, by GinaMarie Tennant
This children's chapter book describes the lives of Sts. Louis and Zelie Martin, the parents of St. Therese of Lisieux.
Why I picked it up: I've been meaning to read this since we received it as a wedding gift from a cousin, but hadn't gotten around to it until a summer reading challenge pushed me to finally read it.
My impressions: This is a great book for anyone, child or adult, to pick up to learn about the lives of these saints. It covers their lives, from moments in their childhood, through their meeting, marriage, and raising a family together - all the way to their deaths. The writing is straightforward but includes events that were important in their lives. I knew many of the stories from reading some of their letters and books like A Family of Saints, but it was nice to not have to try to piece things together from what was described in letters, which sometimes provide a fragmented picture of what happened. It is a sweet book, and though several hundred pages, not too difficult of a read for kids. I'd recommend it to those who want a thorough introduction to the lives of these saints.
Lad: A Dog, by Albert Payson Terhune; narrated by John McDonough**
A collection of stories about a purebred collie named Lad.
Why I picked it up: I recognized the author as the one who wrote The Heart of a Dog, and thought it would be fun to try on Audible.
My impressions: I was shocked to learn these were stories about a dog that had actually lived; perhaps there was some stretching, since Lad ended up sounding like super-dog throughout, but they are fun. I think these could be enjoyed by a whole family, and they have the wholesomeness of Lady and the Tramp and other animal stories like it.
Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars, by Nathalia Holt
This history book describes the accomplishments of the female coding mathematicians and engineers of Pasadena who helped form and forward the United States' space program.
Why I picked it up: I think I might have heard somewhere that my great grandmother, a resident of California, may have worked with rockets. I needed a book on American history to read for a summer reading challenge, and figured this one - which was on my to-read list - would be worth a try.
My impressions: For a book about rocket science, this work was much easier to read than I anticipated. It's a hefty book, of almost 300 pages, but it moved at a pretty good rate. It was interesting to see how rocketry developed, starting in the '50s in the U.S., and seeing how they could get chunks of metal into space by calculating the math by hand. Just crazy! It was also eye-opening to consider how often things went wrong with launches. I guess that, when you make only so many of a certain kind of highly specialized vehicle, there's a lot more opportunity to get things wrong since there's fewer chances to test them. Some parts were a bit slower than others, but I appreciated that mathematical patterns and scientific phenomena were often described with incredible ease. It was cool to see how a group of women formed a tight community in a time and place where women in the workplace just weren't supported like they are today, but I was saddened to read about the divorces some women experienced. There was a description of a coworkers' office with scandalous photos in it, but nothing explicit. There was also a short but positive blurb about the "benefits" of birth control that I certainly disagree with. There was certainly a feminist lens applied in this work, but it wasn't heavy-handed; at least, I recognized it, but it didn't irritate me. This could be a good book for readers interested in learning about this specific party of space exploration history, but it wouldn't hurt to skip over paragraphs here and there. I'd say this is a good book for mature readers, but some high school students might tackle this one, minus those paragraphs here and there, just fine.
Light and Peace: Instructions for Devout Souls to Dispel Their Doubts and Allay Their Fears, by R. P. Quadrupani
This spiritual classic is a practical guidebook for those Catholics who lean more towards scrupulosity.
Why I picked it up: This is a book that came from my younger sister's collection and it looked like it would be a good one for me to read.
My impressions: This book is probably joining my lineup of books that I'll reread for my morning meditation time, or my spiritual reading in general. This book hits all the right notes, and even though it pulls extensively from St. Francis de Sales, it works. It's like getting a little primer on everything St. Francis de Sales wrote that is applicable to this subject. Maybe it doesn't have everything he wrote, but I feel it sets me up for my next spiritual read, which is, in fact, going to be St. Francis de Sales! I recommend this book to Catholics who struggle with scrupulosity, but it might also be helpful to discuss this work with a spiritual director.
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fate of Human Societies, by Jared Diamond**
An anthropologist provides his theory on why some peoples were able to dominate others during the course of human history.
Why I picked it up: I first saw this book while I worked in a university bookstore, and it looked interesting. I saw it was available as a free selection on Audible and decided to give it a try. It won a Pulitzer in nonfiction.
My impressions: As a theory on why some peoples grew into civilizations that were later able to influence and dominate others, it does have the feeling of being a theory. While I think the author is right in some aspects, I think it's hard to say his take on civilization and the development of history takes all factors into account. There were some parts that discussed how people domesticated foods and animals, and that part was the most interesting to me - not surprising, really, considering how interesting I found Lost Feast and books about extinct animals. I can't say I'd recommend this book, but I wouldn't warn against reading it, either. It would probably be most appropriate for adults to read, although I'm sure high schoolers could handle it reasonably well. There might be some ideas that could be useful for world-building if one leans in authorial directions.
