Read the Book of Mormon

"If you don't have time to pray and read your scriptures, you are busier than God ever intended you to be."

This wonderful chart was handed out at Church today.  Use it to track your reading of the Book of Mormon. If you didn't receive a copy, or would like to make copies for each individual in your family then click on one of the links in this post to be taken to the original source to print out your own copy.

"Remembering Isaac" - Book Review

Remembering Isaac by Ben Behunin

To begin, Ben is a good friend of our family. He is a great example of someone who works to improve the community he lives in. He is a local potter, you could have seen his work at the Farmer's Market (until this year - he retired from the market to be a soccer dad), Evergreen Framing, the Salt Lake Art Festival, and other local art shows. I was asked to share a review of his book.

It is the story of a young man (Jake) who is given the opportunity to become the local potter in a small town after the town potter (Isaac) passes away. The book teaches you who Isaac was through the people that knew him. Each chapter teaches/reminds you of the simple choices we make in life and how they affect those around us. Isaac is a man who in different ways accepted, loved, and encouraged everyone he met. Small life lessons are shared and you are touched by the thought of someone so kind. It is an uplifting, light, fun, encouraging read. You feel better having read it.

As a side note, while reading it I thought of some of my old young women - the language and story line would definitely be one youth could enjoy and learn from.

I am not the best book reviewer, so if you are interested you could get much better information on the following websites.http://www.rememberingisaac.blogspot.com/ (book website)http://www.potterboy.com/ (Ben's pottery website - you can learn more about him).

Hope you'll enjoy!

Carrie Lamprecht

(Blog poster's note: Carrie mentioned that Ben is a currently a Bishop, and regularly speaks to groups about his book, including RS meetings or book clubs. She mentioned that she would love to set it up for us if anyone is interested. - Stephanie)

Good Books

For those who like to read.......

Two of my recent favorites include:
"These Is My Words " by Nancy Turner
"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.

What are your recent favorites?

Joy of a Good Book

I love to read. I have wonderful memories of spending time in the old Sam Weller bookstore downtown just browsing at books with my father. I love the way a book feels in my hands. When I was little, there was a time that my parents could not figure out why I was always tired. They tried all sorts of things like changing my diet, to more exercise, to an earlier bed time. My sleep did not improve much until my mother took away my beloved flashlight and book, carefully hidden under the covers of my bed. That was a sad day.

I am blessed to have found a companion who shares my passion for reading. We are able to rate vacations by the number of books finished on a trip. (“It was a 2 book trip.”) Today it is not uncommon to find either of us tucked away with a book. One of my hopes is to instill this love of reading in my children. Several of my children have already become amazing readers. This makes this mom’s heart go pitter-pat!

I would like to share some of my/our favorite books of all time. I asked my oldest children to help me compile this list. It flowed onto the paper. We didn’t intend it to be so long. For this I apologize. We thought the list was complete, but when my daughter returned from the bookcase with a stack of must-include books, I could not resist. The “I LOVE that book... or that one makes me cry EVERY time!” or a “that one is THE BEST!” are truly what make some of these books special. We have read all of these books. I recommend them as great reads for adults as well as kids. As a parent, I try to preview most of my kids’ books. For the few I have not read, my older kids recommend them wholeheartedly. I am a happy mom.

(p.s. Another child has just wandered in, and is now thumbing through the stack…he can’t help himself but to open them, touch them, and say their names aloud, and comment on them. I smile. It's a start for him. I pray he'll learn to love to read!)

Children/Young Adult:
The Outsiders by SE Hinton
Holes by Louis Sachar
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Stargirl / Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
Inkheart (series) Cornelia Funke
Fablehaven (series) Brandon Mull
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Hatchet / Brian’s Winter by Gary Paulsen
The Chronicles of Narnia (series) by CS Lewis
Anne of Green Gables (series) By LM Montgomery
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
PrincessAcademy (series) By Shannon Hale
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Uglies / Pretties / Specials by Scott Westerfield
Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit
Eragon by Christopher Paolini
City of Ember (series) by Jeanne Du Prau
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Gregor the Overlander by Nancy Pearl
Pendragon (series) by D. J. MacHale
Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins
Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry
39 Clues by Patrick Carman
Dragon Rider by Cornelia Funke
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
Amber Brown (series) by Paula Danziger (younger girls)
The BFG by Roald Dahl
Judy Moody (series) by Megan McDonald (younger girls)
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Lord of the Flies / The Princess Bride by William Golding
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
Diary of Wimpy Kid (series) by Jeff Kinney (younger boys)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl
Matilda by Roald Dahl
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Goose Girl By Shannon Hale
Series of Unfortunate Events (all of them) by Lemony Snickett
Stephanie Pugsley

Good Reading

I recently re-read the biography of Marie Curie, the woman who invented radium. It is a fascinating book and tells of a woman who was ahead of her time. "Hers is a story of a simple, intense and deeply humble woman to whom science brought a rich life and a happy marriage. And who gave in return the brilliance and devotion which won her the gratitude of mankind. " The book is titled, Madame Curie by her daughter Eve Curie. It is an old book, probably out of print, but I have a copy I would be happy to lend. My mother always refered to this as her favorite book! I enjoyed it the 2nd time around!