A Home Library, 1919 Article

When I began homeschooling my girls I knew that having a good home library would be important.  I ran across this article written in 1919 that put into words many of my thoughts.  I believe even in a world where we can get so much information online and have a whole library on an iPad that it's important to have a home library, even if it's small, for your children.

The article is republished below.  If I ever find the original source I'll add it below.

"The home ought no more to be without a library than without a dining-room and kitchen. If you have but one room, and it is lighted by the great wood fire in the flaming fireplace, as Abraham Lincoln’s was, do as Abraham Lincoln did; pick out one corner of your fireplace for a library, and use it. Every man ought to provide for the brain as well as for the stomach. This does not require capital; there are cheap editions of the best books; it only requires time and forecast. We write in a private library, and a fairly good one for working purposes, of three thousand-and-odd volumes; we began it many years ago, on a salary of $1,000 a year, with five books -- a commentary in four volumes and a dictionary. The best libraries are not made; they grow.

"At first buy only books that you want immediately to read. Do not be deluded into buying books because they are classics, or cheap, or that you may get rid of an agent. One book read is worth a dozen books looked at. No book is possessed till it is read. Reference books constitute an exception, and an important exception, to this rule. These are the foundations of a good library. The essential reference books are a dictionary, a good atlas, and an encyclopedia. Any school atlas will do, though if you are able to purchase it a good atlas is much better; and best of all is a wise selection of atlases. There is no best encyclopedia; your choice must depend upon your resources, pecuniary and mental.

"In purchasing books exercise a choice in editions. The lowest-priced books are not always the cheapest.  Buy books of transient interest or minor importance -- all novels, for example, and current books of travel -- in cheap form. On the other hand, histories, classics of all sorts, and generally all permanent books, should be bought in good binding and good type. It takes well-seasoned lumber to make a good family library.

"Have a place for your library. A dollar spent in pine lumber, and a little mechanical skill, will make a larger and better one. Varnished pine is handsome enough for any parlor. A place for books will cry to be filled till it gets it prayer answered. Book shelves preserve books. One shelf of books gathered together is a better library than twice the number scattered from attic to cellar.

"Finally, a taste for reading is an essential prerequisite to a useful library. A well is of no use if you never draw water from it. At the same time a good library in the household, accessible to all, from baby to grandmother, is one of the best influences with which to develop a taste for reading. Have no books so fine that they cannot be used."

Book List: 9 Books for Girls Who Love Adventure

This is probably not your typical reading list for a preteen girl but it's a list written by my daughter when she was 13.  She loved reading adventure stories or stories about Indians or pioneers and then acting them out.  I know there are a lot of girls out there like her so I thought I'd share her list with you.  Please feel free to pass it on to others!  (The words are her own and I didn't change any of the grammar or spelling.)

1. The Lord of the Rings - This is my favorite book of all times. I think it's the best book ever written

2. Beauty - This book is based on the Beauty and the Beast story. And is really really good.

3. The Swiss Family Robinson - I love books were people are shipwrecked and have figure out how to survive with what they have.

4. The Princess and the Goblin - Is a great fantasy book and lots of great morals in it, by the famous author George MacDonald.

5. The Redwall Abbey Series - Is another great story of mice and other small animals.

6. Mara, Daughter of the Nile - Is a action, love story set in Ancient Egypt.

7. Little Woman - My mom loves this story about the life of four sisters

8. King Solomon's Mines - Is a action book about Allen Quatermain and others trying to find treasure.

9. Christy

NOTE:  Thanks for reading my blog post.  If you decide to scroll through and read other posts please realize that I'm in the process of uploading lots of content from other locations that I've gathered through our homeschooling years.  And I'm updating many of the old posts... a few at a time so come back and visit us again!

Author Review: Robin McKinley

I asked my oldest daughter last week which author I should include in the next newsletter and she immediately replied with, “Robin McKinley.” We first learned about Robin McKinley from the Sonlight Curriculum catalog. Her book Beauty is a reader for the eighth year. We’ve both read it twice now and it’s a keeper. (“Keeper” = a book we don’t sell after eading it!)

