Artemis Fowl and Other February Reads

Despite the fact February was a short month, we got some great reading done during the course of those four weeks.

What follows are our favorite titles of the month.

Two of these I read on my own, two I read aloud to our kids, and two my husband read to the entire family all during our nightly devotions and story time.

Artemis Fowl & the Eternity Cod
Artemis Fowl and the Eternity Code is the third Artemis Fowl book Doug has read aloud to us this winter.
The series follows the exploits of a boy genius and criminal mastermind bent on expanding the family fortune through nefarious means. Only, ever since his initial run-in with a magical fairy by the name of Holly Short (Book 1), Artemis has begun to feel pangs of self-doubt. Might he have a conscience, after all?
In this installment, one of Artemis’s schemes goes dreadfully wrong, and he must team up with his fairy friends (once again) in an attempt to undo the damage.

The Virtuous Life of a Christ Centered Wife
The Virtuous Life of a Christ-Centered Wife I’ve been following Darlene Schacht’s blog, Time Warp Wife, for years now, so I was delighted to learn she’s recently come out with a new book, The Virtuous Life of the Christ Centered Wife.
In it, Darlene gives us eighteen short but practical lessons for personal growth. She covers such topics as love, joy, passion, forgiveness, humility, kindness, and purity, with suggested scripture readings, discussion questions, and related prayers at the end of each chapter.

The Fields of Home
The Fields of Home is the fourth book in the Little Britches saga, detailing the time Ralph Moody spends living and working on his grandfather’s farm.
It provides excellent lessons in patience and perseverance, as Ralph faces many hardships during this time, not the least of which is his cantankerous grandfather himself. Grandpa is fiercely resistant to change and far too stubborn to accept blame or to apologize, even when the situation clearly warrants it.
Yet “a soft answer turns away wrath” — and Ralph’s patient, respectful demeanor wins out in the end.

The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance
The Busy Homeschool Mom’s Guide to Romance is packed with tips for “nurturing your marriage through the homeschool years.”
The title is a bit of a misnomer, as it is definitely worth reading whether you homeschool or not. After all, working mothers are busy, too!
We all need the occasional reminder that our homes will be happier, our marriages will be stronger, and our children will fare better in life if we’ll give our husband the time, energy, and attention required to keep romance alive and thriving.

Poems for Patriarchs
Poems for Patriarchs: I love reading and discussing poetry with my children. Although the title of this thin volume may sound a little stuffy, the collection of poems and prose on Christian manhood it contains verses I’ve never read elsewhere, such as the beautifully written “Women and Children First,” penned by the editor himself.
One of our favorites in this collection, though, and one my children and I have subsequently committed to memory, is “It Couldn’t Be Done” by Edgar Albert Guest. Selections are grouped by the stages of a man’s life: Boy, Son, Husband, Father, etc.

Long Sotry Short
We used this book for family devotions last year, but missed enough evenings due to call schedules and basketball games that we’re just now finishing it.
The book contains 366 ten-minute lessons — each with a Scripture reading, related anecdote, discussion questions, object lesson, and prayer request. The devotions are interactive enough to keep kids engaged and brief enough that even the littlest ones can make it through Bible time without getting too squirmy. That’s a win-win in our book, making it a great resource for teaching multiple ages at once!