Reading Amy Krouse Rosenthal RIP

I've been reading so many good books and have to share a few. 

Amy Krouse Rosenthal died ten days after the publication of her Modern Love essay. Heartbreakingly beautiful. I am thankful for putting into words what I've often pondered myself. I remembered how much I loved her picture books. Imagine my delight at seeing how many more she'd published since Little Pea. It was such a treat to have a AKR read-a-thon. I think my favorite is I Wish You More. Requiescat in pace, Amy. I wish -- no, I pray -- you heaven now and forever more.

Other books gave me much enjoyment. The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon was a delightful love story between a Haitian girl and a Korean-American boy. I enjoyed the conversations the kids had, reminiscent of the conversations Michael and I shared as we ate Ferdinand's ice cream in the afternoons on the campus of WSU. I laughed so hard over the depiction of the Korean family. I think some things are common to all immigrant families.

I love a good historical and The Mapmaker's Daughter by Sarah McCoy was a rich imagining of the life of Sarah Brown, daughter of abolitionist John Brown. McCoy alternates the Sarah chapters with the modern-day story of Eden, a woman struggling with infertility. The two stories intersect beautifully. The book asks what it means to be a woman, to be childless. I kept thinking how much these characters would've appreciated Pope St. John Paul's II apostolic letter On the Dignity and Vocation of Women.


It's been a tough week with relentless migraines. I hate losing writing days. I don't think Jules minds though. It's easier to rub her pretty belly than write. Praying for relief. Michael wonders how I manage to read but at times like these, when taking a shower seems like a major accomplishment, books like these make me happy. Thank you to all the writers who tell their stories. Never give up!