Robin (Jennifer Carolyn) McKinley was born on November 16, 1952, in Warren, Ohio. Her father was in the U.S. Navy and Merchant Marines and her mother was a teacher.  McKinley was an only child and a self-described “military brat” who moved every two years with her family, from California to Japan to New York. Books were a refuge for her and she “decided early on that books were much more reliable friends than people.”

Soon she decided that she would be an author like J. R. R. Tolkien or H. Rider Haggard when she grew up. Except she would write stories about girls.

McKinley graduated summa cum laude from Bowdain College. Not long after that she saw an adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” on television. She was so disappointed in the story she decided to rewrite it herself. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast was the result.Amazingly, this was her first book, written at age 24, and still her most popular.

Interview: Maggie Hogan, Bright Ideas Press

Today's post is a LONG one!  This article was first published in the ABC Books Newsletter, Vol. 1 Iss. 1, in March 2005.  It is reprinted here with permission.  I will be reprinting articles from this newsletter from time to time until they're all online.  Thanks for reading!  Please feel free to share with your book-loving, collecting, and reading friends!
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This week's interview is with an incredibly busy homeschool, book-loving mom who is also an author, business owner, and speaker. I got a chance to meet Maggie Hogan several years ago at a homeschool conference that she did with Teri Camp in Waco, Texas. I think it was the most fun I'd ever had with a bunch of moms I'd never met before. Let me just say, the chocolate was flying!

Ann: Maggie, tell us about yourself and your family.

Maggie: Oh sure, that’s easy! Let’s see where to start...I was born on a dark and stormy night . . . no wait, that’s probably more than you want to know. Try this:  Bob and I have been married almost 25 years. We met in Florida at the swimming pool where I was a lifeguard. I had just recently accepted the Lord as my Savior. Bob was a very devout Catholic who had strongly considered going into the priest- hood. (Whew!) We married and were both baptized. After moving a number of times with his job God brought us here to Dover, DE.

Interview: Jan Bloom, Author of Who Should We Then Read?

This article is reprinted from one of my newsletters from 2005.  I'll be reposting these articles over the next few month.  There will be more interviews from authors, book collectors, and author reviews.
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Although I’ve never had the opportunity to meet Jan Bloom in person, our home library has greatly benefited because of her. She has written two great books that have a permanent place on my reference shelf: Who Should We Then Read? and What Should We Then Know?.

Ann: Jan, tell us about yourself and your family. As the mother of a high-school student I was very encouraged to read that your children were homeschooled until college.


Jan: Gary and I heard about homeschooling in 1982 when we attended a L'Abri seminar. Debbie Schaeffer Middleman spoke on developing a Philosophy of Education and then her brother-in-law, Ranald Macaulay, the husband of Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, spoke about the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason. During a Q & A session, someone mentioned home schooling, which we had never heard of, but it fit in with what we had already heard and gotten excited about from Debbie and Ranald.

Author Review: Geraldine McCaughrean

I first learned about Geraldine McCaughrean several years ago when I read TheWell-Trained Mind.  WTM recommended several of her books: The Canterbury Tales, Greek Myths, The Odyssey, and Saint George and the Dragon.

Getting back to the Blog

Just wanted you to know that I've renewed my commitment to blogging and I'll be working on this and my other blogs in 2014!  I may start off slow but I have a stack of articles that I've written for other publications that I'll be sharing here.

If you are currently homeschooling, or thinking about it, please feel free to leave a question in the comments or send me an email.  I'll use those to inspire future posts.

Thanks for not giving up on my blog!

How to Make a Thanksgiving Journal

I'm getting ready for the 30 Days of Thanksgiving over on my main blog.  This is an example of the Thanksgiving journals I made this year.  Come & join us!

My Body

I just noticed that My Body is the top seller for today on CurrClick! We LOVED this book when my girls where studying the human body in elementary school! But I had an "old-fashioned" hardbound book & had to make copies of the pages. Now you can download the book & print pages from your computer!!!! Soooooo easy! Their favorite activity was to trace their bodies on a roll of paper and add the body parts that are outlined in the book. I wonder if I can find the photos I took of them? I'll look....

