Below are some of the books I’ve been reading this month; note that the following may contain spoilers:

North! Or Be Eaten, by Andrew Peterson – The second book in The Wingfeather Saga is much darker than the first (quite a few bits could be rather scary), and there is less humour, but the characters still remain the same and the tension from the first book carries into the second. In my recommendation of On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, I mentioned that there was the death of a beloved character, but it turns out, happily, that this character is still alive; however, another beloved character, through an act of selfless bravery, is killed and mourned. This is a great read aloud, but I would recommend reading it alone first, just to make sure the scary bits aren’t too scary for your audience.

The Joyful Christian: 127 Readings from C. S. Lewis, by C. S. Lewis – I’ve enjoyed reading through this anthology of Lewis’s writings. Most of the excerpts are short, so it’s easy to get a taste of what his writing style is if you’ve never read him before. Of his non-fiction works, I’ve only read Mere Christianity (review here) and The Screwtape Letters (review here), so this book does a great job whetting my appetite for more of his works!

The Monster in the Hollows, by Andrew Peterson – The third book in The Wingfeather Saga follows the Wingfeather family as they seek refuge among Nia’s people in the Green Hollows. Every few chapters the reader is taken back to the Fork Factory to learn about what is happening with Sara Cobbler and the children there. There are instances of bullying and a few scary bits, and there were a number of parts where tears were shed. This is a great read aloud, but I would recommend reading it alone first, just to make sure the scary bits aren’t too scary for your audience.

Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen – I can see why this is one of the most beloved books of all time. There is so much going on and yet the story moves along easily. I very much enjoyed getting to know the Bennets, the Darcys, and the Bingleys. If you’re interested, you can read our conversations over this book here.

Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia, by C. S. Lewis – The fourth in chronological order but the second in publication order of The Chronicles of Narnia, this tale (usually referred to simply as Prince Caspian) follows the rise of Caspian the Tenth of Narnia as he reclaims his throne. We are reunited with Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, and meet many new friends such as Trumpkin the dwarf, Trufflehunter the badger, and the well-beloved Reepicheep the mouse. Perhaps a little dark at times, I find that this tale reads more like a mystery-adventure than perhaps some of the others. This is a great read aloud.

The Warden and the Wolf King, by Andrew Peterson – You know a book series is a great one when the housework piles up and you simply cannot be bothered to do anything about it because you must find out what happens to those characters to whom you’ve become attached! The fourth book in The Wingfeather Saga finds the Wingfeathers united with the peoples of the Green Hollows and those in Kimera united with the people in Skree against Gnag the Nameless and his Fangs. This book holds a bittersweet place in my heart. The themes of sacrifice and love are woven throughout the series and culminate in the final pages of this book. Bravery, duty, honour, and loyalty resonate strongly. There is death and heartbreak, new friends are made and old friends reunited, and some parts that could be scary, but over all the story is inspiring and very much worth the read (the tears shed only add to its lasting impact). This series will definitely be one that I’ll read again. This is a great read aloud, but I would recommend reading it alone first, just to make sure the scary bits aren’t too scary for your audience.