At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe, by Tsh Oxenreider*
A wanderlust-filled wife and mother of three writes about their nine months spent traveling the globe.
Why I picked it up: I'd heard of this before, and even marked this book for my "to-read" list on my library's ebook system. It was a corner spot on my last reading challenge, so I figured I could squeeze it in to get one last bingo or two.
My impressions: Travel narratives are not my thing - this book has helped me realize that - but this one seemed pretty good. It was cool to read about a whole family traveling, and seeing how that influenced their experience. It was really neat to learn about how different places can be. It sounds silly to say that, but I take for granted the exotic locations people live in because I hear names all the time or see movies filmed in those crazy, beautiful, amazing places. It gives me some ideas for where to look for inspiration in worldbuilding, if I ever do get around to writing that fantasy adventure. I would be very uncomfortable traveling the globe, but this book provides a good window into the lives of people who are magnetically attracted to roaming through places that require you to have a passport. I think this book would be fine for high schoolers and older to read, but there are a few very brief comments about more adult topics (for example, descriptions of billboards in one country discouraging inter-generational sex) and some grappling with issues of faith (not doubting God's existence, just trying to deal with life's difficulties).
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu; read by Aidan Gillen**
A classic on...how to war.
Why I picked it up: I've been curious about this work just from a general "If I were to write a battle scene, this would probably be a good book" perspective. It was free to listen to through Audible.
My impressions: This wasn't groundbreaking, and some of the information seemed common-sense or familiar from reading battle-featuring books like the Redwall series, but it has some good qualities. It is short, too the point, and considers many aspects of battling a foe, from the treatment and discipline of soldiers, spies, the lay of the land, and deceptive tactics. This work doesn't come with a Christian background, so some of its morals don't play well with Christian sensibilities - war is one of the worst things in the world, so doing it well...well, I leave it to other readers. I could see myself revisiting this work sometime, but not anytime soon, and not for mere enjoyment. High schoolers, and even middle schoolers, and above could read this.
Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World, by Maryanne Wolf
A research scientist of reading and the brain presents her thoughts on the impact digital reading has on the brain, and what we could and should strive for going forward.
Why I picked it up: This is a continuation of my professional interest in the impact of screens on children's language and other abilities. I started reading this on a self-guided professional development day.
My impressions: There is some good information here, but the writing style wasn't for me, and the book felt guided more by the author's opinions, at times, than research. Specifically, her views on what we should try to establish going forward definitely have the feel of, "I think this is how it's going to play out, so we should take [x] steps now." The author draws from plenty of research - that's true - but some sources are not cited in such a way as to make it easy to track them down. Her writing style is very allusive to literature and bears the marks of someone whose writing style has been influenced by those great authors. Wolf is clearly well-read, but I felt her more difficult prose style makes the book a little less accessible to those who want to learn about this topic. I was surprised by her opinion that we should try to develop strong tracks in the brain for both physical and digital texts, with kids learning which texts are betting for which form of delivery. On the one hand, if her ideas here are right, I think we can just tweak some things with our current culture and basically be there - I feel like I have a good grasp for both forms of reading, and that came with a slow- to moderately-paced introduction to technology as I grew. On the other, I don't know that her anticipation of this dual-reading model, with an encouragement of digital reading to a degree, is something that will benefit all kids who are becoming readers these days or has research to back it up. I suppose that she, a reading researcher, probably ought to know out of anyone. I guess I'm pretty set in my anti-digital, non-screen mentality. To that point, I'll try to look up one study which she referenced as showing that some kids are just naturally better at reading and prefer print, and some are just naturally better at reading digitally, and prefer it. This book would be something an adult would read, but it's not my recommendation if you want to get a good sense of what's going on in the screen-versus-print debate. On the other hand, it references at least one study that shows digital media could be a better avenue for some struggling readers, and it's the first pro-digital research I've come across in my reading. My apologies for the lengthy review.
Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon, by Tracey West
Book one of a fantasy series for some of the earliest readers that centers on Drake being whisked away to the king's castle to discover he's a dragon master, someone who has a connection to a dragon.
Why I picked it up: My nephew sent me home with it. He is so good about talking to me about whatever books he's reading and enjoying that, with this being such a short book, I felt I should read it for him.