Made With Love

My sister wrote this book, Made With Love: A Collection of Recipes for Homemade Baby Food.  Great if you're concerned about feeding your kids healthy foods at a good price.  There are 71 recipes and most are in the fruit & vegetable category!  Other categories include cereal, meats, meals, dairy, teething biscuits, snacks, and bonus recipes like wipes, ornaments, & play dough.  Plus you get to help support another homeschooling mom!!!

Picture Book of the Week - Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Jordann's VERY favorite book when she was around 3 was Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  We went through a time where I read this to her almost EVERY night.  It got to where she would repeat it with me.  And, on those nights I was very tired & tried to skip a part to make the book go faster, she would know and tell me word-for-word what I forgot to read!  She's 15 now and could probably still recite the whole book.  It's one of the books that my girls wouldn't let me sell or give away after they "outgrew" it.  It's still on the shelf upstairs with their favorite picture books from childhood.  I'll have to pull them out sometimes and let y'all know which books were so special to them that they wouldn't let me get rid of them.  Anyway, we HIGHLY recommend Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and think it should be on every child's bookshelf!  (Love that in Spanish, too -- Chicabum, Chicabum)

Moving Website Content to THIS Blog!

I've moved most of the text of my old website to this blog now. I realize most of the links don't work. I'll be working on that and adding pictures in the next few weeks. Please be patient & come back for another visit!

Book List: Our Favorite Young Adult Books

1. The Lord of the Rings - This is my favorite book of all times. I think it's the best book ever written

2. Beauty - This book is based on the Beauty and the Beast story. And is really really good.

3. The Swiss Family Robinson - I love books were people are shipwrecked and have figure out how to survive with what they have.

4. The Princess and the Goblin - Is a great fantasy book and lots of great morals in it, by the famous author George MacDonald.

5. The Redwall Abbey Series - Is another great story of mice and other small animals.

6. Mara, Daughter of the Nile - Is a action, love story set in Ancient Egypt.

7. Little Woman - My mom loves this story about the life of four sisters

8. King Solomon's Mines - Is a action book about Allen Quatermain and others trying to find treasure.

9. Christy

Book List: Our Favorite Picture Books

My oldest daughter wrote this list for me when she was 13. There were a few picture books she still won't let me get rid of... even though my "baby" is now 15. We still like to read these!

1. Go Dog Go - This is one my favorite books to read when I (Lauren) was little.

2. Chick-a-Chick-a-Boom-Boom - Jordann loved this book she could say it by heart.
She took it with her everywhere!

3. Harry the Dirty Dog - I grew up reading this book. In Pre-K I was reading this
book while the other kids were playing.

4. The Little House - This is our Dad's favorite picture book.

5. The Story of Ping - This story is about a little duck on the Yangtze river.

6. Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel

7. Ox-Cart Man - I liked this book because it tells you how the farmer grew and made things and what he did throughout the year and what happened to the things he made.

8. Is Your Mama a Llama? - I love this story. It's about a baby llama looking for a friend whose mother is a llama.

9. Katie and the Big Snow - This is still one of my favorite picture books. I like the pictures in this book.

10. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - We always like to hear what the mouse would want or do next. There are now three others. Another mouse, pig, and a moose,

Ebay How To For Homeschoolers

Want to buy on eBay? Terry Gibbs has written a great book for beginning eBay buyers: Click Here to download a free copy of "The eBay Buyer's Guide".

Want to sell on eBay?
I LOVE eBay! It helps me be a stay-at-home mom to my kids!!! Very often people ask me for advice on selling on eBay. I wish I had enough time to sit down with each one of you and let you know what I've learned. I've often thought I should write a book about it! But why, when so many great ones are already out there. So, I'll just share my sources with you and let you read for yourself! If you're interested in selling on eBay, here are some good starting points.

Get Started:

Before you do any buying or selling, you must register on eBay. If you have never used eBay before, I would recommend you start buying a few things just to see how it works and to get some feedback. Feedback is very important on eBay!

