The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy (Rachel Joyce)

 

This is a book that follows The Unlikely Pilgrimmage of Harold Fry. You can't really read Queenie's story without having first read Harold's story, I think. I found Harold's book pretty slow, but I was taken by his journey and his reflection on his life. This is Queenie's side of the story - a woman that he worked with, that it seems, was in love with him. I'm uncomfortable with stories of infidelity - but in this one there is no relationship and no physical intimacy - just love from a distance. It's kind of odd. Harold's son is also friends with Queenie, and, actually, a total jerk. Queenie is dying. In many spots it felt like maybe morpheme was speaking. It was very slow moving as well but I felt like I couldn't quit on her as she lay dying. It's a strange story. I'm sure someone smarter than me can find some great symbolism and meaning in it. 

Goodreads says:

https://ihaveabookyoushouldread.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-unlikely-pilgrimage-of-harold-fry.html

Mind Over Grind (Guy Winch)

 

This was good. After watching a couple of his TED talks, I liked him even more. He has some good tips in this book. I think he should do teachers next. So much of teacher's work, to me, is much more complicated than he got into here. Or maybe I'm just too self-absorbed. I don't know. A couple of his tips that I could really implement right away are changing my clothes when I get home to get a real sense of 'work is finished' and leaving work sooner.

Goodreads says:

Clinical psychologist, TED Speaker, and author of Emotional First Aid offers a guide to combating the many stresses modern work imposes, based on recent research and the stories of patients Winch has helped to thrive after burnout.

Whether we like it or not, work is central to our lives. Most of us define ourselves by our work; it gives us a purpose, it enables us to maintain our lives, our homes, our nourishment, our recreational pursuits, and it puts us often among like-minded people who share and appreciate our skills and achievements. No wonder we feel it is so important. But the dark side is that it intrudes on our lives and unconsciously takes over our thoughts, our priorities, and even our coping mechanisms. Especially in recent years, the separation between work and home is blurrier than ever, and we struggle to maintain healthy boundaries, to restore ourselves and recover our attention and energy, to give due focus to our loved ones, and to nourish other essential aspects of our self.

In Mind Over Grind, Guy Winch explains how our enmeshment with work reinforces these unconscious tendencies and reveals to the damage they do to our careers and personal lives, as well as to our emotional health. He argues that attaining a work-life balance involves changing not just what you do in your free time but how you think. And he offers clear, cogent strategies we can use to regain control, change the way we think, bring intentionality back to our lives, and restore the balance we crave.

The Library of Unruly Treasures (Jeanne Birdsall)

 

I loved the idea of this book. I sometimes had a hard time keeping all the fantasy characters straight, especially their language.  Because of that, I  don't think this would be a good read-aloud, unfortunately.

Goodreads says:

The Borrowers meets Matilida in this funny, winning story of a girl who finds herself an unlikely hero when she stumbles upon a big secret about little creatures. The latest book from the National Book Award winning author of the Penderwicks series.

Gwen MacKinnon's parents are dreadful. Truly, deeply, almost impressively dreadful. So Gwen's not upset at all when she's foisted onto her never-before-seen Uncle Matthew for two weeks. Especially when it turns out he has a very opinionated dog named Pumpkin.

Things take a turn for the weird when Gwen makes a discovery in the local library. A discovery that involves tiny creatures with wings.  And no, they're not birds. They're called Lanukan. But why can only Gwen and the youngest children, gathered for storytime, see them?

The Ladhukan insist that Gwen is destined to help them find a new home. But how can a girl as unwanted, uncourageous, and generally unheroic as Gwen possibly come to the rescue? Pumpkin has a few ideas...

Ubuntu! (Stephen Lundin, Bob Nelson)

 

This reminds me of Steven R Covey....understanding how situations affect how people act....changing paradigms. This book teaches a concept through story and does so very powerfully.

Goodreads says:

A powerful story about the African philosophy of teamwork and collaboration that has the power to reshape our workplaces, our relationships with our coworkers, and our personal lives, written by the bestselling coauthor of Fish! and the bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees.

John Peterson, a new manager in the credit department at a major big-box retailer, is struggling in his job. The people under him are not working as well or effectively as they need to, and his department is falling behind in meeting its goals. His only solution is to take on more work himself, burning the midnight oil and coming in most weekends to pick up the slack and keep his department above water.