My impressions: If you want a child to get an early taste for fantasy, this could be a good option. This first book, at least, was very gentle, while still having some hallmark elements of a fantasy story. It is a very simple tale, but makes sense, considering the audience, and sets up nicely for a book to follow (many have followed, in fact!). It's not a book I'd recommend to read to adults or upper elementary, but it could be a good story for someone who's not an advanced reader yet.
Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best Children's Literature, by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson
This reference book was made for Christian homeschooling parents who are interested in teaching their children in large part through reading, inspired by the model put for by Charlotte Mason.
Why I picked it up: This book ended up on my to-read list, and I stumbled across it at a massive weekly library sale when in Nebraska.
My impressions: I read the original version, from the 80's, rather than the 2002 revised edition, so some recommendations felt dated, but I still finished with at least a dozen books or authors to add to my to-read list. I skipped or skimmed some sections that weren't as relevant to me, but was intrigued to find which books were recommended, and why. If this book were to be written today, I'm curious about what changes would be in it, but I suspect the biographies would look much different, as many are out of print. I sensed a Protestant Christian rather than Catholic Christian viewpoint, so it seemed like famous figures that are more familiar to Protestants were present in place of saints that would sound more familiar to Catholics. I also thought that some of the books recommended were not the best representative work of the author - for example, one by Rosemary Sutcliff that I'd never heard of was mentioned several times, and there was no mention of The Eagle of the Ninth, which has been turned into a movie. Likewise, I noticed The Princess and the Goblin wasn't the MacDonald work recommended highest - rather, The Princess and Curdie was mentioned, as was, I believe, At the Back of the North Wind, neither of which I find as good as the former work, even with Curdie being a solid sequel. I was glad to get the chance to go through this. However, rather than recommending this book, I'd recommend the more recent version (in spite of that one's 20+ year age, it is at least newer than the original).
Bracket Play
It actually was a little tricky to figure out the first round placements, as there were few books that I really enjoyed this time around. In the offset section, the glowing book about the collie lad lost to Quadrupani's spiritual work, although Lad could have definitely earned a spot in the second round elsewhere. The remaining round one winners easily beat their opponents, as did the round two winners, although Louis and Zelie was far different from the reference book Books Children Love. In the final round, it was the spiritual work for anxious souls that faced the children's chapter book about saints. As much as I enjoyed the throwback feeling that I had when reading saint stories as a kid for summer ice cream treats, I gave the win to Light and Peace because it definitely had some of the feel that Fr. Jacques Philippe's Searching for and Maintaining Peace has. I have already made plans to offer to loan it to a friend, and I imagine I will return to it someday myself.
Books Attempted and Put Down
Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer, read by Elizabeth Evans**
A fairy-tale in which a girl with a scarred face leaves the cruelty of her stepmother and agrees to live a year with a mysterious white wolf in exchange for saving her father's life.
Why I picked it up: This book hit my to-read list at some point. It was available for free through the Audible subscription.
Why I put it down: This book was heading in the direction of a YA romance and I was not on board with that. Nothing inappropriate at the time of reading; just definitely not looking for that right now.
The Lifegiving Parent: Giving Your child a Life Worth Living for Christ, by Clay & Sally Clarkson, read by James Anderson Foster and Ann Richardson**
Christian father of four remarkably creative kids, who has lived a lot of life in his marriage and in ministry, reflects on practices to make Christian homes places where God is truly present.
Why I picked it up: Free on Audible; generally like or am okay with Clarkson content; why not?
Why I put it down: I just wasn't feeling it. I didn't feel like listening to this book just to check it off and not really get anything from it - at least, not at this point in my life. I might come back to it later, but it just wasn't for me right now.
Miss Buncle's Book, by D. E. Stevenson*
Dowdy Miss Buncle writes pseudonymously about her neighbors and becomes the subject of great fame abroad and great ire locally.
Why I picked it up: I was looking for a beach-read-type book to help complete a bingo for a summer reading challenge. This one sounded promising and was recommended by a friend.
My impressions: Man, I was really enjoying this book! And then I started reading something into one aspect of the book and it basically ruined the read for me. I couldn't recapture the charmed feeling I had toward it and keep enjoying it. Maybe I can come back to it someday (hopefully after forgetting what bothered me initially), but it was one I had to put down for now.
Persuasion, by Jane Austen
Jane's last completed novel, about Anne, a woman who followed a friend's advice to end her engagement to a sailor with uncertain future, and her experiences of finding him back in her neighborhood years later.
Why I picked it up: This one was for a book club.
Why I put it down: One reason was that I've read it before, and as much as I've enjoyed it in the past, I have plenty of other books waiting to be read. There was another reason, but I won't get into it here.
An anthropologist provides his theory on why some peoples were able to dominate others during the course of human history.