I've listed many of our favorite books about eBay in the left column. Check them out! Many should be available in your public library. There is usually a waiting list for them at our local library. If you want to invest in a couple, my favorites are Starting an eBay Business for Dummies by Marsha Collier and The eBay Bible by Jim Griffith.

While you're buying pay careful attention to what is selling. When you find your niche, what you are interested & passionate about, watch completed auctions and take lots of notes! Research is key.

I would also recommend signing up for Paypal and Vendio when you start out. Here's why

Paypal -- Many more people will bid on your auctions if you accept Paypal. I've never had a problem with them and it makes the time between the end of the auction & the time I mail MUCH shorter! Probably over 90% of my buyers now pay with Paypal.

Vendio -- This is the bulk lister I use to allow me to work on my eBay auctions at any time while I'm offline. I upload them all at the same time to start whenever I want. They also send emails at auction ending and when I receive payment and ship the item. I wouldn't sell on eBay without using Vendio! They currently have a FREE two-week trial and a Pay-as-you-Go plan if you want to start off slow. (I think it's 10 cents per auction.) The reason I use Vendio instead of one of the eBay products is because Vendio includes scheduled listings and templates.

Start off selling lower priced items. Again, to build up your feedback and so you'll hopefully make all your mistakes without loosing any money! Look around your house, clean out closets, have a garage sale on eBay!

Most eBay sellers are too busy listing items to take time out to answer a newbies questions but there are a few sellers who have made their niche teaching others how to do eBay. You can sell on eBay without ever reading any of these and without ever paying for any training, but if you're serious I wouldn't recommend it. The time and money they will save you is WELL WORTH the money you'll pay them!

Terry Gibbs wrote a great guide book for eBay sellers that are just starting out and he's giving it away!

Click Here to download a free copy of
"The eBay Seller's Guide by Terry Gibbs"
And once you've read the beginner's guide you may want to invest in one of his in-depth courses:

Collectible Buying System

Start Your Own eBay Consignment Business

"How to Get Into Estate Sales Early

Mike Enos has several eBay related products he sells and information about being a drop seller (I have NO experience with that.) He also has a free newsletter called Platinum Power Seller that I get a lot of info from. Mike has sold $20,000 - $30,000 a month on eBay before!

Make an About Me Page:

I'm a big believer in About Me pages! Once you find your niche (or even before) build an About Me page. eBay has templates that will do it for you -- you just fill in the info. Make sure you include photos and introduce yourself.

Check out my AM page: If you want to create your own, there is a tiny link down at the bottom of my AM page that says, "To create your own About Me page click here."

The Silent Sales Machine - You've probably heard about this ebook over and over again, but it really is one of the best out there. Not only will it teach you about eBay but you'll also learn how to make money on your About Me page without ever listing anything! (And if you know me, you know that poorly used or non-existant About Me pages are my pet peeve!)

The Silent Sales Machine also has a free newsletter. I have learned soooo much from Jim Cockrum. Definately sign up for this one.

If you decide to make your own AM page after reading this send me a link... I'd love to see it!

Your next step:

After you sell all the extra 'stuff' around your home you can easily start hitting garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets and find LOTS of items to sell. Again, research is the key. You can spend a lot of money and end up just breaking even or you can make $20 for every $1 you spend (or more). Secrets of Garage Sale Bargains by Sherah Taylor is an ebook that will teach you how to find those best-selling items. This ebook is a BARGAIN at $9.95!!! Sherah also has a subscription newsletter about selling children's clothes on eBay. That's not my niche but I learned a lot from her newsletter, too!

Watch completed auctions on eBay and you'll start getting a feel for what sells.

Now that you've had a little experience, what have you enjoyed selling the most? It was easy for me. We LOVE books and are automatically drawn to them at garage sales & thrift stores. You may be a creative type who wants to auction your own handmade jewelry or a SAHM who always has some outgrown clothes or toys to sell. Or maybe, like my FIL who would have been a great eBay-er if he was still around, someone who can find antiques wherever they go. There are thousands of niches. Just think of your hobbies and what you spend your free time doing. You're going to be spending a lot of time on eBay so why not be doing something you enjoy?