When one of the employees stays behind to help him—a young man who came to America from a small village in Africa—he learns of the ancient wisdom and hidden power of the African philosophy of Ubuntu. Before long, it begins to change the way he thinks about the people he works with, about himself, and about how he runs his department and his life.

In an engaging and completely fresh narrative that holds a unique message for today’s business world, Ubuntu! shows us a way to overcome our fears, insecurities, and the “me-ism” that so often permeates our workplaces, and replace it with a culture of genuine respect and collaboration. It promises to take its place alongside Fish! and other business parables as the next bestselling classic in the business category.

The Other Side of Change (Maya Shankar)

 

This book has a great message. I didn't love the audio (read by the author) but the message was strong. It's all about having the courage and faith to make the best of whatever happens in life. Who doesn't need that message?!

Goodreads says:

"With powerful stories and practical science, Maya examines how we find purpose after adversity and possibility under uncertainty.” —Adam Grant

"A rare combination of beautiful storytelling, cognitive science, and wholehearted wisdom. —Brené Brown

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A revelatory exploration of how we can find meaning in the tumult of change, from a renowned cognitive scientist and host of the critically acclaimed podcast A Slight Change of Plans

Life has a way of thwarting our best-laid plans. Out of nowhere, we’re confronting the end of a relationship, an unexpected diagnosis, the loss of a job, or some other twist of fate. In these moments, it can feel like we’re free-falling into the unknown.

As a cognitive scientist, Maya Shankar has spent decades studying the human mind. When an unwanted change in her own life left her reeling, she sought out people who had navigated major disruptions. In The Other Side of Change, Shankar tells their riveting, singular stories and weaves in scientific insights to illuminate universal lessons hidden within them. The result is a rich portrait of our complex reactions to change and a deep well of wisdom we can draw from during these experiences.

Shankar invites us to rethink our relationship with change altogether. When a big change happens to us, it can lead to profound change within us. The unique stresses and demands of being thrust into a new reality can lead us to uncover new abilities, perspectives, and values, transforming us in extraordinary ways. What if we saw moments of upheaval as an opportunity to reimagine who we can be, rather than as something to just endure? What potential could we unlock within ourselves?

Whether you're processing a past change, grappling with a present one, or bracing for a future one, this book is a wise and thought-provoking companion to help you discover who you can become on the other side of change.

The Giving Tree: A Retelling of a Traditional Metis Story (Leah Dorion)

 

Lovely story...perfect for our SS unit. Good example of dot art! 

Goodreads says:

The Giving Tree is a charming story that focuses on the boyhood reminisces of Moushoom as he describes finding the «Great Giving Tree» with his mother and father. Steeped in Métis culture, this vibrantly-illustrade children's book is a beautiful retelling of a traditional story. It emphasizes Métis core values and beliefs including strength, kindness, courage, tolerance, honesty, respect, love, sharing, caring, balance, patience, but most importantly, the connection with the Creator and Mother Earth. This book also includes an accompanying narration CD in English and Michif.

Frida Kahlo - She Painted Her World in Self Portraits (Amy Guglielmo)

 

This author has an amazing number of books on artists. 

This one is really complete....lots of information. It wouldn't work great as a read aloud in my class because there is just so much information - but if you did a study of Frida and her art, it would be awesome. She was very inspiring.

Goodreads says:

See how iconic artists like Frida Kahlo were influenced by their environments in this beautiful series produced in collaboration with The Met.

See the world through Frida Kahlo’s eyes and be inspired to produce your own masterpieces.

Have you ever wondered exactly what your favorite artists were looking at to make them draw, sculpt, or paint the way they did? In this charming illustrated series of books to keep and collect, created in full collaboration with The Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can see what they saw, and be inspired to create your own artworks, too. In What the Artist Frida Khalo , meet the famous Mexican painter. Learn all about how she experimented with different ways of painting herself, and how she channeled her experiences into her art. Have a go at producing your own self portrait!

In this series, follow the artists’ stories and find intriguing facts about their environments and key masterpieces. Then see what you can see and make your own art. Take a closer look at landscapes, or even yourself, with Vincent van Gogh. Try crafting a story in fabric like Faith Ringgold, or carve a woodblock print at home with Hokusai. Every book in this series is one to treasure and keep – perfect for budding young artists to explore exhibitions with, then continue their own artistic journeys.