Books Read in 2015

Nonfiction
Love and Respect for a Lifetime by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs (Non-fiction 248.844) 4/1/15
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson (Non-fiction 917.404-via Overdrive/Kindle) 8/28/15
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sis (Juvenile Biography) 12/22/15
Eve and the Choice Made in Eden by Beverly Campbell (Religious Nonfiction) 12/31/15

Fiction/Young Adult
Silver Dawn by G. J. Walker-Smith (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 1/4/15
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskel (Fiction-via iBooks) 2/20/15
The Rose of Winslow Street by Elizabeth Cambden (Fiction-via Kindle) 2/27/15
The Selection by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/2/15
The Elite by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The Prince by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/3/15
The One by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Guard by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/4/15
The Queen by Kiera Cass (Young Adult Fiction-via iBooks) 3/5/15
Fairy Tale Christmas by Michael McLean and Scott McLean (Juvenile Fiction) 3/7/15
An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (Fiction/Play-via iBooks) 3/13/15
The Chosen by Chaim Potok (Fiction) 4/11/15
Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (Fiction) 4/20/15
Unequal Affections: A Pride and Prejudice Retelling by Lara S. Ormiston (Fiction-via Kindle) 4/27/15
The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor (Fiction-via Kindle) 5/20/15
Hohenstein by Didi Lawson (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/17/15
The Reluctant Widow by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 6/15/15
The Black Moth by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 7/4/15
The Girl in the Gatehouse by Julie Klassen (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 7/11/15
Chateau of Secrets by Melanie Dobson (Fiction-via iBooks) 7/30/15
The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/15/15
Venetia by Georgette Heyer (Fiction-via Kindle) 8/29/15
The Healer's Apprentice by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/2/15
The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/ /15
A Desperate Fortune by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 10/7/15
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (Fiction) 10/23/15
The Heiress of Winterwood by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 10/26/15
The Headmistress of Rosemere by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 11/?/15
Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy (Fiction) 11/13/15
The Splendour Falls by Susanna Kearsley (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 11/25/15
Mr. Darcy's Christmas Angel by Katy Green (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
A Lady at Willowgrove Hall by Sarah E. Ladd (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/15
Shiloh by G.J. Walker-Smith (Fiction-via iBooks) 12/15/15
Heir to Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/18/15
The Return: A Pride and Prejudice Story by Timothy Underwood (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/23/15
The Merchant's Daughter by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Kindle) 12/26/15
The Fairest Beauty by Melanie Dickerson (Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 12/31/15

Short Stories
"Christmas Offerings" by Jay A. Parry in Once Upon a Christmastime: Short Stories for the Season (Fiction/Short Story) 1/23/15
"Too Much Happiness" in Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story) 2/18/15
"The Eye" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/20/15
"In Sight of the Lake" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/21/15
"Haven" in Dear Life: Stories by Alice Munro (Fiction/Short Story-via Kindle) 2/27/15
A Christmas Parable by Boyd K. Packer (Fiction/Short Story) 3/19/15

Juvenile Fiction
"Pudding" by Jarrett J. Krosockza in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
"Boys Will Be Boys" by James Patterson in Guys Read: Thriller (Juvenile Fiction/Short Story) 2/13/15
Lost and Found [including "The Red Tree," "The Lost Thing," and "The Rabbits"] by Shaun Tan (Juvenile Fiction) 2/27/15
The Arrival by Shaun Tan ((wordless) Juvenile Graphic Novel) 2/27/15

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (Juvenile Non-fiction 616.9) 3/17/15

Road Trip by Gary Paulsen and Jim Paulsen (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/23/15 (started in Summer 2014)
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive Audiobook) 3/25/15 (started in Feb 2015)
Lara's Gift by Annemarie O'Brien (Juvenile Fiction) 3/26/15
Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Retold by Carl Bowen (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 3/29/15
Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth Retold by Davis Worth Miller and Katherine McLean Brevard (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/4/15
The Coast Mappers by Taylor Morrison (Juvenile Non-fiction 623.89) 4/4/15
Galileo's Leaning Tower Experiment by Wendy Macdonald (Juvenile Non-fiction 535?) 4/13/15
Bram Stoker's Dracula Retold by Michael Burgan (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/18/15
Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels Retold by Donald Lemke (Juvenile Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/21/15
The Kite Fighters by Linda Sue Park (Juvenile Fiction) 4/27/15
American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang (Juvenile Fiction/Graphic Novel 741.5) 4/29/15
Welcome to Molly's World, 1944: Growing Up in World War Two America (The American Girls Collection) by Catherine Gourley (Juvenile Non-Fiction 940.53) 4/30/15
Boxers by Gene Luen Yang (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
Saints by Gene Luen Yank (Teen Fiction/Graphic Novel) 6/4/15
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 6/10/15
The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/13/15
The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/15/15
Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/17/15
Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/30/15
How to Train Your Dragon by Crssida Cowell (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/6/15
Public School Superhero by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/7/15
House of Robots by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Minions: The Junior Novel by Sadie Chesterfield (Juvenile Fiction-via audiobook/Overdrive) 8/8/15
Postcards from Camp by Simms Taback (Juvenile Fiction) 9/1/15
Princess Academy: The Forgotten Sisters by Shannon Hale (Juvenile Fiction-via Overdrive/Kindle) 9/13/15
The Tale of the Firebird by Gennady Spirin (Juvenile Non-Fiction 398.3) 9/24/15
Anne of Ingleside by L. M. Montgomery (Juvenile Fiction-via iBooks) 9/28/15
East of the Sun & West of the Moon retold by Laszlo Gal (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/13/15
Stay: The True Story of Ten Dogs by Michaela Munteen (Juvenile Non-fiction 636.7) 10/20/15
The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story retold by Penny Pollock (Juvenile Non-fiction 398.2) 10/21/15
Challenger: America's Favorite Eagle by Margot Theis Raven (Juvenile Non-fiction 598.9) 10/27/15
I Am the Dog by Daniel Pinkwater (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Lucky Boy by Susan Boase (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
The Little Red Pen by Janet Stevens (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15
Children Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown (Juvenile Fiction) 11/17/15