Why I picked it up: I first saw this book while I worked in a university bookstore, and it looked interesting. I saw it was available as a free selection on Audible and decided to give it a try. It won a Pulitzer in nonfiction.
My impressions: As a theory on why some peoples grew into civilizations that were later able to influence and dominate others, it does have the feeling of being a theory. While I think the author is right in some aspects, I think it's hard to say his take on civilization and the development of history takes all factors into account. There were some parts that discussed how people domesticated foods and animals, and that part was the most interesting to me - not surprising, really, considering how interesting I found Lost Feast and books about extinct animals. I can't say I'd recommend this book, but I wouldn't warn against reading it, either. It would probably be most appropriate for adults to read, although I'm sure high schoolers could handle it reasonably well. There might be some ideas that could be useful for world-building if one leans in authorial directions.
At Home in the World: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe, by Tsh Oxenreider*
A wanderlust-filled wife and mother of three writes about their nine months spent traveling the globe.
Why I picked it up: I'd heard of this before, and even marked this book for my "to-read" list on my library's ebook system. It was a corner spot on my last reading challenge, so I figured I could squeeze it in to get one last bingo or two.
My impressions: Travel narratives are not my thing - this book has helped me realize that - but this one seemed pretty good. It was cool to read about a whole family traveling, and seeing how that influenced their experience. It was really neat to learn about how different places can be. It sounds silly to say that, but I take for granted the exotic locations people live in because I hear names all the time or see movies filmed in those crazy, beautiful, amazing places. It gives me some ideas for where to look for inspiration in worldbuilding, if I ever do get around to writing that fantasy adventure. I would be very uncomfortable traveling the globe, but this book provides a good window into the lives of people who are magnetically attracted to roaming through places that require you to have a passport. I think this book would be fine for high schoolers and older to read, but there are a few very brief comments about more adult topics (for example, descriptions of billboards in one country discouraging inter-generational sex) and some grappling with issues of faith (not doubting God's existence, just trying to deal with life's difficulties).
The Art of War, by Sun Tzu; read by Aidan Gillen**
A classic on...how to war.
Why I picked it up: I've been curious about this work just from a general "If I were to write a battle scene, this would probably be a good book" perspective. It was free to listen to through Audible.
My impressions: This wasn't groundbreaking, and some of the information seemed common-sense or familiar from reading battle-featuring books like the Redwall series, but it has some good qualities. It is short, too the point, and considers many aspects of battling a foe, from the treatment and discipline of soldiers, spies, the lay of the land, and deceptive tactics. This work doesn't come with a Christian background, so some of its morals don't play well with Christian sensibilities - war is one of the worst things in the world, so doing it well...well, I leave it to other readers. I could see myself revisiting this work sometime, but not anytime soon, and not for mere enjoyment. High schoolers, and even middle schoolers, and above could read this.
Reader, Come Home: The Reading Brain in a Digital World, by Maryanne Wolf
A research scientist of reading and the brain presents her thoughts on the impact digital reading has on the brain, and what we could and should strive for going forward.
Why I picked it up: This is a continuation of my professional interest in the impact of screens on children's language and other abilities. I started reading this on a self-guided professional development day.
My impressions: There is some good information here, but the writing style wasn't for me, and the book felt guided more by the author's opinions, at times, than research. Specifically, her views on what we should try to establish going forward definitely have the feel of, "I think this is how it's going to play out, so we should take [x] steps now." The author draws from plenty of research - that's true - but some sources are not cited in such a way as to make it easy to track them down. Her writing style is very allusive to literature and bears the marks of someone whose writing style has been influenced by those great authors. Wolf is clearly well-read, but I felt her more difficult prose style makes the book a little less accessible to those who want to learn about this topic. I was surprised by her opinion that we should try to develop strong tracks in the brain for both physical and digital texts, with kids learning which texts are betting for which form of delivery. On the one hand, if her ideas here are right, I think we can just tweak some things with our current culture and basically be there - I feel like I have a good grasp for both forms of reading, and that came with a slow- to moderately-paced introduction to technology as I grew. On the other, I don't know that her anticipation of this dual-reading model, with an encouragement of digital reading to a degree, is something that will benefit all kids who are becoming readers these days or has research to back it up. I suppose that she, a reading researcher, probably ought to know out of anyone. I guess I'm pretty set in my anti-digital, non-screen mentality. To that point, I'll try to look up one study which she referenced as showing that some kids are just naturally better at reading and prefer print, and some are just naturally better at reading digitally, and prefer it. This book would be something an adult would read, but it's not my recommendation if you want to get a good sense of what's going on in the screen-versus-print debate. On the other hand, it references at least one study that shows digital media could be a better avenue for some struggling readers, and it's the first pro-digital research I've come across in my reading. My apologies for the lengthy review.
