Ah, April! The blooming of plants, the singing of birds, and the calming rains reminds me that God in His mercy continually renews. Below are recommendations (which may include spoilers) of some of the books I’ve been reading this month:

The Silmarilion, by J. R. R. Tolkien – I love the world Tolkien created with The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Happily, I was able to find out more about its beginnings in The Silmarilion. If you’ve tried to read it before and had a bit of a struggle understanding all the relationships discussed in this mythos, I suggest listening to The Prancing Pony Podcast along with reading the book. I mentioned this podcast in my post about introvert book clubs.

The Silver Chair, by C. S. Lewis – The fourth book (in publication order) in The Chronicles of Narnia takes Eustace back to Narnia. We are introduced to his friend, Jill, and also the endearing Marsh-wiggle, Puddleglum. The three are sent on a quest by the Lion Aslan to find King Caspian’s son Prince Rilian. In many ways darker than the three preceding it, this work reminds the reader that we must listen to and remember the words of God just as Jill must listen to and remember the words of Aslan. This is an excellent read aloud.