Sellathon -- If you sell on eBay, you need to check out View Tracker by Sellathon. If you would like to know HOW your visitors found your auction and be able to customize your listings to take advantage of the best times and best keywords that will work best for YOUR auctions, this is a program you need to check out. This is not just another "counter" that blindly counts how many hits your listing receives you will be able to see the words used in the search to find your auction, how they sorted, what time of day potential buyers are searching, and more. Don't take my word for it, check it out for yourself. I used it and I LOVED IT!!! Try it FREE for 30 days, I promise you will be hooked from the FIRST time you use it.

Are Books Your Niche?

My e-friend, Julie Anna Schultz has written a great book called Finding Jewels: A guide to Identifying Valuable Children's Literature. In it she not only tells you how to sell books on eBay but tells you what books to sell! She and her husband have done extensive research on which books sell the best on eBay. If you're interested in selling children's books, this one is a must! She also has a service that will send you links every month to top sellers on eBay. She's still working on the affiliate program so make sure you let her know that Ann sent you!

Another e-friend, Elaine Smith has written an excellent ebook for newbies How to Sell Books Using Online Auctions. As the title mentions she gives lots of specifics about books but you could use this info for almost anything you want to sell on eBay. Even though I've been selling on eBay for five years I am still learning from Elaine. Well worth the cost!!!

Maybe Children's Clothes are Your Niche?

I have sold a few children's clothes. These two newsletters are great sources of what & where to buy:

Here Comes the Stork

Auction Moms

My Personal Favorite eBooks About eBay:

The Silent Sales Machine

Finding Jewels: A guide to Identifying Valuable Children's Literature.

How to Sell Books Using Online Auctions.

Secrets of Garage Sale Bargains by Sherah Taylor

Yahoo Groups:

eBay Establishings - This group is run by my eFriend, Julie Anna, who also sells books. Her husband is now working full-time from home selling on eBay!

Entrepreneurs at Home - Rhea! runs this group of Christian entrepreneurs that work from home. Ebay is just ONE of their multiple streams of income!

When you join these groups, introduce yourself and let them know Ann sent you!

Newsletters:

The Silent Sales Machine
Platinum Power Seller
Here Comes the Stork
The Auction Moms

Benefic Press Series: Tom Logan, Cowboys, World of Adventure, Checkered Flag, Jim Forest

I never collected these Benefic Press series but I have run across a few in my book selling days. My girls weren't as interested in these as Cowboy Sam or Dan Frontier.

The Tom Logan Series, by Edna Walker Chandler, illustrated by Jack Merryweather. Size: 6 1/2" x 8 3/4".

Pony Rider

Cattle Drive

Secret Tunnel, c1967, RL 1
Gold Nugget, c1967, RL 2
Stagecoach Driver (listed as Stage Whip in some books), c1968, RL 3
Cowboys of Many Races Series, by Donald Russell, illustrated by Max Ranft. These have activities in the back for the kids to do after they read.

Cowboy Without A Horse
Cowboy On The Mountain
Adam Bradford, Cowboy

Cowboy On The Trail
Cowboy Soldier
World of Adventure Series, by Henry Bamman and Robert Whitehead, illustrations by William Lackey. The adventures of two teenaged boys, Mark and Rich.:

The Lost Uranium Mine
Flight to the South Pole
Hunting Grizzly Bears, c1963, RL 3
Fire on the Mountain
City Beaneath the Sea, c1964, RL 4
The Search for PiranhaSacred Well of Sacrifice

Viking Treasure

The Checkered Flag Series, also by Henry Bamman and Robert Whitehead, published by Field Educational Publications, Inc. These books are approximately 6"x8" and the print is a little smaller.

