Wordless Wednesday - Elk Country

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One day of our weekend trip took us to the Austin Dam Park Project . . .

and to Elk Country in Pennsylvania. Some pretty scenery and yes, we did see a large number of elk! (Got a few low quality photos to prove it!)

This post is linked at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea Scribbles, and at the photo link-up hosted by My Corner of the World.

Pictorial Tuesday

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What I'm Reading - August 10, 2020

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This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't manage to post that often. I aim to post and link about once a month, although I sometimes link up my monthly summary as well. Another month has gone by, and I feel like not much has changed, but let's see . . .

I finished reading . . . 

The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - One of my new favorite books! Adunni is a young Nigerian girl who wants an education more than anything. She faces so many challenges and hardships with sweetness and hope. (Read my full review HERE)

 

I'm currently reading . . .

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa - A charming memoir told partially from the point of view of the cat Nana as he accompanies his owner on a journey to visit old friends.

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett - I started, but haven't gone too far with this one yet. It's set in Yellowstone park during the 1930s, when a park ranger's daughter agrees to do some teaching to young men working for the Civilian Conservation Corps.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - Not sure I'll finish re-reading this classic in time to participate in the online book discussion, but it's such a good book!

Next on the stack... 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

When Silence Sings by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden

Claiming Mariah by Pam Hillman

Live Like a Narnian: Christian Discipleship in Lewis' Chronicles by Joe Rigney

    

   

What I'm Highlighting . . . If you're one of the many who are considering homeschooling as an option for your kids this coming school year, please hop over to Homeschool Coffee Break and get some tips in Suddenly Homeschooling - How To Get Started. I've also started writing a series of articles discussing high school curriculum and resources we've used or reviewed. Check out the From the High School Lesson Book series to see those.

And my friends that read Just A Second are invited to join me at Homeschool Coffee Break for the Twenty-Six Lists link-up. It's every other week and the list prompts are for everyone, not just homeschoolers. Currently we're talking about Family Traditions. 

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:


Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Wordless Wednesday - Kinzua Bridge

Monthly Bookshelf Review - July 2020

Share Four Somethings - July 2020

Wordless Wednesday - After A Storm

Connect Five Friday - Novels of the Exodus

Wordless Wednesday - Echinacea

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday - Progress

Twenty-Six Lists - It's A Family Tradition

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for Math

July Photo Album

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for Literature Study

Five Minute Friday - Young

Twenty-Six Lists - Summer Menu Favorites

Writing Non-Fiction In High School (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review)

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for Grammar and Composition

Five Minute Friday - Smile

Coffee Break Reading List (July 16, 2020)

Writing Fiction - Bringing Stories to Life (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review)

What are you reading?

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - The Girl With the Louding Voice

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The Girl With the Louding Voice by Abi Dare - I remember seeing this title on the reading lists of other bloggers, and although it's not my usual genre, something about the cover and brief description captured my interest. I'm so glad I took a chance on this novel - it has been a delight and the main character is one of my favorite young heroines.

Adunni is a fourteen year-old Nigerian girl who wants an education more than anything. She lives in a small village where education is not highly valued, and certainly not for girls. Her mother was her champion and worked hard to keep Adunni in school, but by the time the story opens, Adunni's mother is dead and her father is broke. Adunni is sold as a child bride to an old taxi driver who already has two wives, and that is the end of her hope to continue school. In fact, Adunni's future is very bleak, as she is hated and abused by the senior wife, but she finds an unexpected friend in the second wife who encourages Adunni to hold onto her dreams. 

A tragedy takes her new friend's life, and fearing for her own life, Adunni flees the village, and is taken to the capital city of Lagos and given as a house servant to a wealthy woman known as Big Madam. Adunni naively hopes that Big Madam will send her to school, but these hopes are soon dashed and Adunni finds herself in slavery and regularly beaten and abused by her mistress. Thankfully she finds a friend in Big Madam's household too - the cook Kofi tries to keep her safe and when he discovers Adunni's dream of education he shares information with her about a scholarship opportunity. 

Despite the many obstacles and disadvantages, Adunni starts working towards applying for the scholarship, eventually coming to the notice of a young woman in Big Madam's social circle who is sympathetic and is convinced to help Adunni. Tia is reluctant to get involved at first, but Adunni's hope and kindness wins her over and the two become close friends as Tia teaches Adunni better English and even agrees to sponsor her and write a recommendation for the scholarship application.

Adunni faces more hardship, abuse, discrimination, and cruelty than anyone should have to bear, and certainly far too much for a young teenage girl, but her hope and spirit is infectious. Her fondest dream is to finish her own education and earn a voice so that she can return to her village and help other girls find their voices and a better life through education and independence. Or, as Adunni words it, "to find their free". 

Adunni narrates her own story, and her broken English is lyrical, with descriptions of her feelings and surroundings that are incisive and haunting, and often achingly beautiful and poetic. She knows that she needs to improve her English, and as she does so with Tia's help, the narration's grammar becomes more standard, but Adunni's insightful observations and expressions remain distinctive. 

I have no idea if a follow-up novel is planned, but Adunni is such an endearing and inspiring character that I would love to see her story continued as she grows to adulthood. In the meantime, I give this moving and beautiful novel my highest recommendation.

This is a book outside my (genre) comfort zone (and a debut novel) for the Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020 Reading Challenge.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - My Peace I Give You

"Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I 

will do it.

"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.

"But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

~John 14:12-19, 26-27~

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

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Wordless Wednesday - Kinzua Bridge

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On the weekend we visited Kinzua Bridge State Park in Pennsylvania. It was a one-time railway bridge that was damaged by a tornado some years ago. The surviving portion of the bridge was restored and the area is now a state park. Visitors can walk out on the restored bridge. 

This post is linked at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea Scribbles, and at the photo link-up hosted by My Corner of the World.

Pictorial Tuesday

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Take Heart

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

~John 16:33~

In this world, we certainly have a lot of trouble these days. In whatever trouble you are facing, take heart! Jesus promises us peace.

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

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I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.