Media Matters

 Book by Gabrielle Meyer. This time travel romance was surprisingly good. The plot felt fresh,  the decisions felt difficult, and the characters felt real. I also really appreciated the faith-affirming, life-affirming, and motherhood-affirming messaging. I listened to the audiobook and it was quite good. Note: marital rape is discussed in vague terms, but there is nothing sexual described in any detail whatsoever. Definitely falls in the “adult themes but no adult content” category.

 Book by Kate Milford. This middle grade not very spooky mystery has lots of interesting characters and twists and turns. “It is not merely our adversaries we must investigate…. We must always work to know ourselves better, too.”

 This movie depicts the true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel and beat the men’s record in the process. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and marvelled at Trudy’s dedication despite those men who were determined to stop her. The movie is funny and heartwarming, but also eye-opening in terms of the way women and sports were viewed in the early 1900’s. Note: it briefly shows the bare buttocks of a man who swims nude or in a thong.

 Book by Olivia Ford. Utterly charming novel that shows it’s never too late to chase a dream or right a wrong or reconcile a relationship. I particularly loved the portrayal of Jenny and Bernard’s warm and caring marriage.  Note: contains adult themes (adultery, coerced adoption) but no adult content. There is a side character who happens to be gay but his sexuality is not a focal point.

 Book by Matt Haig. This was a wonderfully entertaining audiobook, narrated by Stephen Fry. It is charming and sarcastic, occasionally over-the-top, and full of heart, with an overall theme of doing what is right. Note: there is a scene where a troll’s head explodes, played somewhat for laughs, which could be disturbing. The tone reminded me a lot of a Roald Dahl novel if that gives you an idea of what to expect. There is also some potty humor involving reindeer scat.

 Book by Karina Yan Glaser. I was utterly charmed by this story of a large loving family about to lose the lease on their beloved brownstone apartment. It was both surprising and refreshing to see the portrayal of a happily married mom and dad with five children who genuinely care for each other. Age 6-adult could enjoy this together.

 Nonfiction book by Nicholas Day. This was an interesting nonfiction audiobook all about the Mona Lisa. It would be a perfect read before a trip to the Louvre!

 Book by Katherine Reay. I loved this dual timeline historical fiction novel about the Berlin Wall, spanning from the day the wall went up to the day it came down. 

 Book by Margi Preus. This was a fascinating true story with a very likeable protagonist. Children and adults could enjoy reading it together, as there is no objectionable content. “These shells are like the people of the world, Okachan,” Manjiro said, speaking not just to his mother, but to everyone. “They come from many different places. They come in many different colors and sizes. But they are all beautiful.”