Summers for moms are primarily filled with sunscreen, Band-Aids, parks, barbecues, vacation planning, and bug spray…but on those rare moments when the kids are napping or playing happily in the backyard or spending the night at a friend’s house, treat yourself to one (or more!) of our Summer "Brain Candy."
1. The Help
, by Kathryn Stockett. If you haven’t yet read this best seller, treat yourself to this fantastic read (then get together with some girlfriends and go see the movie due out in theaters this August!) Set in Jackson, Mississippi during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, The Help reveals the hypocrisy of the times, where black women (i.e."the help") were trusted to raise white children but not to polish the silver. Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan has just arrived home from college and, anxious to become a writer, is advised to improve her work by writing about what disturbs her. She enlists the help of Aibileen and Milly, the maids of two of her friends. Together they collect the stories of the black women who keep the town running, and the book they create based on the stories is both shocking and full of hope. Told in the various voices of the main characters, the Help is layered with history, emotion, and unforgettable characters.
2. Same Kind of Different As Me
, by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. A true story so unbelievable no writer could’ve dreamt it, Same Kind of Different as Me portrays the unlikely relationship of a dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up in the south amidst virtual slavery, an upscale art dealer, and the woman whose dreams brought them together. Switching back and forth in the narratives of the two main characters, this riveting memoir will leave you feeling inspired and challenged.
3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith. One of my personal favorites because whether you’re reading it for the first time or haven’t read it in years, the main character will always be part of your life. Francie Nolan is introduced to us as a little girl who has much to learn and observe in turn-of-the century Brooklyn. We watch as she grows up with a sweet but alcoholic father, a strict, realistic mother, and a doting yet promiscuous aunt. Francie learns early-on the pangs of hunger and the value of a penny. Betty Smith's frank yet poignant novel created a big stir when it was first published over 50 years ago, but it will remain in our hearts forever.
4. The House on Mango Street
, by Sandra Cisneros. A perfect summer read because of its structure, The House on Mango Street, is broken up into short "vignettes," rather than chapters. Each vignette contains an important part of the story but is beautiful and inspiring on its own. The book describes the thoughts, memories, and dreams of Esperanza, a hispanic girl living in poverty in Chicago. These poetic and intricate vignettes will stretch your concepts of wealth and class…I only wish it were longer!
5. As I Lay Dying
, by William Faukner. Although one of the more challenging books on our list, As I lay Dying is well worth it! Considered by some to be Faukner’s masterpiece, the novel is told from the various dynamic perspectives of the members of the Budren family. As they embark on their journey to take the body of the family’s matriarch, Addie, back to the town where she wanted to be buried, they encounter a few disasters along the way. Full of philosophical observations and stream of consciousness monologues, the effect of Faukner’s writing is engaging and mysterious. Read with an open mind (and Sparknotes wouldn’t hurt either!)
6. Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo. Colton is the four year old son of a Nebraska Pastor. During an emergency surgery, he slips from consciousness and enters the eternal realm. When he is brought back to life his family is amazed at his recollection of astonishing heavenly details. Although they aren’t sure what to think at first, his revelations about meeting his miscarried sister (whom they never told him about) and his great-grandfather (who died 30 years before his birth) quickly persuade them that he is living proof that there is life on the other side. Told by his father, but often using Colton’s own words, this is a story of hope and Jesus’ love…but also bears a warning—there will be a final battle.
7. Skeletons at the Feast
, by Chris Bohjalian. If you haven’t yet read a Bohjalian, give this one a try! Skeletons at the Feast takes place in the land of Nazi Germany as German refugees struggle westward ahead of the advancing Russian army. Prussian aristocrat Rolf Emmerich and his two elder sons are sent into battle, while his wife flees with their other children. In a parallel story line, hundreds of Jewish women are forced west on a gruesome death march from a concentration camp. Bohjalian presents the difficulties confronting both sets of travelers with carefully researched details. His well-chosen descriptions capture this tragic era, bringing to light the desolation brought on by war.
8. To Kill a Mockingbird
, by Harper Lee. Don’t write this one off just because you’ve "read it before"…reading it for 9th grade English class doesn’t count! This summer, why not give it a "grown-up" try? One of the best-loved classics of all time, the story is revealed through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch whose father is the lawyer defending a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Although the novel takes place in the Deep South in the 1930s, Lee’s honest words about prejudice, racism and hypocrisy speak truth no matter what era the reader lives.
9. State of Wonder
, by Ann Patchett. Pharmaceutical researcher Dr. Marina Singh heads into the Amazon jungle to recover the remains of a colleague who recently died under mysterious circumstances. But she must first find Dr. Anneck Swenson, who has spent years researching the reproductive habits of a local Amazon tribe whose women can easily conceive beyond their middle age years. The two doctors have various connections, one being that Swenson is paid to find the key to this childbearing ability by the same company for which Dr. Singh works. Dr. Singh’s journey makes for an engaging novel that is hard to put down.
10. Room, by Emma Donoghue. As far as five-year-old Jack knows, "Room" is everything. It’s where he and his Ma live, eat, play and sleep. But what his Ma has kept from him is that their 11×11-foot space is actually a prison—they are captives of the man Jack calls Old Nick. But as Jack grows older and more curious, his Ma realizes that Room will not be able to hold them much longer and together, they must plan an escape. Written in Jack’s voice, you may occasionally forget that the writer is not actually a five-year old little boy! A story of hope and a mother’s undying love for her child, Room will have you desiring a restoration of purpose and vitality in your own life and the lives of your children!
Shannon is a youth pastor's wife and full-time mommy to two sweet girls. In addition to writing for ATFM, she teaches piano, writes for her own blog (Key MOMents) and volunteers at church and in the community.