Wheels
Riddler

Bearcat, c1967
Smashup

Scramble
Flea
Grand Prix 500
The Jim Forest Readers, by John and Nancy Rambeau, published by Harr Wagner Publishing Company, San Francisco. I have only seen them in the hardback style shown. Size: 6" x 8 1/4".
Jim Forest and Ranger Don, c1959, Primer
Jim Forest and Bandits, illustrations by Viola French, c1959, RL 1
Jim Forest and the Mystery Hunter
Jim Forest and Dead Man's Peak, illustrations by Viola French, c1959, RL 2
Jim Forest and the Flood, illustrations by Joseph Maniscalco, c1959, RL 3
Jim Forest and Lone Wolf Gulch, illustrations by Joseph Maniscalco, c1959, RL 3
Jim Forest and the Plane Crash, c1967
Jim Forest and the Ghost Town, c1967
Jim Forest and Woodman's Ridge, c1967
Jim Forest and the Trapper
Jim Forest and Lightening, RL 1
Jim Forest and the Phantom Crater

Benefic Press: The Dan Frontier Series

The Dan Frontier series was written by William Hurley & illustrated by Jack Boyd. Dan and his young friend, Jimmy, experience adventures in the early west. This is my youngest daughter's favorite! We have all of these now. You can see in the scan how simply they begin. Size: 6 1/2" x 8 3/4".
Dan Frontier, c1959, Preprimer RL
Dan Frontier and the New House, c1961, Preprimer RL
Dan Frontier Goes Hunting, c1959, Primer RL
Dan Frontier and the Big Cat, c1961, Primer RL
Dan Frontier with the Indians, c1959, RL 1
Dan Frontier, Trapper, c1962, RL 1
Dan Frontier Scouts with the Army, c1962, RL 2
Dan Frontier and the Wagon Train, c1959, RL 2
Dan Frontier, Sheriff, c1960, RL 3
Dan Frontier Goes Exploring, c1963, RL 3
Dan Frontier Goes to Congress, c1964, RL 4
Teacher's Manual - (I've never seen this one. If you have, could you share some info on it? Thanks!)

Benefic Press Series: Cowboy Sam

If your younger kids are just mastering reading and want adventure these series would be a great option! These are interesting adventures with controlled vocabulary -- word lists are included in the back. Many of the stories are aimed more at boys, although my girls have loved them, too. But, living in the country in south Texas, they love everything about cowboys and pioneers!

On the lists below I've included the earliest copyright dates I've found, illustrators, and reading levels. There are also several other series from Benefic Press that I haven't seen myself. Please let me know if you can add more information. Thanks!!!

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The Cowboy Sam series, written by Edna Walker Chandler and illustrated by Jack Merryweather, was a favorite of my girls when they started reading. These are about Cowboy Sam and his friends and their adventures on the ranch. Each book has a word list in the back. I haven't seen all of these, so I'm not sure of the reading level of many of them. My list shows the order they are listed in the books, but they don't seem to be in order of reading level. I'd love to hear from someone who has the books I don't have -- what is the reading level on them?

I have seen them in 2 different styles. The older books have a cloth cover with the cursive-type writing as you see above on the Rusters and Porky books. They were republished in the 1970's with more colorful covers -- See the Freddy book above. As far as I can tell the text and illustrations didn't change. Size: 6 1/2" x 8 3/4".

Cowboy Sam and Dandy
Cowboy Sam
Cowboy Sam and Freddy, c1959, RL2
Cowboy Sam and the Rodeo, c1959, RL 2
Cowboy Sam and the Rustlers
Cowboy Sam and Freckles, c1960, Preprimer RL
Cowboy Sam and Porky, c1961, RL 3
Cowboy Sam and Shorty, c1962, RL 4
Cowboy Sam and the Fair, c1961, RL 2
Cowboy Sam and the Indians, RL 3
Cowboy Sam and Big Bill
Cowboy Sam and Miss Lily
Cowboy Sam and Flop
Cowboy Sam and Sally
Cowboy Sam and the Airplane

Book Review: The Wise Woman

Author: George MacDonald
Review by Lauren Tatum, 12 years old
September 15, 2003

The Wise Woman takes place in a certain country in the Medieval Ages. The main character and hero in this story is the Wise Woman. The other main characters are Princess Rosamond, Agnes, Shepherd, and his wife.