Easy Fiction
The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
William and the Magic Ring: A Shadow Casting Bedtime Story by Laura Robinson (Easy Fiction) 1/4/15
Over the River and Through the Wood by L. Maria Child (Easy Poetry) 1/5/15
The Joy of Giving by Jan Berenstain and Mike Berenstain (Easy Fiction) 1/5/15
The Heroic Symphony by Anna Harwell Celenza (Easy Fiction) 1/7/15
What Santa Can't Do by Douglas Wood (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
None the Number: A Hueys Book by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/8/15
The Crippled Lamb by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/9/15
Angela and the Baby Jesus by Frank McCourt (Easy Fiction) 1/10/15
The Boy and the Ocean by Max Lucado (Easy Fiction) 1/12/15
Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas by Russell Hoban (Easy Fiction) 1/13/15
Camping Spree with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/19/15
The Circus Ship by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 1/21/15
My Teacher Is a Monster by Peter Brown (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15
Secret Pizza Party by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 1/22/15

The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 1/23/15
The Quiltmaker's Gift by Jeff Brumbeau (Easy Fiction) 1/30/15
The Sweetest Fig by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Widow's Broom by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
The Heart and the Bottle by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/1/15
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/2/15
Those Darn Squirrels by Adam Rubin (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Up and Down by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/3/15
Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee by Chris Van Dusen (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Just a Dream by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
The Garden of Abdul Gasazi by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/13/15
Lemonade in Winter by Emily Jenkins (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
King Hugo's Huge Ego by Chris Van Duesen (Easy Fiction) 2/14/15
This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers (Easy Fiction) 2/15/15
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose (Easy Fiction) 2/19/15
The Pencil by Allan Ahlberg (Easy Fiction) 2/25/15
The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Carl's Birthday by Alexandra Day (Easy Fiction) 2/26/15
Here Come the Girl Scouts! by Shana Corey (Easy Non-fiction 369.46) 4/9/15
The Secret Seder by Doreen Rappaport (Easy Fiction) 4/10/15
One Candle by Eve Bunting (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Butterfly by Patricia Polacco (Easy Fiction) 4/14/15
The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness by Colin Thompson (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Probuditi! by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/3/15
Magritte's Marvelous Hat by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/10/15
You Wouldn't Want to Sail on the Titanic! by David Stewart (Easy Non-fiction 910) 5/14/15
The Wretched Stone by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 5/15/15
Maria's Comet by Deborah hopkinson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Palazzo Inverso by D. B. Johnson (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Imagine a Place by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 5/16/15
Bad Day at Riverbend by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
The Z Was Zapped by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/13/15
Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson and Rob Gonsalves (Easy Fiction) 6/23/15
The Napping House by Audrey Wood (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15
Flotsam by David Wiesner (Easy Fiction) 6/30/15

The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak (Easy Fiction via audiobook/Overdrive) 7/18/15

Black Cat by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/12/15
The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale (Easy Fiction) 9/15/15
Wings by Christopher Myers (Easy Fiction) 9/22/15
New York's Bravest by Mary Pope Osborne (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
50 Below Zero by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Mmm, Cookies! by Robert Munsch (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
Another Day in the Milky Way by David Milgrim (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
A Fine Dessert by Emily Jenkins & Sophie Blackall (Easy Fiction) 9/23/15
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
11 Experiments That Failed by Jenny Offill (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tololwa M. Mollel (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Across the Alley by Richard Michelson (Easy Fiction) 9/24/15
Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey (Easy Fiction) 8/30/15
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
The Wolf Who Loved Music by Christophe Gallaz (Easy Fiction) 10/13/15
One is a Feast For Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale by Judy Cox (Easy Fiction) 11/27/15
Good King Wenceslas retold by Jane Seymour (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
God Bless Us Everyone!: The Story Behind a Christmas Carol by John Rhys Davies (Easy Fiction-with DVD of Mormon Tabernacle Choir performance) 12/15
Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15
Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick (Easy Fiction) 12/8/15

Vacation Mornings

I slept in until 7:00am, uninterrupted by my boys. (I had given clear instructions the night before.) I finished some light reading, enjoyed sweet (though forced) snuggles with my boys, turned on some Christmas music (which was soon replaced by the Zac Brown Band), and made bacon, homemade waffles, and herbal tea.

I love these kind of mornings. I love sweet, slow mornings without the rush of school days. I love having my boys around (though I also love when they go outside for a bit and run off some of their energy). I have been looking forward to this first day of vacation since the beginning of December. The majority of my Christmas concerts and other obligations are almost over. By Monday I will be able to fully enjoy my favorite moments of Christmas--fun time with my boys looking at Christmas lights, playing games, baking, and squeezing in all the favorite traditions that we can.