Fresh and Fun Books for Spring! A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief The hymn we have come to know and love as “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” was originally written as an independent poem. Just days before Christmas, James Montgomery reflected on the cold and melancholy landscape surrounding him as he traveled alone by coach in December 1826. Finding a scrap of paper in his pocket, he set to work composing aspects of the prose he later entitled “The Stranger and His Friend.” It was contained in a collection of his other writings printed in 1827 and was available in both Britain and the United States. It was not until several years later that others inspired by the poem’s Christian message set the text to popular hymnal melodies which evolved into the hymn we recognize today. Jayhawk I fell in love with this book back in 1978 when it was originally released and was thrilled when I learned it had been recently re-released. The characters and the story have lingered in my heart and mind all these years. Dorothy Keddington is a masterful storyteller and builds a strong plot and characters which capture the heart and the imagination. You won’t want to miss this combination of a western setting with spine-tingling mystery, romance and true-to-life characterizations. From the book: ISBN: 978-1-890558-39-0 The Samaritan Bueno From one of my favorite authors, comes “The Samaritan Bueno” a story of sacrifice and compassion. I looked into my rearview mirror at Maria, Eduardo, Kristina and Gabriel sleeping in the backseat. There were together again. “I don’t regret doing this,” I said. “It was a noble act of service,” De Anna said. “You know we were talking about the Good Samaritan? Maybe there’s a part of the story we’ve never heard. Like maybe when the Good Samaritan got home, his family told him he was a fool to waste time and money on a stranger.” “What matters is that he cared about someone in trouble,” she said. “Like you did tonight. Are you going to be all right, I mean with your mom and dad?” “How can they say it’s wrong of me to help Maria and Eduardo and their kids? That’s what I don’t understand.” It was quiet for a while, and then she began to sing to me in Spanish. I didn’t understand what the song was about, but it helped me calm down. Dan and his two friends are asked to deliver a food box to a needy family. By mistake they deliver it to the wrong house and meet Maria, an undocumented mom and her two young kids. Over the next few weeks, as Dan becomes drawn into Maria’s life, his parents find themselves at a loss to deal with his uncharacteristic behavior. Weyland’s story is delivered with a bit of humor and a lot of emotion. I appreciated Dan’s struggle as he tried to do what was right even though he got into big trouble for doing so. A book with a great message and wonderful characters, I thoroughly enjoyed “The Samaritan Bueno.” Women of Virtue Mom, I look ugly.” In Women of Virtue, beauty is redefined as a rare and priceless love of one’s inner self. Let each of us open our eyes to discover within ourselves the beauty of virtue, and teach our children our future that therein lies true happiness. My Ridiculous, Romantic Obsessions Being Sixteen The night of my sixteenth birthday, I didn’t even bother to make a wish when I blew out the candles on the cake. It was my sixteenth birthday, after all. My wishes had already come true. When you turn sixteen, you can start dating. And driving. And living. I counted the candles on my cake as the flames flickered in the summer breeze. I heard the cheers of my friends and family, and as I tasted cake and summer and the promise of good times to come, I thought, This is going to be a good year. Maybe the best year of my life. I had no idea. Juliet Kendall has been looking forward to her sixteenth birthday for what feels like forever. At first, it seems like being sixteen will be as perfect as she dreamed-she has great friends, a cute almost-boyfriend, a spot on the varsity girls’ basketball team, and even a car of her own. But, as the year goes on, she discovers that her sister Carly is hiding a secret and realizes that, in fact, being sixteen may be her hardest year yet. Being Sixteen is a coming-of-age story about two sisters and their different struggles. It addresses what it means to have a testimony, what it means to be a friend and a sister, and what’s involved in dealing with and overcoming an eating disorder. “This is one of those books you can’t put down, and I wholeheartedly recommend it. My wish for this book is that every high school girl, her sisters, and their mom will read Being Sixteen and then get together and discuss what they’ve learned from it.” -Jack Weyland, author of Charly Written in a enjoyable and powerful way, Being Sixteen, is a very open and honest story that sheds light on a much too common struggle for young women and the heartbreak and concern eating disorders cause for families and loved ones. I appreciated the author keeping the issue raw rather than sugar coating and giving it an “easy fix.” Condie is a talented author who has woven together a rich story that digs deep into a sensitive issue, but leaves the reader feeling hopeful and happy. Being Sixteen is an important novel for young girls and parents. No Comments | Post or read comments FEATURES |
June 6, 2026
June 6, 2026
