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Stephanie Rische

Blogger and Writer: Capturing Stories of God's Grace

October 21, 2016

Friday Favorites for October

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Happy Friday, everyone! Here are a few of my recent favorite finds, from literary costumes to the most popular book the year you were born to the oldest picture book. Enjoy!

For anyone still looking for a Halloween costume . . .

These literary-themed costumes are adorable (and some aren’t that hard to pull off). Will someone please try the Curious George/Man with the Yellow Hat combination? 19 Book-Inspired Halloween Costumes for Kids and Adults

For anyone who likes to trace trends . . .

This is a fascinating glimpse into what Americans have been reading, year by year, since 1930. (It’s also interesting to note the changing book cover trends.) What Was the Most Popular Book the Year You Were Born?

For anyone who likes old things . . .

The oldest picture book for children dates back to the 1600s and featured—believe it or not—animal sounds! I guess some things don’t change. (Although apparently animal noises do: 17th-century ducks said kah kah, and chickens said pi pi.) The Very First Picture Book

For anyone who has pinned a pretty verse on Pinterest . . .

This post is simultaneously hilarious and sobering. “Beware the Instagram Bible, my daughters—those filtered frames festooned with feathered verses, adorned in all manner of loops and tails, bedecked with blossoms, saturated with sunsets, culled and curated just for you…” The Instagram Bible

For anyone who has wondered about the mystery of marriage . . .

This post is a poignant and honest glimpse into one couple’s relationship: “Marriage is not one + one = two. It isn’t even one + one = one. Marriage is (one – one) + (one – one) = one.” The Strange Math of Marriage

1 Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: Bible, books, children's books, costumes, literature, marriage
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January 15, 2016

Friday Favorites for January

friday_favorites_header1Happy Friday, everyone! Here are a few of my recent favorite things. Enjoy!

For anyone who reads into their text messages . . .

This is bad news for punctuation. Apparently periods are now considered rude. Study Shows That Ending Your Texts with a Period Is Terrible

For any word lovers out there . . .

Perhaps you’ll be as outraged by this as I am. The Oxford Dictionary’s word of the year is . . . not a word?! Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year

For anyone who’s nostalgic for the books they loved as a kid . . .

This delightful post includes recipes inspired by your favorite children’s book, from James and the Giant Peach to How to Eat Fried Worms. Kids’ Book Recipes

For anyone who has been at a loss for words with God . . .

This is a beautiful, honest piece by someone who found a way, in the midst of depression and silence, to communicate her pain to God. When Words Fail

For anyone who wants this year to look different from last year . . .

A thoughtful post by a single woman that starts out with this line: “I want to be engaged this year.” I Should Be Engaged

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: children's books, depression, literature, Oxford dictionary, Prayer, punctuation, singleness, words
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October 16, 2015

Friday Favorites for October

friday_favorites_headerHappy Friday, everyone! Here are some of my favorite things from the last few weeks. Enjoy!

For football fans who love books, or book fans who love football . . .

These NFL-inspired book covers are downright clever. Anyone else want to read Island of the Miami Dolphins? NFL Teams Reimagined as Novels

For anyone who’s still a kid at heart . . .

These timeless quotes from children’s books may have been intended for children, but perhaps we need them more as adults. Quotes from Children’s Books

For my fellow grammar geeks . . .

If you are the type who is passionate about your vs. you’re and its vs. it’s, I promise these grammar-inspired cartoons will crack you up. There’s even a tip about why you should never date an apostrophe. Things You’ll Only Find Funny if You’re a Grammar Nerd

For anyone in any relationship of any kind . . .

I had a chance to hear Brené Brown speak at a conference earlier this year, and I really appreciate the way she nails the personal and interpersonal ruts we get ourselves into. This article offers a simple phrase that can change the whole trajectory of a conversation. Brene Brown’s Biggest Life Hack

 

1 Comment Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: books, Brene Brown, children's books, football, grammar, life hacks, literature, NFL, Relationships
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April 25, 2014

Friday Favorites: April

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For anyone looking for a customized book recommendation . . .
These book recommendations are based on your personality type. Does yours fit? (Full disclosure: I read The Marriage Plot, the choice for INFJ, and I wasn’t crazy about it.) Myers-Briggs Books

