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Elena

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Letters to My Daughters by Barbara Rainey

Understood Betsy by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

The Daily Connoisseur's Guide to Living Well at Home by Jennifer L. Scott

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Elena is Currently Reading

Elena is currently reading

Heidi (Heidi, #1-2)

by Johanna Spyri

bookshelves: unread-bookshelf, favorites, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2020

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Elena said: " An absolutely delightful classic about a young orphaned girl who falls in love with the majestic and rugged Swiss Alps when she’s abruptly dropped off to live with a grandfather she never met, who happens to live in a secluded cabin higher up in the An absolutely delightful classic about a young orphaned girl who falls in love with the majestic and rugged Swiss Alps when she’s abruptly dropped off to live with a grandfather she never met, who happens to live in a secluded cabin higher up in the mountains than any other villager. She warms the heart of the previously curmudgeonly old man, befriends a young goat-herder named Peter, and treats Peter’s blind grandmother as if she was her own, bringing joy to the lonely blind woman. And then she is suddenly whisked off to be a companion to a wealthy, young wheelchair-bound girl in Frankfurt where Heidi's homesickness nearly saps her of all strength and joy until she’s reunited with her beloved home again. There are a few Christian themes and lessons that add depth and encouragement to the story without being preachy and offer food for thought that I didn't expect from a children's novel. The picturesque atmosphere of the snow-capped mountains, steep flower-carpeted hills, and lush evergreens of the village in the Swiss Alps is described so beautifully. This is a wonderful story to read aloud with grade-school kids and discuss Heidi’s character traits that made her such a sweet, kind, friendly girl. I grew up watching the 1993 Disney film adaptation and pictured scenes in my head while reading it, which made me want to watch it again (which I did because it was free on Amazon Prime). A charming book with an admirable young protagonist with a cheery disposition, a generous heart, and an adventurous spirit. In my opinion, just the kind of girl we need to see more of in literature for young readers. If you love Anne of Green Gables, I am pretty confident you’ll love the charming Heidi as well. I read it via my gorgeous Rifle Paper Co. 'Puffin in Bloom' copy (pictured) as well as the audiobook, which was narrated by my favorite, John McDonough, who narrates Jan Karon's Mitford books. His voice was perfect for the story.

Favorite quotes:
“God certainly knows of some happiness for us which He is going to bring out of the trouble, only we must have patience and not run away. And then all at once something happens and we see clearly ourselves that God has had some good thought in His mind all along; but because we cannot see things beforehand, and only know how dreadfully miserable we are, we think it is always going to be so.”

“God is a good father to us all, and knows better than we do what is good for us. If we ask Him for something that is not good for us, He does not give it, but something better still, if only we will continue to pray earnestly and do not run away and lose our trust in Him. God did not think what you have been praying for was good for you just now; but be sure He heard you, for He can hear and see every one at the same time, because He is a God and not a human being like you and me. And because He thought it was better for you not to have at once what you wanted, He said to Himself: Yes, Heidi shall have what she asks for, but not until the right time comes, so that she may be quite happy.”

“If God had let me come at once, as I prayed, then everything would have been different, I should only have had a little bread to bring to grandmother, and I should not have been able to read, which is such a comfort to her; but God has arranged it all so much better than I knew how to; everything has happened just as the other grandmother said it would. Oh, how glad I am that God did not let me have at once all I prayed and wept for! And now I shall always pray to God as she told me, and always thank Him, and when He does not do anything I ask for I shall think to myself, It's just like it was in Frankfurt: God, I am sure, is going to do something better still. So we will pray every day, won't we, grandfather, and never forget Him again, or else He may forget us.”

“The fire in the evening was the best of all. Peter said is wasn't fire, but he couldn't tell me what it really was. You can thought, Grandfather, can't you?''It's the sun's way of saying goodnight to the mountains' he explained. 'He spreads that beautiful light over them so that they won't forget him till he comes back in the morning.”

Rated: G
This was book #3 of my 2020 Unread Bookshelf Project (reading books I've owned for years) ...more "

Feb 27, 2020 03:37AM · see review

Elena is currently reading

Letters to My Daughters: The Art of Being a Wife

by Barbara Rainey

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Aug 29, 2026 06:43PM

Elena is currently reading

Understood Betsy

by Dorothy Canfield Fisher

bookshelves: the-classics-club-challenge, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in September 2021

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Elena said: " Nine-year old, pale and frail Betsy was raised by two aunts who treated her like she was fragile porcelain, sheltered from any possible injury or unhappiness. Then she has to move in with distant relatives when her aunt is sick, and her life is turne ...more "

Oct 30, 2021 10:55AM · see review

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