The Books We Loved

Today the ladies take on C.S. Lewis' beloved 1950 classic, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, as part of their Summer Book Club series.

Shoot the girls a message if you'd like tailored book recommendations.

Today the ladies share a few titles of books they've recently read, or are currently enjoying. Titles included:

James, Everett
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping, Mandanna
Here Lies the Librarian, Peck
Villa Coco, Greer
Adult Braces: driving myself sane, West
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About: a memoir, Klee
Go Gentle, Semple

Today Olivia and Manda are joined by Cassie, for a trip to the past, as the ladies discuss Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved, Little House on the Prairie series.  

SOURCES:

Various PBS articles

The Pioneer Girl Art Project, South Dakota Historical Society Press

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home & Museum website

A Kids Britannica biography

"The Little House Books: a historical slap upside the head," article from the blog, "A Bestiary of Books: Odds and Interesting Children’s Novels, 1900 – 1975”

Several Minnesota Public Radio articles

https://pioneergirlproject.org/2023/08/30/helen-sewell-the-first-little-house-illustrator/

https://lauraingallswilderhome.com/

"Where the Wilder Things are: the Laura Ingalls Wilder roadtrip

Today the ladies are joined by local picture book connoisseur, Ben, for a chat about summer-themed picture books your family will love! To check out Ben's picture book recommendations, he can be found on Substack or Instagram  . 

Titles discussed include:

Big Mama's, Donald Crews

Blueberries for Sal, Robert McCloskey 

It Began with Lemonade, Gideon Sterer

Summer is for Cousins, Rajani LaRocca

I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean, Kevin Sherry

Jabari Jumps (and it's sequel, Jabari Tries), Gaia Cornwall

Walking Trees, Marie-Louise Gay

Fireworks, Matthew Burgess

Flotsam, David Wiesner

Today the gals discuss author, Margaret Wise Brown, creator of the beloved classic, Goodnight Moon, and many other books. 

Recommended reads:

Kids:

The Important Thing About Margaret Wise Brown, Mac Barnett

Adults: 

Margaret Wise Brown: awakened by the moon, Leonard Marcus

In the Great Green Room: the brilliant and bold life of Margaret Wise Brown, Gary

Sources:

The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

The Traditional and Fine Arts Organization

Online exhibits on several of the illustrators discussed, taken from the University of Minnesota Libraries

MOMA’s website

https://www.esphyrslobodkina.org/

Encyclopedia Britannica online

An article titled: “Margaret Wise Brown’s Celebration of the Seasons,” by Danielle Ridolfi which was featured on Washington University’s library website

2026 article titled, “The Tao of Margaret Wise Brown,” which was featured in the Brooklyn Downtown Star