For anyone who appreciates a good dose of marketing irony . . .
Somehow these products didn’t translate perfectly into other languages. Pee Cola, anyone? 8 Disastrous Product Names

For literary geeks who are looking for a summer road trip . . .
You could visit King’s Crossing this year. Or maybe Prince Edward Island, for all you Anne of Green Gables fans. Or perhaps you’d prefer a quiet getaway to Walden Pond. 12 Literary Pilgrimages

For anyone who’s had a long winter and is itching for a beautiful view . . .
These places are bound to make you want to hop on a plane to Bolivia or Maldives or Namibia: Surreal Places That Actually Exist on Earth

For anyone who’s wondered if Easter morning would ever come . . .
Jennifer Dukes Lee offers this lovely reflection on Holy Week: “I lived years of Good Fridays, holding out for Sunday, swimming in doubt.” Sunday’s Coming

For anyone who wants to believe in miracles . . .
Eric Carle, author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, was reunited with the childhood friend who inspired one of his books—some 80 years later. An Easter Miracle

2 Comments Filed Under: Friday Favorites Tagged With: books, children's books, Easter, Eric Carle, Friday Favorites, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Literature, Myers-Briggs, personality types, photography, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, travel
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March 18, 2014

9 Books Every Kid Should Read

Last fall I posted a list of 9 Books Every Girl Should Read. I received some great feedback from people who said, “Hey, what about the books all kids should read?” So here’s my list of books every kid—girl or boy—should read.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. LewisThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

This book truly takes children (and adults) into another world. Once they’ve been to Narnia, they’ll never view this world the same way again.

[The Professor:] Don’t go trying to use the same route twice. Indeed, don’t try to get there at all. It’ll happen when you’re not looking for it. And don’t talk too much about it even among yourselves. And don’t mention it to anyone else unless you find that they’ve had adventures of the same sort themselves. What’s that? How will you know? Oh, you’ll know all right. Odd things, they say—even their looks—will let the secret out. Keep your eyes open.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper LeeTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Lee has a gift for creating three-dimensional characters that come to life on the pages of this book. Thanks to Scout, the ultimate precocious narrator, and Atticus, the ultimate quiet hero, this book manages to tell a winsome story about a weighty topic.

The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth GrahameThe Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

This book is pretty much philosophy disguised as a children’s book, yet it still holds up as an engaging story in its own right.

Here I am, footsore and hungry, tramping away from it, tramping southward, following the old call, back to the old life, the life which is mine and which will not let me go.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

I read this book countless times as a kid, and each time I hoped in vain for a different ending. Tear jerker though it may be, Rawls paints an endearing picture of a boy who doesn’t have much going for him other than his determination—but that proves to be enough.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix PotterThe Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter

Beatrix Potter once said, “There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” That’s precisely how you feel when you read her stories—like something delicious is about to happen.

A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis StevensonA Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

This is the book that taught me to love poetry even before I could understand it. (Not that I get it all that much now. . . .) My dad would read these poems to me from a picture book with lush illustrations, and I remember wishing I could somehow climb into the pages.

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White

“Why did you do all this for me?” [Wilbur] asked. “I don’t deserve it. I’ve never done anything for you.”

“You have been my friend,” replied Charlotte. “That in itself is a tremendous thing.”The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Can you imagine a more poignant portrayal of friendship than that?

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

As delightful as the movie is, it doesn’t come close to the charm and fantasy of the book. I should note that the book is decidedly creepier than the movie, but I was so taken by the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and the other characters who became my friends down the yellow brick road that I didn’t mind too much.

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler WarnerThe Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

My mom read this series to my brother, my sister, and me when we were kids. It’s one of those rare series that is accessible for a broad range of ages and can be enjoyed by both boys and girls. I didn’t want anything bad to happen to my parents, but just in case, I felt like Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny prepared me for life in an abandoned train car, should the need arise.

What were your favorite books as a kid? What’s missing from this list?

Happy reading to you, whether you’re young, or young at heart!

 

 

16 Comments Filed Under: Literature Tagged With: Beatrix Potter, books, C. S. Lewis, children's books, E. B. White, Gertrude Chandler Warner, Harper Lee, Kenneth Grahame, L. Frank Baum, reading, Robert Louis Stevenson, Wilson Rawls
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