The conflict was when the Wise Woman took the selfish princess and Agnes to her cottage. The climax was when the King found out that the Shepherd had his daughter.

My favorite character was the Wise Woman, becuase she tried her best to get the Princess and Agnes to be good and she didn't lose her temper doing it. There is nothing not to like in George MacDonald's books. This book has a strong moral on selfishness.

"What George MacDonald does best is fantasy -- fantasy that hovers between the allegorical and the mythopoeic. And thus, in my opinion, he does better than any other man." -- C. S. Lewis

Other Books George MacDonald Wrote
Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women, 1858
Adela Cathcart, 1864
Includes, The Light Princess
The Portent: A Story of the Inner Vision of the Higlanders, 1864
At the Back of the North Wind, 1870
The Princess and the Goblin, 1871
The Wise Woman: A Parable, 1875
The Princess and Curdie, 1882
Sequel to The Princess and the Goblin
The Flight of the Shadow, 1891
Lilith: A Romance, 1895

PLUS:
11 Short Stories
27 Novels

Book Review: The Spanish Smile

Author: Scott O'Dell
Year of Copyright: 1982
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
Read: November 3 to 5, 2003

The Spanish Smile takes place in present day on the Isla del Oro, an island off the coast of southern California area. The main character and heroine in this story is Lucinda de Benivides. The other main characters are Don Enrique de Cabrillo y Benivides, Christopher Dawson, Father Martinez, Gerda Wolffe, Captain Wolffe, Jennifer Delaney, Dorothy D'Amico, Alicia, and Captain Vega.

The conflict was that Lucinda was a "prisoner" on Isla del Oro by her father, Don Enrique, who is some what crazy and wants to cause a revolution to regain California to Spain. The climax is when Lucinda discovers something beneath the castle. Meanwhile mysterious things begin to happen.

My favorite character probably was Lucinda because I could relate to her becuase we both love books. This is a amazing book which is almost like the Alfred Hitchcock movie The Rear Window because of the suspense. I was a little grossed out at first by what she found, but it still is a great book. I think even adults would enjoy The Spanish Smile, but I would not ecommend this book for children under 11 because they probably wouldn't understand it that well.

Her is the summary from the book cover:

Lucinda's life on Isla del Oro, off the coast of California, had always been like that of a young princess. Her father, Don Enrique, surrounded her with the luxuries only a man of his fabulous wealth could afford. Yet she was as sheltered as a princess, too. No newspapers reached the island and there was neither radio nor television -- not even a book that had been written in the twentieth century. Don Enrique saw to it that his daughter and heiress, steeped in her noble Spainsh heritage, knew nothing of life amoung the "barbarians" on the mainland.

And so Lucinda de Cabrillo y Benivides grew into young womanhood -- beautiful, intelligent, filled with dreams. It was not until the young archaeologist Chistopher Dawson arrived on the island that Lucinda began to question her world. Slowly, horrifyingly, the truth about Isla del Oro and its master began to emerge.

Told by a master storyteller, The Spainsh Smile builds relentlessly to a dramatic and haunting end, and Lucinda takes her place among the unforgettable heroines created by Scott O'Dell.

Other Books Scott O'Dell Wrote
290, The
Alexandra
Amethyst Ring, The
The third book in the trilogy which started with The Captive
Black Pearl, The
Black Star, Birght Dawn
Captive, The
Castle in the Sea, The
Child of Fire
Cruise of the Artic Star, The
Dark Canoe, The
Feathered Serpent, The
The sequel to The Captive
Hawk that Dare not Hunt by Day, The
Hill of the Hawk
Island of the Blue Dolphins
Journey to Jericho
Kathleen, Please Come Home
King's Fifth, The
Man Alon (Lifer)
My Name is Not Angelica
Road to Damietta, The
Sarah Bishop
Sea is Red, The: A Novel
*Serpent Never Sleeps, The
Sing Down the Moon
Streams to the River, River to the Sea
Thunder Rolling in the Mountains
Treasure of Topo-el-Bampo, The
Woman of Spain: A Story of Old California
Zia
Sequel to Island of the Blue Dolphins