Dragon Masters: Rise of the Earth Dragon, by Tracey West
Book one of a fantasy series for some of the earliest readers that centers on Drake being whisked away to the king's castle to discover he's a dragon master, someone who has a connection to a dragon.
Why I picked it up: My nephew sent me home with it. He is so good about talking to me about whatever books he's reading and enjoying that, with this being such a short book, I felt I should read it for him.
My impressions: If you want a child to get an early taste for fantasy, this could be a good option. This first book, at least, was very gentle, while still having some hallmark elements of a fantasy story. It is a very simple tale, but makes sense, considering the audience, and sets up nicely for a book to follow (many have followed, in fact!). It's not a book I'd recommend to read to adults or upper elementary, but it could be a good story for someone who's not an advanced reader yet.
Books Children Love: A Guide to the Best Children's Literature, by Elizabeth Laraway Wilson
This reference book was made for Christian homeschooling parents who are interested in teaching their children in large part through reading, inspired by the model put for by Charlotte Mason.
Why I picked it up: This book ended up on my to-read list, and I stumbled across it at a massive weekly library sale when in Nebraska.
My impressions: I read the original version, from the 80's, rather than the 2002 revised edition, so some recommendations felt dated, but I still finished with at least a dozen books or authors to add to my to-read list. I skipped or skimmed some sections that weren't as relevant to me, but was intrigued to find which books were recommended, and why. If this book were to be written today, I'm curious about what changes would be in it, but I suspect the biographies would look much different, as many are out of print. I sensed a Protestant Christian rather than Catholic Christian viewpoint, so it seemed like famous figures that are more familiar to Protestants were present in place of saints that would sound more familiar to Catholics. I also thought that some of the books recommended were not the best representative work of the author - for example, one by Rosemary Sutcliff that I'd never heard of was mentioned several times, and there was no mention of The Eagle of the Ninth, which has been turned into a movie. Likewise, I noticed The Princess and the Goblin wasn't the MacDonald work recommended highest - rather, The Princess and Curdie was mentioned, as was, I believe, At the Back of the North Wind, neither of which I find as good as the former work, even with Curdie being a solid sequel. I was glad to get the chance to go through this. However, rather than recommending this book, I'd recommend the more recent version (in spite of that one's 20+ year age, it is at least newer than the original).
Bracket Play
Books Attempted and Put Down
Echo North, by Joanna Ruth Meyer, read by Elizabeth Evans**
A fairy-tale in which a girl with a scarred face leaves the cruelty of her stepmother and agrees to live a year with a mysterious white wolf in exchange for saving her father's life.
Why I picked it up: This book hit my to-read list at some point. It was available for free through the Audible subscription.
Why I put it down: This book was heading in the direction of a YA romance and I was not on board with that. Nothing inappropriate at the time of reading; just definitely not looking for that right now.
The Lifegiving Parent: Giving Your child a Life Worth Living for Christ, by Clay & Sally Clarkson, read by James Anderson Foster and Ann Richardson**
Christian father of four remarkably creative kids, who has lived a lot of life in his marriage and in ministry, reflects on practices to make Christian homes places where God is truly present.
Why I picked it up: Free on Audible; generally like or am okay with Clarkson content; why not?
Why I put it down: I just wasn't feeling it. I didn't feel like listening to this book just to check it off and not really get anything from it - at least, not at this point in my life. I might come back to it later, but it just wasn't for me right now.
Miss Buncle's Book, by D. E. Stevenson*
Dowdy Miss Buncle writes pseudonymously about her neighbors and becomes the subject of great fame abroad and great ire locally.
Why I picked it up: I was looking for a beach-read-type book to help complete a bingo for a summer reading challenge. This one sounded promising and was recommended by a friend.
My impressions: Man, I was really enjoying this book! And then I started reading something into one aspect of the book and it basically ruined the read for me. I couldn't recapture the charmed feeling I had toward it and keep enjoying it. Maybe I can come back to it someday (hopefully after forgetting what bothered me initially), but it was one I had to put down for now.
Persuasion, by Jane Austen
Jane's last completed novel, about Anne, a woman who followed a friend's advice to end her engagement to a sailor with uncertain future, and her experiences of finding him back in her neighborhood years later.
Why I picked it up: This one was for a book club.
Why I put it down: One reason was that I've read it before, and as much as I've enjoyed it in the past, I have plenty of other books waiting to be read. There was another reason, but I won't get into it here.
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